Method for the automatic log-in of a subscriber station situated particularly in a motor vehicle in an external information system

• US 7,472,281 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Michael, Diessel, Thomas, Lange, Thorsten, Mitterreiter, Iise, Meis, Josef, Sauren, Horst-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reza; Mohammad W
• Application Number:
  US10/670,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/183, 713/184, 726/26
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

In a method for the automatic log-in of a subscriber station in a motor vehicle into an external information system, a non-automatic log-in is first performed by transmitting to the external information system a subscriber identification, a pertaining password and a station identification. The automatic log-in for the subscriber identification is activated by transmitting a corresponding request from the subscriber station to the external information system, establishing a secret code for the subscriber identification in the external information system, and transmitting the secret code in a hidden manner to the subscriber station. The secret code is stored in a hidden manner in the subscriber station. An automatic log-in of the subscriber station into the external information system is implemented by transmitting to the external information system the subscriber identification without the password, the station identification and transmitting the code in a hidden manner.

Claims

1. A method for a subscriber station log-in into an external information system comprising:

initially performing a non-automatic log-in by transmitting to said external information system a subscriber identification, an associated password and a station identification that is automatically transmitted to said external information system;

transmitting a request from the subscriber station to the external information system for activating the automatic log-in for a particular subscriber identification;

establishing a secret code for the particular subscriber identification in the external information system and transmitting the secret code in a hidden manner to the subscriber station;

storing the secret code in a hidden manner in the subscriber station; and

thereafter transmitting from the subscriber station to the external information system in a hidden manner the particular subscriber identification without the password, the station identification and the secret code to implement the automatic log-in of the subscriber stations in all subsequent log-ins until canceled.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber station is situated in a motor vehicle and communicates with the external information system by way of a radio communications network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the station identification contains a vehicle-specific parameter.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a single code is established for each station identification.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein during activation of the automatic log-in in the external information system, an input is established in a subscriber list for a corresponding subscriber identification with the station identification and the pertaining code for the automatic log-in.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the external information system has a list of permissible subscriber identifications for each respective station identification.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein during a log-in request of the subscriber station, the external information system transmits the list of permissible subscriber identifications and visually indicates the list at the subscriber station.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cancel request for the subscriber identification is provided which deactivates the automatic log-in for a particular used subscriber station.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cancel request for the subscriber identification is provided which deactivates the automatic log-in for each subscriber station.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secret code has a sequence of characters that are defined within a predetermined value range.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secret code is generated by a random process in the external information system.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein during an attempted automatic log-in, including transmission of an incorrect code to the external information system, the automatic log-in for each subscriber station is deactivated.