Over-the-air vehicle systems updating and associate security protocols

• US 9,464,905 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Derek Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSTAFA, IMRAN K
• Application Number:
  US12/823,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 701/32, 701/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• 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 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• 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 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0471 Key exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method of updating a vehicle ECU includes establishing communication between a data communications module of a vehicle and an update server via a cellular network; validating the vehicle using a key exchange protocol between the data communications module and the update server; and sending update information from the update server to the data communications module of the vehicle via the cellular network, the update information configured to be used to update the vehicle ECU.

Claims

1. A method of updating a vehicle ECU, the method comprising:

establishing communication between a data communications module of a vehicle and an update server via a cellular network;

validating the vehicle using a key exchange protocol between the data communications module and the update server, wherein the key exchange protocol includes the data communications module sending a first security key to the update server, receiving a request for an updated security key from the update server after sending the first security key, and sending a second security key to the update server after receiving the request for the updated security key; and

sending update information from the update server to the data communications module of the vehicle via the cellular network, the update information configured to be used to update the vehicle ECU.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the data communications module providing the update information to a diagnostic ECU.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the diagnostic ECU sending the update information to the vehicle ECU over a CAN network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of validating includes encrypting a security key and sending the encrypted security key from the data communications module to the update server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle ECU is a navigation ECU.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle ECU is an engine control unit.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the data communications module sending current ECU update version information and VIN number information to the update server.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the update information from the data communications module to a diagnostic ECU of the vehicle;

sending the update information from the diagnostic ECU to the vehicle ECU; and

updating the vehicle ECU with the received update information.

9. A method of updating a vehicle ECU, the method comprising:

establishing communication between a data communications module of a vehicle and an update server via a cellular network;

sending a first security key from the data communications module of the vehicle to the update server;

receiving, at the data communications module, a request for an updated security key from the update server after the data communications module sends the first security key;

sending a second security key from the data communications module to the update server after the data communications module receives the request for the updated security key; and

sending update information from the update server to the data communications module of the vehicle via the cellular network if the second security key is valid.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the data communications module providing the update information to a diagnostic ECU.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the diagnostic module sending the update information to the vehicle ECU over a CAN network.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle ECU is a navigation ECU.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle ECU is an engine control unit.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the data communications module sending current ECU update version information and VIN number information to the update server.

15. An over-the-air system for updating a vehicle, the system comprising:

an update server including update information for use in updating a vehicle ECU;

a data communications module on a vehicle configured to communicate with the update server via a cellular network for receiving the update information from the update server;

a diagnostic ECU on the vehicle configured to communicate with the data communications module for receiving the update information from the data communications module; and

a vehicle ECU on the vehicle configured to communicate with the diagnostic ECU for receiving update information from the diagnostic ECU,

wherein the data communications module includes a key exchange protocol saved in memory of the data communications module, the key exchange protocol configured to send a first security key to the update server, receive a request for an updated security key from the update server after sending the first security key, and send a second security key to the update server after receiving the request for the updated security key.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle ECU communicates with the diagnostic ECU via a CAN network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the vehicle ECU is a navigation ECU.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the vehicle ECU is an engine control unit.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the data communications module includes a security protocol saved in memory of the data communications module, the security protocol configured to send an encrypted security key to the update servers to validate the vehicle.