# US 12,184,436 B2 · Network control apparatus, network control method, and network control program

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- Number: US 12,184,436 B2
- Document ID: US12184436B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/921,418
- Filed: 2021-05-06
- Published: 2023-05-25
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-07
- Assignees: NEC Communication Systems, Ltd.
- Applicants: NEC Communication Systems, Ltd.
- Inventors: Akira Matsumoto; Yuki Baba; Katsuyuki Akizuki; Yuji Harada; Tetsuji Kawatsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184436B2

## CPC

- B60R 16/023: for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
- H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
- H04L 12/40039: {Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus}
- H04L 2012/40273: {the transportation system being a vehicle}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

There is provided a network control apparatus that realizes an in-vehicle network with low power consumption. The network control apparatus comprises a vehicle state acquisition part that acquires the state of a vehicle; a control profile acquisition part that acquires a control profile, according to the acquired vehicle state, from one or more control profiles including settings for controlling equipment connected to an in-vehicle network; and a control part that controls equipment within the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A network control apparatus comprising:
at least a processor; and
a memory in circuit communication with the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to implement:
a vehicle state acquisition part that acquires a state of a vehicle;
a control profile acquisition part that acquires a control profile, according to the acquired state of the vehicle, from one or more control profiles including settings for controlling equipment connected to an in-vehicle network; and
a control part that controls equipment within the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile, wherein
the vehicle state acquisition part further acquires a state of a communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network,
the control profile acquisition part further acquires the control profile on the basis of the acquired state of the communication port, and
the control part further controls the communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle state acquisition part further acquires power consumption of each piece of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network, and
the control profile acquisition part further acquires the control profile on the basis of a sum of the acquired power consumption of each piece of the equipment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control profile acquisition part further acquires a control profile grouping equipment connected to the in-vehicle network, and
the control part controls each group on the basis of the control profile grouping equipment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle state acquisition part further acquires the number of communication ports used for communication by each piece of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network, and
the control profile acquisition part further acquires the control profile having a total number of ports used for communication smaller than a sum of the acquired number of communication ports used for communication by each piece of equipment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle state acquisition part further acquires power consumption of a communication port used for communication by each piece of equipment connected to the in- vehicle network, and
the control profile acquisition part further acquires the control profile having a total power consumption of a port used for communication smaller than a sum of the acquired power consumption of a communication port used for communication by each piece of equipment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a vehicle state transition information holding part that holds vehicle state transition information stating a vehicle state and another vehicle state to which the vehicle state can transition in the future, wherein
the control profile acquisition part acquires the control profile on the basis of the acquired vehicle state and the held vehicle state transition information.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The network control apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a clocking part that outputs a signal at a constant cycle, wherein
the control part further performs control according to the signal outputted by the clocking part.

### Claim 8

A network control method performed by a computer and comprising:
acquiring a state of a vehicle;
acquiring a control profile, according to the acquired state of the vehicle, from one or more control profiles including settings for controlling equipment connected to an in-vehicle network;
controlling equipment within the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile;
acquiring a state of a communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network;
acquiring the control profile on the basis of the acquired state of the communication port; and
controlling a communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program executable by a computer to perform processing comprising:
acquiring a state of a vehicle;
acquiring a control profile, according to the acquired state of the vehicle, from one or more control profiles including settings for controlling equipment connected to an in-vehicle network;
controlling equipment within the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile;
acquiring a state of a communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network;
acquiring the control profile on the basis of the acquired state of the communication port; and
controlling a communication port of equipment connected to the in-vehicle network on the basis of the acquired control profile.