System and method for dynamically managing connectivity between a vehicle and an external ecosystem

A system in a vehicle for dynamically managing connectivity between the vehicle and an external ecosystem, the system comprising:

• a plurality of vehicle ECUs;
• a gateway module in communication with at least one of the plurality of ECUs;
• and
• a connectivity hub module (CHM) in communication with the plurality of vehicle ECUs, the CHM configured to:
• establish an initial connectivity configuration in which each of a plurality of vehicle electronic control units (ECUs) is registered on the external ecosystem with an initial device-type designation and an initial connectivity path that is one of a direct communication, an indirect communication through the CHM or a gateway module in the vehicle, or no external communication;
• monitor, during an ongoing connectivity session between the vehicle and the external ecosystem, an internal vehicle state data including at least a battery level, an over-the-air-update status, and a network traffic load, and monitoring external context data including at least an identity and a recent behavior of the external ecosystem;
• apply a dynamic rule set to at least one of the plurality of vehicle ECUs, wherein the dynamic rule set determines which of the device-type designation and the connectivity path should be changed for the at least one vehicle ECU based on the internal vehicle state data and the external context data;
• generate a revised connectivity configuration based on application of the dynamic rule set, wherein the revised connectivity configuration includes a revised device-type designation corresponding to a different communications protocol than the initial communications protocol and/or a revised connectivity path chosen from the set of direct communication, indirect communication, or no external communication;
• and
• re-allocate, using the revised connectivity configuration, the at least one vehicle ECU's network presence on the external ecosystem by updating the ECU's device-type designation on the external ecosystem, and/or rerouting external messages destined for or originating from the at least one vehicle ECU through the CHM or the gateway module acting as a protocol bridge for when the connectivity path chosen is indirect communication.

A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising machine-readable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• establish, by a connectivity hub module (CHM) located in a vehicle, an initial connectivity configuration in which each of a plurality of vehicle electronic control units (ECUs) is registered on an external ecosystem with an initial device-type designation and an initial connectivity path that is one of a direct communication, an indirect communication through the CHM or a gateway module in the vehicle, or no external communication;
• monitor, by the CHM during an ongoing connectivity session between the vehicle and the external ecosystem, an internal vehicle state data including at least a battery level, an over-the-air-update status, and a network traffic load, and monitoring external context data including at least an identity and a recent behavior of the external ecosystem;
• apply, by the CHM, a dynamic rule set to at least one of the plurality of vehicle ECUs, wherein the dynamic rule set determines which of the device-type designation and the connectivity path should be changed for the at least one vehicle ECU based on the internal vehicle state data and the external context data;
• generate a revised connectivity configuration based on application of the dynamic rule set, wherein the revised connectivity configuration includes a revised device-type designation corresponding to a different communications protocol than the initial communications protocol and/or a revised connectivity path chosen from the set of direct communication, indirect communication, or no external communication;
• and
• re-allocate, using the revised connectivity configuration, the at least one vehicle ECU's network presence on the external ecosystem by updating the ECU's device-type designation on the external ecosystem, and/or rerouting external messages destined for or originating from the at least one vehicle ECU through the CHM or the gateway module acting as a protocol bridge for when the connectivity path chosen is indirect communication.