Connecting mobile devices, internet-connected vehicles, and cloud services

• US 20120254960A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lortz, Victor, Rangarajan, Anand P., Rathi, Somya, Kesavan, Vijay Sarathi
• Granted Patent: US 9,032,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A three-way trust relationship is established between a mobile device, Internet-connected vehicle system, and a cloud-based service. Access rights are granted to the mobile device from the vehicle system, such that the mobile device can securely connect to, and obtain status information and/or control the Internet-connected vehicle system, through the cloud-based service.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device, of establishing a trust relationship between the mobile device, a vehicle system, and a cloud-based service comprising:

performing an out of band exchange of data between the mobile device and the vehicle system;

determining access rights of the mobile device and the vehicle system; and

establishing a trust relationship between the mobile device and cloud-based system based on the data provided by the vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a pre-existing trust relationship exists between the vehicle system and the cloud-based service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing out of band exchange of data is performed using one or more of the following:

NFC touch, infrared, 2-D barcode, accelerometer bump, time-limited push-button configuration, and/or PIN number entry.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data includes an authenticated and encrypted payload.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing rights includes determining vehicle ownership status of a user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the determining vehicle ownership status includes using biometric information to determine if the user is an owner.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the accessing rights is defined by the following roles:

owner or guest.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein if the determining vehicle ownership status is not determined, setting access rights to a predetermined default level.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing rights includes providing a role of the mobile device for the vehicle to the cloud-based service.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing the trust relationship between the mobile device and the cloud-based system based on the data provided by the vehicle system includes an exchange of signed certificates between the mobile device and the cloud-based system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing the trust relationship between the mobile device and the cloud-based system based on the data provided by the vehicle system includes the vehicle system sending a symmetric key and mobile device identifier to the mobile device and to the cloud-based system.

12. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory configured to the one or more processors, having instructions to;

perform an initial startup to connect to a vehicle system;

perform an out of band exchange of data between the mobile device and the vehicle system to establish a trust relationship with the vehicle system;

determine access rights as to the mobile device to a cloud-based service that supports the vehicle system, wherein the vehicle system and the cloud-based service have a preexisting trust relationship; and

establish a trust relationship between the mobile device and cloud-based system.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 wherein the memory includes an application to perform the initial startup.

14. The mobile device of claim 12 wherein the memory stores secured data used to establish the trust relationships with the vehicle system and the cloud-based service.

15. The mobile device of claim 12 wherein the access rights are determined from biometric information obtained by the vehicle system as to ownership of the vehicle system.

16. The mobile device of claim 12 further comprising a first wireless interface local connection configured to the one or more processors and memory to perform the out of band exchange of data, and a second wireless interface to exchange other data with the vehicle system.

17. The mobile device of claim 12 further comprising a cellular wireless interface to connect the mobile device with the cloud-based system.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method comprising:

starting an initial exchange with a vehicle system;

performing an out of band exchange of data between the mobile device and the vehicle system to establish a trust relationship between the mobile device and the vehicle system;

receiving access rights to a cloud-based service that controls the vehicle system; and

establishing a trust relationship with the cloud-based service.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 18 wherein the performing the out of band exchange comprises part of a local pairing of the mobile device and the vehicle system.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 18 further comprising sending and receiving certificates used to establish the trust relationships.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 18 further comprising sending and receiving a symmetric key used to establish the trust relationships.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 18 further comprising providing a role of the mobile device to the cloud-based service.