METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC VEHICLE DOCUMENT DISPLAY

• US 20100064136A1
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: MacLellan, Scot, Longobardi, Giuseppe
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A method and system for automatically displaying electronic documents on a vehicle display screen, is provided. One implementation involves transferring an encrypted digital certificate to a control module in a vehicle, the vehicle including a display screen embedded in a window area of the vehicle, wherein the control module is configured for connection to the display screen; storing the digital certificate in a memory unit of the control module; automatically displaying information on the display screen by: retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said information associated with the digital certificate on the display screen.

Claims

1. A method of automatically displaying electronic documents on a vehicle display screen, comprising:

transferring an encrypted digital certificate to a control module in a vehicle, the vehicle including a display screen embedded in a window area of the vehicle, wherein the control module is configured for connection to the display screen;

storing the digital certificate in a memory unit of the control module; and

automatically displaying information on the display screen by;

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said information associated with the digital certificate on the display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 further including electronically receiving an encrypted digital certificate using a receiving device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transferring the encrypted digital certificate to the control module includes coupling the receiving device to the control module via an I/O port of the control module for electronically transferring the digital certificate to the memory unit of the control module.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein coupling the receiving device to the control module includes wirelessly coupling the receiving device to the control module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying information associated with the digital certificate includes validating the digital certificate using a validation function of the control module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transferring an encrypted digital certificate to a control module further includes transferring associated information to the control module; and

displaying information associated with the digital certificate on the display screen further includes;

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said associated information on the display screen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control module includes multiple processing functions, such that displaying information on the display screen further includes displaying information processed by one or more of said processing functions of the control module.

8. An apparatus for automatically displaying electronic documents on a vehicle display screen, comprising:

a control module configured for displaying information on a display screen;

an I/O port configured for transferring an encrypted digital certificate to the control module;

wherein the control module is further configured for connection to the display screen;

the control module including;

a memory module configured for storing the digital certificate; and

a display function configured for displaying information on the display screen by;

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said information associated with the digital certificate on the display screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display screen is embedded in a window area of the vehicle, visible from outside the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control module further includes a validation function configured for validating the digital certificate.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory unit is further configured for storing information associated with the electronic certificate, and the display application is further configured for displaying information on the display screen by:

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said associated information on the display screen.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control module further includes display functions, each display function configured for displaying information on the display screen.

13. A system for automatically displaying electronic documents on a vehicle, comprising:

a display screen;

a control module configured for displaying information on the display screen; and

an I/O port configured for transferring an encrypted digital certificate to the control module;

wherein the control module is further configured for connection to the display screen;

the control module including;

a memory module configured for storing the digital certificate; and

a display function configured for displaying information on the display screen by;

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said information associated with the digital certificate on the display screen.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the display screen is embedded in a window area of the vehicle, visible from outside the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the control module further includes a validation function configured for validating the digital certificate.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory unit is further configured for storing information associated with the electronic certificate, and the display application is further configured for displaying information on the display screen by:

retrieving the digital certificate from the memory unit of the control module; and

upon validating the digital certificate in the control module, displaying said associated information on the display screen.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the control module further includes display functions, each display function configured for displaying information on the display screen.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the I/O port comprises a wireless communication module, and the control module further includes a client module for wirelessly receiving the electronic certificate from a server.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the control module is configured for receiving the electronic certificate from input media coupled to the input port.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the control module and display screen are configured for use in only a particular vehicle.