Vehicle security device with electronic use authorization coding

• US 5,774,550 A
• Filed: 06/26/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Brinkmeyer, Horst, Daiss, Michael, Schwegler, Gunter, Kruger, Bertolt
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laufer, Pinchus M.
• Application Number:
  US08/882,929
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23, 380/25, 380/21, 380/48, 380/49, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0023 with encription of the transmittted data signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00238 the transmittted data signal containing a code which is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00253 dynamically, e.g. variable code - rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00785 by light
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle security device with an electronic use-authorization coding arrangement for preventing unauthorized access to the vehicle. The vehicle security device utilizes digital signature algorithm for encrypting and transmitting authorization and synchronization information, so that the storage of secret information is essential only at the key unit in order to transmit authorization and/or synchronizing information from the key unit to the vehicle unit in a way which is very effectively protected against falsification. Thus, reading out vehicle unit information does not permit unauthorized manufacture of a copied key.

Claims

1. Vehicle security device having an electronic use-authorization coding arrangement comprising:

a user-end key unit for successively transmitting items of user code information, which items differ from one another;

a vehicle-end device for receiving the transmitted items of user code information, and generating as a function thereof an item of actual authorization information; and

means for comparing said item of actual authorization information with an item of desired authorization information present at the vehicle unit, and for generating an item of use-enabling information based on a result of said comparing;

wherein;

said user-end key unit includes a signature generating component which utilizes a digital signature algorithm, and which signal generating component has stored therein an item of secret encryption information, for encrypting and transmitting user code information or synchronization information, said user code information or synchronization information containing an item of new desired authorization information, together with a signature generated by said digital signature algorithm; and

said vehicle end device includes a verification component which utilizes said digital signature algorithm, and which verification component contains an item of nonsecret decryption information, for receiving and decrypting said user code information or synchronization information.

2. Vehicle security device according to claim 1 wherein said digital signature algorithm comprises an asymmetrical signature method.

3. Vehicle security device according to claim 2 wherein said asymmetrical signature method comprises an RSA algorithm.

4. Vehicle security device according to claim 1 wherein:

each transmitted item of user code information contains a respective inverse image for a one-way function, each of said inverse images being different from previously transmitted inverse images;

the desired authorization information is in each case a one-way function value associated with the inverse image contained in an item of associated user code information;

determination of actual authorization information from the received user code information is achieved by forming a one-way function value associated with the inverse image contained in the received user code information; and

synchronization information is transmitted in a synchronization process from the key unit to a piece of equipment having the signature therein, which synchronization information contains in each case an item of new desired authorization information for a subsequent authentication process.

5. Vehicle security device according to claim 4 wherein:

in each case after a prescribed number of authentication attempts, a synchronization process takes place using a signature method to prescribe an item of new desired authorization information;

successively transmitted inverse images between two new specifications of the desired authorization information constitute in each case a sequence which arises from repeated application of the one-way function, the newly prescribed desired authorization information being the one-way function value of the final sequence value and said inverse images being used in opposite order to the sequence formation, to form the successive user code information; and

the desired authorization information is set after each positive authentication process with the key unit to that inverse image which has been transmitted during this authentication process with the user code information.

6. Vehicle security device according to claim 4 wherein after each negative result of the comparison of actual authorization information and desired authorization information, for a prescribed maximum number of repetitions an item of new actual authorization information is determined as a one-way function value of the previous actual authorization information, and the said new actual authorization information is compared with the desired authorization information.

7. Vehicle security device according to claim 4 wherein a cryptographic hash function is used as one-way function.

8. Vehicle security device according to claim 7 wherein the RIPEMD function is used as a cryptographic hash function.

9. Vehicle security device according to claim 8 wherein:

a plurality of authorizing, user-end key units for a vehicle are provided, each having an RSA signature generating component containing the same vehicle-specific encryption information as that contained in the other user end key units;

the transmitted user code information and synchronization information each contain an item of key identification information; and

each vehicle-end device has a memory for storing an item of specific desired authorization information for each key unit, which memory can be addressed with the aid of the key identification information, during a synchronization process or after a positive authentication process, and can be read out of the said memory during an authentication process.

10. Vehicle security device according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of vehicle-end devices each of which includes a verification component of the digital signature algorithm, is arranged in parallel to determine respective actual authorization information from an item of received user code information, compare it with the desired authorization information and generate an item of use-enabling information dependent on an outcome of said comparison.

11. Vehicle security device according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle end device comprises a locking control device of the vehicle.

12. Vehicle security device according to claim 1 wherein:

the respectively transmitted information contains an item of vehicle-specific and key unit-specific identification information; and

the identification information of an item of received information in a vehicle-end device can be evaluated in advance, an authentication or synchronization process being aborted after non-authorizing, transmitted identification data are detected.