Unified vehicle network frame protocol

A network node module comprises:

• a processing module;
• memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the processing module is configured to:
• generate a header section of a frame for transmission within a unified vehicle communication network, wherein the header section includes a preamble, a vehicle network field, and routing information, and wherein the vehicle network field includes information that identifies content types of the frame to include:
• mission-critical, non-mission critical, vehicle operation and commercial content;
• generate a payload section of the frame, wherein the payload section includes data payload and an integrity check field;
• and
• transmit the frame to the unified vehicle communication network in accordance with a global vehicle network communication protocol;
• and
• a gateway coupled to the processing module, the gateway including at least one transceiver for communicating outside of a vehicle, the at least one transceiver configured to communicate using the global vehicle network communication protocol.

A network node module comprises:

• a processing module;
• memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the processing module is configured to:
• generate a header section of a frame for transmission within a unified vehicle communication network, wherein the header section includes a preamble, a vehicle network field, and routing information, and wherein the vehicle network field includes information that identifies content types of the frame to include:
• vehicle operation, occupant information, location and commercial content and null information such that another module of the unified vehicle communication network will populate the vehicle network field;
• generate a payload section of the frame, wherein the payload section includes data payload and an integrity check field;
• generate the vehicle network field by retrieving frame information from the memory;
• and
• transmit the frame to the unified vehicle communication network in accordance with a global vehicle network communication protocol.