IP Library Granted Patent US 11,929,878
Granted Patent B2
US 11,929,878 · App. 17/570,738 · Granted Mar 12, 2024

System, method, and apparatus for extra vehicle communications control

Inventors: Yu Fang (Palo Alto, CA); Yixiang Chen (Palo Alto, CA); Xuanran Zong (Sunnyvale, CA); Andrew Ling (Daly City, CA); Jan Cardenas (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: Sonatus, Inc.
H04L41/0893G07C5/008H04L41/28H04L43/0876H04L47/20H04L61/3025H04L61/4511H04L63/0236H04W4/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,929,878
App. No.
17/570,738
Granted
Mar 12, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example method includes interpreting a policy comprising a network usage permission description; configuring a gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the network usage permission description; and regulating communications, using the gatekeeper interface circuit, between: end points of at least one network zone of a mobile system; and at least one of an external communications portal or an external device.

Claims (93)

1. A method, comprising:

interpreting a network usage permission description that comprises at least two of:

an up-sampling rate that configures communications to an external device,

a down-sampling rate that configures communications to the external device,

a data routing path structured to limit utilization of a network by communications to the external device,

a data rate limitation of communications over a network to the external device, or

a priority value for communications to the external device;

configuring a gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the network usage permission description; and

regulating communications, using the gatekeeper interface circuit, between:

end points of at least one network zone of a mobile system; and

at least one of an external communications portal or the external device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises an external data access description;

further configuring the gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the external data access description; and

regulating communications, using the gatekeeper interface circuit, with the at least one of the external communications portal or the external device in response to the external data access description.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with the external device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a flow of the mobile system, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on a flow association of a communicating one of the end points of the at least one network zone.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with an application, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on an application association of a communicating device, the communicating device comprising one of the external device or an end point of the at least one network zone.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a specific zone of the at least one network zone of the mobile system, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on at least one of:

a source zone of a regulated communication;

a destination zone of a regulated communication;

a permission of the specific one of the at least one network zone to utilize the external communications portal; or

a permission of the specific one of the at least one network zone to communicate with the external device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the specific zone of the at least one network zone comprises a virtual local area network of the mobile system.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises:

a network utilization description corresponding to a specific zone of the at least one network zone of the mobile system;

a communicating device description comprising at least one of:

an end point of the specific zone;

a flow;

a mobile system function;

an application; or

a service group; and

wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on the communicating device description, and a communicating device associated with a regulated communication.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network usage permission description further comprises a quality of service parameter.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a policy manager circuit structured to interpret a network usage permission description that comprises at least two of:

an up-sampling rate that configures communications to an external device,

a down-sampling rate that configures communications to the external device,

a data routing path structured to limit utilization of a network by communications to the external device,

a data rate limitation of communications over a network to the external device, or a priority value for communications to the external device;

a configuration circuit structured to configure a gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the network usage permission description; and

the gatekeeper interface circuit structured to regulate communications between end points of at least one network zone of a vehicle and at least one of an external communications portal or the external device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises an external data access description;

wherein the configuration circuit is further structured to configure the gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the external data access description; and

wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is structured to regulate communications with the at least one of the external communications portal or the external device in response to the external data access description.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with the external device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a flow of the vehicle, wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on a flow association of a communicating device, the communicating device comprising one of: the external device or an end point of the at least one network zone.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with an application, wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on an application association of a communicating device, the communicating device comprising one of: the external device or an end point of the at least one network zone.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a service group, wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on a service group association of a communicating device, the communicating device comprising one of: the external device or an end point of the at least one network zone.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a specific zone of the at least one network zone, wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on at least one of:

a source zone of a regulated communication;

a destination zone of a regulated communication;

a permission of the specific one of the at least one network zone to utilize the external communications portal; or

a permission of the specific one of the at least one network zone to communicate with the external device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the source zone is an external source zone that is external to the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the destination zone is an external destination zone that is external to the vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the specific zone of the at least one network zone comprises a virtual local area network.

20. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises:

a network utilization description corresponding to a specific zone of the at least one network zone of the vehicle;

a communicating device description comprising at least one of:

an end point of the specific zone;

a flow;

a vehicle function;

an application; or

a service group; and

wherein the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on the communicating device description, and a communicating device associated with a regulated communication.

21. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the network usage permission description further comprises a quality of service parameter.

22. A method, comprising:

interpreting a network usage permission description that comprises at least two of:

an up-sampling rate that configures communications to an external device,

a down-sampling rate that configures communications to the external device,

a data routing path structured to limit utilization of a network by communications to the external device,

a data rate limitation of communications over a network to the external device, or a priority value for communications to the external device;

configuring a first network interface circuit in response to the network usage permission description; and

regulating communications, using the first network interface circuit, between end points of a first network zone of a vehicle and end points of a second network zone of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises an external data access description;

configuring a gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the external data access description; and

regulating communications, using the gatekeeper interface circuit, with the external device in response to the external data access description.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with the external device.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a flow of the vehicle, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on a flow association of a communicating one of the end points of the first network zone or second network zone.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with an application, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on an application association of a communicating device, the communicating device comprising one of: the external device, an end point of the first network zone, or an end point of the second network zone.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a network zone of the vehicle, wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on at least one of a source zone or a destination zone of a regulated communication, and the external data access description.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first network zone and the second network zone each comprise separate virtual local area networks of the vehicle.

29. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

wherein the network usage permission description further comprises:

a network utilization description corresponding to at least one of the first network zone or the second network zone;

a communicating device description comprising at least one of an end point of one of the first network zone or the second network zone, a flow, a vehicle function, or an application; and

wherein regulating communications comprises regulating communications based on the network utilization description, and an associated communicating device associated with a regulated communication.

30. The method of claim 22 , wherein the network usage permission description further comprises a quality of service parameter.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 23, 2025
From: SONATUS, INC.; SONATUS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING INC.; SONATUS IRELAND, LIMITED
To: TRIPLEPOINT CAPITAL LLC
Reel/Frame 074052/0671 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2022
From: FANG, YU; CHEN, YIXIANG; ZONG, XUANRAN
To: SONATUS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059011/0051 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17027187 · Sep 21, 2020
Provisional Application 62903462 · Sep 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62911249 · Oct 5, 2019
Provisional Application 62911248 · Oct 5, 2019
Provisional Application 62986444 · Mar 6, 2020
Provisional Application 63024383 · May 13, 2020
Related Publication 20220131753A1 · Apr 28, 2022
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