On-board device, management device, transmission path authentication system, transmission path authentication method, and management method

Abstract

Provided is an in-vehicle device that is mounted in a vehicle, the in-vehicle device comprising: a storage unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; a measurement unit that measures characteristics of the transmission path; and an authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a result of comparison between the characteristic data in the storage unit and the measurement result obtained by the measurement unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle device, a management device, a transmission path authentication system, a transmission path authentication method, and a management method. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-8528, filed January 24, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 (International Publication No. 2015 / 052879) discloses the following distortion compensation system. That is, the distortion compensation system includes a first communication node (4, 104, 204) including a first receiving unit (13, 113) having an equalizer (12, 112) configured using a first digital filter (FF1, FB1, FF101) and a first transmitting unit (10, 110) having an emphasis circuit (8, 108) configured using a second digital filter (FF2, FB2, FF102), and a second transmitting unit (204) that transmits a predetermined training pattern to the first communication node through a first transmission line (6, 6a, 206a) before receiving normal data from the first transmitting unit of the first communication node. and a second communication node (5, 105, 205a) comprising: a first communication node (5, 105, 205b) including a first digital filter (105a) and a second digital filter (105b) including a second digital filter (105c) and a second digital filter (105d) including a second digital filter (105e) and a second digital filter (105f) and a second digital filter (105f) including a second digital filter (105f ...

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 (JP 2020-174228 A) discloses the following high-speed signal transmission device. That is, the high-speed signal transmission device includes, for each transmission channel, a receiving circuit unit that receives signals from other high-speed signal transmission devices and a transmitting circuit unit that transmits signals to the other high-speed signal transmission devices, and the transmitting circuit unit transmits a transmission parameter change request to the other high-speed signal transmission device to increment or decrement the transmission parameter of the other high-speed signal transmission device, and each time the transmission parameter of the other high-speed signal transmission device is incremented or decremented, the receiving circuit unit sweeps the reception parameter to measure the transmission signal quality, determines the transmission parameter of the other high-speed signal transmission device when the measured transmission signal quality is at its best value as the best value of the transmission parameter, determines the reception parameter when the measured transmission signal quality is at its best value as the best value of the reception parameter, and sets the reception parameter to the best value of the reception parameter, and the transmitting circuit unit transmits a transmission parameter change request to the other high-speed signal transmission device to set the transmission parameter of the other high-speed signal transmission device to the best value of the transmission parameter of the other high-speed signal transmission device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 052879 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-174228 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The on-board device of the present disclosure is an on-board device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a memory unit that stores characteristic data indicating the characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network mounted on the vehicle, a measurement unit that measures the characteristics of the transmission path, and an authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the memory unit and the measurement result by the measurement unit.

[0006] The management device disclosed herein includes an acquisition unit that acquires characteristic data indicating the characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, and a transmission unit that transmits to the vehicle degradation change information that indicates a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to deterioration over time, corresponding to the characteristic data acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0007] The transmission path authentication system of the present disclosure includes a measurement device mounted on a vehicle, an authentication device, and a memory device, wherein the memory device stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle, the measurement device measures the characteristics of the transmission path, and the authentication device performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the memory device and the measurement result by the measurement device.

[0008] The transmission path authentication method disclosed herein is a transmission path authentication method in an on-board device mounted on a vehicle, the on-board device having a memory unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network mounted on the vehicle, and the transmission path authentication method includes a step of measuring the characteristics of the transmission path and a step of performing authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the memory unit and a measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path.

[0009] The management method disclosed herein is a management method in a management device, and includes the steps of acquiring characteristic data indicating the characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network installed in a vehicle, and transmitting to the vehicle degradation change information corresponding to the acquired characteristic data, which indicates a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to deterioration over time of the transmission path.

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure can be realized not only as an in-vehicle device equipped with such a characteristic processing unit, but also as a semiconductor integrated circuit that realizes part or all of the in-vehicle device, as a program for causing a computer to execute processing steps in the in-vehicle device, or as a system including the in-vehicle device.

[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure can be realized not only as a management device equipped with such a characteristic processing unit, but also as a semiconductor integrated circuit that realizes part or all of the management device, or as a system that includes the management device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transmission path authentication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an in-vehicle network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a deterioration prediction table stored in the storage unit of the in-vehicle device of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a measurement result of insertion loss of a transmission line in an in-vehicle communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure when the in-vehicle device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure performs authentication processing for a transmission path. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure when a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure transmits a degradation prediction table. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sequence of authentication processing in the transmission path authentication system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sequence of authentication processing in the transmission path authentication system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Conventionally, various functions relating to transmission paths in in-vehicle networks have been developed.

[0014] [Problem to be solved by this disclosure] There is a need for a technology that goes beyond the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 and that can achieve excellent functionality regarding transmission paths in an in-vehicle network.

[0015] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an in-vehicle device, a management device, a transmission path authentication system, a transmission path authentication method, and a management method that are capable of realizing excellent functions related to transmission paths in an in-vehicle network.

[0016] [Effects of this disclosure] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize excellent functions related to transmission paths in an in-vehicle network.

[0017] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0018] (1) An on-board device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an on-board device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a memory unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network mounted on the vehicle, a measurement unit that measures the characteristics of the transmission path, and an authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the memory unit and the measurement result by the measurement unit.

[0019] In this way, by performing authentication processing of the transmission path using the comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and the measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path, various appropriate processing can be performed depending on the result of the authentication processing. Furthermore, for example, by performing authentication processing when the in-vehicle device is started, and if the authentication processing is successful, performing processing using fixed information corresponding to the authenticated transmission path can simplify the startup processing to be performed at startup, thereby reducing the time required for the startup processing of the in-vehicle device. Therefore, excellent functionality regarding the transmission path in the in-vehicle network can be realized.

[0020] (2) In the above (1), the vehicle-mounted device further includes a communication unit that communicates with other vehicle-mounted devices via the transmission path, and the memory unit further stores correction parameters used by the communication unit in communication with the other vehicle-mounted devices, and when the authentication process by the authentication unit is successful, the communication unit may use the correction parameters in the memory unit to correct at least one of a received signal received from the other vehicle-mounted device and a transmitted signal to be transmitted to the other vehicle-mounted device.

[0021] With this configuration, for example, an authentication process is performed when the in-vehicle device is started, and if the authentication process is successful, communication with another in-vehicle device can be started using predetermined correction parameters, which reduces the time required for the startup process of the in-vehicle device compared to a configuration in which the correction parameters are recalculated every time the in-vehicle device is started.Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which the correction parameters are recalculated every time the in-vehicle device is started, appropriate correction parameters can be stably used, resulting in high-quality and highly reliable communication.

[0022] (3) In the above (1) or (2), the in-vehicle device may further include an abnormality processing unit capable of performing predetermined abnormality processing when the authentication processing by the authentication unit fails.

[0023] With this configuration, in the event of an abnormality in the transmission path or physical unauthorized access to the in-vehicle network, appropriate processing can be performed as abnormality processing, such as notifying the vehicle user that the authentication processing has failed.

[0024] (4) In the above (3), the abnormality processing unit may suspend the abnormality processing if the authentication process by the authentication unit fails and the authentication process by the authentication unit was successful in the past.

[0025] With this configuration, for example, if the cause of the authentication process failure is deterioration of the transmission path over time, other appropriate processing can be performed instead of abnormality processing.

[0026] (5) In the above (2), the memory unit may further store degradation change information indicating a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to aging of the transmission path, and the in-vehicle device may further include a judgment unit that judges whether the failure of the authentication process is caused by aging deterioration of the transmission path based on the measurement results by the measurement unit and the degradation change information in the memory unit, and a setting unit that sets new correction parameters to be used in communication with the other in-vehicle device by the communication unit when the judgment unit judges that the failure of the authentication process is caused by aging deterioration of the transmission path.

[0027] With this configuration, when the cause of the authentication process failure is deterioration of the transmission path over time, communication with other in-vehicle devices can be performed using correction parameters that match the current deterioration state of the transmission path.

[0028] (6) A management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires characteristic data indicating the characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle, and a transmission unit that transmits to the vehicle degradation change information that indicates a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to aging of the transmission path, corresponding to the characteristic data acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0029] In this way, by transmitting degradation change information corresponding to the characteristics of the transmission path in the vehicle to the vehicle, for example, in an on-board device that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using the comparison result between past characteristics of the transmission path and current characteristics of the transmission path, if the authentication processing fails, it can be determined using the degradation change information whether the cause of the authentication processing failure is aging degradation of the transmission path, thereby realizing excellent functionality regarding the transmission path in the on-board network.

[0030] (7) A transmission path authentication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a measurement device mounted on a vehicle, an authentication device, and a storage device, wherein the storage device stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle, the measurement device measures the characteristics of the transmission path, and the authentication device performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage device and the measurement result by the measurement device.

[0031] In this way, by performing authentication processing of the transmission path using the comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage device and the measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path, various appropriate processing can be performed depending on the result of the authentication processing. Furthermore, for example, by performing authentication processing at the time of startup of an in-vehicle device to which a transmission path is connected, and if the authentication processing is successful, performing processing using fixed information corresponding to the authenticated transmission path can simplify the startup processing to be performed at startup, thereby shortening the time required for the startup processing of the in-vehicle device. Therefore, excellent functionality regarding the transmission path in the in-vehicle network can be realized.

[0032] (8) A transmission path authentication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a transmission path authentication method in an on-board device mounted on a vehicle, the on-board device having a memory unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network mounted on the vehicle, and the transmission path authentication method includes a step of measuring the characteristics of the transmission path and a step of performing authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the memory unit and a measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path.

[0033] In this way, by performing authentication processing of a transmission path using the comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and the measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path, various appropriate processing can be performed depending on the result of the authentication processing. Furthermore, for example, by performing authentication processing when the in-vehicle device is started, and if the authentication processing is successful, performing processing using fixed information corresponding to the authenticated transmission path can simplify the startup processing to be performed at startup, thereby reducing the time required for the startup processing of the in-vehicle device. Therefore, excellent functionality regarding the transmission path in the in-vehicle network can be realized.

[0034] (9) A management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a management method in a management device, and includes the steps of acquiring characteristic data indicating the characteristics of a transmission path in an on-board network installed in a vehicle, and transmitting to the vehicle degradation change information corresponding to the acquired characteristic data, the deterioration change information indicating a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to deterioration over time of the transmission path.

[0035] In this way, by transmitting to a vehicle the degradation change information corresponding to the characteristics of the transmission path in the vehicle, for example, in an on-board device that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using the comparison result between the past characteristics of the transmission path and the current characteristics of the transmission path, if the authentication processing fails, it can be determined using the degradation change information whether the cause of the authentication processing failure is aging degradation of the transmission path, thereby realizing excellent functionality regarding the transmission path in the on-board network.

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated. Furthermore, at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner.

[0037] [Configuration and basic operation] <Transmission path authentication system> 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transmission path authentication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, a transmission path authentication system 500 includes a server 400 and one or more in-vehicle communication systems 300. The server 400 is an example of a management device.

[0038] The in-vehicle communication system 300 is mounted on a vehicle 1, and includes a plurality of in-vehicle devices 101. For example, the in-vehicle communication system 300 includes, as the in-vehicle devices 101, in-vehicle devices 101A and 101B.

[0039] The in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B are connected to each other via a transmission path 2. The in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B are capable of communicating with each other via the transmission path 2.

[0040] The transmission path 2 includes, for example, a connector connectable to the in-vehicle device 101A, a connector connectable to the in-vehicle device 101B, and a cable capable of transmitting various signals. The transmission path 2 is, for example, a differential transmission path.

[0041] The in-vehicle communication system 300 may be configured to include three or more in-vehicle devices 101. In this case, for example, one in-vehicle device 101 in the in-vehicle communication system 300 is connected to the other multiple in-vehicle devices 101 in the in-vehicle communication system 300 via corresponding transmission paths 2.

[0042] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an in-vehicle network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, the in-vehicle network 310 includes a switch device 110, sensors 120A, 120B, and 120C, an autonomous driving ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 130, a driving control ECU 140, and a TCU (Telematics Control Unit) 150. Hereinafter, each of the sensors 120A, 120B, and 120C will also be referred to as a sensor 120. The in-vehicle network 310 is mounted on a vehicle 1.

[0043] The switch device 110, the sensor 120, the autonomous driving ECU 130, the driving control ECU 140, and the TCU 150 in the in-vehicle network 310 are examples of the in-vehicle device 101.

[0044] TCU 150 can communicate with server 400. In particular, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, TCU 150 can communicate with server 400 via wireless base station device 402 and network 401 using, for example, IP packets.

[0045] More specifically, when the TCU 150 receives, for example, a radio signal including an IP packet from the server 400 from the radio base station device 402, the TCU 150 acquires the IP packet from the received radio signal, stores the acquired IP packet in a frame, and transmits the frame to the switch device 110.

[0046] Furthermore, when the TCU 150 receives a frame from the switching device 110 , it acquires an IP packet from the received frame, includes the acquired IP packet in a radio signal, and transmits the signal to the radio base station device 402 .

[0047] When the wireless base station device 402 receives a wireless signal from the TCU 150 , it acquires an IP packet from the received wireless signal and transmits the acquired IP packet to the server 400 via the network 401 .

[0048] For example, after the on-vehicle device 101 is installed in the vehicle 1, the connection relationships of the on-vehicle device 101 are fixed except in the event of an external factor such as a breakdown of the vehicle 1, an accident involving the vehicle 1, or physical unauthorized access to the on-vehicle network 310. More specifically, the switch device 110 is connected to the sensor 120A, the sensor 120B, the sensor 120C, the autonomous driving ECU 130, and the TCU 150 via transmission lines 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E, which are transmission line 2. The autonomous driving ECU 130 is connected to the driving control ECU 140 via transmission line 2F, which is also transmission line 2.

[0049] In the in-vehicle network 310, data is transmitted and received between the in-vehicle devices 101 via a transmission path 2. For example, in the in-vehicle network 310, Ethernet frames are transmitted and received between the in-vehicle devices 101 via an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable, which is an example of the transmission path 2, in accordance with the IEEE802.3 communication standard.

[0050] The in-vehicle network 310 may be configured such that data is transmitted and received between the in-vehicle devices 101 in accordance with communication standards other than the IEEE802.3 communication standard, such as CAN (Controller Area Network) (registered trademark), FlexRay (registered trademark), MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) (registered trademark), and LIN (Local Interconnect Network). That is, the transmission path 2 is not limited to an Ethernet cable, and may be other types of cable. Furthermore, the transmission path 2 may be an optical fiber cable.

[0051] [assignment] Referring again to FIG. 1, each in-vehicle device 101 in the in-vehicle communication system 300 executes a startup process, for example, when the ignition power of the vehicle 1 is turned on, thereby establishing a communication connection with other in-vehicle devices 101 connected via the transmission path 2.

[0052] More specifically, in the startup process, the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B recognize that they are connected to each other via the transmission path 2 by transmitting and receiving a link pulse, which is a predetermined pulse signal.

[0053] Next, in the startup process, the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B determine the transmission speed of communication between the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B, and whether the in-vehicle device 101A should operate as the master and the in-vehicle device 101B should operate as the slave.

[0054] Next, in the startup process, the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B perform link training to set a correction parameter CP used to correct a communication signal between the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B. More specifically, the in-vehicle device 101B transmits a test signal, which is an analog signal having a predetermined time waveform, to the in-vehicle device 101A via the transmission path 2. The in-vehicle device 101A receives the test signal from the in-vehicle device 101B via the transmission path 2 and estimates the length of the transmission path 2 based on the time waveform of the received test signal. Then, based on the estimated length of the transmission path 2, the in-vehicle device 101A sets a correction parameter CP for reducing a bit error rate (BER) to a predetermined value or less, and stores the set correction parameter CP in a storage unit. The in-vehicle device 101A also notifies the in-vehicle device 101B of the correction parameter CP via the transmission path 2. The in-vehicle device 101B stores the correction parameter CP notified from the in-vehicle device 101A in a storage unit.

[0055] Then, the in-vehicle device 101A and the in-vehicle device 101B finish the startup process and transition to the data mode to transmit and receive data. When the in-vehicle device 101B receives a signal from the in-vehicle device 101A in the data mode, the in-vehicle device 101B corrects the received signal using the correction parameter CP. When the in-vehicle device 101A receives a signal from the in-vehicle device 101B in the data mode, the in-vehicle device 101A corrects the received signal using the correction parameter CP. This makes it possible to reduce fluctuations in the communication signal in the time axis direction, i.e., jitter.

[0056] Incidentally, in recent years, as the functionality of the in-vehicle device 101 has become more sophisticated, the time required for the startup process of the in-vehicle device 101 tends to increase. In particular, the startup process of the in-vehicle device 101 equipped with an OS (Operating System) takes a long time. In view of this situation, a technology capable of shortening the time required for the startup process of the in-vehicle device 101 is desired.

[0057] The transmission path authentication system 500 and the in-vehicle device 101 according to the present disclosure solve the above problems by using the following configuration.

[0058] <In-vehicle equipment> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Fig. 3, the in-vehicle device 101 includes a communication unit 10, a data processing unit 20, a measurement unit 30, an authentication unit 40, a determination unit 50, a setting unit 60, an abnormality processing unit 70, a storage unit 80, a communication port 91, and a front-end circuit 92. The measurement unit 30 is an example of a measurement device. The authentication unit 40 is an example of an authentication device. The storage unit 80 is an example of a storage device.

[0059] The communication unit 10, data processing unit 20, measurement unit 30, authentication unit 40, determination unit 50, setting unit 60, and abnormality processing unit 70 may all or partly be realized by a processing circuit including one or more processors. The storage unit 80 may be a flash memory included in the processing circuit.

[0060] The communication port 91 is, for example, a terminal to which a cable, which is the transmission path 2, can be connected. The front-end circuit 92 is connected between a node N1 between the communication port 91 and the communication unit 10 and a ground node. The front-end circuit 92 is, for example, configured with a bidirectional Zener diode. For example, the in-vehicle device 101 includes a plurality of communication ports 91 and a plurality of front-end circuits 92 according to the number of other in-vehicle devices 101 connected to it.

[0061] The data processing unit 20 generates a frame addressed to the other in-vehicle device 101 in which data to be transmitted to the other in-vehicle device 101 is stored, and outputs the generated frame to the communication unit 10.

[0062] The communication unit 10 communicates with other in-vehicle devices 101 via the transmission path 2. In detail, the communication unit 10 transmits a frame received from the data processing unit 20 to the in-vehicle device 101 corresponding to the destination MAC (Media Access Control) address included in the frame via the corresponding communication port 91.

[0063] More specifically, when the communication unit 10 receives a frame from the data processing unit 20, it converts a bit string representing the received frame into a symbol string in accordance with a predetermined modulation method. Then, the communication unit 10 generates communication signals having levels corresponding to the symbols in the converted symbol string, starting from the first symbol, and transmits the generated communication signals to the other in-vehicle device 101 via the communication port 91 and the transmission path 2.

[0064] Furthermore, the communication unit 10 receives frames addressed to its own in-vehicle device 101 from other in-vehicle devices 101 via the communication port 91, and outputs the received frames to the data processing unit 20. More specifically, the communication unit 10 receives communication signals from other in-vehicle devices 101 via the transmission path 2 and the communication port 91. The communication unit 10 demodulates the received communication signals in accordance with a predetermined modulation method to generate a symbol sequence, and converts the generated symbol sequence into a bit sequence, i.e., a frame. The communication unit 10 outputs the converted frame to the data processing unit 20.

[0065] When the data processing unit 20 receives a frame from the communication unit 10, it performs a predetermined process using the received frame.

[0066] The measurement unit 30 measures the characteristics of the transmission path 2 in the in-vehicle network 310. More specifically, the measurement unit 30 measures the characteristics of the transmission path 2 connecting the in-vehicle device 101 including the measurement unit 30 to another in-vehicle device 101. As an example, the measurement unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2 as the characteristic of the transmission path 2.

[0067] Specifically, the measurement unit 30 in the in-vehicle device 101A transmits multiple measurement signals of different frequencies to the in-vehicle device 101B via the communication unit 10, the communication port 91 and the transmission path 2, with termination processing performed in the in-vehicle device 101B.

[0068] The in-vehicle device 101B measures the measurement signal received from the measurement unit 30 in the in-vehicle device 101A, and transmits a response signal indicating the measurement result to the in-vehicle device 101A.

[0069] When the measurement unit 30 in the in-vehicle device 101A receives a response signal from the in-vehicle device 101B via the transmission path 2, the communication port 91, and the communication unit 10, it measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2 using the received response signal and the measurement signal sent by the measurement unit 30.

[0070] For example, after shipping of the vehicle 1, the measurement unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 at a predetermined measurement trigger, such as when the accessory power of the vehicle 1 is turned on, the ignition power of the vehicle 1 is turned on, the in-vehicle device 101 is initialized, the configuration of the in-vehicle network 310 is changed, or a communication error occurs in the in-vehicle network 310. Then, the measurement unit 30 outputs measurement information indicating the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 to the authentication unit 40. Note that the measurement unit 30 may be configured to periodically measure the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 after shipping of the vehicle 1 and output measurement information indicating the measurement result to the authentication unit 40.

[0071] For example, the storage unit 80 stores characteristic data indicating the characteristics of the transmission path 2 and correction parameters CP used by the communication unit 10 in communication with other in-vehicle devices 101.

[0072] More specifically, before shipping the vehicle 1, the measurement unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1. Then, the measurement unit 30 stores the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 in the storage unit 80 as characteristic data indicating the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2.

[0073] In addition, before the vehicle 1 is shipped, when the measurement unit 30 stores characteristic data in the memory unit 80, the setting unit 60 sets the correction parameter CP by performing the above-mentioned link training and stores the set correction parameter CP in the memory unit 80.

[0074] More specifically, the setting unit 60 in the in-vehicle device 101A transmits a test signal request indicating that a test signal should be transmitted to the in-vehicle device 101B via the communication unit 10, the communication port 91, and the transmission path 2. The in-vehicle device 101B receives the test signal request and transmits the test signal, which is an analog signal having a predetermined time waveform, to the in-vehicle device 101A. The setting unit 60 receives the test signal from the in-vehicle device 101B via the transmission path 2, the communication port 91, and the communication unit 10, estimates the length of the transmission path 2 based on the time waveform of the received test signal, and sets a correction parameter CP according to the estimated length of the transmission path 2. The setting unit 60 stores the set correction parameter CP in the storage unit 80. The setting unit 60 also notifies the in-vehicle device 101B of the correction parameter CP via the communication unit 10, the communication port 91, and the transmission path 2.

[0075] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a deterioration prediction table stored in a storage unit in the on-board device of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 4, the storage unit 80 stores a deterioration prediction table Tb that indicates a change tendency of the characteristics of the transmission line 2 due to aging deterioration of the transmission line 2. The deterioration prediction table Tb is an example of deterioration change information. For example, the deterioration prediction table Tb is a table that indicates the correspondence relationship between a time range Tr, which is the range of the elapsed time Ts from the time of manufacture of the vehicle 1, and a characteristic range Cr, which is the range of the insertion loss IL.

[0076] More specifically, when the measurement unit 30 stores the characteristic data in the storage unit 80, the communication unit 10 in the in-vehicle device 101 other than the TCU 150 acquires the characteristic data from the storage unit 80. Then, the communication unit 10 generates a degradation change information request including the acquired characteristic data, and transmits the generated degradation change information request to the server 400 via the communication port 91, the transmission path 2, and the TCU 150.

[0077] The server 400 receives a request for deterioration change information from the in-vehicle device 101 and transmits a deterioration prediction table Tb corresponding to the characteristic data included in the deterioration change information request to the in-vehicle device 101 via the TCU 150 in response to the request for deterioration change information.

[0078] The communication unit 10 in the in-vehicle device 101 receives the deterioration prediction table Tb from the server 400 via the TCU 150 , the transmission path 2 and the communication port 91 , and stores the received deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 80 .

[0079] Furthermore, when the measurement unit 30 stores the characteristic data in the storage unit 80, the communication unit 10 in the TCU 150 acquires the characteristic data from the storage unit 80. Then, the communication unit 10 generates a degradation change information request including the acquired characteristic data, and transmits the generated degradation change information request to the server 400 via the wireless base station device 402 and the network 401.

[0080] Upon receiving a degradation change information request from TCU 150, server 400 transmits a degradation prediction table Tb corresponding to the characteristic data included in the degradation change information request to TCU 150 via network 401 and wireless base station device 402 in response to the degradation change information request.

[0081] The communication unit 10 in the TCU 150 receives the deterioration prediction table Tb via the network 401 and the wireless base station device 402 , and stores the received deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 80 .

[0082] The authentication unit 40 performs authentication processing for the transmission path 2 using the result of comparison between the characteristic data in the storage unit 80 and the measurement result by the measurement unit 30 .

[0083] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of measurement results of insertion loss of a transmission line in an in-vehicle communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5 shows measurement results of insertion loss IL of an Ethernet cable, which is an example of a transmission line. In Fig. 5, the vertical axis represents insertion loss [dB], and the horizontal axis represents frequency [Hz] of the measurement signal.

[0084] Referring to Figure 5, insertion loss waveform A shows the insertion loss IL of a 10m long Ethernet cable, insertion loss waveform B shows the insertion loss IL of a 10m long Ethernet cable that is routed alongside other Ethernet cables, and insertion loss waveform C shows the insertion loss IL of a 5m long Ethernet cable.

[0085] In this way, the waveform of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 differs depending on the length and routing state of the transmission line 2. In addition, the waveform of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 differs depending on the manufacturer, model number, etc. of the transmission line 2.

[0086] As described above, the connection relationship of the on-board device 101 is fixed after the on-board device 101 is installed in the vehicle 1, except when an external factor occurs. Therefore, the authentication unit 40 can authenticate the transmission line 2 by comparing the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 with the current insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2.

[0087] 3, after the vehicle 1 is shipped, the authentication unit 40 receives the measurement information from the measurement unit 30 and acquires the characteristic data from the storage unit 80. The authentication unit 40 calculates the difference between the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data acquired from the storage unit 80 and the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information received from the measurement unit 30, and performs authentication processing of the transmission path 2 using the calculated difference.

[0088] (Processing when authentication process is successful) For example, if the difference between the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data and the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information is less than a predetermined threshold, the authentication unit 40 determines that no abnormality has occurred in the transmission line 2. Then, the authentication unit 40 outputs authentication success information indicating that the authentication of the transmission line 2 has been successful to the communication unit 10 and the abnormality processing unit 70.

[0089] If the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 is successful, the communication unit 10 uses the correction parameter CP in the memory unit 80 to correct the received signal received from the other in-vehicle device 101 and the transmitted signal to be transmitted to the other in-vehicle device 101.

[0090] More specifically, when the communication unit 10 receives authentication success information from the authentication unit 40, the communication unit 10 acquires the correction parameters CP from the storage unit 80 and holds the acquired correction parameters CP.

[0091] For example, the communication unit 10 has a compensation circuit such as a pre-emphasis circuit or a de-emphasis circuit. When the communication unit 10 receives a frame from the data processing unit 20, the communication unit 10 corrects a communication signal generated based on the received frame using the correction parameter CP stored therein, and transmits the corrected communication signal to the destination in-vehicle device 101 via the communication port 91 and the transmission path 2.

[0092] Furthermore, for example, the communication unit 10 has a compensation circuit such as an equalizer circuit or a DFE (Decision Feedback Equalizer) circuit. When the communication unit 10 receives a communication signal from another in-vehicle device 101, the communication unit 10 corrects the received communication signal using the correction parameter CP stored therein, and outputs a frame generated based on the corrected communication signal to the data processing unit 20.

[0093] (What to do if authentication fails) For example, if the difference between the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data and the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the authentication unit 40 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the transmission line 2. Then, the authentication unit 40 outputs authentication failure information and measurement information indicating that authentication of the transmission line 2 has failed to the determination unit 50 and the abnormality processing unit 70.

[0094] The abnormality processing unit 70 performs predetermined abnormality processing when the authentication processing by the authentication unit 40 fails. For example, when the abnormality processing unit 70 receives authentication failure information from the authentication unit 40, the abnormality processing unit 70 performs processing to notify the user or car dealer of the vehicle 1 that the authentication processing of the transmission path 2 has failed, as the abnormality processing. Furthermore, for example, the abnormality processing unit 70 generates communication path change information indicating that communication should be performed using another transmission path 2 instead of the transmission path 2 for which the authentication processing has failed, and outputs the generated communication path change information to the communication unit 10.

[0095] For example, if the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 fails but the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 has been successful in the past, the abnormality processing unit 70 suspends the abnormality processing. More specifically, if the abnormality processing unit 70 receives authentication failure information from the authentication unit 40 but has received authentication success information from the authentication unit 40 in the past, the abnormality processing unit 70 suspends the abnormality processing.

[0096] The determination unit 50 determines whether the failure of the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 is caused by deterioration over time of the transmission path 2, based on the measurement results by the measurement unit 30 and the deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 80. More specifically, when the determination unit 50 receives authentication failure information and measurement information from the authentication unit 40, it acquires the deterioration prediction table Tb from the storage unit 80. In addition, the determination unit 50 acquires the elapsed time Ts from the time of manufacture of the vehicle 1 from a timer (not shown).

[0097] 4, the determination unit 50 identifies a characteristic range Cr corresponding to a time range Tr that includes the elapsed time Ts obtained from the timer, in the deterioration prediction table Tb obtained from the storage unit 80. The determination unit 50 checks whether the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information received from the authentication unit 40 is included in the identified characteristic range Cr.

[0098] If the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information received from the authentication unit 40 is not included in the specified characteristic range Cr, the determination unit 50 determines that the failure of the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 is not caused by aging of the transmission line 2. Then, the determination unit 50 outputs determination information indicating the determination result to the abnormality processing unit 70.

[0099] The abnormality processing unit 70 receives the determination information from the determination unit 50 and performs the abnormality processing described above.

[0100] On the other hand, if the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information received from the authentication unit 40 is included in the specified characteristic range Cr, the determination unit 50 determines that the cause of the failure of the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 is aging deterioration of the transmission line 2. Then, the determination unit 50 outputs determination information indicating the determination result to the setting unit 60.

[0101] If the determination unit 50 determines that the cause of the failure in the authentication process is aging deterioration of the transmission path 2, the setting unit 60 sets a new correction parameter CP to be used by the communication unit 10 in communication with other in-vehicle devices 101.

[0102] More specifically, when the setting unit 60 receives the determination information from the determination unit 50, it sets new correction parameters CP by performing link training and stores the set correction parameters CP in the storage unit 80. In addition, the setting unit 60 outputs the set correction parameters CP to the communication unit 10.

[0103] The communication unit 10 receives the correction parameters CP from the setting unit 60 and stores the received correction parameters CP. The communication unit 10 corrects the communication signal using the correction parameters CP.

[0104] <server> 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, server 400 includes a receiving unit 410, a transmitting unit 420, and a storage unit 430. Receiving unit 410 is an example of an acquiring unit. A part or all of receiving unit 410 and transmitting unit 420 are realized, for example, by a processing circuit including one or more processors. Storage unit 430 is, for example, a flash memory included in the processing circuit.

[0105] The receiving unit 410 acquires characteristic data indicating the characteristics of the transmission path 2. More specifically, the receiving unit 410 receives a degradation change information request from the in-vehicle device 101 via the wireless base station device 402 and the network 401. The receiving unit 410 outputs the received degradation change information request to the transmitting unit 420.

[0106] The transmitter 420 transmits to the vehicle 1 a deterioration prediction table Tb corresponding to the characteristic data acquired by the receiver 410 .

[0107] More specifically, the storage unit 430 stores a plurality of deterioration prediction tables Tb and correspondence information indicating the correspondence between the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 and the deterioration prediction tables Tb.

[0108] Upon receiving a degradation change information request from the receiving unit 410, the transmitting unit 420 refers to the correspondence information in the storage unit 430 and acquires, from the storage unit 430, a degradation prediction table Tb corresponding to the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data included in the received degradation change information request. The transmitting unit 420 transmits the acquired degradation prediction table Tb to the in-vehicle device 101 that has transmitted the degradation change information request via the network 401 and the wireless base station device 402. As described above, the waveform of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 varies depending on the length, routing state, manufacturer, model number, etc. of the transmission line 2. By referring to the correspondence information in the storage unit 430, the transmitting unit 420 can acquire from the storage unit 430 the degradation prediction table Tb corresponding to the length, routing state, manufacturer, model number, etc. of the transmission line 2 and transmit the table to the in-vehicle device 101.

[0109] For example, the deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 430 is updated periodically or irregularly by an administrator of the server 400. After transmitting the deterioration prediction table Tb to the in-vehicle device 101, if the deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 430 is updated, the transmission unit 420 transmits the updated deterioration prediction table Tb to the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 401 and the wireless base station device 402.

[0110] [Operation flow] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure when the in-vehicle device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure performs authentication processing for a transmission path.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 7, first, before shipping the vehicle 1, the in-vehicle device 101 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1, and stores the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 in the memory unit 80 as characteristic data indicating the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 (step S11).

[0112] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 sets the correction parameters CP by performing link training, and stores the set correction parameters CP in the storage unit 80 (step S12).

[0113] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 transmits a deterioration change information request including the characteristic data to the server 400, receives the deterioration prediction table Tb from the server 400, and stores the received deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 80 (step S13).

[0114] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 waits for a predetermined measurement trigger, such as the accessory power of the vehicle 1 being turned on (NO in step S14), and when the measurement trigger occurs (YES in step S14), it measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 (step S15).

[0115] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 performs authentication processing for the transmission line 2 using the comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit 80 and the measurement result of the insertion loss IL. More specifically, the in-vehicle device 101 calculates the difference between the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data and the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information, and performs authentication processing for the transmission line 2 using the calculated difference (step S16).

[0116] Next, if the in-vehicle device 101 has successfully authenticated the transmission path 2, that is, if it has determined that no abnormality has occurred in the transmission path 2 (YES in step S17), the in-vehicle device 101 acquires the correction parameter CP from the storage unit 80. The in-vehicle device 101 corrects the communication signal using the acquired correction parameter CP (step S18).

[0117] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 waits for a new measurement opportunity (NO in step S14).

[0118] On the other hand, if the authentication of the transmission line 2 fails, i.e., if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the transmission line 2 (NO in step S17), the in-vehicle device 101 determines whether the failure of the authentication process is due to deterioration of the transmission line 2 over time based on the measurement results of the insertion loss IL and the deterioration prediction table Tb in the memory unit 80 (step S19).

[0119] Next, if the in-vehicle device 101 determines that the cause of the failure in the authentication process is aging deterioration of the transmission path 2 (YES in step S20), it sets new correction parameters CP by performing link training and stores the set correction parameters CP in the storage unit 80. The in-vehicle device 101 corrects the communication signal using the new correction parameters CP (step S21).

[0120] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 waits for a new measurement opportunity (NO in step S14).

[0121] On the other hand, if the in-vehicle device 101 determines that the failure of the authentication process is not due to deterioration of the transmission path 2 over time (NO in step S20), it performs abnormality processing such as notifying the user or car dealer of the vehicle 1 that the authentication process of the transmission path 2 has failed (step S22).

[0122] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 waits for a new measurement opportunity (NO in step S14).

[0123] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure when a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure transmits a degradation prediction table.

[0124] 8, first, the server 400 waits for a degradation change information request (NO in step S31), and when it receives the degradation change information request from the in-vehicle device 101 via the wireless base station device 402 and the network 401 (YES in step S31), it obtains from the storage unit 430 a degradation prediction table Tb corresponding to the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data included in the received degradation change information request (step S32).

[0125] Next, the server 400 transmits the acquired deterioration prediction table Tb to the in-vehicle device 101 that is the sender of the deterioration change information request via the network 401 and the wireless base station device 402 (step S33).

[0126] Next, the server 400 waits for a new request for degradation change information to arrive (NO in step S31).

[0127] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sequence of authentication processing in the transmission path authentication system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0128] 9, first, the measuring unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1 before the vehicle 1 is shipped (step S41).

[0129] Next, the measuring section 30 stores the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 in the storage section 80 as characteristic data indicating the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 (step S42).

[0130] Next, after the delivery of the vehicle 1, the measurement unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 at a predetermined measurement opportunity, such as when the accessory power supply of the vehicle 1 is turned on (step S43).

[0131] Next, the measurement unit 30 outputs measurement information indicating the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 to the authentication unit 40 (step S44).

[0132] Next, the authentication unit 40 receives the measurement information from the measurement unit 30 and acquires the characteristic data from the storage unit 80 (step S45).

[0133] Next, the authentication unit 40 calculates the difference between the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data acquired from the memory unit 80 and the insertion loss IL indicated by the measurement information received from the measurement unit 30, and performs authentication processing of the transmission path 2 using the calculated difference (step S46).

[0134] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sequence of authentication processing in the transmission path authentication system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] 10, first, before shipping the vehicle 1, the in-vehicle device 101 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1 (step S51).

[0136] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 transmits a degradation change information request including characteristic data indicating the measured insertion loss IL to the server 400 (step S52).

[0137] Next, the server 400 receives a degradation change information request from the in-vehicle device 101, obtains from the memory unit 430 a degradation prediction table Tb corresponding to the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data included in the received degradation change information request, and transmits the obtained degradation prediction table Tb to the in-vehicle device 101 (step S53).

[0138] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 stores the deterioration prediction table Tb received from the server 400 in the storage unit 80 (step S54).

[0139] Next, after the vehicle 1 is shipped, the in-vehicle device 101 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 at a predetermined measurement opportunity, such as when the accessory power supply of the vehicle 1 is turned on (step S55).

[0140] Next, the in-vehicle device 101 performs authentication processing for the transmission line 2 using the result of comparison between the characteristic data in the storage unit 80 and the measurement result of the insertion loss IL (step S56).

[0141] Next, if the authentication of the transmission line 2 fails, for example, the in-vehicle device 101 determines whether the failure in the authentication process is due to aging of the transmission line 2, based on the measurement result of the insertion loss IL and the deterioration prediction table Tb in the storage unit 80. Depending on the determination result, the in-vehicle device 101 performs abnormality processing or sets a new correction parameter CP (step S57).

[0142] In the transmission path authentication system 500 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the in-vehicle device 101 is configured to include the authentication unit 40, but this is not limiting. The authentication unit 40 may be configured to be provided in a device external to the in-vehicle device 101.

[0143] Furthermore, in the transmission path authentication system 500 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the storage unit 80 in the in-vehicle device 101 is configured to store the characteristic data, but this is not limiting. A storage unit provided in a device external to the in-vehicle device 101 may be configured to store the characteristic data. In this case, the measurement unit 30 measures the insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1 before shipping the vehicle 1, and stores the measurement result of the insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2 in the storage unit as characteristic data indicating the initial insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2, for example, via a network.

[0144] Furthermore, in the transmission path authentication system 500 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the setting unit 60 in the in-vehicle device 101 is configured to set the correction parameter CP by performing link training before shipping the vehicle 1 and store the set correction parameter CP in the storage unit 80. However, this is not limiting. The setting unit 60 may be configured to download the correction parameter CP from the server 400 and store it in the storage unit 80 before shipping the vehicle 1. Specifically, the storage unit 430 in the server 400 stores correspondence information indicating a correspondence relationship between the insertion loss IL of the transmission path 2 and the correction parameter CP. When the measurement unit 30 stores characteristic data in the storage unit 80, the setting unit 60 downloads the correction parameter CP corresponding to the insertion loss IL indicated by the characteristic data from the server 400.

[0145] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the measuring unit 30 is configured to measure the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2 as a characteristic of the transmission line 2, but this is not limiting. The measuring unit 30 may be configured to measure, for example, the characteristic impedance of the transmission line 2, the return loss of the transmission line 2, or the S parameter of the transmission line 2 instead of the insertion loss IL of the transmission line 2.

[0146] For example, the measuring unit 30 measures the characteristic impedance of the transmission path 2 using a method based on TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry). Specifically, the measuring unit 30 outputs a measurement signal, such as a high-speed pulse signal or a step signal, to the transmission path 2 via the communication unit 10 and the communication port 91, and receives a reflected signal of the output measurement signal via the communication unit 10 and the communication port 91. Then, the measuring unit 30 measures the characteristic impedance of the transmission path 2 based on the received reflected signal.

[0147] Before shipping the vehicle 1, the measurement unit 30 measures the characteristic impedance of the transmission line 2 when the in-vehicle communication system 300 is assembled in the vehicle 1, and stores the measurement result of the characteristic impedance of the transmission line 2 in the storage unit 80 as characteristic data indicating the initial characteristic impedance of the transmission line 2. Furthermore, after shipping the vehicle 1, the measurement unit 30 measures the characteristic impedance of the transmission line 2 at a predetermined measurement opportunity, and outputs measurement information indicating the measurement result to the authentication unit 40.

[0148] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the setting unit 60 is configured to set the correction parameter CP by performing link training before shipping the vehicle 1, but this is not limited to this. For example, the storage unit 80 may be configured to store the correction parameter CP in advance before shipping the vehicle. In this case, the setting unit 60 does not perform link training before shipping the vehicle 1.

[0149] Furthermore, although the setting unit 60 is configured to set a new correction parameter CP by performing link training when it receives determination information from the determination unit 50 after the vehicle 1 is shipped, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage unit 80 may be configured to store a correction table indicating the correspondence between the insertion loss IL and the correction parameter CP. In this case, the setting unit 60 obtains the correction parameter CP corresponding to the insertion loss IL measured by the measurement unit 30 from the correction table without performing link training, and outputs the obtained correction parameter CP to the communication unit 10.

[0150] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication unit 10 is configured to correct a received signal received from another in-vehicle device 101 and a transmitted signal to be transmitted to the other in-vehicle device 101 using the correction parameter CP stored in the storage unit 80 when the authentication process by the authentication unit 40 is successful, but the present invention is not limited to this. The communication unit 10 may be configured to use the correction parameter CP to perform only one of the correction of the received signal and the correction of the transmitted signal, or may be configured not to perform the correction of the received signal or the correction of the transmitted signal.

[0151] Furthermore, although the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to include the abnormality processing unit 70, this is not limitative. The in-vehicle device 101 may be configured not to include the abnormality processing unit 70.

[0152] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the abnormality processing unit 70 is configured to suspend abnormality processing when it receives authentication failure information from the authentication unit 40 and has previously received authentication success information from the authentication unit 40, but this is not limited thereto. The abnormality processing unit 70 may be configured to perform abnormality processing when it receives authentication failure information from the authentication unit 40, regardless of whether it has previously received authentication success information from the authentication unit 40.

[0153] Furthermore, although the in-vehicle device 101 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described as including the determination unit 50, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The in-vehicle device 101 may not include the determination unit 50.

[0154] The above-described embodiments should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0155] Each process (each function) in the above-described embodiments is realized by a processing circuit including one or more processors. The processing circuit may be configured as an integrated circuit or the like that combines one or more memories, various analog circuits, and various digital circuits in addition to the one or more processors. The one or more memories store programs (instructions) that cause the one or more processors to execute each of the processes. The one or more processors may execute each of the processes according to the program read from the one or more memories, or according to a logic circuit pre-designed to execute each of the processes. The processor may be various processors suitable for computer control, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Note that the physically separate processors may cooperate with each other to execute each of the processes. For example, the processors mounted on a plurality of physically separated computers may cooperate with each other to execute the above processes via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, etc. The program may be installed into the memory from an external server device or the like via the network, or may be distributed in a state stored on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), or a semiconductor memory, and installed into the memory from the recording medium.

[0156] The above description includes the following additional features. [Appendix 1] An in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, a storage unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; a measurement unit for measuring characteristics of the transmission path; an authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and a measurement result by the measurement unit, the measurement unit measures characteristics of the transmission path before shipping of the vehicle and stores the measurement results in the storage unit as the characteristic data; the measurement unit measures characteristics of the transmission path at a predetermined measurement opportunity after the vehicle is shipped, The authentication unit performs the authentication process using a comparison result between the characteristics indicated by the characteristic data in the storage unit and the characteristics of the transmission path measured by the measurement unit at the measurement trigger.

[0157] [Appendix 2] An in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, a processing circuit; a storage unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in the in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; The processing circuitry measuring the characteristics of the transmission line; an in-vehicle device that performs authentication processing for the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and a measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path;

[0158] [Appendix 3] a processing circuit; The processing circuitry Acquire characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle; The management device transmits to the vehicle degradation change information that corresponds to the acquired characteristic data and indicates a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission line due to aging deterioration of the transmission line. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 1 vehicle 2 Transmission Line 10. Communications Department 20 Data Processing Unit 30 Measuring part 40 Authentication Section 50 Judgment Department 60 Setting section 70 Abnormality Processing Unit 80 Storage section 91 communication port 92 Front-end circuit 101,101A,101B On-vehicle equipment 110 Switching device 120, 120A, 120B, 120C Sensor 130 Autonomous Driving ECU 140 Driving control ECU 150 TCU 300 In-Vehicle Communication System 310 In-Vehicle Network 400 servers 401 Network 402 Wireless base station equipment 410 Receiving unit 420 Transmitter 430 Storage section 500 Transmission Path Authentication System N1 node Tb Degradation Prediction Table

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, a storage unit that stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; a measurement unit for measuring characteristics of the transmission path; an authentication unit that performs authentication processing of the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and a measurement result by the measurement unit, the storage unit further stores degradation change information indicating a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to aging degradation of the transmission path; The in-vehicle device further an on-board device comprising a judgment unit that, when the authentication process by the authentication unit fails, judges whether the failure of the authentication process is due to deterioration of the transmission path over time, based on the age of the vehicle, the measurement results by the measurement unit, and the deterioration change information in the memory unit.

2. The degradation change information indicates a correspondence relationship between characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network installed in a vehicle and the aging time of the vehicle, 2. The on-board device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the failure of the authentication process is due to deterioration of the transmission path based on a comparison result between the elapsed time corresponding to the measurement result in the deterioration change information and the elapsed time of the vehicle in which the on-board device is installed.

3. The in-vehicle device further a communication unit that communicates with other in-vehicle devices via the transmission path, the storage unit further stores a correction parameter used in communication with the other in-vehicle device by the communication unit; 3. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein, when the authentication process by the authentication unit is successful, the communication unit uses the correction parameters in the memory unit to correct at least one of a received signal received from the other in-vehicle device and a transmitted signal to be transmitted to the other in-vehicle device.

4. The in-vehicle device further 3. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, further comprising an abnormality processing unit capable of performing predetermined abnormality processing when the authentication processing by the authentication unit fails.

5. The in-vehicle device according to claim 4 , wherein the abnormality processing unit suspends the abnormality processing when the authentication process by the authentication unit fails but the authentication process by the authentication unit has been successful in the past.

6. The in-vehicle device further 4. The in-vehicle device according to claim 3, further comprising a setting unit that sets new correction parameters to be used by the communication unit in communication with the other in-vehicle device when the determination unit determines that the cause of the failure of the authentication process is deterioration of the transmission path over time.

7. The in-vehicle device further The in-vehicle device according to claim 3 , further comprising a setting unit that sets the correction parameters by performing link training with the other in-vehicle device and stores the correction parameters in the storage unit.

8. A transmission path authentication system, a measuring device mounted on the vehicle; an authentication device; a storage device; the storage device stores characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; the storage device further stores degradation change information indicating a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to aging degradation of the transmission path; the measurement device measures characteristics of the transmission line; the authentication device performs authentication processing for the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage device and the measurement result by the measurement device; The transmission path authentication system further comprises: a determination unit that, if the authentication process by the authentication device fails, determines whether the cause of the failure of the authentication process is deterioration of the transmission path over time, based on the age of the vehicle, the measurement results by the measurement device, and the deterioration change information in the storage device.

9. A transmission path authentication method in an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: the in-vehicle device includes a storage unit configured to store characteristic data indicating characteristics of a transmission path in an in-vehicle network mounted on the vehicle; The transmission path authentication method includes: measuring the characteristics of the transmission line; performing an authentication process for the transmission path using a comparison result between the characteristic data in the storage unit and a measurement result of the characteristics of the transmission path; the storage unit further stores degradation change information indicating a change trend in the characteristics of the transmission path due to aging degradation of the transmission path; The transmission path authentication method further includes: a step of determining, if the authentication process fails, whether or not the failure of the authentication process is due to deterioration of the transmission path, based on the age of the vehicle, the measurement results, and the deterioration change information in the storage unit.

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