Vehicle communication method and system, function identifying system, and electronic control unit

A vehicle communication system in which a plurality of control units are communicably linked to a communication network, and a monitoring device is designed to be communicably linkable to the communication network and to establish communications with at least one of the plurality of control units for monitoring the vehicle communication system comprising:

• a first identifier uniquely assigned to at least one function for vehicle control, the at least one function being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units;
• and
• an identifying unit configured to identify that a target function uniquely assigned with a target identifier is installed in one of the control units based on the first identifier and the target identifier,
• wherein the at least one function includes a plurality of functions to each of which the first identifier is assigned, the plurality of functions being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units, and the identifying unit further comprises:
• a first sending module provided in the monitoring device and configured to send a function check request message to each of the control units;
• a second sending module provided in each of the control units and configured to send a function acknowledge message to the monitoring device upon receiving of the function check request message, the function acknowledge message containing the first identifier of at least one of the functions installed in each of the control units and a second identifier uniquely assigned with each of the control units;
• a table creating module provided in the monitoring device and configured to create a table representing that each of the plurality of functions is installed in one of the control units based on the first identifier and the second identifier contained in the function acknowledge message sent from each of the control units;
• and
• an identifying module provided in the monitoring device and configured to search the created table for the target function and to identify that the target function is installed in one of the control units based on the searched result.

A vehicle communication system in which a plurality of control units are communicably linked to a communication network, and a monitoring device is designed to be communicably linkable to the communication network and to establish communications with at least one of the plurality of control units for monitoring, the vehicle communication system comprising:

• a first identifier uniquely assigned to at least one function for vehicle control, the at least one function being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units;
• and
• an identifying unit configured to identify that a target function uniquely assigned with a target identifier is installed in one of the control units based on the first identifier and the target identifier,
• wherein the at least one function includes a plurality of functions to each of which the first identifier is assigned, the plurality of functions being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units, and the identifying unit further comprises:
• a first sending module provided in the monitoring unit and configured to send a function inquiry request message to each of the control units, the function inquiry request message containing the first identifier of the target function;
• a determining module provided in each of the control units and configured to determine whether the target function is installed in each of the control units upon receiving of the function inquiry request message;
• a second sending module provided in at least one of the control units and configured to send a function inquiry response message when it is determined the target function is installed in the at least one of the control units, the function inquiry response message containing a second identifier uniquely assigned with the at least one of the control units;
• and
• an identifying module provided in the monitoring device and configured to identify that the target function is installed in the at least one of the control units based on the second identifier contained in the function inquiry response message.

A vehicle communication system in which a plurality of control units are communicably linked to a communication network, and a monitoring device is designed to be communicably linkable to the communication network and to establish communications with at least one of the plurality of control units for monitoring, the vehicle communication system comprising:

• a first identifier uniquely assigned to at least one function for vehicle control, the at least one function being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units;
• and
• an identifying unit configured to identify that a target function uniquely assigned with a target identifier is installed in one of the control units based on the first identifier and the target identifier,
• wherein the at least one function includes a plurality of functions to each of which the first identifier is assigned, the plurality of functions being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units, and the identifying unit further comprises:
• a table provided in one of the control units and representing that each of the plurality of functions is installed in one of the control units using the first identifier of each of the plurality of functions;
• a first sending module provided in the monitoring unit and configured to send a function inquiry request message to the one of the control units, the function inquiry request message containing the first identifier of the target function;
• a searching module provided in the one of the control units and configured to search the table for at least one of the control units corresponding to the target function contained in the function inquiry request message;
• a second sending module provided in the one of the control units and configured to send, to the monitoring unit, a function inquiry response message containing a second identifier uniquely assigned to the at least one of the control units;
• and
• an identifying module provided in the monitoring device and configured to identify that the target function is installed in the at least one of the control units whose second identifier is contained in the function inquiry response message.

A vehicle communication system in which a plurality of control units are communicably linked to a communication network, and a monitoring device is designed to be communicably linkable to the communication network and to establish communications with at least one of the plurality of control units for monitoring, the vehicle communication system comprising:

• a first identifier uniquely assigned to at least one function for vehicle control, the at least one function being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units;
• and
• an identifying unit configured to identify that a target function uniquely assigned with a target identifier is installed in one of the control units based on the first identifier and the target identifier,
• wherein the at least one function includes a plurality of functions to each of which the first identifier is assigned, the plurality of functions being installed in at least one of the plurality of control units, and the identifying unit further comprises:
• a sending unit provided in the monitoring device and configured to send a request message to each of the control units, the request message containing the first identifier of the target function and descriptions used to monitor the target function;
• and
• a determining unit provided in each of the control units and configured to:
• receive the request message;
• determine whether the target function whose first identifier is contained in the request message is installed therein;
• and
• execute the target function based on the descriptions corresponding thereto when it is determined that the target function whose first identifier is contained in the request message is installed therein.