System, method and computer program product for sharing information in a distributed framework

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for receiving information associated with a message, issuing a storage resource request in connection with a storage resource and determining whether the storage resource is available. In use, the information is capable of being shared in less than one second, utilizing an automotive electronic control unit which includes a plurality of interfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 an automotive electronic control unit (ECU) including a memory storage comprising instructions, and at least one hardware processor in hardwired communication with the memory storage, wherein the at least one hardware processor executes the instructions for:
 receiving sensor information associated with a message; 
 in response to receiving the sensor information, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor and to a storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, a storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit to store the sensor information and, in response to issuing the storage resource request, determining whether the storage resource is available to store the sensor information; 
 determining whether a threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has been reached indicating that the storage resource has not been available in association with the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request; 
 when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the storage resource request, to not be available and the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has not been reached indicating that the storage resource has not been available in association with the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor to the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, another storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit to store the sensor information; 
 when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the storage resource request or the another storage resource request, to not be available and the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has been reached, sending an error notification; and 
 when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the storage resource request or the another storage resource request, to be available, storing the sensor information utilizing the storage resource; 
 wherein the automotive electronic control unit is operable such that the sensor information is capable of being shared in less than one second, and the automotive electronic control unit includes a plurality of interfaces including:
 a first interface; and 
 a second interface for interfacing with a network, where the network is at least one of a Controller Area Network, a Flexray network, or a Local Interconnect Network. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable such that the sensor information reaches a destination on the network in less than one second. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable such that the sensor information reaches a destination on the network in less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable such that a duration between the sensor information being received and being shared is less than one second. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable such that a duration between the sensor information being received and the sharing being completed is less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable such that the sensor information is shared in less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the system is configured for sharing automotive sensor data between heterogeneous networks with sufficient speed for use in connection with an automotive device. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an automotive electronic control unit (ECU) including a memory storage comprising instructions, and at least one hardware processor in hardwired communication with the memory storage, wherein the at least one hardware processor executes the instructions for:
 identifying sensor information associated with a message received utilizing a first network protocol associated with a first network; 
 in response to identifying the sensor information, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor and to a storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, a storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit to store the sensor information and, in response to issuing the storage resource request, determining whether the storage resource is available to store the sensor information; 
 determining whether a threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has been reached indicating that the storage resource has not been available in association with the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request; 
 in the event the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the storage resource request, to not be available and the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has not been reached indicating that the storage resource has not been available in association with the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor to the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, another storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit to store the sensor information; 
 in the event the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the another storage resource request, to not be available and the threshold tracked since the issuance of the storage resource request has been reached, sending an error notification; and 
 in the event the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined, in response to issuing the storage resource request or the another storage resource request, to be available, storing the sensor information utilizing the storage resource; 
 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the sensor information is capable of being shared in less than one second utilizing a second network protocol associated with a second network, and the automotive electronic control unit remains in hardwired communication with the first network and the second network and includes:
 a first interface for interfacing with the first network, the first interface including a first interface-related data link layer component for using first network-related data link layer header bits and a first interface-related network layer component for using first network-related network layer header bits, where the first network is at least one of a Controller Area Network type, a Flexray network type, or a Local Interconnect Network type; and 
 a second interface for interfacing with the second network, the second interface including a second interface-related data link layer component for using second network-related data link layer header bits and a second interface-related network layer component for using second network-related network layer header bits, where the second network is at least one of the Controller Area Network type, the Flexray network type, or the Local Interconnect Network type. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is operable such that network layer translation is capable of being avoided. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is configured for sharing automotive sensor data received via the first network for use in connection with an automotive device on the second network, in less than the one second. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is configured for sharing automotive sensor data received via the first network for use in connection with an automotive actuator on the second network, in less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is operable such that the sensor information is shared by the second interface-related network layer component using the second network-related network layer header bits by adding the second network-related network layer header bits to a data unit including the sensor information, and then the second interface-related data link layer component using the second network-related data link layer header bits by adding the second network-related data link layer header bits to the data unit, before communicating the data unit on a physical link of the second network. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first interface-related data link layer component uses the first network-related data link layer header bits by removing the first network-related data link layer header bits from another data unit, and the first interface-related network layer component uses the first network-related network layer header bits by removing the first network-related network layer header bits from the another data unit so that the sensor information is removed from the another data unit, before the sharing. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium of an automotive electronic control unit (ECU) for storing a computer program product including code that, when executed by at least one hardware processor included in the automotive electronic control unit in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable medium, is for:
 receiving sensor information associated with a message received utilizing a first network protocol associated with a first network;   in response to receiving the sensor information, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor and to a storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, a storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, for determining whether the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is available to store the sensor information;   determining whether a time-related threshold tracked after the issuance of the storage resource request has been reached in association with the determination whether the storage resource is available;   when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined to not be available and the threshold associated with the determination whether the storage resource is available has not been reached, issuing, by the at least one hardware processor to the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit, another storage resource request to access the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit to store the sensor information;   when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined to not be available and the threshold associated with determination whether the storage resource is available has been reached, ceasing repeating issuance of another storage resource request; and   when the storage resource included in the automotive electronic control unit is determined to be available, storing the sensor information utilizing the storage resource;   wherein the computer program product is operable such that the sensor information is capable of being shared in less than one second utilizing the automotive electronic control unit that remains in hardwired communication with the first network and a second network, and that includes a plurality of interfaces including:
 a first interface for interfacing with the first network, where the first network is one of a Controller Area Network, a Flexray network, or a Local Interconnect Network; and 
 a second interface for interfacing with the second network, where the second network is another one of the Controller Area Network, the Flexray network, or the Local Interconnect Network. 
   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the sensor information reaches a destination on the second network in less than one second. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the sensor information reaches a destination on the second network in less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that a duration between the sensor information being received and the sharing being completed is less than one second. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that a duration between the sensor information being received and the sharing being completed is less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the sharing of the sensor information is completed in less than a millisecond. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the computer program product is configured for sharing the sensor information in the form of automotive sensor data received via the first network for use in connection with an automotive device on the second network, in less than the one millisecond second.