WO2013102482A1

WO2013102482A1 - Control unit for controlling a device

Info

Publication number: WO2013102482A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/005357
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Rankl
Original assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh
Priority date: 2012-01-03
Filing date: 2012-12-21
Publication date: 2013-07-11
Also published as: EP2801004A1; DE102012000052A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a control unit (10) for controlling a device of a predetermined device type, comprising a microcontroller (20) that has at least one device interface (22, 24) with the device to be controlled. Control software (56) specific to the device type is configured to determine control signals which are provided for the purpose of controlling said device by means of the device interface (22). A chip-card controller (30) connected to the micro-controller (20) stores and executes the control software (56), only the control software (56) enabling the control unit (10) to determine control signals for the device of the predetermined device type.

Description

S e t i o n c e m e n t i o n c e m e n ts

The present invention relates to a control unit for controlling technical devices and the programming of such a control unit.

Microcontrollers for controlling devices, e.g. self-sufficient sensors or actuators, components in sensor networks, devices in M2M-Computmg and small industrial controls, such as heating or alarm systems and the like, as well as controls of household appliances, have already found widespread use.

The programming of microcontrollers usually requires a lot of experience and is time consuming and costly. In most cases, near-hardware programming, e.g. in a programming language such as assembler or C, required. For the most part, a developer must first familiarize himself with the requirements of a microcontro- server that is to be pro- grammed. In addition, programming of such microcontrollers requires only very simple development environments equipped with basic functionalities. As a rule, these development environments are assigned to the respective microcontractor and thus differ for different microcontrollers. Consequently, the resulting development times for program development and the resulting development costs are comparatively high. In US 5,896,507 additional commands are reloaded into the card of the terminal so that a server can call these commands.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective control unit. This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

A control unit according to the invention for controlling devices accordingly comprises a microcontroller with at least one interface for communication with a device to be controlled. The device to be controlled is of a predetermined type of device. The control unit further comprises a control software specific to the device type. The control software determines control signals which are provided to control the device from the predetermined device type via the device interface. Conventionally, such software has been executed on the microcontroller. In the present case, a chip card controller is connected to the microcontroller, which stores and executes the control software. The control unit is enabled by the control software to determine control signals for the device from the predetermined device type. The microcontroller itself can not control the device. Preferably, the microcontroller can be used for different device types of a device class. The interface (s) of the microcontroller is configured to send control signals to the device and to receive device signals from the device. Control and device signals can be analog and / or digital signals. The microcontroller has an operating software specific to the controller (processor). For a device class that includes a variety of different device types, the device interface function of the microprocessor is specific. A smart card controller interface function, via which the control software can call the device interface function, is generic, ie depending on device type and device class.

Important is the possible use of a configurable by the smart card controller forwarding function. This function forwards incoming device signals via the device interface to the chip card controller. If, for example, an analog device signal is present continuously, the smart card controller can set how often or in which cycle the current value of the device signal is to be transmitted to it. In a preferred embodiment, the chip card controller transmits an event list to the microcontroller, wherein an event is preferably a criterion for a device signal (A> 3 or B = 0). The MikrocontroUer informs the smart card controller as soon as an event from the event list occurs.

It is particularly efficient when software specific to a device type and / or device class is provided by the smart card controller. This provision takes place in a phase of initialization between MikrocontroUer and smart card controller. In this operating phase of the control unit, the chip card controller can provide the MikrocontroUer with, for example, the device interface function, the forwarding function and / or its configuration. In a subsequent operating phase of the control of the device, the control software determines the necessary control signals.

The initialization phase between chip card controller and microcontroller is preferably carried out only once, for example during the first startup of the control unit. The initialization phase is supported by an initialization software in the chip card controller. A be- operating software of the microprocessor and software for communication with the chip card controller must be provided in advance in the microcontroller. After initialization, the smart card controller automatically switches to a control mode. This switching can be done for example by automatic selection of the control software instead of the initialization software. An efficient method of providing controllers for different types of devices is based on microcontrollers that can be used for devices of different types of devices. A microcontroller is permanently connected to a smart card controller. Depending on the device type of the device for which the control unit is to be provided, a corresponding device-specific control software is loaded on the smart card controller. The control software is stored on the smart card controller and is provided for execution on the smart card controller. For programming such a control unit, a development environment can be used to program the device-specific control software stored on and executed by the smart card controller. The fact that the control is executed on the smart card controller, these can be in any high-level language, eg. B. Java, and programmed using conventional well-known and equipped with a variety of functional development environments more comfortable and efficient than in the conventional controller programming is possible. An introduction of the developer in the programming of the underlying microcontroller can thus be omitted in the programming of the essential for the device control special functions. This results in shorter development times and correspondingly lower development costs.

The invention can be realized with conventional chip card controllers which can be easily connected to the microcontroller in accordance with known communication protocols and which can provide the control unit with additional computing and storage capacities in a cost-effective manner, which in conventional micro-controllers only at significantly higher costs or at substantially the same cost. The control unit according to the invention is particularly suitable for controlling sensors and actuators, which can also act autonomously. Controllable by means of the operating and control software of the control unit are further independently communicating devices in M2M computing applications and small industrial equipment, such as heating or alarm systems, but also model or household appliances such. Washing machines, dishwashers, toasters and the like.

In the present case is understood as a control unit for a device, a control unit, which is permanently installed in the device.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show: Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a control unit according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 schematically shows a sequence within the control unit from FIG. 1 during startup and during operation.

Referring to FIG. 1, a controller 10 for controlling devices (not shown) includes a microcontroller 20 and a smart card controller 30 connected to the microcontroller 20. The particular type of microcontroller 20 is determined by the class of devices to be controlled. The smart card controller 30 complies with the basic requirements of the standard ISO / IEC 7816, i. conventional smart card controllers 30 may be used within the control unit 10. Preferably, small form factors are used which are essentially as small as or smaller than a conventional contact field according to ISO 7816. Such smart card controllers 30 can be programmed in high-level languages by means of conventional, widely-equipped development environments and can be comfortably debugged.

The control unit 10 is suitable depending on the technical design e.g. for controlling autonomous sensors and actuators, for autonomously communicating devices in M2M and perversive computing applications, and for controlling small industrial installations, for example heating or alarm systems, but also model construction systems or for domestic appliances, such as e.g. Washing machines, dishwashers, toasters and the like.

A data communication between the microcontroller 20 and the smart card controller 30 via a conventional communication protocol, eg T = 0, T = l or USB, the microcontroller 20 acts as a master in the role of a terminal and the smart card controller 30 as a slave treated. The chip card controller 30 is fixed, ie not detachable like a chip card, to be connected to the microcontroller 20.

The microcontroller 20 has various input 22 and output interface portions 24 and / or input and output channels for communication with the device to be controlled, i. in particular its components such as actuators and / or sensors. In this case, analog and / or digital input and output channels can be provided, as well as known industrial interfaces, e.g. PC, RS232, CAN bus, USB or the like.

The control unit 10 comprises operating and control software 40, 50 for operating the control unit 10 and for controlling the device to be controlled. In this case, part of the operating and control software 40, 50 is stored in the form of the software 50 on the chip card controller 30 and configured to be executed on a processor of the chip card controller 30. Another part of the operating and control software 40, 50 includes the software 40, which is executed on the microcontroller 20 (stored and there).

The operating functions 42 and the interface software 46 to the chip card controller 30 are independent of the technical characteristics of the devices to be controlled. The operating functions 42 are used to operate the microcontroller 20 itself, for example, its hardware components, in particular they manage the input and output interfaces 22, 24. Insofar this is an operating system of the microcontroller 20 equal.

The software 40 may further comprise basic functions capable of communicating with the entire class of devices to be controlled (even from different manufacturers), regardless of the technical differences of individual subclasses or individual devices of the class. For example, a subclass can be a manufacturer's device or a subset of such devices which are technically suitable for an add-on application but which require specific control. The most important basic function is the interface function 44 to the device interfaces 22, 24.

Furthermore, the microcontroller comprises a forwarding function 48. The forwarding function can be configured by forwarding criteria 49.

The software 50 stored on the chip card controller 30 and executable there includes operating system software 52 of the chip card controller, initialization software 54 and the device-specific software 56.

The initialization software 54 provides software executable to the microcontroller 20, in particular the device interface function 44 and the routing function 48 configurable by criteria 49. The software provided may be specific to the device class, but makes no control decisions.

Only the control software 56 executed on the smart card controller 30 determines which control signals are to be sent later to the device. The control software 56 may send the control signal to the device via the interface functions 46 and 44 of the microcontroller.

Referring to FIG. 2, a flow within the control unit 10 is schematically illustrated.

When the control unit 10 is started up, the chip card controller 30 is replaced by the microcontroller in a first step S1 in an initialization phase. Troller 20 switched on by means of a power-up sequence. The smart card controller 30 responds generically in step S2 with an ATR ("Answer to Reset"). Subsequently, in steps S3 and S4 (PPS, "Protocol Parameter Selection"), parameters of the communication protocol used are set in a known manner.

On the smart card controller 30, the initialization application 54 is stored. This application may be configured to functionally effect the result of steps S5 through S10 by controlling the microcontroller in the initialization phase. In particular, it is therefore not necessary for software to be provided on the microcontroller which sends the commands S5, S7 and S9 shown in FIG. 2 to explain the sequence. Preferably, the initialization phase in a control unit runs only once during the first startup.

Steps S5 and S6 serve to provide the software functions 44 and or 48 to the microcontroller 20. By means of the command GET CODE, which is described here for chip cards for the first time, the microcontroller 20 in step S5 requests the chip card controller 30, if present, to provide the corresponding updates. The smart card controller 30 responds in step S6 by providing the requested program parts ("CODE"), if available, or by notifying that there are no (further) functions. As a rule, the microcontroller can directly integrate a received update, if no further RESET is necessary.

In step S7, the microcontroller 20 requests time information from the chip card controller 30 by means of the command GET TIMER newly introduced in the chip card area. This time information gives the time span which may pass in the later control phase between two commands with device signals. The smart card controller 30 supplies the corresponding information ("TIMER") in step S8. The microcontractor is thus indicated in which rhythm values of a device signal, possibly continuously present, should be forwarded.

In a likewise optional step S9, the microcontroller 20 requests an event list from the chip card controller 30 by means of a command GET EVENTS. The event list can be device-specific. This event list defines, for a single device to be controlled, under what circumstances the microcontroller 20 has to forward a signal or the like received from the device to be controlled via an input interface 22 to the smart card controller 30. In the simplest form, such an event specification may e.g. state that a signal applied to an input channel 22 must always be forwarded to the chip card controller 30 whenever a certain threshold value is exceeded or undershot.

The initialization software 54 answers this request from the microcontroller 20 by sending it to e.g. an event list is provided which includes event specifications for all input interfaces 22. It is also possible that the event list contains event presets only for individual but not all input interfaces 22. This completes the initialization phase and the control unit 10 is ready for operation. The smart card controller 30 now automatically selects the control software 56 as an application.

In general, the operating phase proceeds by a repetitive sequence of steps Bl and B2. In step Bl, the microcontroller 20 forwards a device received by the device to be controlled via an input interface 22. nes device signal by means of the forwarding function 48 to the smart card controller 30 on. The following data can be transmitted as event data, for example. The occurrence of a specific event based on an event number (A> 5 is fulfilled => send event ID = 1). Alternatively, the event itself can be transmitted (A> 5). Finally, simply the value of the device signal and its identifier can be transmitted (A = 8 => Send "Aß") - In the step (s) Bl, the event data is transmitted as data to the smart card controller 30. The event data are stored in one Transfer command for requesting control data to the smart card controller 30. Different event data are thus transmitted with the same command.

In the chip card controller, the corresponding event data are processed by means of one of the control software 56 and then a control signal is determined. Corresponding control data is transferred to the microcontroller 20 in step B2 in response to the event data. For example, the instruction may be transmitted as control data "set control signal B to 2." The microcontroller then sends the control signal determined by the control software to the device These two steps are repeated during the operating phase of the control unit 10 for the various input interfaces 22 in one of the following described way.

According to a first variant, the microcontroller 20 sends the device signals received from the device to be controlled cyclically, i. at predetermined time intervals, which are determined by the time information received in step S8, to the smart card controller 30th

Alternatively or additionally, according to a second variant, it is provided that the device signals are event-controlled by the microcontroller 20, ie in accordance with FIG the event list received by the smart card controller 30 in step S10 is forwarded to the smart card controller 30. This means that an input signal is immediately forwarded to the chip card controller 30 even if the time interval described above between two signal transfers has not yet elapsed, but the signal fulfills the conditions defined in the event specifications. If there are comprehensive event specifications for all input interfaces 22, the signal forwarding can also be completely event-controlled. A control unit 10 for controlling devices in the described form, including embedded systems, allows the use of higher-level programming languages for programming the special functions 50 on the smart card controller 30 at a low cost. High-quality, conventional development environments can be used for the first time for the control programming of microcontrollers 20 unchanged. As a result, it is also for third parties, for. For example, for users of the control unit 10, it is subsequently possible to individually customize or add special functions 50, for example to provide encryption and decryption and processing of sensor data in the case of control of a sensor within a sensor network. The control unit 10 is inexpensive to manufacture because smart card controllers 30 are available at low prices. This also applies in particular to the storage resources that can be provided by means of a chip card controller 30. A chip card controller 30 can therefore also be used within the control unit and using the known smart card commands PUT DATA and GET DATA (in accordance with ISO / IEC 7816) as a low-cost data storage.

Claims

Patent claims

A control unit (10) for controlling a device of a predetermined type of device, the control unit comprising:

a microcontroller (20) with at least one device interface (22, 24) to the device to be controlled,

- A specific for the device type control software (56), wherein the control software is adapted to determine control signals, which are provided for controlling the device via the device interface (22), characterized by

a smart card controller (30) connected to the microcontroller (20),

wherein the smart card controller (30) stores the control software (56) specific to the device type,

wherein the smart card controller (30) executes the control software (56) specific to the device type, and

the control unit (10) can determine control signals for the device from the predetermined device type only by the control software (56).

2. Control unit (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the

Microcontroller (20) can be used for different device types of a device class and has a specific for the device class device interface function (44).

3. Control unit (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the chip card controller (30) provides the microcontroller (10) with the device interface function (44).

4. Control unit (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the microcontroller (20) has a CWpkartencontrollerschnittstellenfunktion (46), via which the control software (56) the device interface function (44) can call.

5. control unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the microcontroller (20) of the smart card controller (30) configurable forwarding function (48) which via the device interface (24) incoming device signals to the Chip card controller (30) forwards.

6. Control unit (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the chip card controller (30) provides the microcontroller (10) with the forwarding function (48).

7. Control unit (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the chip card controller (30) configures the forwarding function (48) by forwarding criteria (49).

8. Control unit (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the forwarding criteria (49) comprises a list of events.

9. Control unit (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the forwarding criteria (49) relate to a time value which is determined and monitored by the microcontroller (20), wherein preferably the forwarding function (49) cyclically, according to the temporal Value, a device signal forwards.

10. Control unit (10) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the forwarding criteria (49) relate to a threshold value for a device signal.

11. Control unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the chip card controller (30) is fixedly connected to the microcontroller (20).

12. Control unit (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the chip card controller (30) automatically between an initialization software (54) for a phase of initialization between microcontroller (20) and smart card controller (30) and the control software (56) for a phase of control of the device switches.

13. Control unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the microcontroller (20) transmits event data in a command for requesting control data to the chip card controller (30).

14, control unit (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the specific for the device type control software is arranged to determine device-specific different control signals for different device signals received by the control unit.

15. Device with an integrated control unit according to one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A method for efficiently providing control units (10) for different types of devices, comprising the steps of: permanent connection of a microcontrouter (20), which can be used for devices of different types of devices, with a chip card controller (30),

Dependent on the device type of the device for which the control unit (10) is to be provided, loading of a corresponding device-specific control software (56) onto the chip card controller (30) which is provided for execution on the chip card controller (30).