Vehicle control system

• US 9,457,740 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Odate, Shotaro, Ito, Yo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): OH, HARRY Y
• Application Number:
  US13/981,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

The control property of an onboard device is changeable by using an external control unit, and the data from the external control unit is authenticated. An onboard gateway unit is provided with a verification code generator for generating a security key, and an external control unit is provided with an application control unit for generating a security key. When the external control unit is connected, a main control logic unit of the gateway unit compares the two keys, and when the keys are verified, the control by the external control unit using an application program is enabled. The onboard device control unit can be easily connected to the external control unit. As the control of the device control unit by an external control signal is enabled only when verified, an unauthorized access can be prohibited, and the onboard deice can be controlled only by an authorized control signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising a vehicle fitted with a device control unit for controlling an onboard device and an interface unit connected to the device control unit, and an external control unit that is configured to access the device control unit via the interface unit,

wherein the external control unit comprises an external verification code generating means for generating a code for accessing the device control unit, an external control signal generating means for generating an external control signal for controlling the onboard device and an external communication means for transmitting the external verification code and the external control signal to the interface unit;

wherein the vehicle comprises an internal verification code generating means for generating an internal verification code for allowing access to the device control unit via the interface unit and an access permitting means for comparing the external verification code with the internal verification code and permitting control of the onboard device by the external control signal when there is a good match;

wherein the device control unit is provided with a first control mode for having the onboard device be controlled by the external control signal generated by the external control signal generating means of the external control unit while the vehicle is traveling when the access permitting means has permitted the onboard device to be controlled by the external control signal, and a second control mode for having the onboard device be controlled according to a default control mode;

wherein when the device control unit is operating in the first control mode, the device control unit determines whether the control mode is to be switched to the second control mode, and if it is determined that the control mode is to be switched, the device control unit transitions from the first control mode to the second control mode; and

wherein the system further comprises a load condition determining means for determining a load condition of the external control unit, and an access limiting means for limiting a control of the onboard device by the external control signal when the load condition determining means has determined a large load for the external control unit.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the external control unit comprises a portable device installed with a prescribed application program.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 2, wherein the external verification code is provided from a server to the portable device.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the device control unit comprises a communication state determining means for determining a state of communication between the interface unit and the external communication means, and is configured to cancel the first control mode when the communication state determining means has determined that the state of communication is abnormal.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an onboard device contributing to a vehicle motion and an onboard device not contributing to a vehicle motion, and the device control unit comprises a communication state determining means for determining a state of communication between the interface unit and the external communication means,

a control of the onboard device contributing to a vehicle motion by the corresponding device control unit in the first control mode being limited when the communication state determining means has determined an abnormal state of communication.

6. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an onboard device contributing to a vehicle motion and an onboard device not contributing to a vehicle motion, and the access permitting means is configured to permit a control of the onboard device not contributing to a vehicle motion with the external control signal when the external control signal is for the control of the onboard device not contributing to a vehicle motion without regard to whether there is a good match or not.

7. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the device control unit comprises:

a storage means for storing information transmitted by the external control signal or a reception signal corresponding to the external control signal; and

a transmission means for transmitting information stored in the storage means to the external control unit.

8. The vehicle control system according to claim 7, wherein when the external control signal includes new control data for the second control mode, the control means stores the new control data in the storage means.

9. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of onboard devices and a plurality of device control units, and when there is a good match, the access permitting means allows the onboard devices to be accessed through the external control signal simultaneously.

10. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the device control unit is configured to perform a plurality of controls, and the access permitting means is configured to permit the device control unit to operate for each individual control.