In-vehicle network management system, in-vehicle network management device, and in-vehicle network management program

Abstract

To facilitate network design in response to changes in the configuration of in-vehicle networks. [Solution] The in-vehicle network management system includes a detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, an acquisition unit that acquires communication requirements information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network when the change is detected by the detection unit, and a determination unit that performs a determination process to determine a setting pattern for the in-vehicle network based on the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle network management system, an in-vehicle network management device, and an in-vehicle network management program.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for changing settings of relay devices and the like in in-vehicle networks have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-6523) discloses the following technique. That is, a relay device is a relay device that relays frames from a plurality of control units connected to a network, and includes a receiving unit that receives the frames from the control units, a plurality of transmitting units that are individually connected to each of the control units and transmit the frames to the destinations of the frames by a weighted round robin method, a transfer unit that transfers the frames to the transmitting units of the destinations, and a control unit that calculates a weight parameter used for determining the transmission order of the frames transmitted from the transmitting units based on the data size information of the frames. The transmitting unit includes a plurality of transmission buffers with determined priority orders for storing the frames transferred from the transfer unit, and a scheduler that determines the transmission order of the frames based on the weight parameter calculated by the control unit and transmits the frames from the transmission buffers to the control units of the destinations via transmission ports according to the transmission order.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, if the configuration of an in-vehicle network changes, messages that were not anticipated during the network design may be transmitted. In this case, the network design needs to be revised.

[0005] This disclosure was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an in-vehicle network management system, an in-vehicle network management device, and an in-vehicle network management program that enable easy network design in response to changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The in-vehicle network management system of this disclosure includes a detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, an acquisition unit that acquires communication requirements information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network when the change is detected by the detection unit, and a determination unit that performs a determination process to determine a setting pattern for the in-vehicle network based on the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure can be implemented not only as an in-vehicle network management system equipped with such characteristic processing, but also as a method in which such characteristic processing is performed in steps, or as a program for causing a computer to perform such steps. Furthermore, one aspect of this disclosure can be implemented as a semiconductor integrated circuit that implements part or all of the in-vehicle network management system.

[0008] One aspect of this disclosure can be realized not only as an in-vehicle network management device equipped with such characteristic processing, but also as a step-based method for such characteristic processing, or as a semiconductor integrated circuit that implements part or all of the in-vehicle network management device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, network design can be easily adapted to changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of a novel network according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of topology information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of communication requirements information transmitted from an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows another example of communication requirements information transmitted from an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of specification information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a connection configuration table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a message table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a network table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an example of a setting table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows an example of setting information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit value of the transfer rate set for each communication port of the in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart defining an example of the operation procedure when the in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure performs a determination process. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart defining an example of the operation procedure when the in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure performs a determination process. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle relay device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. <你提供的原文中此处缺失内容,无法准确翻译>FIG. 20 is a flowchart defining an example of the operation procedure when the server according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure performs a determination process. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a flowchart defining an example of the operation procedure when the server according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure performs a determination process. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a flowchart defining an example of the operation procedure when the in-vehicle relay device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure performs a setting change.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. (1) The in-vehicle network management system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle; an acquisition unit that, when the change is detected by the detection unit, acquires communication requirements information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network; and a determination unit that performs a determination process to determine a setting pattern for the in-vehicle network based on the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0012] With this configuration, when the in-vehicle network configuration is changed, the acquired communication requirements information can be used to easily determine the configuration pattern for the new in-vehicle network. Therefore, network design can be easily carried out in response to changes in the in-vehicle network configuration.

[0013] (2) In the above (1), if multiple in-vehicle devices transmit and receive messages in the in-vehicle network, the acquisition unit may acquire information as communication requirements information that indicates at least one of the following: bandwidth used in transmitting and receiving messages, size of messages, transmission interval of messages, priority of messages, functional safety level of the in-vehicle device relating to the safety of the vehicle, transport layer protocol used in transmitting and receiving messages, transmission conditions for messages, transmission timing of messages, allowable delay time in transmitting and receiving messages, and allowable loss rate in transmitting and receiving messages.

[0014] This configuration allows for the acquisition of appropriate communication requirements information to determine the configuration patterns for the in-vehicle network.

[0015] (3) In (2) above, the acquisition unit may acquire information indicating the transmission conditions according to the status of the vehicle as the communication requirements information.

[0016] For example, the types of messages sent and received between in-vehicle devices may differ depending on the vehicle's status. As described above, by configuring the system to acquire the message transmission conditions according to the vehicle's status as communication requirements, it is possible to determine an appropriate setting pattern corresponding to those transmission conditions.

[0017] (4) In any of (1) to (3) above, the determination unit may, in the determination process, select the setting pattern corresponding to the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit from among a plurality of pre-designed setting patterns.

[0018] This configuration makes it easy to determine the setting patterns for new in-vehicle network configurations.

[0019] (5) In the above (4), the determination unit may select from the plurality of setting patterns a setting pattern that corresponds to the communication requirements indicated by the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit plus a margin.

[0020] This configuration reduces the likelihood of communication failures in the new in-vehicle network configuration.

[0021] (6) An in-vehicle network management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, and an acquisition unit that, when the detection unit detects such changes, acquires information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network.

[0022] With this configuration, when the in-vehicle network configuration is changed, the acquired communication requirements information can be used to easily determine the configuration pattern for the new in-vehicle network. Therefore, network design can be easily carried out in response to changes in the in-vehicle network configuration.

[0023] (7) The in-vehicle network management program according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is an in-vehicle network management program used in an in-vehicle network management device, which causes a computer to function as a detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, and an acquisition unit that, when the detection unit detects such changes, acquires information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network.

[0024] With this configuration, when the in-vehicle network configuration is changed, the acquired communication requirements information can be used to easily determine the configuration pattern for the new in-vehicle network. Therefore, network design can be easily carried out in response to changes in the in-vehicle network configuration.

[0025] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated. Furthermore, at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any way.

[0026] <First Embodiment> [In-vehicle systems] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 1, the in-vehicle system 301 comprises an in-vehicle relay device 101 and a plurality of in-vehicle devices 202. The in-vehicle system 301 is mounted on a vehicle 1. The in-vehicle relay device 101 is an example of an in-vehicle network management device.

[0027] In-vehicle equipment 202 includes in-vehicle ECUs (Electronic Control Units), OTA (Over The Air) masters, sensors, actuators, navigation systems, human-machine interfaces, and cameras. In-vehicle ECUs include TCUs (Telematics Communication Units), engine ECUs, autonomous driving ECUs, steering ECUs, and door lock ECUs.

[0028] The in-vehicle relay device 101 and the multiple in-vehicle devices 202 constitute an in-vehicle network 401.

[0029] In the example shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle system 301 includes in-vehicle equipment 202, which consists of in-vehicle equipment 202A, 202B, and 202C.

[0030] The in-vehicle devices 202A, 202B, and 202C are connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101, for example, via an Ethernet® cable 51.

[0031] More specifically, the in-vehicle relay device 101 includes a plurality of communication ports 10. Each communication port 10 is a connector to which an Ethernet cable 51 can be connected. In the example shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle relay device 101 includes communication ports 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D, which are the communication ports 10.

[0032] Each in-vehicle device 202 is equipped with a communication port 20. The communication port 20 is a connector to which an Ethernet cable 51 can be connected.

[0033] In the example shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle devices 202A, 202B, and 202C are equipped with communication ports 20A, 20B, and 20C, respectively, which are communication ports 20.

[0034] The communication port 20A of the in-vehicle device 202A and the communication port 10B of the in-vehicle relay device 101 are connected via an Ethernet cable 51. The communication port 20B of the in-vehicle device 202B and the communication port 10A of the in-vehicle relay device 101 are connected via an Ethernet cable 51. The communication port 20C of the in-vehicle device 202C and the communication port 10C of the in-vehicle relay device 101 are connected via an Ethernet cable 51.

[0035] Each communication port 10 is assigned a unique port number P. In this case, the port numbers P for communication ports 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively.

[0036] For example, in an in-vehicle network 401, messages are sent and received by multiple in-vehicle devices 202.

[0037] More specifically, in the in-vehicle network 401, for example, messages are sent and received according to SOME / IP (Scalable service-Oriented Middleware over IP), which is an application layer protocol of the Ethernet protocol suite.

[0038] Specifically, the in-vehicle device 202 stores a message containing various information in one or more Ethernet frames and transmits these Ethernet frames to other in-vehicle devices 202 via the in-vehicle relay device 101 according to SOME / IP. For example, the message includes a service ID (Identifier).

[0039] Hereinafter, the in-vehicle device 202 that sends the message and the in-vehicle device 202 that receives the message will also be referred to as the "sending device" and the "receiving device," respectively.

[0040] Furthermore, the in-vehicle system 301 is not limited to a configuration comprising one in-vehicle relay device 101, but may also be configured to comprise multiple in-vehicle relay devices 101.

[0041] Furthermore, the in-vehicle equipment 202 is not limited to being connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101 via an Ethernet cable 51, but may also be connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101 via a transmission line conforming to other communication standards such as CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (CAN with Flexible Data Rate), FlexRay (registered trademark), MOST (Media Oriented System Transport) (registered trademark), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), and CXPI (Clock Extension Peripheral Interface) (registered trademark).

[0042] [Vehicle-mounted relay device] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle relay device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 2, the in-vehicle relay device 101 comprises a relay unit 11, a processing unit 12, and a storage unit 13. The processing unit 12 includes a detection unit 21, a network management unit 22, a determination unit 23, a verification unit 24, and a setting unit 25. One or both of the relay unit 11 and the processing unit 12 are implemented by a processing circuit (Circuitry) including, for example, one or more processors. The storage unit 13 is, for example, a non-volatile memory included in the processing circuit. The network management unit 22 is an example of an acquisition unit.

[0043] (Relay section) The relay unit 11 performs relay processing to relay messages transmitted and received between in-vehicle devices 202. More specifically, when the relay unit 11 receives an Ethernet frame containing a message from one in-vehicle device 202, it transmits the received Ethernet frame to the destination in-vehicle device 202.

[0044] The storage unit 13 stores an address table showing the correspondence between the port number P of the communication port 10 and the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the in-vehicle device 202 connected to the communication port 10. The relay unit 11 performs relay processing using the address table in the storage unit 13.

[0045] Furthermore, when the relay unit 11 receives an Ethernet frame from an in-vehicle device 202 destined for its own in-vehicle relay device 101, it outputs the received Ethernet frame to the processing unit 12.

[0046] The processing unit 12 creates an Ethernet frame destined for the in-vehicle device 202 and outputs the created Ethernet frame to the relay unit 11. When the relay unit 11 receives the Ethernet frame from the processing unit 12, it transmits the Ethernet frame to the destination in-vehicle device 202.

[0047] [New Network] In the in-vehicle network 401 shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle equipment 202 connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101 may be changed to another in-vehicle equipment 202.

[0048] Hereinafter, in-vehicle equipment 202 newly connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101 will also be referred to as "new equipment," and the in-vehicle network 401 including the new equipment will also be referred to as the "new network." In addition, in-vehicle equipment 202 connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101 in the new network, other than the new equipment, will also be referred to as "existing equipment."

[0049] Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a new network according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 shows the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 when the in-vehicle equipment 202 connected to the communication port 10A of the in-vehicle relay device 101 is changed from in-vehicle equipment 202B to in-vehicle equipment 202D.

[0050] Referring to Figure 3, the in-vehicle device 202D is connected to the in-vehicle relay device 101, for example, via an Ethernet cable 51.

[0051] More specifically, the in-vehicle device 202D includes a communication port 20D, which is a communication port 20. The communication port 20D of the in-vehicle device 202D and the communication port 10A of the in-vehicle relay device 101 are connected via an Ethernet cable 51.

[0052] [Vehicle-mounted relay device] (Detection unit) Referring again to Figure 2, in the in-vehicle relay device 101, the detection unit 21 performs detection processing to detect changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401.

[0053] More specifically, for example, the detection unit 21 detects changes in the hardware configuration of the in-vehicle network 401.

[0054] Specifically, for example, the detection unit 21 detects a change in the hardware configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, specifically a change in the in-vehicle equipment 202 connected to its own in-vehicle relay device 101.

[0055] Each in-vehicle device 202 transmits a predetermined Ethernet frame, such as an Ethernet frame for health monitoring (hereinafter also referred to as a "health monitoring frame"), to the in-vehicle relay device 101.

[0056] Specifically, each in-vehicle device 202 transmits a health monitoring frame that includes identification information (also referred to as the "device ID") to identify itself. Each in-vehicle device 202 transmits a health monitoring frame to the in-vehicle relay device 101, for example, periodically.

[0057] Here, the device IDs for in-vehicle devices 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D are "001", "002", "003", and "004", respectively.

[0058] In the in-vehicle relay device 101, each time the relay unit 11 receives a liveness monitoring frame from the in-vehicle equipment 202, it stores the received liveness monitoring frame, along with the port number of the communication port 10 that received the liveness monitoring frame and the reception time ta, in the storage unit 13. The relay unit 11 then outputs a reception notification indicating the port number and the reception time ta to the detection unit 21.

[0059] When the detection unit 21 receives a reception notification from the relay unit 11, it obtains two liveness monitoring frames F1 and F2 from among the multiple liveness monitoring frames stored in the storage unit 13. Liveness monitoring frame F1 is a liveness monitoring frame that includes the same port number as indicated in the reception notification received from the relay unit 11, and includes the same reception time ta as indicated in the reception notification. Liveness monitoring frame F2 is a liveness monitoring frame that includes the same port number as indicated in the reception notification received from the relay unit 11, and includes the reception time immediately preceding the reception time ta indicated in the reception notification.

[0060] The detection unit 21 then compares the device ID included in the liveness monitoring frame F1 with the device ID included in the liveness monitoring frame F2.

[0061] The detection unit 21 determines that if the device ID included in the health monitoring frame F1 is the same as the device ID included in the health monitoring frame F2, the in-vehicle device 202 connected to the communication port 10 of the port number included in the health monitoring frames F1 and F2 has not been changed.

[0062] On the other hand, if the device ID included in the health monitoring frame F1 is different from the device ID included in the health monitoring frame F2, the detection unit 21 determines that the in-vehicle device 202 connected to the communication port 10 of the port number included in the health monitoring frames F1 and F2 has been changed.

[0063] The detection unit 21 then outputs detection information to the network management unit 22 indicating that it has detected a change in the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, and deletes the health monitoring frame F2 from the storage unit 13.

[0064] Furthermore, the detection unit 21 is not limited to detecting changes in the hardware configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, such as changes in the in-vehicle equipment 202 connected to its own in-vehicle relay device 101. It may also be configured to detect additions of in-vehicle equipment 202 to the in-vehicle network 401, and removals of in-vehicle equipment 202 from the in-vehicle network 401.

[0065] Furthermore, the detection unit 21 may be configured to detect not only changes in the hardware configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, but also changes in the software configuration of the in-vehicle network 401. In this case, for example, the detection unit 21 may detect the addition or deletion of applications installed on the in-vehicle device 202.

[0066] (Topology information) Figure 4 shows an example of topology information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0067] When the detection unit 21 detects a change in the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, the network management unit 22 acquires topology information T1 that allows recognition of the topology in the new network.

[0068] For example, topology information T1 is information indicating the port number of the communication port 10 to which a new or existing device is connected.

[0069] For example, the network management unit 22 creates topology information T1 using multiple health monitoring frames stored in the storage unit 13.

[0070] Specifically, when the network management unit 22 receives detection information from the detection unit 21, it checks the port numbers included in each liveness monitoring frame stored in the storage unit 13. Then, the network management unit 22 creates topology information T1 showing the multiple port numbers that it has checked and stores it in the storage unit 13.

[0071] In the topology information T1 shown in Figure 4, the communication ports 10 to which new or existing equipment is connected are communication port 10A with port number P1, communication port 10B with port number P2, and communication port 10C with port number P3.

[0072] (Communication requirements information) When the detection unit 21 detects a change in the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401, the network management unit 22 performs information acquisition processing to acquire communication requirements information that indicates at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network 401. These communication requirements are the requirements for the in-vehicle device 202 to communicate messages.

[0073] Specifically, for example, the network management unit 22 acquires information as communication requirements information that indicates at least one of the following: the bandwidth used in sending and receiving messages (hereinafter also referred to as "required bandwidth"), the size of the message, the message transmission interval, the message priority, the functional safety level of the in-vehicle equipment 202 regarding the safety of the vehicle 1, the transport layer protocol used in sending and receiving messages, the message transmission conditions, the message transmission timing, the allowable delay time in sending and receiving messages, and the allowable loss rate in sending and receiving messages.

[0074] For example, in the in-vehicle network 401, the types of messages sent and received between in-vehicle devices 202 differ depending on the state of vehicle 1. Specifically, there are messages sent and received when vehicle 1 is in motion, messages sent and received when the engine of vehicle 1 is stopped, and messages sent and received when the engine is started. As an example, the network management unit 22 acquires information indicating the transmission conditions according to the state of vehicle 1 as communication requirements information.

[0075] Furthermore, the following describes an example in which the network management unit 22 acquires information indicating the required bandwidth as communication requirements information.

[0076] For example, when the network management unit 22 receives detection information from the detection unit 21, it sends an information request notification B1 to the new and existing devices via the relay unit 11, indicating that it requests the transmission of communication requirements information.

[0077] When new and existing equipment receive an information request notification B1 from the in-vehicle relay device 101, they transmit their own communication requirements information to the in-vehicle relay device 101 as a response to the information request notification B1.

[0078] Specifically, for example, new and existing devices transmit information to the in-vehicle relay device 101 as communication requirements information, including the type of message, the device ID of the destination device, and the required bandwidth for the message, when their own in-vehicle device 202 is the source device.

[0079] On the other hand, new and existing devices, if their own in-vehicle device 202 is not the source device, send information to the in-vehicle relay device 101 as communication requirements information indicating that they will not send messages from their own in-vehicle device 202 to other in-vehicle devices 202. In the example shown in Figure 3, it is assumed that in-vehicle device 202C is not the source device.

[0080] Figure 5 shows an example of communication requirements information transmitted from an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 5 shows communication requirements information R1 transmitted by the in-vehicle device 202A to the in-vehicle relay device 101.

[0081] Referring to Figure 5, in the communication requirements information R1, the required bandwidth for message M12, which in-vehicle device 202A sends to in-vehicle device 202B with device ID "002", is "1 Mbps". The required bandwidth for message M13, which in-vehicle device 202A sends to in-vehicle device 202C with device ID "003", is "5 Mbps". The required bandwidth for message M14, which in-vehicle device 202A sends to in-vehicle device 202D with device ID "004", is "1 Mbps".

[0082] Figure 6 shows another example of communication requirements information transmitted from an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 shows communication requirements information R2 transmitted by the in-vehicle device 202D to the in-vehicle relay device 101.

[0083] Referring to Figure 6, in the communication requirements information R2, the required bandwidth for message M43 that in-vehicle device 202D transmits to in-vehicle device 202C with device ID "003" is "10 Mbps".

[0084] Furthermore, if the network management unit 22 has already obtained the communication requirements information of the existing equipment, it may be configured not to send the information request notification B1 to the existing equipment.

[0085] Referring again to Figure 2, in the in-vehicle relay device 101, when the relay unit 11 receives communication requirements information from the in-vehicle equipment 202, it outputs the received communication requirements information, including the port number of the communication port 10 that received the communication requirements information, to the network management unit 22.

[0086] (Specifications) Figure 7 shows an example of specification information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0087] Referring to Figures 2 and 7, the network management unit 22 obtains specification information T2, which indicates the specifications of the message corresponding to the communication requirements information received from the in-vehicle device 202.

[0088] For example, specification information T2 shows the correspondence between the message requirement ID, the port number of the communication port 10 to which the source device is connected (hereinafter also referred to as the "source port number"), the port number of the communication port 10 to which the destination device is connected (hereinafter also referred to as the "destination port number"), and the required bandwidth. The message requirement ID is identification information for identifying the communication requirements of the message relayed by the in-vehicle relay device 101. Specifically, for example, the message requirement ID is identification information for identifying the set of source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth.

[0089] In the specification information T2 shown in Figure 7, the source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q21" are "P2", "P1", and "1Mbps", respectively. The source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q23" are "P2", "P3", and "5Mbps", respectively. The source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q13" are "P1", "P3", and "10Mbps", respectively.

[0090] For example, the network management unit 22 creates specification information T2 based on the communication requirements information received from new and existing equipment via the relay unit 11.

[0091] Specifically, when the network management unit 22 receives communication requirements information from the relay unit 11, it retrieves a health monitoring frame from among the multiple health monitoring frames stored in the storage unit 13 that contains the same device ID as the destination device included in the communication requirements information. The network management unit 22 then identifies the port number included in the retrieved health monitoring frame as the destination port number.

[0092] The network management unit 22 then creates specification information T2 using the communication requirement information received from the relay unit 11, and the port numbers included in each communication requirement information, i.e., the source port number and the identified destination port number. The network management unit 22 then stores the created specification information T2 in the storage unit 13.

[0093] (Connection configuration table) Figure 8 shows an example of a connection configuration table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0094] Referring to Figure 8, the storage unit 13 stores identification information for identifying the connection configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 (hereinafter also referred to as "connection configuration ID") and a connection configuration table Tb1 that shows the correspondence between this information and topology information T1.

[0095] The connection configuration IDs registered in the connection configuration table Tb1 shown in Figure 8 are "ID-C1" and "ID-C2," etc. The topology information T1 corresponding to connection configuration ID "ID-C1" is the topology information T1 shown in Figure 4. The topology information T1 corresponding to connection configuration ID "ID-C2" differs from the topology information T1 shown in Figure 4 in that it includes the port number "P4" of communication port 10D instead of the port number "P3" of communication port 10C.

[0096] When the network management unit 22 creates topology information T1, it refers to the connection configuration table Tb1 in the storage unit 13 to identify the connection configuration ID corresponding to the created topology information T1.

[0097] (Message Table) Figure 9 shows an example of a message table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0098] Referring to Figure 9, the storage unit 13 stores a message table Tb2 that shows the correspondence between identification information for identifying communication requirements in the in-vehicle network 401 (hereinafter also referred to as "communication requirement ID") and specification information T2.

[0099] The communication requirement IDs registered in the message table Tb2 shown in Figure 9 are "ID-G1" and "ID-G2," etc. The specification information T2 corresponding to communication requirement ID "ID-G1" is the specification information T2 shown in Figure 7. The specification information T2 corresponding to communication requirement ID "ID-G2" shows the specifications for message requirement IDs "ID-Q24," "ID-Q12," and "ID-Q41." The source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q24" are "P2," "P4," and "1Mbps," respectively. The source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q12" are "P1," "P2," and "1Mbps," respectively. The source port number, destination port number, and required bandwidth corresponding to message requirement ID "ID-Q41" are "P4," "P1," and "10Mbps," respectively.

[0100] When the network management unit 22 creates specification information T2, it refers to the message table Tb2 in the storage unit 13 to identify the communication requirement ID corresponding to the created specification information T2.

[0101] The network management unit 22 then outputs the identified connection configuration ID and communication requirement ID to the determination unit 23.

[0102] (Network Table) Figure 10 shows an example of a network table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0103] Referring to Figure 10, the storage unit 13 stores identification information for identifying the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 (hereinafter also referred to as "network configuration ID") and a network table Tb3 that shows the correspondence between the connection configuration ID and the communication requirements ID.

[0104] In the network table Tb3 shown in Figure 10, the network configuration ID corresponding to the pair of connection configuration ID "ID-C1" and communication requirement ID "ID-G1" is "ID-N1". The network configuration ID corresponding to the pair of connection configuration ID "ID-C1" and communication requirement ID "ID-G2" is "ID-N2". The network configuration ID corresponding to the pair of connection configuration ID "ID-C2" and communication requirement ID "ID-G1" is "ID-N3".

[0105] When the determination unit 23 receives the connection configuration ID and communication requirement ID from the network management unit 22, it refers to the network table Tb3 in the storage unit 13 to identify the network configuration ID corresponding to the pair of connection configuration ID and communication requirement ID.

[0106] (Decision section) The decision unit 23 performs a decision process to determine the setting pattern S of the in-vehicle network 401 based on the communication requirements information acquired by the network management unit 22.

[0107] More specifically, for example, the decision unit 23, in the decision process, selects a setting pattern S from among a plurality of pre-designed setting patterns S that corresponds to the communication requirements information acquired by the network management unit 22.

[0108] Figure 11 shows an example of a setting table held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0109] Referring to Figure 11, configuration table Tb4 stores a configuration table Tb4 that shows the correspondence between the network configuration ID and the configuration pattern S required for setting up messages.

[0110] In the configuration table Tb4 shown in Figure 11, the configuration pattern S corresponding to network configuration ID "ID-N1" and the configuration pattern S corresponding to network configuration ID "ID-N2" are "configuration pattern S1". The configuration pattern S corresponding to network configuration ID "ID-N3" is "configuration pattern S2".

[0111] When the determination unit 23 identifies a network configuration ID, it refers to the setting table Tb4 in the storage unit 13 to identify a setting pattern S corresponding to that network configuration ID.

[0112] The in-vehicle relay device 101 may also be configured to acquire data associated with communication requirements such as the required bandwidth of messages transmitted in the in-vehicle network 401, as information used to select a setting pattern S, i.e., communication requirements information. This data may be, for example, a service ID included in the message. Specifically, for example, the lower 8 bits of a service ID with a bit length of 16 bits may indicate the required bandwidth. In this case, the in-vehicle relay device 101 determines the required bandwidth of a message by checking the service ID included in the message received from a certain in-vehicle device 202.

[0113] Figure 12 shows an example of setting information held by an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0114] Referring to Figures 2 and 12, for example, the storage unit 13 stores multiple pieces of setting information C, each representing the setting content of the setting pattern S. Figure 12 shows the setting content of the setting pattern S1 shown in Figure 11.

[0115] For example, configuration information C shows the correspondence between the port number of the communication port 10 to be configured and the upper limit of the transfer rate W required to ensure the communication quality of messages.

[0116] In the example shown in Figure 12, the upper limit of the transfer rate W set for messages sent from communication port 10A on port number P1 is "2Mbps". The upper limit of the transfer rate W set for messages sent from communication port 10B on port number P2 and communication port 10D on port number P4 is "zeroMbps". The upper limit of the transfer rate W set for messages sent from communication port 10C on port number P3 is "20Mbps".

[0117] When the determination unit 23 identifies a setting pattern S corresponding to the network configuration ID, it obtains setting information C corresponding to that setting pattern S from the storage unit 13.

[0118] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the upper limit of the transfer rate set for each communication port of an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0119] Referring to Figure 13, the theoretical value E11 of the transfer rate W at the communication port 10A to which the in-vehicle device 202D, the destination device for message M14, is connected is the required bandwidth for message M14, i.e., "1 Mbps".

[0120] The theoretical value E12 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10C, to which the in-vehicle device 202C (the destination device for message M13 and message M43) is connected, is the sum of the required bandwidth for message M13 and message M43, i.e., "15 Mbps".

[0121] Since no message destination devices are connected to communication ports 10B and 10D, the theoretical value E13 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10B and the theoretical value E14 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10D are zero.

[0122] The upper limit of the transfer rate W at communication port 10 is the value obtained by multiplying the theoretical value of the transfer rate W at communication port 10 by a predetermined value A. The predetermined value A is, for example, a value greater than 1. In this embodiment, the predetermined value A is "1.2". If the value obtained by multiplying the theoretical value of the transfer rate W by the predetermined value A includes a decimal point, the value obtained by rounding up the decimal part is set as the upper limit.

[0123] In the example shown in Figure 13, the upper limit K21 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10A and the upper limit K22 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10C are "2Mbps" and "18Mbps", respectively.

[0124] The upper limit K23 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10B is zero because the theoretical value E13 is zero. Similarly, the upper limit K24 of the transfer rate W at communication port 10D is zero because the theoretical value E14 is zero.

[0125] Referring again to Figure 2, for example, the decision unit 23 selects a setting pattern S from among multiple setting patterns S that corresponds to the communication requirements indicated by the communication requirements information acquired by the network management unit 22, plus a margin.

[0126] More specifically, when the determination unit 23 obtains setting information C from the storage unit 13, it uses the specification information T2 stored in the storage unit 13 to calculate the upper limit of the transfer rate W for each communication port 10.

[0127] Then, the determination unit 23 checks for each communication port 10 whether the upper limit of the transfer rate W indicated by the acquired configuration information C is equal to or greater than the calculated upper limit.

[0128] The determination unit 23 checks whether the total value D of the upper limits of the transfer rates W in multiple communication ports 10 is less than or equal to a predetermined value N, if the upper limit of the transfer rate W in each communication port 10, as indicated by the acquired setting information C, is greater than or equal to the calculated upper limit. In this embodiment, the predetermined value N is, for example, 100 Mbps.

[0129] The determination unit 23 selects the identified setting pattern S as the new network setting pattern S if the total value D is less than or equal to a predetermined value N. The determination unit 23 then outputs the acquired setting information C to the verification unit 24. The setting pattern S identified by the determination unit 23 may be the same as or different from the setting pattern S before the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 changed.

[0130] On the other hand, the decision unit 23 does not select the identified setting pattern S as the setting pattern S for the new network if the upper limit of the transfer rate W in at least one of the multiple communication ports 10 indicated by the acquired setting information C is less than the calculated upper limit, or if the total value D is greater than a predetermined value N.

[0131] The decision unit 23 then transmits unselectable information, indicating that setting pattern S was not selected, to a navigation device (not shown) via the relay unit 11.

[0132] When the navigation system receives unselectable information from the in-vehicle relay device 101, it performs notification processing based on the received unselectable information. Specifically, for example, the navigation system displays a screen on its own display unit showing the content of the received unselectable information.

[0133] (Verification process and configuration changes) Referring again to Figure 2, the verification unit 24 performs a verification process to verify the setting pattern S determined by the decision unit 23. More specifically, for example, when the verification unit 24 receives setting information C from the decision unit 23, it simulates a new network using the topology information T1 and specification information T2 stored in the storage unit 13.

[0134] Then, the verification unit 24 makes various setting changes to the in-vehicle relay device 101 in the simulated new network according to the setting information C received from the determination unit 23, and calculates the communication delay time for each message transmitted in the new network.

[0135] The verification unit 24 determines that the verification of the setting pattern S has been successful if the communication delay time of each message is within the threshold Th. The verification unit 24 then outputs the setting information C received from the determination unit 23 to the setting unit 25.

[0136] When the setting unit 25 receives setting information C from the verification unit 24, it changes the transfer rate setting for each communication port 10 of its in-vehicle relay device 101 according to the setting content indicated by the setting information C.

[0137] On the other hand, the verification unit 24 determines that the verification of the setting pattern S has failed if the communication delay time of at least one of the multiple messages is greater than or equal to a threshold Th. The verification unit 24 then transmits verification failure information, for example, indicating that the verification of the setting pattern S has failed, to the navigation device via the relay unit 11.

[0138] When the navigation system receives verification failure information from the in-vehicle relay device 101, it performs notification processing based on the received verification failure information. Specifically, for example, the navigation system displays a screen on its own display unit showing the contents of the received verification failure information.

[0139] [Operation Flow] Next, the operation flow of the in-vehicle relay device 101 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0140] Figures 14 and 15 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the operation procedure when an in-vehicle relay device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure performs a decision processing.

[0141] Referring to Figures 14 and 15, first, the in-vehicle relay device 101 waits for a change in the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 (NO in step ST101), and when it detects such a change (YES in step ST101), it creates topology information T1 that can recognize the topology in the new network (step ST102).

[0142] Next, the in-vehicle relay device 101 sends an information request notification B1 to the new and existing devices, indicating that it requests the transmission of communication requirements information (step ST103). Steps ST102 and ST103 may be executed in any order or in parallel.

[0143] Next, the in-vehicle relay device 101 awaits the reception of communication requirements information from new and existing equipment (NO in step ST104).

[0144] Then, when the in-vehicle relay device 101 receives communication requirement information from new and existing equipment (YES in step ST104), it creates specification information T2 based on the received communication requirement information (step ST105).

[0145] Next, the in-vehicle relay device 101 uses the created topology information T1 and specification information T2 to identify the network configuration ID as described above (step ST106).

[0146] Next, when the in-vehicle relay device 101 identifies the network configuration ID, it performs a decision process to determine the new network configuration pattern S using the setting table Tb4 in the storage unit 13 and the network configuration ID (step ST107).

[0147] Next, the in-vehicle relay device 101 performs a verification process to verify the setting pattern S (step ST108).

[0148] Next, if the verification of setting pattern S is successful (YES in step ST109), the in-vehicle relay device 101 changes the setting of the transfer rate W at each communication port 10 according to setting pattern S (step ST110).

[0149] On the other hand, if the verification of the setting pattern S fails (NO in step ST109), the in-vehicle relay device 101 transmits verification failure information to the navigation device (step ST111).

[0150] In the in-vehicle system 301 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the in-vehicle relay device 101 is configured to include a detection unit 21, a network management unit 22, a determination unit 23, and a verification unit 24, but this is not the only configuration. Other devices in the in-vehicle network 401 besides the in-vehicle relay device 101 may be configured to include a detection unit 21, a network management unit 22, a determination unit 23, and a verification unit 24 as an in-vehicle network management device. Alternatively, multiple devices may be configured to include a detection unit 21, a network management unit 22, a determination unit 23, and a verification unit 24 as an in-vehicle network management system. For example, the in-vehicle relay device 101 may include some of the units of the detection unit 21, network management unit 22, determination unit 23, and verification unit 24, while other devices include the remaining units.

[0151] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle system 301 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the in-vehicle relay device 101 is configured to acquire information indicating the required bandwidth, etc., as communication requirements information, but it is not limited to this. The in-vehicle relay device 101 may also be configured to acquire information indicating other communication requirements as communication requirements information.

[0152] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle system 301 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the in-vehicle relay device 101 is configured to select a setting pattern S corresponding to the acquired communication requirement information from among a plurality of pre-designed setting patterns S in the decision process, but it is not limited to this. The in-vehicle relay device 101 may also be configured to dynamically generate a setting pattern S corresponding to the acquired communication requirement information.

[0153] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle system 301 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the in-vehicle relay device 101 is configured to select a setting pattern S corresponding to the communication requirements indicated by the acquired communication requirements information plus a margin, but it is not limited to this. The in-vehicle relay device 101 may also be configured to select a setting pattern S corresponding to the same communication requirements as those indicated by the acquired communication requirements information.

[0154] Next, other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0155] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment of the present disclosure described above, the in-vehicle relay device 101 performs detection processing, information acquisition processing, decision processing, and verification processing in the in-vehicle system 301. In contrast, in the second embodiment of the present disclosure, an external device located outside the vehicle 1 performs detection processing, information acquisition processing, decision processing, and verification processing. Except for the contents described below, it is the same as the in-vehicle system 301 according to the first embodiment.

[0156] [Communication System] Figure 16 shows an example of the configuration of a communication system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 16, the communication system 501 comprises a server 150, one or more in-vehicle systems 301, and a terminal device 181. The server 150 is located outside the vehicle 1.

[0157] The server 150 and terminal device 181 are used, for example, by a business operator or individual (hereinafter collectively referred to as a user) that manages the operation of vehicle 1. The server 150 and terminal device 181 send and receive information via the external network 161.

[0158] [In-vehicle systems] Figure 17 shows an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 17, the in-vehicle system 302 includes an in-vehicle relay device 102 instead of an in-vehicle relay device 101, compared to the in-vehicle system 301 shown in Figure 3. In the example shown in Figure 17, the in-vehicle device 202A is a TCU. In the following description, the in-vehicle device 202A will also be referred to as TCU202A.

[0159] Referring to Figures 16 and 17, the TCU202A communicates with the server 150, for example, via the wireless base station device 171.

[0160] More specifically, the TCU202A communicates wirelessly with the wireless base station equipment 171 in accordance with communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) (registered trademark) or 5G.

[0161] Specifically, when the wireless base station device 171 receives an IP packet from the server 150 via the external network 161, it includes the received IP packet in a wireless signal and transmits it to the TCU 202A.

[0162] When the TCU202A receives a radio signal containing IP packets from the server 150 via the radio base station device 171, it retrieves the IP packets from the received radio signal, stores the retrieved IP packets in one or more Ethernet frames, and transmits them to the in-vehicle relay device 102.

[0163] [server] Figure 18 shows an example of the configuration of a server according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 18, the server 150 comprises a communication unit 31, a monitoring unit 32, a determination unit 23, a verification unit 24, and a storage unit 35. Some or all of the communication unit 31, the monitoring unit 32, the determination unit 23, and the verification unit 24 are implemented by a processing circuit including, for example, one or more processors. The storage unit 35 is, for example, a non-volatile memory included in the processing circuit. The monitoring unit 32 is an example of a detection unit and an example of an acquisition unit.

[0164] The communication unit 31 communicates with the TCU 202A by, for example, sending and receiving various information via the external network 161 and the wireless base station equipment 171.

[0165] The storage unit 35 stores in-vehicle network information that shows the correspondence between the communication port 10 to which the in-vehicle device 202 is connected and the device ID of the in-vehicle device 202, for each identification information (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle ID") used to identify vehicle 1. The in-vehicle network information is updated by the user.

[0166] (Monitoring Department) The monitoring unit 32 performs detection processing, for example, by periodically monitoring the storage unit 35. Specifically, for example, if the in-vehicle network information of a certain vehicle 1 is updated by a user, the monitoring unit 32 determines that the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 of that vehicle 1 has changed. The monitoring unit 32 then obtains the latest in-vehicle network information of that vehicle 1 from the storage unit 35.

[0167] The memory unit 35 stores a connection configuration table Tb11 that shows the correspondence between connection configuration IDs and in-vehicle network information.

[0168] When the monitoring unit 32 acquires the latest in-vehicle network information, it refers to the connection configuration table Tb11 in the storage unit 35 to identify the connection configuration ID corresponding to the acquired in-vehicle network information.

[0169] Furthermore, if the monitoring unit 32 determines that the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 of a certain vehicle 1 has changed, it sends an information request notification B2 to the terminal device 181 via the communication unit 31 and the external network 161, indicating that it requests the transmission of communication requirement information for each in-vehicle device 202 in the in-vehicle network 401.

[0170] Specifically, for example, the monitoring unit 32 sends the information request notification B2 to the terminal device 181, including the vehicle ID corresponding to the in-vehicle network information acquired from the storage unit 35.

[0171] In response to the information request notification B2 received from the server 150, the terminal device 181 transmits the vehicle ID included in the information request notification B2, along with the communication requirements information for each in-vehicle device 202 in the in-vehicle network 401 of vehicle 1, to the server 150 via the external network 161.

[0172] In server 150, when monitoring unit 32 receives communication requirement information for each in-vehicle device 202 from terminal device 181 via external network 161 and communication unit 31, it creates specification information T2 based on the received communication requirement information.

[0173] The storage unit 35 stores the message table Tb2 shown in Figure 9, the network table Tb3 shown in Figure 10, and the configuration table Tb4 shown in Figure 11.

[0174] When the monitoring unit 32 creates specification information T2, it refers to the message table Tb2 in the storage unit 35 to identify the communication requirement ID corresponding to the created specification information T2.

[0175] The monitoring unit 32 then outputs the identified connection configuration ID and communication requirement ID, as well as the vehicle ID corresponding to the latest acquired in-vehicle network information, to the determination unit 23.

[0176] When the determination unit 23 receives the connection configuration ID, communication requirement ID, and vehicle ID from the monitoring unit 32, it refers to the network table Tb3 in the storage unit 35 to identify the network configuration ID corresponding to the pair of connection configuration ID and communication requirement ID.

[0177] (Decision section) The decision unit 23 performs a decision process based on the communication requirements information acquired by the monitoring unit 32.

[0178] More specifically, for example, when the determination unit 23 identifies a network configuration ID, it refers to the setting table Tb4 in the storage unit 35 to identify a setting pattern S corresponding to that network configuration ID. The determination unit 23 then obtains setting information C, which indicates the setting content of the identified setting pattern S, from the storage unit 13, and outputs the setting information C, including the vehicle ID received from the monitoring unit 32, to the verification unit 24.

[0179] (Verification Department) Referring to Figures 16 and 18, when the verification unit 24 receives setting information C from the determination unit 23, it performs verification processing. If the verification of setting pattern S fails, the verification unit 24 outputs verification failure information to the communication unit 31 indicating that the verification of setting pattern S has failed.

[0180] The communications unit 31 transmits the verification failure information received from the verification unit 24 to the terminal device 181 via the external network 161.

[0181] When terminal device 181 receives verification failure information from server 150 via external network 161, it displays a screen showing the contents of the received verification failure information on its own monitor or the like. For example, if a screen is displayed indicating that the verification of setting pattern S has failed, the user makes changes to the setting table Tb4 or the like held by server 150.

[0182] On the other hand, if the verification of the setting pattern S is successful, the verification unit 24 outputs the setting information C received from the determination unit 23 to the communication unit 31.

[0183] When the communication unit 31 receives configuration information C from the verification unit 24, it transmits an IP packet containing the configuration information C (hereinafter also referred to as the "configuration packet") to the in-vehicle relay device 102.

[0184] Specifically, for example, the communication unit 31 creates a configuration packet containing the configuration information C received from the verification unit 24, which includes the IP address of its own server 150 and the IP address of vehicle 1 corresponding to the vehicle ID contained in the configuration information C as the source IP address and destination IP address, respectively. The communication unit 31 then sends the created configuration packet to the TCU 202A via the external network 161.

[0185] When TCU202A receives a configuration packet from server 150, it transmits the configuration information C contained in the received configuration packet to the in-vehicle relay device 102.

[0186] [Vehicle-mounted relay device] Figure 19 shows an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle relay device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 19, the in-vehicle relay device 102 includes a setting unit 41 instead of a processing unit 12, compared to the in-vehicle relay device 101 shown in Figure 2. One or both of the relay unit 11 and the setting unit 41 are implemented by a processing circuit including, for example, one or more processors. The storage unit 13 is, for example, a non-volatile memory included in the processing circuit.

[0187] When the configuration unit 41 receives configuration information C from the TCU 202A via the relay unit 11, it changes the transfer rate setting for each communication port 10 according to the settings indicated in the received configuration information C.

[0188] [Operation Flow] Figures 20 and 21 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the operation procedure when a server according to the second embodiment of this disclosure performs a decision process.

[0189] Referring to Figures 20 and 21, first, the server 150 waits for updates to the in-vehicle network information by monitoring the storage unit 35 (step ST201) (NO in step ST202).

[0190] Then, when the in-vehicle network information of a certain vehicle 1 is updated (YES in step ST202), the server 150 determines that the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 of that vehicle 1 has changed (step ST203).

[0191] Next, when the server 150 determines that the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 of a certain vehicle 1 has changed, it obtains the latest in-vehicle network information for that vehicle 1 from the storage unit 35 (step ST204).

[0192] Furthermore, if the server 150 determines that the configuration of the in-vehicle network 401 of a certain vehicle 1 has changed, it sends an information request notification B2 to the terminal device 181 indicating that it requests the transmission of communication requirement information for each in-vehicle device 202 in the in-vehicle network 401 (step ST205).

[0193] Next, the server 150 awaits the reception of communication requirement information for each in-vehicle device 202 from the terminal device 181 (NO in step ST206).

[0194] Then, when the server 150 receives communication requirement information for each in-vehicle device 202 from the terminal device 181 (YES in step ST206), it creates specification information T2 based on the received communication requirement information (step ST207).

[0195] Next, the server 150 uses the acquired in-vehicle network information and the created specification information T2 to identify the network configuration ID as described above (step ST208).

[0196] Next, when the server 150 identifies the network configuration ID, it performs a decision process to determine the new network configuration pattern S using the configuration table Tb4 in the storage unit 35 and the network configuration ID (step ST209).

[0197] Next, server 150 performs a verification process to verify the configuration pattern S (step ST210).

[0198] Next, if the server 150 successfully verifies the setting pattern S (YES in step ST211), it transmits setting information C, which indicates the settings of the setting pattern S, to the in-vehicle relay device 102 (step ST212).

[0199] On the other hand, if the server 150 fails to verify the setting pattern S (NO in step ST211), it sends verification failure information to the terminal device 181 (step ST213).

[0200] Figure 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation procedure when an in-vehicle relay device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure performs a setting change.

[0201] Referring to Figure 22, first, the in-vehicle relay device 102 waits for the reception of configuration information C from the server 150 (NO in step ST301).

[0202] Then, when the in-vehicle relay device 102 receives configuration information C from the server 150 (YES in step ST301), it changes the transfer rate W setting at each communication port 10 according to the settings indicated in the received configuration information C (step ST302), and waits to receive new configuration information C from the server 150 (NO in step ST301).

[0203] In the communication system 501 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, the server 150 is configured to include a monitoring unit 32, a decision unit 23, and a verification unit 24, but this is not the only configuration. Multiple devices may be configured to include a monitoring unit 32, a decision unit 23, and a verification unit 24 as an in-vehicle network management system. For example, the server 150 may include some of the units of the monitoring unit 32, decision unit 23, and verification unit 24, and the in-vehicle relay device 102 in the in-vehicle network 401 may include the remaining units.

[0204] Furthermore, in the communication system 501 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, the server 150 is configured to transmit the information request notification B2 to the terminal device 181, but this is not the only configuration. The server 150 may also be configured to transmit the information request notification B2 to an in-vehicle relay device 102 installed in the target vehicle 1. In this case, the in-vehicle relay device 102 transmits communication requirement information collected from each in-vehicle device 202 to the server 150 as a response to the information request notification B2.

[0205] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the server 150 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure may be provided by cloud computing. That is, the server 150 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure may be a cloud server composed of multiple servers.

[0206] The embodiments described above should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included.

[0207] Each process (each function) of the above-described embodiment is implemented by a processing circuit including one or more processors. The processing circuit may consist of one or more memories, various analog circuits, various digital circuits, and other integrated circuits in addition to the one or more processors. The one or more memories store programs (instructions) that cause the one or more processors to execute each of the above processes. The one or more processors may execute each of the above processes according to the programs read from the one or more memories, or they may execute each of the above processes according to logic circuits that have been pre-designed to execute each of the above processes. The processors may be various processors suitable for computer control, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Furthermore, the physically separated multiple processors may cooperate with each other to execute each of the above processes. For example, the processors installed in each of several physically separate computers may cooperate with each other via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), and the Internet to perform the above processes. The program may be installed in the memory via the network from an external server device, or it may be distributed on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), and semiconductor memory, and then installed in the memory from the recording medium.

[0208] The above description includes the following features. [Note 1] An in-vehicle network management method in an in-vehicle network management system, A step to detect changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, When the aforementioned change is detected, the steps include: obtaining communication requirements information that indicates at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network; An in-vehicle network management method comprising the step of performing a decision process to determine a configuration pattern for the in-vehicle network based on the acquired communication requirements information.

[0209] [Note 2] Equipped with a processing circuit, The aforementioned processing circuit is It detects changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, When the aforementioned change is detected, communication requirements information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network is acquired. An in-vehicle network management system that performs a decision process to determine the configuration pattern of the in-vehicle network based on the acquired communication requirements information.

[0210] [Note 3] An in-vehicle network management method in an in-vehicle network management device, A step to detect changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, An in-vehicle network management method, which includes the step of detecting the aforementioned change and obtaining information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network.

[0211] [Note 4] Equipped with a processing circuit, The aforementioned processing circuit is It detects changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, An in-vehicle network management device that, upon detecting the aforementioned change, acquires communication requirements information indicating at least a portion of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0212] 1 vehicle 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 20, 20A, 20B, 20C Communication Ports 11 Relay section 12 Processing Units 13,35 Storage part 21 Detection unit 22 Network Management Department 23 Decision Section 24 Verification Department 25,41 Settings section 31 Communications Department 32 Monitoring Department 51 Ethernet cable 101,102 In-vehicle relay device 202,202A,202B,202C,202D Vehicle equipment 150 servers 161 External Network 171 Wireless base station equipment 301,302 In-vehicle systems 401 In-vehicle network 501 Communication System

Claims

1. A detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, When the aforementioned change is detected by the aforementioned detection unit, the acquisition unit acquires communication requirements information that indicates at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network. An in-vehicle network management system comprising: a determination unit that performs a determination process to determine the setting pattern of the in-vehicle network based on the communication requirements information acquired by the acquisition unit.

2. In the aforementioned in-vehicle network, messages are sent and received by multiple in-vehicle devices. The in-vehicle network management system according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information indicating at least one of the following as communication requirements information: bandwidth used in sending and receiving messages, size of messages, transmission interval of messages, priority of messages, functional safety level of the in-vehicle equipment relating to the safety of the vehicle, transport layer protocol used in sending and receiving messages, transmission conditions for messages, transmission timing of messages, allowable delay time in sending and receiving messages, and allowable loss rate in sending and receiving messages.

3. The in-vehicle network management system according to claim 2, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information indicating the transmission conditions according to the status of the vehicle as the communication requirements information.

4. The in-vehicle network management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination unit, in the determination process, selects the setting pattern corresponding to the communication requirement information acquired by the acquisition unit from among a plurality of pre-designed setting patterns.

5. The in-vehicle network management system according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit selects from among the plurality of setting patterns a setting pattern corresponding to the communication requirements obtained by the acquisition unit plus a margin to the communication requirements indicated by the communication requirements information.

6. A detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, An in-vehicle network management device comprising: an acquisition unit that, when the change is detected by the detection unit, acquires information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network.

7. An in-vehicle network management program used in an in-vehicle network management device, Computers, A detection unit that detects changes in the configuration of the in-vehicle network installed in the vehicle, When the aforementioned change is detected by the aforementioned detection unit, an acquisition unit acquires information indicating at least a part of the communication requirements in the in-vehicle network. An in-vehicle network management program to function as such.

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