Vehicle network link module

1. A vehicle network link module, comprising:

a plurality of network fabric ports operable for coupling to a corresponding plurality of network fabric ports of another vehicle network fabric link module;

a port operable for coupling to a port of a vehicle network module;

a switching circuit operable to connect an active network fabric port of the plurality of network fabric ports to the port; and

a link manager processing module operable to:

determine whether vehicle network packet conveyance via the active network fabric port has degenerated below a threshold;

when the vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below a threshold:

determine a use mode of a plurality of use modes of the active network fabric port, the plurality of use modes of the active network fabric port including at least a link aggregation mode and a non-aggregation mode such that the active network fabric port may operate in both the link aggregation mode and the non-aggregation mode;

select a new active network fabric port from the plurality of network fabric ports based on, at least in part, the use mode; and

activate the new active network fabric port for coupling via the switching circuit to the port;

wherein the link manager processing module is further operable to:

determine that a communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to a corresponding active network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module has failed;

determine whether a hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports is enabled for the active network fabric port;

when the hot-standby port is not enabled:

determine whether conveyance of a vehicle network packet was corrupted when the vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below the threshold; and

when the conveyance of the vehicle network packet was corrupted:

determine content type of the vehicle network packet;

determine network traffic conditions; and

based on the content type and network traffic conditions, determine whether to initiate reconveyance of the vehicle network packet;

determine the use mode of the active network fabric port to be either the link aggregation mode or the non-aggregation mode;

when the hot-standby port is enabled:

enable the switching circuit to disconnect the active network fabric port from the port and connect the hot-standby port to the port for the determined use mode of the active network fabric port; and

establish a new hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports for the hot-standby port.

2. The vehicle network link module of claim 1 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

determine that the vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below the threshold due to data bandwidth of a communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to a corresponding active network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module being below a desired data bandwidth level; and

change the use mode from the non-aggregation mode to the aggregation mode such that the active network fabric port and a new active network port are coupled to the port via the switching circuit for aggregate packet transmissions.

3. The vehicle network link module of claim 1 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to determine whether vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below the threshold by at least one of:

determining that a communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to a corresponding active network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module is broken;

determining that the communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to the corresponding active network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module has an undesired bit error rate; and

determining that the communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to the corresponding active network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module has a data bandwidth below a desired data bandwidth level.

4. The vehicle network link module of claim 1 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

for each of the plurality of network fabric ports:

testing a communication medium coupling a network fabric port of the plurality of network fabric ports to a corresponding network fabric port of the other vehicle network fabric link module to produce port test information; and

compiling a performance history based on the port test information; and

select the active network fabric port based on, at least in part, the performance history of each of the plurality of network fabric ports.

5. The vehicle network link module of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises:

one or more ingress ports; and

one or more egress ports.

6. The vehicle network link module of claim 1 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

determine a link configuration change condition by at least one of:

detecting a hardware failure of the plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting a software failure of the plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting failure of a first switching circuit of the switching circuit, wherein the first switching circuit provides coupling of the port to the active network fabric port; or

receiving a message regarding the link configuration change condition from a network manager.

7. A vehicle network link module within a network fabric, comprising:

a first plurality of network fabric ports operable for coupling to a first corresponding plurality of network fabric ports of a first other vehicle network fabric link module within the network fabric;

a second plurality of network fabric ports operable for coupling to a second corresponding plurality of network fabric ports of a second other vehicle network fabric link module within the network fabric;

a port operable for coupling to a port of a vehicle network module within the network fabric;

a switching module operable to connect the port to an active network fabric port of the first plurality of network fabric ports, the active network fabric port being operable in one of a plurality of use modes, the plurality of use modes of the active network fabric port including at least a link aggregation mode and a non-aggregation mode such that the active network fabric port may operate in both the link aggregation mode and the non-aggregation mode; and

a link manager processing module operable to:

determine that a communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to a corresponding active network fabric port of the first other vehicle network fabric link module has failed;

determine whether a hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports is enabled for the active network fabric port;

when the hot-standby port is not enabled:

determine whether conveyance of a vehicle network packet was corrupted when the vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below the threshold; and

when the conveyance of the vehicle network packet was corrupted:

determine content type of the vehicle network packet;

determine network traffic conditions; and

based on the content type and network traffic conditions, determine whether to initiate reconveyance of the vehicle network packet;

determine the use mode of the active network fabric port to be either the link aggregation mode or the non-aggregation mode; and

when the hot stand-by port is enabled:

enable the switching circuit to disconnect the active network fabric port from the port and connect the hot-standby port to the port for the determined use mode of the active network fabric port; and

establish a new hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports for the hot-standby port.

8. The vehicle network link module of claim 7 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

determine a link configuration change condition;

in response to receiving an instruction from a network manager of the network fabric, determine a spanning tree configuration from a plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations based on the link configuration change condition;

enable the switching module operable to connect the port to a new active network fabric port of the second plurality of network fabric ports in accordance with the spanning tree configuration; and

deactivate the active network port from the port in accordance with the spanning tree configuration.

9. The vehicle network link module of claim 8 , further comprising:

a network topology database for storing the plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations; and

wherein the link manager processing module is further operable to:

receiving updated spanning tree configuration information; and

update the network topology database in accordance with the updated spanning tree configuration information.

10. The vehicle network link module of claim 8 , further comprising:

a network topology database for storing the plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations; and

wherein the link manager processing module is further operable to update the network topology database to indicate that a spanning tree configuration of the plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations that includes a link associated with the active network port is inactive.

11. The vehicle network link module of claim 8 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

determine the link configuration change condition by at least one of:

detecting a hardware failure of the first plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting a software failure of the first plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting failure of a first switching circuit of the switching module, wherein the first switching circuit provides coupling of the port to the active network fabric port; or

receiving a message regarding the link configuration change condition from the network manager.

12. The vehicle network link module of claim 7 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

for each of the first plurality of network fabric ports:

testing a communication medium coupling a network fabric port of the first plurality of network fabric ports to a corresponding network fabric port of the first other vehicle network fabric link module to produce port test information; and

compiling a performance history based on the port test information; and

select the active network fabric port based on, at least in part, the performance history of each of the first plurality of network fabric ports.

13. The vehicle network link module of claim 7 , wherein the switching module comprises:

a first switching circuit, when enabled, is operable to connect the port to one of the first plurality of network fabric ports; and

a second switching circuit, when enabled, is operable to connect the port to one of the second plurality of network fabric ports.

14. The vehicle network link module of claim 7 , wherein the port comprises:

one or more ingress ports; and

one or more egress ports.

15. A vehicle network link module, comprising:

a first plurality of network fabric ports operable for coupling to a first corresponding plurality of network fabric ports of a first other vehicle network fabric link module;

a second plurality of network fabric ports operable for coupling to a second corresponding plurality of network fabric ports of a second other vehicle network fabric link module;

a port operable for coupling to a port of a vehicle network module;

a switching module operable to connect the port to an active network fabric port of the first plurality of network fabric ports; and

a link manager processing module operable to:

determine whether a link configuration change condition has occurred;

determine whether vehicle network packet conveyance degeneration has occurred;

when the link configuration change condition has occurred, execute a link configuration change function; and

when the vehicle network packet conveyance degeneration has occurred, execute a packet conveyance change function by:

determining a use mode of a plurality of use modes of the active network fabric port, the plurality of use modes of the active network fabric port including at least a link aggregation mode and a non-aggregation mode such that the active network fabric port may operate in both the link aggregation mode and the non-aggregation mode;

selecting a new active network fabric port from the first plurality of network fabric ports based on, at least in part, the use mode; and

activating the new active network fabric port for coupling via the switching circuit to the port;

wherein the link manager processing module is further operable to:

determine that a communication medium coupling the active network fabric port to a corresponding active network fabric port of the first other vehicle network fabric link module has failed;

determine whether a hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports is enabled for the active network fabric port;

when the hot-standby port is not enabled:

determine whether conveyance of a vehicle network packet was corrupted when the vehicle network packet conveyance has degenerated below the threshold; and

when the conveyance of the vehicle network packet was corrupted:

determine content type of the vehicle network packet;

determine network traffic conditions; and

based on the content type and network traffic conditions, determine whether to initiate reconveyance of the vehicle network packet;

determine the use mode of the active network fabric port to be either the link aggregation mode or the non-aggregation mode; and

when the hot stand-by port is enabled:

enable the switching circuit to disconnect the active network fabric port from the port and connect the hot-standby port to the port for the determined use mode of the active network fabric port; and

establish a new hot-standby port of the plurality of network fabric ports for the hot-standby port.

16. The vehicle network link module of claim 15 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to execute the link configuration change function by:

determining a spanning tree configuration from a plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations based on the link configuration change condition;

enabling the switching module operable to connect the port to a new active network fabric port of the second plurality of network fabric ports in accordance with the spanning tree configuration; and

deactivating the active network port from the port in accordance with the spanning tree configuration.

17. The vehicle network link module of claim 16 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to determine the spanning tree configuration by:

receiving an instruction from a network manager of a network fabric including the vehicle network link module, the first other vehicle network fabric link module and the second other vehicle network fabric link module to access a network topology database storing the plurality of pre-determined spanning tree configurations.

18. The vehicle network link module of claim 15 , wherein the switching module comprises:

a first switching circuit, when enabled, is operable to connect the port to one of the first plurality of network fabric ports; and

a second switching circuit, when enabled, is operable to connect the port to one of the second plurality of network fabric ports.

19. The vehicle network link module of claim 15 , wherein the port comprises:

one or more ingress ports; and

one or more egress ports.

20. The vehicle network link module of claim 15 , wherein the link manager processing module further functions to:

determine a link configuration change condition by at least one of:

detecting a hardware failure of the first plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting a software failure of the first plurality of network fabric ports;

detecting failure of a first switching circuit of the switching module, wherein the first switching circuit provides coupling of the port to the active network fabric port; or

receiving a message regarding the link configuration change condition from a network manager.