Digital receiver and method for receiving secure group data

• US 20040184614A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walker, Glenn A., Dockemeyer, J. Robert Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0833 involving conference or group key network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065

Abstract

A method and radio receiver are provided for receiving and deciphering RF signals having encrypted data information relevant to the receiver environment. According to one aspect of the present invention, the receiver includes an input for receiving an RF signal having a data stream including a key selector and encrypted data including a message, and a demodulator for demodulating the data stream and outputting encrypted data including the message. The receiver further includes a data decryption circuit including memory for storing one or more groups of decryption keys based on a characteristic of the receiver environment. The data decryption circuit selects a group decryption key based on the key selector and decrypts the message based on the selected group decryption key.

Claims

1. A digital receiver for receiving and deciphering signals containing secure information, said receiver comprising:

an input for receiving a signal comprising a data stream including a key selector and encrypted data including a message; and

a data decryption circuit comprising memory for storing one or more group decryption keys based on a characteristic of the receiver environment, wherein the data decryption circuit selects a group decryption key based on the key selector and decrypts the message based on the selected group decryption key.

2. The receiver as defined in claim 1 further comprising a demodulator for demodulating an RF signal containing the data stream and outputting the encrypted data including the message.

3. The receiver as defined in claim 1, wherein the receiver is located on a vehicle and the characteristic of the receiver environment comprises at least one of a group characteristic of a vehicle model type and a vehicle model year.

4. The receiver as defined in claim 3, wherein the data decryption circuit further includes a unique decryption key based on at least one of a unique vehicle identification number and unique receiver identification number, wherein said unique decryption key is used to further decrypt certain data.

5. The receiver as defined in claim 1, wherein the input comprises an RF tuner.

6. The receiver as defined in claim 5, wherein the input further comprises an antenna.

7. The receiver as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of decryption keys together form a master decryption key.

8. A digital receiver on a vehicle for receiving and deciphering RF signals containing secure information, said receiver comprising:

an input for receiving an RF signal comprising a data stream including a key selector and encrypted data including a message;

a demodulator for demodulating the data stream and outputting encrypted data including the message; and

a data decryption circuit comprising memory for storing a plurality of group decryption keys based on a characteristic of the receiver environment, said groups of decryption keys including a vehicle model type and a vehicle model year, wherein the data decryption circuit selects at least one of the group decryption keys based on the key selector and decrypts the message based on a selected group key.

9. The receiver as defined in claim 8, wherein the data decryption circuit further includes a unique decryption key based on at least one of a unique vehicle identification number and a unique receiver identification number, wherein the unique decryption key is used to further decrypt certain data.

10. The receiver as defined in claim 8, wherein the input comprises an RF tuner.

11. A method for decrypting an encrypted data stream including a key selector and a message broadcast in a signal, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal comprising a data stream including a key selector and encrypted data including a message;

providing one or more groups of decryption keys based on a characteristic of the receiving environment;

selecting a group decryption key based on the key selector; and

decrypting the message based on the selected group key.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of demodulating an RF signal containing the data stream to provide the encrypted data including the message.

13. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the step of providing one or more groups of decryption keys comprises providing a decryption key based on at least one of a vehicle model type and a vehicle model year.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of forming a master decryption key from a plurality of decryption keys, wherein the master decryption key is used to decrypt the message.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the steps of receiving a unique decryption key based on at least one of a unique vehicle identification number and a unique receiver identification number, and decrypting further messages based on the unique encryption key.

16. A method for decrypting an encrypted data stream in a receiver on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an RF signal via a receiver on a vehicle, said RF signal comprising a data stream including a key selector and encrypted data including a message;

demodulating the data stream to provide the encrypted data including the message;

providing a plurality of groups of decryption keys based on a characteristic of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of groups of decryption keys includes a vehicle model type and a vehicle model year;

selecting at least one group key based on the key selector; and

decrypting the message based on the selected group key.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 further comprising the step of forming a master decryption key from a plurality of decryption keys, wherein the master decryption key is used to decrypt the message.

18. The method as defined in claim 16 further comprising the steps of receiving a unique decryption key based on at least one of a unique vehicle identification number and a unique receiver identification number, and decrypting further messages based on the unique encryption key.