Method for authenticating a spare key for using a vehicle

• US 6,847,286 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Bartz, Ruediger
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKPATI, ODAICHE T
• Application Number:
  US09/484,418
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155, 713/168, 705/75, 380/277, 380/279, 380/286, 380/262, 340/5.72, 340/5.6, 340/426, 340/426.25, 340/426.35, 340/5.23, 340/5.26, 340/5.21
• US Class Current: 340/5.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• 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

In a method for authenticating a spare key for use with a vehicle in the absence of the regular key, the spare key is provided with an identification number that is transmitted to, and checked by, a central station. The spare key is authenticated by an authorization signal sent from the central station to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a spare vehicle key to be used with a vehicle in the absence of a regular key, the method comprising the acts of:

providing the spare vehicle key with an identification number prior to requesting authentication of the spare key;

transmitting a random number generated by the key and the key identification number to the vehicle;

transmitting the random number generated by the key to a central station with an identification number of the vehicle from a source other than the vehicle;

transmitting the random number generated by the key from the central station to the vehicle using an encoding associated with the vehicle identification number;

comparing the random number generated by the key received from the central station with the random number generated by the key received from the key by the vehicle;

transmitting the key identification number to the central station from the vehicle if the key random numbers match;

checking the transmitted key identification number by the central station; and

authenticating the spare vehicle key and sending an authorization signal from the central station to the vehicle.