Net Specification

Note: There is a newer version of this specification see VEC 2.1.0

Net Specification

A NetSpecification is the most abstract way to describe a vehicle electrical system. It is a container for various NetworkNodes, Nets and NetGroups. A NetSpecification is used if the physical links between electrical components are specified without specifying a concrete network topology.

A NetworkNode is a representative for an actor in the electric system, e.g. an actuator, a sensor, an ECU. It can define various NetworkPorts, which can be classified as a signal source (in the case that the attribute signalDirection has got the value Out) or as a signal sink (in the case that the attribute signalDirection has got the value In) or with changing behaviour (in the case that the attribute signalDirection has got the value InOut).

Note: According to the definition above inliners and splices are not NetworkNodes and so are not represented within a NetSpecification.

A Net is a representative of a connection between the referenced NetworkPorts and can be unambiguously related to a Signal.

Note: A Net itself doesn’t define how the conducting connection has to be physically realized (e.g. if three NetworkPorts are interconnected, the Net makes no definition if this physical three point connection is realized with a splice, an insulation displacement connector or a double contact.).

Note: Normally, a Net references at least two NetworkPorts. However, in the very early stages of product development it might be the case that some NetworkNodes with NetworkPorts which are source of a dedicated Signal are already defined – but the counterparts not. This is an example of where it can be useful to define Nets referencing only one NetworkPort.

A NetGroup references two or more Nets expressing that the physical realization of the referenced Nets shall be somehow grouped e.g. twisted.