Method, computer program and apparatus for verifying authorization of a mobile communication device

• US 10,266,148 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Mohaupt, Matthias, Nguyen, Dong, Niederholz, Michael, Haupt, Hannes, Bartels, Bastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US15/660,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20180029560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 340 58, 340 581
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle

Abstract

A method for checking an authorization of a mobile communication device for operating a vehicle engine of a vehicle which includes determining a position of a mobile communication device. The position of the mobile communication device is inside or outside the vehicle. The method also includes receiving a digital key value from the mobile communication device and checking the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value.

Claims

1. A method for checking an authorization of a mobile communication device for operating a vehicle engine of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a position of a mobile communication device, wherein the position of the mobile communication device is inside or outside the vehicle, the determining of the position of the mobile communication device corresponding to determining a position of the mobile communication device in or on a wireless charging apparatus of the vehicle;

receiving a digital key value from the mobile communication device; and

checking the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value;

wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a radiation characteristic of an antenna unit and capturing information about transmission properties between the antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining whether the mobile communication device is in a predetermined placement position inside the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on determining a signal strength of a signal between the mobile communication device and an antenna that is arranged in immediate surroundings of the predetermined placement position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining a first signal strength of a signal of the mobile communication device via a first antenna and determining a second signal strength of the signal of the mobile communication device via a second antenna, and wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first antenna is an exterior antenna and wherein the second antenna is an interior antenna of the vehicle, and/or

wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a communication by the mobile communication device with a different entity than the vehicle, or wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a reference signal of the mobile communication device for the first antenna and the second antenna.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the signal comprises a carrier frequency of greater than 700 MHz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a further radiation characteristic of a further antenna unit and capturing information about further transmission properties between the further antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied further radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties and captured further transmission properties.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the checking of the authorization to operate the vehicle engine acknowledges an authorization, to start the vehicle engine and/or operate the vehicle engine during a journey, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining the position of the mobile communication device inside the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a further authorization of the mobile communication device for unlocking or locking the vehicle, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value, wherein the checking of the authorization for unlocking or locking the vehicle acknowledges an authorization, to unlock the vehicle and/or lock the vehicle, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining a position of the mobile communication device outside the vehicle in proximity to the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device corresponds to a programmable mobile phone or a programmable watch, and/or

wherein the receiving is based on a BLUETOOTH Low Energy system, and/or

wherein the method further comprises providing a control signal for the vehicle engine, based on the authorization for operating the vehicle engine.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining information about a biometric authentication of a user of the mobile communication device, wherein the checking of the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine is further based on the information about the biometric authentication.

12. A non-transitory storage medium including a program having program code for performing a method for checking an authorization of a mobile communication device for operating a vehicle engine of a vehicle, when the program code is executed on a computer, a processor, a control module or a programmable hardware component, the method comprising:

determining a position of a mobile communication device, wherein the position of the mobile communication device is inside or outside the vehicle, the determining of the position of the mobile communication device corresponding to determining a position of the mobile communication device in or on a wireless charging apparatus of the vehicle;

receiving a digital key value from the mobile communication device; and

checking the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value;

the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a radiation characteristic of an antenna unit and capturing information about transmission properties between the antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties.

24. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining whether the mobile communication device is in a predetermined placement position inside the vehicle.

25. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 24, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on determining a signal strength of a signal between the mobile communication device and an antenna that is arranged in immediate surroundings of the predetermined placement position.

26. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining a first signal strength of a signal of the mobile communication device via a first antenna and determining a second signal strength of the signal of the mobile communication device via a second antenna, and wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

27. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 26, wherein the first antenna is an exterior antenna and wherein the second antenna is an interior antenna of the vehicle, and/or wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a communication by the mobile communication device with a different entity than the vehicle, or wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a reference signal of the mobile communication device for the first antenna and the second antenna.

28. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 26, wherein the signal comprises a carrier frequency of greater than 700 MHz.

29. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a further radiation characteristic of a further antenna unit and capturing information about further transmission properties between the further antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied further radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties and captured further transmission properties.

30. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the checking of the authorization to operate the vehicle engine acknowledges an authorization, to start the vehicle engine and/or operate the vehicle engine during a journey, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining the position of the mobile communication device inside the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

31. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, the method including checking a further authorization of the mobile communication device for unlocking or locking the vehicle, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value, wherein the checking of the further authorization for unlocking or locking the vehicle acknowledges an authorization, to unlock the vehicle and/or lock the vehicle, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining a position of the mobile communication device outside the vehicle in proximity to the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

32. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device corresponds to a programmable mobile phone or a programmable watch, and/or wherein the receiving is based on a BLUETOOTH Low Energy system, and/or wherein the method further comprises providing a control signal for the vehicle engine, based on the authorization for operating the vehicle engine.

33. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, the method including obtaining information about a biometric authentication of a user of the mobile communication device, wherein the checking of the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine is further based on the information about the biometric authentication.

13. An apparatus for checking an authorization of a mobile communication device for operating a vehicle engine of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one interface for receiving a digital key value from a mobile communication device; and

a control module designed for;

determining a position of the mobile communication device, wherein the position of the mobile communication device is inside or outside the vehicle,

the determining of the position of the mobile communication device corresponding to determining a position of the mobile communication device in or on a wireless charging apparatus of the vehicle,

checking the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value, and providing a control signal for the vehicle engine via the at least one interface, based on the authorization for operating the vehicle engine;

wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a radiation characteristic of an antenna unit and capturing information about transmission properties between the antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining whether the mobile communication device is in a predetermined placement position inside the vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on determining a signal strength of a signal between the mobile communication device and an antenna that is arranged in immediate surroundings of the predetermined placement position.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device comprises determining a first signal strength of a signal of the mobile communication device via a first antenna and determining a second signal strength of the signal of the mobile communication device via a second antenna, and wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first antenna is an exterior antenna and wherein the second antenna is an interior antenna of the vehicle, and/or wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a communication by the mobile communication device with a different entity than the vehicle, or wherein the signal of the mobile communication device corresponds to a reference signal of the mobile communication device for the first antenna and the second antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the signal comprises a carrier frequency of greater than 700 MHz.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a further radiation characteristic of a further antenna unit and capturing information about further transmission properties between the further antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied further radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties and captured further transmission properties.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the checking of the authorization to operate the vehicle engine acknowledges an authorization, to start the vehicle engine and/or operate the vehicle engine during a journey, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining the position of the mobile communication device inside the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the method includes checking a further authorization of the mobile communication device for unlocking or locking the vehicle, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value, wherein the checking of the further authorization for unlocking or locking the vehicle acknowledges an authorization, to unlock the vehicle and/or lock the vehicle, in response to the determining of the position of the mobile communication device determining a position of the mobile communication device outside the vehicle in proximity to the vehicle and the received key value being valid.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mobile communication device corresponds to a programmable mobile phone or a programmable watch, and/or wherein the receiving is based on a BLUETOOTH Low Energy system, and/or wherein the method further comprises providing a control signal for the vehicle engine, based on the authorization for operating the vehicle engine.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, the method including obtaining information about a biometric authentication of a user of the mobile communication device, wherein the checking of the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine is further based on the information about the biometric authentication.

34. An apparatus for checking an authorization of a mobile communication device for operating a vehicle engine of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one interface for receiving a digital key value from a mobile communication device; and

a control module designed for;

determining a position of the mobile communication device in or on a wireless charging apparatus of the vehicle,

checking the authorization of the mobile communication device for operating the vehicle engine, based on the position of the mobile communication device and based on the digital key value, and

providing a control signal for the vehicle engine, based on the authorization for operating the vehicle engine;

wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device further comprises varying a radiation characteristic of an antenna unit and capturing information about transmission properties between the antenna unit and the mobile communication device based on the varied radiation characteristic, wherein the determining of the position of the mobile communication device is based on the captured transmission properties.