Relay device, in-vehicle communication system, vehicle, and in-vehicle communication method

An in-vehicle communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of function structures;
• and
• a relay device, wherein
• the relay device performs a relay process for a frame transmitted and received between the function structures,
• each function structure transmits, to the relay device, a target frame which is transmitted and received according to a predetermined communication protocol and includes information with which a request source of a service is identifiable and information with which a content of the requested service is identifiable, and
• the relay device
• receives the target frame from the function structure,
• performs determination regarding setting change in the relay process, on the basis of the information included in the received target frame, and
• relays the target frame to another function structure or discards the target frame, according to a result of the determination,
• wherein upon determining that the setting change in the relay process is necessary, the relay device performs the setting change in the relay process on the basis of the information included in the received target frame, and
• wherein on the basis of the information included in the target frame, the relay device specifies a communication band that is required in the relay device for preforming the relay process.

An in-vehicle communication method performed by a relay device used in an in-vehicle network including a plurality of function structures, the method comprising:

• performing a relay process for a frame transmitted and received between the function structures;
• and
• performing determination regarding setting change in the relay process, wherein
• in performing the determination regarding the setting change in the relay process, a target frame, which is transmitted and received according to a predetermined communication protocol and includes information with which a request source of a service is identifiable and information with which a content of the requested service is identifiable, is received from a function structure, the determination regarding the setting change in the relay process is performed on the basis of the information included in the received target frame, and the target frame is relayed to another function structure or discarded, according to a result of the determination,
• wherein upon determining that the setting change in the relay process is necessary, the relay device performs the setting change in the relay process on the basis of the information included in the received target frame, and
• wherein on the basis of the information included in the target frame, the relay device specifies a communication band that is required in the relay device for preforming the relay process.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having, stored therein, a computer program to be used in a relay device used in an in-vehicle network including a plurality of function structures, the computer program being for causing a computer to function as:

• a relayer to perform a relay process for a frame transmitted and received between the function structures;
• and
• a relay management processor, wherein
• the relayer
• receives, from a function structure, a target frame which is transmitted and received according to a predetermined communication protocol and includes information with which a request source of a service is identifiable and information with which a content of the requested service is identifiable, and
• outputs the received target frame to the relay management processor, and the relay management processor,
• performs determination regarding setting change in the relay process of the relayer, on the basis of the information included in the target frame received from the relayer, and
• outputs the target frame to the relayer or discards the target frame, according to a result of the determination,
• wherein upon determining that the setting change in the relay process is necessary, the relayer performs the setting change in the relay process according to determined content notified from the relay management processor, and
• wherein on the basis of the information included in the target frame, the relay management processor specifies a communication band that is required in the relayer for preforming the relay process.