System and method for controlled wireless unlocking of applications stored on a vehicle electronics system

• US 9,307,410 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Myine Electronics, Inc. (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Myine Electronics, Inc. (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Smereka, Scott W., Ebben, Donald J., Sigal, Jacob R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehra, Inder
• Application Number:
  US14/258,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20140342726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.5, 701/49, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/31.9, 701/32.1, 701/32.2, 701/32.4, 701/32.5, 701/32.7, 701/36, 701/48, 701/46, 701/441, 701/468, 705/14.11, 705/14.12, 705/14.14, 705/14.25, 705/14.35, 705/14.36, 705/14.37, 455/418, 455/420, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method is disclosed which involves using an identifier which may be stored in an electronic component of a vehicle. A short range, wireless protocol connectivity system of the vehicle may establish a wireless link with a personal electronic device (PED) of a user when the user enters the vehicle with the PED powered on. The link may be used to automatically transmit the identifier to the PED. The PED then transmits the identifier to a remote authorization source which checks if the identifier is valid and, if so, sends an unlock code back to the PED. The PED uses the unlock code to unlock an application on the PED which enables access to the remote content source.

Claims

1. A method for enabling seamless user access to restricted content, via a wireless connection with a remote content source, for use by a user within a vehicle, the method including:

storing an identifier in an electronic component of the vehicle, the identifier identifying that a user of the vehicle is allowed access to the restricted content, and the identifier being unrelated to the user of the vehicle;

using a short range, wireless protocol connectivity system associated with the vehicle to establish a wireless, short range communications link with a personal electronic device (PED) of the user when the user enters the vehicle with the PED powered on;

using the short range communications link to automatically transmit the identifier to the PED;

using the PED to transmit the identifier to a remote authorization source;

using the remote authorization source to check to determine if the identifier is valid, and if so, to send an unlock code back to the PED; and

causing the PED to use the unlock code to unlock an application on the PED which enables the application to access and make use of content from the remote content source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of storing an identifier in an electronic component of the vehicle comprises storing an identifier in a radio system of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of establishing a wireless, short range communications link with a personal electronic device (PED) of the user comprises establishing a wireless, short range communications link with a smartphone of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein contacting the remote authorization source comprises contacting a remote authorization server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote authorization source is a cloud-based authorization server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote content source is a cloud-based remote content source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a vehicle identification number (VIN).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a MAC address associated with one of a universal serial bus (USB) card or a wireless protocol card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of unique identifers are stored in a subsystem of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is set to be operable for only a limited time period after which the vehicle is sold or leased to the user.

11. A method for enabling seamless user access to restricted content, via a wireless connection with a remote content source, for use by a user within a vehicle, the method including:

storing an identifier in an electronic component of the vehicle, the identifier identifying that a user of the vehicle is allowed access to the restricted content, and the identifier being unrelated to the user of the vehicle;

using a system associated with the vehicle to establish a communications link with a personal electronic device (PED) of the user after the user enters the vehicle with the PED powered on;

using the communications link to automatically transmit the identifier to the PED, the identifier having limited time period associated therewith during which the identifier is valid;

using the PED to transmit the identifier via a network to a remote, cloud-based authorization source;

using the remote, cloud based authorization source to check to determine if the identifier is valid, and if so, to send an unlock code back to the PED via the network; and

causing the PED to use the unlock code to enable an application on the PED to access and make use of predetermined content from the remote content source while the PED is present in the vehicle and being operated within the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein establishing a communications link with a personal electronics device (PED) comprises establishing a communications link with a smartphone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of identifiers are stored in an electronic component of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a vehicle identification number (VIN) or a MAC address.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier is able to be used only for a predetermined time period after the user purchases or leases the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote content source is a cloud-based content source.

17. A system for enabling seamless user access to restricted content, via a wireless connection with a remote content source, by a user within a vehicle, the system comprising:

a carryable personal electronic device (PED) that a user may use to access cloud-based subsystems;

an identifier stored in an electronic component of the vehicle, the identifier identifying that a user of the vehicle is allowed access to the restricted content, and the identifier being unrelated to the user of the vehicle;

a short range, wireless protocol connectivity system associated with the vehicle to automatically establish a wireless, short range communications link with the PED of the user when the user enters the vehicle with the PED powered on, the short range communications link automatically transmitting the identifier to the PED;

the PED further being configured to;

transmit the identifier to a remote authorization source;

to receive an unlock code back from the remote authorization source if the authorization code determines that the authorization code is valid; and

to use the unlock code to unlock an application on the PED which enables the application to access and make use of content from the remote content source.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the PED is able to receive and transmit a plurality of identifiers stored in the electronic component of the vehicle, to the authorization source.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a vehicle identification number (VIN) or a MAC address.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the identifier is only valid for a limited time period after the user purchases the vehicle or takes possession of the vehicle.