Improving the Diagnostic Development Process by Use of the Same XML File for Requirements Engineering, Implementation, and Diagnostics Tester Parameterization

• Automating system tests
• Assuring that data stored in the diagnostic tester is consistent with data stored in the electronic control units (ECUs)
• Representing simulation and test systems which permit system testing of the entire vehicle and once in service can significantly reduce the number of replacement of "good" electronic control units

In order to realise these goals it is imperative to start the diagnostics functionality as early as the requirements engineering phase.

Features and Advantages

CANdela (CAN diagnostic environment for lean applications) is a comprehensive and process-oriented approach to optimizing diagnostics in the motor vehicle environment. The user is supported in the acquisition and processing of diagnostic data. Depending on the intended use the user can either pass information in its entirety or in a reduced form. The user can exchange the data in its original XML format, in an open exchange format or as an RTF file. The acquired diagnostic data can be used for the automated generation of ECU software. The open exchange format is used to adapt a wide variety of test systems to a specific ECU.

The central component of the CANdela product line is CANdelaStudio, a requirements engineering tool which permits simple and user-friendly acquisition of diagnostic description data. The special features of this tool are the quick learning time and the user-friendliness. The user does not require any detailed knowledge of the diagnostic protocol or underlying data model. It is easy for users to learn how to use the tool in just a few days.

Functions

The fundamental idea of this process optimization is to eliminate the local "paper-oriented" development process with gaps between the specification, requirements specification, simulation, implementation, and tester parameterization. This is achieved by uniformity of description data in a single XML file for all process steps.

The CANdela product family is a software environment for acquiring, editing and further processing such uniform diagnostic description data, whereby consistency is assured at all times. Document templates are supported by CANdelaStudio to make it possible to handle manufacturer-specific differences in one standard tool. In content a document template corresponds to a manufacturer-specific diagnostic specification. It contains a formal description of all allowable basic services of the electronic control units as well as the mandatory features that must be implemented in every electronic control unit. Optional features can also be described in the template, so that it is easy to select them at a later time if desired.

An electronic control unit is described in a separate document which is based on a document template. A variants concept makes it possible to describe commonalities and differences among the different electronic control unit's variants with few redundancies.

Process Support

The diagnostic functionalities and diagnostic data for an electronic control unit are described in the requirements engineering phase. They are stored in a single database and are then available electronically as an XML file for subsequent process steps:

• Implementation (electronic control unit software CANdesc)
• Diagnostic testers for development, the production environment, test stands, and service (e.g. CANdito, CANape Graph, CANoe)

Application Areas

Substantial shares of resources in diagnostic development are used to keep implementation in the electronic control unit compatible with the various tester types, and to assure that both electronic control unit and tester implementations conform to the underlying specification. Different development teams at different companies have to solve this task. This is leading to coordination effort and consistency problems. The CANdela product family offers a comprehensive approach here for standardizing the entire diagnostic process, shortening development times, and avoiding inconsistencies.

Quality improvement by Single Source Principle

The "Single Source Principle", i.e. use of a formally specified, machine-readable XML database in all areas, significantly defuses the consistency problem and thereby significantly increases product quality. During the entire development phase changes in the database were made with CANdelaStudio. The specification, the ECU software, and the tester configuration will be generated and updated from this database automatically.

Benefits:

• Protection of consistency
• Reduction of development times
• Automated data and code tests
• Systematized reutilization of data descriptions

Diagnostics Specification

From an electronic control unit database CANdelaStudio generates a diagnostic specification in Rich-Text-Format (RTF). This specification can be read and edited using conventional word processing tools. The information is structured and prepared in a way that is oriented toward classic diagnostic specifications. CANdelaStudio automatically adds a table of contents and an index. The contents of the automatically generated specification are referenced by hyperlinks. These hyperlinks continue to be active after converting the document to a PDF file, and this makes it significantly easier to navigate through the document. With the generated specification the diagnostic specification is also in a printed manner available.

Data Exchange

CANdelaStudio supports the following formats for exchanging diagnostic description data:

• ODX 2.0: import and export of diagnostic data (e.g. DTCs), also in far eastern languages
• ASAM-MCD-2D-basic = ODX 1.1.4/1.1.5 export
• Diagnostic specification export (RTF file)
• Service overview export (CSV file)
• Import for data type "Text Table" (CSV file)
• Export of Variant Coding Keys (XML file)
• CDI format: import of, amongst others, data types and DTCs and export of DTCs
• Import of data from the A2L format

CANdela - CANdelaStudio and other Vector tools

The CANoe and CANalyzer measurement, analysis, and simulation tools are capable of analyzing diagnostic communication according to Keyword Protocol 2000 (KWP2000)[1] or Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) [1], and they can display protocol messages and the names of participating nodes in the Trace Window. In addition to the support of the standard services of KWP2000 it is also possible to use CANdela XML files, and this makes it very easy to display all symbolic parameter values. The CANdela XML file is used for direct configuration.

The Vector tools CANdito and CANape only require the CANdela XML file to represent a complete diagnostic tester. Once programmed, macros, user interfaces, etc. can be reused for all electronic control unit families.

CANdelaStudio Editions

CANdelaStudio is offered in the following editions:

• CANdelaStudio ViewX

With the well-priced CANdelaStudio ViewX edition the user may view, compare (Diff-function), and export, but not modify diagnostic requirements and diagnostic data.
Application area: Users of test systems and at test stations might apply this edition.

• CANdelaStudio Standard

CANdelaStudio Standard provides all of the important functionalities needed for diagnostic requirements engineering. The template concept is utilized to automatically link the diagnostic data to be exchanged (e.g. electronic control unit identification, reading and clearing of errors, driving of actuators, etc.) to the diagnostic services offered. CANdelaStudio guarantees the consistency of the data.
Application area: CANdelaStudio is recommended for all active participants in the diagnostic process.

• CANdelaStudio Pro

In addition to the functionality of CANdelaStudio Standard the CANdelaStudio Pro edition supports multilingual requirements engineering. For this purpose CANdelaStudio Pro offers semi-automated translation of diagnostic data, which can be consistently edited in one language in the Standard edition. Additionally expandable dictionaries based on the open TMX standard can be generated and used. Besides Western European languages, Far Eastern languages (e.g. Japanese) are also supported.
Application area: This edition is primarily recommended for international projects if multilingual specifications are required or helpful. Thus inconsistent diagnostic descriptions are avoided.

• CANdelaStudio Admin

Like CANdelaStudio Pro, but diagnostic templates can also be created and/or modified here.

Functions:
• Modify diagnostic classes
• Modeling the points of data reuse
• Opening and saving template files (*.cddt files)
• Translation of template files
• Modify a set of DTC properties (set condition, reset condition)
• Modify protocol services

Application Area
This edition should be made available to employees who are responsible for the global diagnostic concept of a group of electronic control units or vehicle model series.

	New Functions of version 5.0 ODX Enhancements ODX 2.0.1 format: import and export Import of Layer and Services of an ODX ECU description and allowing for simple exchange of data between different OEMs considering process conformity Expanded ODX export: Support of TABLEs and communication parameters for additional OEMs Fault Memory New overview dialogs and tables: e.g. DTC-Overview that lists for each DTC the variant where the DTC is used. This is helpful when doing variant-spanning checking and maintenance of a set of DTCs Support and description of structure dependencies for UDS Record Numbers More new Functions New wizards for creating Sessions and Security Levels Export of the difference view to a XML file