Retention and revocation of operation keys by a control unit

• US 10,432,408 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Jin-Meng
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Sher A
• Application Number:
  US15/632,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20170288882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0827 involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A control unit device in one disclosed embodiment includes a receiver and a memory that stores one or more operation keys and program instructions. The control unit further includes a processor coupled to the receiver and the memory. The program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the control unit device to, in response to a revocation command received by the receiver, perform a revocation process by selecting which of the one or more operation keys to retain in the memory based on, for each of the one or more operation keys, whether the control unit receives a message encrypted by the operation key during the revocation process.

Claims

1. A control unit device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive signals;

a memory configured to store a control unit counter, one or more operation keys, and program instructions; and

a processor coupled to the receiver and the memory;

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the control unit device to;

receive, using the receiver, a message including a predetermined number of bits of an encrypted key fob counter value, wherein the encrypted key fob counter value is encrypted by a first operation key corresponding to a first key fob device;

generate an encrypted value of the control unit counter using the first operation key;

determine whether the predetermined number of bits of the encrypted value of the key fob counter matches corresponding bits of the encrypted value of the control unit counter; and

enter a revocation mode in response to receiving a revocation command, wherein, during a revocation mode period following entering the revocation mode, the control unit identifies which of the one or more operation keys stored in the memory are associated with key fob devices that perform an operation during the revocation mode period, retains the identified operation key(s) in the memory, and delete operation key(s) associated with key fob devices that do not perform an operation during the revocation mode period.

2. The control unit device of claim 1, wherein the received message additionally includes a chosen number of lowest-order bits of the key fob counter, and the control unit updates the control unit counter based on the lowest-order bits of the key fob counter before generating the encrypted value of the control unit counter using the first operation key.

3. The control unit device of claim 2, wherein the chosen number of lowest-order bits of the key fob counter is 8 bits.

4. The control unit device of claim 2, wherein the received message further includes a data field that identifies a command to be performed by the control unit.

5. The control unit device of claim 4, wherein the control unit performs the command when the predetermined number of bits of the encrypted value of the key fob counter matches the corresponding bits of the encrypted value of the control unit counter, and does not perform the command when the predetermined number of bits of the encrypted value of the key fob counter does not match the corresponding bits of the encrypted value of the control unit counter.

6. The control unit device of claim 4, wherein the received message includes the revocation command, and wherein entering the revocation mode is additionally in response to a determination that the predetermined number of bits of the encrypted value of the key fob counter matches the corresponding bits of the encrypted value of the control unit counter.

7. The control unit device of claim 5, wherein, when the predetermined number of bits of the encrypted value of the key fob counter does not match the corresponding bits of the encrypted value of the control unit counter, the control unit restores the control unit counter to a value from prior to the update.

8. The control unit device of claim 7, wherein the control unit counter is a 128-bit counter.

9. A system comprising:

a first device comprising;

a first memory configured to store a first counter value and a first operation key;

a first processor configured to encrypt the first counter value using the first operation key, the first operation key being associated with the first device; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a message, the message including predetermined bits of the encrypted first counter value and a command data field indicating a command; and

a second device comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the message when transmitted by the transmitter of the first device;

a second memory configured to store one or more operation keys and a second counter value, the stored one or more operation keys including at least the first operation key; and

a second processor configured to encrypt the second counter value using the first operation key and to compare the predetermined bits of the encrypted first counter value to corresponding bits of the encrypted second counter value, wherein the second processor causes the second device to perform the command indicated by the command data field when the predetermined bits of the encrypted first counter value matches the corresponding bits of the encrypted second counter value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the command is a revocation command, and wherein, when the second processor causes the second device to perform a revocation process in response to the revocation command, the second device:

selects which of the one or more operation keys stored in the second memory to retain in the second memory, the selection being based at least upon which of the one or more operation keys are associated with messages received by the second device during the revocation process;

retains the selected operation key(s) in the second memory; and

deletes unselected operation key(s) from the second memory.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second device additionally selects the operation key associated with the last message received by the receiver prior to performing the revocation process.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the transmitter of the first device is a first transmitter and the message transmitted by the first transmitter is a first message, and wherein the system further comprises a third device that includes a second transmitter configured to transmit a second message that includes a command data field indicating a command, wherein the unselected operation key(s) includes a second operation key associated with the third device and, after the revocation process, the second device does not respond to the command indicated in the second message when transmitted by the second transmitter of the third device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and third devices are key fob devices and the second device is a vehicle control unit device.