Package exchange and service system using a key fob simulator

• US 9,508,204 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems LLC (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems LLC (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Oz, Seval, Zhai, Yao, Ahuja, Ritesh, Aguayo, Adrian Ramos, Desai, Tejas
• Primary Examiner(s): PENDLETON, DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US14/869,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00253 dynamically, e.g. variable code - rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00492 whereby the code is a rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/62 Rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• 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: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A key fob simulator for sending actuation command to a vehicle is discussed. The key fob has memory buffers, processors, and a transceiver that uses wireless communications to communicate with a backend cloud-based system. A RF transmitter of the key fob can transmit RF signals to Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) module of the vehicle. A mapping module includes a map-calculating circuit to calculate map coordinates of the key fob. A security module can receive a rolling security key of the RKE module of the vehicle. The key fob includes buttons that can be pushed by a user of the key fob to generate actuation commands by the security module. Using the RF transmitter, an actuation command and the rolling security key can be sent from security module to the RKE module of the vehicle. The RKE module then executes the actuation command after validating the rolling security key.

Claims

1. A universal key fob simulator for sending actuation commands to a target vehicle, the universal key fob simulator comprising:

one or more memory buffers;

one or more processors configured to either directly calculate a rolling security key code particular for the target vehicle or assist in processing the actuation commands containing one or more generated rolling security key codes particular for the target vehicle;

a transceiver configured to use wireless communications to communicate with a backend cloud-based system;

a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter that has one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits to be highly configurable in generating a set of two or more stable RF signals at different frequency wavelengths in order to transmit RF signals of a command to a Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) module of the target vehicle;

a mapping module having a map-calculating circuit and configured to receive map locating signals and to calculate map coordinates of a delivery vehicle associated with the universal key fob simulator, and to store the map coordinates of the delivery vehicle in the one or more memory buffers, where the mapping module is configured to send the map coordinates of the delivery vehicle, via the transceiver, to servers of the backend cloud based system, where a mapping algorithm in the backend cloud-based system is configured to use the map coordinates of the delivery vehicle to monitor a geographic location of the delivery vehicle as well as understand a geographic location of the target vehicle;

a security module configured to receive, via the transceiver, the one or more rolling security keys of the RKE module of the target vehicle from the servers of the backend cloud based system after the delivery vehicle reaches a pre-determined distance between the geographical location of the delivery vehicle relative to the geographic location of the target vehicle;

one or more physical or software buttons configured to be pushed by a user of the universal key fob simulator, where the buttons of the universal key fob simulator are configured to be activated after receiving at least one rolling security key of the RKE module of the target vehicle from the servers of the backend cloud based system;

wherein in response to pushing a first button of the universal key fob simulator, the security module is also configured to generate a first actuation command for an electro mechanical operation in the target vehicle, where the security module is configured to send the first actuation command and a first rolling security key of the target vehicle to the RKE module of the target vehicle by commanding the RF transmitter to transmit at the RF frequency of the target vehicle RF signals including the first actuation command and the first rolling security key to the RKE module of the target vehicle; and

wherein the RKE module of the target vehicle is then configured to execute the first actuation command to cause the electro mechanical operation in the target vehicle after validating the rolling security key.

2. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the security module is configured to receive a first algorithm and a first data from the servers of the backend cloud-based system, where the first algorithm is configured to be implemented in a first routine of the security module that is configured to be executed on the one or more processors, the first algorithm is configured to use the first data to determine a valid rolling security key of the RKE module of the target vehicle, and to store the one or more rolling security keys of the RKE module of the target vehicle in the one or more memory buffers.

3. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the security module is configured to receive the one or more rolling security keys after establishing a close proximity by a threshold distance between the package delivery vehicle and the target vehicle such that the actuation commands are executed only after establishing the close proximity by a threshold distance;

and

wherein the security module is configured to generate actuation commands in response to pushing the buttons of the universal key fob simulator, where the actuation commands include one or more electro mechanical operations of unlocking doors, opening windows, opening trunks, closing trunks, turning engine on, turning engine off, opening or closing a sunroof, in the target vehicle.

4. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the transceiver has a cellular communication circuit to use cellular communication as the wireless communications between the backend cloud-based system and the transceiver of the universal key fob simulator;

and

wherein the RF transmitter is configured to cooperate with the servers in the backend cloud-based system, where a set of one or more databases are configured to cooperate with the servers of the backend cloud-based system, where the databases store a set of different key protocols including their specific RF frequency for two or more current already existing protocols in a set of potential key fobs in the market, where in the set of potential key fobs in the market a first vehicle from a first vehicle manufacture has a different protocol than a second vehicle from a second vehicle manufacture, where the server is configured to select an appropriate protocol and its specific RF frequency from a set of databases based on referencing data stored in the system regarding the target vehicle and send the appropriate protocol and its specific RF frequency to the universal key fob simulator, where then the RF transmitter is configured to use the one or more ASICs to generate the first actuation command at a first stable RF frequency to the particular target vehicle.

5. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the security module is configured to receive, via the transceiver, a set of two or more consecutive rolling security keys of the RKE module of the target vehicle from the servers of the backend cloud based system, where the set of two or more consecutive rolling security keys have a pre-defined order, wherein the security module is also configured to generate two or more actuation commands in response to pushing the buttons on the universal key fob simulator, where the security module is configured to send actuation commands with a distinct next consecutive rolling security key based on the pre-defined order to the RKE module of the target vehicle such that after authentication of each rolling security key, the corresponding actuation command is executed by the RKE module of the target vehicle;

and thus, the RF transmitter sends the first actuation command with the first rolling security key and then sends a second actuation command with a second rolling security key, which is next in the consecutive rolling security key sequence.

6. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the transceiver of the universal key fob simulator is configured to include a virtual key when communicating to the backend cloud-based system, where the virtual key is used by the backend cloud-based system to authenticate the communications.

7. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the universal key fob simulator is configured to when used by a delivery person associated with the delivery vehicle i) to issue the first actuation command of electro-mechanically causing at least one of lights of the target vehicle to flash or otherwise turn on and a horn of the target vehicle to honk, and then i) to issue a second actuation command of electro-mechanically causing at least one of open a trunk or unlock a door of the target vehicle to perform either 1) a package exchange or 2) a vehicle maintenance service on the target vehicle;

and

wherein the universal key fob simulator is also configured to when used by the delivery person associated with the delivery vehicle to present a notification to remind the delivery person to close and lock the target vehicle after performing the package exchange or vehicle maintenance service.

8. The universal key fob simulator of claim 1, wherein the map locating signals received by the map-calculating circuit are Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, the map-calculating circuit is a Global Positioning System, and the map coordinates are GPS coordinates, where the mapping module is configured to send the GPS coordinates of the delivery vehicle, via the transceiver, to the servers of the backend cloud based system;

and

wherein a GPS-based proximity module in the backend cloud-based system is configured to use the GPS coordinates of the delivery vehicle and the already known GPS coordinates of the target vehicle to monitor a relative distance between the delivery vehicle and the target vehicle.

9. A method of accessing a target vehicle by a universal key fob simulator, the method comprising:

configuring a transceiver of the universal key fob simulator to wirelessly communicate with a backend cloud-based system;

receiving map locating signals by a map-calculating circuit of a mapping module of the universal key fob simulator;

calculating, by the map-calculating circuit and based on the mapping signals, map coordinates of a delivery vehicle associated with the universal key fob simulator;

storing the map coordinates of the delivery vehicle in one or more memory buffers of the universal key fob simulator;

sending the map coordinates of the delivery vehicle, via the transceiver, to servers of the backend cloud based system, wherein the backend cloud based system is configured to use the map coordinates to monitor a location of the delivery vehicle;

receiving, by a security module of the universal key fob simulator, a rolling security key of an RKE module of the target vehicle, via the transceiver, from the servers of the backend cloud based system after the delivery vehicle reaching a pre-determined location between a geographical location of the delivery vehicle relative to a geographic location of the target vehicle, where a Radio Frequency transmitter has one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits to be highly configurable in generating a set of two or more stable RF signals at different frequency wavelengths in order to transmit the RF signals of a command to the RKE module;

activating one or more buttons of the universal key fob simulator after receiving at least one rolling security key of the RKE module of the target vehicle;

generating a first actuation command for an electro mechanical operation in the target vehicle, by the security module of the universal key fob simulator, in response to pushing a button of the universal key fob simulator by a user of the universal key fob simulator;

sending the first actuation command and the rolling security key of the target vehicle to a RF transmitter of the universal key fob simulator;

transmitting, by the RF transmitter, at an RF frequency of the target vehicle, the RF signals including the first actuation command and the rolling security key to the RKE module of the target vehicle; and

executing the first actuation command to cause the electro mechanical operation in the target vehicle, by the RKE module of the target vehicle, upon validating the rolling security key.

10. The method of claim 9, further including:

generating a valid rolling security key of the RKE module of the target vehicle by the key fob simulator through;

receiving a first algorithm and a first data from the servers of the backend cloud-based system, and

implementing the first algorithm and using the first data to determine the rolling security key.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the rolling security key after establishing a close proximity by a threshold distance between the package delivery vehicle and the target vehicle such that actuation commands are executed after establishing the close proximity.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein cellular communication is used between the backend cloud-based system and the transceiver of the universal key fob simulator;

wherein the map locating signals received by the map-calculating circuit are Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, and the map coordinates are GPS coordinates, where the mapping module is configured to send the GPS coordinates of the delivery vehicle to the servers of the backend cloud based system.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving two or more consecutive rolling security keys of the RKE module of the target vehicle from the servers of the backend cloud based system, where the two or more consecutive rolling security keys have a pre-defined order;

wherein generating two or more actuation commands by pushing two or more buttons of the universal key fob simulator; and

sending each actuation command with a distinct next consecutive rolling security key based on the pre-defined order to the RKE module of the target vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein including a virtual key when communicating to the backend cloud-based system, where the virtual key is used by the backend cloud-based system to authenticate the communications.

15. The method of claim 9, further including using the universal key fob simulator by a delivery person associated with the delivery vehicle i) to issue a first actuation command of electro-mechanically causing at least one of lights of the target vehicle to flash or otherwise turn on and a horn of the target vehicle to honk, and then i) to issue a second actuation command of electro-mechanically causing at least one of open a trunk or unlock a door of the target vehicle to perform either 1) a package exchange or 2) a vehicle maintenance service on the target vehicle;

and

using the universal key fob simulator by the delivery person associated with the delivery vehicle to lock the target vehicle after performing the package exchange or vehicle maintenance service.