Methods and systems for implementing and enforcing security and resource policies for a vehicle

• US 9,639,688 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Westra, Michael Raymond, Waraich, Sandeep Singh, Wadhwa, Sukhwinder, Schanerberger, Michael J., Johnson, Jason Bernard, Marchwicki, Julius
• Primary Examiner(s): HILGENDORF, DALE W
• Application Number:
  US12/788,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20110295444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 24, 701 29, 701 36, 701 48, 701 49, 701 291, 701 294, 701 296, 701 314, 701 317, 701 326, 701 327, 701 328, 701 332, 701 344, 701 33, 700279, 713151, 713152, 713161, 713164, 713165, 34042613, 726 6, 726 10, 709245, 709249
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a vehicle resource usage control system includes a vehicle computer having security policies that define usage rules for one or more vehicle resources. One or more devices communicating with the vehicle computer may have installed in memory software applications that use one or more vehicle resources for operation. Programmed instructions may be received that define which of the one or more vehicle resources the software applications use for operation. These programmed instructions may be associated with the one or more security policies. The security policy associated with the software applications may be determined based on the programmed instructions. Operation of the software applications may be permitted according to the security policy.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle-based processor, having access to stored security policies relating to vehicle resource usage, and configured to;

receive a resource access request from a remote application stored on a wirelessly connected device, including a list of all resources utilized by the application;

examine security requirements for each of the resources; and

set access rights for the application to use resources for which the security policy coincides with security rights of the application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application has generalized security rights, and wherein a first coincidental security policy to the generalized rights permits access to a first level of vehicle resources.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first level of vehicle resources includes vehicle infotainment inputs and outputs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the application has specific security rights, and wherein a second coincidental security policy to the specific securityrights permits access to a second level of vehicle resources.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the specific security rights are established by a security policy'"'"'s specific reference to the application.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the specific security rights vary from application to application, among applications having specific security rights, such that varied applications have access to different resources of the second level of vehicle resources.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control resource usage, such that applications native to a vehicle computing system have priority in resource usage over remote applications.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein all native applications have priority over all remote applications.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein all native applications have priority over remote applications whose usage rights are provided under a generalized security policy.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing stored security policies relating to vehicle resource usage;

receiving a resource access request from a remote application stored on a wirelessly connected device, including a list of all resources utilized by the application;

examining security requirements for each of the resources; and

setting, via a vehicle computer, access rights for the application to use resources for which the security policy coincides with security rights of the application.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the application has generalized security rights, and wherein a coincidental security policy to the generalized rights permits access to a first level of vehicle resources.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first level of vehicle resources includes vehicle infotainment inputs and outputs.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the application has specific security rights, and wherein a coincidental security policy to the specific security rights permits access to a second level of vehicle resources.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the specific security rights are established by a security policy'"'"'s specific reference to the application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the specific security rights vary from application to application, among applications having specific security rights, such that varied applications have access to different resources of the second level of vehicle resources.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling resource usage, such that applications native to a vehicle computing system have priority in resource usage over remote applications.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein all native applications have priority over all remote applications.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein all native applications have priority over remote applications whose usage rights are provided under a generalized security policy.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method including:

accessing stored security policies relating to vehicle resource usage;

receiving a resource access request from a remote application stored on a wirelessly connected device, including a list of all resources utilized by the application;

examining security requirements for each of the resources; and

setting, via a vehicle computer, access rights for the application to use resources for which the security policy coincides with security rights of the application.