Electronic control device for a vehicle

• US 8,978,109 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirashima, Osamu, Satoh, Yuusuke, Kawai, Katsunori, Makino, Masahiro, Hara, Koutarou
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehedi, Morshed
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US13/514,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20140196114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• 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

Abstract

An electronic control device for a vehicle configured to be able to rewrite a program related to vehicle control by connecting an external device with the vehicle and by accessing an in-vehicle LAN includes a portable authentication terminal separated from the external device; an in-vehicle authentication system connected with the in-vehicle LAN, configured to authenticate the portable authentication terminal and to be able to transmit a authentication result to the in-vehicle LAN; a repeater configured to relay communications between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN; and a communication authorization unit connected to the in-vehicle LAN and configured to authorize the communications between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN through the repeater if receiving the authentication result of a successful authentication of the portable authentication terminal by the in-vehicle authentication system.

Claims

1. An electronic control device for a vehicle configured to be able to rewrite a program related to a vehicle control by connecting an external device with the vehicle and by accessing an in-vehicle LAN comprising:

a portable authentication terminal separated from the external device and configured to transmit a verification request signal to the in-vehicle LAN;

an in-vehicle authenticator connected with the in-vehicle LAN, configured to authenticate the portable authentication terminal and to be able to transmit an authentication result to the in-vehicle LAN, and including a verifier configured to receive the verification request signal from the portable authentication terminal through the in-vehicle LAN and to authenticate the verification request signal by comparing the verification request signal with a predetermined code signal;

a repeater configured to relay communication between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN; and

a communication authorizer connected to the in-vehicle LAN and configured to authorize the communication between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN through the repeater if receiving the authentication result of a successful authentication of the portable authentication terminal by the in-vehicle authenticator,

wherein each of the repeater and the verifier is configured to be a single independent structure, and the repeater and the verifier are connected to each other through a bus of the in-vehicle LAN.

2. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the repeater has an unauthorized access protecting function, and

the communication authorizer authorizes the communication through the repeater by releasing the unauthorized access protecting function.

3. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the communication authorizer is incorporated in the repeater.

4. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the communication authorizer authorizes the communication through the repeater by activating the repeater and does not authorize the communication between the in-vehicle LAN and the external device through the repeater by not activating the repeater if the authorization of the portable authentication terminal by the in-vehicle authenticator fails.

5. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the communication authorizer switches the repeater on and off by powering or not powering the repeater.

6. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the portable authentication terminal is a smart key.

7. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a connector connected with the repeater and connectable with the external device is included.

8. An electronic control device for a vehicle configured to be able to rewrite a program related to a vehicle control by connecting an external device with the vehicle and by accessing an in-vehicle LAN comprising:

a portable authentication terminal separated from the external device and configured to transmit a verification request signal to the in-vehicle LAN;

an in-vehicle authenticator connected with the in-vehicle LAN, configured to authenticate the portable authentication terminal and the external device, and configured to be able to transmit each authentication result of the portable authentication terminal and the external device to the in-vehicle LAN. and including a verifier configured to receive the verification request signal and to authenticate the verification request signal by comparing the verification request signal with a predetermined code signal;

a repeater configured to relay communication between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN;

a repeater powering authorizer connected to the in-vehicle LAN and configured to authorize powering the repeater by supplying electricity for the repeater if receiving the authentication result of a successful authentication of the portable authentication terminal by the in-vehicle authenticator; and

a communication authorizer incorporated in the repeater and configured to authorize communication between the in-vehicle LAN and the external device through the repeater if receiving the authentication result of a successful authentication of the external device by the in-vehicle authenticator when powered,

wherein each of the repeater and the verifier is configured to be a single independent structure, and the repeater and the verifier are connected to each other through a bus of the in-vehicle LAN.

9. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the repeater has an unauthorized access protecting function, and

the communication authorizer authorizes the communication between the in-vehicle LAN and the external device through the repeater by releasing the unauthorized access protecting function.

10. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the portable authentication terminal is a smart key.

11. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 8,

wherein a connector connected to the repeater and connectable with the external device is included.

12. An electronic control device for a vehicle configured to be able to rewrite a program related to a vehicle control by connecting an external device with the vehicle and by accessing an in-vehicle LAN comprising:

a portable authentication terminal separated from the external device, and configured to transmit a verification request signal to the in-vehicle LAN;

an in-vehicle authenticator configured to be able to authenticate the portable authentication terminal and the external device, and configured to authenticate the external device and to transmit an authentication result of the external device to the in-vehicle LAN if succeeding in authenticating the portable authentication terminal, and including a verifier configured to receive the verification request signal and to authenticate the verification request signal by comparing the verification request signal with a predetermined code; and

a repeater configured to relay communication between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN;

a repeater communication authorizer connected to the in-vehicle LAN and configured to authorize the communication between the external device and the in-vehicle LAN through the repeater by powering and activating the repeater if receiving the authentication result of a successful authentication of the external device by the in-vehicle authenticator,

wherein each of the repeater and the verifier is configured to be a single independent structure, and the repeater and the verifier are connected to each other through a bus of the in-vehicle LAN.

13. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the portable authentication terminal is a smart key.

14. The electronic control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 12,

wherein a connector connected with the repeater and connectable with the external device is included.