| CPC H04L 12/40039 (2013.01) [H04L 2012/40215 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40273 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A vehicle communication system comprising:
a gateway device (1) coupled to a first communication line and a second communication line different from the first communication line, and (2) configured to relay communication between the first communication line and the second communication line, the first communication line being coupled to a first electronic control unit (ECU), the second communication line being coupled to a second ECU, the second communication line being not coupled to the first communication line directly, the first and second ECUs being disposed on a vehicle and being configured to perform functions of the vehicle, wherein the gateway device is configured to:
receive electric power from a battery of the vehicle;
receive a first signal to wake-up the second ECU through the first communication line;
when the gateway device is in stand-by mode, upon receiving the first signal, i) initiate a wake-up operation on the gateway device itself and ii) determine whether the first signal is sent from the first ECU;
in response to determining that the first signal is sent from the first ECU, transmit a second signal to the second ECU through the second communication line, the second signal being to wake up the second ECU; and
in response to determining that the first signal is not sent from the first ECU:
determine whether transmission of the second signal is unacceptable or acceptable based on continuity of the first signal received through the first communication line;
in response to determining that the transmission of the second signal is unacceptable, refrain from transmitting the second signal; and
in response to determining that the transmission of the second signal is acceptable, transmit the second signal.
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