ISO 17356-2:2005

Overview

ISO 17356-2:2005 is an international standard that specifies the OSEK/VDX bindings for the operating system (OS), communication (COM), and network management (NM) layers of embedded automotive applications. It is part of the ISO 17356 series, aimed at defining an open interface for embedded automotive systems. This standard ensures coherence and interoperability between OS, COM, and NM implementations by establishing consistent error codes, status types, and message handling rules.

By providing unified specifications for these core components, ISO 17356-2 supports the integration of software modules from different suppliers, enhancing reliability and reducing development complexities in automotive embedded systems.

Key Topics

• OSEK/VDX Bindings
  ISO 17356-2 delineates the binding specifications that link the OS, COM, and NM layers. This bonding ensures that these components work seamlessly together within embedded automotive applications.

• Error Codes and Status Types
  A critical element of this standard is the adoption of standardized error codes (StatusType) with explicit value ranges assigned to OS, COM, and NM to avoid conflicts:

  • 0 represents successful completion (E_OK).
  • 1-31 reserved for OS error codes.
  • 32-63 for COM error codes.
  • 64-95 for NM error codes.
    These ranges make it possible to programmatically distinguish error sources, which is essential for debugging and system stability.

• Consistency of StatusType Definition
  The standard mandates that the StatusType should be defined as unsigned char consistently across the OS, COM, and NM modules. This avoids compilation conflicts and ensures interoperability when combining implementations from varied suppliers.

• Internal Communication Handling
  ISO 17356-2 clarifies which kernel (OS or COM) manages internal communication messages depending on the communication conformance class (CCC) being used. This definition prevents message handling conflicts and ensures data type consistency in internal and external communications.

Applications

ISO 17356-2:2005 is primarily intended for developers, manufacturers, and suppliers of embedded automotive software who implement or integrate operating systems, communication stacks, and network management modules within vehicles. Practical applications include:

• Automotive Embedded Systems Development
  Ensures that OS, COM, and NM modules adhere to a common binding, facilitating modular design and simplifying software integration.

• Supplier Interoperability
  Enables vehicle manufacturers to combine components from different suppliers with a guarantee of compatibility due to standardized error codes and data types.

• Networked Vehicle Communication
  Supports consistent internal and external communication protocols within automotive networks, increasing system reliability and maintainability.

• Software Toolchains
  Tool developers generating system configurations from OIL (OSEK Implementation Language) files rely on this standard for generating compliant and consistent communication and OS bindings.

Related Standards

ISO 17356-2 is part of a broader series addressing open interfaces for automotive embedded systems:

• ISO 17356-1 – General structure, terms, definitions, and abbreviations for embedded automotive applications.
• ISO 17356-3 – OSEK/VDX operating system (OS) specifications.
• ISO 17356-4 – OSEK/VDX communication (COM) specifications.
• ISO 17356-5 – OSEK/VDX network management (NM) specifications.
• ISO 17356-6 – OSEK Implementation Language (OIL) for defining system properties and configurations.

These standards collectively establish a comprehensive framework for developing interoperable and modular automotive embedded software components, enhancing vehicle electronic systems' safety, reliability, and scalability.

Keywords: ISO 17356-2, OSEK/VDX, embedded automotive applications, operating system binding, communication stack, network management, automotive software standard, embedded systems interoperability, automotive error codes, StatusType, internal communication, automotive network management, automotive software integration