DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to command processor systems. The invention, more particularly, relates to scheduling of messages and commands for processing in a command processor system.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Typically, command processor systems such as microcontroller systems have processing limitations, working on a command-response principle. To execute a command in a command processing system there is a requirement of a minimum time interval requirement between two consecutive commands for processing and response loading/sending.
[0003] An approach for scheduling of radio resources is disclosed in Indian Patent Application No. 201937034890. The application discloses a base station for scheduling where a base station may be able to identify the beam and beam components measured in the same multi-beam coverage cells, in order to achieve Wavelength division multiplexing radio resource scheduling. The application describes scheduling that is based on pre-set matrix orthogonal coding.
[0004] Another approach is disclosed for channel carrier configuration representing configuration information of a logical channel specification/transmission time interval in Indian Patent Application No. 201947048735. The application describes mapping between carrier and logical channel based on channel carrier configuration where channel carrier information is kept in Radio Resource Control message.
[0005] However, both the documents do not describe message scheduling for a command processing system that addresses the constraints created by time-gaps between the processing of the commands.
[0006] There is still a need of an invention which solves the above defined problems and provides scheduling of messages and commands for processing in a command processor system. Hence, it is desirable to have a system and a method for scheduling of messages considering the different time gap constraints of command processor systems. By mapping the time slots to different messages types and scheduling (i.e. Time Slot – message type mapping) that is controlled by a timer trigger, a minimum time gap between two consecutive commands for processing and response loading/sending can be achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This summary is provided to introduce concepts of the present invention. This summary is neither intended to identify essential features of the present invention nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the present invention.
[0008] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of message and command scheduling in a command processor system is described. The method comprises the steps of : initializing a communication interface, creating one or more time slots for scheduling one or more messages and commands; defining a mapping between messages and time slots; creating a message/command queue for transmission of aperiodic commands; spawning a timer task for processing of commands; determining whether the current timer slot is for aperiodic command scheduling; reading the aperiodic message/command queue, and determining whether an aperiodic command is available to be scheduled. Alternatively, the method proceeds to the steps of: determining whether the current timer slot is for periodic command scheduling, and scheduling the periodic/aperiodic command for execution.
[0009] In one aspect, a response message is created on execution of each aperiodic command and each periodic command.
[0010] In another aspect, the application requirements require scheduling the execution of both periodic and aperiodic commands.
[0011] In yet another aspect, the messages and the time slots are mapped based on the type of messages.
[0012] In yet another aspect, spawning the timer task comprises creation of timer slots where the timer slots comprise: major timeframes and minor timeframes, and the timeframes are of specific time period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0013] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and modules.
[0014] Figure 1A illustrates the standard architecture of a command processing system, according to an exemplary implementation of the present invention.
[0015] Figure 1B illustrates the Bus Controller and the Remote Terminal along with the standard bus of the command processing system, according to an exemplary implementation of the present invention.
[0016] Figure 1C illustrates a flowchart for implementing message scheduling for a command processing system, according to an exemplary implementation of the present invention.
[0017] Figure 2 illustrates message scheduling for a command processing system, according to an exemplary implementation of the flowchart of figure 1C of present invention.
[0018] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative methods embodying the principles of the present invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The various embodiments of the present invention describe about message scheduling methods and systems thereof. It further provides an improved scheduling of messages and commands for processing in a command processor system.
[0020] In the following description, for purpose of explanation, specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details. One skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention, some of which are described below, may be incorporated into a number of systems.
[0021] However, the systems and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Further, structures and devices shown in the figures are illustrative of exemplary embodiments of the presently invention and are meant to avoid obscuring of the presently invention.
[0022] It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present invention. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for explanatory purposes to help the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0023] A system for scheduling of messages and commands is described. The system generates a mapping between time slots and applicable message type that can be scheduled in it. The system routes commands initiated by application to message queue, reads the queue when the current time slot maps to the command type and schedules the command. The system handles scheduling of periodic commands and aperiodic commands through separate message queues, meeting the time gap constraints. The system then enables triggering of response messages as per time slot mapping ensuring required time gap between command and response. By customization of the mapping between time slot and message type, the system supports different time gap requirements. The system handles the inter message time gap requirement, the message constraints of the command processor system do not hamper the functioning control of command application.
[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the system for scheduling for messages uses a system clock/auxiliary clock/equivalent time-spaced trigger and time Slot – message type mapping on a standard 1553B network such as but not limited to STD 1553B network. The standard 1553B contains one or more Bus Controllers along with Remote Terminals.
[0025] Figure 1A shows the standard architecture for a command processing system. The command processing system shows the following layers: Application Software layer, Device driver and network driver layer, Operating System layer and the Hardware layer. The Hardware layer typically contains one or more processors along with associated memory to support the processors along with transmitters and receivers. The hardware layer also contains a data bus which connects transmitters and receivers and the supporting processors and memory. A real time operating system operates along with the hardware layer. One or more device drivers that enable the hardware devices and a network driver that enables the command processing system to operate with other command processing systems is present in the device and network driver layer. An application software interfaces with the device driver and network layers for performing its operations. Typically, the application software has specific requirements from the underlying hardware and device drivers for performing actions. These specific requirements are in the form of commands that are to be processed and the result of such processing must be indicated to one or more of other devices or to the application for further processing. The commands are processed in one or more Bus Controller and the results of the processed commands are transmitted to one or more Remote Terminals for further processing. The typical Bus Controller and Remote Terminal arrangement for scheduling of messages and commands is shown in Figure 1B.
[0026] Figure 1B shows a Bus Controller and a Remote Terminal along with a common data bus that are operable to perform the functions of the command processing system. The Bus Controller and the Remote Terminal has a processor and a memory along with device drivers configured to operate with the 1553B network. The Bus Controller and the Remote Terminal communicate with each other using one or more common bus. The Bus Controller performs the functions of, but not limited to: operating according to a list of commands stored in its local memory, commanding the one or more Remote Terminals to send or receive messages, service any requests that it receives from the Remote Terminals, detecting and recovering from errors and maintaining an error log. One or more Remote Terminals typically support one or more sub-systems or act as a bridge to another network. The manner in which the message scheduling for a command processing system that addresses the constraints created by time-gaps between the processing of the commands is achieved by the method described in Figure 1C.
[0027] Figure 1C illustrates a flow chart 100 for a method of scheduling messages and commands for processing in a command processor system, according to an exemplary implementation of the present invention.
[0028] In Figure 1, at step 101, the communication interface is initialized and at step 102 time slots are created based on application requirements. At step 103, a mapping between one or more messages and one or more time slots are defined. At step 104, one or more message queues for transmission of aperiodic commands are created. At step 105, a Timer task is created and spawned. At step 106 it is determined whether the time slot is for aperiodic command scheduling. If the time slot is scheduled for aperiodic scheduling, the flow chart proceeds to step 107, where the command queue for aperiodic commands is read. At step 108, if there is an aperiodic command that can be scheduled for execution, then the control moves to step 110 where the command is executed. If there are no aperiodic commands that can be identified at step 108, the control reverts to step 106.
[0029] Alternatively, if it is not a time slot for aperiodic command scheduling at the step 106, the control moves to step 109 where it is determined whether the current time slot is for periodic command scheduling. If the time slot is scheduled for periodic command scheduling, control flows to step 110, where the periodic command scheduled for execution is executed. If there are no periodic commands that can be identified for execution, then the control reverts to step 106.
[0030] Accordingly, by mapping the time slots to different messages types and scheduling (i.e. Time Slot – message type mapping) that is controlled by a timer trigger, a minimum time gap between two consecutive commands for processing and response loading/sending is achieved.
[0031] An implementation of the scheduling messages and commands for processing is explained in Figure 2.
[0032] The scheduling method is implemented on a command processor system in a 1553B network using major-minor frame scheduling based on time-spaced trigger. The minor frame time is 50 ms (microseconds) and each major frame time comprises of 20 minor frames shown as S1-S20. Time gap requirement between two commands is 150ms and time gap requirement between a command and response ranges from 50ms to 150ms.
[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the following command types are executed for performance of a task:
•Command_Type1_1Hz: Periodic Bus Control (BC) to Remote Terminal (RT) command that needs to be scheduled only once in a second and should be with at least 150 milliseconds gap from the predecessor and successor commands.
•Command_Type2: Aperiodic Bus Control (BC) to Remote Terminal (RT) command that needs to be scheduled with at least 150ms gap from the predecessor and successor commands.

[0034] The following responses types are present for each of the command types specified above
• Resp_Command_Type1_1Hz: Bus Control (BC) to Remote Terminal (RT) response that needs to be read once in a second after 150ms of initiating Command_Type1_1Hz command.
• Resp_Command_Type2: Bus Control (BC) to Remote Terminal (RT) response that needs to be read with variable response time.
[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the tasks to be performed mapped to the estimated time taken for each of the commands to be executed are input in a Command queue. The messages are mapped, and the commands are scheduled at the Message Map and Scheduling module. The time spaced triggers are also input in the Message Map and Scheduling module. The Message Map and Scheduling module, outputs the scheduled commands to be processed. For Example, at the frame time S1, the periodic Command_Type1_1Hz is executed and at frame time S4, the response Resp_Command_Type1_1Hz is received. At frame time S5, aperiodic Command_Type2 is executed and at frame time S8 a response aperiodic Resp_Command_Type2 is received. Similarly, a periodic Command_Type2 is executed at frame time S9 and aperiodic Resp_Command_Type2 is received. Similarly, multiple aperiodic commands are scheduled at frame times S13 and S17, whose responses are received at S15 and S18.
[0036] Thus, method and example in Figure 2, shows enablement of a command execution based on mapping of time slots against the message types that are to be triggered at a specific time, where command controller application independently generates periodic and aperiodic commands. It controls command scheduling to command processor systems having message time gap constraints. By enabling control of inter command message gap between two consecutive commands based on time slot mapping and controlling message gap between command and response based on time slot mapping. By varying message time gap constraints by customizing the time slot-message type mapping, where timer triggers can be internal/external, a minimum time gap between two consecutive commands for processing and response loading/sending can be achieved.
[0037] The foregoing description of the invention has been set merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the substance of the invention may occur to person skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the invention.
,CLAIMS:
1. A method of message and command scheduling in a command processor system, the method comprising:
initializing (101) a communication interface;
creating (102) one or more time slots for scheduling one or more messages and commands;
defining (103) a mapping between messages and time slots;
creating (104) a message/command queue for transmission of aperiodic commands;
spawning (105) a timer task for processing of commands;
determining (106) whether the current timer slot is for aperiodic command scheduling;
reading (107) the aperiodic message/command queue, and determining (108) whether an aperiodic command is available to be scheduled;
or
determining (109) whether the current timer slot is for periodic command scheduling (109), and
scheduling (110) the periodic/aperiodic command for execution.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a response message is created on execution of each aperiodic command and each periodic command.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application requirements require scheduling the execution of both periodic and aperiodic commands.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the messages and the time slots are mapped based on the type of messages.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein spawning the timer task comprises creation of timer slots.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the timer slots comprise: major timeframes and minor timeframes.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the size of each major timeframes and each minor timeframes are of specific time period.

8. A system for message and command scheduling, for performing the steps of the any of the claims 1-7.