Vehicle communication apparatus, in-vehicle network system, and vehicle communication method

An in-vehicle network system, comprising:

• a plurality of apparatuses that performs communication of frames via a network,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of apparatuses comprises an electronic control unit connected to the network,
• wherein the electronic control unit at least includes a first control circuit and a second control circuit,
• wherein the first control circuit is connected to the network via the second control circuit,
• wherein the second control circuit receives a first plurality of frames from the network, to which the second control circuit is connected, performs a first determination process on a second plurality of frames including a predetermined identifier among the received first plurality of frames to determine a conformity of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier with a first rule related to the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier and, upon determining that the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier conforms to the first rule, transmits contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier to the first control circuit, and
• wherein the first control circuit receives the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier from the second control circuit and performs, after receiving the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier from the second control circuit, a second determination process on the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier to determine a conformity of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier with a second rule, the second rule being different from the first rule.

A vehicle communication method for use in an in-vehicle network system, the in-vehicle network system including a plurality of apparatuses that performs communication of frames via a network, the plurality of apparatuses including a vehicle communication apparatus, the vehicle communication apparatus including a first control circuit and a second control circuit, the second control circuit configured to exchange information on frames with the first control circuit, the vehicle communication method comprising:

• receiving, by the second control circuit, a first plurality of frames from the network, to which the second control circuit is connected,
• performing, by the second control circuit, a first determination process on a second plurality of frames including a predetermined identifier among the received first plurality of frames to determine a conformity of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier with a first rule related to the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier;
• upon determining that the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier conforms to the first rule, transmitting, by the second control circuit, content of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier to the first control circuit;
• receiving, by the first control circuit, the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier from the second control circuit;
• and
• performing, by the first control circuit and after receiving the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier from the second control circuit, a second determination process on the contents of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier to determine a conformity of the second plurality of frames including the predetermined identifier with a second rule, the second rule being different from the first rule.