Black Channel: Radio communication

Black Channel: Radio Communication BLCH0001

Overview

Radio communication between Simplifier units are handled via a black channel. The packets sent out contains both a CRC (which CPU1 calculates), and a secure Chaskey hash (which CPU2 calculates). On the receving end, both CPUs checks the CRC and hash. The black channel thus begins directly at the SPI output of CPU1 (which communicates with the radio chip), and ends at the SPI end of CPU1 on the receiving node.

Tables

The black channel fulfills 61508-2 and 61784-3:2021, justified in this document, together with the RER calculations.

61508-2:2010 7.4.11.1 requirements

error type

mitigation

PASS

Reference

transmission errors

Protected by 32-bit CRC

TRUE

CPU1:Module test 50

repetitions

protected by sequence (frame) counter

TRUE

deletion

As there is no state in the data, just update, deletion is not critical

TRUE

insertion

protected by sequence (frame) counter and software verification

TRUE

re-sequencing

no store/forward functionality or complex communication parts exist

TRUE

corruption

Protected by 32-bit CRC

TRUE

CPU1:Module test 50

delay

direct transmission without delays. Strict SW timing, internal timers (frame counter) that is checked.

TRUE

masquerade

unique serial numbers for the whole system is seeding the CRC

TRUE

CPU1:Module test 50. TODO: should add a module test to verify if able to link up when change one unit serail number

61784-3:2021 Annex D - Verification of safety measures

Verification

mitigation

Pass

Reference

D.4.3 ”De-Energize to trip”

A communication timeout is implemented for receiving end

TRUE

Radio link time out is enough.

D.4.4 ”Safe state”

Loss of packets sets all signals to ”OFF”, which is safe state for them

TRUE

See FSD300: check all the correspond node memories be clear to 0.

D.4.5 ”Transmission errors”

CRC mismatch is handled as lost packet

TRUE

See FSD300: check all the correspond node memories be clear to 0.

D.4.6 ”Safey reaction and response times”

The communication timeout is configured according to the application requirements

TRUE

See FSD300: check all the correspond node memories be clear to 0.

61784-3:2021 5.4 - Deterministic remedial measures

error type

mitigation

PASS

Reference

5.4.2 Sequence number

frame nr used

TRUE

5.4.3 Time Stamp

frame nr is calculated internally as a timestamp too

TRUE

5.4.4 Time expectation

Timing is calculated internally in every node and checked

TRUE

5.4.5 Connectin authentication

Sending node ID together with unique serial number is checked.

TRUE

See FSD300: check all the correspond node memories be clear to 0.

5.4.6 Feedback msg

As no state, feedback is not used

TRUE

5.4.7 Data integrity

32-bit CRC

TRUE

CPU1:FSD300 Module test

5.4.8 Redundancy with cross checking

All safety information is also used as inverted data to seed CRC

TRUE

See FSD300: check all the correspond node memories be clear to 0.

5.4.9 Different data integrity assurance systems

Debug data is sent within the same packet (radio), or as a different node ID (CAN). For CAN, no extra 32-bit CRC is calculated at all.

TRUE

Residual Error Rate

RER requirements are stated in 61784-3:2021, 5.8.5. Reference the RER for detailed calculation. Radio communication is handled in sheet “2. SmallPacket”.

Revision History

Date

By

Version

Description

2025-08-01

Jesper Ribbe

V01

Initial version