A method and control unit for configuring an add-on interface of a vehicle are presented. The vehicle comprises at least one vehicle internal system, at least one add-on system, the add-on system being arranged in the vehicle after the vehicle is produced by a manufacturer, and at least one internal communication unit arranged for communication with at least one vehicle external communication unit. The method comprises: receiving, using the at least one internal communication unit, configuration information related to at least one sensor of the vehicle from the at least one vehicle external communication unit; and configuring, based on the configuration information, how at least one sensor signal S.sub.sensor from the at least one sensor is to be processed by an add-on interface, the add-on interface being arranged in the vehicle as an interface between the at least one vehicle internal system and the at least one add-on system.

Methods and systems are provided for providing secure Ethernet transmissions. In some aspects, an autonomous vehicle system is provided and can include a first system-on-chip being configured to provide data to a second system-on-chip via an Ethernet harness, a first switch being configured to: receive the data from the first system-on-chip, and provide the data to a first transceiver for transmission to the second system-on-chip, the first switch being configured to provide first transmission data to the first transceiver and to prohibit receipt of retrieval data from the second system-on-chip, and the first transceiver configured to communicate with the second system-on-chip via the Ethernet harness.

Methods and systems are provided for providing secure Ethernet transmissions. In some aspects, an autonomous vehicle system is provided and can include a first system-on-chip being configured to provide data to a second system-on-chip via an Ethernet harness, a first switch being configured to: receive the data from the first system-on-chip, and provide the data to a first transceiver for transmission to the second system-on-chip, the first switch being configured to provide first transmission data to the first transceiver and to prohibit receipt of retrieval data from the second system-on-chip, and the first transceiver configured to communicate with the second system-on-chip via the Ethernet harness.

A sensor, including at least one transducer for emitting signals and for receiving reflected echo signals, the transducer being set up to output an analog measuring signal, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog measuring signal into a digital measuring signal, an evaluation unit for evaluating the digital measuring signal, and a communication unit for transmitting a measuring result of the evaluation via a digital communication interface. The communication unit is equipped to receive a request for diagnostic data via the digital communication interface, and is also equipped to switch the sensor to diagnostic operation and to transmit requested diagnostic data via the digital communication interface. The communication unit is set up to communicate with at least two different data rates via the digital communication interface, a higher data rate being used for transmitting the diagnostic data than for transmitting the measuring result during normal operation of the sensor.

A sensor, including at least one transducer for emitting signals and for receiving reflected echo signals, the transducer being set up to output an analog measuring signal, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog measuring signal into a digital measuring signal, an evaluation unit for evaluating the digital measuring signal, and a communication unit for transmitting a measuring result of the evaluation via a digital communication interface. The communication unit is equipped to receive a request for diagnostic data via the digital communication interface, and is also equipped to switch the sensor to diagnostic operation and to transmit requested diagnostic data via the digital communication interface. The communication unit is set up to communicate with at least two different data rates via the digital communication interface, a higher data rate being used for transmitting the diagnostic data than for transmitting the measuring result during normal operation of the sensor.

A bus coupler for a network, in particular for an optical ring network, includes: a bus participant interface for data connection to at least one bus participant device; a bus receiving interface for receiving bus input data via a bus line; a bus transmitting interface for transmitting bus output data via the bus line; and a control unit for generating bus output data based on participant input data received via the bus participant interface, the bus transmission data including bus control data, and to transfer the bus output data to a further bus coupler by the bus transmitting interface. The control unit specifies a control signal based on the bus input data received by the bus receiving interface and performs a relaying of the bus input data to the further bus coupler based on the specified control signal.

A vehicular control apparatus is used in an onboard system provided with a plurality of information processors mutually connected via a communication bus, and includes a storage section for storing information, and an arithmetic section for executing a process based on the information stored in the storage section. The information contains first management information relating to a security abnormality as a communication data abnormality owing to security attack from outside the onboard system, and second management information relating to a safety abnormality as a communication data abnormality owing to an abnormality in the onboard system. The first management information contains first limit condition information indicating a first limit condition for executing a security coping with the security abnormality. The second management information contains second limit condition information indicating a second limit condition for executing a safety coping with the safety abnormality. Upon detection of the communication data abnormality in the onboard system, the arithmetic section determines a coping content to the detected communication data abnormality based on the first management information and the second management information.

A vehicular control apparatus is used in an onboard system provided with a plurality of information processors mutually connected via a communication bus, and includes a storage section for storing information, and an arithmetic section for executing a process based on the information stored in the storage section. The information contains first management information relating to a security abnormality as a communication data abnormality owing to security attack from outside the onboard system, and second management information relating to a safety abnormality as a communication data abnormality owing to an abnormality in the onboard system. The first management information contains first limit condition information indicating a first limit condition for executing a security coping with the security abnormality. The second management information contains second limit condition information indicating a second limit condition for executing a safety coping with the safety abnormality. Upon detection of the communication data abnormality in the onboard system, the arithmetic section determines a coping content to the detected communication data abnormality based on the first management information and the second management information.

A method includes determining, by one or more processing entities associated with at least one of: one or more low voltage drive circuits (LVDCs) and one or more other LVDCs, an initial data conveyance scheme and an initial communication scheme for each communication of a plurality of communications on one or more lines of a bus. The method further includes determining a desired number of channels for each communication of the plurality of communications based on the initial data conveyance scheme and the initial communication scheme, a desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications based on the desired number of channels, determining whether the desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications exceeds a total number of available channels. If not, allocating the desired number of channels to each communication of the plurality of communications in accordance with the channel allocation mapping.

A method includes determining, by one or more processing entities associated with at least one of: one or more low voltage drive circuits (LVDCs) and one or more other LVDCs, an initial data conveyance scheme and an initial communication scheme for each communication of a plurality of communications on one or more lines of a bus. The method further includes determining a desired number of channels for each communication of the plurality of communications based on the initial data conveyance scheme and the initial communication scheme, a desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications based on the desired number of channels, determining whether the desired total number of channels for the plurality of communications exceeds a total number of available channels. If not, allocating the desired number of channels to each communication of the plurality of communications in accordance with the channel allocation mapping.