METHODS AND DEVICES FOR MANAGING ACCESS TO A VEHICLE

• US 20160055699A1
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keyfree Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Keyfree Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: VINCENTI, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/778,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055699A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• 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: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods, system, mobile node, administrative module for managing access to a vehicle and/or for activating temporary access to the vehicle. A fixed unit comprising a short range transceiver is provided in the vehicle, for managing access thereto the vehicle. A virtual key is provided to the mobile device that has a primary function other than virtual key management. The fixed unit interacts only via the short range transceiver while granting access, the virtual key may be associated by the mobile device to a valet key device for granting conditional access to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for managing access to a vehicle comprising:

providing a fixed unit, in the vehicle, for managing access to the vehicle, the fixed unit comprising a short range radio transceiver;

activating a virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle, based on a unique identifier of the fixed unit;

providing the virtual key, over a network, for local storage into a mobile device, the mobile device having a primary function other than virtual key management; and

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle upon identifying the mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via the short range radio transceiver while granting access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the virtual key further comprises sending the virtual key to the mobile device for reception via a long range radio transceiver of a network interface module of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the virtual key has a preset expiry condition, the method further comprising disabling the virtual key in the mobile device, without confirming via the long range radio transceiver, when the condition is met, the disabled key preventing the mobile device from requesting access to the fixed unit over the short range radio transceiver.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the method further comprising programming the fixed unit for granting access to the set of functions of the vehicle upon identifying the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

activating a second virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle, based on the unique identifier; and

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the second virtual key from a second mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the second mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising, at the fixed unit, measuring a speed at which the mobile device is approaching the vehicle to determine when to grant access to the vehicle.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising sending, to the mobile device, a content file for transmission to the fixed unit over the short range radio transceiver when the mobile device is connected therewith, wherein an audio and/or video content from the content file is conditionally provided by the fixed unit within the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content is provided based on one or more of vehicle engine being on or off, vehicle engine RPMs, vehicle doors being locked or not, vehicle radio being on or off, noise level within the vehicle.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a plurality of virtual keys are provided and a plurality of fixed units are deployed over a plurality of vehicles.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fixed unit is provided for installation in the vehicle.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one condition of the virtual key to the fixed unit, the method further comprising providing a warning within the vehicle, from the fixed unit, in relation to the condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, after providing the warning, safely disabling the virtual key, from the fixed unit, when the condition is met.

13. A method for activating temporary access to a vehicle comprising a fixed unit for managing access to the vehicle, the method comprising:

from a mobile device, associating a virtual key to a valet key device for granting conditional access to the vehicle, the mobile device having a primary function other than virtual key management; and

from the mobile device, communicating the parameters of the virtual key to the fixed unit using a short range radio transceiver.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, from the fixed unit, granting access to the vehicle upon detecting a request from the valet key device matching the received parameters.

15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the valet key device is a conventional remote key of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the valet key device is equipped with a short range radio transceiver, the method further comprising, from the mobile device, communicating the parameters of the virtual key to the valet key device using the short range radio transceiver.

17. The method of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one function of the vehicle accessible to the valet key device.

18. The method of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one time or distance condition, the method further comprising providing a warning within the vehicle, from the fixed unit, based on the time or distance condition.

19. A method for managing access to a vehicle comprising:

creating a virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle, based on a unique identifier of a fixed unit to be installed in the vehicle;

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the virtual key from a mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management;

generating an activation code based on the unique identifier of the fixed unit; and

remotely activating the virtual key within the mobile device upon receiving the activation code from the mobile device over a network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the method further comprising:

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the virtual key from the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the method further comprising:

creating a second virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle, based on the unique identifier;

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the second virtual key from a second mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the second mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management;

generating a second activation code based on the unique identifier of the fixed unit; and

remotely activating the second virtual key within the mobile device upon receiving the activation code from the second mobile device over the network.

22. A system for managing access to a remote vehicle comprising:

a fixed unit, in the vehicle, for managing access to the vehicle, the fixed unit comprising a short range radio transceiver;

an administrative agent for;

activating a virtual key based on a unique identifier of the fixed unit, the virtual key granting access to the vehicle;

providing the virtual key, over a network, for local storage into a mobile device, the mobile device having a primary function other than virtual key management; and

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle upon identifying the mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via the short range radio transceiver while granting access.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the administrative agent further sends the virtual key to the mobile device for reception via a long range radio transceiver of a network interface module of the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the virtual key has a preset expiry condition, the mobile device being for disabling the virtual key without confirming via the long range radio transceiver, when the condition is met, the disabled key preventing the mobile device from requesting access to the fixed unit over the short range radio transceiver.

25. The system of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the administrative agent being further for programming the fixed unit for granting access to the set of functions of the vehicle upon identifying the mobile device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the administrative agent is further for:

activating a second virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle, based on the unique identifier; and

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the second virtual key from a second mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the second mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management.

27. The system of any one of claims 22 to 26, further comprising, at the fixed unit, measuring a speed at which the mobile device is approaching the vehicle to determine when to grant access to the vehicle.

28. The system of any one of claims 22 to 27, wherein the administrative agent is further for sending, to the mobile device, a content file for transmission to the fixed unit over the short range radio transceiver when the mobile device is connected therewith, wherein an audio and/or video content from the content file is conditionally provided by the fixed unit within the vehicle.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the content is provided based on one or more of vehicle engine being on or off, vehicle engine RPMs, vehicle doors being locked or not, vehicle radio being on or off, noise level within the vehicle.

30. The system of any one of claims 22 to 29 further comprising a plurality of virtual keys and a plurality of fixed units deployed over a plurality of vehicles.

31. The system of any one of claims 22 to 30, wherein parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one condition of the virtual key to the fixed unit, the fixed unit further providing a warning within the vehicle, from the fixed unit, in relation to the condition.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the fixed unit, after providing the warning, is for safely disabling the virtual key when the condition is met.

33. A mobile device for activating temporary access to a vehicle comprising a fixed unit for managing access to the vehicle, the mobile node comprising:

a security module for;

associating a virtual key to a valet key device for granting conditional access to the vehicle, the mobile device having a primary function other than virtual key management; and

communicating the parameters of the virtual key to the fixed unit using a short range radio transceiver.

34. The mobile device of claim 33, wherein the parameters of the virtual key require the fixed unit to grant access to the vehicle upon detecting a request from the valet key device matching the received parameters.

35. The mobile device of claim 34, wherein the security module further communicates the parameters of the virtual key to the valet key device valet key device, equipped with a short range radio transceiver, using the short range radio transceiver.

36. The mobile device of any one of claims 33 to 35, wherein the parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one function of the vehicle accessible to the valet key device.

37. The mobile device of any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein the parameters of the virtual key indicate at least one time or distance condition for providing a warning within the vehicle based on the time or distance condition.

38. An administrative agent for managing access to a vehicle comprising a network interface module;

and

a security module for;

creating a virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle, based on a unique identifier of a fixed unit to be installed in the vehicle;

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the virtual key from a mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management;

generating an activation code based on the unique identifier of the fixed unit; and

remotely activating the virtual key, via the network interface module, within the mobile device upon receiving the activation code from the mobile device over a network.

39. The administrative agent of claim 38, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the security module being further for:

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the virtual key from the mobile device.

40. The administrative agent of claim 39, wherein the virtual key grants access to a set of functions of the vehicle, the security module being further for:

creating a second virtual key, for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle, based on the unique identifier;

programming the fixed unit for granting access to the vehicle and to a subset of the set of functions of the vehicle upon receiving credentials related to the second virtual key from a second mobile device, wherein the fixed unit interacts only via a short range radio transceiver while granting access and wherein the second mobile device has a primary function other than virtual key management;

. generating a second activation code based on the unique identifier of the fixed unit; and

remotely activating via the network interface module, the second virtual key within the mobile device upon receiving the activation code from the second mobile device over the network.