Time window authentication for vehicle telematics device

• US 9,208,624 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zubie, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zubie, Inc.
• Inventors: Rude, Michael John, Silkey, Ari Abram
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/105,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• 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: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a method of authenticating a vehicle telematics device. The method includes receiving, at a server, identifying information for a vehicle telematics device and receiving, at the server, information identifying an account to which the vehicle telematics device is to be associated. The method also includes authenticating the vehicle telematics device by finalizing an association between the vehicle telematics device and the account if data that is specified for authentication is received at the server from the vehicle telematics device and if that data is obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a vehicle telematics device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, identifying information for a vehicle telematics device, the vehicle telematics device configured to connect to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle and obtain vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle through the OBD port;

receiving, at the server, information identifying an account to which the vehicle telematics device is to be associated; and

authenticating the vehicle telematics device by finalizing an association between the vehicle telematics device and the account if data that is specified for authentication is received at the server from the vehicle telematics device and if that data is obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if data that is specified for authentication is not received at the server from the vehicle telematics device or if data that is specified for authentication is not obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication, discarding the association between the vehicle telematics device and the account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that is specified for authentication corresponds to one or more actions performed by a user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes vehicle data generated by sensors or control components obtained by the vehicle telematics device over an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data corresponding to a data signature generated by one or more actions.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data indicating that the vehicle telematics device is or has been connected to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data that corresponds to data provided by a user to the server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the time window comprises a specified length of time after both the identifying information for a vehicle telematics device and the information identifying an account are received at the server.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

verifying, at the server, that data received was obtained within the time window based on when the data was received at the server.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

verifying, at the server, that data received was obtained within the time window based on a time stamp for the data provided by the vehicle telematics device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is configured to discard the association between the vehicle telematics device and the account if data that is specified for authentication is not received at the server from the vehicle telematics device or if data that is specified for authentication is not obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the data that is specified for authentication corresponds to one or more actions performed by a user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes vehicle data generated by sensors or control components obtained by the vehicle telematics device over an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data corresponding to a data signature generated by one or more actions.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data indicating that the vehicle telematics device is or has been connected to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the data that is specified for authentication includes data that corresponds to data provided by a user to the server.

18. The system of claim 10, comprising:

verifying, at the server, that data received was obtained within the time window based on when the data was received at the server.

19. The system of claim 10, comprising:

verifying, at the server, that data received was obtained within the time window based on a time stamp for the data provided by the vehicle telematics device.

11. A system for authenticating a vehicle telematics device, the system comprising:

a vehicle telematics device configured to connect to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle and obtain vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle through the OBD port;

a server configured to;

receive identifying information for the vehicle telematics device, the identifying information received over the internet from a computing device operated by a user;

receive information identifying an account to which the vehicle telematics device is to be associated; and

authenticate the vehicle telematics device by finalizing an association between the vehicle telematics device and the account if data that is specified for authentication is received at the server from the vehicle telematics device and if that data is obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication.

20. A method of authenticating a vehicle telematics device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, information setting up an account associated with a vehicle telematics device, the vehicle telematics device configured to connect to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle and obtain vehicle data corresponding to the vehicle through the OBD port, the information received over the internet from a personal computing device; and

authenticating the vehicle telematics device by finalizing an association between the vehicle telematics device and the account if data that is specified for authentication is received at the server from the vehicle telematics device and if that data is obtained by the vehicle telematics device within a time window that is specified for authentication.