System for Using Mobile Terminals as Keys for Vehicles

• US 20170374550A1
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Auer, Hans
• Granted Patent: US 10,645,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• 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

A method for configuring a mobile terminal to control vehicle functions of a vehicle, where the mobile terminal and the vehicle each have a short-range radio system, includes receiving a request to a server to issue a vehicle key for the use of vehicle functions of the vehicle for a mobile terminal. The method also includes generating the vehicle key by the server, transmitting the vehicle key to a secure element of the mobile terminal, and storing the vehicle key in the secure element of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a mobile terminal to control vehicle functions of a vehicle, wherein the mobile terminal and the vehicle each comprise a short range radio system, wherein the method comprises:

receiving, by a server, a request to issue a vehicle key for the use of vehicle functions of the vehicle for a mobile terminal;

generating, by the server, the vehicle key in response to the request;

transmitting the vehicle key to a secure element of the mobile terminal; and

storing the vehicle key in the secure element of the mobile terminal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secure element and the short range radio system of the mobile terminal are connected for direct communication such that software which can be changed without a physical connection to the terminal cannot influence the communication.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle key represents cryptographically processed data.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

sending, by the mobile terminal, the vehicle key to the vehicle using the direct communication inside the mobile terminal;

verifying, by the vehicle, the vehicle key; and

if the vehicle key is successfully verified by the vehicle, the method further comprises executing a vehicle function of activating a vehicle locking system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to provide secure cryptographic proof of its identity, and wherein the method further comprises sending, by the mobile terminal, the cryptographically secured identity to the vehicle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to provide secure cryptographic proof of its identity, and wherein the method further comprises sending, by the mobile terminal, the cryptographically secured identity to the vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to provide secure cryptographic proof of its identity, and wherein the method further comprises sending, by the mobile terminal, the cryptographically secured identity to the vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

receiving, by the server, a request to delete the vehicle key of the mobile terminal at the server;

transmitting, to the vehicle, a command to delete the vehicle key; and

transmitting, to the mobile terminal, a command to delete the vehicle key.

9. A server configured to:

receive a request to issue a vehicle key for the use of vehicle functions of the vehicle for a mobile terminal;

generate the vehicle key; and

transmit the vehicle key to a secure element of the mobile terminal,

wherein the vehicle key is configured to be stored in the secure element of the mobile terminal.

10. The server as claimed in claim 9, wherein the vehicle key represents cryptographically processed data.

11. The server as claimed in claim 9, wherein the server is further configured to at least one of:

receive a request to delete the vehicle key of the mobile terminal at the server;

transmit, to the vehicle, a command to delete the vehicle key; and

transmit, to the mobile terminal, a command to delete the vehicle key.

12. A vehicle configured to:

send an authentication request to a mobile terminal;

receive a response to the sent authentication request, wherein the response to the sent authentication request was generated by a vehicle key stored in a secure element of the mobile terminal;

verify the response to the sent authentication request; and

if the vehicle successfully verifies the response,

execute a vehicle function.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle function comprises activating a vehicle locking system.