INCREASING VEHICLE SECURITY

• US 20110301795A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bryan Marc Failing
• Original Assignee: Bryan Marc Failing
• Inventors: Failing, Bryan Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 : Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 : involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 : involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 : Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 : Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium, system, and apparatus for increasing vehicle security are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of increasing vehicle security, said method comprising:

detecting an interaction with a vehicle, wherein said vehicle includes an energy storage component and an interface;

responsive to said detecting said interaction, generating data to present a user interface configured to enable input of information associated with an authentication of a user; and

if said authentication of said user is successful, enabling an energy transfer over said interface between said energy storage component and another component of said vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said energy transfer is selected from a group consisting of charging said energy storage component and discharging said energy storage component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said other component is an electric motor controllable to move said vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to said authentication, generating data to present another user interface operable to configure and initiate said energy transfer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said interface is coupled to an energy transfer system, and further comprising:

performing said energy transfer between said vehicle and said energy transfer system; and

communicating data between said vehicle and said energy transfer system using said interface.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting, using a component of an energy transfer system, a position of said vehicle with respect to said energy transfer system;

responsive to said detecting, initiating a monitoring of said vehicle; and

if said authentication is successful, generating data to present another user interface comprising information generated as a result of said monitoring.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if said authentication is unsuccessful, reducing an amount of energy transferred over said interface between said energy storage component and said another component of said vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if said authentication is unsuccessful, performing an operation selected from a group consisting of reducing an ability to move said vehicle and reducing an ability to use said vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if said authentication is unsuccessful, communicating to a user a failure of said authentication;

generating data to present a user interface enabling a user to report that said vehicle has been stolen; and

communicating to another user that said vehicle has been stolen.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a tampering with an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of an energy storage component, a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel; and

responsive to said detecting, performing an operation selected from a group consisting of;

reducing an amount of energy transferred between said first and second interfaces, reducing an ability to move said vehicle;

reducing an ability to use said vehicle; and

sending a communication to alert a user to said tampering.

11. An apparatus operable to increase vehicle security, said apparatus comprising:

a first component operable to perform an authentication of a user; and

a second component coupled to said first component, wherein said second component is controllable to enable an energy transfer between a first interface and a second interface if said authentication is successful.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said energy transfer is sufficient to perform an operation selected from a group consisting of:

charging an energy transfer component of a vehicle; and

controlling an electric motor to move said vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said second component is further controllable, if said authentication is unsuccessful, to enable a reduced amount of energy to be transferred between said first and second interfaces.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first component is further operable, if said authentication is unsuccessful, to send a communication to another component to perform an operation selected from a group consisting of reducing an ability to move said vehicle and reducing an ability to use said vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first component is further operable to perform an authentication of another component that is separate from said second component, and wherein said first component is further operable to enable a transfer of energy between said second component and said another component if said authentication of said another component is successful.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first and second components are disposed within a housing of an energy storage component of a vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said another component is disposed within an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said another component is associated with an energy storage component.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a third component coupled to said first component, wherein said third component is operable to control at least one component of a vehicle, if said authentication is unsuccessful, to perform an operation selected from a group consisting of reducing an ability to move said vehicle and reducing an ability to use said vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said at least one component is selected from a group consisting of a motor, a transmission, a braking system, and a steering wheel.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first and second components are disposed within an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first component is further operable to perform said authentication of said another component by comparing an identifier of said another component with authentication data, and further comprising:

a third component operable to store said authentication data.

23. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a third component operable to detect a tampering with a housing of an energy storage component, wherein said third component is further operable to cause a fourth component to perform at least one operation responsive to detecting said tampering, and wherein said at least one operation is selected from a group consisting of;

reducing an amount of energy transferred between said first and second interfaces, reducing an ability to move said vehicle;

reducing an ability to use said vehicle; and

sending a communication to alert a user to said tampering.

24. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a third component operable to detect a tampering with an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel, and

wherein said third component is further operable to cause a fourth component to perform at least one operation responsive to detecting said tampering, and wherein said at least one operation is selected from a group consisting of;

reducing an amount of energy transferred between said first and second interfaces, reducing an ability to move said vehicle;

reducing an ability to use said vehicle; and

sending a communication to alert a user to said tampering.

25. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a third component operable to regulate a temperature of an energy storage component by performing an operation selected from a group consisting of;

controlling said second component to adjust an amount of energy transferred over said first interface; and

controlling a fourth component to transfer heat with said energy storage component.

26. An apparatus operable to increase vehicle security, said apparatus comprising:

a first component operable to perform an authentication of another component that is separate from said apparatus; and

a second component coupled to said first component, wherein said second component is controllable to enable an energy transfer between a first interface and a second interface if said authentication is successful.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first component is further operable to enable a transfer of energy between said second component and said another component if said authentication of said another component is successful.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first and second components are disposed within a housing of an energy storage component of a vehicle.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said another component is disposed within an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said another component is associated with an energy storage component.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a third component coupled to said first component, wherein said third component is operable to control at least one component of a vehicle to reduce an ability of said vehicle to move if said authentication is unsuccessful.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one component is selected from a group consisting of a motor, a transmission, a braking system, and a steering wheel.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first and second components are disposed within an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel

34. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first component is further operable to perform said authentication of said another component by comparing an identifier of said another component with authentication data, and further comprising:

a third component operable to store said authentication data.

35. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first component is further operable to perform an authentication of a user.

36. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a third component operable to detect a tampering with a housing of an energy storage component, wherein said third component is further operable to cause a fourth component to perform at least one operation responsive to detecting said tampering, and wherein said at least one operation is selected from a group consisting of;

reducing an amount of energy transferred between said first and second interfaces, reducing an ability to move said vehicle;

reducing an ability to use said vehicle; and

sending a communication to alert a user to said tampering.

37. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a third component operable to detect a tampering with an object selected from a group consisting of a housing of a motor, a housing of a transmission, a component of a braking system, and a steering wheel, and

wherein said third component is further operable to cause a fourth component to perform at least one operation responsive to detecting said tampering, and wherein said at least one operation is selected from a group consisting of;

reducing an amount of energy transferred between said first and second interfaces, reducing an ability to move said vehicle;

reducing an ability to use said vehicle; and

sending a communication to alert a user to said tampering.

38. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a third component operable to regulate a temperature of an energy storage component by performing an operation selected from a group consisting of;

controlling said second component to adjust an amount of energy transferred over said first interface; and

controlling a fourth component to transfer heat with said energy storage component.