Visualization of intra-vehicular communications networks

A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising:

• instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive a plurality of standardized network description files describing a plurality of vehicular communication networks connecting a plurality of electronic control units (ECU) for a vehicle, each of the plurality of standardized network description files describing a vehicular communication network in the plurality of vehicular communication networks, each vehicular communication network comprising a subset of the plurality of ECUs and one or more network communications paths interconnecting the subset of ECUs;
• and
• instructions that cause the one or more processors to automatically generate, based on the plurality of SND files, a visual topology representation of the plurality of vehicular communication networks connecting to the plurality of ECUs, the visual topology representation including at least one ECU connected to at least two vehicular communication networks in the plurality of vehicular communication networks;
• instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive an input from a user to select a network message defined by one or more of the plurality of SND files, the selected network message comprising a plurality of fields;
• instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate a visual signal path representation for the selected network message, the visual signal path representation illustrating (1) an originating ECU, (2) a destination ECU, (3) a plurality of routes connecting the originating ECU to the at least one destination ECU through at least a portion of the plurality of vehicular communication networks, and (4) a plurality of intermediate ECUs transversed by one or more of the plurality of routes;
• instructions that cause the one or more processors to provide a screen illustrating both representations of the plurality of SND files that make up an entire communication system configuration of the vehicle and a window to enable a user to provide instructions to generate program code for the ECUs within the vehicle's communication system;
• and
• instructions that modifies a route for the selected network message based on ECUs to which a first of the plurality of fields is destined, wherein the first of the plurality of fields is destined for an ECU other than the destination ECU;
• wherein the plurality of routes connecting the originating ECU to the destination ECU includes (1) a current route and (2) one or more alternative routes;
• and
• wherein a first portion of the intermediate ECU are along the current route and are each illustrated to have a first characteristic, and a second portion of the intermediate ECUs are not along the current route but are suitable for use along the current route and are each illustrated to have a second characteristic.

An apparatus for computer-assisted visualization of network devices, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to receive a plurality of standardized network description SND files describing a plurality of vehicular communication networks connecting a plurality of electronic control units (ECU) for a vehicle, each of the plurality of SND files describing a vehicular communication network in the plurality of vehicular communication networks, each vehicular communication network comprising a subset of the plurality of ECUs and one or more network communications paths interconnecting the subset of ECUs,
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to automatically generate, based on the plurality of SND files, a visual topology representation of the plurality of vehicular communication networks connecting to the plurality of ECUs, the visual topology representation including at least one ECU connected to at least two vehicular communication networks in the plurality of vehicular communication networks;
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an input from a user to select a network message defined by one or more of the plurality of SND files, the selected network message comprising a plurality of fields, and
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate a visual signal path representation for the selected network message, the visual signal path representation illustrating (1) an originating ECU, (2) a destination ECU, (3) a plurality of routes connecting the originating ECU to the destination ECU through at least a portion of the plurality of vehicular communication networks, and (4) a plurality of intermediate ECUs transversed by one or more of the plurality of routes;
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide a screen illustrating both representations of the plurality of SND files that make up an entire communication system configuration of the vehicle and a window to enable a user to provide instructions to generate program code for the ECUs within the vehicle's communication system;
• and
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to modify a route for the selected network message based on ECUs to which a first of the plurality of fields is destined, wherein the first of the plurality of fields is destined for an ECU other than the destination ECU;
• wherein the plurality of routes connecting the originating ECU to the destination ECU includes (1) a current route and (2) one or more alternative routes;
• and
• wherein a first portion of the intermediate ECUs are along the current route and are each illustrated to have a first characteristic, and a second portion of the intermediate ECUs are not along the current route but are suitable for use along the current route and are each illustrated to have a second characteristic;
• and
• at least one data storage unit configured to communicate with the processor and to store data for the automatically generated visual topology representation.