Central network unit and method therein for enabling internet access to an on-board third party application
A central network unit and method therein for enabling internet access to an third-party application executed in an operating system on-board a vehicle in a vehicle communications network is described. It describes obtaining information indicating on-board internet usage by the third-party application per assigned operating system resource. It also describes determining, based on the obtained information, if internet access is to be maintained for the third-party application and/or one or more of its assigned operating system resources. Further, it describes configuring access to one or more external network interfaces on-board the vehicle used by the third-party application and/or one or more of the assigned operating system resources based on the determined information. Computer program products and storage mediums are also described.
1 . A computer-implemented method performed by a central network unit for enabling internet access to a third-party application executed in an operating system on-board a vehicle in a vehicle communications network, the method comprising:
obtaining information indicating on-board internet usage by the third-party application per assigned operating system resource;
determining, based on the obtained information, if internet access is to be maintained for the third-party application and/or one or more of its assigned operating system resources; and
configuring access to one or more external network interfaces on-board the vehicle used by the third-party application and/or one or more of the assigned operating system resources based on the determined information.
2 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating system resources comprise one or more containers inflated to support the third-party application, wherein a container is a logical structure representing a segmented part of the operating systems resources assigned to the third-party application and that are separated from other resources of the operating system on-board the vehicle.
3 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating system resources comprise one or more network link used by the third-party application, or local, virtual or remote network devices used by the third-party application that are distributed across multiple Electronic Control Units (ECUs).
4 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining is performed using a determined prioritization scheme, wherein the prioritization scheme is configured to prioritize applications supporting vehicle functionality above the third-party application.
5 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining comprises receiving the information indicating on-board internet usage by the third-party application per assigned operating system resource from the operating system on-board the vehicle.
6 . A central network unit for enabling internet access to a third-party application executed in an operating system on-board a vehicle in a vehicle communications network, the central network unit comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, the processing circuitry being configured to:
obtain information indicating on-board internet usage by the third-party application per assigned operating system resource, determine, based on the obtained information, if internet access is to be maintained for the third-party application and/or one or more of its assigned operating system resources, and configure access to one or more external network interfaces on-board the vehicle used by the third-party application and/or one or more of the assigned operating system resources based on the determined information.
7 . The central network unit according to claim 6 , wherein the operating system resources comprise one or more containers inflated to support the third-party application, wherein a container is a logical structure representing a segmented part of the operating systems resources assigned to the third-party application and that are separated from other resources of the operating system on-board the vehicle.
8 . The central network unit according to claim 6 , wherein the operating system resources comprise one or more network link used by the third-party application, or local, virtual or remote network devices used by the third-party application that are distributed across multiple Electronic Control Units (ECUs).
9 . The central network unit according to claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine if internet access is to be maintained using a determined prioritization scheme, where the prioritization scheme is configured to prioritize applications supporting vehicle functionality above the third-party application.
10 . The central network unit according to claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the information indicating on-board internet usage by the third-party application per assigned operating system resource from the operating system on-board the vehicle.
11 . A vehicle communications network comprising a central network unit according to claim 6 .
12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 1 .