Method and Apparatus for Secure Vehicle System Access from a Remote System

• US 20150221150A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Frykman, William M., Pandya, Ritesh, Petersen, Brian, Rork, Joseph Paul, Zechel, Kelly Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,691,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• 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

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive a vehicle-access-PIN generation request from a vehicle computing system (VCS). The processor is also configured to generate the vehicle-access-PIN. The processor is additionally configured to associate a vehicle with the vehicle-access-PIN. Further, the processor is configured to return the vehicle-access-PIN to the requesting VCS. Also, the processor is configured to receive a validation request, including a validation-PIN, from a non-vehicle computing system (NVCS). In addition, the processor is configured to validate the validation-PIN by comparison with stored vehicle-access-PINs to find a match and provide access credentials, for a vehicle associated with a stored vehicle-access-PIN that matches the validation-PIN, to the NVCS.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a vehicle-access-PIN generation request from a vehicle computing system (VCS);

generate the vehicle-access-PIN;

associate a vehicle with the vehicle-access-PIN;

return the vehicle-access-PIN to the requesting VCS;

receive a validation request, including a validation-PIN, from a non-vehicle computing system (NVCS);

validate the validation-PIN by comparison with stored vehicle-access-PINs to find a match; and

provide access credentials, for a vehicle associated with a stored vehicle-access-PIN that matches the validation-PIN, to the NVCS.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to associate the vehicle by associating a vehicle identification number (VIN) with the vehicle-access-PIN.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to set a duration for the vehicle-access-PIN and to invalidate the vehicle-access-PIN upon expiration of the duration.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-access-PIN generation request includes a vehicle identifier.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to determine which vehicle to associate with the vehicle-access-PIN based on the vehicle identifier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the NVCS includes a mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the NVCS includes a computer remote from a vehicle.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a vehicle-access-PIN generation request from a vehicle computing system (VCS);

generating the vehicle-access-PIN;

associating a vehicle with the vehicle-access-PIN;

returning the vehicle-access-PIN to the requesting VCS;

receiving a validation request, including a validation-PIN, from a non-vehicle computing system (NVCS);

validating the validation-PIN by comparison with stored vehicle-access-PINs to find a match; and

providing access credentials, for a vehicle associated with a stored vehicle-access-PIN that matches the validation-PIN, to the NVCS.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating the vehicle by associating a vehicle identification number (VIN) with the vehicle-access-PIN.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising setting a duration for the vehicle-access-PIN and invalidating the vehicle-access-PIN upon expiration of the duration.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle-access-PIN generation request includes a vehicle identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining which vehicle to associate with the vehicle-access-PIN based on the vehicle identifier.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the NVCS includes a mobile device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the NVCS includes a computer remote from a vehicle.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a vehicle-access-PIN generation request from a vehicle computing system (VCS);

generating the vehicle-access-PIN;

associating a vehicle with the vehicle-access-PIN;

returning the vehicle-access-PIN to the requesting VCS;

receiving a validation request, including a validation-PIN, from a non-vehicle computing system (NVCS);

validating the validation-PIN by comparison with stored vehicle-access-PINs to find a match; and

providing access credentials, for a vehicle associated with a stored vehicle-access-PIN that matches the validation-PIN, to the NVCS.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises associating the vehicle by associating a vehicle identification number (VIN) with the vehicle-access-PIN.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises setting a duration for the vehicle-access-PIN and invalidating the vehicle-access-PIN upon expiration of the duration.

18. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the vehicle-access-PIN generation request includes a vehicle identifier.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises determining which vehicle to associate with the vehicle-access-PIN based on the vehicle identifier.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the NVCS includes a mobile device or a computer remote from a vehicle.