Patent Publication Number: US-2023147005-A1

Title: Onboard device and sleep control method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. national stage of PCT/JP2021/010313 filed on Mar. 15, 2021, which claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2020-062820 filed on Mar. 31, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an onboard device and a sleep control method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Philip Axer (NXP), Charles Hong (Realtek), Antony Liu (Realtek), “OPEN Sleep/Wake-up Specification”, OPEN ALLIANCE, Mar. 7, 2019, p. 9-10 (Non-Patent Document 1) discloses a technique for performing sleep control on an ECU in an onboard Ethernet. 
     Conventionally, a technique for saving power by performing sleep control on onboard devices such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) in an onboard network has been developed. 
     In an onboard network, various onboard devices may be added or removed according to the needs of the user. 
     If an onboard device newly added to the onboard network does not have the sleep function disclosed in Non-patent Document 1, for example, when processing is performed for the entire onboard network to transition to a sleep state in order to perform anomaly handling or maintenance work or the like, for example, the processing may fail unexpectedly. 
     The present disclosure is made to solve the above problem, and an objective thereof is to provide an onboard device and a sleep control method that realize more reliable sleep control on onboard devices in an onboard network. 
     SUMMARY 
     An onboard device according to the present disclosure includes: a communication unit configured to communicate with an onboard device included in an onboard network; a detection unit configured to detect a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network; and a sleep processing unit configured to, in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected by the detection unit, transmit a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with an onboard device included in the onboard network, to the new onboard device via the communication unit. 
     A sleep control method according to the present disclosure is a sleep control method for an onboard device that is capable of communicating with another onboard device included in an onboard network, the sleep control method including the steps of; detecting a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network; and in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected, transmitting a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with an onboard device included in the onboard network, to the new onboard device. 
     One aspect of the present disclosure can be realized not only as an onboard device that includes such characteristic processing units, but also as a program for enabling a computer to carry out such characteristic processing steps. Also, one aspect of the present disclosure can be realized as a semiconductor integrated circuit that realizes a part or the entirety of the onboard device, or can be realized as a system that includes the onboard device. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Disclosure 
     With the present disclosure, it is possible to more reliably perform sleep control on onboard devices in an onboard network. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram showing a configuration of an onboard system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a diagram showing an example of a sequence of sleep processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram showing a configuration of a relay device included in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram showing an example of sleep function information in the relay device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram showing an example of transfer information in the relay device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram showing an example of a sequence of new onboard device addition processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram showing another example of a sequence of new onboard device addition processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First, the details of an embodiment of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     An onboard device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an onboard device including: a communication unit configured to communicate with an onboard device included in an onboard network; a detection unit configured to detect a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network; and a sleep processing unit configured to, in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected by the detection unit, transmit a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with an onboard device included in the onboard network, to the new onboard device via the communication unit. 
     With such a configuration, it is possible to check in advance whether or not the onboard device newly added to the onboard network has a sleep function for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with other onboard devices. Therefore, for example, when processing is to be performed to cause the entire onboard network to transition to a sleep state in order to perform anomaly handling, maintenance work, or the like, for example, the processing can be prevented from failing unexpectedly. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably perform sleep control on onboard devices in an onboard network. 
     Preferably, the sleep processing unit is configured to store sleep function information in a storage unit, the sleep function information indicating whether or not the communication unit has received a sleep response corresponding to the sleep request transmitted in the detected state, from the new onboard device. 
     With such a configuration, using sleep function information regarding one or more onboard devices, it is possible to perform appropriate processing according to the past results of checking whether or not each onboard device has the above-described sleep function. 
     Preferably, the communication unit is configured to stop operating in the sleep state, and the sleep processing unit is configured to, in the detected state, when the communication unit receives, from the new onboard device, a sleep response corresponding to the sleep request, perform control so as not to allow the communication unit to transition to the sleep state. 
     With such a configuration, in a detected state, it is possible to prevent the communication unit from erroneously transitioning to a sleep state, by performing simple processing. 
     Preferably, the sleep processing unit is configured to, in the detected state, when the communication unit receives, from the new onboard device, a sleep response corresponding to the sleep request, transmit a wake-up request for causing an onboard device included in the onboard network to transition from a sleep state to a wake-up state, to the new onboard device via the communication unit. 
     With such a configuration, in a detected state, it is possible to prevent the new onboard device from erroneously transitioning to a sleep state, by performing simple processing. 
     A sleep control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a sleep control method for an onboard device that is capable of communicating with another onboard device included in an onboard network, the sleep control method including the steps of: detecting a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network; and in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected, transmitting a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with an onboard device included in the onboard network, to the new onboard device. 
     With such a configuration, it is possible to check in advance whether or not the onboard device newly added to the onboard network has a sleep function for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with other onboard devices. Therefore, for example, when processing is to be performed to cause the entire onboard network to transition to a sleep state in order to perform anomaly handling, maintenance work, or the like, for example, the processing can be prevented from failing unexpectedly. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably perform sleep control on onboard devices in an onboard network. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding components in the drawings, and redundant descriptions thereof are not repeated. Furthermore, at least parts of the embodiments described below may be suitably combined. 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram showing a configuration of an onboard system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG.  1   , an onboard system  301  is mounted on a vehicle, and includes a relay device  101  and one or more onboard ECUs  202 . 
     Note that the onboard system  301  may include a plurality of relay devices  101 .  FIG.  1    shows an example in which the onboard system  301  includes one relay device  101  and three onboard ECUs  202 . 
     Each onboard ECU  202  is, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit), an autonomous driving ECU, an engine ECU, a sensor, a navigation device, a human-machine interface, a camera, or the like. The TCU communicates with a device outside the vehicle, such as a server  401 , via a wireless base station (not shown) or the like. 
     The relay device  101  is, for example, a gateway device, and is capable of relaying information between the plurality of onboard ECUs  202  connected thereto. More specifically, the relay device  101  can perform relay processing according to Layer  2  of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model, for example. Note that the relay device  101  may be configured to perform relay processing according to Layer  3 , which is higher than Layer  2 , in addition to Layer  2 . 
     The relay device  101  and the onboard ECUs  202  are included in an onboard network  151 . The onboard ECUs  202  and the relay device  101  are examples of onboard devices included in the onboard network  151 . The connection relationship between the onboard devices included in the onboard network  151  is fixed, for example. 
     In the onboard network  151 , the onboard ECUs  202  are respectively connected to the relay device  101  via Ethernet (registered trademark) cables  81 , for example. More specifically, the relay device  101  includes communication ports  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C, which are each referred to as a communication port  1 . The communication ports  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C are, for example, terminals to which the Ethernet cables  81  can be respectively connected. The three onboard ECUs  202  are respectively connected to the communication ports  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C of the relay device  101  via the Ethernet cables  81  corresponding thereto. 
     The relay device  101  performs processing to relay Ethernet frames according to the Ethernet communication standard. Specifically, the relay device  101  relays Ethernet frames that are exchanged between the onboard ECUs  202 , for example. Each Ethernet frame stores an IP packet. 
     Note that the onboard system  301  is not limited to being configured to relay Ethernet frames according to the Ethernet communication standard, and may be configured to relay data according to a communication standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network) (registered trademark), FlexRay (registered trademark), MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) (registered trademark), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or the like, for example. 
     Each device included in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with a computer that includes a memory. An arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) in the computer reads out a program that includes some or all of the steps of the following flowchart and sequence from the memory, and executes the program. Programs for the plurality of devices can be respectively installed to the devices from outside the devices. Each of the programs for the plurality of devices is distributed in the state of being stored in a recording medium. 
       FIG.  2    is a diagram showing an example of a sequence of sleep processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , first, when an onboard device A and an onboard device B are in a wake-up state (steps S 51  and S 52 ), the onboard device A transmits a sleep request to the onboard device B to transition to a sleep state in synchronization with the onboard device B (step S 53 ). 
     Next, the onboard device B receives the sleep request from the onboard device A, transmits a sleep response to the onboard device A (step S 54 ), and transitions to a sleep state upon a predetermined time TB elapsing after transmitting the sleep response. In a sleep state, the onboard device B stops the operation of some devices (step S 56 ), for example. 
     Also, when receiving a sleep response from the onboard device B, the onboard device A transitions to a sleep state upon a predetermined time TA elapsing after transmitting the sleep request to the onboard device B. In a sleep state, the onboard device A stops the operation of some devices (step S 55 ), for example. The predetermined times TA and TB have the same value of several tens of milliseconds, for example. 
     Thereafter, the onboard device A transitions to a wake-up state (step S 57 ), and transmits a wake-up request to the onboard device B (step S 58 ). 
     Next, the onboard device B receives the wake-up request from the onboard device A, transitions to a wake-up state (step S 59 ), and transmits a wake-up response to the onboard device A (step S 60 ). 
     Note that, if the onboard device A does not receive a sleep response from the onboard device B even after the predetermined time has elapsed from when the onboard device A transmitted the sleep request to the onboard device B, sleep processing fails. 
     In the onboard system  301 , a sleep request, a sleep response, a wake-up request, and a wake-up response are transmitted via the Ethernet cables  81 , for example. With such a configuration, there is no need to prepare dedicated lines for transmitting the above-described pieces of control information in sleep processing, and the configuration of the onboard network  151  can be simplified. The sleep processing disclosed in Non-patent Document 1 is an example of such sleep processing. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram showing a configuration of a relay device included in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG.  3   , the relay device  101  includes a detection unit  12 , a sleep processing unit  13 , a storage unit  14 , and one or more communication units  15 .  FIG.  3    shows an example in which the relay device  101  is provided with three communication units  15 A,  15 B, and  15 C respectively corresponding to the communication ports  1 A,  1 B, and  1 C. Note that the storage unit  14  may be provided outside the relay device  101 . 
     The detection unit  12  and the sleep processing unit  13  are each realized using a processor such as a CPU, a DSP (Digital Signal Processing), or the like, for example. The communication units  15  are each realized using a communication circuit such as a communication IC (Integrated Circuit), for example. The storage unit  14  is a non-volatile memory, for example. 
     Each communication unit  15  performs processing to relay Ethernet frames between the onboard ECUs  202 . More specifically, upon each communication unit  15  receiving an Ethernet frame from a given onboard ECU  202  via the Ethernet cable  81  and the communication port  1  corresponding thereto, the communication unit  15  transmits the received Ethernet frame to the onboard ECU  202  at the transmission destination via the communication unit  15 , the communication port  1 , and the Ethernet cable  81  corresponding thereto. 
     Sleep Processing 
     The sleep processing unit  13  outputs a sleep request to the communication unit  15  corresponding to the onboard ECU  202  at the transmission destination. The communication unit  15  stores the sleep request received from the sleep processing unit  13  in an Ethernet frame, and transmits the Ethernet frame to the onboard ECU  202  via the communication port  1  and the Ethernet cable  81 . 
     The communication unit  15  receives the sleep response corresponding to the sleep request, transmitted from the onboard ECU  202 , via the Ethernet cable  81  and the communication port  1 . 
     The sleep processing unit  13  receives the sleep response corresponding to the sleep request, transmitted from the onboard ECU  202 , via the communication unit  15 . If the sleep processing unit  13  receives the sleep response, upon a predetermined time elapsing after the sleep processing unit  13  transmitted the sleep request to the onboard ECU  202 , the sleep processing unit  13  transitions to a sleep state to stop the operation of some of the units in the relay device  101 . Note that the communication unit  15  may be configured to transition to a sleep state by itself to stop some of the functions thereof upon receiving a sleep response. 
     When returning from a sleep state to a wake-up state, the sleep processing unit  13  outputs a wake-up request to the communication unit  15  , restarts the operation of the units that have been stopped in the relay device  101 , and transitions to a wake-up state. 
     The communication unit  15  stores the wake-up request received from the sleep processing unit  13  in an Ethernet frame, and transmits the Ethernet frame to the onboard ECU  202  via the communication port  1  and the Ethernet cable  81 . The communication unit  15  receives the wake-up response corresponding to the wake-up request, transmitted from the onboard ECU  202 , via the Ethernet cable  81  and the communication port  1 , and outputs the wake-up response to the sleep processing unit  13 . 
     Processing to be Performed at Addition of New Onboard Device 
     When a new onboard device, which is an onboard ECU  202  that is to be newly added to the onboard network  151 , is connected to the relay device  101  corresponding to the communication unit  15  via the communication port  1  and the Ethernet cable corresponding thereto, the communication unit  15  exchanges one or more pieces of communication information with the new onboard device to establish a communication connection. If a communication connection with the new onboard device is established, the communication unit  15  updates the register value thereof from “NOT CONNECTED” to “CONNECTED”, or notifies the detection unit  12  of the fact that a communication connection has been established. 
     The detection unit  12  detects the new onboard device that has been newly added to the onboard network  151 . More specifically, the detection unit  12  periodically or irregularly reads the register value of the communication unit  15 , or receives a notification indicating that a communication connection has been established, from the communication unit  15 , thereby detecting that the new onboard device has been connected to the communication port  1  corresponding to the communication unit  15 . For example, the detection unit  12  outputs detection information indicating the fact that the new onboard device has been connected, and the communication port  1  corresponding thereto, to the sleep processing unit  13 . 
     The sleep processing unit  13  receives the detection information from the detection unit  12 , transitions from an undetected state to a detected state regarding the communication port  1  indicated by the received detection information, and transmits a sleep request to the new onboard device via the communication unit  15  corresponding thereto. For example, the sleep processing unit  13  stores, in the storage unit  14 , sleep function information that indicates, for each communication port  1 , whether or not the communication unit  15  has received a sleep response corresponding to a sleep request that has been transmitted in a detected state, from the new onboard device. 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram showing an example of sleep function information in the relay device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG.  4    shows the case in which the relay device  101  has five communication ports  1 , namely communication ports A to E. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , sleep function information indicates a correspondence relationship between each communication port and the functions of the onboard ECU  202  connected to the communication port. Specifically, the onboard ECUs  202  connected to the communication ports A, B, and C have the sleep processing function shown in  FIG.  2   , the onboard ECU  202  connected to the communication port D does not have the sleep processing function shown in  FIG.  2   , and no onboard ECU  202  is connected to the communication port E. 
       FIG.  5    is a diagram showing an example of transfer information in the relay device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG.  5    shows the case in which the relay device  101  has five communication ports  1 , namely communication ports A to E. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , transfer information indicates a setting regarding which communication port the sleep request and the wake-up request received by the transmitter-side communication port is to be relayed to. 
     If the content of sleep function information is as shown in  FIG.  4   , the communication port D to which the onboard ECUs  202  that does not have the sleep processing function shown in  FIG.  2    is connected, and the communication port E to which no onboard ECU  202  is connected, are excluded from the transmission destinations and the reception sources of a sleep request and a wake-up request in the transfer information, respectively. 
     For example, the sleep processing unit  13  creates or updates such transfer information, and stores the transfer information in the storage unit  14 . 
     Each communication unit  15  references the transfer information in the storage unit  14 , and relays the sleep request and the wake-up request received from the onboard ECU  202  to another onboard ECU  202 . Note that each communication unit  15  may be configured to reference the transfer information and transmit the sleep request and the wake-up request generated by the sleep processing unit  13  to the onboard ECU  202 . 
     As described above, using sleep function information, it is possible to grasp whether or not each onboard ECU  202  has the function to perform the sleep processing shown in  FIG.  2   , and therefore it is possible to precisely determine detailed settings regarding the transfer of a sleep request and a wake-up request. 
     Also, using sleep function information, the sleep processing unit  13  can disable the sleep processing function thereof for onboard ECUs  202  that do not have the function to perform the sleep processing shown in  FIG.  2   , and causes only the relay device  101  thereof to transition to a sleep state. 
     Again, as shown in  FIG.  3   , for example, if a communication unit  15  receives a sleep response from a new onboard device in a detected state, the sleep processing unit  13  performs control so as not to allow the communication unit  15  to transition to a sleep state. Specifically, for example, the sleep processing unit  13  continues the operation of the units in the relay device  101  even if the sleep processing unit  13  receives a sleep response from the communication unit  15 . Alternatively, if the communication unit  15  is configured to transition to a sleep state by itself, the sleep processing unit  13  receives a sleep response from the communication unit  15  and outputs a wake-up retention request to the communication unit  15 , for example. The communication unit  15  receives the wake-up retention request from the sleep processing unit  13 , and continues the operation thereof without transitioning to a sleep state. 
     Also, for example, if the communication unit  15  receives a sleep response from a new onboard device in a detected state, the sleep processing unit  13  transmits a wake-up request for causing an onboard device included in the onboard network  151  to transition from a sleep state to a wake-up state, to the new onboard device via the communication unit  15  corresponding thereto. 
     The new onboard device receives the wake-up request from the relay device  101  within a predetermined time from when transmitting the sleep response, and retains the wake-up state. 
     If the communication unit  15  receives a sleep response corresponding to the sleep request from the new onboard device in a detected state, or a predetermined time has elapsed after transmitting the sleep request to the new onboard device in a detected state, the sleep processing unit  13  sets the new onboard device as an existing onboard device included in the onboard network  151 , and transitions from a detected state to a normal state regarding the communication port  1  corresponding thereto. 
       FIG.  6    is a diagram showing an example of a sequence of new onboard device addition processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG.  6    shows an example in which an onboard ECU  202  that has the sleep processing function shown in  FIG.  2    is newly added to the onboard network  151 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , first, a communication connection is established between a communication unit  15  in the relay device  101  and the new onboard device (step S 1 ). 
     Next, the detection unit  12  detects the new onboard device (step S 2 ), and outputs detection information indicating the communication port  1  corresponding thereto, to the sleep processing unit  13  (step S 3 ). 
     Next, the sleep processing unit  13  receives the detection information from the detection unit  12 , transitions from an undetected state to a detected state regarding the communication port  1  indicated by the received detection information (step S 4 ), and transmits a sleep request to the new onboard device via the communication unit  15  corresponding thereto (step S 5 ). 
     Next, the new onboard device receives the sleep request from the relay device  101 , and transmits a sleep response to the relay device  101  (step S 6 ). 
     Next, the sleep processing unit  13  receives the sleep response from the new onboard device via the communication unit  15 , and changes the state of the communication port  1  corresponding thereto from “NOT CONNECTED” to “SUPPORTED” in the sleep function information stored in the storage unit  14  (step S 7 ). 
     Next, the sleep processing unit  13  outputs a wake-up retention request to the communication unit  15  (step S 8 ). 
     Next, the communication unit  15  receives the wake-up retention request from the sleep processing unit  13 , and continues the operation thereof without transitioning to a sleep state (step S 9 ). 
     Next, the sleep processing unit  13  transmits a wake-up request to the new onboard device via the communication unit  15  (step S 10 ), transitions to a normal state regarding the communication port  1  corresponding thereto, and sets the new onboard device as an existing onboard device included in the onboard network  151  (step S 11 ). 
     Also, the new onboard device receives the wake-up request from the relay device  101  within a predetermined time from when transmitting the sleep response, and retains the wake-up state (step S 12 ). 
       FIG.  7    is a diagram showing another example of a sequence of new onboard device addition processing in the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG.  7    shows an example in which an onboard ECU  202  that does not have the sleep processing function shown in  FIG.  2    is newly added to the onboard network  151 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the operations in steps S 21  to S 25  are the same as the operations in steps S 1  to S 5  shown in  FIG.  6   , respectively. 
     Next, since the new onboard device does not have the function of performing the sleep processing shown in  FIG.  2   , the new onboard device does not transmit a sleep response even when a sleep request is transmitted thereto from the relay device  101  (step S 26 ), and retains a wake-up state (step S 27 ). 
     Next, since the sleep processing unit  13  has not received a sleep response from the new onboard device even after the predetermined time has elapsed from when the sleep processing unit  13  transmitted the sleep request to the new onboard device (step S 28 ), the sleep processing unit  13  sets the new onboard device as an existing onboard device included in the onboard network  151  (step S 29 ), and transitions to a normal state regarding the communication port  1  corresponding thereto (step S 30 ). 
     In the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the relay device  101  is configured to create or update sleep function information. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. It is possible to employ a configuration with which a device other than the relay device  101  monitors whether or not a sleep response corresponding to a sleep request in a detected state has been received from a new onboard device, and creates or updates sleep function information, for example. 
     In the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the sleep processing unit  13  is configured to perform control so as not to allow a communication unit  15  to transition to a sleep state when the communication unit  15  receives a sleep response from a new onboard device, in a detected state. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. It is possible to employ a configuration with which the communication unit  15  recognizes the detected state by itself, and does not transition to a sleep state even if the communication unit  15  receives a sleep response from a new onboard device. 
     In the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the sleep processing unit  13  is configured so that, if a communication unit  15  receives a sleep response from a new onboard device in a detected state, the sleep processing unit  13  transmits a wake-up request to the new onboard device. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the sleep processing unit  13  may be configured so that, if a new onboard device has the function of not transitioning to a sleep state even if the new onboard device receives the initial sleep request after being started up, the sleep processing unit  13  does not transmit a wake-up request to the new onboard device in a detected state. 
     In the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the relay device  101  includes the detection unit  12  and the sleep processing unit  13 . However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. Another onboard device such as an onboard ECU  202  that does not have a relay function may include the detection unit  12  and the sleep processing unit  13  and be configured to perform the above-described processing on a new onboard device. If this is the case, the onboard system  301  may have a configuration that does not include the relay device  101 . 
     In the onboard system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the relay device  101  is configured to perform the above-described processing on the new onboard device connected directly thereto. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. Each onboard device may be configured to perform processing, such as transmission of a sleep request in a detected state, on a new onboard device that is not connected directly thereto, via the relay device  101  or the like. 
     Incidentally, if an onboard device newly added to the onboard network does not have the sleep function disclosed in Non-patent Document 1, for example, when processing is performed to cause the entire onboard network to transition to a sleep state in order to perform anomaly handling, maintenance work, or the like, for example, the processing may fail unexpectedly. 
     In this regard, with an onboard device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication unit  15  thereof communicates with the onboard devices included in the onboard network  151 . The detection unit  12  detects a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network  151 . In a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected by the detection unit  12 , the sleep processing unit  13  transmits a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with the onboard devices included in the onboard network  151 , to the new onboard device via a communication unit  15 . 
     An onboard device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure first detects a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network  151 . Next, in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected, a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with the onboard devices in the onboard network  151  is transmitted to the new onboard device. 
     With such a configuration, it is possible to check in advance whether or not the onboard device newly added to the onboard network has a sleep function for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with other onboard devices. Therefore, for example, when processing is to be performed to cause the entire onboard network to transition to a sleep state in order to perform anomaly handling, maintenance work, or the like, for example, the processing can be prevented from failing unexpectedly. Therefore, with the onboard device and the sleep control method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to more reliably perform sleep control on onboard devices in an onboard network. 
     Note that some or all of the constituent elements and operations of the examples of each onboard device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be combined with each other as appropriate. 
     The foregoing embodiments are to be construed in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims rather than the description above, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalents thereof. 
     The above description includes the features described in the following supplementary note. 
     Supplementary Note 1 
     An onboard device including: 
     a communication unit configured to communicate with an onboard device included in an onboard network; 
     a detection unit configured to detect a new onboard device that is an onboard device newly added to the onboard network; and 
     a sleep processing unit configured to, in a detected state where the new onboard device has been detected by the detection unit, transmit a sleep request for transitioning to a sleep state in synchronization with an onboard device included in the onboard network, to the new onboard device via the communication unit, 
     wherein the sleep processing unit is configured to, in the detected state, when the communication unit receives, from the new onboard device, a sleep response corresponding to the sleep request, or, in the detected state, when a predetermined time has elapsed after transmitting the sleep request to the new onboard device, set the new onboard device as an existing onboard device included in the onboard network, and transition from the detected state to a normal state, 
     the onboard device further includes: 
     a plurality of communication ports; and 
     a plurality of communication units that are respectively provided in correspondence with the communication ports, and are each configured to relay communication information received from another onboard device via a communication port corresponding thereto, to another onboard device via the communication port corresponding thereto, and 
     the sleep processing unit is configured to store the sleep function information in the storage unit, for each communication port.