SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS TO SUPPORT MIXED NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS ON A VEHICLE

1 . A method, comprising:

interpreting a policy comprising a network usage permission description;

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.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the network usage permission description further comprises an external data access description; and

the method further comprises:

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

regulating communications, using the gatekeeper interface circuit, with an 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 vehicle; and

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.

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,

an end point of the first network zone, or

an end point of the second network zone.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a network zone of the vehicle, and

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.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first network zone and the second network zone each comprise separate virtual local area networks of the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , 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; and

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.

9 . An apparatus, comprising:

a policy manager circuit structured to interpret a policy comprising a network usage permission description;

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

the first network interface circuit, wherein the first network interface circuit is structured to regulate communications between end points of a first network zone of a vehicle and end points of a second network zone of the vehicle.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

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

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

the gatekeeper interface circuit is structured to regulate communications with an external device in response to the external data access description.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the external data access description comprises permissions associated with the external device.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a flow of the vehicle,

the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on a flow association of a communicating one of the end points of the first network zone or second network zone.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the external data access description comprises permissions associated with an application, and

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,

an end point of the first network zone, or

an end point of the second network zone.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the external data access description comprises permissions associated with a network zone of the vehicle, and

the gatekeeper interface circuit is further structured to regulate communications based on at least one of a source zone or a destination zone of a regulated communication, and the external data access description.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first network zone and the second network zone each comprise separate virtual local area networks of the vehicle.

16 . The apparatus of claim 9 , 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; and

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:

the configuration circuit is further structured to configure a gatekeeper interface circuit in response to the network utilization description and the communicating device description; and

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