Multi-factor authentication for vehicles

• US 10,629,012 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Gattu, Balasubrahmanyam, Grunow, Bryan Nelson, Coffin, Tyler, Higgs, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Blouin, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/189,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20200151978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 340 561
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00396 starting with prompting the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00436 by the system
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A method for controlling access to a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes: receiving, from a communication subsystem of the vehicle, a first request to authenticate a user requesting access to the vehicle; sending, to an electronic device associated with the vehicle, an instruction to perform a multiple-factor authentication of a first user of the electronic device; receiving, from the electronic device, a first message indicating that an identity of the first user of the electronic device has been verified based on at least the multiple-factor authentication; and in response to receiving the first message, sending, to the communication subsystem of the vehicle, a second message indicating successful authentication of the first user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, at a vehicle authentication management server from a communication subsystem of the vehicle, a first request to authenticate a user requesting access to a first functionality associated with the vehicle;

sending, by the vehicle authentication management server to an electronic device associated with the vehicle, an instruction to perform, on the electronic device, a multiple-factor authentication of a first user of the electronic device based on one or more first authentication factors associated with the first functionality, wherein the instruction includes a requirement for the electronic device to evaluate at least the one or more first authentication factors;

receiving, at the vehicle authentication management server from the electronic device, a first message indicating that an identity of the first user of the electronic device has been verified based on at least the multiple-factor authentication; and

in response to receiving the first message, sending, by the vehicle authentication management server to the communication subsystem of the vehicle, a second message indicating successful authentication of the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first authentication factors are identified based on retrieving, from a first database storing mappings of authentication factors to functionalities of the vehicle, those authentication factors that are associated with the requested first functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the first user, a verification code; and

confirming that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device, wherein the instruction to perform a multiple-factor authentication of the first user is sent to the electronic device in response to the confirming.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein confirming that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device comprises receiving, from the electronic device, a confirmation message indicating that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device.

5. A method for controlling access to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, at a vehicle authentication management server from an electronic device associated with the vehicle, a first request to access a first functionality associated with the vehicle;

sending, by the vehicle authentication management server to the electronic device, an instruction to perform, on the electronic device, a multiple-factor authentication of a first user of the electronic device based on one or more first authentication factors associated with the first functionality, wherein the instruction includes a requirement for the electronic device to evaluate at least the one or more first authentication factors;

receiving, at the vehicle authentication management server from the electronic device, a first message indicating that an identity of the first user of the electronic device has been verified based on at least the multiple-factor authentication;

verifying that the first user is authorized to access the vehicle; and

in response to the verifying, sending, by the vehicle authentication management server to a communication subsystem of the vehicle, a second message requesting the vehicle to grant access to the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more first authentication factors are identified based on retrieving, from a first database storing mappings of authentication factors to functionalities of the vehicle, those authentication factors that are associated with the requested first functionality.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing, in a second database, an association of the first user with the vehicle.

8. A system for controlling access to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to;

receive, from a communication subsystem of the vehicle, a first request to authenticate a user requesting access to a first functionality associated with the vehicle;

send, to an electronic device associated with the vehicle, an instruction to perform, on the electronic device, a multiple-factor authentication of a first user of the electronic device based on one or more first authentication factors associated with the first functionality, wherein the instruction includes a requirement for the electronic device to evaluate at least the one or more first authentication factors;

receive, from the electronic device, a first message indicating that an identity of the first user of the electronic device has been verified based on at least the multiple-factor authentication; and

in response to receiving the first message, send, to the communication subsystem of the vehicle, a second message indicating successful authentication of the first user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more first authentication factors are identified based on retrieving, from a first database storing mappings of authentication factors to functionalities of the vehicle, those authentication factors that are associated with the requested first functionality.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

send, to the first user, a verification code; and

confirm that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device, wherein the instruction to perform a multiple-factor authentication of the first user is sent to the electronic device in response to the confirming.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein confirming that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device comprises receiving, from the electronic device, a confirmation message indicating that the verification code was inputted to the electronic device.

12. A system for controlling access to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to;

receive, from an electronic device associated with the vehicle, a first request to access a first functionality associated with the vehicle;

send, to the electronic device, an instruction to perform, on the electronic device, a multiple-factor authentication of a first user of the electronic device based on one or more first authentication factors associated with the first functionality, wherein the instruction includes a requirement for the electronic device to evaluate at least the one or more first authentication factors;

receive, from the electronic device, a first message indicating that an identity of the first user of the electronic device has been verified based on at least the multiple-factor authentication;

verify that the first user is authorized to access the vehicle; and

in response to the verifying, send, to a communication subsystem of the vehicle, a second message requesting the vehicle to grant access to the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more first authentication factors are identified based on retrieving, from a first database storing mappings of authentication factors to functionalities of the vehicle, authentication factors that are associated with the requested first functionality.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to store, in a second database, an association of the first user with the vehicle.