Motor vehicle control unit having a cryptographic device

• US 9,479,329 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schmal, Carsten, Geiger, Stefan, Ledendecker, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Luu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Jahangir
• Application Number:
  US14/006,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 380/45, 380/277
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

It should not be possible for control units for motor vehicles to be exchanged between individual motor vehicles by unauthorized persons. For a motor vehicle it should, therefore, be rendered possible for individual functionalities of a control unit to be unblocked only for a specific motor vehicle. For this purpose, a first cryptographic key and a second cryptographic key are stored in a control unit. A cryptographic device is designed to encrypt a first message initially by one of the cryptographic keys, subsequently to encrypt a result of the encryption by the other cryptographic key and, finally, to provide a result of the second encryption as third cryptographic key for an encryption and/or decryption of a further message. A method configures a control unit in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method to selectively unblock a functionality of a controller in a vehicle to prevent an unauthorized use of the controller in an unauthorized installation of the controller in an unauthorized vehicle, and to allow the functionality of the controller in an authorized vehicle, the method comprising:

storing in a memory of the vehicle, a controller key generated specifically for the controller of the vehicle, preventing an unauthenticated controller from decrypting encrypted messages intended for the controller in the vehicle;

storing in the memory, a vehicle key generated specifically for the vehicle, permitting the controller to only process messages encrypted for the vehicle, wherein the controller has a unique combination of the controller key and the vehicle key;

storing in the memory, a configuration file including a first character sequence;

encrypting with the controller key, the first character sequence, to produce a result, the first character sequence being encrypted in an encryption device;

encrypting with the vehicle key, the result, to produce a combined key, the result being encrypted in the encryption device;

receiving by the encryption device, an unblocking code including a vehicle component reference number and a second character sequence;

encrypting with the combined key, the second character sequence, the second character sequence being encrypted in the encryption device; and

unblocking the functionality of the controller of the vehicle if the result of the encrypting the second character sequence is identical to the vehicle component reference number, and blocking the functionality of the controller of the vehicle if the result of the encrypting the second character sequence is different from the vehicle component reference number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting with the combined key further comprises:

compressing the result of the encrypting the second character sequence by a cyclic redundancy check process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unblocking code is generated by a manufacturer of the vehicle and transmitted to the encryption device.

4. A vehicle configured to selectively unblock a functionality of a controller in the vehicle to prevent an unauthorized use of the controller in an unauthorized installation of the controller in an unauthorized vehicle, and to allow the functionality of the controller in an authorized vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a memory storing a set of instructions; and

a computer processor configured to execute the set of instructions to;

store a controller key generated specifically for a controller of the vehicle, preventing an unauthenticated controller from decrypting encrypted messages intended for the controller in the vehicle;

store a vehicle key generated specifically for the vehicle, permitting the controller to only process messages encrypted for the vehicle, and the controller has a unique combination of the controller key and the vehicle key;

store a configuration file including a first character sequence; and

a hardware controller to;

encrypt with the controller key, the first character sequence, to produce a result, the first character sequence being encrypted in an encryption device;

encrypt with the vehicle key, the result, to produce a combined key, the result being encrypted in the encryption device;

receive by the encryption device, an unblocking code including a vehicle component reference number and a second character sequence;

encrypt with the combined key, the second character sequence, the second character sequence being encrypted in the encryption device; and

unblock the functionality of the controller of the vehicle if the result of the encrypting the second character sequence is identical to the vehicle component reference number, and block the functionality of the controller of the vehicle if the result of the encrypting the second character sequence is different from the vehicle component reference number.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the encryption device is included in the hardware controller.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the memory is included in the encryption device.