Communication method in vehicle system and communication management method in in-vehicle network

A communication method implemented by at least one processor to a vehicle system including (i) a plurality of applications issuing a request for a communication with an outside of a vehicle or an inside of the vehicle, (ii) an electronic control unit receiving an instruction from the plurality of applications, (iii) a communicator device performing the communicating, and (iv) a network coordinator managing the request for the communication from the plurality of applications, the communication method comprising:

• an application of the plurality of applications issuing a request for a connection with an outside of the vehicle to the network coordinator;
• in response to receiving the request for the connection with the outside of the vehicle from the application,
• the network coordinator determining whether or not to permit the connection with the outside of the vehicle and reporting a determination result of the connection with the outside of the vehicle to the application;
• in response to the connection with the outside of the vehicle being permitted by the network coordinator,
• the application issuing a request for establishing the connection with the outside of the vehicle to the communicator device;
• in response to needing to download or upload a file after the connection with the outside of the vehicle is established,
• the application issuing a request for a start of a data transmission and reception to the network coordinator;
• in response to receiving the request for the start of the data transmission and reception from the application,
• the network coordinator determining whether or not to permit the start of the data transmission and reception, and reporting a determination result of the start of the data transmission and reception to the application;
• in response to the start of the data transmission and reception being permitted by the network coordinator,
• the application starting downloading or uploading the file;
• in response to downloading or uploading the file being completed,
• the application reporting an end of the data transmission and reception to the network coordinator;
• the application issuing a request for a connection with the electronic control unit in the inside of the vehicle to the network coordinator;
• in response to receiving the request for the connection with the electronic control unit in the inside of the vehicle from the application,
• the network coordinator determining whether or not to permit the connection with the electronic control unit in the inside of the vehicle, and reporting a determination result of the connection with the electronic control unit in the inside of the vehicle to the application;
• in response to the connection in the inside of the vehicle being permitted by the network coordinator,
• the application establishing the connection with the electronic control unit in the inside of the vehicle;
• and
• in response to a communication process with the electronic control unit being completed after the connection with the electronic control unit is established,
• the application reporting an end of the connection in the inside of the vehicle to the network coordinator.

A communication management method implemented by at least one processor for managing an in-vehicle network in a vehicle, the communication management method comprising:

• monitoring a usage state, of a resource of a communication in the in-vehicle network in the vehicle;
• receiving a request for a connection with a node in an outside or in an inside of the vehicle from an application in the vehicle;
• determining whether or not to permit the request for the connection from the application based on the usage state of the resource of the communication, and reporting a determination result to the application;
• monitoring the communication resource being secured and the connection with the node in the outside or in the inside of the vehicle being established by the application that is permitted to establish the connection;
• and
• receiving a notification of an end of the communication from the application in response to the application ending the communication with the node and discarding the resource of the communication.