Method and apparatus for utilizing NFC to establish a secure connection

• US 10,284,653 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Makke, Omar, Gusikhin, Oleg Yurievitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Gracia, Gary S
• Application Number:
  US14/940,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20170142205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 726 3, 726 7, 340438
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to approve an application vehicular-system-access request based on a temporary key and device ID transmitted with the access request matching a stored temporary key and device ID pair previously stored by the processor. This can assist in ensuring that only validated devices and/or applications are requesting access to a vehicle system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a programmable vehicular near-field communication (NFC) device; and

a processor in communication with the NFC device, wherein the processor is configured to;

generate an initial random key and deliver the initial random key to the NFC device, when the vehicle is started following occupant entry to the vehicle, wherein the NFC device is configured to;

transfer the initial random key via NFC to a requesting mobile device associated with the occupant and simultaneously receive a device ID from the requesting mobile device, and wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive the device ID from the NFC device and store the device ID in conjunction with the initial random key;

generate a new random key following the storing of the device ID and random key in a list of device ID and random key pairs;

while the vehicle is moving, receive a wireless access request from an application executing on the mobile device from the customer;

approve the access request based on a match between both the correct random key and device ID received with the access request matching a stored device ID and random key pair; and

when the random key and device ID do not match, reject the request and identify the mobile device as malicious.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the NFC device is installed in a vehicle in a location such that a device external to the vehicle cannot interact with the NFC device.