# US 10,120,715 B2 · Distributed network management system and method for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,715 B2 - Document ID: US10120715B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/965,883 - Filed: 2015-12-10 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-10 - Assignees: Automotive Research & Testing Center - Applicants: Automotive Research & Testing Center - Inventors: Che-Cheng Chang; Chao-Yang Lee; Yi-Chen Lu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120715B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/50: Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU] - G06F 9/5083: {Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system} - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04L 67/1008: based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload (monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30) - H04L 67/1034: Reaction to server failures by a load balancer - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 67/63: Routing a service request depending on the request content or context - H04L 41/0654: using network fault recovery (ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A distributed network management method for a vehicle is provided. The distributed network management method includes a first step, a second step, a third step and a fourth step. The first step is for preforming a re-configuring action and a pre-defining action to a plurality of network messages transmitted through a plurality of nodes. The second step is for defining a leading node form the nodes. The third step is for detecting a failed node from the nodes. The fourth step is for defining at least one idle node by the leading node according to a task load of each of the nodes, thereby assigning a task of the failed node to the idle node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A distributed network management system for a vehicle, the distributed network management system being disposed on a plurality of electronic control units that are inter-connected by a distributed network, wherein each of the electronic control units is selectable as a leading node or an idle node in the distributed network, the distributed network management system comprising: a plurality of data configuration modules, wherein each of the data configuration modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units, and each of the data configuration modules is configured for performing a re-configuring action to a plurality of network messages; a plurality of data definition modules, wherein each of the data definition modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and is connected to each of the data configuration modules, and each of the data definition modules is configured for performing a pre-defining action corresponding to the network messages; a plurality of distributed node status broadcast modules, wherein each of the distributed node status broadcast modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units, and each of the distributed node status broadcast module is configured for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task assigning action; a plurality of task transformation modules, wherein each of the task transformation modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units, and each of the task transformation modules is configured for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task transferring action; a plurality of task overload modules, wherein each of the task overload modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units, and each of the task overload modules is configured for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task overloading action; and a plurality of task load balance modules, wherein each of the task load balance modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units, and each of the task overload modules is configured for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task load balancing action; wherein the electronic control unit selected as the leading node performs the task assigning action to order the other of the electronic control units through one of the distributed node status broadcast modules; when one of the electronic control units is failed and cannot perform any tasks, the electronic control unit selected as the leading node performs the task transferring action, the task overloading action and the task balancing action to order the the electronic control unit selected as the idle node to perform the tasks of the failed electronic control unit through the task transformation modules, the task overload modules and the task balance modules of the electronic control unit selected as the leading node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The distributed network management system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control units are communicated with each other through a Token Passing network protocol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The distributed network management system of claim 1, wherein the re-configuring action of each of the data configuration modules is to define a source and a target of each of the network messages. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The distributed network management system of claim 1, wherein the data pre-defining action of each of the data definition modules is to define a type and a message ID of each of the network messages. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The distributed network management system of claim 1, wherein the distributed network management system comprises a sensing end and a processing end, some electronic control units are disposed on the sensing end for executing order data of the network messages and receiving sensing data of the network messages; other electronic control units are disposed on the processing end for processing the sensing data and outputting the order data. ### Claim 6 A distributed network management system for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of electronic control units, wherein the electronic control units are inter-connected by a distributed network; a portable electronic control unit detachably connected to the electronic control units by the distributed network; a plurality of data configuration modules, wherein each of the data configuration modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit, and each of the data configuration modules is configured for performing a re-configuring action to a plurality of network messages; a plurality of data definition modules, wherein each of the data definition modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit and is connected to each of the data configuration modules, and each of the data definition modules is configured for performing a pre-defining action corresponding to the network messages; a plurality of distributed node status broadcast modules, wherein each of the distributed node status broadcast modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit, and each of the distributed node status broadcast module is configured for enabling the portable electronic control unit to perform a task assigning action; a plurality of task transformation modules, wherein each of the task transformation modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit, and the portable electronic control unit performs a task transferring action through one of the electronic control units; a plurality of task overload modules, wherein each of the task overload modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit, and the portable electronic control unit performs a task overloading action through one of the task overload modules; and a plurality of task load balance modules, wherein each of the task load balance modules is disposed on each of the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit, and the portable electronic control unit performs a task load balancing action through one of the task load balance modules; wherein the portable electronic control unit is selectable as a leading node to perform the task assigning action to order the electronic control units through one of the distributed node status broadcast modules; when one of the electronic control units is failed and cannot perform any tasks, the portable electronic control unit selected as the leading node performs the task transferring action, the task overloading action and the task balancing action to order the electronic control unit selectable as an idle node to execute the tasks of the failed electronic control unit through the task transformation modules, the task overload modules and the task balance modules of the portable electronic control unit selected as the leading node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The distributed network management system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of portable electronic control units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The distributed network management system of claim 6, wherein the portable electronic control unit is a smart phone, a tablet PC or a smart watch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The distributed network management system of claim 6, wherein the electronic control units and the portable electronic control unit are communicated with each other through a Token Passing network protocol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The distributed network management system of claim 6, wherein the data re-configuring action of each of the data configuration modules is to define a source and a target of each of the network messages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The distributed network management system of claim 6, wherein the data pre-definition action of each of the data definition modules is to define a type and a message ID of each of the network message. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The distributed network management of claim 6, wherein some electronic control units are configured for executing order data of the network messages and receiving sensing data of the network messages; other electronic control units are configured for processing the sensing data and outputting the order data. ### Claim 13 A distributed network management method for a vehicle, the distributed network management method comprising: a data configuration step for preforming a re-configuring action to a plurality of network messages transmitted through a plurality of nodes; a data definition step for performing a pre-defining action corresponding to the network messages; a distributed node status broadcast step for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task assigning action; a task transformation step for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task transferring action; a task overload step for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task overloading action; and a task load balance step for selecting one of the electronic control units to perform a task load balancing action. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The distributed network management method of claim 13, wherein in the data configuration step, the data re-configuring action is performed to define a source and a target of each of the network messages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The distributed network management method of claim 13, wherein in the data definition step, the pre-defining action is performed to define a type and a message ID of each of the network messages. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The distributed network management method of claim 13, wherein some electronic control units are configured for executing order data of the network messages and receiving sensing data of the network messages; other electronic control units are configured for processing the sensing data and outputting the order data. ### Claim 17 A distributed network management method for a vehicle, the distributed network management method comprising: a first step for preforming a re-configuring action and a pre-defining action to a plurality of network messages transmitted through a plurality of nodes; a second step for defining a leading node form the nodes; a third step for detecting a failed node from the nodes; a fourth step for defining at least one idle node by the leading node according to an available task load of each of the nodes, thereby assigning a task of the failed node to the idle node; a fifth step for defining an overload node by the leading node according to the available task load of each of the nodes; and a sixth step for equally distributing an overload task of the overload node to the leading node and each of the other nodes; wherein the nodes are a plurality of electronic control units that are capable of transmitting network messages with each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The distributed network management method of claim 17, further comprising: a seventh step for fixing the failed node to a recovered node; and an eighth step for sending back the task assigned to the idle node in the fourth step to the recovered node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The distributed network management method of claim 17, wherein in the first step, the re-configuring action is performed to define a source and a target of each of the network messages. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The distributed network management method of claim 17, wherein in the first step, the pre-defining action is performed to define a type and a message ID of each of the network messages. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The distributed network management method of claim 17, wherein some of the electronic control units are configured for executing order data of the network messages and receiving sensing data of the network messages; other of the electronic control units are configured for processing the sensing data and outputting the order data.