Method for controlling the operation of at least one functional component of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

• US 10,124,766 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Brahner, Tom, Pleban, Florian, Escherich, Robert Helene, Augustin, Ralf, Hackstein, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US15/517,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20180265037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2063 Ignition switch geometry

Abstract

After authenticating at least one functional component which is safety-relevant and/or emission-relevant to the driving mode of the motor vehicle with regard to whether the functional component is an original component of the motor vehicle or a functional component which has been replaced without authorization and/or has been manipulated without authorization, the operation of at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a manner that the functionality or at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component is selectively restricted if the authentication which has been carried out reveals that the at least one functional component which is safety-relevant and/or emission-relevant to the driving mode of the motor vehicle has been replaced without authorization and/or has been manipulated without authorization.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of functional components of a motor vehicle, comprising:

authenticating at least one functional component, at least one of safety-relevant and emission-relevant to a driving mode of the motor vehicle, with regard to whether the at least one functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization, and

controlling operation of at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle, not safety-relevant to the driving mode of the motor vehicle, by selectively restricting at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component when said authenticating reveals that the at least one functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising authenticating, before said authenticating of the at least one functional component, at least one further functional component of the motor vehicle, at least one of safety-relevant and relevant to legal provisions irrespective of the driving mode of the motor vehicle, with regard to whether the at least one further functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising controlling operation of the at least one further functional component of the motor vehicle, by selectively restricting at least one functionality of the at least one further functional component when the at least one further functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said controlling the operation of the at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle selectively restricts the at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component when the at least one further functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controlling the operation of the at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle selectively restricts the at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component when the at least one further functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2,

further comprising performing a status query of a device preventing unauthorized activation of the motor vehicle before said authenticating of the at least one functional component and said authenticating of the at least one further functional component of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said authenticating of the at least one functional component and said authenticating of the at least one further functional component of the motor vehicle are performed only when the status query reveals no unauthorized activation of the motor vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one other functional component is at least one of a multimedia device for outputting multimedia contents at least one of into an interior of the motor vehicle and to a communication partner, a communication device for establishing a communication connection between a motor vehicle control unit and a vehicle occupant mobile terminal, an air-conditioning device for air-conditioning at least one region of the interior of the motor vehicle, a seat adjustment device for adjusting at least one of orientation and position of at least one seat part of the motor vehicle relative to at least one other seat part of the motor vehicle, a seat temperature control device for controlling temperature of at least one seat part of the motor vehicle, a steering wheel temperature control device for controlling the temperature of at least one steering wheel part of the motor vehicle, an illumination device for illuminating the interior of the motor vehicle, and a parking assistance system for carrying out at least partially automated parking operations of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said controlling selectively restricts the at least one other functional component when said authenticating reveals that the at least one functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising controlling operation of a further functional component of the motor vehicle, emission-relevant to the driving mode of the motor vehicle, by selectively restricting at least one functionality of the further functional component when said authenticating reveals that the at least one functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising outputting to a driver, before said controlling by restricting the at least one functionality of the further functional component, an item of restriction information describing an imminent restriction of the further functional component.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the further functional component is an assistance system for at least one of at least partially automated longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said controlling selectively restricts the at least one further functional component when said authenticating reveals that the at least one functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising repeating said authenticating up to a predetermined number of times when an authentication result cannot be obtained by said authenticating, and

wherein said controlling selectively restricts the at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle when the authentication result is not obtained after carrying out said authenticating the predetermined number of times.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling selectively restricts the at least one functionality of the at least one other functional component of the motor vehicle when an authentication result is not obtained by said authenticating within a predetermined period of time.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said authenticating is performed by an electrical energy store connected to a drive unit of the motor vehicle to authenticate the at least one functional component of the motor vehicle with regard to whether the at least one functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

14. A motor vehicle comprising:

a plurality of different functional components; and

at least one hardware processor configured

to authenticate at least one first functional component, among the different functional components, which is at least one of safety-relevant and emission-relevant to a driving mode of the motor vehicle, with regard to whether the at least one first functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization, and

to control operation of at least one second functional component among the different functional components of the motor vehicle, which is not safety-relevant to the driving mode of the motor vehicle, by selectively restricting at least one functionality of the at least one second functional component when authentication of the at least one first functional component of the motor vehicle indicates at least one of replacement without authorization and manipulation without authorization.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the motor vehicle has an interior and is capable of communication with a communication partner, including a vehicle occupant mobile terminal,

wherein the motor vehicle further comprises seat parts, a steering wheel and a motor vehicle control unit,

wherein the at least one second functional component is at least one of a multimedia device outputting multimedia content at least one of into the interior of the motor vehicle and to the communication partner, a communication device establishing a communication connection between the motor vehicle control unit and the vehicle occupant mobile terminal, an air-conditioning device for air-conditioning at least one region of the interior of the motor vehicle, a seat adjustment device for adjusting at least one of orientation and position of at least one of the seat parts of the motor vehicle relative to at least one other of the seat parts of the motor vehicle, a seat temperature control device for controlling temperature of at least one of the seat parts of the motor vehicle, a steering wheel temperature control device for controlling the temperature of at least one part of the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, an illumination device for illuminating the interior of the motor vehicle, and a parking assistance system for carrying out at least partially automated parking operations of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said at least one hardware processor selectively restricts the at least one second functional component when the at least one first functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14,

further comprising an emission-related component of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said at least one hardware processor is further configured to selectively restrict at least one functionality of the emission-related component when the at least one first functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an output device outputting to a driver an item of restriction information describing an imminent restriction of the emission-related component before said at least one hardware processor restricts the at least one functionality of the emission-related component.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16,

further comprising an assistance system for at least one of at least partially automated longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle, and

wherein said at least one hardware processor is further configured to selectively restrict the assistance system when the at least one first functional component of the motor vehicle has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14,

further comprising:

a drive unit of the motor vehicle; and

an electrical energy store, connected to the drive unit of the motor vehicle, and

wherein at least one of the at least one hardware processor is disposed in the electrical energy store and authenticates the at least one first functional component of the motor vehicle with regard to whether the at least one first functional component has been at least one of replaced without authorization and manipulated without authorization.