Relay device, control method, and control program

Abstract

According to the present invention, a vehicle-mounted system comprises a first vehicle-mounted device, a second vehicle-mounted device, and a plurality of relay devices for relaying frames to the first vehicle-mounted device and the second vehicle-mounted device, wherein, if the number of relay devices in a first communication path from the transmission source of the frames to the first vehicle-mounted device and the number of relay devices in a second communication path from the transmission source of the frames to the second vehicle-mounted device differ from one other, at least one among the relay devices included in the first communication path and the relay devices included in the second communication path stands by for a standby time based on the difference between the number of relay devices in the first communication path and the number of relay devices in the second communication path, and then relays the frames.

Description

Relay device, control method, and control program

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-213135, filed December 18, 2023, and incorporates by reference the entire contents of that application.

[0002] A vehicle is equipped with a variety of on-board devices, such as control system ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that control the engine, transmission, etc., body system ECUs that control headlights, power windows, etc., and information system ECUs for navigation devices, multimedia devices, etc. Each on-board device is connected to an on-board network and can communicate with each other.

[0003] Adding a new ECU to an in-vehicle network allows a new function to be added to a vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a system for authenticating an add-on ECU when the add-on ECU is newly connected to an in-vehicle integrated ECU. In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the integrated ECU receives a terminal ID of the add-on ECU from the add-on ECU and transmits an authentication request including the received terminal ID and the vehicle ID of the integrated ECU to a server outside the vehicle. The server compares the combination of the vehicle ID and the terminal ID included in the received authentication request with the combination of the vehicle ID and the terminal ID registered in a registration unit, and determines an authentication level for the add-on ECU.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-081939

[0005] A relay device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a relay device that relays communications between multiple on-board devices, and includes a communication port for connecting a new on-board device, an extraction unit that extracts header information from a PDU received at the communication port from the new on-board device connected to the communication port, a determination unit that determines a control pattern to be used for the new on-board device based on information in a specific area in the header information extracted by the extraction unit, and a control unit that executes control processing using the control pattern determined by the determination unit.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a partial configuration of an in-vehicle system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a control circuit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an Ethernet frame format. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining specific control specifications for MAC addresses. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6A is a graph showing a first example of a power supply control pattern of an ECU. FIG. 6B is a graph showing a second example of a power supply control pattern of an ECU. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a function of a first relay ECU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of a new in-vehicle device in the first relay ECU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the format of an IP packet. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining specific control specifications for IP addresses. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of communication between a camera and an image processing ECU according to the fifth embodiment.

[0007] <Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure> When a new in-vehicle device is connected to an in-vehicle network, control appropriate for the in-vehicle device (e.g., power supply control, communication control) must be performed. In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, unless the authentication level by the server is determined, control appropriate for the add-on ECU cannot be performed. Furthermore, authentication by the server requires a terminal ID assigned to the add-on ECU. In other words, when the add-on ECU is connected to the integrated ECU, the add-on ECU must have the function of transmitting a terminal ID to the integrated ECU in response to a request from the integrated ECU in accordance with predetermined specifications.

[0008] <Effects of the Present Disclosure> According to the present disclosure, it is possible to perform control suitable for an in-vehicle device that is compatible with a communication protocol used in an in-vehicle network.

[0009] <Outline of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Below, an outline of embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0010] (1) A relay device according to this embodiment relays communications between multiple in-vehicle devices and includes: a communication port for connecting a new in-vehicle device; an extractor that extracts header information from a PDU received at the communication port from the new in-vehicle device connected to the communication port; a determiner that determines a control pattern to be used for the new in-vehicle device based on information in a specific field of the header information extracted by the extractor; and a controller that executes control processing using the control pattern determined by the determiner. A PDU (Protocol Data Unit) is the smallest unit of data to be communicated, defined by a communication protocol, and includes a header and a payload. With this configuration, a control pattern can be determined using header information of a PDU that conforms to the communication protocol used in the in-vehicle network. Therefore, control suitable for the in-vehicle device corresponding to the communication protocol can be performed.

[0011] (2) In the above (1), the specific area may be an internal area of ​​a source address, and a code corresponding to the control pattern may be stored in the internal area of ​​the source address. Thus, by storing the code in the internal area of ​​the source address in the PDU, it is possible to determine a control pattern corresponding to the new in-vehicle device.

[0012] (3) In the above (1) or (2), the PDU may be an Ethernet frame, which makes it possible to easily apply the present disclosure to an Ethernet-compatible in-vehicle device.

[0013] (4) In the above (1) or (2), the PDU may be an IP packet, which makes it possible to easily apply the present disclosure to an in-vehicle device compatible with IP (Internet Protocol).

[0014] (5) In the above (1), the PDU may include a first PDU used in a first communication protocol and a second PDU used in a second communication protocol belonging to a layer higher than the layer to which the first communication protocol belongs, the header information may include first header information of the first PDU and second header information of the second PDU, and the specific area may include a first specific area in the first header and a second specific area in the second header. This makes it possible to easily apply the present disclosure to an in-vehicle device compatible with the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol.

[0015] (6) In the above (5), the first field may include an internal field of a source address of the first communication protocol, thereby making it possible to determine a control pattern based on information stored in the internal field of the source address in the first PDU.

[0016] (7) In the above (5) or (6), the second field may include an internal field of a source address of the second communication protocol, thereby making it possible to determine a control pattern based on information stored in the internal field of the source address in the second PDU.

[0017] (8) In any one of (5) to (7) above, the first specific area may store a first code corresponding to a first control pattern used in the new in-vehicle device, the second specific area may store a second code corresponding to a second control pattern used in the new in-vehicle device, the determination unit may determine the first control pattern based on the first code stored in the first specific area and may determine the second control pattern based on the second code stored in the second specific area, and the control unit may execute a first control process using the determined first control pattern and a second control process using the determined second control pattern. This makes it possible to execute each of the first control process using the first control pattern corresponding to the new in-vehicle device and the second control process using the second control pattern.

[0018] (9) In the above (8), the determination unit may determine the first control pattern corresponding to the first code stored in the first specific area according to a first table that defines a correspondence relationship between the first code and the first control pattern, and may determine the second control pattern corresponding to the second code stored in the second specific area according to a second table that defines a correspondence relationship between the second code and the second control pattern. This makes it possible to determine each of the first control pattern corresponding to the first code and the second control pattern corresponding to the second code using the first table and the second table.

[0019] (10) In any one of (5) to (7) above, a first code may be stored in the first specific area, a second code may be stored in the second specific area, and the determination unit may determine the control pattern based on the first code stored in the first specific area and the second code stored in the second specific area. This allows the first code and the second code to be used to determine the control pattern, making it possible to define a large number of control patterns.

[0020] (11) In the above (10), the determination unit may determine the control pattern corresponding to the combination of the first code stored in the first specific area and the second code stored in the second specific area in accordance with a table that defines a correspondence relationship between the combination of the first code and the second code and the control pattern. This makes it possible to determine the control pattern corresponding to the combination of the first code and the second code using the table.

[0021] (12) In the above (1), the specific area may be at least one of a port number, a destination address, a protocol type, and a response time in the header information. By storing a code in at least one of the port number, the destination address, the protocol type, and the response time in the PDU, it is possible to determine a control pattern corresponding to the new in-vehicle device.

[0022] (13) A control method according to this embodiment is a control method used by a relay device that relays communications between multiple on-board devices, and includes the steps of: extracting header information from a PDU received at a communication port from a new on-board device connected to the communication port; determining a control pattern to be used for the new on-board device based on information in a specific field of the extracted header information; and executing control processing using the determined control pattern. This allows the control pattern to be determined using the header information of a PDU that complies with a communication protocol used in an on-board network. Therefore, control suitable for on-board devices compatible with the communication protocol can be performed.

[0023] (14) A control program according to this embodiment is a control program used by a relay device that relays communications between multiple on-board devices, and causes a computer to execute the following steps: extracting header information from a PDU received at a communication port from a new on-board device connected to the communication port; determining a control pattern to be used for the new on-board device based on information in a specific field of the extracted header information; and executing control processing using the determined control pattern. This allows the control pattern to be determined using the header information of a PDU that complies with a communication protocol used in an on-board network. Therefore, control suitable for on-board devices compatible with the communication protocol can be performed.

[0024] The present disclosure can be realized not only as a relay device having the above-described characteristic configuration, a control method including characteristic steps executed in the relay device, and a control program for causing the relay device to execute characteristic processing, but also as an in-vehicle system including the relay device, or as a semiconductor integrated circuit in which part or all of the relay device is implemented.

[0025] <Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure> Hereinafter, the details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner.

[0026] 1. First Embodiment 1-1. In-Vehicle System FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a partial configuration of an in-vehicle system according to an embodiment.

[0027] The in-vehicle system 10 is mounted on a vehicle and includes a first relay ECU 100, a second relay ECU 200, and an ECU 300.

[0028] The first relay ECU 100 and the second relay ECU 200 are connected via a communication line 20A. An in-vehicle network is configured by a plurality of relay ECUs including the first relay ECU 100 and the second relay ECU 200 and a plurality of communication lines including the communication line 20A. The in-vehicle network according to the first embodiment is an Ethernet network having a star-type network topology ("Ethernet" is a registered trademark) and is an IP (Internet Protocol) network. The communication line 20A is an Ethernet cable. The ECU 300 is connected to the second relay ECU 200 via a communication line.

[0029] The first relay ECU 100 is an example of a “relay device.” The first relay ECU 100 includes a plurality of communication ports 121A, 121B, 121C, and 121D, and communication devices compatible with an IP network can be connected to each of the communication ports 121A, 121B, 121C, and 121D.

[0030] For example, a new ECU 400A can be connected to the first relay ECU 100. In another example, a new sensor 400B can be connected to the first relay ECU 100. In this specification, the term "on-vehicle device" refers to equipment connected to the on-vehicle network, and includes ECUs, sensors, and actuators. In other words, the ECU 400A and the sensor 400B are examples of "on-vehicle devices."

[0031] The ECUs 300 and 400A individually control the hardware of each part of the vehicle, monitor the status of the hardware of each part of the vehicle, and process information related to the vehicle. Each of the ECUs 300 and 400A has one or more functions as a control system ECU, a body system ECU, and an information system ECU. The sensor 400B detects the status or objects of the vehicle or its surroundings. The sensor 400B is, for example, a camera, radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a human presence sensor, an oil pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an engine (or motor) rotation speed sensor, an accelerator pedal stroke sensor, a brake pedal stroke sensor, a steering angle sensor, etc.

[0032] 1, the ECU 400A is connected to the communication port 121B via a communication line 20B, and the sensor 400B is connected to the communication port 121C via a communication line 20C.

[0033] In the first embodiment, the first relay ECU 100 has a communication relay function. That is, the first relay ECU 100 includes a communication circuit 120. The communication circuit 120 is a switch including communication ports 121A, 121B, 121C, and 121D. For example, the communication circuit 120 is an L2 (Layer 2) switch, and in another example, the communication circuit 120 is an L3 (Layer 3) switch.

[0034] The first relay ECU 100 can relay Ethernet frames (hereinafter also simply referred to as "frames") between the connected devices (the second relay ECU 200, the ECU 400A, and the sensor 400B). The second relay ECU 200 can relay frames between the connected devices (the first relay ECU 100 and the ECU 300). At least one of the first relay ECU 100 and the second relay ECU 200 may be connected to a communication device (e.g., a relay device, an ECU, or a sensor) other than those shown in the figure.

[0035] In the first embodiment, the first relay ECU 100 has a power supply function. That is, the first relay ECU 100 includes a power supply circuit 130. The power supply circuit 130 includes power supply ports 131A, 131B, 131C, and 131D. Devices to be powered can be connected to the power supply ports 131A, 131B, 131C, and 131D. In the example of FIG. 1 , the second relay ECU 200 is connected to the power supply port 131A via a power line 30A, the ECU 400A is connected to the power supply port 131B via a power line 30B, and the sensor 400B is connected to the power supply port 131C via a power line 30C.

[0036] The power supply circuit 130 is connected to an on-board auxiliary battery (not shown) via a power line. The power supply port 131A is connected to a DC bus connected to the auxiliary battery via a relay 132A. Similarly, the power supply port 131B is connected to the DC bus via a relay 132B, the power supply port 131C is connected to the DC bus via a relay 132C, and the power supply port 131D is connected to the DC bus via a relay 132D. The power supply circuit 130 can switch between supplying and cutting off power from the auxiliary battery to the devices (second relay ECU 200, ECU 400A, sensor 400B) connected to the power supply ports 131A, 131B, 131C, and 131D by turning on and off the relays 132A, 132B, 132C, and 132D, respectively.

[0037] The first relay ECU 100 further includes a control circuit 110. The control circuit 110 can control the communication circuit 120 and the power supply circuit 130. For example, the control circuit 110 may be able to output commands to the second relay ECU 200, the ECU 300, the ECU 400A, and the sensor 400B, and receive data transmitted from the second relay ECU 200, the ECU 300, the ECU 400A, and the sensor 400B, via the communication circuit 120.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control circuit according to the first embodiment.

[0039] The control circuit 110 includes a processor 111, a nonvolatile memory 112, a volatile memory 113, and an interface (I / F) 114. The processor 111 is connected to the nonvolatile memory 112, the volatile memory 113, and the interface (I / F) 114 via a bus 115 for transmitting data.

[0040] The volatile memory 113 is a semiconductor memory such as a static random access memory (SRAM) or a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The non-volatile memory 112 is a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0041] The processor 111 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). However, the processor 111 is not limited to a CPU. The processor 111 may be a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The processor 111 is configured to be able to execute computer programs. However, the processor 111 may include, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) in part, or may include a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) in part.

[0042] The non-volatile memory 112 stores a control program 140, which is a computer program, and a code table 150 used to execute the control program 140. The control program 140 can be stored in a recording medium such as a flash memory, a ROM, or a CD-ROM. The processor 111 can execute control related to the new ECU 400A or the sensor 400B using the control program 140.

[0043] The interface 114 includes an input / output interface. Specifically, the interface 114 of the control circuit 110 is connected to the communication circuit 120 and the power supply circuit 130. The processor 111 can control the communication circuit 120 and the power supply circuit 130 connected to the interface 114.

[0044] 1 , for example, the first relay ECU 100 may have not only the frame relay function and the power supply function, but also the function of controlling hardware mounted on the vehicle and monitoring the status of the hardware. That is, the first relay ECU 100 may have one or more functions as a control system ECU, a body system ECU, and an information system ECU.

[0045] The second relay ECU 200 is connected to each of the first relay ECU 100 and the ECU 300 via communication lines. The second relay ECU 200 has, for example, the function of an L2 switch or an L3 switch. The second relay ECU 200 may have other functions, for example, one or more functions as a control system ECU, a body system ECU, or an information system ECU. The second relay ECU 200 may be an ECU that controls the entire vehicle, or an ECU that controls a part of the vehicle.

[0046] Each of the ECU 300, the ECU 400A, the sensor 400B, the first relay ECU 100, and the second relay ECU 200 can communicate using the Internet Protocol (IP). That is, each of the ECU 300, the ECU 400A, the sensor 400B, the first relay ECU 100, and the second relay ECU 200 can send and receive Ethernet frames containing IP packets.

[0047] [1-2. PDU] A frame, which is a PDU of the Ethernet protocol, will be described. In the first embodiment, the Ethernet frame is used to determine a control processing pattern (control pattern) for an in-vehicle device. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the format of an Ethernet frame. The Ethernet frame includes a header area and a payload area.

[0048] The header area includes a destination MAC address area (field), a source MAC address area, and a type code area.

[0049] The destination MAC address field stores the MAC address of the device with which communication is to take place (in the case of unicast). In the case of a multicast frame, the destination MAC address field stores the multicast address, and in the case of a broadcast frame, the destination MAC address field stores the broadcast address.

[0050] The source MAC address field stores the MAC address of the device that sends the Ethernet frame. That is, if ECU 400A is the source of the Ethernet frame, the source MAC address field stores the MAC address of ECU 400A. If sensor 400B is the source of the Ethernet frame, the source MAC address field stores the MAC address of sensor 400B.

[0051] The type code field contains the identification code of the upper layer protocol of Ethernet. The type code field may also contain the length of the Ethernet frame.

[0052] The payload area stores data to be transmitted. In the first embodiment, the payload area stores IP packets.

[0053] The end of the Ethernet frame (after the payload area) is an FCS (Frame Check Sequence) area, which stores a code for error detection.

[0054] [1-3. MAC Address] Each communication device (node) that performs Ethernet communication is assigned a unique MAC address, but the MAC addresses of in-vehicle devices connected to the in-vehicle network are not leaked from the in-vehicle network to an external network (such as the Internet). In the first embodiment, the MAC addresses assigned to the in-vehicle devices are determined by specifications that differ from the specifications of general MAC addresses. Hereinafter, the specifications of the MAC addresses (or IP address specifications) used in the in-vehicle system 10 are referred to as "specific control specifications."

[0055] 4 is a diagram for explaining the specific control specifications of a MAC address. A MAC (Media Access Control) address is composed of six octets: a first octet, a second octet, a third octet, a fourth octet, a fifth octet, and a sixth octet.

[0056] In general specifications, the first three octets (first octet, second octet, third octet) are the vendor ID section, but in specific control specifications, this is not limited to the vendor ID section and can be set arbitrarily.

[0057] The fourth and fifth octets store a control code, which is a code associated with a control pattern for an in-vehicle device. The control code will be described later.

[0058] The sixth octet stores the identifier of the node, that is, the sixth octet stores an ID that is unique to the in-vehicle system 10. In the in-vehicle system 10, the node is identified by the sixth octet of the MAC address.

[0059] [1-4. Code Table] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the first embodiment.

[0060] In the first embodiment, the code table 150 is used to determine the power supply control pattern of the in-vehicle device based on the control code included in the MAC address. The code table 150 associates bit positions, vehicle states, and power supply control patterns.

[0061] The bit positions in the code table 150 indicate the bit positions in the fourth and fifth octets (16 bits) where the control codes are stored in the MAC address. Bit positions are defined from "1" to "16." Bit position "1" is the least significant bit in the fourth and fifth octets. Bit position "2" is the second bit above the least significant, and bit position "3" is the third bit above the least significant. In other words, the numbers of the corresponding bit positions increase in order from the least significant bit to the most significant bit in the fourth and fifth octets.

[0062] The vehicle state includes various states such as the power supply state of the vehicle, a state related to the user's riding, and a state related to the vehicle's running. For example, the vehicle state includes an ignition (IG) ON state and an IG OFF state as the power supply state, a user riding state and a user not riding state as the riding state, and a stopped state and a running state as the running state. Here, the IG ON state is a power supply state in which the vehicle can run, and the IG OFF state is a power supply state in which the vehicle cannot run.

[0063] In the first embodiment, the power control pattern of the in-vehicle device is switched depending on the vehicle state. FIGS. 6A and 6B are graphs showing examples of power control patterns of the ECU. In FIGS. 6A and 6B , the vertical axis represents the on / off state of the power control relay, and the horizontal axis represents time. For example, consider unlocking the doors when a user holding a key fob approaches the vehicle and the user's face is successfully authenticated while the vehicle is unoccupied. In this case, a smart entry ECU that receives an authentication signal transmitted from the key fob is in operation, and when the user's approach is detected (authentication information is received), a camera for capturing an image of the user and an image processing ECU that performs face authentication processing are activated. To perform this operation, as shown in FIG. 6A , when the vehicle is unoccupied, a relay corresponding to the smart entry ECU is turned on, and the relay is switched off when the door is unlocked. 6B, when the vehicle is not occupied by a user, the relays corresponding to the camera and image processing ECU are turned off, and when the approach of the user is detected, the relays are switched on, and when the door is unlocked, the relays are switched off. In this way, power is supplied to the in-vehicle devices only when they need to be operated, and the power supply to the in-vehicle devices is stopped when they do not need to be operated, thereby reducing power consumption and suppressing wear on the auxiliary battery. When the vehicle is occupied by a user, the smart entry ECU, camera, and image processing ECU turn off all of the relays and stop the power supply.

[0064] [1-5. Functions of First Relay ECU] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of functions of the first relay ECU according to the first embodiment.

[0065] When the processor 111 of the first relay ECU 100 executes the control program 140, the functions of an acquisition unit 141, an extraction unit 142, a determination unit 143, a decision unit 144, and a control unit 145 are realized.

[0066] In the first embodiment, a new in-vehicle device connected to the in-vehicle network transmits an Ethernet frame in which the MAC address of the new in-vehicle device is specified as the source MAC address. In the example of FIG. 1 , the new in-vehicle devices are ECU 400A and sensor 400B. In an Ethernet frame transmitted from ECU 400A, the MAC address of ECU 400A is stored in the source MAC address field. In an Ethernet frame transmitted from sensor 400B, the MAC address of sensor 400B is stored in the source MAC address field. Ethernet frames transmitted from a new in-vehicle device connected to the first relay ECU 100 are received by a communication port in the first relay ECU 100. For example, an Ethernet frame transmitted from ECU 400A is received by communication port 121B. An Ethernet frame transmitted from sensor 400B is received by communication port 121C. The acquisition unit 141 acquires the Ethernet frames received by the communication ports.

[0067] The extraction unit 142 extracts header information from the Ethernet frame acquired by the acquisition unit 141. In the first embodiment, the header information is a source MAC address.

[0068] The determination unit 143 determines whether the header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, which is a specification of header information for determining a control pattern. In a specific example, the determination unit 143 determines whether the source MAC address extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification.

[0069] For example, a code indicating a specific control specification may be stored in at least a part of the first octet, the second octet, and the third octet of the MAC address. In one example, the second octet is an area used to determine the specific control specification, and the code for the specific control specification is "FF" in hexadecimal notation ("11111111" in binary notation). That is, if "FF" is stored in the second octet of the source MAC address, the determination unit 143 determines that the specific control specification is met, and if "FF" is not stored in the second octet of the source MAC address, the determination unit 143 determines that the specific control specification is not met.

[0070] The determination unit 144 determines a control pattern to be used for a new in-vehicle device based on information in a specific area in the header information extracted by the extraction unit 142. For example, when the determination unit 143 determines that the header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, the determination unit 144 determines a control pattern based on information in the specific area in the header information.

[0071] In a specific example, the specific area in the header information is the fourth and fifth octets of the source MAC address. The determination unit 144 compares the control code that may be included in the fourth and fifth octets of the source MAC address with the code table 150, and determines the power control pattern that corresponds to the control code.

[0072] For example, the determination unit 144 can identify bit positions that are "1" in the control code stored in the fourth and fifth octets, and determine the power control pattern that corresponds to the identified bit positions in the code table 150. For example, if the MAC address of the ECU 400A is "A0:FF:D5:00:05:B3" in hexadecimal notation, the control code is "00000000000000101" in binary notation. That is, the values ​​of bit positions "1" and "3" in the control code are "1." In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the vehicle state "user not in the vehicle" and the power control pattern "P1" correspond to bit position "1," and the vehicle state "stopped" and the power control pattern "P3" correspond to bit position "3." Therefore, the determination unit 144 determines the power control pattern "P1" for the vehicle state "user not in the vehicle" and the power control pattern "P3" for the vehicle state "stopped" for the ECU 400A (MAC address "A0:FF:D5:00:05:B3").

[0073] The control unit 145 executes control processing according to the control pattern determined by the determination unit 144. For example, P1, P2, P3, P4, ... in the code table 150 are codes indicating power control patterns (hereinafter referred to as "control pattern codes"). For example, the control program 140 includes a control program code for each control pattern code. The control unit 145 reads out the control program code corresponding to the control pattern code and executes the read control program code to execute control processing according to the determined power control pattern. More specifically, the control processing according to the power control pattern is realized by controlling the on / off of a relay. The control unit 145 controls the power supply of the new in-vehicle device by controlling the on / off of a relay corresponding to the power port to which the new in-vehicle device is connected according to the power control pattern.

[0074] For example, if the header information does not conform to the specific control specifications, the control unit 145 can execute the control process using a predetermined control pattern. The predetermined control pattern is a general-purpose control pattern that is compatible with all in-vehicle devices. For example, the general-purpose power control pattern is a pattern that supplies power to the in-vehicle device (turns on the relay) when the ignition is on and stops the power supply to the in-vehicle device (turns off the relay) when the ignition is off.

[0075] [1-6. Operation of First Relay ECU] Next, a description will be given of the control operation of the new vehicle-mounted device by the first relay ECU 100. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the control operation of the new vehicle-mounted device in the first relay ECU according to the first embodiment.

[0076] When an in-vehicle device is added, the new in-vehicle device is connected to the communication port and power supply port of the first relay ECU 100. When the new in-vehicle device is connected to the first relay ECU 100, it transmits an Ethernet frame specifying the MAC address of the new in-vehicle device as the source MAC address. The Ethernet frame (PDU) transmitted from the new in-vehicle device is received by the processor 111 of the first relay ECU 100 via the communication port (step S101).

[0077] The processor 111 extracts the source MAC address (header information) from the received Ethernet frame (step S102).

[0078] The processor 111 refers to the second octet of the source MAC address and determines whether the extracted MAC address complies with the specific control specification (step S103).

[0079] If the MAC address does not conform to the specific control specifications (NO in step S103), the processor 111 executes control processing according to a general-purpose power supply control pattern (step S104).

[0080] If the MAC address conforms to the specific control specification (YES in step S103), the processor 111 identifies the control code stored in the fourth and fifth octets of the MAC address (step S105).

[0081] Next, the processor 111 checks the identified control code against the code table 150 and determines a power control pattern (control pattern code) corresponding to the control code (step S106).

[0082] The processor 111 executes a control process to control the relay in accordance with the determined power supply control pattern (step S107). This completes the control operation of the new in-vehicle device.

[0083] 2. Second Embodiment The configuration of an in-vehicle system according to a second embodiment is the same as the configuration of the in-vehicle system 10 according to the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] In the second embodiment, a control pattern is determined based on an IP address stored in the header of an IP packet, which is an IP PDU.

[0085] [2-1. PDU] An IP packet, which is an IP PDU, will now be described. Fig. 9 shows the format of an IP packet. An IP packet includes a header area and a payload area.

[0086] The header area includes a version area, a header length area, a ToS area, a packet length area, an ID area, a flag area, a fragment offset area, a TTL area, a protocol number area, a header checksum area, a source IP address area, a destination IP address area, and an options area.

[0087] The version field stores the IP version. The header length field stores the length (size) of the header field. The ToS field stores ToS (Type of Service), which is information indicating the type of IP packet. ToS is used for QoS (Quality of Service) controls such as priority control, bandwidth control, and congestion control. The packet length field stores the length (size) of the IP packet. The ID field stores the IP packet identifier. The flag field stores a flag used to control IP packet fragmentation (division). The fragment offset field stores information (offset) indicating the position of the fragment in the original IP packet. The TTL field stores TTL (Time To Live), which is information about the lifespan of the IP packet. The protocol number field stores the number of the protocol used in the upper transport layer. The protocol number for TCP is "6", and the protocol number for UDP is "17". The header checksum field stores a checksum, which is information for checking the integrity of the header.

[0088] The source IP address field stores the IP address of the device that sends the IP packet. That is, if ECU 400A is the source of the IP packet, the source IP address field stores the IP address of ECU 400A. If sensor 400B is the source of the IP packet, the source IP address field stores the IP address of sensor 400B.

[0089] The destination IP address field stores the IP address of the device with which communication is to take place (in the case of unicast). In the case of a multicast packet, the destination IP address field stores a multicast address, and in the case of a broadcast packet, the destination IP address field stores a broadcast address.

[0090] [2-2. IP Address] Each communication device (node) that communicates via IP is assigned a unique IP address, but the IP address of an in-vehicle device connected to an in-vehicle network does not exceed the IP address of an external communication device (not shown) that functions as a gateway (router) and relays communication between the in-vehicle device and communication devices on an external network. Here, the external communication device is, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit) that is connected to both the in-vehicle network and the external network (for example, a fifth-generation mobile communication system network). In a specific example, the IP address assigned to the in-vehicle device is a private IP address.

[0091] In the second embodiment, the IP address assigned to the in-vehicle device is determined according to a specific specification (specific control specification).

[0092] 10 is a diagram for explaining specific control specifications for an IP address. An IP (Internet Protocol) address is made up of four octets: a first octet, a second octet, a third octet, and a fourth octet.

[0093] In the general specification for a Class C private IP address, the first octet is "192" and the second octet is "168" in decimal notation, but in the specific control specification, this is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily.

[0094] The third octet stores a control code.

[0095] The fourth octet stores the identifier of the node, that is, the fourth octet stores an ID that is unique to the in-vehicle system 10. In the in-vehicle system 10, the node is identified by the fourth octet of the IP address.

[0096] 2-3. Code Table FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the second embodiment.

[0097] In the second embodiment, the code table 150 is used to determine the communication control pattern of the in-vehicle device based on the control code included in the IP address. The code table 150 associates bit positions, vehicle states, and control patterns.

[0098] The bit positions in code table 150 indicate the bit positions in the third octet (8 bits) where the control code is stored in the IP address. Bit positions are defined from "1" to "8." Bit position "1" is the least significant bit in the third octet. Bit position "2" is the second bit above the least significant, and bit position "3" is the third bit above the least significant. In other words, the numbers of the corresponding bit positions increase in order from the least significant bit to the most significant bit in the third octet.

[0099] The vehicle state is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0100] In the second embodiment, the communication control pattern of the in-vehicle device is switched depending on the vehicle state. For example, a high level of security is required for a driving assistance ECU capable of performing autonomous driving. Therefore, when the vehicle is in a traveling state, it is considered that packets from an external network are not relayed to the driving assistance ECU that is performing autonomous driving. In this case, an example of a communication control pattern by the first relay ECU 100 is to relay all IP packets to the driving assistance ECU while autonomous driving is not being performed, and after autonomous driving has started, to not relay IP packets from the external network to the driving assistance ECU but to discard the IP packets.

[0101] [2-4. Functions of the First Relay ECU] The functions of the first relay ECU 100 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0102] In the second embodiment, a new in-vehicle device connected to the in-vehicle network transmits an IP packet in which the IP address of the new in-vehicle device is specified as the source IP address. In the example of FIG. 1 , the new in-vehicle devices are ECU 400A and sensor 400B. In an IP packet transmitted from ECU 400A, the IP address of ECU 400A is stored in the source IP address field. In an IP packet transmitted from sensor 400B, the IP address of sensor 400B is stored in the source IP address field. IP packets transmitted from a new in-vehicle device connected to the first relay ECU 100 are received by a communication port in the first relay ECU 100. For example, an IP packet transmitted from ECU 400A is received by communication port 121B. An IP packet transmitted from sensor 400B is received by communication port 121C. The acquisition unit 141 acquires the IP packets received by the communication ports.

[0103] The extraction unit 142 extracts header information from the IP packet acquired by the acquisition unit 141. In the second embodiment, the header information is a source IP address.

[0104] The determination unit 143 determines whether the header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, which is a specification of header information for determining a control pattern. In a specific example, the determination unit 143 determines whether the source IP address extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification.

[0105] For example, a code indicating a specific control specification may be stored in at least a part of the first and second octets of the IP address. In one example, the second octet is an area used to determine the specific control specification, and the code for the specific control specification is "255" in decimal notation ("11111111" in binary notation). That is, the determination unit 143 determines that the specific control specification is met if "255" is stored in the second octet of the source IP address, and determines that the specific control specification is not met if "255" is not stored in the second octet of the source MAC address.

[0106] For example, when the determination unit 143 determines that the header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, the determination unit 144 determines a control pattern based on information in a specific area in the header information.

[0107] In a specific example, the specific area in the header information is the area of ​​the third octet in the source IP address. The determination unit 144 compares the control code that can be included in the third octet in the source IP address with the code table 150 and determines the communication control pattern that corresponds to the control code.

[0108] For example, the determination unit 144 can identify a bit position that is "1" in the third stored control code and determine a communication control pattern corresponding to the identified bit position in the code table 150. For example, if the MAC address of the ECU 400A is "192.255.50:100" in hexadecimal notation, the control code is "00110010" in binary notation. That is, the values ​​of bit positions "2," "5," and "6" in the control code are "1." In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the vehicle state "running" and the communication control pattern "R2" correspond to bit position "2." Although not shown, it is assumed that the vehicle state "stopped" and the communication control pattern "R5" correspond to bit position "5," and the vehicle state "IG OFF" and the communication control pattern "R6" correspond to bit position "6." In this case, the determination unit 144 determines the communication control pattern "R2" for the vehicle state "driving", the communication control pattern "R5" for the vehicle state "stopped", and the communication control pattern "R6" for the vehicle state "IG OFF" for the ECU 400A (with its IP address "192.255.50.100").

[0109] The control unit 145 executes control processing according to the control pattern determined by the determination unit 144. For example, R1, R2, R3, R4, ... in the code table 150 are control pattern codes indicating communication control patterns. The control unit 145 reads out control program codes corresponding to the control pattern codes and executes the read out control program codes to execute control processing according to the determined communication control pattern. More specifically, the control processing according to the communication control pattern is realized by packet relay control in the communication circuit 120.

[0110] For example, if the header information does not conform to the specific control specifications, the control unit 145 can execute the control process using a general-purpose control pattern, such as a pattern in which, when the ignition is on, all IP packets originating from the in-vehicle device and all IP packets destined for the in-vehicle device are relayed.

[0111] [2-5. Operation of First Relay ECU] With reference to FIG. 8, the control operation of the new in-vehicle device by the first relay ECU 100 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0112] When an in-vehicle device is added, the new in-vehicle device is connected to the communication port and power supply port of the first relay ECU 100. When the new in-vehicle device is connected to the first relay ECU 100, it transmits an IP packet in which the IP address of the new in-vehicle device is specified as the source IP address. The IP packet (PDU) transmitted from the new in-vehicle device is received by the processor 111 of the first relay ECU 100 via the communication port (step S101).

[0113] The processor 111 extracts the source IP address (header information) from the received IP packet (step S102).

[0114] The processor 111 refers to the second octet of the source IP address and determines whether the extracted IP address complies with the specific control specification (step S103).

[0115] If the IP address does not conform to the specific control specifications (NO in step S103), the processor 111 executes control processing according to a general-purpose communication control pattern (step S104).

[0116] If the IP address conforms to the specific control specification (YES in step S103), the processor 111 identifies the control code stored in the third octet of the IP address (step S105).

[0117] Next, the processor 111 checks the identified control code against the code table 150 and determines a communication control pattern (control pattern code) corresponding to the control code (step S106).

[0118] The processor 111 executes a control process for controlling packet relay in accordance with the determined communication control pattern (step S107), which completes the control operation of the new vehicle-mounted device.

[0119] 3. Third Embodiment In the third embodiment, the first control pattern is determined based on the MAC address, and the second control pattern is determined based on the IP address.

[0120] In a specific example, the non-volatile memory 112 of the first relay ECU 100 stores the code table 150 described in the first embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as the "first table 150A") and the code table 150 described in the second embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as the "second table 150B").

[0121] 7 . In the third embodiment, a new in-vehicle device connected to the in-vehicle network transmits an Ethernet frame containing an IP packet having the IP address of the new in-vehicle device specified as the source IP address and a MAC address of the new in-vehicle device specified as the source MAC address. In the example of FIG. 1 , the new in-vehicle devices are ECU 400A and sensor 400B. In an Ethernet frame transmitted from ECU 400A, the IP address of ECU 400A is stored in the source IP address field of the IP packet contained in the Ethernet frame, and the MAC address of ECU 400A is stored in the source MAC address field of the Ethernet frame. In an Ethernet frame transmitted from sensor 400B, the IP address of sensor 400B is stored in the source IP address field of the IP packet contained in the Ethernet frame, and the MAC address of sensor 400B is stored in the source MAC address field of the Ethernet frame. The Ethernet frame transmitted from the new in-vehicle device connected to the first relay ECU 100 is received by a communication port of the first relay ECU 100. For example, an Ethernet frame transmitted from ECU 400A is received by communication port 121B. An Ethernet frame transmitted from sensor 400B is received by communication port 121C. Acquisition unit 141 acquires the Ethernet frame received by the communication port.

[0122] In the third embodiment, an Ethernet frame corresponds to a “first PDU,” and an IP packet accommodated in the Ethernet frame corresponds to a “second PDU.” A source MAC address corresponds to “first header information,” and a source IP address corresponds to “second header information.”

[0123] The extracting unit 142 extracts the first header information and the second header information from the Ethernet frame acquired by the acquiring unit 141 .

[0124] The determination unit 143 determines whether each of the first header information and the second header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, which is a specification of header information for determining a control pattern. In a specific example, the determination unit 143 determines whether the source MAC address extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification for the MAC address, and determines whether the source IP address conforms to the specific control specification for the IP address.

[0125] For example, when the determination unit 143 determines that the first header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification, the determination unit 144 determines a first control pattern based on information in a specific area (first specific area) in the first header information. When the determination unit 143 determines that the second header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification, the determination unit 144 determines a second control pattern based on information in a specific area (second specific area) in the second header information. That is, the determination unit 144 compares a control code (first control code) stored in the fourth and fifth octets of the source MAC address in the Ethernet frame with the first table 150A and determines a power control pattern corresponding to the first control code. The determination unit 144 compares a control code (second control code) stored in the third octet of the source IP address in the IP packet contained in the Ethernet frame with the second table 150B and determines a communication control pattern corresponding to the second control code.

[0126] The control unit 145 executes control processing according to the first control pattern and the second control pattern determined by the determination unit 144. That is, the control unit 145 controls the on / off of the relay corresponding to the power supply port to which the new in-vehicle device is connected in accordance with the power supply control pattern determined by the determination unit 144 (first control processing). The control unit 145 controls packet relay in the communication circuit 120 in accordance with the communication control pattern determined by the determination unit 144 (second control processing).

[0127] For example, if the first header information does not conform to the specific control specification, the control unit 145 controls the relay to be turned on / off using a general-purpose power control pattern. If the second header information does not conform to the specific control specification, the control unit 145 controls the relay of the packet using a general-purpose communication control pattern.

[0128] 4. Fourth Embodiment In the fourth embodiment, a control pattern is determined based on a MAC address and an IP address.

[0129] In a specific example, the first control code stored in the MAC address and the second control code stored in the IP address are combined, and a control pattern is determined using the combined first and second control codes. A code table 150 stored in the nonvolatile memory 112 of the first relay ECU 100 defines the correspondence between the combination of the first control code and the second control code and the control pattern.

[0130] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a code table according to the fourth embodiment.

[0131] The code table 150 according to the third embodiment includes a MAC table 151 , an IP table 152 , and an integrated table 153 .

[0132] In the MAC table 151, the bit position of the first control code included in the MAC address is associated with a first key. The first key is information for searching for a control pattern in the integrated table 153. In the example of FIG. 12, the first key "KA1" is associated with bit position "1" of the first control code. The first key "KA2" is associated with bit position "2" of the first control code. The first key "KA3" is associated with bit position "3" of the first control code. The first key "KA4" is associated with bit position "4" of the first control code.

[0133] In the IP table 152, the bit position of the second control code included in the IP address is associated with a second key. The second key is information for searching for a control pattern in the integrated table 153. In the example of FIG. 12, the second key "KB1" is associated with bit position "1" of the second control code. The second key "KB2" is associated with bit position "2" of the second control code. The second key "KB3" is associated with bit position "3" of the second control code. The second key "KB4" is associated with bit position "4" of the second control code.

[0134] The integrated table 153 associates a combination of a first key and a second key with a match type (exact match, partial match), and a control pattern. In the example of FIG. 12 , the first key "KA1" and the second key "KB1" are associated with the match type "partial match" and the control pattern code "P1." The first key "KA1," the second keys "KB1," and "KB2" are associated with the match type "exact match" and the control pattern code "R2." The first key "KA3," the second keys "KB2," and "KB3" are associated with the match type "exact match" and the control pattern code "R3." The first keys "KA1," "KA3," the second keys "KB2," and "KB3" are associated with the match type "exact match" and the control pattern code "R4."

[0135] For example, if the first control code of the MAC address is "0000000000000101" and the second control code of the IP address is "00000110," in the example of FIG. 12, first keys "KA1" and "KA3" are obtained from the MAC table 151, and second keys "KB2" and "KB3" are obtained from the IP table 152. Because the obtained combination of the first and second keys includes "KA3," "KB2," and "KB3," a control pattern code "R3" is identified in the integrated table 153. Furthermore, because the combination of the first and second keys includes "KA1," "KA3," "KB2," and "KB3," a control pattern code "P4" is identified in the integrated table 153.

[0136] 7. In the fourth embodiment, a new in-vehicle device connected to an in-vehicle network transmits an Ethernet frame containing an IP packet having the IP address of the new in-vehicle device specified as the source IP address and the MAC address of the new in-vehicle device specified as the source MAC address. The Ethernet frame transmitted from the new in-vehicle device connected to the first relay ECU 100 is received by a communication port in the first relay ECU 100. The acquisition unit 141 acquires the Ethernet frame received by the communication port.

[0137] In the fourth embodiment, an Ethernet frame corresponds to a “first PDU,” and an IP packet accommodated in the Ethernet frame corresponds to a “second PDU.” A source MAC address corresponds to “first header information,” and a source IP address corresponds to “second header information.”

[0138] The extracting unit 142 extracts the first header information and the second header information from the Ethernet frame acquired by the acquiring unit 141 .

[0139] The determination unit 143 determines whether each of the first header information and the second header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to a specific control specification, which is a specification of header information for determining a control pattern. The function of the determination unit 143 is the same as that of the third embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0140] For example, when the determination unit 143 determines that each of the first header information and second header information extracted by the extraction unit 142 conforms to the specific control specification, the determination unit 144 determines a control pattern based on a combination of a first control code stored in a specific area (first specific area) in the first header information and a second control code stored in a specific area (second specific area) in the second header information. That is, the determination unit 144 compares the first control code stored in the fourth and fifth octets of the source MAC address in the Ethernet frame with the MAC table 151 to identify a first key corresponding to the first control code. The determination unit 144 compares the second control code stored in the third octet of the source IP address in the IP packet contained in the Ethernet frame with the IP table 152 to identify a second key. The determination unit 144 compares the identified combination of the first key and the second key with the integrated table 153 to determine a control pattern.

[0141] The control unit 145 executes a control process according to the control pattern determined by the determination unit 144 .

[0142] For example, if at least one of the first header information and the second header information does not conform to the specific control specification, the control unit 145 executes the control process using a general-purpose control pattern.

[0143] 5. Fifth Embodiment In the fifth embodiment, a control pattern for a new in-vehicle device is determined using header information other than the source address in a PDU transmitted from the new in-vehicle device.

[0144] 1, the ECU 400A is an image processing ECU, and the sensor 400B is a camera. Hereinafter, in the fifth embodiment, the ECU 400A will be referred to as the "image processing ECU 400A," and the sensor 400B will be referred to as the "camera 400B."

[0145] The camera 400B transmits captured images to the image processing ECU 400A. The camera 400B captures images (moving images) and transmits the images (including audio) using RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) and RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol). The image processing ECU 400A receives the images transmitted from the camera 400B using RTSP and RTP.

[0146] FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of communication between a camera and an image processing ECU according to the fifth embodiment.

[0147] The image processing ECU 400A transmits a DESCRIBE packet defined by RTSP to request notification of the format of the image (content) (step S201). The DESCRIBE IP packet is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the camera 400B.

[0148] The camera 400B responds to the DESCRIBE and notifies the image format (step S202). The IP packet including the format information is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the image processing ECU 400A.

[0149] The image processing ECU 400A transmits setting information related to the image stream transmission by SETUP defined in RTSP (step S203). The setting information includes, for example, the protocol and port number used for transmitting the images. The SETUP IP packet is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the camera 400B.

[0150] The camera 400B transmits a response message to the SETUP command (step S204). The response IP packet is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the image processing ECU 400A.

[0151] The image processing ECU 400A transmits a PLAY packet defined by RTSP to request the start of video transmission (step S205). The PLAY IP packet is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the camera 400B.

[0152] The camera 400B transmits a response message to PLAY (step S206). The response IP packet is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the image processing ECU 400A.

[0153] The camera 400B transmits the image (step S207). The image is transmitted using the protocol notified in the SETUP, for example, RTP. The IP packet containing the image is relayed by the first relay ECU 100 and transmitted to the image processing ECU 400A.

[0154] In the communication between the image processing ECU 400A and the camera 400B as described above, the first relay ECU 100 refers to the header of the IP packet to be relayed. For example, the header of the IP packet transmitted from the image processing ECU 400A to the camera 400B specifies the IP address of the camera 400B as the destination IP address, RTSP as the communication protocol type (protocol number), and a source port number. The extraction unit 142 of the first relay ECU 100 extracts the destination IP address, communication protocol type, and source port number as header information from the IP packet.

[0155] The code table 150 associates control pattern codes corresponding to destination IP addresses, communication protocol types, and source port numbers. The determination unit 144 determines a control pattern code based on the extracted destination IP addresses, communication protocol types, and source port numbers.

[0156] 6. Modifications In the above-described embodiments, the power supply control pattern and the communication control pattern are described as the control pattern. However, the control pattern is not limited to the power supply control pattern and the communication control pattern as long as it is a control pattern related to an in-vehicle device.

[0157] [7. Supplementary Note] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above-described embodiments, and includes meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope thereof.

[0158] 10 In-vehicle system 20A, 20B, 20C Communication line 30A, 30B, 30C Power line 100 First relay ECU 110 Control circuit 111 Processor 112 Non-volatile memory 113 Volatile memory 114 Interface (I / F) 115 Bus 120 Communication circuit 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D Communication port 130 Power supply circuit 131A, 131B, 131C, 131D Power supply port 132A, 132B, 132C, 132D Relay 140 Control program 141 Acquisition unit 142 Extraction unit 143 Determination unit 144 Decision unit 145 Control unit 150 Code table 150A First table 150B Second table 151 MAC table 152 IP table 153 Integrated table 200 Second relay ECU 300 ECU 400A ECU (image processing ECU) 400B Sensor (camera)

Claims

1. A relay device that relays communications between multiple in-vehicle devices, comprising: a communication port for connecting a new in-vehicle device; an extraction unit that extracts header information from a PDU received at the communication port from the new in-vehicle device connected to the communication port; a determination unit that determines a control pattern to be used for the new in-vehicle device based on information in a specific field in the header information extracted by the extraction unit; and a control unit that executes control processing based on the control pattern determined by the determination unit.

2. The relay device according to claim 1, wherein the specific area is an internal area of ​​a source address, and a code corresponding to the control pattern is stored in the internal area of ​​the source address.

3. The relay device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the PDU is an Ethernet frame.

4. The relay device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the PDU is an IP packet.

5. The relay device of claim 1, wherein the PDU includes a first PDU used in a first communications protocol and a second PDU used in a second communications protocol belonging to a layer higher than the layer to which the first communications protocol belongs, the header information includes first header information of the first PDU and second header information of the second PDU, and the specific area includes a first specific area in the first header and a second specific area in the second header.

6. The relay device according to claim 5, wherein the first area includes an internal area of ​​a source address of the first communication protocol.

7. The relay device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second area includes an internal area of ​​a source address of the second communication protocol.

8. A relay device as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the first specific area stores a first code corresponding to a first control pattern used in the new in-vehicle device, the second specific area stores a second code corresponding to a second control pattern used in the new in-vehicle device, the determination unit determines the first control pattern based on the first code stored in the first specific area and determines the second control pattern based on the second code stored in the second specific area, and the control unit executes a first control process using the determined first control pattern and a second control process using the determined second control pattern.

9. The relay device described in claim 8, wherein the determination unit determines the first control pattern corresponding to the first code stored in the first specific area according to a first table that defines the correspondence between the first code and the first control pattern, and determines the second control pattern corresponding to the second code stored in the second specific area according to a second table that defines the correspondence between the second code and the second control pattern.

10. A relay device as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a first code is stored in the first specific area, a second code is stored in the second specific area, and the determination unit determines the control pattern based on the first code stored in the first specific area and the second code stored in the second specific area.

11. The relay device described in claim 10, wherein the determination unit determines the control pattern corresponding to the combination of the first code stored in the first specific area and the second code stored in the second specific area in accordance with a table that defines the correspondence between the combination of the first code and the second code and the control pattern.

12. The relay device according to claim 1, wherein the specific area is at least one of a port number, a destination address, a protocol type, and a response time in the header information.

13. A control method used by a relay device that relays communications between multiple in-vehicle devices, comprising the steps of: extracting header information from a PDU received at a communication port from a new in-vehicle device connected to the communication port; determining a control pattern to be used for the new in-vehicle device based on information in a specific field in the extracted header information; and executing control processing according to the determined control pattern.

14. A control program used by a relay device that relays communications between multiple in-vehicle devices, the control program causing a computer to execute the following steps: extracting header information from a PDU received at a communication port from a new in-vehicle device connected to the communication port; determining a control pattern to be used by the new in-vehicle device based on information in a specific field in the extracted header information; and executing control processing based on the determined control pattern.

Images