System and method for firewalls between vehicle networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10897469-B2
Application number	US-201715423102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

Generally speaking, embodiments of the present disclosure include a network security system that can comprise a hardware appliance installed in a vehicle and connected with the busses, networks, communication systems, and other components of the vehicle. This in-vehicle network security appliance can provide an access point to the networks of the vehicle, such as the Controller Area Networks (CANs), Local Interconnect Networks (LINs) and other networks, monitor inbound and outbound traffic on those networks, and provide a firewall between those networks and external networks or systems as well as between different networks and systems within the vehicle. In this way, the network security appliance can protect the vehicle networks from different sources of attack from outside and inside the vehicle via components that are less secure like the infotainment system or diagnostic port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An in-vehicle network security appliance comprising:
a plurality of external network interfaces, each external network interface of the plurality of external network interfaces providing a connection to a communication network or device outside of a vehicle;
a first plurality of internal network interfaces, each internal network interface of the first plurality of internal network interfaces providing a connection to a network of a first set of networks within the vehicle;
a second plurality of internal network interfaces, each internal network interface of the second plurality of internal network interfaces providing a connection to a network of a second set of networks within the vehicle;
a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) processor in the vehicle and coupled between the plurality of external network interfaces and the first plurality of internal network interfaces;
a gateway processor in the vehicle and coupled between the TCU processor and the second plurality of internal network interfaces,
wherein the TCU processor executes one or more applications providing network security on the first set of networks and the second set of networks by providing a firewall between the first set of networks and the communication network or device outside of the vehicle and between the first set of networks and the second set of networks,
wherein the gateway processor executes one or more applications providing network security on the second set of networks within the vehicle by providing a firewall between the second set of networks and the communication network or device outside of the vehicle and between the TCU processor and the second set of networks,
wherein the first set of networks within the vehicle is separate from the second set of networks within the vehicle,
wherein the TCU processor is i) coupled between the gateway processor and the plurality of external network interfaces, and ii) coupled between the gateway processor and the first plurality of internal network interfaces, such that the TCU processor is i) in a first communication path between the gateway processor and the plurality of external network interfaces and, ii) in a second communication path between the gateway processor and the first plurality of internal network interfaces,
wherein the second set of networks within the vehicle comprises one or more Controller Area Networks (CANs) and Local Interface Networks (LINs) of the vehicle,
wherein the first set of networks within the vehicle comprises one or more networks or data busses other than CANs and LINs including one or more of an infotainment network, a Global Positioning System network, a Wi-Fi network, and a set of sensors,
wherein the TCU processor executes the one or more applications providing network security on the first set of networks and the second set of networks by monitoring incoming traffic from communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle to the first set of networks and the second set of networks and outbound traffic from the first set of networks and the second set of networks to the communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle to provide the firewalls,
wherein the gateway processor does not execute the one or more applications providing network security on the first set of networks, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of external network interfaces comprises an Off-Board Diagnostics (OBD) connection; and
a vehicle control system that, while each of the TCU and gateway processors monitors inbound and outbound traffic on the first set of networks and the second set of networks, respectively, is programmed to continually monitor traffic, vehicular, roadway, and/or environmental conditions while operating the vehicle.

2. The in-vehicle network security appliance of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of external network interfaces comprises a transceiver and Network Interface Controllers (NICs) in communication with the communication network or device outside the vehicle, wherein the communication network or device outside the vehicle comprises one or more of a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, a satellite communications network, and a GPS network.

3. The in-vehicle network security appliance of claim 1 , wherein executing, by the gateway processor, the one or more applications providing network security on the second set of networks comprises monitoring incoming traffic from the communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle and the first set of networks to the second set of networks and outbound traffic from the second set of networks to the communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle and the first set of networks within the vehicle and providing a gateway to the second set of networks within the vehicle.

4. The in-vehicle network security appliance of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control system is free of human driver interaction in operating the vehicle.

5. A vehicle comprising:
a communication system providing a connection to one or more communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle;
a first set of internal networks within the vehicle;
a second set of internal networks within the vehicle; and
an in-vehicle security appliance coupled with the communication system, the first set of internal networks, and the second set of internal networks, the in-vehicle security appliance comprising:
a plurality of external network interfaces, each external network interface of the plurality of external network interfaces providing a connection to the one or more communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle through the communication system,
a first plurality of internal network interfaces, each internal network interface of the first plurality of internal network interfaces providing a connection to a network of the first set of internal networks,
a second plurality of internal network interfaces, each internal network interface of the second plurality of internal network interfaces providing a connection to a network of the second set of internal networks,
a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) processor in the vehicle and coupled between the plurality of external network interfaces and the first plurality of internal network interfaces,
a gateway processor in the vehicle and coupled between the TCU processor and the second plurality of internal network interfaces,

wherein the TCU processor executes one or more applications providing network security on the first set of internal networks and the second set of internal networks by providing a firewall between the first set of internal networks and the one or more communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle and between the first set of internal networks and the second set of internal networks,
wherein the gateway processor executes one or more applications providing network security on the second set of internal networks within the vehicle by providing a firewall between the second set of internal networks and the one or more communication networks or devices outside of the vehicle and between the TCU processor and the second set of internal networks,
wherein the first set of internal networks within the vehicle is separate from the second set of internal networks within the vehicle, and
wherein the TCU processor is i) coupled between the gateway processor and the plurality of external network interfaces, and ii) coupled between the gateway processor and the first plurality of internal network interfaces, such that the TCU processor is i) in a first communication path between the gateway processor and the plurality of external network interfaces and, ii) in a second communication path between the gateway processor and the first plurality of internal network interfaces,
wherein the TCU and gateway processor are in electric

Assignees

• Nio Usa Inc

Inventors

• Hirshberg Yanir
• North Craig

Classifications

• G06F21/85

  interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices · CPC title

• H04L2012/40273

  the transportation system being a vehicle · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04L2012/40215

  Controller Area Network CAN · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title