Wireless device as programmable vehicle key

• US 8,089,339 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikan, Jeffrey, McNamara, Justin, Cenciarelli, Fulvio, Kefalas, Anastasios L., Lewis, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): OTT, FREDERICK R
• Application Number:
  US11/614,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.61
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Methods and wireless devices for providing secure operation of a vehicle. In one such method, a key for accessing a vehicle is detected, a vehicle operation policy associated with the key is retrieved, and operation of the vehicle consistent with the vehicle operation policy is permitted. The key may be embedded within a wireless device such as a cellular telephone. The vehicle operation policy may include an access control rule that may indicate to enable, partially enable, or disable a vehicle operation feature. Where the intended operation of the vehicle is not consistent with the access control rule, the operation may not be permitted and an enforcement action may be taken, such as disabling a feature of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure operation of a vehicle comprising:

detecting a key for accessing a vehicle;

retrieving a vehicle operation policy from a first database, where the vehicle operation policy is associated with the key, such that the vehicle operation policy identifies an access control rule to be enforced when the key is detected, wherein the access control rule is associated with vehicle operation features comprising unlocking a door, opening a trunk, opening a glove box, engaging an ignition, directing the vehicle from a first geographic location to a second geographic location, and accelerating the vehicle;

permitting operation of the vehicle consistent with the vehicle operation policy;

wherein said detecting comprises receiving a secure key identifier from a wireless device; and

wherein the secure identifier comprises an encrypted digital signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the key is embedded in a wireless device in communication with the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising synchronizing information stored in the first database with information stored in a second database via the cellular telephone.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the access control rule indicates that the vehicle operation feature is any one of enabled, partially enabled, or disabled.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access control rule sets any one of:

a maximum speed for the vehicle, a maximum acceleration for the vehicle, a maximum distance traveled for the vehicle, a range of time within which the vehicle may be operated, and a geographic range within which the vehicle may be operated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating an enforcement action, wherein the enforcement action comprises any one of:

sending an electronic message, sounding an audible alarm, illuminating a visual alarm, gradually lowering a maximum speed of the vehicle, and disabling an audio system of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification message, wherein the notification message is any one of the following:

an electronic message, an audible alarm, and a visual alarm.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising synchronizing information stored in the first database with information stored in a second database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said synchronizing comprises receiving at the first database an update from the second database.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said synchronizing comprises sending a vehicle identifier to the second database and receiving an update from the second database.

12. A method for providing secure operation of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a request to update a first database from a computing device, wherein the request comprises a vehicle identifier, a secure key identifier associated with a key, and an access control rule to be enforced when the key is detected, wherein the access control rule is associated with vehicle operation features comprising unlocking a door, opening a trunk, opening a glove box, engaging an ignition, directing the vehicle from a first geographic location to a second geographic location, and accelerating the vehicle;

querying a first database to locate a first record, that is associated with the vehicle identifier;

updating the first record to reflect the access control rule; and

synchronizing the first record with a corresponding second record in a second database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the computing device is a wireless device, and wherein said receiving the request comprises receiving the request via a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the access control rule indicates that the vehicle operation feature is any one of:

enabled, partially enabled, or disabled.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the access control rule sets any one of:

a maximum speed for the vehicle, a maximum acceleration for the vehicle, a maximum distance traveled for the vehicle, a range of time within which the vehicle may be operated, and a geographic range within which the vehicle may be operated.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the second database resides within a vehicle, and synchronizing the first record with a corresponding second record in the local database comprises communicating between the first database and the vehicle via a wireless data network.

17. A wireless device for providing secure operation of a vehicle comprising:

a user interface module that receives a first request to gain access to a vehicle and that receives a second request to update an access control rule, wherein the access control rule is associated with vehicle operation features comprising unlocking a door, opening a trunk, opening a glove box, engaging an ignition, directing the vehicle from a first geographic location to a second geographic location, and accelerating the vehicle;

a memory that stores a secure identifier of the wireless device;

a processor that retrieves the secure identifier from the memory in response to the first request, when the first request is consistent with an access control rule to be enforced when a key is detected;

a vehicle access module that sends the secure identifier to the vehicle; and

a wireless communications module that sends the second request.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the wireless communications module send the second request via a wireless network.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the vehicle access module communicates via Bluetooth protocol.

20. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the communications module is enabled to communicate over a global system for mobile communication network.

21. The wireless device of claim 17 wherein the communications module is enabled to communicate over a general packet radio service network.