Relay device, vehicle communication system, vehicle, communication method, and communication program

A vehicle communication system comprising:

• a relay device installed in a vehicle;
• an existing function unit being one or a plurality of function units forming a network;
• and
• a new function unit being a function unit that is newly added to the network, wherein the relay device detects addition of the new function unit to the network, the new function unit or the existing function unit transmits a frame that is addressed to another function unit and that has stored therein function unit information that includes information regarding a network configuration of a layer of a lower order than an application layer, and
• the relay device acquires the function unit information from the frame transmitted by the new function unit or the existing function unit, wherein
• the function unit information includes at least one of:
• information that allows recognition of a topology of a new network and the specifications of a hardware device in the new network, the new network being the network that further includes the new function unit;
• a restriction regarding disposition of an application in the hardware device in the new network;
• and
• a restriction of a communication method in the new network.

A communication method to be performed in a relay device, the relay device installed in a vehicle and configured to relay a frame between function units, the communication method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a new function unit being a function unit that is newly added to a network including an existing function unit being one or a plurality of the function units;
• and
• acquiring, from the frame that should be relayed between the new function unit detected and the existing function unit, function unit information that includes information regarding a network configuration of a layer of a lower order than an application layer, the function unit information being of at least one of the new function unit and the existing function unit, wherein
• the function unit information includes at least one of:
• information that allows recognition of a topology of a new network and the specifications of a hardware device in the new network, the new network being the network that further includes the new function unit;
• a restriction regarding disposition of an application in the hardware device in the new network;
• and
• a restriction of a communication method in the new network.

A communication method to be performed in a vehicle communication system, the vehicle communication system including a relay device installed in a vehicle, an existing function unit being one or a plurality of function units forming a network, and a new function unit being a function unit that is newly added to the network,

• the communication method comprising the steps of:
• detecting, performed by the relay device, addition of the new function unit to the network;
• transmitting, performed by the new function unit or the existing function unit, a frame that is addressed to another function unit and that has stored therein function unit information that includes information regarding a network configuration of a layer of a lower order than an application layer;
• and
• acquiring, performed by the relay device, the function unit information from the frame transmitted by the new function unit or the existing function unit, wherein
• the function unit information includes at least one of:
• information that allows recognition of a topology of a new network and the specifications of a hardware device in the new network, the new network being the network that further includes the new function unit;
• a restriction regarding disposition of an application in the hardware device in the new network;
• and
• a restriction of a communication method in the new network.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein a communication program to be used in a relay device installed in a vehicle, the communication program being for causing a computer to function as:

• a detection unit configured to detect a new function unit being a function unit that is newly added to a network including an existing function unit being one or a plurality of function units;
• a relay unit configured to relay a frame between the function units;
• and
• an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the frame, relayed by the relay unit, between the new function unit detected by the detection unit and the existing function unit, function unit information that includes information regarding a network configuration of a layer of a lower order than an application layer, the function unit information being of at least one of the new function unit and the existing function unit, wherein
• the function unit information includes at least one of:
• information that allows recognition of a topology of a new network and the specifications of a hardware device in the new network, the new network being the network that further includes the new function unit;
• a restriction regarding disposition of an application in the hardware device in the new network;
• and
• a restriction of a communication method in the new network.