| 摘要 |
In one embodiment, a network (10) is installed in the vehicle, wherein the network comprises a transmission medium (12) and one or more network devices coupled thereto. The network devices (13, 14) are addressable using IP addresses or object terminology. The network devices may be configured to determine the capabilities of other devices, or they may be configured to look up the services provided by devices on the network, and they may utilize these services and capabilities themselves. The network devices are not constrained to use predetermined designs or interfaces which may be necessitated by the use of proprietary buses or connections. The network devices may be automatically integrated into the network using a discover-and-join protocol and may easily be removed from the network. In a further embodiement, a service device is coupled to a network in a vehicle wherein service data is transmitted from an external source to a communication device on the network and then directed through the network to the service device. The service device and communication device are individually addressable network devices which may be modified, replaced or upgraded. The devices may therefore support services which are provided in modified formats for which may be completely different from services which were previously provided. The network may use network address translation so that all of the devices coupled to the network are hidden behind the IP address of the communication device, but data may still be directed to selected ones of the devices.
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