System, method, and apparatus for supporting hybrid network communication on a vehicle

Abstract

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a first network zone and a second network zone of a different type, and a centralized network device (CND) interposed between the zones, the CND including a policy management circuit that interprets a policy including a network regulation description, a configuration circuit that configures a network interface circuit in response to the policy, and an interface circuit that regulates communications between endpoints of the network zones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority to the following provisional patent applications: U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 903,462 (SONA - 0001 - P01) entitled "SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A MIXED VEHICLE NETWORK" filed on September 20, 2019; U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 911,249 (SONA - 0002 - P01) entitled "SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A MIXED VEHICLE NETWORK" filed on October 5, 2019; U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 911,248 (SONA - 0003 - P01) entitled "SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOUD - BASED INTERACTIONS WITH A MIXED VEHICLE NETWORK" filed on October 5, 2019; U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 986,444 (SONA - 0004 - P01) entitled "SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING CONFIGURABLE DATA COLLECTION FOR A VEHICLE" filed on March 6, 2020; and U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 024,383 (SONA - 0005 - P01) entitled "SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS TO TEST AND VERIFY A VEHICLE NETWORK" filed on May 13, 2020.

[0002] The entire contents of each of the above - mentioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

Background Art

[0003] Vehicle communication networks are used to connect sensors, actuators, controllers, and communication devices throughout a vehicle. The increasing number of devices to be connected, the increasing amount of data passed between devices, the requirements for shorter latency to meet vehicle performance, safety, and emissions requirements, and recent trends due to added vehicle functions are increasing the burden on these vehicle communication networks. In addition to this, consumers expect increasing connectivity and functionality, which increases the burden on vehicle communication networks. These trends are expected to continue and accelerate over the foreseeable future.

[0004] Conventional vehicle communication networks (such as CAN, LIN, FlexRay, MOST, LVDS, etc.) have several drawbacks and issues. These vehicle communication networks were developed to meet specific challenges of the vehicle environment and are thus developed separately from other networks such as computer local area networks, wide area networks, large-scale interconnected networks (e.g., the Internet), and wireless networks. Most vehicle networks consist of a data link layer and an application layer and utilize robust and dedicated devices such as a controller area network (CAN) bus with dedicated or shared wiring between devices that utilize a specific data protocol (e.g., J1939, OBD, etc.). Modern vehicles may have multiple network buses where specific commands and communications are available with limited customization and data speeds available. For example, a CAN bus typically operates up to about 1 Mbps, and a high-performance CAN bus operates up to about 10 Mbps. In addition to this, a CAN bus experiences latency longer than 25 ms and generally longer from about 60 ms to 500 ms depending on factors such as configuration, traffic on the CAN, and priority for specific messages.

[0005] As the number of devices and the data speed requirements from the devices increase, conventional vehicle communication networks require the implementation of higher-performance buses. Since the automotive industry is a mass-production industry with a very low tolerance for component failures, automotive manufacturers utilize the same components over a long period of time and across a wide range of vehicles, including the sharing of components among manufacturers. In addition to this, changes to components with nominally higher functionality may introduce risks, integration costs, re-certification burdens for a given application, or other undesirable consequences to the system. Therefore, even if the vehicle communication network migrates to a higher-function network configuration, it is desirable to keep the network types separated within the system and maintain a large number of legacy devices (e.g., CAN-compatible ones) within the system over a long period of time.

[0006] Data collection from vehicles involves several additional challenges. For example, data collection operations are subject to regulations and liability risks, especially in the case of data collection that may include personal information, personally identifiable information, and / or debt-related information. Data collectors, including entities that may have ownership or possession rights to confidential data, are at risk during the time they hold the data, e.g., in the event of inadvertent or malicious access to the data. Regarding the vehicle data being collected, large amounts of data may be collected and there may be multiple purposes for collecting the data, increasing the risk compared to other common data storage applications. Therefore, it may be desirable to control data collection, storage, and access to reduce risk, and it may be further desirable to include verification of data access and the partitioning or other exclusion of data when it is not being used.

[0007] Data collection related to vehicles becomes even more complex due to the volume and type of data to be communicated between the vehicle and external devices, and the vehicle's network system is restricted by constraints such as mobile applications, costs, and / or bandwidth limitations suffered by high data speeds and / or high data transfers. Despite the above, the increasing requirements regarding customer demands, market forecasts, vehicle operation efficiency, and the functional capabilities regarding data-related applications have been continuously driving up the total amount of data to be transferred, the number of external vehicle applications that utilize the transferred data, the number of purposes for which the data can be utilized, and the number of users or entities having a legitimate need for each part of the transferred data. In addition to this, the applications that utilize the data also continue to increase in sophistication and capabilities, raising the data requirements for the limited available transfer resources and increasing the cost and complexity of the logistic control and storage of the transferred data. For example, all of the higher-functional route designation or operation algorithms related to the vehicle, the increasing automation of vehicle functions, the increasing requirements for predictive decision-making and / or maintenance support, and the increasing media streams (both the number of media streams and the quality of those media streams) are driving up the increasing requirements for data speed, the amount of stored data, and the number of entities or applications accessing the stored data. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The description herein refers to vehicle applications as non-limiting examples and for purposes of clarity of this description. However, the embodiments herein are applicable to other applications having similar problems and / or implementations. Without being limited to any other applications, the embodiments herein may have multiple endpoints including multiple data sources, controllers, sensors, and / or actuators, and may further include endpoints existing in clearly different network and / or distributed network environments, and / or may be in the process of migrating to a network connection system or communication system having newer and / or higher capabilities (within a given system, as a part of a system, and / or as an industry) for applications having a historical or legacy network connection system or communication system. Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments include one or more of industrial equipment, robot systems (including at least mobile robots, autonomous vehicle systems, and / or industrial robots), mobile applications (which may or may not be considered "vehicles"), and / or manufacturing systems. Certain features, aspects, and / or advantages of the disclosure of the present invention are applicable to any one or more of these applications, not applicable to others of these applications, and it will be understood that the applicability of certain features, aspects, and / or advantages of the disclosure of the present invention may vary depending on the operating conditions, constraints, cost parameters (e.g., operating costs, integration costs, operating costs, data communication costs and / or storage costs, service costs, and / or downtime costs, etc.) of a particular application. Accordingly, as will be understood by those skilled in the art having the benefit of the disclosure of the present invention, the disclosure of the present invention, when referring to vehicles, vehicle systems, mobile applications, industrial equipment, robot systems, and / or manufacturing systems, necessarily contemplates each of these, and may be applicable in certain embodiments or not applicable in certain other embodiments.

[0009] The disclosure of this specification, as reflected in the embodiments to be described, recognizes that the complexities and other issues listed above have a synergistic effect that makes the complexity of the vehicle data environment greater than the sum of the individual contributions from each issue.

[0010] As an example, an increase in the number of entities or applications accessing data increases the likelihood that individual data requests will repeat, for example, when multiple entities request the same or similar data. Further, an increase in the number of entities or applications accessing data increases the likelihood that the members of these access groups will share similar authorization levels so that data access by individual members of the group of entities or applications will benefit from data management.

[0011] In another example, regulations regarding confidential data have been strengthening, thereby generally increasing the data management requirements of the system. Moreover, data management is subject to multiple constraints at a given point in time and / or changing constraints over time as regulations change, and / or may be subject to changing constraints based on the applicable jurisdiction that may change when the location of the vehicle changes.

[0012] In yet another example, a vehicle having a complex environment of currently known and evolving vehicle network architectures, such as a hybrid network type and / or a split network, increases the complexity of data access for individual entities, which, without using certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention, may otherwise require determining request parameter specifications for specific data elements and updating these request parameters as the vehicle network architecture evolves. In view of the increasing number of entities requesting data access, the total cost to the automotive support market increases non-linearly as each of the entities incurs the cost of tracking request parameter specifications. In addition to this, the locus of additional entities requesting data access is moving towards entities located far from core automotive functions within the technical knowledge space, and thus the intricacy and idiosyncrasy of vehicle applications and / or automotive applications, including vehicle network configurations, specific data descriptions, data request protocols and communication protocols, and industry norms or conventions regarding providing information, etc., is becoming increasingly unfamiliar to each new incremental entity, further increasing the cost volume function (e.g., the cost over time for a given entity, such as an automotive manufacturer and / or a vehicle market, a geographical market, and / or an industry such as the automotive industry, the passenger vehicle industry, etc., to reach a desired data collection outcome). For example, consider the following: COST = number of entities * Basic learning cost * Migration adaptation cost locus * Data locus cost * Regulatory adaptation cost * Data access / storage obligation cost Consider nominal cost volume functions such as the following:

[0013] The COST function described is a non-limiting nominal example for illustrating how various issues and drawbacks regarding currently known systems interact to produce a synergistic effect that increases the cost to reach a future data collection function for vehicle applications. The cost parameters to be described are not intended to cover all costs related to the automotive data collection industry or the issues existing with currently known systems. The parameters can be an average or other complex functions, and the values of specific parameters generally will not be known by specificity. In addition to this, the unit of COST can be represented as a monetary value as resources (e.g., man-hours, computing time, etc.) to reach the data collection target over time, or as another non-monetary unit such as carbon dioxide equivalent value, customer satisfaction, risk of being compromised, loss or gain of public recognition. The number of entities parameter generally reflects the number of entities accessing vehicle data over time, the basic learning cost reflects the cost for new entities to learn the details of data collection requirements and protocols regarding a specific vehicle, vehicle type, market, etc., the migration adaptation cost trajectory reflects the cost to adapt to changing vehicle network configurations including the type and composition of the network, and the interaction with endpoints or devices on these networks, the data trajectory cost reflects the increasing requirements for data collection over time from corresponding vehicles including data communication, storage, and derived functional consequences such as the inability to support an application or cost desirable to improve the data communication infrastructure, the regulatory adaptation cost reflects the cost associated with the increasing number of regulations, the increasing number of regulatory frameworks, and / or the increasing number of regulatory authorities, and the data access / storage liability cost reflects the cost incurred regarding data compliance and security, and / or the losses incurred due to data breaches, unauthorized use, and premature invalidation of data.

[0014] Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, aspects of the disclosure herein reduce and / or eliminate any one or more of the costs per entity added to a data collection system, the basic learning costs for implementing applications in which new entities utilize the collected data, the adaptation costs to changing vehicle network configurations, the costs incurred to meet increasing requirements for data collection, the costs for adapting to changing regulatory environments, and / or the costs for protecting data and / or losses incurred due to infringement or unauthorized use. Certain embodiments and / or aspects of the disclosure herein can satisfy one or more of the described cost parameters. Certain embodiments and / or aspects of the disclosure herein can increase one or more given cost parameters, but nevertheless are beneficial by reducing the overall cost function with respect to the target vehicle, vehicle type, entity, industry, etc. Certain embodiments and / or aspects of the disclosure herein can increase one or more given cost parameters, but provide other benefits such as functional improvements. In certain embodiments, the functional improvements can be achieved at a lower cost than previously known systems configured to achieve similar functional improvements, although they are at a high cost.

[0015] Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, embodiments herein provide for the operation of a system having multiple networks with endpoint devices distributed across the networks, and provide for the utilization of data, communication, and / or instructions to the endpoint devices without requiring specific knowledge of the location, function, and / or data configuration of at least a portion of the applications, circuits, and / or other operators within the system. Embodiments herein provide a configuration for network management, enabling changes in the location of endpoint devices within the system that may occur during manufacturing, body manufacturing, inspection and repair, upfit or upgrade, component replacement, maintenance, campaign, component change, and / or change of industry standards, adaptation to system failures or abnormal operations, and / or updates to the system. Embodiments herein provide a monitor for network status and / or performance regarding a vehicle's network, including when the vehicle intermittently connects to an external device. Embodiments herein provide configuration changes to the monitoring operation, including changes to the monitored network, monitored parameters, and monitor event execution. Embodiments herein provide monitoring operations for endpoint devices, network communication, communication between specific endpoints (on the same or clearly different networks), and their configurations. Embodiments herein provide control, regulation, and / or support for network traffic on a specific network or both between networks. Embodiments herein provide for the incorporation of functions into existing controllers, the distribution of functions between controllers, provide redundancy and abnormal operation support, provide diversity in redundancy and abnormal operation support between similar systems while supporting full functionality, and provide a selective distribution of network management functions, monitoring functions, and control functions, including combinations thereof. Embodiments herein provide monitoring operations for endpoint devices, network communication, and communication between specific endpoints when a monitoring application or monitoring device communicates with a first network and monitors a second network.Embodiments herein provide for monitoring any network, network zone, flow, device group, or virtual group that can exist within a system.

[0016] Embodiments herein include the operation of a hybrid network system that provides application task support including control, monitoring, data collection, configuration, and / or updating. Embodiments herein include enabling active control from a device, application, or controller that can communicate with any network of the system to a device, endpoint, controller, flow, device group, vehicle function, or vehicle application that exists on any network of the vehicle and / or can be distributed across more than one network of the vehicle. In addition to or in lieu of this, embodiments herein support active control of a device using a selective level of knowledge that includes a level of not having any knowledge of the change by the device, application, or controller making the change after a change to a device, endpoint, controller, flow, device group, vehicle function, and / or vehicle application that receives the control. Embodiments herein include enabling active monitoring, service event execution, and / or test execution from a device, application, or controller that can communicate with any network of the system to a device, endpoint, controller, flow, device group, vehicle function, or vehicle application that exists on any network of the vehicle and / or can be distributed across more than one network of the vehicle. In addition to or in lieu of this, embodiments herein support active monitoring, service event execution, and / or test execution of a device using a selective level of knowledge that includes a level of not having any knowledge of the change by the device, application, or controller making the change after a change to a device, endpoint, controller, flow, device group, vehicle function, and / or vehicle application that receives the control.

[0017] Embodiments herein correspond to a hybrid network and / or an extensible network topology that includes a hybrid network of a plurality of instances of a given network type (e.g., separate and / or partially separate networks). The number and arrangement of the networks can be provided to support at least one of the following aspects of vehicle design, operation, and life cycle management: allowing a mix of legacy devices and new devices, separating the physical location and function of the networks, inspection and repair, maintenance, upgrade, and / or changes to the vehicle during model change, and / or reducing and / or compartmentalizing design effort and / or integration effort. Embodiments herein support, but are not limited to, dual-zone network architectures and / or n-zone network architectures.

[0018] Embodiments herein support the aggregation of control that may otherwise be distributed around a system, for example, to reduce the number of controllers and / or processing devices that must be installed, integrated, and / or interfaced therebetween, to reduce the physical risk to the network system, to reduce the cost of the network system, and / or to reduce the footprint of the network system (e.g., reduce the overall footprint of the vehicle and / or enable an overall or partial shift of the footprint to another system of the vehicle). Embodiments herein support data management and access within a hybrid network vehicle, including stages of extracting data providers from data consumers, performing data authorization, security, and compartmentalization, reducing network traffic, and managing functional differences between endpoints, devices, controllers, flows, device groups, and networks.

[0019] Embodiments herein provide a configuration of a hybrid network control device that includes interfaces for enabling configurations of network management applications, network control applications, and network monitor applications. Accordingly, embodiments herein provide a configuration of a hybrid network control sub-component that includes interfaces for devices that interface between networks and facilitate collecting, encapsulating, and / or processing communications from a first network for communication onto a second network. Embodiments herein provide a configuration of a hybrid network control device and / or sub-component that selectively utilizes external tools (such as service tools, manufacturing tools, diagnostic tools, consumer devices, etc.) that can be coupled by direct connection, wireless connection, cellular connection, or other communicable connection to the hybrid network control device. In certain embodiments, the configuration tools herein can be external tools, web applications, mobile applications, dedicated or proprietary applications, or combinations thereof.

[0020] To facilitate understanding of the principles of the disclosure of the present invention, reference is now made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following specification. It is understood that this reference is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure of the present invention. It is further understood that the disclosure of the present invention includes any variations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and that the disclosure of the present invention includes further other uses of the principles disclosed herein that would be generally contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary system schematically illustrates aspects of an embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention. The exemplary system includes an application 102 (e.g., a vehicle) having a first network 104 and a second network 106. The networks utilized herein must be understood in a broad sense and include one or more aspects such as hardware implementation (e.g., wire and wiring configuration, applicable standards, e.g., connectors, insulation, shielding, wire requirements, e.g., standard dimensions, twisted braiding, coaxial braiding, etc.), implementation of any layer (e.g., from the ISO 7 - layer model, e.g., application layer, presentation layer, session layer, transport layer, network layer, data link layer, and / or physical layer, although a given network can have fewer layers and / or layers organized in a clearly different manner), and / or can be wired or wireless in whole or in part. Without being limited to any aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, exemplary and non - limiting networks include Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented System Transport (MOST) network, Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay network, Time - Triggered Protocol (TTP) network, Low - Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) network, and / or Ethernet - implemented network. In certain embodiments, one or more networks can be an electrical signal zone such as a sensor or actuator electrically coupled to an interpretation device (e.g., a device that provides data and / or receives commands as electrical signals such as voltage values, frequency values, and indicated resistance values, etc.), and the interpretation device has the function of receiving information from and / or passing information or commands to one or more electrical devices on the electrical signal zone.

[0023] The exemplary system includes a first network 104 that is of a different type than the second network 106. As used herein, two networks having different types must be understood broadly and include different protocols, at least one layer that is clearly different from each other (e.g., having a clearly different application layer, presentation layer, etc.), two networks that are not operationally compatible (e.g., a device coupled to one of these networks will not function on the second network without modifications to the connection, communication, or other aspects), and / or two networks that are not message compatible (e.g., messages configured for the first of the networks cannot be directly overlaid on the second of the networks due to differences such as addressing, frame structure, logical compatibility of the messages). The exemplary system includes a first network 104 that is an Ethernet implementation network and a second network 106 of a different type such as a CAN network and / or a LIN network.

[0024] The exemplary system further includes a converged network device (CND) 108 structured to be inserted between a first network 104 and a second network 106 to facilitate communication between the first network 104 and the second network 106. The CND 108 inserted between networks 104, 106 transfers communication between networks 104, 106, for example, receives communication from the first network 104 and converts the communication for the second network 106 (e.g., encapsulates all or a portion of the communication in a message for the second network 106 and / or converts aspects of the communication such as device address, bit depth for the data, and / or unit value for the data, and / or adds or removes aspects of the communication such as priority information, message delivery requests or requirements, e.g., industry standard information such as message identifiers). In certain embodiments, the CND 108 can control other devices (e.g., switches, routers, gateways, or repeaters, etc.) that do not physically transfer communication or transfer only a portion of the communication but perform operations such as adjusting permissions, managing, granting, suppressing messages, or transferring communication between networks. Thus, the CND 108 inserted between networks 104, 106 can be physically located between networks 104, 106 in certain embodiments, and communication entering and leaving between networks 104, 106 is physically received by components of the CND 108. In certain embodiments, the CND 108 inserted between networks 104, 106 can have visibility into the communication on networks 104, 106 and a control device for regulating the transfer of messages between these networks. In certain embodiments, the CND 108 inserted between networks 104, 106 can have visibility into the endpoints on networks 104, 106 and a control device for regulating the transfer of messages between the endpoints of each network 104, 106.

[0025] Those having the benefit of the disclosure of the present invention and having the information normally available when considering a particular system can easily place CND108 in accordance with one of the above-described intervention schemes and / or a combination of more than one of these intervention schemes.Certain considerations when designing an intervention scheme for CND108 for a given system include the number and type of networks on the vehicle, the function of each individual network (e.g., throughput, bandwidth, address availability, broadcast / unicast / multicast availability and desirability, acknowledgment requirements and / or availability for each network and / or endpoint, and / or encryption requirements and / or availability for each network and / or endpoint), the availability, location, and / or control on the network implementing multiple controllers (e.g., the presence and ownership of switching devices, access to instructions such as firmware or buffers for available devices, and / or the connectivity of available devices to one or two or more networks, e.g., whether the device is arranged to implement desirable messages, desirable redundancy, and / or desirable fail-mode responses for messages entering and leaving the network), the function of the network implementing multiple controllers (e.g., buffer size configuration and availability, message speed capacity, processing capacity), hardware cost considerations for adding CND-specific components to the system, hardware cost considerations for providing functions for CND operation within other components of the system, integration cost considerations and system functions for implementing additional CND-specific components and / or adding functions for CND operation within other components of the system, the number, type, and / or message throughput of endpoints using inter-network communication, expected changes in any one or two or more of these aspects over the life of the vehicle (e.g., due to campaign events such as vehicle inspection, upgrade, and / or product recall events), and / or expected changes in any one or two or more of these aspects over the life cycle of the related vehicle group (e.g., related vehicle fleet, vehicle model year, and / or model year group related to the system, e.g., multiple vehicles having a similar network infrastructure but having changes in device distribution, changes to the network, etc.).

[0026] In the example described in FIG. 1, the first external device 110 is shown as communicatively coupled to the application 102. The first external device 110 can be directly coupled to the application 102, and this coupling can include a directional wired connection (e.g., to a service port, an OBD port, or other available connections), and / or a wireless connection (e.g., a WiFi connection such as an IEEE801.11 compliant connection and / or a Bluetooth connection). The first external device 110 can be connected to a particular network (the first network 104 or the second network 106), and / or can be connected to another device (e.g., the CND 108 and / or a device regulated thereby) that directly manages communication with the external device 110. Regardless of whether the external device 110 is coupled to any of the other devices such as the networks 104, 106 or the CND 108, in certain embodiments, the CND 108 manages communication such that the external device 110 only receives authorized communication, and further manages communication such that the external device 110 can request communication to an endpoint on any of the networks 104, 106 and receive the requested information despite such management. In certain embodiments, the first external device 110 can be a service tool, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tool, a manufacturer's tool, a body manufacturer's tool, and / or an application (e.g., an application that communicates through a computer device such as a laptop, desktop, mobile device, and / or mobile phone, e.g., an application operated by an owner, an inspection and repair person, a fleet manager, or a similar person).

[0027] In the example shown in FIG. 1, a second external device 114 is shown that communicates with an application 102 and / or a first external device 110 through a cloud connection 112. The cloud connection 112 can be any type of connection including a mobile connection (e.g., a modem that connects using cellular data service or another data service on the application 102), an Internet connection, a wide area network (WAN), and / or combinations thereof. The cloud connection 112 can form part of the CND 108 and is accessible to the application 102 through a transceiver that can be at least partially conditioned by the CND 108. In certain embodiments, the application 102 can have more than one transceiver, in which case one or more or all of the transceivers are at least partially conditioned by the CND 108. In certain embodiments, the CND 108 may condition certain vehicle communications (e.g., from certain networks, endpoints, devices, data types, flows, and / or applications on the vehicle) but not other communications.

[0028] The endpoints used in this specification should be understood in a broad sense. An endpoint is an organized concept for accessing the vehicle networks 104, 106 and can include a specific device (e.g., an engine controller, a transmission controller, a door controller, an infotainment system, etc.), a group of devices having a single network access (e.g., multiple devices communicate with each other through a single network access point, in which case the networks 104, 106 and / or the CND 108 can have visibility to the individual devices or only have visibility to the communication from the endpoint as a group). For example, a door controller (not shown) can be an endpoint for one of the networks 104, 106, and communication regarding lower-level devices (e.g., a door position sensor, a door lock actuator and position sensor, a window actuator and position sensor, etc.) proceeds to the networks 104, 106 through the door controller endpoint. In this case, the CND 108 can have visibility to the lower-level devices (e.g., a message indicating the door position including an identifier that the door position sensor is about to send a message), or can only have visibility to the door controller endpoint (e.g., it is known that a message indicating the door position is provided by the door controller, but the CND 108 does not know which lower-level device might have sent the message). A person skilled in the art having the benefits of the disclosure of the present invention and having information normally available to the considered system can easily determine which devices in the system are endpoints for each of the networks 104, 106.Certain considerations for determining endpoint placement include the availability of hardware ports on the network, the distribution of vehicle controllers, the messages passed between vehicle controllers, the adjustment options made available for a given endpoint (e.g., message speed, priority, data collection, message composition, ID information of components, addressing management with external devices between networks, etc.), the desired granularity of data control (e.g., permission for a specific device to provide or request information, permission for an application either inside or outside the vehicle to provide or request information, security authorization and type, e.g., per user, per entity, per device, per application, per flow, etc.), and / or the redundancy options made available for a given system (e.g., redundancy of network communication functions, redundancy of control operations and associated devices, and / or redundancy of CND operations when CND components are distributed in more than one location of the vehicle), but are not limited to these.

[0029] The applications used in this specification must be understood in a broad sense. Exemplary applications include groups of related vehicle functions or operations, such as speed control (e.g., of the vehicle or its sub-components, such as the engine or drive train), anti-lock braking system (ABS) operation, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), performance control (e.g., resulting in torque requests, speed requests, or other performance requests from the driver), or other vehicle functions. Exemplary applications include applications for supporting positioning and / or navigation, requesting and / or processing inspection and repair information regarding the vehicle, and / or related functions outside the vehicle such as third-party applications that interact with the driver (e.g., to find the nearest hotel, selected events, etc.). The applications can be implemented by vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, contract manufacturers, body manufacturers, third parties, drivers, inspection and repair personnel, or similar persons. The applications used in this specification provide an organized concept that can be used to associate certain data, certain endpoints, and / or related functions of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, CND108 can utilize an application to identify data sources, data destinations, permissions available to the application, or priority information regarding the application, and to perform certain data regulating operations described herein.

[0030] The flows used in this specification must be understood in a broad sense. Exemplary flows include related data groups (e.g., speed data, temperature data, audiovisual data, navigation data, etc.), related function groups (e.g., additional functions such as service operation and / or data collection, aggregation between related vehicles, and / or combinations of these for a particular system, especially within vehicle functions), related device groups (e.g., door actuators), and / or related application groups. The flows used in this specification provide an organized concept that can be used to associate certain data, certain endpoints, certain applications, and / or related functions of a vehicle or otherwise. In certain embodiments, CND108 can identify a data source, a data destination, permissions available for the flow, or priority information regarding the flow, and use the flow to perform certain data adjustment operations described herein. In certain embodiments, the use of the flow enables CND108 to perform separate operations in which the same endpoint can be involved in supporting desirable network management. For example, a vehicle speed management application can have a high priority, and the speedometer endpoint may be associated with the vehicle speed management application. In this example, when the vehicle speed is communicated to support the vehicle speed management application, CND108 assigns a high priority to the vehicle speed message. However, when the vehicle speed is communicated to support a travel planning flow (e.g., there is a travel planning flow but it does not have a high priority), CND108 can assign a lower priority to the vehicle speed message. In yet another example, a vehicle controller, a failure of a part of the network, or other abnormal conditions may result in the transfer of the vehicle speed management application to another controller within the system, whereby the vehicle speed message is communicated to support the vehicle speed management application (e.g., if the backup controller is on a different network), and CND108 can assign a high priority to the vehicle speed message.The flow and application of organizing the components of the system enable CND108 to adjust the same or similar information in a discriminatory manner to support various functions, providing improved performance and security for network adjustment operations (e.g., reducing unnecessary inter-network traffic and providing only necessary information), and supporting additional functions such as redundancy support, distributed control, and fine-grained inter-network message communication compared to systems known heretofore.

[0031] The service groups used herein must be understood in a broad sense. Exemplary service groups include groups of related applications for vehicles. The group of related applications (e.g., one or more vehicle systems, functions, or other applications of the vehicle) can all be arranged on the vehicle and / or on external devices (e.g., supporting processing, data collection or storage, and the service group using external source data, etc.), and can include aspects such as being web applications, web tools, cloud applications, or service applications. In certain embodiments, any group of local communication devices can be logically associated as a service group. The use of service groups to organize the components and / or applications of the system enables CND108 to adjust the same or similar information in a discriminatory manner to support various functions, providing improved performance and security for network adjustment operations (e.g., reducing unnecessary inter-network traffic, providing only necessary information, and / or adjusting communication with external devices), and supporting additional functions such as redundancy support, distributed control, and fine-grained inter-network message communication compared to systems known heretofore.

[0032] Adjusted components, as used herein and not limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, include any system components adjusted with respect to communications including data collection, periodic reception, data requests, access to external devices and / or addresses, access to network zones, access to endpoints, utilization of communication resources (e.g., network zone bandwidth, external communication portals, total data limits or amounts, etc.). The adjusted components include, but are not limited to, one or more of endpoints, flows, applications, controllers, service groups, interface circuits, network zones, external communication portals, external devices, source addresses, destination addresses, vehicle functions, entities associated with any of these, users associated with any of these, and / or user roles associated with any of these.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 202 having a first network 104, a second network 106, and a CND 108 inserted between these networks 104, 106. This exemplary system depicts a vehicle 202 communicatively coupled to an external device 110 and / or communicatively coupled to a second external device 114, similar to that shown in FIG. 1. The example described in FIG. 2 depicts another external device 204 communicatively coupled to the vehicle 202 through a cloud connection 112 in this example. The third external device 204 is shown as a laptop operated, for example, by a fleet service manager, owner, and / or vehicle dealership (e.g., a surety manager). The example described in FIG. 2 is an exemplary depiction showing additional context options and a specific use as a vehicle, but is otherwise similar to the system described in FIG. 1.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment is shown that includes a vehicle 202 showing some further details that can exist in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes a vehicle 202 having a first network 104, a second network, and a CND 108 inserted between the first network 104 and the second network. In the example described in FIG. 3, the second network is an Ethernet network having devices (e.g., an interactive dashboard 302, a door actuator 310, and a transmission controller 320) coupled to an Ethernet switch 312. In the example described in FIG. 3, a third network 318 having a fuel tank sensor 306 coupled to the CND 108 is shown. In this example, the third network 318 can be of the same type as one of the other networks separated from the other networks, for example, to improve installation costs, risk management, or other considerations, and / or can be of a different type to support devices, for example, sensors operating on a LIN network. The third network 318 can communicate with the CEG 314 of the CND 108, the Ethernet switch 312, or another device (not shown).

[0035] The example described in FIG. 3 includes a first device on the first network 104 314 (e.g., a controller for the prime mover in the example described in FIG. 3), and several devices on the second network (e.g., an interactive dashboard 302, a fuel tank sensor 306, and a door actuator 310 in the example described in FIG. 3). The system includes one of the devices 302, 310, 320 that communicates with the first device 314 on the second network through the CND 108. For example, the door actuator 310 locks the door when the vehicle 202 moves and can pull vehicle movement information (e.g., engine speed, gear position, vehicle speed, and / or a state parameter such as a boolean value of "vehicle in motion" or a bitmask) from the first device 314 .

[0036] The arrangement shown in FIG. 3 is a non-limiting example. In addition to or instead of this, a given device (e.g., prime mover 308) can appear as a single endpoint or multiple endpoints. For example, the controller of prime mover 308 can assign an identifier to each of a number of parameters (e.g., engine temperature from an engine temperature sensor) that can each be operated as a separate endpoint and provide them to the first network 104, and / or can include parameters (e.g., engine temperature from an engine controller) thus provided by the controller of prime mover 308.

[0037] To illustrate the example shown in FIG. 3, the first network 104 can be a CAN bus network, in which case desired data (e.g., a vehicle movement indicator) is provided as a CAN message in accordance with considerations regarding the CAN network. The door actuator 310 is provided on a second network, e.g., an Ethernet network, in which case the door actuator 310 is on a port of the second network. The port for the door actuator 310 can be a physical port (e.g., a dedicated Ethernet switch 312 for the door actuator 310) or a virtual port (e.g., a location of an address for the second network that can be made to exist on a physical port shared with one or more other devices). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the door actuator 310 cannot receive a CAN message indicating vehicle movement, and the CND 108 interprets a request regarding a vehicle movement indicator from the door actuator 310, retrieves this message from the first network 104, and transmits it to the door actuator 310 on the second network.

[0038] The operations performed to send a message may vary depending on the application. For example, the CND108 can disclose to a device on the second network that certain parameters are available from the first network 104 (and / or the third network 318), directly provide the selected parameters to the device (e.g., provide a vehicle movement indicator to the requesting device), or disclose data values representing these parameters that are available to devices that receive them periodically (e.g., making the periodically received parameters available using a broker not shown). In certain embodiments, the CND108 can limit the disclosure of available parameters to devices, endpoints, applications, and / or flows that are authorized to view these available parameters. In other words, various devices on the second network can view different lists of available parameters depending on the authorization of these devices and / or the applications or flows related to these devices. In certain embodiments, the CND108 can limit the provision of these parameters to devices, endpoints, applications, and / or flows that are authorized to receive them, for example, by denying a periodic reception request for the parameters and / or suppressing the transmission of the parameters to unauthorized devices despite periodic reception. Thus, in certain embodiments, a device can confirm that a parameter is available (e.g., within the public list of available parameters), but may not be able to receive the data value of the parameter. In certain embodiments, a device can be restricted to only view available parameters that it is authorized to receive.

[0039] In certain embodiments, the device can have limited availability to receive parameters, e.g., CND108 can limit the speed of data values to support network utilization reduction, data security considerations (e.g., limiting the accuracy, resolution, and / or data rate of parameters that require care in handling such as vehicle position), and / or proprietary considerations (e.g., limiting the ability to determine how an application can be reverse engineered or otherwise how the control operation functions, e.g., limiting the accuracy, resolution, and / or data rate of parameters that may be related to proprietary control operations).

[0040] In certain embodiments, the CND108 determines which parameters to disclose and provide, and the conditions for providing them, based on stored data that defines permissions and / or functions such as devices, endpoints, applications, and flows. In certain embodiments, the CND108 further accesses stored data that defines processing operations or conditioning operations on the data, such as encapsulation operations (e.g., for passing CAN messages to an Ethernet network), unit conversions, and timestamp definitions. In certain embodiments, the CND108 determines approvals for applications and / or flows on the vehicle, outside the vehicle (e.g., operating on external devices such as 110, 114, 204), or a combination of on and outside the vehicle. In certain embodiments, the CND108 can support prioritization of data flows, including the rate at which a device provides or receives information, based on the prioritization of related devices, endpoints, applications, flows, or other parameters. In certain embodiments, the CND108 can support differential prioritization based on vehicle status or operating conditions, for example, using a first prioritization scheme during startup operations, a second prioritization scheme during runtime operations, and a third prioritization scheme when the vehicle is in motion. In certain embodiments, the CND108 can respond to any defined vehicle conditions such as charging operations, regeneration operations, post-processing operations, control plans (e.g., driving versus driver control), emergency events, fault conditions, or inspection and repair conditions.

[0041] The exemplary CND108 shown in FIG. 3 includes a first device 314 that communicates with a first network 104. The exemplary first device 314 includes a configurable edge gateway (CEG) that reads communications from the first network 104 and provides them to a second network 106. In certain embodiments, the first device 314 transforms the communications for the second network, e.g., encapsulates the communications, a portion of a communication frame, and / or the payload of a communication into a message for the second network. In certain embodiments, the first device 314 has the function of requesting communications from devices on the first network 104, e.g., requesting parameters that are available but not currently communicated on the first network 104. In certain embodiments, the first device 314 is not part of the CND108 but is controlled by the CND108, e.g., in response to a command from the CND108, by accessing stored data that is wholly or partly written by the CND108, or by other operations provided throughout the disclosure of the present invention.

[0042] The exemplary CND shown in FIG. 3 108 includes a second device 312 that communicates with a second network. The exemplary second device 312 can be made configurable and includes an Ethernet switch that reads communications from the second network. In certain embodiments, the second device 312 receives messages from the first network 104 through the first device 314, e.g., receives the messages in a format communicable on the second network. The exemplary first device 314 includes a CEG that communicates with the Ethernet switch through a port on the Ethernet switch provided for messages from the first device 314. Thus, FIG. 3 provides an embodiment of a second device on a second network that communicates with the first device 314 through the CND108. 312

[0043] The exemplary system includes external devices 110, 114, 204 that communicate with CND108. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the external devices 110, 114, 204 can communicate through transceiver 304 and / or via direct access to the vehicle 202's network (e.g., using a service port, an OBD port, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). The external devices are structured to adjust the configuration of CND108 by modifying stored data that defines, for example, publicly available data, associated permissions, defined applications, defined flows, defined endpoints, and defined devices. In certain embodiments, the external devices have an associated permission value, and CND108 provides modifications according to the associated permission value, for example, preventing adjustments to modifications regarding certain networks, devices, endpoints, applications, or flows.

[0044] The exemplary system includes a first network as a bus network, and further the bus network can be a CAN bus network. The exemplary system includes a second network as an Ethernet network that can have any alternative topology such as a data bus architecture. In certain embodiments, the Ethernet network has a data bus architecture as a hardware topology but can operate in a different logical manner (e.g., as a switched network).

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the exemplary system includes a CND 108 having a first network gateway device 404 and a second network gateway device 402. In the example depicted in FIG. 4, the first network gateway device 404 is a CEG that is coupled to one or more endpoints 408, e.g., CAN networks 406, to provide communication to and / or receive communication from each of one or more CAN-based networks 406, each having a device that communicates with the respective CAN network 406. The example depicted in FIG. 4 depicts two CAN networks 406 (e.g., for splitting based on function of vehicle components, location within the vehicle, and / or any other arrangement such as groups of related components that communicate on a common CAN network 406) that can be arranged for convenience of integration. In this example, the first network gateway device 404 communicates with both CAN networks 406, but the CND 108 can include more than one CEG, e.g., one CEG accessing each CAN network 406 and / or each CEG accessing a subset of the CAN networks 406 on the vehicle, and / or can be configured to coordinate these CEGs. The example depicted in FIG. 4 shows a bus network 406, and while the network 406 is described as a CAN network for illustrative purposes, the network 406 can be of any type described throughout the disclosure of the present invention. The endpoint 408 can be any type of endpoint having a function to communicate with the network 406, such as a controller, smart sensor, or smart actuator, or any other device having a function to provide communication to and / or receive communication from the network 406.

[0046] The example described in FIG. 4 represents CND108 as including network gateway devices 402, 404, but CND108 can be separate from one or both of network gateway devices 402, 404 and can be configured by, for example, adjusting data stored therein, adjusting stored data accessible to devices 402, 404, providing commands to these devices, and / or performing any other actions enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention.

[0047] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the second network gateway device 402 is an Ethernet switch, and the Ethernet switch 404 accesses an Ethernet-based network 410 that is shown as having several endpoints 412 communicating with some of its ports 414. The ports 414 are shown schematically and can be logical ports, hardware ports, or a combination thereof. The physical topology of the Ethernet network 410 can be a bus arrangement, a hub arrangement, a star arrangement, or any other type of network topology, and can be different from the logical topology of the Ethernet network 410. The second network gateway device 402 is shown as having a network interface 416 that can include a physical port connection. In certain embodiments, the second network gateway device 402 is a configurable Ethernet switch that can include a processor, computer-readable storage (e.g., storing instructions, configuration information, buffering for data communication operations and / or collection operations, and performing further similar things). Although these aspects are not shown for purposes of illustration and clarity of this description, these aspects can be present on the second network gateway device 402, present within the same housing as the second network gateway device 402, located on another device within the system and communicating with the second network gateway device 402, separate from the network interface 416 and / or separate from the remainder of the second network gateway device 402 on a separate substrate (e.g., mounted on a separate printed circuit board), such as on the first network gateway device 404, on a vehicle controller, and / or on another controller within the system, and / or can be distributed across a combination of these locations.

[0048] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the first network gateway device 404 includes one or more network interfaces 418 (and / or network interface circuits) that communicatively couple it to the network 406, and a conversion circuit 420 that includes messages from the Ethernet network 410 for communication to the network 406 and / or messages from the network 406 for communication to the Ethernet network 410. In addition to or instead of this, for example, when these networks 406 are considered to be of different types, utilize different protocols, or otherwise have competing source or destination information, and / or for message compatibility, to ensure the successful mission operation of the vehicle, and / or to implement any other configuration operation shown in the disclosure of the present invention, when it is considered that the first network gateway device 404 has other distinct characteristics managed thereby, the conversion circuit 420 includes messages for transfer from one of the networks 406 to another of the networks 406. Although the conversion circuit 420 is shown as a single device, the conversion circuit 420 can be implemented as one or more devices having some components of the conversion circuit 420 that each implement a certain type of configuration and interact with a certain type of network 406, for example, to distribute its processing and / or memory operations, or for any other reason according to a particular system. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the first network gateway device 404 provides a message to the Ethernet switch in response to a corresponding message on the CAN-based network 406. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the first network gateway device 404 provides a message to port 414 of the Ethernet switch. In the example shown in FIG. 4, any message provided from the network 406 appears on the Ethernet network 410 as a message on the port between the conversion circuit 420 and the network interface 416, and a message from the Ethernet network 410 is received through the port between the conversion circuit 420 and the network interface 416.The conversion circuit 420 provides configuration operations between messages, and endpoints on each of the networks 406, 410 can communicate with each other adjusted by the CND108 as described above.

[0049] The example described in FIG. 4 further includes an on-board diagnostic (OBD) interface 422, which communicates with a dedicated OBD port 424 in this example. The example described in FIG. 4 is for illustrative purposes and is non-limiting. The OBD interface 422 can be connected to any network or to more than one network (e.g., to support multiple OBD tools that can be connected to a vehicle). The exemplary embodiment includes an OBD interface 422 connected to the second network gateway device 402. For example, in this case, the OBD system is substantially CAN-based, and many of the OBD parameters are specific to one or more of the CAN networks 406, enabling less traffic between the conversion circuit 420 and the network interface 416. Instead, the OBD interface 422 can be present on the Ethernet network 410 or on more than one network 406, 410 of the system. Regardless of the location of the OBD interface 422 and the location where OBD-related data of the networks 406, 410 is generated, OBD requests and information can be made available to the OBD port 424 (which can be a physical connection, a wireless connection, or another external connection including a mobile data connection) by the operation of the CND108 that authorizes and provides inter-network communication from any endpoint on the networks 406, 410. Further, the example described in FIG. 4 uses the OBD interface 422 as a non-limiting example, but any type of special dedicated and / or proprietary interface having an interface and a port that can make available any data from any endpoint on the networks 406, 410 and be subject to configurable adjustment by the CND108 can be provided in a similar manner.

[0050] The exemplary system includes a CND 108 structured to be inserted between an electrical sensor and one of networks 406, 410 to provide a sensed value on the network in response to the electrical response of the electrical sensor. For example, one of networks 406 can be an electrical connection to a second network gateway device 402 having an associated endpoint 408 as an electrical sensor, in which case the conversion circuit 420 converts the electrical signal from the sensor for communication for each network (e.g., network 410 or another network 406). In this example, the conversion circuit 420 can perform processing operations on the electrical signal such as analog / digital (A / D) processing, determination of display bits, determination of display values, debouncing of signals, filtering of signals, diagnostic bit detection (e.g., determination of a fault and conversion to a corresponding fault value, and / or conversion from a predetermined voltage value to a corresponding fault value), saturation management (e.g., limiting the output to a predetermined value), and slew rate limiting (e.g., applying a rate of change limit to the display value). The electrical signal from the sensor can be a voltage value, a frequency value, a display resistance value, or any other type of sensor electrical value known in the art, if present.

[0051] In another example, the system includes a CND108 structured to be inserted between an electric actuator and one of the networks 406, 410 to provide command values from the network as a configured electrical response to the electric actuator. For example, one of the networks 406 can be an electrical connection to a second network gateway device 402 having an associated endpoint 408 as an electric actuator, in which case the conversion circuit 420 converts communications from each network (e.g., network 410 or another network 406) into electrical signals for the actuator. In this example, the conversion circuit 420 can perform processing operations on the electrical signals such as digital-to-analog processing, determination from display bits for corresponding values, provision of diagnostic bits, saturation management, and slew rate limiting. The electrical signal to the actuator can be, if present, a voltage value, a frequency value, a modulation value, or any other type of actuator electrical value known in the art. In certain embodiments, the electric actuator can further have sensed values (e.g., position feedback, acknowledgement response, etc.), and / or other feedback values that can be provided on the same or a clearly different electrical connection and can be part of the same or a clearly different network (e.g., operation on one network 406 and feedback on a second network 406) (e.g., a certain electrical value indicating the actuator has a fault condition, is non-responsive, is in a stationary state, is in a saturated state, etc.).

[0052] It can be seen that the embodiment described in FIG. 4 enables communication between endpoints on clearly different networks without requiring knowledge of how the endpoint communicates with other endpoints or where the other endpoints are located. Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, the embodiment described in FIG. 4 provides functions for the operation of a vehicle network having distributed devices on a plurality of clearly different networks, including different types of networks. Further, the embodiment described in FIG. 4 provides the operation of the vehicle when the device moves between networks without being limited to whether the device has changed its communication function. For example, a first device on a CAN network that is moved to an Ethernet network can continue to function by moving the messages that this device was using from the CAN network to the Ethernet network and making them available to this device in its new location through an appropriate configuration of the CND108. In certain embodiments, the migrated device can continue to use the CND108 configured to encapsulate the entire original CAN message into an Ethernet message (e.g., into a frame, into a packet, and / or in a specified manner) so that the migrated device can receive the previous CAN message that was first presented and used by this same local control in accordance with the specifications of the previous CAN message, including, for example, the same local control, such as bit depth, resolution information, message speed, and floating point / fixed point data nature. Therefore, the embodiment described in FIG. 4 and the principles shown with respect to FIG. 4 are made possible only by updating the configuration of the CND108 to support these changes, regardless of whether the changes in the mixed state of the endpoint devices between networks occur across several vehicles (e.g., changes occurring over a design review process, model year, or the like) or within the same vehicle (e.g., inspection and repair, upgrade or change to an endpoint, upgrade, upfit, recall replacement, etc.).In certain embodiments, the embodiments described in FIG. 4 and the principles shown with respect to FIG. 4 contemplate a range of endpoints that are made available, for example, in more than one possible location and / or configuration of a network, and CND 108 determines an endpoint placement on a vehicle and thus enables a change in the mixed state of endpoint devices between networks without the need to update the configuration of CND 108 when configured to utilize a selected configuration (e.g., from among two or more available configurations). Thus, the embodiments described in FIG. 4 and the principles shown with respect to FIG. 4 further enable a change in the mixed state of endpoint devices between networks in at least a predetermined range of endpoint devices and configurations without any changes to the vehicle and with intermittent or no communication with external devices for the configuration of CND 108 in order to support vehicle operation.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 5, the exemplary system includes a CND 108 that can be physically and logically separated on a vehicle (e.g., as a virtual local area network (VLAN) or other logical separation scheme) and / or that coordinates communication between a plurality of networks that can be of one or two or more different types. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 generally aligns with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 with some differences highlighted to emphasize certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. The example depicted in FIG. 5 includes additional interfaces 504, 506 that can be separate networks or network zones with respect to network 406. The example depicted in FIG. 5 depicts a vehicle control device interface (VCDI) 508 that can be an interface to any type of vehicle controller (e.g., an engine controller, a transmission controller, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) controller, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) controller, a door controller, a battery controller, a head unit, an interactive dashboard, etc.) that provides communication to endpoint 504 and / or an electrical interface to a sensor, an actuator, or a combination of a sensor and an actuator, etc. The example depicted in FIG. 5 depicts an additional interface 506 to endpoint 502 that can be a communication device of any type understood in the art or shown herein. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, a network interface circuit 416、 418 is is shown between endpoints 408, 502 and conversion circuit 420. The interface circuit 416、 418 is, can be arranged together with the conversion circuit 420 or located at any other location and communicatively coupled to the relevant network and the conversion circuit 420. The example described in FIG. 5 further depicts networks 512, 514 communicatively coupled to a first network gateway device 404 through an endpoint 412 on the same network as the network interface 416. In certain embodiments, since the communication to the networks 512, 514 is provided through the endpoint 412, the CND 108 does not have or need specific knowledge about the networks 512, 514 or the relevant endpoints 516, 518. However, the CND 108 is structured to provide communication from a network that communicates with a second network gateway device 402, such as a network interfaced at the network 406 and / or endpoints 504, 506. The communication from the second network gateway device 402 can provide request information (e.g., ambient temperature, door position, vehicle speed) as, for example, an encapsulated payload that provides this information or as a proprietary message (e.g., a CAN message indicating ambient temperature, door position, vehicle speed, and / or a LIN message having related sensor information). Accordingly, the endpoints 516, 518 can receive information from the network 406 (or other network) by sharing tunneling messages in a shared format or from any network on the vehicle that is adjusted by the CND 108.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, an exemplary system includes a CND 108 on a vehicle that can be physically and logically separated (e.g., as a virtual local area network (VLAN) or other logical separation scheme) and / or can adjust communication between multiple networks that can be of one or two or more different types. The embodiment described in FIG. 6 substantially aligns with the embodiment described in FIG. 4 with some differences shown to emphasize certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. Without being limited to any flexibility of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, the example described in FIG. 6 depicts a conversion circuit 420 disposed in a first network gateway device 404.

[0055] Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, the collocation shown in FIG. 6, when utilized herein, can indicate physical collocation (e.g., the conversion circuit 420 is within a shared housing with the first network gateway device 404 and / or disposed on the same substrate as the first network gateway device 404), and / or logical collocation (e.g., grouping of the operational burden of the execution hardware, such as connections, connectivity, operational instructions, stored data, data storage, and / or processing resources, etc.). The determination of the collocation scheme depends on the purpose of the collocation (e.g., sharing hardware resources, reducing the number of external interfaces, simplifying and / or diversifying the risk profiles of the collocation components and / or other components within the system with respect to these components), the nature of the collocation components (e.g., hardware implementation, processing resources, and / or memory resources related to the collocation components), the division of ownership of the collocation components (e.g., manufacturer, supplier, inspection and repairer, vehicle owner, vehicle driver), the operational burden of the components and / or the vehicle (e.g., certainty, operational liability, inspection and repair, insurance, in-operation burden, etc.), and / or the integration burden of the components (e.g., installation, design, meeting footprint requirements, compromise between components, and / or the ability to affect these).Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the step of colocating components can include one or more of placing the components within a housing or group of housings, placing the components in a selected geometric proximity, placing the components in a selected logical arrangement (e.g., associating within the same flow or group of flows, associating within the same application or group of applications, providing operating constraints such as parameter naming, memory allocation, or execution order), placing the components in a selected risk profile arrangement (e.g., placing in the same zone of influence subject to the same failure mode (e.g., electrical influence, logical influence, failure influence, physical influence, and / or dependency on physical components such as pumps, cooling systems), the same temperature environment, the same NVH environment, the same EMI environment), placing on the same substrate, and / or placing on a location of shared memory (e.g., computer-readable instructions are placed at the location of shared memory and / or executed by the same processor resources). In this example, NVH is a "noise, vibration, and harshness" environment and EMI is an "electromagnetic interference" environment. One of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the disclosure of the present invention and having information normally available when considering a particular system can readily determine the implementation of components to be colocating as shown in the disclosure of the present invention. It can be seen that components arranged in one or more of the described colocating schemes may or may not be colocating in certain embodiments and / or may be colocating for the purpose of certain operating conditions but not for the purpose of other operating conditions.Certain considerations for determining whether components are to be collocated, and the collocation scheme selected for these components, include (but are not limited to) the purpose of the collocation, the operating cost of the resources (e.g., communication, processing resources, operating restrictions on the vehicle's mission, operating impact on the vehicle's mission, e.g., cooling requirements, and power consumption, etc.), the capital cost of the resources (e.g., computer power, network infrastructure, memory resources, quality requirements or functional requirements of individual components, shielding requirements, data throughput regardless of whether it is inside or outside the vehicle, etc.), the integration cost for the components (e.g., footprint availability and cost, interface management, design flexibility and lock-down trajectory, and / or the ability to compromise and / or optimize with other aspects of the system), and / or the ability to distribute costs to other stakeholders of the system (e.g., these stakeholders are suppliers, manufacturers, customers, and / or inspection and repair personnel, and this ability can include the ability to distribute high costs associated with high functionality and / or the ability to exchange costs among stakeholders).

[0056] In the example described in FIG. 6, the conversion circuit 420 can provide communication by, but not limited to, inputting data to and / or reading data from a memory shared with the network interface 416, and / or communicating with the port 414 (not shown).

[0057] Referring to FIG. 7, the exemplary system includes a CND 108 that is on the vehicle and can be physically and logically separated (e.g., as a virtual local area network (VLAN) or other logical separation scheme) and / or coordinates communication between a plurality of networks that can be of one or two or more different types. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 7 generally aligns with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 with some differences highlighted to emphasize certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. Without being limited to any flexibility of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, the example depicted in FIG. 7 depicts a conversion circuit 420 having a first portion 702 collocated with a second network gateway device 402 and a second portion 704 collocated with a first network gateway device 404. Each portion 702, 704 of the conversion circuit 420 can be separated for any reason including by network (e.g., which network 406 is receiving the information), by predetermined endpoint, by flow, by conversion operation (such as processing frame information, processing payload information, downsampling, upsampling, buffering communication commands, managing functional differences by providing, encapsulating messages into another message format, etc.), and / or by direction of communication (e.g., the direction between selected networks, the direction between gateway devices, the direction between endpoints, the direction between flows, or a combination of these directions) to at least separate the conversion operations.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 8, the exemplary system includes a CND 108 that is on the vehicle and can be physically and logically separated (e.g., as a virtual local area network (VLAN) or other logical separation scheme) and / or that coordinates communication between a plurality of networks that can be of one or two or more different types. The embodiment described in FIG. 8 generally aligns with the embodiment described in FIG. 4 with some differences shown to highlight certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. In the example described in FIG. 8, the first network gateway device and the second network gateway device are collocated and are omitted as being shown as part of the CND 108. In certain embodiments, the CND 108 described in FIG. 8 can instead be a composite gateway device that is coordinated by the CND 108 rather than forming part of it. In certain embodiments, one or two or more portions of the composite gateway device can form part of the CND 108 and other portions of the composite gateway device are coordinated by the CND 108.

[0059] Policies as used herein and not limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention include descriptions of the data collected, such as data parameters, collection rates, resolution information, priority values (e.g., ordering the data collection values in response to selection for abnormal conditions that may not be able to provide information on all data collection parameters). In certain embodiments, the policy can further include event information defined as parameter - or quantity - based events (e.g., a given data value being greater than a threshold, etc.) and / or category events (e.g., a specific fault code, operating condition or state, or vehicle location / jurisdiction area occurring). In certain embodiments, the policy further includes event responses such as data values to be captured in response to the occurrence of an event, and / or other changes to the data collection scheme such as increasing or decreasing the data collection rate, or changing the collection resolution. In certain embodiments, the event response further includes a time frame related to the event occurrence, e.g., a period for using an adjusted data collection scheme after the event occurrence, and / or a period preceding the event occurrence (e.g., providing temporary information that can be captured if an event occurs later, using a rolling buffer or other data collection operations). In certain embodiments, the change to the data collection scheme for an event can include multiple changes, e.g., changes over a period of time, further other changes based on the progression of the event (e.g., if the event severity worsens), and / or further other changes based on criteria for determining that the event has been resolved. In certain embodiments, the change to the data collection scheme can be implemented based on the event - related resolution of the same or another event, e.g., until the next stop event of the vehicle, until the service technician resolves the event, during the occurrence of a selected number of stop events, or during a similar period. In addition to or instead of this, the policy can include parameters for performing any adjustment operations on any of the adjusted components enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention.

[0060] The use of policies herein can refer to secondary policies, such as implicit policies that are to be implemented in response to a single data collection scheme from a single user, and the complete policy is prepared, verified, and communicated to the vehicle after one or more secondary policies are collected. The use of policies herein can refer to un-verified policies, such as those after policies in response to several users are collected but the policy verification operation has not yet been completed (e.g., before it is determined whether data collection suggested by the policy can be implemented). The use of policies herein can refer to previously applied policies (e.g., policies that existed before an updated version of the policy is communicated to and / or implemented on the vehicle). The use of policies herein can refer to updated policies, such as verified policies (e.g., from CND108) waiting for communication to the vehicle and / or confirmation by the vehicle.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary system includes a CND 108 that can be physically and logically separated (e.g., as a virtual local area network (VLAN) or other logical separation scheme) on a vehicle and / or that can coordinate communication between a plurality of networks that can be of one or two or more different types. The embodiment described in FIG. 9 generally aligns with the embodiment described in FIG. 4 with some differences highlighted to emphasize certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. In the example described in FIG. 9, a first network gateway device 404 and a second network gateway device 402 are not collocated, and a CND 108 communicating with the first network gateway device 404 is shown. The CND 108 can be in communication with any one or more of the network gateway devices and / or can be at least partially disposed on one or more of the network gateway devices. In addition to or instead of this, the CND 108 can coordinate communication between the networks by accessing and / or adjusting a memory location (e.g., a policy, a configuration instruction, or a configuration table, etc.) available to one or more of the network gateway devices, in which case, if the CND 108 does not communicate directly with other network gateway devices, the applicable portion of the instruction (if any) can be passed to these devices. In certain embodiments (not shown), the CND 108 can utilize one or more of the networks (e.g., at port 414 of the first network gateway device 404) to communicate with one or more of the network gateway devices. In certain embodiments, the CND 108 can be at least partially disposed on one or more of the network gateway devices, collocated with one or more of the network gateway devices, and / or included (at least partially) within one or more components of the network gateway devices (e.g., a conversion circuit and / or a network interface circuit).

[0062] Referring to FIG. 10, an exemplary first network gateway device 404 is shown. In the example depicted in FIG. 10, the first network gateway device 404 is a configurable Ethernet switch that includes an Ethernet network interface 416 (or Ethernet network interface circuit) having several ports 414 for communication with an Ethernet network. The ports 414 can be physical ports, logical ports, or a combination thereof.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 11, an exemplary second network gateway device 402 is shown. In the example depicted in FIG. 11, the second network gateway device 402 is a configurable edge gateway (CEG) that provides translation between a secondary network 406 and a primary network interface (e.g., an Ethernet network such as network 410). The secondary and primary references to the network simply indicate the logical placement of the network, in which case an interface to a network other than the primary is referred to as an edge interface (e.g., interfaced to an edge gateway). In certain embodiments, the primary network can have higher capabilities (e.g., bandwidth, throughput, and / or dedicated resources), more devices or endpoints on the network, a transitioning target network over time for the endpoints (e.g., over the life of a vehicle, vehicle fleet, model year period, etc.), and / or external communication (e.g., updates via wireless communication, configuration updates, data collection, etc.), although particular embodiments may have some, all, or none of these considerations for what is considered the primary network. The example depicted in FIG. 11 depicts an optional OBD interface 422 that may or may not be present anywhere else in the system or in the system.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 12, a vehicle is shown having several networks therein, and communication between these networks is coordinated by CND 108. The arrangement described in FIG. 12 is presented to illustrate certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention and is a non-limiting arrangement. The example described in FIG. 12 includes endpoints 1202, 1204 (e.g., one or more vehicle controllers) coupled to a first network 406, and several endpoints 1206, 1208, 1210, 1212 coupled to a second network (e.g., an Ethernet network having a switch collocated with CND 108 and / or at least partially separate from CND 108). In the example described in FIG. 12, controllers 1202, 1204, 1206, 1208, 1210, 1212 can relay communication coordinated by CND 108 between heterogeneous networks of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, a given controller can be switched between networks, maintaining communication with other controllers within the vehicle and / or communication external to the vehicle, and further maintaining regardless of whether a related controller (or external controller, application, or device) has knowledge of the switch.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 13, a vehicle is shown having several networks therein, and communication between these networks is adjusted by CND 108. For illustrative purposes, the example described in FIG. 13 includes the same network and set of controllers as the example described in FIG. 12. In the example described in FIG. 13, controllers 1204, 1208, 1210, and 1212 are collocated at 1302, and further, controller 1204 has been moved from the first network 406 to the second network. The collocation 1302 of controllers 1204, 1208, 1210, 1212 can be any implementation including the aggregation of controllers into a smaller number of housings (1 to 3 total housing numbers instead of 4), a smaller number of circuit boards (1 to 3 total circuit board numbers instead of 4), and / or the utilization of at least partially shared computer resources (e.g., shared processing, shared memory, shared cache, and / or combinations thereof). In certain embodiments, the utilization of CND 108 enables the aggregation of vehicle controllers by only updating the configuration to CND 108 and / or only by making aggregated changes to the vehicle controllers that fit within a predefined set of available configurations of CND 108 (thereby enabling implementation without an update to CND 108) to enable communication adjustment and maintain connectivity. Further, the aggregation of controllers can provide several advantages such as reducing network costs, reducing network traffic, selective risk dispersion (e.g., arranging the controller location to a lower risk or dispersed risk location and / or network routing, and / or reducing the risk to other system components by obtaining a footprint and / or cost savings through controller aggregation).In certain embodiments, the consolidation of controllers can enable deeper information sharing between controllers (e.g., due to large available network capacity, avoidance of network limitations by shared controllers, and / or utilization of shared memory resources), thereby providing higher-function controller operation and / or operations that were previously unavailable due to shared information between controllers not being readily available. In certain embodiments, CND108 further enables controller consolidation by separating the location of the controllers from the location of endpoints that require dispersion (not shown) (e.g., it is no longer necessary to position sensors and actuators, which need to be located at certain locations to perform their functions, near their respective controllers due to the operation of CND108 and / or CEG402). In certain embodiments, controller consolidation enables low cost and / or high functionality, for example, by reducing the hardware cost for shared computer resources, enabling computer resources with higher functionality (e.g., processing power and / or memory), or a combination thereof. Accordingly, the operation of CND108 provides a consolidated operation of vehicle controllers that was previously unavailable. In certain embodiments, the example described in FIG. 13 can be illustrative of the controller consolidation and / or unrelated embodiments with respect to FIG. 12.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 14, a vehicle is shown having several networks therein, with communication between these networks being coordinated by CND 108. For illustrative purposes, the example described in FIG. 14 includes the same networks and a similar set of controllers as the example described in FIG. 12. In the example described in FIG. 14, the collocation 1302 controller includes the set of controllers 1402, 1404, 1406, and CND 108 shown as a controller on the collocation 1302 controller. CND 108 can be at least partially disposed on one or more of the collocation controllers 1402, 1404, 1406, and / or can be separate as illustrated. In certain embodiments, the example described in FIG. 14 can be a further aggregation of the controllers with respect to FIG. 13, and / or an illustration of a collocation 1302 controller unrelated to the examples described in FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 15, a vehicle is shown having several networks therein, with communication between these networks being coordinated by CNDs 1502, 1504. For illustrative purposes, the example described in FIG. 15 utilizes two aggregation controllers 1302, 1506, each including a set of collocated vehicle controllers enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention. The example described in FIG. 15 includes a first CND 1502 (or CND portion) inserted between the first network 406 and the second network (where the endpoint 412 is directly coupled to the CND 1502 and the aggregation controller 1506 is directly coupled to the CND 1502), and a second CND 1504 (or CND portion) inserted between the first network 406 and the second network (where the endpoint 412 is directly coupled to the CND 1504 and the aggregation controller 1302 is directly coupled to the CND 1502). In certain embodiments, the second network connected to the first CND 1502 can be a separate network from the second network connected to the second CND 1504, but can be the same type of network (e.g., an Ethernet network), and / or can utilize the same or electrically coupled hardware. The example described in FIG. 15 shows a CND 1504 having a primary network adjustment for the first network 406, but the adjustment of the first network 406 can be performed such as by distributing, sharing, endpoints, or applications, and / or adjusting according to the flow. In certain embodiments, the adjustment of the second network can be performed by only one of the CNDs 1502, 1504, and / or can be performed by distributing, sharing, endpoints, applications, and / or adjusting according to the flow.

[0068] Some representative embodiments described in FIG. 15 are described below, and any one or more of them can exist in a certain embodiment. The exemplary embodiments described in FIG. 15 include network adjustments shared by CND1502 and 1504. For example, when an endpoint, network, the other (or part) of the CND, and / or the controller suffers from a defect, failure, or degradation of operating function, either of CND1502 and 1504 has a function of supporting the adjustment of all networks completely or partially. The exemplary embodiments described in FIG. 15 include a primary adjustment of the network by one of CND1502 and 1504. For example, when an endpoint, network, primary CND, and / or the controller suffers from a defect, failure, or degradation of operating function, the other CND has a function of supporting the adjustment of all networks completely or partially. The exemplary embodiments described in FIG. 15 include one or both of the aggregation controllers 1302 and 1506 having a function of at least partially taking over the control operation regarding the other of these aggregation controllers when one of the aggregation controllers 1506 and 1302 loses its function or connectivity with an endpoint, etc. In certain embodiments, CND1502 and 1504 have a function of responding and delivering, by taking over the control operation by the exchange controllers 1506 and 1302, parameters that were previously only available to the original controllers 1302 and 1506. In certain embodiments, the availability of redundant network path designations is usable by CND1502 and 1504 to at least partially provide connectivity between endpoints that have lost their connections when a part of the network fails.CND1502 and 1504 can provide equivalent parameters (e.g., another endpoint having a function of providing equivalent data), alternative parameters (e.g., an alternative endpoint having a function of providing an alternative parameter that can be at least partially used as an alternative to a loss parameter or a backup parameter), the same parameters (e.g., when data from an original endpoint or the same data value from another endpoint can be routed through the remaining network infrastructure), and / or provide management parameters such as controller handoff communication, heartbeat communication, or status communication. In certain embodiments, one or both of CND1502 and 1504, or a CND portion can be collocated with another system component such as one of the aggregation controllers 1302 and 1506. In certain embodiments, network routing is performed on these networks on the vehicle to provide clearly different risk profiles for a plurality of networks on the vehicle and to reduce the risk of a single failure that disables the vehicle with respect to such tasks and / or at least with respect to limp home operation, controlled stop, or data capture. In certain embodiments, the location of the controller, CND, and / or aggregation controller can be selected to provide clearly different risk profiles for a plurality of associated devices and to reduce the risk of a single failure that disables the vehicle with respect to such tasks and / or at least with respect to limp home operation, controlled stop, or data capture. In certain embodiments, network routing is performed on these networks on the vehicle to provide a lower operating cost, installation cost, integration cost, overall risk profile, or dispersion of the weight and / or footprint of components on the vehicle.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 16, embodiments of some implementations of message conversion and / or message encapsulation are shown. The example described in FIG. 16 is illustrative of certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention and does not limit the disclosure of the present invention. In certain embodiments, the operations shown in FIG. 16 can be performed in whole or in part by a CEG, a CES, a conversion circuit, and / or a CND, and in certain embodiments, can be adjusted by a CND. The first exemplary message conversion 1602 includes a message from a first network having a payload 1610 and other frame information 1608. The other frame information can include a header, subsequent aspects, and / or end bits, and can be further determined by relevant protocols, network types, source endpoints, destination endpoints, or other aspects known in the art. In certain embodiments, the payload 1610 can be message data, data values represented by the message, or other information considered to be the content of the message. However, in certain embodiments, for certain operations during certain operating conditions and / or with respect to certain endpoints, the payload 1610 can be any other aspect of the message. For example, network monitor operations can utilize a timestamp, acknowledgment information, source and / or destination information, or other portions as the payload of the message. The exemplary message conversion 1602 includes separating the payload 1610 and packaging the payload in a new frame (or packet) 1612 within information configured to match the target network. In addition to or instead of this, the new frame 1612 can include an adjustment of an identifier (e.g., source or destination), a timestamp, or other information that enables extracting endpoints on a heterogeneous network from knowledge of each other. In certain embodiments, the payload 1610 can be processed, for example, to change the unit of utilization, change the bit depth (e.g., 2 bytes to 4 bytes), change the representation accuracy, or perform conversions such as floating point or fixed point conversions.

[0070] The second exemplary message conversion 1604 includes the original messages 1608, 1610 and is fully encapsulated, for example, in a new frame 1612 to provide the original messages provided by the original source to a target endpoint (e.g., providing that previously developed algorithms that do not need to be converted into new messages operate as they are, providing certain network monitor operations that utilize the complete original messages, and enabling further similar things). In certain embodiments, either the original payload 1610 or the message frame 1608 can be processed, for example, processing the above-described payload and updating things such as source identifiers or timestamps in a new convention that is converted to extract endpoints from each other, while providing equivalent information or systematically adjusted information in other respects.

[0071] The third exemplary message conversion 1606 includes the original messages 1608, 1610 having an adjusted payload 1614. The adjustment to the payload 1614 can include conversion of the payload in any manner (e.g., value correction, virtual perception or modeling of values based on the original payload 1610, or upsampling or downsampling of the payload 1610), and in addition to or instead of this, can include processing of the payload. The third exemplary message conversion 1606 describes the adjusted payload 1614, but adjustments can be performed in addition to or instead of this for other parts of the message frame 1608. In the third exemplary message, a new frame 1612 is added for communication to another network.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 17, a schematic diagram of an operation for downsampling message sequence 1702 is shown. In the example described in FIG. 17, message sequence 1702 (for example, a series of five communications in this example) is received at the network interface circuit of, for example, one of the network gateway devices. In the example described in FIG. 17, the downsampling operation provides the data represented by message 1702 at a planned rate in response to any of the downsampling operations described herein, for example, matching the data rate of the receiving endpoint, manages the bandwidth for the vehicle's network and / or for off-vehicle communications, maintains a buffer memory, or relates to any other purpose including any of the downsampling operations of the disclosure of the present invention. In the example described in FIG. 17, a downsampling device 1704, which can be, for example, a conversion circuit, a network interface circuit, a CND, a circuit connected to the CND, or a circuit adjusted by the CND, generates a converted message sequence 1708 (for example, processed as illustrated in FIG. 16 and related disclosures and / or processed according to any other message conversion and / or message processing operations shown herein). The example described in FIG. 17 depicts the converted message sequence 1708 for purposes of clarity of explanation. However, not all of the converted message sequence 1708 may be present at the same time, and for example, these messages can be removed from the cache, deleted, invalidated, etc. when the messages are converted and transmitted. Message sequence 1708 is shown to illustrate aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. In addition to or instead of this, for example, in order to reduce the utilization of processing resources, the conversion of message 1708 can be performed after the downsampling operation is carried out. For example, a portion of the messages can be excluded as part of the downsampling before the conversion operation (for example, frame part or metadata exchange, encapsulation, payload and / or frame part processing, etc.) is performed.In the example described in FIG. 17, the downsampled message sequence 1706 is provided and communicated to, for example, different network gateway devices, different vehicle networks that are the source of the first message sequence 1702, external devices (such as service tools, cloud servers, the driver's mobile device, etc.), and / or stored on a memory storage device on the vehicle (such as as part of the stored vehicle data for a later data collection operation, etc.). In this example, five messages of the original sequence 1702 are downsampled to three messages of the downsampled sequence 1706. The downsampling operation can include the step of converting the messages selected from the original sequence 1702, for example, changing the original 10 ms data stream 1702 to a downsampled 20 ms data stream 1706 by using every other data message. The downsampling operation can include, in addition to or instead of this, interpolation of the data messages between the original values. For example, when the original data stream 1702 is a 40 ms data stream and the downsampled data stream 1706 is a 100 ms data stream, the downsampling can include the step of using either the one that employs the temporally closest message or the one that performs an interpolation operation (such as linear fitting, spline fitting, polynomial fitting, or applying other interpolation operations to the interpolated data points) as the downsampled message 1706.

[0073] When used in this specification, interpolated data points or interpolated data values indicate data values that are not temporally aligned with the corresponding original data message 1702 within the downsampled message 1706. When used in this specification, non-interpolated data points or non-interpolated data values indicate data values that are temporally aligned or synchronized with the corresponding original data message 1702 within the downsampled message 1706. In addition to or instead of this, the message of the original data message 1702 and the message of the downsampled message 1706 can have a phase difference. Thus, in certain embodiments, it will be understood that any or all of the original data messages 1702 may be non-interpolated messages. In certain embodiments, even when there is a phase difference between the original data message 1702 and the downsampled message 1706, for example, to provide a baseline downsampled message 1706 that follows the trajectory characteristics (e.g., within the time domain) of the stream of the original data message 1702 and / or when any phase difference can be ignored for the purpose of a device or operation that utilizes the downsampled message 1706 (e.g., when such a device or operation has a response time or required reaction time that is significantly greater than the magnitude of any such phase difference), certain messages of the original data message 1702 can be processed as non-interpolated data messages or synchronized data messages.

[0074] In yet another example, synchronous data values (e.g., every fifth data value when transitioning from 40 ms to 100 ms) can be used directly, or a fitness function can be utilized (e.g., to provide a smooth, filtered, or otherwise processed data value stream). In certain embodiments, minor transient behavior from various time steps is irrelevant to how the downsampled data value 1706 is utilized, or timestamp data is further communicated with the message, and thus, the actual data value provided from the first data stream 1702 may be desirably used as the downsampled data value 1706 in either case where the processing using the downsampled data 1706 can satisfy the differential time steps between messages. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to utilize smoothed data values that simulate the time response behavior of the underlying data, and these data values can be controlled using interpolation data with respect to the interpolated data values (e.g., processing according to the rate of change of the downsampled data 1706, e.g., threshold checking against the rate of change). In certain embodiments, for example, when downstream processing is particularly susceptible to the time variation of the data message 1702 (e.g., the derivative part of a PID controller), it may be desirable to ensure that all downsampled data messages 1706 are generated from the same process and that an interpolation operation (or smoothing, filtering, or moving average) can be performed to generate both interpolated and non-interpolated data values 1706. In certain embodiments, the downsampled data message 1706 can further include metadata or other embedded information indicating whether it directly corresponds to the original data message 1702 or is a processed message (e.g., enabling more than one use regarding the downsampled data message 1706, diagnostic operations regarding the device providing the original data message 1702, and / or any other purpose).

[0075] The downsampling operation described in FIG. 17 can be seen to enable communication between devices and / or procedures having different data rate capabilities, expectations, and / or usage rates of the downsampled data. Further, the downsampling operation described in FIG. 17 provides sufficient data to perform using the time domain response (e.g., differential behavior, integral behavior, step change response, etc.) expected for proper functioning of devices and procedures where the function intended by the device and / or procedure may depend on the time dynamics of the communication data values, while enabling network utilization reduction. The downsampling operation described in FIG. 17 enables a progressive update by the latest communication mode (e.g., higher data rate capabilities and / or data rate expected values, and / or clearly different network protocols, characteristics, and message types, etc.) of the communication mode of a mobile application (e.g., components, devices, procedures, and / or operations that each interact by communicating with a network and / or other components, devices, procedures, and / or operations) having a combination of hybrid network configurations and / or legacy communication modes (e.g., having lower data rate capabilities and / or data rate expected values, and / or clearly different network protocols, characteristics, and message types, etc.).

[0076] Referring to FIG. 18, a schematic diagram of the operation of upsampling message sequence 1802 is shown. In the example described in FIG. 18, message sequence 1806 (e.g., a series of three communications in this example) is received at the network interface circuit of one of the network gateway devices, for example. In the example described in FIG. 18, the upsampling operation provides the data represented by message 1806 at a planned rate in response to any of the upsampling operations described herein, e.g., matching the data rate of the receiving endpoint, manages the bandwidth for the vehicle's network and / or for off-vehicle communications, maintains a buffer memory, or relates to any other purpose including any of the upsampling operations of the disclosure of the present invention. In the example described in FIG. 18, an upsampling device 1804, which can be a conversion circuit, a network interface circuit, a CND, a circuit connected to the CND, or a circuit adjusted by the CND, generates a converted message sequence 1808 (e.g., processed as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and the related disclosure and / or processed according to any other message conversion and / or message processing operations shown herein). The example described in FIG. 18 depicts the converted message sequence 1808 for purposes of clarity of explanation. However, not all of the converted message sequence 1808 may be present at the same time. For example, when the messages are converted and transmitted, these messages can be removed from the cache, deleted, invalidated, etc. The message sequence 1808 is shown to illustrate aspects of the disclosure of the present invention. In addition to or instead of this, for example, to reduce the utilization of processing resources, the conversion of message 1808 can be performed after the upsampling operation has been carried out.

[0077] For example, a part of the upsampling can be excluded or adjusted as part of the upsampling before a conversion operation (e.g., frame part or metadata exchange, encapsulation, payload and / or frame part processing, etc.) is performed on a part of the message. In the example described in FIG. 18, the upsampled message sequence 1802 is provided and communicated to, for example, different network gateway devices, different vehicle networks that are the source of the first message sequence 1806, external devices (e.g., service tools, cloud servers, driver's mobile devices, etc.) and / or stored on a memory storage device in the vehicle (e.g., as part of the stored vehicle data for a later data collection operation). In this example, three messages of the original sequence 1806 are upsampled to five messages of the upsampled sequence 1802. The upsampling operation can include the step of converting a message selected from the original sequence 1806, e.g., changing the original 50 ms data stream 1806 to the upsampled 20 ms data stream 1802 by inserting one or more generated messages 1810. The upsampling operation can, in addition to or instead of this, include interpolation and / or extrapolation of data messages between the original values. For example, when the original data stream 1806 is a 50 ms data stream and the upsampled data stream 1802 is a 20 ms data stream, the upsampling can use either the one that obtains the temporally closest message or the one that performs interpolation operations and / or extrapolation operations (e.g., applying linear fitting, spline fitting, polynomial fitting, moving average, and / or low-pass filter sequences between available data points and / or between available data points and the next expected data point) as the upsampled message 1802.

[0078] When used herein, an interpolated data point or interpolated data value indicates a data value that is not temporally aligned with the corresponding original data message 1806 within the upsampled message 1802. When used herein, a non-interpolated data point or non-interpolated data value indicates a data value that is temporally aligned or synchronized with the corresponding original data message 1806 within the upsampled message 1802. The message of the original data message 1806 and the message of the upsampled message 1802 can, in addition to or instead of this, have a phase difference. Thus, in certain embodiments, it will be understood that any or all of the original data messages 1806 may be non-interpolated messages. In certain embodiments, even if there is a phase difference between the original data message 1806 and the upsampled message 1802, for example, to provide a baseline upsampled message 1802 that follows the trajectory characteristics (e.g., within the time domain) of the stream of the original data message 1806 and / or for the purpose of a device or operation that utilizes the upsampled message 1802, if any phase difference can be ignored (e.g., if such a device or operation has a response time or required reaction time that is significantly greater than the magnitude of any such phase difference), certain messages of the original data message 1806 can be processed as non-interpolated data messages or synchronized data messages.

[0079] In yet another example, synchronous data values (e.g., every other data value when transitioning from 50 ms to 20 ms, e.g., 0 ms phase value and 100 ms phase value) can be used directly, or a fitting function can be used (e.g., to provide a smoothly filtered or otherwise processed data value stream). In certain embodiments, for example, minor transient behavior from various time steps is not relevant to how the upsampled data values 1802 are utilized or timestamp data is further communicated with the message, and thus, the actual data values provided from the first data stream 1806 are used as the upsampled data values 1802 when either the differential time steps between messages can be satisfied in the process of utilizing the downsampled data 1802. Thus, in certain embodiments, each message of the upsampled data values 1802 can directly correspond to one or more of the values of the first data stream 1806 (e.g., selecting the most synchronous and / or the most recent of the values of the first data stream 1806 (e.g., holding the communicated value until the next value becomes available)).

[0080] In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to utilize smoothed data values that simulate the time response behavior of underlying data (e.g., original message 1806), and these data values are controlled using interpolation / extrapolation data with respect to interpolated data values (e.g., processing according to the rate of change of upsampled data 1802, e.g., threshold checking against the rate of change) and / or can also be controlled with respect to non-interpolated data values. In certain embodiments, for example, when downstream processing is particularly susceptible to the time variation of data message 1806 (e.g., the derivative part of a PID controller), all upsampled data messages 1802 are generated from the same process, and it may be desirable to ensure that interpolation / extrapolation operations (and / or smoothing, filtering, and / or moving average values) can be performed to generate both interpolated and non-interpolated upsampled data values 1802. In certain embodiments, non-interpolated upsampled data values 1802 are used directly (e.g., to provide a stream of upsampled data 1802 having the actual content of data message 1806 as much as possible), and interpolated upsampled data values are processed as described herein. In certain embodiments, all original messages 1806 are provided within a stream of upsampled data 1802, and additional non-interpolated messages are added to provide the data rate of the stream of upsampled data 1802 (e.g., to provide all of the original message 1806 and further support the upsampling rate). In certain embodiments, the upsampled data message 1802 can further include metadata or other embedded information indicating whether it directly corresponds to the original data message 1806 or is a processed message (e.g., enabling more than one use with respect to the upsampled data message 1802, diagnostic operations regarding the device providing the original data message 1806, and / or any other purpose).

[0081] In certain embodiments, the interpolated upsampled data value 1802 can be determined based on an expected value between non-interpolated data values, and this determination can be performed based on a virtual sensor (e.g., a value model that utilizes other information available within the system) and / or an extrapolation fitting operation. In certain embodiments, the determination of the interpolated upsampled data value 1802 can, in addition to or instead of this, include steps of providing an expected value and / or an interpolated / extrapolated value that gives a rate of change representation of the upsampled data value 1806 adjusted according to the characteristics of the device, component, operation, and / or procedure that utilizes the data value 1802 determined and / or upsampled according to the original data value 1806. For example, the upsampling operation can include steps of performing an expected operation and / or interpolation / extrapolation to determine a rate of change with respect to the value, and providing a final interpolated upsampled data value 1802 that gives an expected rate of change for the upsampled data value 1802. In certain embodiments, the operation of providing the upsampled data value 1802 includes determining a rate of change (or derivative) determination operation within the device that utilizes the upsampled data value 1802, adjusting the rate of change of the upsampled data value 1802 in response to determining a rate of change parameter within the device, and interpreting data (e.g., ΔT / 5ms or every 5 milliseconds per temperature change) and / or a time constant (e.g., the time constant of a low-pass filter, the time constant inherent in a moving average calculation, etc.) related to the time step utilized in the derivative operation, where the upsampled data value 1802 is adjusted to give a desired response in the rate of change calculation to be performed thereon. For example, when the upsampling operation has a significant time step difference (e.g., 50ms vs. 5ms) between the original data value 1806 and the upsampled data value 1802, operations such as linear interpolation / extrapolation of the data value to the output of a low-pass filter, for example, of a device configured to operate using the upsampled data value 1802 to process true 5ms data, may give a significant distortion.Therefore, in this example, the operation of upsampling the original data value 1806 can include the step of adjusting the original data value 1806 according to the expected response of the 5 ms device that determines the value, thereby giving a significant difference in the trajectory of the upsampled data value 1802 between non-interpolated data points as compared to, for example, simple linear extrapolation or moving average. The operation of adjusting the rate-of-change representation can be performed with respect to the upsampled data 1802 and / or the downsampled data 1706, or can be omitted.

[0082] Whether the original data values 1702 and 1806 without interpolation are directly used, the metadata stored together with the upsampled data and / or downsampled data 1802 and 1706, the processing operations performed on the interpolated data values and / or non-interpolated data values, whether all the original data values 1702 and 1806 are communicated, the operations giving the rate of change representation of the upsampled data and / or downsampled data 1802 and 1706, and / or the rate of change determination parameters (such as filter constants, differential operations, etc.) within the device using the upsampled data and / or downsampled data 1802 and 1706, such configuration information regarding the upsampling operation and / or downsampling operation can be provided to a memory storage location accessible to the controller and / or circuit performing the upsampling operation and / or downsampling operation. Any such configuration information can be provided in whole or in part at design time, for example, when including devices communicating with mobile applications and their various networks, and / or can be provided or updated during runtime operations. In certain embodiments, one or more aspects of the configuration information regarding the upsampling operation and / or downsampling operation can be provided as configuration instructions as part of a policy and / or as a configuration table accessible to the CND108 that regulates the communication between devices on separate networks of a mobile application. In certain embodiments, one or more aspects of the configuration information regarding the upsampling operation and / or downsampling operation included as part of a policy, configuration instructions, and / or configuration table can include default values that can be adjusted and / or updated.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 19, an exemplary system that can form a mobile application 1902 or a part of a vehicle includes a first network zone 1904 of the vehicle having an end point 1906 of a first number of interconnections and a second network zone 1908 having an end point 1910 of a second number of interconnections. The exemplary system includes a CND 1912 inserted between the network zones 1904, 1908 to condition communication between the end point 1906 and the end point 1910. In the example depicted in FIG. 19, the first network zone 1904 is a first network, the second network zone 1908 is a second network, and the networks 1904, 1908 are networks having different network types. In the example depicted in FIG. 19, the first network zone 1904 includes a common data bus 1905 such as, for example, a CAN bus, and the second network zone 1908 utilizes a distributed topology in which a switch 1914, which can be, for example, a configurable Ethernet switch (CES), communicates with a plurality of devices 1910. In the example depicted in FIG. 19, a configurable edge gateway 1916 (CEG) communicates with the first network zone 1904 and can read messages from and / or provide messages to the common data bus 1905. In the example depicted in FIG. 19, the CEG 1916 communicates with the CES 1914 on the second network zone 1908 and can appear to the CES 1914 as an end device of the second network zone 1908 and / or can be connected to a physical and / or logical port of the second network zone 1908.

[0084] In the example described in FIG. 19, CND1912 performs an operation of adjusting communication between endpoints 1906 and 1910 by configuring the operation of CEG1916 and / or CES1914. The arrangement described in FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram for clarity of this description and depicts distinct components for CND1912, CEG1916, and CES1914. However, CND1912, CEG1916, and CES1914 can be provided in the same housing and / or on the same circuit board, in whole or in part, in combination, and / or can be re-divided in whole or in part. In addition to or instead of this, one or more or all of CND1912, CEG1916, and / or CES1914 can be arranged together with another controller within mobile application 1902, for example, a vehicle controller and / or a controller connected to endpoint 1910. Although network zones 1904, 1908 with separate physical components are shown, network zones 1904, 1908 can be logically separated (e.g., as separate virtual networks on a single physical backbone), and / or can be separated by a combination of physical and / or logical structures. The exemplary embodiments include network zones 1904, 1908 that are physically separated as illustrated. The exemplary embodiments include a first network zone 1904 as a CAN bus network and a second network zone 1908 as an Ethernet-based network. The exemplary embodiments include a first network zone 1904 as a legacy network having endpoint 1906 which is a legacy device and / or a legacy-compatible device, and a second network zone 1908 having endpoint 1910 which is a new up-to-date upgraded and / or migrated device.

[0085] Exemplary operations for coordinating communication between endpoints 1906 and 1910 include, but are not limited to, operations as described below. The operations for coordination can be performed on endpoints, connection endpoint groups, and / or network zones. The connection endpoint group can be connected according to a flow, an application, a service group, a controller, a vehicle function, a source address for communication, and / or a destination address for communication. In certain embodiments, an application, a service group, and / or a flow can be given an identifier as an implementation for associating related components such as endpoints. The operations for coordination can be performed by, but are not limited to, a CND, a network gateway, a network interface circuit, and / or a gateway interface circuit. The coordination operations are described in the context of certain exemplary coordination devices throughout the disclosure of the present invention, but multiple embodiments can be configured to have other devices that perform the coordination. Exemplary communication and / or coordination operations include the following: ·Providing (bidirectional) communication between a first endpoint 1906 and a second endpoint 1910, including a stage that includes adapting communication (such as protocol, message information, metadata, parameter units, etc.) according to the receiving network zone and / or the endpoint device; ·Encapsulating a message from a first network zone 1904 to provide an encapsulated message to a second network zone 1908; ·Determining whether a requesting device (and / or related flow) on one of the network zones (1904, 1908) has permission to request communication to a device on the other of the network zones, and providing communication in response to the permission determination; ·Adjusting at least one of data speed, request resolution, and / or request response time of communication between devices in these network zones based on a determination of permission for the requesting device, the communication performance of the requesting device and / or the provider device, and / or network performance parameters of one or both network zones (e.g., current available bandwidth, absolute or current network capabilities, network utilization, etc.), and / or a priority value related to communication associated with the requesting device (and / or related flow). ·Performing an upsampling operation and / or a downsampling operation on data communicated between network zones. ·Mirroring communication from a first endpoint 1906 including encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling communication of a mirroring target to a port in a second network zone 1908. ·Providing communication from a first endpoint 1906 to a device coupled to a second network zone 1908, such as a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, and / or a network monitor device, and / or in this case the step of providing communication includes encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling the provided communication and / or the provided communication can be unicast, multicast, and / or provided as a periodic reception service. ·Providing communication from a second endpoint device 1910 to a device coupled to either a first network zone 1904 or a second network zone 1908, such as a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, and / or a network monitor device, and / or in this case the step of providing communication includes encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling the provided communication and / or the provided communication can be unicast, multicast, and / or provided as a periodic reception service. · Providing communication from a device coupled to the second network zone 1908, such as a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, and / or a network monitor device, to the first endpoint 1906, and / or in this case, the step of providing communication includes encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling the provided communication, and / or the provided communication can be unicast, multicast, and / or provided as a periodic reception service. ○ Further, for example, when the first endpoint 1906 performs an operation related to the task of a mobile application in response to a command value, the step of providing the communication as a command value (for example, the step of setting a set value, a target value, or a threshold value in response to the command value). · Providing communication from a device coupled to the second network zone 1908, such as a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, and / or a network monitor device, to the first endpoint 1906, and / or in this case, the step of providing communication includes encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling the provided communication, and / or the provided communication can be unicast, multicast, and / or provided as a periodic reception service. ○ Further, for example, when the first endpoint 1906 performs an operation related to the active text execution operation of a mobile application in response to a command value, the step of providing the communication as a test execution value (for example, the step of performing a certain operation or an active diagnostic operation for an inspection and repair test). · When the provided communication is configured to satisfy a superset of the requirements (such as data rate, resolution, unit, etc.) of the devices at the second endpoint 1910, and the provided communication can be unicast, multicast, and / or provided as a periodic reception service, the step of providing communication from the first endpoint 1906 to several devices at the second endpoint 1910. · Parsing communication values from a first device (e.g., a first endpoint 1906, a second endpoint 1910, and / or a device coupled to network zones 1904, 1908, such as a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, and / or a network monitor device), determining a target device (e.g., a communication recipient and / or a communication provider that responds to the parsed communication value) in response to the parsed communication value, and including communication of the target communication recipient and / or communication provider according to the parsed communication value. For example, the communication value can include universal and / or standard component identifiers (e.g., turbine temperature, front passenger door actuator, etc.), and CND1912 determines respective endpoints 1906, 1910 corresponding to the component identifier according to the current configuration of the mobile application, and can further determine communication routing, encapsulation, and processing for conversion between the first device and the target device. For example, such an operation enables a device, a maintenance technician, or other requester to change the configuration and arrangement of devices on the network zone without the need to track the specific configuration and arrangement of the devices, ○ In addition to or instead of this, such an operation includes the step of CND1912 storing configuration information in response to a configuration change (e.g., replacement or movement of a device from one network zone to another, change to the communication parameters or communication functions of a device, etc.), and / or performing a runtime determination to establish the location, ID, configuration, communication parameters, and / or communication functions of a device that can be used during runtime operation, stored for subsequent use, and / or stored as a default configuration to receive further updates. · For example, when multiple devices are aggregated with respect to a single endpoint 1906, 1910, but other endpoints or devices communicating with network zones 1904, 1908 (e.g., diagnostic devices, OBD devices, service tools, manufacturing tools, OEM tools, and / or network monitor devices) can be treated as separate devices, the step of performing any one or two or more of the above-described operations with respect to a group or subgroup of devices, For example, such an operation enables multiple configurations, updates, and / or upgrades of a mobile application when a first configuration has two (or three or more) devices using separate endpoints 1906, 1910 and a second configuration has two (or three or more) devices (and / or two devices aggregated into a single device) using a single endpoint 1906, 1910. Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments include the aggregation of multiple sensors (e.g., smart sensors having network communication functions, multiplexed signals, etc.) communicating with network zones 1904, 1908 through a single interface, and / or the step of exchanging the interfaces of multiple components behind a single network interface (e.g., a single communication device such as an edge gateway or configurable edge gateway that interfaces with network zones 1904, 1908 as a single endpoint 1906, 1910 and manages communication for associated devices). In yet another example, such an operation enables a device to communicate across multiple network zones regardless of configuration changes, support upgrades and updates regarding device relationships with endpoints 1906, 1910, and support backward compatibility (e.g., subsequent configurations and subsequent distribution of control between devices such that an operation of CND1912 enables a prior system with a clearly different configuration to support the latest configuration and / or distribution of control between devices), In addition to or instead of this, such operation may include the step of CND1912 storing configuration information in response to a configuration change (for example, the involvement of a single endpoint between more than one device and a network zone, aggregation of devices, etc.), and / or using it during runtime operation, storing it for subsequent use, and / or storing it as a default configuration that can receive yet another update, and the location, ID, configuration, communication parameters, and / or communication functions of the device, and / or the step of performing a runtime determination to establish the aggregation status of the device. · For example, when devices are distributed between more than one endpoint 1906, 1910, but other endpoints or devices (for example, diagnostic devices, OBD devices, service tools, manufacturing tools, OEM tools, and / or network monitor devices) communicating with network zones 1904, 1908 can process these devices as a single device, performing any one or more of the above operations for a group or subgroup of devices. For example, when the first configuration includes a device using single endpoints 1906, 1910 and the second configuration has a device (or a part thereof) that utilizes more than one endpoint 1906, 1910 (and / or a previously aggregated device that includes two or more separate devices in the second configuration), such operation enables multiple configurations, updates, and / or upgrades of the mobile application. Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments include separating a group of sensors (e.g., smart sensors having network communication functions, multiplexed signals, etc.) that communicate with network zones 1904, 1908 through single endpoints 1906, 1910 into one or more sensors (and / or subgroups of multiple sensors each having separate endpoints) each having separate endpoints 1906, 1910. In yet another example, such operation provides that the device communicates across multiple network zones regardless of configuration changes, supports upgrades and updates regarding the association of the device with endpoints 1906, 1910, and supports backward compatibility (e.g., subsequent configurations and distributed control between devices when the operation of CND1912 enables a prior system having a clearly different configuration to support a later configuration), In addition to or instead of this, such operation may include steps where CND1912 stores configuration information in response to configuration changes (e.g., separating a plurality of devices behind a single endpoint on a single network zone into more than one endpoint and / or separating across more than one network zone), and / or utilizes during runtime operation, stores for subsequent utilization, and / or stores as a default configuration for receiving further updates the location, ID, configuration, communication parameters, and / or communication functions of the device, and / or performs runtime determination to establish the aggregation status of the device, · The implementation of the service designation architecture where CND1912 determines available services (such as data parameters available for communication, command values available for execution, and / or their configurations, e.g., speed information, units, resolution, accuracy, precision, availability description, dependent data, and / or operating conditions, etc.), publishes the available services, and / or determines periodic receiving clients (such as devices, flows, and / or endpoints) for the available services. ○ In addition to or instead of this, such operations include the stage where CND1912 determines permissions and / or authorizations to view available services (and / or a portion of the available services), to publish the available services, and / or to receive the available services periodically. ○ In addition to or instead of this, such operations include the stage where CND1912 determines periodic receiving entities as endpoints, devices, flows, and / or external devices, such as diagnostic devices, OBD devices, service tools, manufacturing tools, OEM tools, and / or network monitor devices. ○ In addition to or instead of this, such operations include the stage where CND1912 determines the priority of service designation communication that can depend on the device, endpoint, or related flow to be published and / or on the device, endpoint, or related flow to be received periodically. ○ In addition to or instead of this, such operations include the stage where CND1912 adjusts service designation architecture operations in response to operating conditions (such as mobile application operating conditions, network status of one or more affected network zones, communication status of one or more external devices, etc.). ○ In addition to or instead of this, such operations include the stage where CND1912 accesses stored information indicating available services, publishing parameters (permissions, priorities, related operating conditions, etc.), and / or periodic receiving entity information. In addition to or instead of this, such operation includes the step of CND1912 updating stored information in response to one or more of reception updates such as policy descriptions, service configuration descriptions, for example, but not limited to, endpoints, devices, and / or runtime updates from the start or stop of a mobile application, In addition to or instead of this, such operation includes the step of CND1912 implementing a service-specified architecture based on runtime operations, with or without using the step of storing information and / or the step of updating stored information, and / or In addition to or instead of this, steps enabling updates to stored information, runtime updates to stored information, and / or runtime operations implementing a service-specified architecture in response to priorities and / or permissions regarding devices, endpoints, and / or flows that require updates and / or runtime implementation, ·In addition to or instead of this, the operation of the exemplary CND1912 includes the step of adjusting any one or more of the operations described above in response to the operating conditions of the mobile application (for example, high-power operation, high-transient operation, stop operation, start operation, selective operation mode, for example, communication operation during certain operations such as professional operation, power take-off (PTO) operation, charging operation, driving control operation, autonomous vehicle operation). The adjustment for communication can be qualitative (for example, allowing or prohibiting a certain communication type, a certain communication priority threshold, etc. during certain operating conditions, and / or capturing a certain data value during certain operating conditions as a data capture event), quantitative (for example, controlling communication speed, network zone utilization rate, external device communication speed, etc.), or a combination thereof (for example, controlling communication speed for a certain communication type, etc.), and includes the step of increasing or decreasing the communication function according to the operating conditions and / or communication type (for example, allowing the communication function of the device to decrease during stop operation, but increasing the communication function of the external device during the stop operation, increasing the communication function of the device for a certain device or flow during start operation, but reducing the communication function of the device for other devices or flows). ·In addition to or instead of this, the operation of the exemplary CND1912 may include, in response to abnormal operating conditions related to a mobile application, one or more of the operations described above, such as degradation of a network zone (e.g., loss of throughput, loss of communication with one or more endpoints of a network zone, injection of noise onto a network zone or the presence of noise on a network zone, physical failure of at least a portion of a network zone, etc.), failure conditions of one or more devices (e.g., when the CND1912 adjusts a data source related to a failed device, when the CND1912 adjusts a data rate related to a failed device, when the CND1912 implements a backup data source for a failed device, when the CND1912 re-routes data to a backup data destination for data provided to a failed device, when the CND1912 implements an event-driven data collection scheme when a device failure is an event, etc.), and loss of control functions of a vehicle controller (e.g., when the loss of control function indicates that the vehicle controller is missing a data value for performing its task, when the loss of control function indicates that the vehicle controller has lost communication with a network zone to which it is connected, and / or when the loss of control function is an indication by the vehicle controller or another controller within the system that the vehicle controller cannot perform its duty or a portion thereof). In response to the abnormal conditions, yet another exemplary operation of the CND1912 includes one or more of the following: ○Providing a data value to the vehicle controller from an alternative source (e.g., the data value is from a different endpoint, network zone, etc., and this providing step may include encapsulating, configuring, processing, and / or upsampling or downsampling the communication from the alternative source, thereby resulting in a communication equal to the original data value that was lost, or an alternative communication sufficient as a backup data value for the vehicle controller). ○ For example, when the second vehicle controller is configured to function as a backup for the vehicle controller, can fully have the function of implementing the loss control function, and / or can have the function of implementing an alternative operation (e.g., having only more limited functions) instead of the loss control function, and the data values provided to the second vehicle controller can be the same as the data values provided to the vehicle controller, for replacing all or a part of the loss control function of the vehicle controller, data values are provided to the second vehicle controller from an alternative source communication (e.g., having clearly different data speeds, resolutions, units, accuracies, etc.) or another data value (e.g., when the second vehicle controller utilizes a clearly different data set for operating with full functions or implementing an alternative operation). In addition to or instead of this, CND1912 can provide data from any of the network zones 1904, 1908 to the vehicle controller and / or the second vehicle controller that can exist on any of the network zones 1904, 1908, ○ For example, when a failure condition, loss of a device, or loss of an endpoint indicates that one or more data values are not being utilized, when one or more data values have a low priority in view of this abnormal condition, and / or when one or more data values are shown as being incorrect in view of this abnormal condition (e.g., a sensor value from a sensor has a failure condition or has a fault condition), the stage of suppressing the communication of one or more data values in response to the abnormal condition, ○ When an endpoint and / or a device is reachable through more than one network zone than 1 (e.g., when these zones are logically separated but physically connected, when more than one physical path is available between related endpoints (see FIG. 15), and / or when a second vehicle controller and / or a second endpoint coupled to a second network zone has the function of implementing the operation (or a part and / or an alternative operation thereof) of a first vehicle controller and / or a first endpoint coupled to a first network zone), etc., the stage of shifting communication from the first network zone (e.g., a degraded network zone) to the second network zone, ○ Repeating communications from a first network zone (e.g., a degraded network zone) onto a second network zone; ○ When the operation of the CND1912 includes adjusting any other operations that cause addressing operations, protocol operations, encapsulation operations, and / or a shift of the endpoint, such as when the endpoint is physically connected or connectable to both the first network zone and the second network zone (e.g., when the separation between these network zones is a logical separation and / or when the endpoint is reachable through more than one network zone as illustrated in FIG. 15), shifting the endpoint from the first network zone (e.g., a degraded network zone) to the second network zone, which further includes updating the location of the shifted endpoint to other devices / endpoints in the system, or further includes converting communications with other devices / endpoints in the system; ○ Combinations of these steps, such as shifting the endpoint from the first network zone to the second network zone, shifting associated communications to the second network zone, and / or repeating the associated communications on the second network zone; ·Adjust communication between the endpoint of the first network zone (and / or one or more additional network zones) and an external device (e.g., a diagnostic device, an OBD device, a service tool, a manufacturing tool, an OEM tool, a network monitoring device, a driver device, a cloud computing device, and / or a third-party application), including in this case any one or more of the above operations, and / or restrict communication according to abnormal conditions of system components (e.g., endpoints, devices, flows, network zones, etc.), restrict communication according to operating conditions of a mobile application, restrict communication according to permissions and / or priorities of endpoints, related flows, and / or external devices, aggregate according to time (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), operating conditions (e.g., travel, events, etc.), and / or aggregate if the data value includes one or two or more of the total data transmission / reception value, data speed value, and / or a combination thereof (e.g., corresponding to an entity related to a relevant data service provider, a group of endpoints, a related flow, and / or any one or two or more of these) for restricting communication, and / or further include a step of restricting communication according to an external data access type (e.g., cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, hardware / port connection, etc.), and / or ·Any one or more combinations of the above.

[0086] The operation of the CND1912 described can be included in embodiments that enumerate all or any part thereof throughout the disclosure of the present invention. It will be understood that permissions and / or priorities regarding any aspect, including endpoints, related entities (e.g., owners, manufacturers, drivers, maintenance personnel, OEMs, third parties, etc.), flows, devices (e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors, tools, and / or external devices, switches, gateways, etc.), may vary according to the operating conditions of the mobile application and / or the status of one or more devices (the same device or different devices for which the permissions and priorities are being considered). Further, permissions and / or priorities may vary according to the operations and / or communications being performed. For example, a given flow may have a high priority and / or permission level when looking at publicly available services, but only a low priority and / or permission level for publishing and / or regularly receiving available services. In another example, a given endpoint may have a high priority for communicating data values to another endpoint (e.g., on a clearly different network zone) during one operating condition (e.g., high power acceleration), but only a low priority for communicating data values to other endpoints during another operating condition (e.g., steady state driving control operation). The priorities shown herein generally relate to comparisons between competing rights with respect to resources (e.g., network bandwidth, response time, data storage capacity, access to limited data resources, etc.), while the permissions shown herein generally relate to the ability to perform the required operations, e.g., the ability to request certain data, metadata, data speed, data storage capacity, access to devices and / or external devices, etc. Thus, an aspect can have separate priorities and permissions such as a high priority and a low permission level (e.g., this aspect has a high priority for accessing a limited number of data values, functions, etc.), or any other combination.

[0087] The resolution of competing priority rights can be implemented using any method such as always giving priority to the claimant with the highest priority, providing a weighted response based on priority (e.g., providing more information in more cases for a claim with a higher priority than for a claim with a lower priority), and / or using a credit-based scheme that allows providing information for lower-priority claims after a certain period and / or number of requests.

[0088] When used in this specification, the tasks of a device (e.g., a controller, an endpoint, a vehicle, a mobile application, etc.) must be understood in a broad sense and include, at a minimum, the relevant functions, structures, capabilities, and operations of the device that support the operation of a mobile application that implements the intended function or primary function of the mobile application. Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, the intended function or primary function of the mobile application includes one or both of the propulsion operation of the mobile application (e.g., having a specified torque, speed, responsiveness, etc.) according to the design of the propulsion function and / or the non-propulsion operation of the mobile application by the designed non-propulsion function (e.g., industrial operation, professional operation, pumping operation, shaft power, providing a range of movement, and control thereof). In certain embodiments, the intended function or primary function of the mobile application may include abnormal operation responses that may have only functions lower than the designed propulsion or non-propulsion functions, such as operation in a limp-home mode, communication of a fault condition or fault conditions, and / or prevention of further degradation of the vehicle and / or the mobile application. In certain embodiments, the intended function or primary function of the mobile application includes transmitting and / or receiving external data, performing an update operation, facilitating a service operation, facilitating an update, and / or an upgrade operation, etc. Accordingly, the tasks of the device may vary among mobile applications according to the current operating conditions of the mobile application and / or according to the current status of the mobile application and / or components, devices, and / or their controllers. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of the disclosure of the present invention and having information normally available when considering a particular mobile application will readily understand the tasks of the mobile application, the role of the device of the mobile application, and the availability of these devices across the operating conditions and status conditions of the mobile application.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 20, the exemplary system includes a first network zone 1904 having a first risk exposure profile 2002 and a second network zone 1908 having a second risk exposure profile 2004. In the example depicted in FIG. 20, the first risk exposure profile 2002 is clearly different from the second risk exposure profile 2004.The risk exposure profile used in this specification, in at least one aspect, is the risk profile to which the considered related components (e.g., the first network zone 1904 and / or the second network zone 1908 in the example described in FIG. 20) are subject, such as geometric risks (e.g., risks due to the position within a mobile application relative to the components being provided), environmental risks (e.g., temperature, contaminants, NVH, EMI, heat transfer environment (e.g., exposure to radiant energy, conductive heat transfer, and / or convection or lack thereof), and / or risks from environmental factors such as exposure to external disturbances like a collision by an inspection and repair technician or a tool drop for the provided components), failure mode risks (e.g., short circuit events, exposure to bare wire events, and / or failures of components of a mobile application (e.g., exhaust components, engine components, aftertreatment components, and / or any other component having failure-inducing energy such as high temperature, potential, rotational energy, or mechanical energy), but not limited to these, any identified or apparent failure mode of the mobile application or its components), dominant risk types (e.g., when a given risk may affect multiple areas or systems of a vehicle, components located in or coupled to these areas may share the risk type, whereas components isolated from these areas or systems may not share the risk type regardless of their proximity or other considerations), and / or dominant disturbance risks (e.g., a given disturbance such as a specific inspection item, operating condition, weather event, abnormal charging voltage may affect multiple areas or systems of a vehicle, components located in or coupled to these areas may share the disturbance risk, whereas components isolated from these areas or systems may not share the disturbance risk regardless of their proximity or other considerations).

[0090] In certain embodiments, the first risk exposure profile 2002 is disposed at a clearly different location on the vehicle from the second risk exposure profile 2004 (e.g., one on the left side and one on the right side), provided such that a given environmental risk is unlikely to affect both network zones, provided such that a given failure mode is unlikely to affect both network zones, provided such that a conceivable risk (e.g., collision, accident, operational failure, abnormal component operation, etc.) is unlikely to affect both network zones, and / or provided such that a conceivable disturbance is unlikely to affect both network zones. In at least one aspect of the risk exposure profile, it is clearly different. In certain embodiments, a difference in one risk aspect is sufficient for the risk exposure profiles to be clearly different. For example, one or more failures (e.g., complete loss of power) may be likely to affect both network zones, but these network zones may still have clearly different risk exposure profiles with respect to other potential failures. Further, such network zones may have exposure to the same type of risk, but still, these network zones, such as a first network zone exposed to a front collision and a second network zone exposed to a rear collision, can be considered to have clearly different risk profiles.

[0091] In the example described in FIG. 20, CND1912 is inserted between the first network zone 1904 and the second network zone 1908 and is configured to regulate communication between the network zones 1904 and 1908. In the example described in FIG. 20, CND1912 has a function of communicating with the remaining one of the network zones 1904 and 1908 when one of the network zones 1904 and 1908 receives a failure event or a degradation event. Therefore, CND1912 has a function of re-routing communication to, for example, a backup controller (not shown), another network zone (not shown), etc. so as to be away from the failed network zones 1904 and 1908. The example described in FIG. 20 provides a division of risks of the network zones 1904 and 1908 and enables the continuous design and operation of the redundancy of the mobile application when one of the network zones 1904 and 1908 fails or degrades (regardless of whether it conforms to the tasks of the mobile application or is in a low-function operating state).

[0092] Referring to FIG. 21, an exemplary system includes a mobile application 1902 having a first network zone 1904, a second network zone 1908, and a third network zone 2108. The network zones 1904, 1908, 2108 can have distinct risk exposure profiles, and / or any two of the network zones 1904, 1908, 2108 can have distinct risk exposure profiles. The exemplary system includes a CEG 2102 communicatively coupled to the first network zone 1904, a CES 2104 communicatively coupled to the second network zone 1908, and a second CES 2106 communicatively coupled to the third network zone 2108. In the example depicted in FIG. 21, the CND 1912 is distributed, and a portion of the CND 1912 is configured to regulate the communication of each network zone 1904, 1908, 2108. The example depicted in FIG. 21 showing the components as CEG 2102, CES 2104, and second CES 2106 is a non-limiting example, and the network zones 1904, 1908, 2108 can be of any type where the communication is actuated by any of the components. In certain embodiments, the corresponding actuating components (CEG 2102, CES 2104, and CES 2106 in the example depicted in FIG. 21) can share the risk exposure profile associated with the associated network zones 1904, 1908, 2108, or can have distinct risk exposure profiles associated with the associated network zones 1904, 1908, 2108. In addition to or instead of this, the corresponding portions of the CND 1912 can share the risk exposure profile associated with the associated network zones 1904, 1908, 2108. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 21 shows the risk partitioning to the network zones and components and the planned addition of redundancy between these network zones and components that can be provided in any manner.For example, multiple networks of the same type (e.g., network zones 1908, 2108) can have distinct risk exposure profiles, while a single instance of multiple networks (e.g., network zone 1904) may, for example, have no available backup network and is already a single point of failure mode within the system, and thus can have a risk exposure profile that is either different or shared with one of the other networks (e.g., network zones 1908, 2108). In certain embodiments, one or more of the networks (e.g., network zone 2108) can be installed to have a very low risk exposure profile (e.g., at a central location isolated from environmental risks, disturbance risks, and / or failure mode risks, etc.) and configured to function as a backup operation for one or more other networks (e.g., network zone 1908). In certain embodiments, the configuration for enabling the backup operation includes one or more of redundant connectivity to endpoints for other networks, a backup controller for performing backup control operations and / or preparation of stored executable instructions, preparation for performing data communication operations for other networks at related operating components (e.g., CES2106), and / or preparation for performing any or all of the operations of other CND portions 1912 at the related CND portion 1912. In certain embodiments, any or all of the networks can be configured to function as a backup operation for one or more or all of the other networks. In certain embodiments, one or more portions of CND 1912 can be collocated with related ones of the operating components, placed within a housing with related ones of the operating components, and / or placed on the same substrate as related ones of the operating components.In certain embodiments, one or more portions of CND1912 can be collocated with the distributed controller through the vehicle, placed within a housing with the distributed controller through the vehicle, or placed on the same substrate as the distributed controller through the vehicle. In certain embodiments, one or more portions of CND1912 can be provided as executable instructions stored on another device (e.g., an actuating component, a vehicle controller, and / or another controller), whereby a processor executing the instructions causes the device to perform one or more operations of the CND portion 1912. In the example described in FIG. 21, CES2104 coordinates communication between a second network zone 1908 and a third network zone 2108 that communicates, e.g., at a port of CES2106. In the example described in FIG. 21, CEG2102 coordinates communication between a first network zone 1904 and a third network zone 2108 that communicates, e.g., at a separate port of CES2106.

[0093] Exemplary and non-limiting network types for each network zone include Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented System Transport (MOST) network, Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay network, Time-Triggered Protocol (TTP) network, Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) network, Audio Video Bridging (AVB)-compliant network (Audio Video Bridging (AVB) compliant network) , including one or more customized versions of any one or more of these, and / or one or more proprietary versions of any one or more of these.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 22, an exemplary apparatus for performing network redundant operation is shown. The example described in FIG. 22 is consistent with the embodiment described in FIG. 21, but can be applied to any of the systems and / or mobile applications recited throughout the disclosure of the present invention. The exemplary apparatus includes a network redundancy circuit 2202 that selectively provides a regulation control command 2204, where one or more CND portions 1912 perform inter-network communications 2206, 2208, 2210 between a plurality of network zones (e.g., 1904, 1908, 2108) of a mobile application in response to the regulation control command 2204. Exemplary and non-limiting inter-network communications 2206, 2208, 2210 include re-routing of data between network zones, shifting of endpoints between network zones, a first CND portion taking over the regulation of a different network zone connected to a second CND portion, utilization of alternative data sources and / or backup control operations, and / or shifting, mirroring, and / or suppressing one or more data values between and / or on one or more of the network zones.

[0095] The exemplary and non-limiting adjustment control command 2204 includes indications that one or more endpoints of a network zone are unavailable, that one or more endpoints of a network zone are in a fault condition, and / or that one or more endpoints of a network zone are unable to perform their respective endpoint mission operations and / or are providing unauthorized communications. In certain embodiments, the adjustment control command 2204 includes commands to utilize alternative data sources and / or backup control operations, commands to shift endpoints between available network zones, and / or one or more of commands to shift, mirror, and / or suppress one or more data values between and / or on one or more network zones. In certain embodiments, the adjustment control command 2204 can include a status condition such as "one of the network zones has failed" and a list of other values indicating the status of one or more endpoints or endpoints and / or network zones, in which case one or more CND portions 1912 perform communications in response to the adjustment control command 2204 and / or control redundant operations according to stored configuration information.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 23, an exemplary mobile application 1902 includes a first network zone 1904, a second network zone 1908, a third network zone 2322, and a fourth network zone 2324. These network zones can be of any type. In the example depicted in FIG. 23, the first network zone 1904 is of the CAN network type, the second network zone 1908 is of the Ethernet network type, the third network zone 2322 is of the Ethernet network type, and the fourth network zone 2324 is an electrical signal zone. The exemplary network zones 1904, 1908, 2322, 2324 are selected to depict certain aspects of the disclosure of the present invention and are non-limiting.

[0097] In the example described in FIG. 23, CND1912 communicates with the first CEG1916 and provides communication to the port of the first CES1914 to provide communication between the endpoint of the first network zone 1904 and the endpoint of the second network zone 1908, communicates with the second CEG2308 and provides communication to the port of the first CES1914 to provide communication between the endpoint of the fourth network zone 2324 and the endpoint of the second network zone 1908, communicates with the first CES1914 communicatively coupled to the second CES2320, thereby enabling communication between the second network zone 1908 and the third network zone 2322 (and further between the first network zone 1904 and the fourth network zone 2324 by the communication of CEG1916, 2308), and communicates with the second CES2320 to provide communication between the endpoint of the third network zone 2322 and the endpoints of the other network zones 1904, 1908, 2324 (through the second network zone 1908 in the example described in FIG. 23) to adjust the communication between the endpoints of the network zones. CND1912 can further adjust the communication between the endpoints of the network zones 1904, 1908, 2322, 2324 and the external communication device 2326 (e.g., head unit) by communicating permission information, priority information, etc. to the first CES1914 and / or the second CES1916 that can optionally communicate with the external communication device 2326. Although CND1912 in the example described in FIG. 23 is shown as being inserted between the devices of CES1914, 1916 and the external communication device 2326, the devices of CES1914, 1916 can be directly coupled to the external communication device 2326 and / or the external communication device 2326 can be coupled to one port of the network zones 1908, 2322. The example described in FIG. 23 depicts a transmitter / receiver 2328 that performs communication operations with external devices (e.g., cloud server, service tool, manufacturing tool, driver device, etc.). In certain embodiments, the transmitter / receiver 2328 can be integrated with the external communication device 2326 and / or there can be more than one transmitter / receiver 2328.In addition to or instead of this, for example, a plurality of external communication access paths such as, but not limited to, physical port access on one or more of network zones 1904, 1908, 2322, a WiFi transmitter / receiver, a Bluetooth transmitter / receiver, etc. can be made available.

[0098] CND1912 is shown as a separate device, but CND1912 can be arranged together with one or more of network operating components 1916, 1914, 2308, 2320 and together with a vehicle controller (not shown), and / or can be distributed across several devices. The example described in FIG. 23 further includes a network redundancy circuit 2202 shown separately for the convenience of this description. The network redundancy circuit 2202 selectively provides adjustment control commands and provides redundancy commands and data rerouting commands in response to degradation or loss of a network zone and / or its endpoints to network operating components 1916, 1914, 2308, 2320. Exemplary operation of the network redundancy circuit 2202 includes the step of routing communication from a first endpoint 2302 on a first network zone 1904 to a second endpoint 2304 on a second network zone 1908 (during normal operation), and the step of changing the routing from a first endpoint 2302 on a first network zone 1904 to a third endpoint 2312 on a third network zone 2322 (for example, in response to a failure or abnormal operation of the second endpoint 2304).

[0099] Exemplary operation of CND1912 includes the step of giving differential priority and / or permitted access to a second endpoint 2304 on a second network zone 1908 compared to a third endpoint 2306 on the second network zone 1908, where the differential priority and / or permitted access relates to communication with an external communication device 2326, storage of data (for example, into a buffer and / or memory storage on any device of mobile application 1902), and / or data communication throughput, collection speed, etc.

[0100] Exemplary operation of the CEG2308 includes operations that perform analog / digital (A / D) processing of communications on the fourth network zone 2324. For example, the endpoint 2310 can be a sensor that provides an electrical signal representing a sensed value and / or an actuator that responds to an electrical signal from the CEG2308. In certain embodiments, the endpoint 2310 can include more than one electrical signal, such as, for example, a diagnostic signal, a heartbeat, or a status signal. In certain embodiments, the CEG2308 performs signal processing of communications from the endpoint 2310, such as, for example, debouncing, filtering, saturation (e.g., taking high or low values for diagnostic information), rescaling, linearization, or other operations. In certain embodiments, the CEG2308 includes the steps of converting an electrical signal to a sensed value (e.g., pressure, temperature, speed, etc.), changing the unit of the sensed value (e.g., from °F to K or °C), adjusting the bit depth of the sensed value (e.g., providing a 32-bit equivalent value of a standard 16-bit value provided by the endpoint 2310, or providing a look-up table for the endpoint 2310), normalizing the sensed value (e.g., providing a value between 0 and 1 with importance matching the sensed parameter, and / or providing a voltage equivalent value for the sensed voltage when algorithms operating on receiving endpoints such as 2314 on the third network zone 2322 utilize different sensors with different scales, etc.), applying a time shift to the sensed value (e.g., compensating for sensor response time, network communication time, etc.), and / or converting the sensed value between floating point and fixed point, and / or rescaling the fixed point value of the sensor. A payload of an electrical signal is generated for which one or more of the above-described processes are performed. One of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the disclosure of the present invention and having the information normally available when considering an electrical signal-based endpoint 2310 and a data destination endpoint (any other endpoint) can readily determine the payload processing operations implemented to provide a payload configured for the destination endpoint from the electrical signal provided by the considered endpoint 2310.Payload processing can be performed in reverse, for example, obtaining an incoming payload from a communication and configuring an electrical signal from the incoming payload (e.g., a command for adjusting an actuator, an electrical signal that may not be configured to match a particular endpoint 2310) to match endpoint 2310. It will be understood that the exemplary CEG2308, for example, provides a communication frame, encapsulates the processed payload, and further generates a communication provided to the port of CES1914 by having a protocol configured to match the second network zone 1908 (in this example). In certain embodiments, the CEG2308, for example, adjusts a timestamp (e.g., if endpoint 2310 provides a timestamp that is not properly configured to match the mobile application 1902), provides a timestamp (e.g., if a timestamp is desired but endpoint 2310 does not provide it), prepares or adjusts a source indicator of the communication (e.g., if endpoint 2310 does not have the function of providing a source indicator and / or is using a source indicator that is not properly configured to match the mobile application 1902), and / or prepares or adjusts a destination indicator of the communication to process at least a portion of the communication frame.

[0101] Exemplary operations of the CEG1916 include processing the payloads of communications from the endpoint devices 1906, 2302 and / or performing any other payload processing operations shown in the disclosure of the present invention. Exemplary operations of the CEG1916 include encapsulating the payloads of communications from the endpoint devices 1906, 2302 and / or encapsulating all or a portion of the frames of communications from the endpoint devices 1906, 2302 into a communication having a protocol configured for a second network zone 1908 (in this example). In certain embodiments, the encapsulated portions of the frames of communications from the endpoint devices 1906, 2302 can be further processed, such as by adding or adjusting a time stamp, adding or adjusting a source indicator, and / or adding or adjusting a destination indicator. In certain embodiments, encapsulation of a frame or a portion thereof with or without processing enables communication between CAN devices in cases where one or more CAN devices are not directly coupled to a CAN network but are interfaced through another endpoint (e.g., an endpoint 2316 on a third network zone 2322 that is an Ethernet network in the example described in FIG. 23), for example, in cases where the CAN devices are on separate network zones.

[0102] In certain embodiments, the CEG1916, 2308 can share ports of the CES1914 and / or can utilize separate ports to couple to the second network zone 1908. The network zones of the mobile application can have any optional topology including, but not limited to, bus topology, serial topology, mesh topology, hub topology, ring topology, and / or star topology. An exemplary mobile application includes a first network zone provided as a first virtual local area network and a second network zone provided as a second virtual local area network. In this example, the first network zone and the second network zone can share the physical hardware of the network and / or a portion thereof.

[0103] Referring again to FIG. 23, the exemplary system includes a first vehicle controller (e.g., endpoint 2302) on a first network zone 1904, a second vehicle controller (e.g., endpoint 2304) on a second network zone 1908, and a network redundancy circuit 2202 that selectively provides an adjustment control command. In this case, CND 1912 adjusts the stage of adjusting communication between the first network zone 1904 and the second network zone 1908 in response to the adjustment control command. Exemplary and non-limiting adjustment control commands include the first vehicle controller 2302 compatible withIt includes one or more of the following abnormal conditions (off-nominal conditions), loss of data elements related to the first vehicle controller 2302, and / or loss control functions of the first vehicle controller 2302. Exemplary and non-limiting adjustments to the step of adjusting communication include the step of providing alternative data elements to the first vehicle controller 2302 (e.g., from different endpoints providing the same data, similar data, and / or backup data), the step of providing data elements corresponding to the loss control function to the second vehicle controller 2304 (e.g., when the second vehicle controller 2304 is configured to perform a backup operation for all or part of the loss control function), and / or the step of providing data values normally available on the first network zone 1904 to the second network zone 1908 (e.g., to provide data used to perform a backup operation for all or part of the loss control function to the second vehicle controller 2304), including one or more operations such as these. Exemplary adjustments to the step of adjusting communication include the step of suppressing communication of data values normally available on the first network zone 1904 in response to the loss control function of the first vehicle controller 2302 (e.g., when the data value of the suppression target is no longer required on the first network zone 1904 and / or when the data value of the suppression target is no longer shown as valid data). The exemplary system includes a CND1912 that provides data values normally available on the first network zone 1904 as processed data values to the second network zone 1908 (e.g., including data values adapted for use by the second vehicle controller 2304) (e.g., to provide data for performing a backup operation for all or part of the loss control function to the second vehicle controller 2304).The loss of control function includes one or more of the total or partial loss of control functions normally performed by the first vehicle controller 2302, the loss of communication with the end point 1906 of the first network zone (for example, the end point 1906 provides data values used to perform the loss of control function), the loss of function of the first vehicle controller 2302 (for example, due to a fault code, a fault condition, and / or improper communication provided by the first vehicle controller 2302), and / or the loss of communication with the first vehicle controller 2302.

[0104] The exemplary system includes a first vehicle controller 2302 positioned in a first risk exposure profile and a second vehicle controller 2304 positioned in a second risk exposure profile, where the first risk exposure profile is clearly different from the second risk exposure profile. Exemplary and non-limiting differences between these risk exposure profiles include one or more of a geometric distinction, an environmental distinction, a failure mode distinction, a dominant risk type distinction, and / or a dominant disturbance distinction.

[0105] Certain alternative and / or additional adjustment control commands provided by the network redundancy circuit 2202 are for the first network zone 1904 compatible withincluding one or more of the following abnormal conditions: loss of communication between at least one endpoint 1906 of the first network zone and the first network zone 1904, physical failure of at least a part of the first network zone 1904, and / or bandwidth limitation of the first network zone 1904. Exemplary and non-limiting adjustments to the step of adjusting communication include routing at least one communication from the first network zone 1904 to the second network zone 1908, repeating at least one communication from the first network zone 1904 to the second network zone 1908, shifting at least one endpoint (e.g., 1906) from the first network zone 1904 to the second network zone 1908, shifting and / or repeating the communication associated with at least one endpoint (e.g., 1906) from the first network zone 1904 to the second network zone 1908, and / or shifting and / or repeating the communication associated with at least one endpoint (e.g., 1910) from the second network zone 1908 to the first network zone 1904 (e.g., using the endpoint 1910 as an alternative data source for the lost endpoint 1906 of the first network zone 1904). For illustrative purposes, the operation between the first network zone 1904 and the second network zone 1908 has been described, but the operation can be implemented using between the first network zone - the second network zone, the first network zone - the third network zone, and / or the second network zone - the third network zone.In addition to or instead of this, a certain operation (e.g., the stage of shifting an endpoint from one network zone to another) may suggest that the relevant endpoint is movable between network zones that may be available in a situation to be understood. However, at least when the endpoint is coupled to or can be coupled to more than one network zone, and when the endpoint is reconfigurable to provide legitimate communication to more than one network zone (e.g., when the endpoint can detect network protocols, frame configurations, etc., and / or when the endpoint adjusts network protocols, frame configurations, etc. in response to commands from network redundancy circuit 2202 and / or CND1912), these network zones are compatible (e.g., have matching protocols, frame configurations, etc., and / or have the function of communicating using somewhat variable protocols, frame configurations, etc.), and / or when these network zones are separate virtual local area networks (e.g., when the separation between each network zone is at least partially logical rather than physical).

[0106] In certain embodiments, CND1912 may be collocated with one or more vehicle controllers (not shown) of the system and / or may have a collocated portion. For example, see Figure 15 and the related description. An exemplary system includes a vehicle controller 2302 on a first network zone 1904 and a first portion of CND1912 that is collocated with vehicle controller 2302 and that includes non-transitory computer-readable instructions configured to perform at least a portion of the operation of adjusting communication when executed by the processing of vehicle controller 2302.

[0107] In certain embodiments, CND1912 includes a portion that is collocated with a vehicle controller (not shown) and includes an Ethernet switch (e.g., 1914), where network zone 1908 includes an Ethernet network, and communication between the terminus of network zone 1908 and another network zone 1904 is routed through Ethernet switch 1914 (e.g., CEG1916 provides communication from network zone 1904 through a port of CES1914), and Ethernet switch 1914 is disposed within a housing with the vehicle controller and / or disposed on the same substrate as the vehicle controller.

[0108] In certain embodiments, CND1912 includes a portion that is collocated with a vehicle controller (not shown) and includes a CEG (e.g., 1916), where network zone 1904 includes an Ethernet network, and communication between the terminus of network zone 1904 and another network zone 1908 is routed through CEG1916 (e.g., CEG1916 provides communication from network zone 1904 through a port of CES1914 to network zone 1908), and CEG1916 is disposed within a housing with the vehicle controller and / or disposed on the same substrate as the vehicle controller.

[0109] The exemplary system includes a second vehicle controller 2304 on a second network zone 1908, where in this case, CND 1912 includes a first portion collocated with a vehicle controller (not shown) and a second portion collocated with the second vehicle controller 2304. Each of the first or second portions of CND 1912 can include one or more of non-transitory computer-readable instructions configured to perform at least a portion of an operation that regulates communication between network zones 1904, 1908 (and / or 2322, 2324) when executed by a CES, CEG, and / or processing of their respective vehicle controllers (e.g., vehicle controller and / or second vehicle controller 2304). Each of the first or second portions of CND 1912 can be disposed within the housing of their respective vehicle controller and / or on the same substrate as their respective vehicle controller.

[0110] Certain aspects of the present disclosure are shown as procedures for performing operations related to the present disclosure. The operations can be performed by any controller, circuit, device, component, sensor, actuator, logic circuit, or other aspects shown in the present disclosure but not limited thereto. The procedures are shown as embodiments, and the operations can omit all or part of them, combine them, divide them, and / or change the order. In certain embodiments, one or more operations of a first procedure can be combined with one or more operations of another procedure.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 24, a schematic flow diagram of procedure 2400 for adjusting inter-network communication (e.g., between distinct network zones of a mobile application) is shown. Exemplary procedure 2400 includes an operation 2402 for adjusting inter-network communication (e.g., referenced throughout the disclosure of the present invention including at least FIG. 19 and related descriptions) between a first network (and / or network zone) and a second network (and / or network zone) of a mobile application. Further, exemplary procedure 2400 includes an operation 2404 for determining whether there are any abnormal conditions including, but not limited to, the state of any network, endpoint, controller, and / or control function. In response to operation 2404 determining "true", procedure 2400 includes an operation 2406 for adjusting the adjustment of inter-network communication. Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, operation 2406 for adjusting the adjustment of inter-network communication includes routing communication from the first network to the second network, repeating, sharing, or mirroring communication normally on the first network onto the second network, shifting an endpoint from the first network to the second network, suppressing communication on one of these networks, adjusting the data sampling rate and / or communication rate of communication and / or endpoints on one of these networks, at least partially adjusting control operations from a first controller on a mobile application to a second controller on the mobile application, and / or providing alternative data determined in response to adjustment of data and / or control operations normally provided to the first controller to the second controller, and / or providing communication from an alternative data source to a controller on the mobile application, including any one or more of these steps.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 25, a procedure 2500 is shown for encapsulating and / or processing communications from a first network into communications on a second network for a mobile application (e.g., communications between endpoints on separate network zones). Exemplary procedure 2500 includes an operation 2502 of receiving a first network communication (e.g., a communication provided by any endpoint on any network zone of a mobile application), an operation 2504 of processing, removing, or including non-payload frame information of the communication (e.g., metadata, identifiers, timestamps, and / or any other communication information for the communication rather than payload or base data). Further, exemplary procedure 2500 includes an operation 2506 of processing, removing, or including payload frame information from the communication (e.g., removing the payload if the communication is utilized for reasons other than the payload in a network monitoring operation, etc., and / or changing the unit, resolution, bit depth, data type, etc. of the payload), and an operation 2508 of encapsulating the communication for communication on a second network of the mobile application. Further, exemplary procedure 2500 includes an operation 2510 of providing the encapsulated communication as a second network communication of the mobile application. In certain embodiments, procedure 2500 provides an operation of providing a message between endpoints on separate networks having non-compatibilities (e.g., network protocols, message characteristics, network addressing, etc.) and / or between endpoints having other non-compatible data uses (e.g., payload units, data types, bit depths, etc.). In certain embodiments, the operations of procedure 2500 provide for encapsulation of a message from a first network (e.g., a CAN network) to a second network (e.g., an Ethernet network) and / or enable tunneling by passing a message from a first network having a first network type to another network having the first network type through a relay network having a second network type.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 26, a procedure 2600 is shown for providing upsampling and / or downsampling of communications from an endpoint on a network of a mobile application. Exemplary procedure 2600 includes an operation 2602 of determining an upsampling scheme and / or a downsampling scheme for a communication (e.g., from a first network). Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, exemplary operation 2602 includes determining an upsampling scheme and / or a downsampling scheme in response to a required data rate for the communication, a data efficiency for the communication with respect to the network and / or source endpoint, a data storage value for a device in the system (e.g., communication buffer storage amount and / or long-term data storage location), and / or a priority for the communication (e.g., according to operating conditions related to the mobile application compared to competing communications and / or according to a related priority for a flow, endpoint, vehicle function, etc.).

[0114] Exemplary procedure 2600 further includes an operation 2500 of providing a second network communication that includes, for example, a step of processing payload information and / or non-payload information of a communication and a step of encapsulating the (processed or unprocessed) payload information and / or non-payload information into a communication provided to a second network (see, e.g., FIG. 25 and procedure 2500).

[0115] The exemplary procedure 2600 further includes an operation 2604 of upsampling and / or downsampling the second network communication. Without being limited to the general concept that all operations for the procedures described herein can be reordered, split, omitted, and / or combined, operations 2500 and 2604 of procedure 2600 can be performed in any order including iterative, simultaneous, and / or sequential with respect to each other, because in certain communications, the upsampling operation and / or downsampling operation 2604 can render operation 2500 unnecessary (e.g., exclusion of downsampled communications and / or exclusion of interpolated or non-interpolated communications), and / or operation 2604 can generate payload information and / or non-payload information regarding communications that would otherwise be provided by operation 2500 (e.g., addition of upsampled communications and / or addition of interpolated or non-interpolated communications). Without being limited to any aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, operation 2604 can include any of the operations described with respect to FIGS. 17 and 18 and the related description. The exemplary procedure 2600 further includes an operation 2606 of providing the upsampled and / or downsampled communication to a second network. For purposes of clarity of this description, the operations related to procedure 2600 have been enumerated with respect to providing a communication from an endpoint on a first network to an endpoint on a second network, but it will be understood that procedure 2600 is applicable to any communication on a mobile application including public communications for data services (e.g., see FIGS. 27 and the related description), communications passed to external devices, and / or communications within the same network scope (e.g., from a first endpoint on a first network to a second endpoint on a second network).

[0116] Referring to FIG. 27, an exemplary apparatus 2700 for providing a service designation architecture for a mobile application having a hybrid network environment is shown. The exemplary apparatus 2700 includes a vehicle data service definition circuit 2702 that interprets a service availability description 2704 including available data values from endpoints 1906, 1910 on vehicle networks 1904, 1908. For example, the vehicle data service definition circuit 2702 can receive from endpoints 1906, 1910 a communication giving an indication that one or more data values are available for communication and / or read an indication of data values available for communication from a configuration file 2718 (shown as storage in the example depicted in FIG. 27). The service availability description 2704 can include any type of data value available on the vehicle, including sensed values, actuator feedback values (e.g., position, situation, fault values, etc.), parameters from any controller within the system, virtual sensor values, control parameters (e.g., set points, reference points, determined situation values, reference error values, etc.), and / or stored values (e.g., accumulated parameters, snapshot information, calibration, etc.). The service availability description 2704 can be associated with a single endpoint, group of endpoints, flow, or any other data provider or group of data providers within the system. The data associated with the service availability description 2704 can be unprocessed data values and / or a processed version of the data values (e.g., filtered low sampling rate, time-delayed data, etc.).

[0117] The exemplary apparatus 2700 further includes a vehicle data service management circuit 2706 that publishes a data service availability value 2708 in response to a service availability description 2704. In certain embodiments, the data service availability value 2708 can include the same data provided by the service availability description 2704 or a formatted version thereof. In certain embodiments, for example, when the device providing the service availability description 2704 does not have full permission (e.g., determined from the configuration file 2718) to publish all of the parameters on the list, to publish at a planned data rate, and / or to publish at a displayed sampling rate, the data service availability value 2708 can include a corrected or adjusted version of the service availability description 2704 (e.g., fewer parameters, lower data rate, lower resolution, etc. than provided within the service availability description 2704). In certain embodiments, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 determines that the device (and / or endpoint, flow, etc.) to publish does not have permission to provide the service published within the service availability description 2704 and accordingly does not provide the corresponding data service availability value 2708 to the service availability description 2704. In certain embodiments, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 determines that a certain data service availability value 2708 is restricted to certain periodic receiving devices and accordingly includes the data service availability value 2708 (e.g., provides tags, encryption schemes, metadata, etc.) such that unauthorized devices cannot view the corresponding data service availability value 2708 and / or cannot receive the corresponding data service availability value 2708 periodically. The exemplary vehicle data service management circuit 2706 generates a periodic reception request 2710 for the data service availability value 2708 and a data service value description 2709 in response to data values from endpoints 1906, 1910. For example, the data service value description 2709 can describe the parameters to be collected, grouped, and / or processed and can further include endpoint descriptions, etc.The data service value description 2709 provides the collection parameters available to CND1912 to support services with active legitimate periodic reception, and further enables the management of collection operations such as the screening of authorized data access and / or the aggregation of redundant parameters (for example, when more than one service may provide the same data element as part of it, when multiple data rates for a parameter can be provided in a single high-speed collection operation, etc.).

[0118] The exemplary apparatus 2700 includes CND1912 that performs operations to coordinate communication between the vehicle networks 1904, 1908. In the exemplary apparatus 2700, for purposes of illustration clarity, circuits 2702, 2706 are shown as being arranged with CND1912, but it will be understood that one or more of the components, circuits, communication flows, data elements, and / or other aspects shown in FIG. 27 can be distributed across multiple devices within the system. The exemplary CND1912 coordinates communication between the first network 1904 and the second network 1908, generates a data service value 2712 in response to the data service value description 2709 and the data value from the end point, and a regulation circuit 2710 (including and / or being in communication with network operating components such as CES, CEG, or other operating components) that publishes the data service value 2709 in response to the data service value description 2712 is included.

[0119] The exemplary adjustment circuit 2710 collects data from the direct endpoints and publishes broadcast (e.g., visible to all endpoints) and / or multicast (e.g., provided to periodic receive endpoints) parameters according to, for example, permissions, network capacity, parameter importance, and / or breadth of use. In certain embodiments, the exemplary adjustment circuit 2710 provides the data service value 2712 to a service broker 2714 that manages the communication of the data service value 2712 to endpoints or devices that receive periodically. Exemplary embodiments with a service broker 2714 utilize the service broker 2714, in addition to or instead of this, to communicate the data service availability value 2708 to an endpoint or device and / or to receive periodic receive requests 2710 from the device. In certain embodiments, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 communicates with the service broker 2714 to determine the periodic receive requests 2710. In certain embodiments, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 receives periodic receive requests from endpoint devices on the networks 1904, 1908.

[0120] The exemplary apparatus 2700 includes a vehicle data service management circuit 2706 and / or a service broker 2714 that receives periodic receive requests 2710 from an external device such as a service device 2716. In this example, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 determines a data service value description 2709 in response to a periodic receive request 2710 from the external device (this determination includes, for example, the stage of determining permissions, etc.), and the external device receives parameters according to the same periodic receive service as endpoints, devices, flows, etc. within the vehicle that receive periodically.

[0121] In certain embodiments, the service availability description 2704 further includes an authorization description (e.g., when the endpoint and / or device that discloses the service availability applies for a permission level), and further the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 restricts the disclosure of the data service availability value 2708 in response to the authorization description and / or restricts the acceptance of the corresponding periodic reception request 2710. In addition to or instead of this, the vehicle data service management circuit 2706 can determine the authorization description from the configuration file 2718. The exemplary vehicle data service management circuit 2706 restricts the disclosure of the data service availability value (and / or restricts the acceptance of the corresponding periodic reception request 2710) in response to one or more of the endpoint identifier of the periodic reception request source, the application identifier of the periodic reception request source (e.g., prime power management, entertainment management, air conditioning control, stability control, etc.), the flow identifier of the periodic reception request source, the user identifier of the periodic reception request source (e.g., the ID of the inspection and repair technician, the role of the person in charge regarding the request source device, application, flow, etc.), and / or the entity identifier of the periodic reception request source (e.g., entity name, entity role, manufacturer, OEM, inspection and repair entity, owner entity, third-party entity, etc.).

[0122] The exemplary vehicle data service definition circuit 2702 further interprets the service availability value 2720 and updates the service availability description 2704 in response to the service availability value 2720. For example, the service availability value 2720 may indicate that the service is unavailable during certain operating conditions due to a failure or malfunction of an endpoint or device providing data for the service, due to a change in system permissions (and / or conditional permissions if the permission criteria are not currently satisfied), due to the service being listed in the configuration information 2718 but the associated endpoints, devices, applications, flows, etc. not being present on the vehicle, due to the expiration of a permission, etc. In yet another example, the service availability value 2720 further includes an authorization description, in which case the vehicle data service definition circuit 2702 restricts the update of the service availability description 2704 in response to the authorization description. The exemplary vehicle data service management circuit 2706 restricts the update of the service availability description in response to one or more of the endpoint identifier of the service availability value provider, the application identifier of the service availability value provider, the flow identifier of the service availability value provider, the user identifier of the service availability value provider, and / or the entity identifier of the service availability value provider. The exemplary vehicle data service definition circuit 2702 receives the service availability value 2720 from an external data collection management device (e.g., but not limited to, the service device 2716) external to the vehicle. Accordingly, the apparatus 2700 enables the provision and update of services, including, for example, the step of updating configuration information, in-vehicle permissions, etc. by external devices used by a driver, owner, inspection and repair entity, manufacturing entity, third-party application, fleet owner, etc.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 28, there is shown an apparatus 2800 for encapsulating network communications to support communications moving between hybrid networks on a mobile application. The exemplary apparatus 2800 includes a first network interface circuit 2802 that interprets a first network data set 2804 (e.g., a message from an endpoint on a first network 2805) having a first network format 2806 (e.g., protocol, message parameters, start and / or end bits or information, payload format settings, message type, message confirmation protocol, and / or network layer), and a conversion circuit 2808 that determines a message value 2810 from the first network data set 2804 and encodes the message value 2810 into a second network data set 2812 having a second network format 2814. The message data set as used herein should be understood broadly and can include a single message, a group of related messages, a group of messages present on a related network over a period of time, operating conditions, or the like. The message value utilized herein includes any selected message aspect including payload, frame, a portion of a frame, metadata, and the like.

[0124] The exemplary apparatus 2800 further includes a second network interface circuit 2816 that transmits a second network dataset 2812 (e.g., as a message to a second network 2817). The apparatus 2800 includes a first network interface circuit 2802, a conversion circuit 2808, and a second network interface circuit 2816 defined by either a single device or two devices, and it is possible to incorporate the first device and / or the two devices into a vehicle. For example, the CND can include all of the first network interface circuit 2802, the conversion circuit 2808, and the second network interface circuit 2816. In another example, the CEG can include the first network interface circuit 2802 and the conversion circuit 2808, and the CES can include the second network interface circuit 2816. In another example, the CEG can include the first network interface circuit 2802, and the CES can include the conversion circuit 2808 and the second network interface circuit 2816. In another example, the CEG can include all of the first network interface circuit 2802, the conversion circuit 2808, and the second network interface circuit 2816.

[0125] In the example described in FIG. 28, the first network format 2806 is clearly different from the second network format 2814 in at least one aspect. The exemplary apparatus 2800 includes either the first network format 2806 or the second network format 2814 as a CAN network. The exemplary apparatus 2800 includes the first network format 2806 as a CAN network and the second network format 2814 as an Ethernet network.

[0126] The exemplary apparatus 2800 further includes a configuration circuit 2818 that modifies the first network interface circuit 2802, the conversion circuit 2808, and / or the second network interface 2816 in response to a configuration command value 2820. Exemplary and non-limiting configuration command values 2820 include which messages of the first network data set 2804 are communicated to the second network, upsampling operations and / or downsampling operations performed on the messages of the first network data set 2804, determining the message value 2810 (e.g., which aspect of the message such as payload, frame portion, metadata is considered the message value 2810) and / or conversion parameters for encoding the message value into the second network data set 2812 (e.g., encapsulation operations, source and / or destination identification, unit conversion, etc.), and / or one or more of network adjustment operations (see, e.g., FIGS. 19 and related descriptions). The exemplary configuration circuit 2818 is defined by a first device such as a CND, CEG, and / or CES, or optionally, and if present, by a second device. In certain embodiments, the configuration circuit 2818 further selectively configures which of one or more portions of the first network interface circuit 2802, the conversion circuit 2808, and / or the second network interface circuit 2816 are defined by the first device and / or the second device (e.g., enables the configuration circuit 2818 to repurpose a device such as a CEG or CES for another purpose and / or adjust the operation between devices to shift network operations and / or adjustment functions in response to system changes, topology changes, and / or abnormal operating conditions). In certain embodiments, the configuration circuit 2818 receives the configuration command value 2820 by accessing from a CND, from an external device, and / or from a configuration file.

[0127] Referring to FIG. 29, an apparatus 2900 for mirroring ports on a mobile application and providing communication from a first network to a second network is shown. The exemplary apparatus 2900 has a number of ports 2902 and includes a first network interface circuit 2802 that interprets first communication data 2904 of a first network 2805 mounted on a vehicle. The ports 2902 can be physical ports, logical ports, and / or combinations thereof. The exemplary apparatus 2900 includes a second network interface circuit 2816 that interprets second communication data 2906 from a second network 2817 mounted on the vehicle. The second network 2817 is of a different type than the first network 2805 (e.g., a CAN network versus an Ethernet network, clearly different network formats 2806, 2814, and / or any other type of difference between networks shown herein and / or understood in the art). The apparatus 2900 further includes a conversion circuit 2808 that transfers the second communication data 2906 through at least one of the ports 2902 to the first network interface circuit 2802 for transmission on the first network 2805 (e.g., this transfer can include the steps of processing, encapsulating, and / or otherwise configuring the second communication data 2906 for communication on the first network 2805). The exemplary first network interface circuit 2802 mirrors a first port of the ports 2902 to a second port of the ports 2902, such that, for example, an external device 2908, a data collection operation (not shown), and / or other devices within the vehicle can observe and / or acquire data from the second port, thereby receiving the same data as that communicated at the first port. Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, the port mirroring operation enables data collection of any parameter from any endpoint of a network within the vehicle (e.g., without requiring knowledge of the requesting device regarding network configuration, communication protocol, and / or the location of distributed endpoints through the vehicle).

[0128] The exemplary apparatus 2900 further includes a configuration circuit 2818 that interprets the port selection command value 2820 and assigns which port 2902 is the first port and the mirror port. Accordingly, the configuration circuit 2818 can include a communication value including any selected endpoint on the first network 2805, and / or all of the second communication data 2906 (e.g., when the conversion circuit 2808 transfers the second communication data 2906 to one of the ports 2902) can provide the communication value selected from one of the ports 2902 to the mirror port. In certain embodiments, the configuration circuit 2818 receives the port selection command value 2820 from the CND, from a configuration file, from a requesting external device 2908 (e.g., a service tool, an OBD device, a vehicle, and / or a network monitor device, etc.), and / or from any controller on the vehicle having sufficient permission to provide the port selection command value 2820.

[0129] The exemplary configuration circuit 2818 interprets the port assignment command value 2820 that identifies the assigned port and a device (e.g., an endpoint, a controller, a flow, an application, etc.) on the second network 2817 to identify the portion of the second communication data 2906 corresponding to the identified device, and transmits the identified portion of the second communication data 2906 toward the assigned port (and / or commands the first network interface circuit 2802 to perform this transmission). In certain further alternative embodiments, the device on the second network 2817 can include, in addition to or instead of, communication data corresponding to a device identified on another network (e.g., the first network 2805) (e.g., when an application, a flow, or other device on the second network 2817 includes how it operates on another network), and the operation of the configuration circuit 2818 and the first network interface circuit 2802 further supports providing relevant communication data from all relevant networks to the assigned port.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 30, an apparatus for controlling inter-network traffic on a mobile application is shown. The exemplary apparatus 3000 includes a first network interface circuit 2802 that interprets first communication data 2904 of a first network 2805 mounted on a vehicle, and a second network interface circuit 2816 that interprets second communication data 2906 of a second network 2817 mounted on the vehicle. The second network 2817 is of a different type than the first network 2805 (e.g., a CAN network versus an Ethernet network, distinct network formats 2806, 2814, and / or any other type of difference shown herein and / or understood in the art). The exemplary apparatus 3000 further includes a conversion circuit 2808 that selectively transfers the first communication data 2904 to the second network interface circuit 2816 for transmission on the second network 2817 and / or selectively transfers the second communication data 2906 to the first network interface circuit 2802 for transmission on the first network 2805. The exemplary conversion circuit 2808 further configures messages from each network to conform to the other network, e.g., processes, encapsulates, and / or otherwise configures the messages and then transfers the messages. The exemplary apparatus 3000 further includes an adjustment circuit 3002 that adjusts the second network interface circuit 2816, the first network interface circuit 2802, and / or the conversion circuit 2808, and this adjustment can include, but is not limited to, performing one or more of the adjustment operations such as those described in FIG. 19 and the related description. The exemplary adjustment circuit 3002 restricts the amount of first communication data 2904 transferred to the second network interface circuit 2816 and / or the amount of second communication data 2906 transferred to the first network interface circuit 2802.The exemplary adjustment circuit 3002 restricts the amount of communication data by restricting the data rate (e.g., the amount of data per unit time and / or the amount of data over a certain period), restricting the amount of data based on the saturation rate (e.g., the utilization rate of the available bandwidth, the utilization rate of a portion of the permitted bandwidth for related communications, etc.), the storage capacity, the function of the receiving device (e.g., an endpoint on one of the networks), and / or the required data rate of the receiving device.

[0131] The exemplary adjustment circuit 3002 restricts the transmission of one or more portions of the first communication data 2904 and / or the second communication data 2906, for example, corresponding to a selected endpoint, flow, application, and / or in accordance with vehicle operating conditions, abnormal conditions of the network and / or the endpoint, etc. In certain embodiments, a combination of these restrictions can exist, for example, when vehicle operating conditions indicate that transmissions to or from certain endpoints are restricted and / or transmissions related to certain data flows are restricted. The restriction operation includes operations such as restricting communication, restricting communication speed, suppressing communication (at least over a certain period and / or during certain operating conditions), performing downsampling on certain messages (e.g., reducing message communication traffic), and / or performing upsampling on certain messages (e.g., this stage can shift the operating load between components, reduce the load on some components such as by using upsampling to reduce the actual data sampling speed, generating messages configured to reduce the encapsulation load, and similar stages), without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention. In certain embodiments, the restriction operation of the adjustment circuit 3002 includes considering priority information associated with messages, endpoints, flows, networks, etc., and / or prioritizing a portion of the first communication data 2904 and / or the second communication data 2906 to be transferred.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 31, an apparatus is shown that supports a configurable network status monitor for a mobile application having a hybrid network. Exemplary apparatus 3100 includes a first network interface circuit 2802 that interprets first communication data 2904 of a first network 2805 mounted on a vehicle, and a second network interface circuit 2816 that interprets second communication data 2906 of a second network 2817 mounted on the vehicle. The second network 2817 is of a different type than the first network 2805 (e.g., a CAN network versus an Ethernet network, distinct network formats 2806, 2814, and / or any other type of difference shown herein and / or understood in the art). Exemplary apparatus 3100 further includes a network status circuit 3102 that generates network status data 3106 by monitoring a portion of the first communication data 2904 and / or the second communication data 2906. In the example depicted in FIG. 31, a network status circuit 3102 is shown communicating with port 2902 of the first network interface circuit 2802 to collect network status data 3106, but the network status circuit 3102 can be located elsewhere within the system, can collect network status data 3106 from the conversion circuit 2808, the second network interface circuit 2816, and / or can access network status data 3106 as data stored on the memory storage of apparatus 3100.

[0133] Exemplary apparatus 3100 further includes a configuration circuit 2818 configured to mirror at least one of ports 2902 to at least another of ports 2902 to provide, for example, network status data 3106 to a selected port 3902 of the first network interface circuit 2802. Exemplary configuration circuit 2818 identifies the selected port (e.g., to provide network status data 3106), further identifies a portion of the first communication data 2904 and / or the second communication data 2906 (e.g., based on a device, network, endpoint, flow, etc. to be monitored), and interprets a port assignment command value 3104 to transmit (and / or direct to the first network interface circuit 2802) the identified portion of the communication to the selected port. Exemplary apparatus 3100 includes a configuration circuit 2818 that modifies network status data 3106 in response to, for example, a selected device, endpoint, flow, application, controller, network, system, etc. of a vehicle. Exemplary apparatus 3100 includes a configuration circuit 2818 that modifies network status data 3106 in response to a data selection command value 3108 (e.g., provided by a network status circuit 3102, CND, external device, configuration file, and / or other controller or component of the system) and adjusts the data provided to the selected port (otherwise to the network status circuit 3102) in response to the data selection command value 3108. In certain embodiments, the data selection command value 3108 additionally or alternatively identifies one or more protocols (e.g., data collection rate, time value and / or time range, selected processing, selected portion of a message frame, metadata, protocol type, e.g., TCP, UDP, AVB, etc.). Exemplary apparatus 3100 depicts, by way of non-limiting example, circuits 2802, 2808, 2816, 2818 disposed within the same housing 3110 and a network status circuit 3102 (e.g., an external device) separated from the housing 3110. Exemplary apparatus 3100 can include circuits 2802, 2808, 2816, 2818 and / or subgroups of these circuits disposed on the same circuit board.

[0134] Referring further to FIG. 31, an exemplary first network 2805 is an Ethernet network and an exemplary second network 2817 is a CAN network. In this example, the conversion circuit 2808 is inserted between the first network interface circuit 2802 and the second network interface circuit 2816 to convert Ethernet communication data into CAN communication data and / or convert CAN communication data into Ethernet communication data. The network status circuit 3102 generates network status data 3106 by monitoring the Ethernet communication data 2904 and / or the CAN communication data 2906. In certain embodiments, the network status data 3106 includes the bandwidth through the conversion circuit 2808, the same device, the same application, and / or the same flow within the Ethernet communication data and / or the CAN communication data compatible with The number of messages having the address to be processed, and / or is at least partially based on one or more of the number of communication errors (e.g., packet loss, latency events, checksum failures, incorrect data, handshake or acknowledgment failures, etc.).

[0135] Referring to FIGS. 32-34, an exemplary arrangement of an apparatus for coordinating communication between networks on a mobile application is shown for illustrative purposes.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 32, the exemplary arrangement includes a CEG3206 (e.g., a configurable edge gateway and / or a CAN gateway) having a first network interface circuit 2802 that communicates with a CAN network 3202 and a conversion circuit 2808 that passes selected messages between the CAN network 3202 and a port of a second network interface circuit 2816. The exemplary arrangement includes a second network interface circuit 2816 that communicates with an Ethernet network 3204 and further includes a CES3208 that includes a configuration circuit 2818 that performs an operation of coordinating communication between the networks 3202, 3204. The arrangement described in FIG. 32 can form all or a portion of the CNDs enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention and / or can perform an operation of coordinating communication between the networks 3202, 3204 in response to a CND command, where in this case the CND is distributed to any other location within the system.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 33, an exemplary arrangement is shown that can form all or a portion of the CNDs enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention and / or can perform an operation of coordinating communication between the networks 3202, 3204 in response to a CND command, where in this case the CND is distributed to any other location within the system. The example described in FIG. 33 is clearly different from the example described in FIG. 32, in this case the conversion circuit 2808 is arranged with the CES3208 and directly receives CAN messages from the first network interface circuit 2802.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 34, an exemplary arrangement is shown that can form all or a portion of the CNDs enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention and / or can perform operations to adjust communication between networks 3202, 3204 in response to CND instructions, where in this case the CNDs are distributed elsewhere within the system. The example described in FIG. 34 is clearly different from the example described in FIG. 33, where in this case the configuration circuitry 2818 is distributed between the CES 3208 and the CEG 3206. In the example described in FIG. 34, one of the configuration circuitries 2818 can be made primary and pass configuration information to the others of the configuration circuitries 2818. In certain embodiments, each configuration circuitry 2818 can be operated independently, for example, receiving configuration information from a configuration file through communication with the CNDs and the like. The examples described in FIGS. 32 - 34 are non - limiting diagrams for depicting certain aspects and arrangements of the disclosure of the present invention.

[0139] Referring to FIG. 35, an exemplary procedure 3500 for providing a service designation architecture for a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 3500 includes an operation 3502 of interpreting a service availability description including available data values from a first endpoint device on one of a first network or a second network of the vehicle, an operation 3504 of publishing a data service availability degree value in response to the service availability description, an operation 3506 of generating a data service value description in response to a periodic reception request for the data service availability degree value, an operation 3508 of generating a data service value in response to the data service value description and data values from the first endpoint device, and an operation 3510 of publishing the data service value in response to the data service value description. The exemplary operation 3510 of publishing the data service value includes providing the data service value to a second endpoint device, for example, an endpoint device on a network different from the first endpoint device. The exemplary operation 3510 further includes publishing the data service value by providing network communication including the data service value generated for a plurality of periodic reception endpoint devices on one of the first network or the second network respectively. The exemplary data service availability degree value includes, for example, from the step of providing a device to the CND, a name for the service, a list of data parameters provided by the service, a list of available commands provided by the service, etc., and the data service value description includes, for example, from the CND to a potential periodic reception device, a name for the service, a list of data parameters provided by the service, a list of available commands provided by the service, etc., in which case the data service value description can collate the data service availability degree value or can be configured (e.g., simplified, extended, standardized, etc.) differently from the data service availability degree value. The exemplary data service value includes data values corresponding to the data service availability degree value.

[0140] In certain embodiments, procedure 3500 further includes operation 3512 of receiving periodic requests from endpoint devices over both the first network and the second network. Exemplary operation 3512 includes the step of receiving periodic requests from devices external to the vehicle, such as service devices, web applications, cloud-based applications, and / or third-party applications, where operations 3508 and / or 3510 are performed in response to operation 3512 (e.g., generating and / or publishing data service values only if the periodic receiving device is available for the service). Exemplary procedure 3500 includes a service availability description that further includes an authorization description, where operation 3504 includes the step of restricting the publication of data service availability values in response to the authorization description (e.g., in this case, unauthorized devices cannot view the data service). Exemplary operation 3504 includes the step of restricting the publication of data service availability values in response to an identifier of the periodic request source (e.g., an endpoint, a flow, a vehicle function, an application, a service group, and / or an entity associated with any of these).

[0141] Exemplary procedure 3500 includes a service availability description that further includes an authorization description, where operation 3510 includes the step of restricting the publication of data service values in response to the authorization description (e.g., not enabling periodic reception for the published service). Exemplary operation 3510 includes the step of restricting the publication of data service values in response to an identifier of the periodic request source (e.g., an endpoint, a flow, a vehicle function, an application, a service group, and / or an entity associated with any of these).

[0142] The exemplary operation 3502 includes a stage of interpreting the service availability value and a stage of updating the service availability description in response to the service availability value. For example, the service availability value can be updated by a provider device (e.g., an endpoint, a flow, a vehicle function, an application, a service group, an external device, etc.) and / or by a policy change that adds a service to the available services and / or removes a service from the available services. The exemplary operation 3502 further includes a stage of restricting the update of the service availability description in response to an authorization description (e.g., verifying the authorization of the update execution device before updating the service availability description) and / or in response to the identifier of the update execution device.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 36, an exemplary procedure 3600 for providing a message between networks for a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 3600 includes an operation 3602 of interpreting a first network data set having a first network format, an operation 3604 of determining a message value from the first network data set in response to operation 3602, an operation 3606 of encoding the message value in a second network data set having a second network format, and an operation 3608 of transmitting (on the second network) the second network data set. The exemplary procedure 3600 includes networks having vehicle data formats that are various formats (e.g., CAN, MOST, LIN, FlexRay, TTP, LVDS, AVB, and / or electrical signal formats). An exemplary first network format is a CAN-based format, and an exemplary second network format is an Ethernet-based format. The exemplary procedure 3600 includes an operation 3610 of interpreting (e.g., by a policy update provided by an external device) a configuration command value from an external device for a vehicle including a first network interface circuit that interprets the first network data set, a conversion circuit that determines a message value from the first network data set and encodes this message value in a second data set, and a second network interface circuit that transmits the second network data set, and an operation 3612 of configuring at least in part the first network interface circuit, the second network interface circuit, and / or the conversion circuit based on the configuration command value such that operations 3602, 3604, 3606, 3608 are performed according to the configuration command value.

[0144] The exemplary operation 3606 includes the steps of encapsulating a message value (e.g., payload), encapsulating the entire message (e.g., a part or all of the message frame), processing the message value, and / or processing a part or all of the message frame. The exemplary operation 3606 includes the step of including an encapsulation scheme for the message, the step of including an address description for the message (e.g., converting the address according to the target device that receives data on a separate network), and / or the step of including a sampling rate (e.g., performing upsampling and / or downsampling on a first network data set), including one or more of these steps.

[0145] Referring to FIG. 37, an exemplary procedure 3700 for configuring a CND for the step of monitoring the network of a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 3700 includes an operation 3702 of interpreting first communication data of a first network mounted on the vehicle, an operation 3704 of interpreting second communication data of a second network of a type different from the first network mounted on the vehicle, an operation 3706 of generating network status data by monitoring the first and second communication data, and an operation 3708 of transmitting the network status data (e.g., storing the data, communicating the data to an external device, a service tool, a cloud server, etc.). The exemplary procedure 3700 further includes an operation 3710 of configuring a first port (e.g., a port on the vehicle's network) to mirror a second port (e.g., another port on the vehicle's network), where the first port provides the first communication data, e.g., provides the first communication data as a message available on the second network, and / or provides the second port as a monitoring port for the first communication data. The exemplary operation 3710 is a port assignment value that identifies a selected port (e.g., determined according to a policy, from a configuration file, and / or request data and its provider endpoint, and / or a service tool, a monitoring device, etc. compatible withincluding the step of interpreting what is determined according to the port to be used, in which case, operation 3704 is the device identified among the second communication data (e.g., the monitored endpoint, port, flow, etc.) compatible with including the step of identifying the portion to be used, and operation 3708 includes the step of transmitting the identified portion of the second communication data through the selected port.

[0146] Exemplary operation 3706 further includes the step of modifying network status data. Exemplary operations for modifying network status data include modifying network status data in response to a selection command value and including in the network status data data corresponding to at least one device, application, vehicle function, flow, service group, network, protocol, and / or system identified by the data selection command value. Exemplary and non-limiting protocols include the CAN network protocol and / or the OBD protocol.

[0147] Referring to FIG. 38, a procedure 3800 for mirroring ports using a CND for a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 3800 includes an operation 3802 of interpreting first communication data of a first network at some ports of the CND, an operation 3804 of interpreting second communication data of a second network (of a different type), an operation 3806 of transferring the second communication data to the first network using at least one of the some ports (e.g., from a CEG to a CES), and an operation 3808 of mirroring a first one of the ports to a second one of the ports. Further, the exemplary procedure 3800 includes an operation 3810 of interpreting a port selection command value (e.g., a receiving port and / or a transmitting port of the mirrored target communication data), and an operation 3812 of allocating a first one and / or a second of the ports in response to the port selection command value. The exemplary operation 3810 includes a port allocation command value that identifies an allocated port and identifies a device on the second network, in which case the operations 3806 and / or 3808 include a step of transmitting an identified portion of the second communication data through the allocated port (e.g., to the second network and / or a mirror port).

[0148] Referring to FIG. 39, an exemplary procedure 3900 including a CND for a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 3900 includes an operation 3902 of interpreting a first network data set having a first network format by a first interface circuit of a centralized network device (CND), an operation 3904 of determining a message value from the first network data set by a conversion circuit of the CND in response to interpreting the first network data set, an operation 3906 of encoding the message value by the conversion circuit into a second network data set having a second network format different from the first network format, and an operation 3908 of transmitting the second network data set by a second interface circuit of the CND. Further, the exemplary procedure 3900 includes an operation 3910 of interpreting a configuration command value, and an operation 3912 of modifying the CND in response to the configuration command value.

[0149] The exemplary operation 3912 includes a stage of interpreting a configuration command value and a stage of modifying the CND in response to the configuration command value. The exemplary operation of modifying the CND selectively configures which of one or more portions of the first interface circuit, the conversion circuit, and / or the second interface circuit are at least partially defined by the first device and / or the second device (e.g., shifts the burden of conversion and / or interface among various network interface circuits and / or between the CEG and / or the CES). The exemplary operation 3912 includes a stage of generating a configuration command value outside the vehicle (e.g., from an external device and / or by policy update) and a stage of transmitting the configuration command value towards the vehicle (and / or the CND).

[0150] Referring to FIG. 40, an exemplary procedure 4000 is shown that performs a test operation, a diagnostic operation, and / or a vehicle control operation, and includes operations that include the CND to perform these operations. The exemplary procedure 4000 can perform, in addition to and / or separately from all or part of the operations for procedure 3900. The exemplary procedure 4000 includes an operation 4002 of generating a test command value outside the vehicle, an operation 4004 of transmitting the test command value towards the CND, and an operation 4006 of executing a test procedure in which a device (e.g., one of the first or second devices of procedure 3900 and / or a third device on the first or second network) is involved. In addition to or instead of this, the exemplary procedure 4000 can be performed using a diagnostic command value, an active assistance command value, and / or a vehicle control value (e.g., commanding an actuator, a vehicle function, etc.). In certain embodiments, procedure 4000 provides remote configuration of the CND and / or remote operations such as testing, diagnosis, vehicle control functions, etc. without requiring knowledge from an external device regarding the network topology, the location of the endpoints, and / or the local address of the endpoints of the devices on the vehicle.

[0151] Referring to FIG. 41, an exemplary procedure 4100 for adjusting the network of a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 4100 includes an operation 4102 of interpreting first communication data of a first network of the vehicle, an operation 4104 of interpreting second communication data of a second network of the vehicle, an operation 4106 of transferring the first communication data to the second network (and / or the second communication data to the first network), and an operation 4108 of adjusting the second network. The exemplary operation 4108 includes steps of restricting the transfer of the first communication data (e.g., steps of limiting speed, disabling and / or pausing communication, restricting devices that can send and / or receive transferred data, etc.). The exemplary operation 4108 is implemented based on the saturation rate of the first network and / or the second network, and / or the maximum bandwidth of the first network and / or the second network, in response to the amount of data per unit time, per operation event (e.g., per trip, during certain operating conditions, etc.) (e.g., keeping the total bandwidth limit, restricting transfer communication to a selected portion of the available bandwidth, etc.). The exemplary operation 4108 includes steps of prioritizing a portion of the first communication data and / or the second communication data for transfer according to any prioritization operation and / or grouping (e.g., end point, flow, application, vehicle function, service group, etc.) enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention. The exemplary operation 4108 includes steps of upsampling, downsampling, encapsulating, and / or processing a transfer message and / or a portion thereof (e.g., payload, selected message, frame portion, metadata, etc.).

[0152] Referring to FIG. 42, an exemplary procedure 4200 for coordinating inter-network communication of a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. The exemplary procedure 4200 includes an operation 4202 of interpreting first communication data of a first network mounted on the vehicle, an operation 4204 of interpreting second communication data of a second network mounted on the vehicle, an operation 4206 of transferring the first communication data to the second network (and / or the second communication data to the first network), and an operation 4208 of coordinating the transfer of the first communication data and / or the second communication data. The operation 4208 can coordinate operations described throughout the disclosure of the present invention and can be implemented in response to these characteristics, these and / or operating conditions of the vehicle, and / or these and / or abnormal conditions present with respect to the vehicle, in the first network, the second network, a transfer device (e.g., CEG, CES, and / or network interface circuit), and a memory storage (e.g., buffer memory and / or short-term memory storage for network communication).

[0153] Referring to FIG. 43, an exemplary procedure 4300 for supporting CAN status determination using an Ethernet-based monitor is shown. The exemplary procedure 4300 includes an operation 4302 of interpreting an Ethernet-based data set through one or more physical ports of a first interface circuit of an Ethernet switch (e.g., forming a CES) disposed on a vehicle, an operation 4304 of determining a message value from the Ethernet data set using a conversion circuit (e.g., on an Ethernet switch, CAN gateway, and / or CEG), and an operation 4306 of encoding a message from the Ethernet-based data set into a message for a CAN-based data set. Although operations 4304 and 4306 proceeding from an Ethernet-based data set to a CAN-based data set have been described, the operations can proceed from a CAN-based data set to an Ethernet-based data set in addition to or instead of this. The exemplary procedure 4300 further includes an operation 4308 of transmitting a CAN data set using a second interface circuit (e.g., thereby transmitting an Ethernet message to a CAN-based device and / or a CAN message to an Ethernet device). Further, the exemplary procedure 4300 includes an operation 4310 of interpreting a configuration command value and an operation 4312 of modifying the conversion circuit in response to the configuration command value (e.g., changing message processing, addressing, encapsulation characteristics, upsampling value, downsampling value, maximum data speed, etc.). The exemplary operation 4310 includes a step of receiving a configuration command value from an external device (e.g., as a request, message, policy update, etc.). The exemplary operation 4312 includes a step of providing the configuration command value to an Ethernet switch, CEG, configurable CAN gateway, etc. The exemplary procedure 4300 can be utilized to perform testing, active diagnosis, active assistance, and / or vehicle control, in which case a plurality of devices on a hybrid network are utilized to perform the operations. The exemplary operations can utilize any endpoint of the vehicle, vehicle function, application, flow, service group, etc.Exemplary operations can utilize systems and / or related components such as a vehicle's prime mover, vehicle engine, vehicle drive train, vehicle transmission, vehicle braking system, vehicle fuel system, and / or vehicle electrical system.

[0154] Referring to FIG. 44, an exemplary procedure 4400 for providing an Ethernet monitor on a vehicle having a hybrid network is shown. Exemplary procedure 4400 includes an operation 4402 to convert Ethernet communication data to CAN communication data, an operation 4404 to convert CAN communication data to Ethernet communication data, and an operation 4406 to generate network status data by monitoring the converted CAN communication data and Ethernet communication data. Further, procedure 4400 includes an operation 4408 to transmit network status data, for example, by storing data, communicating data to an external device, and / or transmitting data to a service tool, web application, cloud server, third-party application, etc.

[0155] Exemplary procedure 4400 further includes an operation 4410 to configure a first Ethernet port to interpret first Ethernet data and an operation 4412 to mirror the communication of the first Ethernet port to a second Ethernet port. In certain embodiments, the first Ethernet port can be the port that provides CAN communication data (e.g., from operation 4404) to the Ethernet network. In certain embodiments, operation 4408 to transmit network status data includes operation 4412 to mirror the communication of the first Ethernet port to a second Ethernet port. In addition to or instead of this, operation 4406 to generate network status data is performed on at least a portion of the data provided in operation 4412, and operation 4406 to generate network status data can be performed using within the vehicle, outside the vehicle, and / or a combination thereof.

[0156] Referring to FIG. 45, an exemplary procedure 4500 for operating a hybrid network system on a vehicle is shown. The exemplary procedure 4500 includes an operation 4502 of generating a message value by a first vehicle control device on a first network disposed inside the vehicle, an operation 4504 of transmitting the message value to a second vehicle control device on a second network disposed inside the vehicle, and an operation 4506 of performing a control operation on the vehicle (e.g., moving a sensor and / or an actuator, and / or collecting specified data) in response to receiving the message value by the second vehicle control device. Exemplary and non-limiting vehicle control devices include any sensor, actuator, and / or controller mounted on the vehicle. Exemplary and non-limiting vehicle control devices include systems and / or related components such as the prime mover of the vehicle, the engine of the vehicle, the drive train of the vehicle, the transmission of the vehicle, the braking system of the vehicle, the fuel system of the vehicle, and / or the electrical system of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, the first vehicle control device and / or the second vehicle control device can have a function of performing all or part of one or more operations of the other of the vehicle control devices. In certain embodiments, the operation 4502 includes generating a message that commands one of the vehicle control devices to take over all or part of one or more operations of the other of the vehicle control devices. In certain embodiments, these vehicle control devices are disposed on a plurality of different types of networks. In certain embodiments, the procedure 4500 includes an operation 4508 of providing data previously communicated to one of the vehicle control devices to the other of the vehicle control devices. The operation 4508 can be performed in addition to a previous communication (e.g., both vehicle control devices receive this data), and / or as a replacement for a previous communication (e.g., in response to a failure of a previous communication and / or stopping a previous communication when the operation 4508 is initiated).In certain embodiments, operation 4508 includes providing alternative data (e.g., data for different executable operations of a replacement control device, but nevertheless data for which the replacement control device is to be used in whole or in part in place of the original control device), data from different sources (e.g., from an endpoint different from the source of a previous communication), and / or data that is processed to be clearly different from a previous communication (e.g., having different resolution, communication speed, units, etc.). In certain embodiments, operation 4508, which includes substitution of a vehicle controller and / or communication change, is performed in response to a request from a control device (e.g., separate data requests are sent from the control device in response to an operation change), and / or in accordance with a configuration file and / or policy.

[0157] Exemplary procedure 4500 includes operation 4504 of transmitting a message value over one or more intermediate networks (e.g., tunneling from a CAN network on a first network zone through an Ethernet network on a second network zone to a CAN network on a third network zone). In certain embodiments, the intermediate network can be a clearly different type of network compared to the first network and / or the second network. Exemplary and non-limiting operation 4506 includes one or more of obtaining data from a vehicle component, operating a vehicle component, and / or controlling another vehicle control device. Exemplary operation 4506 can utilize any endpoint of the vehicle, vehicle function, application, flow, service group, etc. Exemplary operation 4506 can utilize systems and / or related components such as the vehicle's prime mover, vehicle engine, vehicle drive train, vehicle transmission, vehicle braking system, vehicle fuel system, and / or vehicle electrical system. Exemplary operation 4506 can utilize systems and / or related components such as the vehicle's infotainment system, vehicle environmental system, vehicle safety system, and / or vehicle security system.

[0158] Referring to FIG. 46, an exemplary procedure 4600 for operating a hybrid network system on a vehicle is shown. The exemplary procedure 4600 includes an operation 4602 of generating a message value by a first vehicle control device on a first network of the vehicle, an operation 4604 of transmitting the message value (and / or a processed and / or encapsulated version of the message value) on a second network to an external device that is at least selectively communicatively coupled to the vehicle, and an operation 4606 of interpreting the message value by the external device. The exemplary procedure 4600 includes an operation 4608 of testing the first vehicle control device by the external device and / or configuring the first vehicle control device by the external device (e.g., providing a direct command or request, updating a policy, and / or updating a configuration file). The exemplary procedure 4600 includes an operation 4609 of configuring a second vehicle control device on the second network by the external device, which operation can be responsive to operations 4604, 4606, and / or 4608.

[0159] The exemplary operation 4604 includes a step of converting the message value from a first format (e.g., for the first network) to a second format (e.g., for the second network) (e.g., using a CND, CEG, CES, and / or network interface circuit). The exemplary operation 4608 includes a step of including a CND (and / or CEG, CES, and / or network interface circuit) by the external device. The exemplary procedure 4600 includes, in addition to or instead of this, a step of transmitting one or more message values on an intermediate network inserted between the first network and the second network (see, e.g., FIGS. 4, 23, 45, and related descriptions).

[0160] The exemplary procedure 4600 includes an operation 4610 of generating an external message value by an external device and an operation 4612 of transmitting the external message value towards a first network. The operation 4612 can further include a step of interpreting the external message by a vehicle control device (e.g., the first vehicle control device and / or another vehicle control device for determining, for example, the external message content and thereby implementing control operations, data collection operations, active diagnostic operations, active assistance operations, test operations, update operations for configuration files and / or policies, etc.). The exemplary operation 4612 can utilize any end point of the vehicle, vehicle function, vehicle controller, application, flow, service group, etc. The exemplary operation 4612 can utilize systems and / or related components such as the vehicle's prime mover, vehicle engine, vehicle drive train, vehicle transmission, vehicle braking system, vehicle fuel system, and / or vehicle electrical system. The exemplary operation 4612 can utilize systems and / or related components such as the vehicle's infotainment system, vehicle environmental system, vehicle safety system, and / or vehicle security system.

[0161] Referring to FIG. 47, an exemplary system 4700 is shown for providing vehicle-to-vehicle communication control that is consistent with multiple embodiments of the disclosure of the present invention. The exemplary system includes a vehicle 102 having a first network zone 5612 and a second network zone 5614 that is of a different type than the first network zone 5612. The exemplary system 4700 includes a CND 108 inserted between the first network zone 5612 and the second network zone 5614. The CND 108 inserted between the network zones 5612, 5614 includes physical intervention (e.g., communication between the network zones 5612, 5614 passes through a device such as the CND 108 and / or a CEG, CES, or other network interface circuit controlled thereby), and / or logical intervention (e.g., when communication between the network zones 5612, 5614 passes through a device controlled by the CND 108, and / or when the CND 108 adjusts communication between the network zones 5612, 5614, such as passing data values, configuring data values, data speed, data upsampling and / or downsampling, encapsulation operations, frame inclusion, and / or processing of passing communication).

[0162] The exemplary system 4700 further includes a policy manager circuit 5602 that interprets a policy 5606 including an active diagnostic description 4705, and a diagnostic execution circuit 4702 that provides a diagnostic command value 4712 in response to the active diagnostic description 4705 to endpoints of network zones 5612, 5614. The exemplary system 4700 includes an endpoint (endpoint 4708) of a first network zone 5612 and an endpoint (endpoint 4710) of a second network zone 5614. In the exemplary system 4700, the endpoints 4708, 4710 include devices that respond to the diagnostic command value 4712. Exemplary and non-limiting diagnostic command values 4712 include commands to collect one or more data values, commands to activate an actuator, and / or commands to activate a vehicle function (e.g., provide engine speed, power level, or execute a higher level function such as a regeneration mode, a planned test operation, etc.). The exemplary system 4700 enables the successful execution of an active diagnostic test requested by an external device, regardless of the distribution of endpoints 4708, 4710 across multiple vehicle networks, including cases where the endpoints move between networks and / or where a given diagnostic command value 4712 is utilized to perform active diagnostic tests across various vehicles having various network configurations and various distributions of endpoints 4708, 4710.

[0163] Referring to FIG. 48, the exemplary endpoint 4708 includes a device control circuit 4802 that interprets the diagnostic command value 4712 and provides an actuator command value 4804 in response to the diagnostic command value 4712. The exemplary endpoint 4708 includes or is connected to an actuator 4806 that responds to the actuator command value 4804. For example, the diagnostic command value 4712 can include commands such as "lock the driver's door", "close the exhaust gas recirculation valve", "raise the motor temperature to 80 ° C", and the abstraction between the diagnostic command value 4712 and the response of the actuator 4806 enables the acquisition of the diagnostic command value 4712. In addition to or instead of this, the diagnostic command value 4712 can be associated with complex operations or continuous operations such as an entire test sequence, and thus can be associated with many endpoints 4708, 4710, and / or a plurality of actuators 4806 across the system 4700 can be implied by a single diagnostic command value 4712.

[0164] The exemplary system 4700 further includes a diagnostic execution circuit 4702 that determines whether vehicle operating conditions 4720 are consistent with diagnostic command value 4712 before providing diagnostic command value 4712 to endpoints 4708, 4710. For example, diagnostic command value 4712 can include a diagnostic test that adjusts the torque delivery of the vehicle's prime mover, and associated vehicle operating conditions 4720 can include parameters such as ensuring that the vehicle's gear is in neutral, ensuring that the vehicle is not in a motive power mode, and / or ensuring that the vehicle is in a selected test mode. In certain embodiments, vehicle operating conditions 4720 for a given diagnostic command value 4712 can be indicated within an active diagnostic description 4705, enabling active control of vehicle operating conditions 4720 for test execution (e.g., target temperature, specific conditions to be diagnosed, such as vehicle start, high-altitude operation, etc.), and / or considerations outside of the test (e.g., driver or maintenance technician safety, fuel economy, or emissions, impact on network communication speed, processing requirements, and / or memory storage capacity, etc.). In certain embodiments, vehicle operating conditions 4720 for a given diagnostic command value 4712 can be enforced by another flow, application, vehicle function, etc. related to the vehicle (e.g., torque commands cannot be adjusted separately from driver commands unless specified vehicle conditions 4720 are present). The exemplary system 4700 includes a policy 5606 that includes diagnostic execution conditions 4706, where diagnostic execution circuit 4702 further determines whether vehicle operating conditions 4720 are consistent with diagnostic command value 4712 in response to diagnostic execution conditions 4706.

[0165] The exemplary system 4700 includes a diagnostic execution circuit 4702 that further performs a diagnostic data collection operation in response to the active diagnostic description 4705 and stores a diagnostic data set 4714 in response to the diagnostic data collection operation. For example, the active diagnostic description 4705 can include some data parameters to be collected, the state conditions of the monitored vehicle, and / or parameter threshold values to be determined (e.g., a temperature greater than the threshold value). The stored target diagnostic data set 4714 can include the collected data, the state conditions of the vehicle determined based thereon, or a combination thereof. The collected data can be from endpoints 4708, 4710 in response to the diagnostic command value 4712 (e.g., confirmation that the actuator responded to the command, diagnostic data or fault codes related to the responding actuator, etc.), or from endpoints 4708, 4710 other than those responding to the command (e.g., observation of temperature, pressure, speed values not directly related to the operation endpoints 4708, 4710, situation confirmation, etc.).

[0166] The exemplary diagnostic execution circuit 4702 performs a processing operation on the data collected in the diagnostic data collection operation and stores a diagnostic data set 4714 in response to the processing operation. For example, the stored target diagnostic data set 4714 can include state information, virtual sensor information, bad information (e.g., storing only data related to the operation when the threshold value is not satisfied), values obtained by upsampling and / or downsampling the collected data, and / or any other processing operations enumerated throughout the disclosure of the present invention. Exemplary and non-limiting processing operations on the collected data or a portion thereof include the steps of compressing the collected data, summarizing the collected data, operating a virtual sensor using the collected data, determining vehicle operating conditions in response to the collected data, determining a diagnostic data set in response to the determination of vehicle operating parameters, performing an upsampling operation on the collected data, and / or performing a downsampling operation on the collected data.

[0167] The exemplary diagnostic execution circuit 4702 further communicates a diagnostic data set 4714 in response to a diagnostic data collection operation to an external device (e.g., 5618). The external device that receives the diagnostic data set 4714 can be the same or a different external device as the external device that supplies the active diagnostic description 4705. The exemplary diagnostic execution circuit 4702 further processes the collected data before communicating it to the external device, and this processing can include an initial process of determining the stored target diagnostic data set 4714 and / or yet another processing operation on the stored target diagnostic data set 4714 before communicating it to the external device. For example, the diagnostic execution circuit 4702 can store the diagnostic data set 4714 and transmit a portion of the diagnostic data set 4714 (e.g., selected parameters, active diagnostic results, etc.) to the external device. Then, the exemplary diagnostic execution circuit 4702 performs selected operations such as steps of further processing (e.g., reducing external data communication in response to data selected for transmission by the external device) before communicating the diagnostic data set 4714 to the external device, and / or communicates the diagnostic data set 4714 to the external device (e.g., in response to the availability of external communication such as a WiFi connection, connected external device, etc. and / or as required from the external device for all of the diagnostic data set 4714), and / or communicates yet another selected portion of the diagnostic data set 4714 (e.g., data requested by the external device), and / or holds the diagnostic data set 4714 and / or a further processed form of the diagnostic data set 4714 stored over a selected period, and / or deletes the diagnostic data set 4714 after the diagnostic execution operation (e.g., according to the results of an active diagnostic test and / or according to a request from the external device).The operation of system 4700 can be seen as providing for the execution of active diagnostic operations by external devices (e.g., service tools, service applications, cloud-based applications, fleet service computer devices, and / or third-party applications) that participate in endpoints on the vehicle over a hybrid network, without requiring knowledge of the location and / or configuration of the endpoints on the vehicle, capable of supporting multiple configurations of the vehicle, and / or capable of supporting changes to the vehicle's configuration. In addition to or instead of this, the operation of system 4700 provides for planned data transmission including reduction of transmitted data while acquiring a strong active diagnostic function, and further enables planned consumption of resources of processing, memory, and inter-network communication on the vehicle while acquiring this strong active diagnostic function.

[0168] Exemplary system 4700 includes a diagnostic verification circuit 4704 that determines a diagnostic confirmation value 4716 based on the response of an actuator to a diagnostic command value 4712 (e.g., checks whether the actuator performed the commanded function and / or whether the vehicle performed an active diagnosis according to the active diagnostic description 4705 across a group of actuators). Exemplary diagnostic verification circuit 4704 stores the diagnostic confirmation value 4716 (e.g., as part of the diagnostic data set 4714) and / or communicates the diagnostic confirmation value 4716 to an external device. In certain embodiments, diagnostic verification circuit 4704 adjusts the storage and / or communication of diagnostic data set 4714 in response to the diagnostic confirmation value 4716, e.g., to ensure that the diagnostic data set 4714 pertains to the performance of an active diagnosis. In certain embodiments, diagnostic execution circuit 4702 stores all or a portion of the diagnostic data set 4714 as a rolling buffer of data and can save a selected portion of the diagnostic data set 4714 in response to the diagnostic verification circuit 4704 providing the diagnostic confirmation value 4716 (e.g., when the diagnosis has a time value or actuator position as part of the diagnostic execution and enables the diagnosis to be fully determined when a timer or other cumulative state has completed).

[0169] The exemplary active diagnostic description 4705 includes a target device description 4718 (e.g., a fueling actuator, an engine controller, a door actuator, a mirror position adjustment actuator, etc.), and the target device description 4718 does not identify on which of the network zones 5612, 5614 the endpoints that support it are located. The exemplary system includes a configuration circuit 5604 that determines a network address value 4722 (e.g., a port number of an Ethernet network, a message ID for a CAN network, etc.) for an endpoint in response to the target device description 4718, and the diagnostic execution circuit 4702 further provides a diagnostic command value 4712 in response to the network address value 4722 to the endpoint. For example, the target device description 4718 can include a standardized description regarding the endpoint (e.g., engine speed, ambient temperature, passenger seat occupancy sensor, etc.), and the configuration circuit 5604 is accessible to a configuration table that associates the standardized description with a local network address for the component that intends the standardized description. In addition to or instead of this, the target device description 4718 can have a description that matches a baseline product (e.g., the 2020 LX version of a given vehicle), a description that matches the original version of the vehicle (e.g., when the vehicle was configured after manufacture), and / or a description that matches an earlier version of the vehicle (e.g., when the vehicle includes a certain date). In certain embodiments, the configuration table or other information utilized by the configuration circuit 5604 to determine the network address value 4722 can be one or more configuration files maintained by the network interface circuit, a configuration file maintained by the policy management circuit, a configuration file maintained by the CND, and / or a configuration file maintained as part of the policy 5606.

[0170] The exemplary active diagnosis description 4705 includes a target device description 4718 (e.g., a fueling actuator, an engine controller, a door actuator, a mirror position adjustment actuator, etc.) that identifies an endpoint as being on one network zone (e.g., the first network zone 5612). The configuration circuit 5604 determines, in response to the target device description 4718, that this endpoint is on another network zone (e.g., the second network zone 5614). For example, the configuration circuit 5604 can determine that the target device description 4718 indicates a wrong or absent device, and / or further determine that an external device is using a different and / or standardized configuration file than the previous one to provide the target device description 4718. In this case, the configuration circuit 5604 uses the local configuration file to determine an appropriate network address value and / or network zone for the endpoint specified by the target device description 4718. In certain embodiments, the configuration circuit 5604 uses other information from the target device description 4718, such as parameter names, intended functions, etc., to determine an appropriate network address value and / or network zone for this endpoint. Similarly, the configuration circuit 5604 can correct the target device description 1718 that indicates an incorrect address, such as another address on the first network zone, if the correct address is an address on the first network zone other than the wrong network zone.

[0171] The operation of the constituent circuit 5604 enables the simplification of active diagnostic descriptions (e.g., external devices do not require system-specific information regarding the location of endpoints and the distribution of the network), the adaptation of diagnostic execution when vehicle endpoints and / or local communication devices are moved and / or upgraded, and / or enables an abstraction layer between external devices and the vehicle configuration. The simplification and / or abstraction of active diagnostic definitions from the vehicle network configuration enables cost reduction in the development and product introduction of active diagnostics, and the expansion of the user base demanding active diagnostic development (e.g., with enhanced protection of confidential information such as vehicle configuration information and / or data partitioning), thereby improving the overall diagnostic function, improving the usage experience of vehicle drivers, and enhancing competition and implicit competition regarding the development and implementation of active diagnostics.

[0172] Referring to FIG. 49, an exemplary system 4900 includes a vehicle 102 having a first legacy network zone 4902 and a second high-function network zone 4904. For example, the first legacy network zone 4902 can be a first network type such as a CAN bus, and the second high-function network zone 4904 can be a second network type such as an Ethernet network. In certain embodiments, the second high-function network zone 4904 can be of the same type as the first legacy network zone 4902, but can also be a higher-function version such as a high-speed CAN bus, a faster Ethernet network, etc. In certain embodiments, a system 4900 as shown in FIG. 49 can exist when the vehicle migrates to an upgraded network type, e.g., during transitions over several vehicle model years, when new components utilizing a higher-function network are added to the vehicle, and similar situations.

[0173] The exemplary system 4900 includes a CND 108 inserted between a first legacy network zone 4902 and a second high - performance network zone 4904. In this case, the CND 108 includes a policy management circuit 5602 that interprets a policy 5606 including an external communication value 4906, and an external communication control circuit 4908 that adjusts communication between an external device 5618 and the endpoints of the first legacy network zone 4902 and / or the endpoints of the second high - performance network zone 4904 in response to the external communication value 4906. For example, to reduce traffic generated by communication to and from the external device 5618 on the first legacy network zone 4902, and / or due to the protection requirements of the endpoints on the first legacy network zone 4902 (e.g., when vehicle control and / or proprietary information is maintained on the first legacy network zone 4902, and / or when the security protocol for the first legacy network zone 4902 is more severely restricted than those available in the second high - performance network zone 4904), the external communication between the endpoints of the first legacy network zone 4902 can be restricted. In another example, when a device that may have been recently added to the vehicle (and thus has no long known usage history, security pre - review, and / or vehicle operation impact data), and / or a device added by an entity, and / or a device that is not as tightly controlled as the providers of the devices on the first legacy network zone 4902 (e.g., a device such as an entertainment provider that may be provided by a third party and is related to recently developed vehicle functions and / or not related to core vehicle functions), the external communication between the endpoints of the second high - performance network zone 4904 can be restricted (e.g., when the higher - function devices on the second high - performance network zone 4904 can have functions that generate high data speeds) to reduce external transmissions from the vehicle (e.g., those via the vehicle's transceiver, those using a specific data provider) due to the potentially large number of devices on the second high - performance network zone 4904.The reasons presented regarding restricting external traffic between endpoints on various networks and external devices are non-limiting and are presented for illustrative purposes. However, the external communication control circuit 4908 can adjust the communication between an endpoint in any network zone and any external device for any reason.

[0174] The exemplary system 4900 includes an active diagnostic description, for example, diagnostic operations and / or data collection performed as diagnostic operations, commands to any endpoint on any network zone of the vehicle, data collected from these endpoints, and / or an external communication value 4906 that can include communication with these endpoints. The exemplary system 4900 includes an active test description, for example, test operations (e.g., tests of any endpoint, actuator, sensor, flow, application, vehicle function, and / or vehicle controller on the vehicle), commands to any endpoint on any network zone of the vehicle, data collected from these endpoints, and / or an external communication value 4906 that can include communication with these endpoints. The exemplary system 4900 includes an external communication value 4906 that includes a data request value (e.g., data parameter collection from any endpoint and / or including processing of data parameters) and / or a vehicle command value (e.g., commands such as to any actuator, display, controller attached to any endpoint). Exemplary and non-limiting external devices 5618 include service tools, manufacturer tools, seller tools, and / or cloud-based tools.

[0175] The exemplary external communication value 4906 includes a target device description that includes identification information of a target endpoint (e.g., network zone, local address, sensor name, actuator name, data parameter name, etc.). In this case, the external communication control circuit 4908 determines that the endpoint has a configuration different from the identification information shown in the target device description (e.g., different network zone, local address, sensor name, actuator name, data parameter name, etc.). In certain embodiments, the external communication control circuit 4908 can include or utilize a configuration circuit 5604 (see, e.g., FIGS. 56, 47, and related descriptions) for determining appropriate identification information for the target endpoint. The exemplary external communication value 4906 does not include identification information of the target endpoint, and the external communication control circuit 4908 provides appropriate identification information for the target endpoint based on the external communication value 4906 (see also FIGS. 56, 47, and related descriptions including the operation of the configuration circuit 5604). It can be seen that the operation of the system 4900 does not have specific knowledge of the location of the endpoint, parameter name, local address, etc. to perform active diagnosis, testing, and data collection, and enables the external device 5618 to operate across several vehicle configurations. The vehicle configuration can represent changes to the vehicle after inspection and repair, replacement of components (e.g., endpoints), changes to the vehicle after upgrading executable instructions stored on a component and / or computer-readable medium, changes over multiple model years, and / or changes to the vehicle due to campaigns, upgrades, and / or remanufacturing.

[0176] Referring to FIG. 50, an exemplary procedure 5000 for commanding an actuator in response to a diagnostic command value is shown. The exemplary procedure 5000 includes an operation 5002 for interpreting a policy that includes an active diagnosis description, an operation 5004 for providing a diagnostic command value to an endpoint in response to an active diagnosis condition, and an operation 5006 for commanding an actuator in response to the diagnostic command value.

[0177] Referring to FIG. 51, an exemplary procedure 5100 for commanding an actuator in response to a diagnostic command value is shown. The exemplary procedure 5100 includes an operation 5102 for interpreting a policy including an active diagnostic description and diagnostic execution conditions, and an operation 5104 for determining whether the vehicle operating conditions match the diagnostic execution conditions and / or the diagnostic command value (e.g., determined from the active diagnostic description). In response to the operation 5104 determining "YES", the procedure 5100 includes an operation 5004 for providing the diagnostic command value in response to the active diagnostic conditions as an end point, and an operation 5006 for commanding the actuator in response to the diagnostic command value.

[0178] Referring to FIG. 52, an exemplary procedure 5200 for commanding an actuator in response to a diagnostic command value is shown. The exemplary procedure 5200 includes an operation 5002 for interpreting a policy including an active diagnostic description, and an operation 5202 for performing a diagnostic data collection operation in response to the active diagnostic description. Further, the exemplary procedure 5200 includes an operation 5004 for providing the diagnostic command value in response to the active diagnostic conditions as an end point, and an operation 5006 for commanding the actuator in response to the diagnostic command value.

[0179] Referring to FIG. 53, an exemplary procedure 5202 for performing a diagnostic data collection operation is schematically depicted. The exemplary procedure 5202 includes an operation 5302 for processing the collected data (e.g., processing the message payload and / or frame information of the collected data), an operation 5304 for storing the processed collected data, and an operation 5306 for communicating at least a portion of the stored data to an external device.

[0180] Referring to FIG. 54, an exemplary procedure 5400 for storing and / or communicating a diagnostic confirmation value is schematically depicted. The exemplary procedure 5400 includes an operation 5002 for interpreting a policy including an active diagnostic description, an operation 5004 for providing the diagnostic command value in response to the active diagnostic conditions as an end point, and an operation 5006 for commanding the actuator in response to the diagnostic command value. Further, the exemplary procedure 5400 includes an operation 5402 for determining the diagnostic confirmation value, and an operation 5404 for storing the diagnostic confirmation value and / or communicating it to one or more external devices.

[0181] Referring to FIG. 55, an exemplary procedure 5500 for commanding an actuator in response to a diagnostic command value is schematically depicted. In addition to the operations enumerated with respect to FIG. 50 and earlier, exemplary procedure 5500 includes an operation 5502 that determines whether the target device description indicates a network address value for a target endpoint with respect to the actuator that received the command (e.g., if the target device description does not point to a network address value or points to an invalid network address value, operation 5502 determines NO). In response to operation 5502 determining YES, procedure 5500 proceeds to operation 5004. In response to operation 5502 determining YES, procedure 5500 includes an operation 5504 that supplies or adjusts a network address value for the target endpoint, and then proceeds to operation 5004.

[0182] Referring to FIG. 56, an exemplary system 5600 for providing vehicle external communication control consistent with an embodiment of the disclosure of the present invention is shown. The systems described throughout the disclosure of the present invention can be provided on a mobile application such as a vehicle, or provided as described throughout the disclosure of the present invention. The exemplary system herein enumerates a particular arrangement of, for example, a centralized network device (CND) 108, circuits, controllers, or other components. These arrangements are provided for purposes of clarity of this description, but these components can have clearly different relevancies for purposes of distributing, combining, dividing, and / or forming the systems described herein and for performing procedures.

[0183] The circuits, controllers, processors, or other devices shown in this specification are configured to functionally implement the operations described in this specification and can include computer components such as processors, memories, and / or communication components. In addition to or instead of this, such devices can include logic circuits, hardware configured to implement one or more functions of the device, any type of sensor, actuator, and / or display. A given circuit, controller, processor, or other such device can be distributed and / or grouped in whole or in part with other such devices.

[0184] Certain operations herein are described as interpreting or receiving parameters or obtaining parameter values using other similar language depending on the situation. Any such operation can include receiving a parameter value as network communication, receiving a parameter value from a sensor, receiving a parameter value as a feedback value (e.g., actuator position, reported fault code value, etc.), receiving a parameter value from a memory location accessible to the interpreting or receiving device, receiving a parameter value as a command, receiving a parameter value as a response to a request from the receiving or interpreting device, and / or receiving a precursor value on which the parameter is at least partially determined (e.g., determining a parameter value to be interpreted or received by operating a virtual sensor using other information, determining a situation value based on received information if a situation value is received or interpreted for the purposes of this description, and / or inferring an interpretation value using received information). Further, any such operation can include more steps than these (e.g., interpreting parameter values at different times, under different operating conditions, during abnormal conditions, in a clearly different scheme depending on the source of the parameter value and / or the use or purpose of the interpreted parameter value at a given time or during certain operating conditions), and / or combinations of these steps (e.g., operating a virtual sensor on received information to determine a precursor value and determining an interpreted parameter value in response to the precursor value).

[0185] Exemplary system 5600 has a first network zone 5612 and a second network zone 5614, and includes a vehicle 102 in which the first network zone 5612 and the second network zone 5614 are different types of networks. Without being limited to any other aspect of the disclosure of the present invention, the various types of networks described herein may have differences in network functions (e.g., bandwidth, message size, latency, noise sensitivity, etc.), differences in network protocols at any layer (e.g., hardware type, message frame requirements, addressing scheme, type of acknowledgment, requirements, or functions, cast availability, e.g., unicast, multicast, and / or broadcast), network standard types (e.g., Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented System Transport (MOST) network, Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay network, Time-Triggered Protocol (TTP) network, Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) network, Audio Video Bridging (AVB)-compliant network, any one or more customized versions of these, and / or any one or more proprietary versions of these). Exemplary network zones include an electrical signal zone (e.g., when the corresponding network interface circuit interprets an electrical signal value as communication and / or provides a certain electrical value indicating an endpoint of the electrical signal zone, e.g., a sensed parameter value, a diagnostic value, etc., to a sensor, and / or moves to a selected position and / or applies a selected force in response to a certain electrical value, and / or an actuator, and / or the actuator can provide feedback information and / or diagnostic information on the electrical signal zone in addition to or instead of this). The electrical signal for the electrical signal zone can be of any type including at least voltage value, frequency value, current value, and / or configured Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) value, e.g., duty cycle, amplitude, selective period, etc.).

[0186] The exemplary system 5600 further includes a policy management circuit 5602 that interprets a policy 5606 including a network regulation description (not shown), and a configuration circuit 5604 including at least one network interface circuit (e.g., a first network interface circuit 5608 for a first network zone 5612 compatible with and / or a second network interface circuit 5610 for a second network zone compatible with 5614 ). For example, the policy 5606 can be provided by an external device 5618 and / or can be stored in advance (e.g., during manufacturing, assembly, and / or during a previous update from the external device 5618), in which case the policy 5606 includes a network regulation description having a display of devices on the vehicle 102 selected with respect to functions for utilizing the network zones 5612, 5614, for communicating between the zones, and / or for communicating with the external device 5618.

[0187] The exemplary system 5600 includes a first network interface circuit 5608 provided as part of the CEG when the first network zone 5612 is a CAN bus network, and a second network zone 5614includes a second network interface circuit 5610 provided as part of the CES when provided as an Ethernet network. In this example, the first network interface circuit 5608 provides communications selected from the first network zone 5612 to the second network interface circuit 5610 at a selected port of the Ethernet network, and / or receives communications selected from the second network zone 5614 at the selected port of the Ethernet network, thereby enabling inter-network communication between the first network zone 5612 and the second network zone 5614. In this example, communications from the first network zone 5612 to the external device 5618 are provided through the second network zone 5614 (e.g., when the external device 5618 is coupled to the second network zone 5614 and / or wirelessly connected to the vehicle 102), or provided directly to the external device 5618 (e.g., when the external device 5618 is directly coupled to the first network zone 5612 or the CAN bus).

[0188] The exemplary system 5600 includes a first network zone 5612 as a virtual local area network (VLAN) that is logically separated from the second network zone 5614 but disposed on hardware that is at least partially shared with the second network zone 5614. In this example, the first network interface circuit 5608 and the second network interface circuit 5610 can be operated as elements of a network switch or router to control communication between an endpoint of the first network zone 5612 and an endpoint of the second network zone 5614 in response to the policy 5606.

[0189] Located on vehicle 102, the devices adjusted by the policy include, but are not limited to, one or more of the end points of the network zone, the flows related to communication devices (e.g., end points or applications), and the applications related to communication devices (e.g., end points). For example, the end point of the first network zone 5612 (e.g., a backup camera on vehicle 102) can request or conduct communication on the vehicle's network, but can be associated with more than one application or flow (e.g., associated with a first flow related to the reverse movement of the vehicle under the first operating condition and associated with a second flow related to the security operation of the vehicle under the second operating condition). Thus, the communication of the backup camera on vehicle 102 can have different adjustment parameters depending on the flow associated with the operation during movement. In certain embodiments, the end point is associated with more than one application or flow and is adjusted according to the one with the highest priority among the relevant applications or flows (e.g., to reduce communication requirements such as determining the application or flow that requests immediate communication to be adjusted, and / or to shorten the processing time for determining which application or flow requests immediate communication). In certain embodiments, the end point is associated with more than one application or flow and is adjusted according to the priority of the application or flow that requests immediate communication.

[0190] In this specification, a device can be referred to as a local communication device that is on vehicle 102 and is adjusted by a policy. The local communication device includes, but is not limited to, an endpoint of a network zone, an application, a flow, a vehicle function (e.g., power management, in-vehicle comfort, traction control, etc.), a sensor device, a service group, and / or a vehicle controller (e.g., an engine controller, a transmission controller, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) controller, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) controller, etc.). A given component, such as an endpoint of a network zone, can be the first local communication device during one operating condition depending on, fo...

Claims

1. A system comprising: a vehicle having a first network zone and a second network zone of a different type from the first network zone; a centralized network device (CND) inserted between the first network zone and the second network zone; wherein the CND comprises: a policy management circuit structured to interpret a policy including a network adjustment description and at least one data collection parameter; a configuration circuit structured to configure at least one network interface circuit in response to the policy; at least one network interface circuit structured to regulate communication between an end point of the first network zone and an end point of the second network zone; wherein the policy further includes a permission value corresponding to at least one end point of the first network zone or the second network zone, and the permission value includes at least one permission value selected from values composed of a service publication permission value, a service periodic reception permission value, or an external communication permission value. A system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the policy management circuit is further structured to receive policy communication from an external device and interpret the policy by performing one of storing the policy or updating the stored policy in response to the policy communication.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the external device is communicatively coupled to the policy management circuit through at least one of the first network zone or the second network zone.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the external device is communicatively coupled to the policy management circuit through at least one of a wireless network connection or a cellular network connection.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the policy management circuit is further structured to verify the policy before performing one of storing the policy or updating the stored policy.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the policy management circuit is further structured to provide a notification to the external device in response to verifying the policy. ​ ​

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the permission value further includes a data collection permission value.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the policy is communicated from an external device to the CND.

9. A system, a vehicle having a first network and a second network, a first device on the first network, a centralized network device (CND) inserted between the first network and the second network and structured to facilitate communication between the first device and the second network, comprising: wherein the CND includes a policy management circuit structured to interpret a policy including a network adjustment description and at least one data collection parameter, wherein the first network is of a different type than the second network, wherein the policy further includes a permission value corresponding to at least one endpoint of the first network zone or the second network zone, and the permission value includes at least one permission value selected from values composed of a service publication permission value, a service periodic reception permission value, or an external communication permission value, a system.

10. A second device on the second network and structured to communicate with the first device through the CND, The system according to claim 9, further comprising.

11. An external device communicatively coupled to the CND and structured to adjust the configuration of the CND, The system according to claim 9, further comprising.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first network and / or the second network is a controller area network (CAN)-based network.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first network and / or the second network is an Ethernet-based network.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the Ethernet-based network includes a data bus architecture.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first network is a controller area network (CAN)-based network and the second network is an Ethernet-based network.

16. wherein the CND A configurable edge gateway (CEG) structured to access the CAN-based network, An Ethernet switch structured to access the Ethernet-based network, comprising, The CEG provides a message to the Ethernet switch in response to a corresponding message on the CAN-based network. The system according to claim 15.

17. The CEG of claim 16, structured to provide the message to the Ethernet switch as an Ethernet message including a CAN message encapsulated based on the corresponding message on the CAN-based network.

18. The CEG is positioned in a first housing, The Ethernet switch is positioned in a second housing. The system according to claim 16.

19. The CEG is disposed on a first substrate, The Ethernet switch is positioned on a second substrate. The system according to claim 16.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the permitted value further corresponds to security considerations, and the CND is further structured to adjust the communication based at least in part on the security considerations.

21. The security considerations are limiting the accuracy of data within the communication, limiting the resolution of data within the communication, or limiting the data speed of the communication, The system according to claim 20, which is at least one of the above.

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