Control device and method for deactivating an activated antification function of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (20) for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component (30) of a motor vehicle (10), said control device (20) being designed to determine whether a predetermined event has occurred and to deactivate the activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component (30) when a predetermined event has occurred.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle with the control device and / or a method for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component of a motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, a computer program product is provided, which includes instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially implement the method. Additionally or alternatively, a computer-readable medium is provided, which includes instructions that, when the instructions are executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially implement the method. Background Art

[0002] Certain vehicle components are equipped with anti-theft features and are thus protected against theft to a large extent.

[0003] It is known from the prior art to use an anti-theft function for vehicle components. DE 10 2015 117 317 A1 describes a headlamp with anti-theft protection, a vehicle with the headlamp, and a method for activating an anti-theft function.

[0004] However, this anti-theft function prevents the transfer of functional vehicle components, for example due to the economic complete scrapping of the motor vehicle, which may result in disadvantages for the vehicle owner. Summary of the invention

[0005] Against the background of this prior art, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a device and / or a method which are respectively suitable for enriching the prior art.

[0006] This object is achieved by the features of the independent claim. The contents of the independent claim and the dependent claim are respectively optional developments.

[0007] The object is achieved by a control device for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component of a motor vehicle. The control device is designed to determine whether a predetermined event has occurred and to deactivate the activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component when the predetermined event has occurred.

[0008] The control device may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). The electronic control unit may be an intelligent, processor-controlled unit that may communicate with other modules, for example, via a central gateway (CGW), and may optionally form a vehicle onboard network via a fieldbus (such as a CAN bus, LIN bus, MOST bus, FlexRay) and / or via automotive Ethernet, for example, together with a telematics control instrument and / or an environmental sensor system.

[0009] However, the control device does not necessarily have to be part of the motor vehicle. It is also conceivable that the control device is arranged partially or completely outside the motor vehicle and is connected to the motor vehicle (optionally wirelessly).

[0010] It is also conceivable for the control unit to be arranged partially or completely within the vehicle component.

[0011] When the vehicle component is installed in a motor vehicle for the first time, the vehicle component can be coupled to the motor vehicle in an encrypted manner. In other words, when the vehicle component is installed in a motor vehicle for the first time, the anti-theft function of the vehicle component can be activated. Therefore, the vehicle component coupled to the motor vehicle is assigned to the motor vehicle.

[0012] An activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component may have the result that, after the vehicle component has been removed from the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle can no longer be started without first deactivating the anti-theft function. An activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component may have the result that the vehicle component cannot be used in other motor vehicles or can only be used with a restricted functionality. For example, an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component may prevent the starting of another motor vehicle in which the vehicle component is installed.

[0013] The vehicle components may be, for example, vehicle headlights, an engine control unit, a battery, a battery control unit or other vehicle components, such as other components of the drive train of a motor vehicle.

[0014] The control device can be designed to detect an activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component by means of a signal emitted by the vehicle component. The signal can be transmitted via an (optionally encrypted) connection between the vehicle component and the motor vehicle, for example via a field bus. The signal can contain information about whether the vehicle component is assigned to the motor vehicle. In other words, the signal can contain information about the presence or absence of a coupling between the vehicle component and the motor vehicle. The signal can be an electrical signal.

[0015] The occurrence of a predetermined event can be a state of a vehicle component and / or a motor vehicle that can be detected by the control device. In other words, the control device can be designed to determine whether a predetermined event has occurred based on actual data specific to the motor vehicle and / or specific to the vehicle component and / or target data specific to the motor vehicle and / or specific to the vehicle component.

[0016] The control device can be designed to automatically deactivate an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component when a predetermined event occurs.

[0017] The control device can be connected to the vehicle component data. The control device can be connected to the vehicle component data by means of a cable.

[0018] The device described above offers a number of advantages. In addition, the vehicle owner can decide for himself whether to continue to use and / or reuse the vehicle components. For example, the vehicle owner can remove the used vehicle components from the vehicle and resell them. This is advantageous for the vehicle owner in particular after the motor vehicle has been completely scrapped economically (for example due to an accident).

[0019] The vehicle component may have a storage module for storing vehicle component-specific actual data and / or vehicle component-specific target data. The target data may be written into the storage module during the manufacture of the vehicle component. The vehicle component-specific actual data may be written into the storage module during the operation of the motor vehicle and / or the vehicle component, for example by a control device.

[0020] The control device may have a detection unit for detecting an activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component. For example, the control device and / or the detection unit may communicate with the vehicle component and detect whether the anti-theft function of the vehicle component is activated. It is conceivable that the control device and / or the detection unit detects the activated anti-theft function via a signal emitted by the vehicle component.

[0021] The control device may have a storage unit for storing vehicle-specific actual data and / or vehicle-specific target data. The target data may be written into the storage unit when the vehicle is manufactured. The vehicle-specific actual data may be written into the storage unit by the control device, for example, during operation of the vehicle.

[0022] The control device can have a read-in unit for reading out motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data and / or motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data.

[0023] The control device and / or the reading unit can be designed to read actual data specific to the vehicle and / or specific to the vehicle component. For example, the control device and / or the reading unit can be designed to read actual data specific to the vehicle component and / or target data specific to the vehicle component from a storage module of the vehicle component. Alternatively, the control device and / or the reading unit can be designed to read actual data specific to the vehicle component and / or target data specific to the vehicle component from a storage unit.

[0024] The motor vehicle-specific actual data may include information about the mileage of the motor vehicle and / or about the age of the motor vehicle at the time the motor vehicle-specific actual data are read in. The vehicle component-specific actual data may include information about the age of the vehicle component at the time the vehicle component-specific actual data are read in.

[0025] The motor vehicle-specific target data may include information about a predetermined mileage of the motor vehicle and / or about a predetermined age of the motor vehicle. The vehicle component-specific target data may include information about a predetermined age of the vehicle component.

[0026] The control device can have a comparison unit for comparing motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data with motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data.

[0027] The control device and / or the comparison unit can be designed to compare the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data with the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data. The control device and / or the comparison unit can be designed to store the comparison result obtained from the comparison of the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data with the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data, for example in a storage unit of the control device.

[0028] The control device may be designed to determine, based on the comparison result, whether a predetermined event has occurred.

[0029] Possible developments of the device described above are explained in more detail below.

[0030] The control device can be designed to deactivate an activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component by cancelling the cryptographically protected coupling between the vehicle component and the motor vehicle.

[0031] A coupling protected by encryption can be understood as an encrypted coupling. Signals and / or messages and / or data can be sent encrypted via a coupling protected by encryption. The encryption and decryption of signals and / or messages and / or data can be achieved with the aid of an encryption key. The encryption key can be a bit sequence. The encryption key can have a length of one or more bits and / or bytes.

[0032] The cryptographically protected coupling can be established by means of symmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption encryption methods work with a single, secret encryption key that must be present for the encryption and decryption of signals and / or messages and / or data.

[0033] The cryptographically protected coupling can be established by means of asymmetric encryption. Asymmetric encryption cryptographic methods work with a public, non-secret encryption key and a private, secret encryption key that must be present for encryption and decryption of signals and / or messages and / or data.

[0034] The cryptographically protected coupling between the vehicle component and the motor vehicle can be cancelled by decoupling the cryptographic key.

[0035] The cancellation of the encrypted coupling between vehicle components can be achieved by resetting the vehicle component and / or the motor vehicle to a non-coupled state with a token. In other words, the assignment of the vehicle component to the motor vehicle can be cancelled by the token.

[0036] A token can be a hardware token or a software token. A token can store and transmit data containing information for identification and authentication purposes.

[0037] It is conceivable that a token (e.g. a USB stick) can be connected to a motor vehicle by means of a suitable interface (e.g. a USB connector) so that data stored on the token are transmitted to the motor vehicle, for example to a control device, the data containing information for identification and authentication purposes and allowing the motor vehicle and vehicle components to be decoupled from each other.

[0038] The predetermined event may include receipt of an enable signal by the control device.

[0039] The control device may have a receiving unit for receiving the enable signal. The control device and / or the receiving unit may be designed to receive the enable signal.

[0040] The enable signal can be generated by a user, such as a vehicle owner. To this end, the vehicle owner can identify himself by means of a token, for example, through a user input unit arranged at the motor vehicle, and generate the enable signal by inputting at the user input unit.

[0041] The user input unit may be part of a user interface of the motor vehicle.

[0042] The control device may be in data connection with the user input unit.

[0043] A control device designed in this way offers a number of advantages. For example, the vehicle owner can decide at any time to remove certain vehicle components from the vehicle and continue to use them. The vehicle owner thus gains increased flexibility and freedom when handling the components of his vehicle.

[0044] The predetermined event may include reaching a predetermined mileage of the motor vehicle.

[0045] The predetermined mileage may be the mileage kilometres of the motor vehicle.

[0046] A control device designed in this way offers the advantage that the vehicle component is automatically decoupled from the motor vehicle when a predetermined mileage is reached and can continue to be used without requiring active consent by a user, for example the vehicle owner.

[0047] The predetermined event may include reaching a predetermined age of a vehicle component.

[0048] The age of a vehicle component may be a time period in years and / or months and / or days. The time period may start from the completion of the motor vehicle manufacturing or from the first sale of the motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the start of the time period may be specified by a user, such as a vehicle owner.

[0049] A control device designed in this way offers the advantage that the vehicle component is automatically decoupled from the motor vehicle after a predetermined waiting period has elapsed. Due to the age of the vehicle component, the vehicle component can continue to be used without increasing the risk of the vehicle component being stolen.

[0050] The predetermined event may include reaching a predetermined age of the motor vehicle.

[0051] The age of a motor vehicle may be a time period in years and / or months and / or days. The time period may start from the completion of the motor vehicle manufacturing or from the first sale of the motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the start of the time period may be specified by a user, such as a vehicle owner.

[0052] According to an alternative embodiment, the predetermined event may be a combination of receiving an enable signal by the control device and / or reaching a predetermined mileage of the motor vehicle and / or reaching a predetermined age of a vehicle component and / or reaching a predetermined age of the motor vehicle.

[0053] The contents described above can be expressed in other words and summarized into possible more specific design solutions as described below, wherein the following description should not be interpreted as limiting.

[0054] According to the disclosure, it is conceivable that cryptographically protected (vehicle) components can be removed from the entire system automatically or at the request of the customer after a waiting period of many years (e.g. 10 years) or after a certain mileage has been driven, by decoupling the encryption key or by resetting with the aid of a token, and thus be reused or sold.

[0055] As described above, the reuse of components protected against theft can be achieved by the express consent of the customer over the age of the vehicle or after a period of time has elapsed that does not pose a risk of increased theft risk.

[0056] Furthermore, a motor vehicle is provided with a control device as described above. The motor vehicle may have the vehicle components as described above.

[0057] The motor vehicle may be a passenger vehicle, in particular a car, or a commercial vehicle, for example a truck.

[0058] What has been described above with respect to the control device also applies analogously to the motor vehicle, and vice versa.

[0059] Furthermore, a method for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component of a motor vehicle is provided, wherein the method comprises determining whether a predetermined event has occurred and deactivating the activated anti-theft function of the vehicle component when the predetermined event has occurred.

[0060] The (control) method may be a computer-implemented method, ie one, several or all steps of the method may be at least partially executed by a computer or a device for data processing, optionally by a control device.

[0061] What was described above with respect to the control unit and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the method and vice versa.

[0062] The method may also include reading in actual motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific data.

[0063] The method may also include reading in motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data.

[0064] The method may also include comparing the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data with motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data.

[0065] The method may also include storing a comparison result resulting from the comparison of the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific actual data with the motor vehicle-specific and / or vehicle component-specific target data.

[0066] Furthermore, a computer program is provided, which comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially execute or implement the method described above.

[0067] The program code of the computer program may be in any desired code form, in particular in a code form suitable for a control device of a motor vehicle.

[0068] What has been described above with respect to the control device, the motor vehicle and the method also applies analogously to the computer program and vice versa.

[0069] In addition, a computer-readable medium, in particular a computer-readable storage medium, is provided. The computer-readable medium includes instructions, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially execute or implement the method described above.

[0070] That is, a computer readable medium including the computer program defined above may be provided. The computer readable medium may be any digital data storage device, such as a USB flash drive, a hard disk, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an SD card or an SSD card (or an SSD disk drive / SSD hard disk).

[0071] The computer program does not necessarily have to be stored on such a computer-readable storage medium in order to be provided to the motor vehicle, but can also be obtained via the Internet or in some other external manner.

[0072] What was described above with respect to the method, the control device, the computer program and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the computer-readable medium and vice versa. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] Refer to the following Figure 1 and 2 An alternative implementation is described.

[0074] Figure 1 A motor vehicle with a control device for deactivating an anti-theft function of a vehicle component according to an alternative embodiment is schematically shown, and

[0075] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for deactivating an anti-theft function of a vehicle component of a motor vehicle according to an alternative specific embodiment is schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] exist Figure 1 The motor vehicle 10 , which is shown only schematically in FIG. 1 , has a control device 20 and a vehicle component 30 . The control device 20 is data-connected to the vehicle component 30 .

[0077] The vehicle component 30 has a storage module 31 for storing vehicle component-specific actual data and vehicle component-specific target data.

[0078] The control device 20 comprises a detection unit 21 for detecting an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component 30, a storage unit 22 for storing motor vehicle-specific actual data and motor vehicle-specific target data, a reading unit 23 for reading motor vehicle-specific and vehicle component-specific actual data and motor vehicle-specific and vehicle component-specific target data, and a comparison unit 24 for comparing the motor vehicle-specific and vehicle component-specific actual data with motor vehicle-specific and vehicle component-specific target data.

[0079] The control device 20 is designed to implement the following also with reference to Figure 2 A detailed description of the method.

[0080] exist Figure 2 The method shown in FIG. 1 as a flow chart comprises four method steps.

[0081] In a first method step S1 , the control device 20 detects an activated anti-theft function by means of a detection unit 21 of the control device 20 .

[0082] In a second method step S2, the control device 20 reads out the vehicle-specific actual data and target data stored in the storage unit 22 and the vehicle-component-specific actual data and target data stored in the storage module 31 of the vehicle component 30. In the present case, the vehicle-specific actual data include the age of the motor vehicle 10 at the time of reading, and the vehicle-specific target data include a predetermined age of the motor vehicle 10. In the present case, the vehicle-component-specific actual data include the age of the vehicle component 30 at the time of reading, and the vehicle-component-specific target data include a predetermined age of the vehicle component 30.

[0083] In a third method step S3, the control device 20 determines whether a predetermined event has occurred. In the present case, the predetermined event is the reaching of a predetermined age of the motor vehicle 10 and of the vehicle component 30. To this end, the control device 20 compares the motor vehicle-specific actual data with the motor vehicle-specific target data and the vehicle component-specific actual data with the vehicle component-specific target data by means of the comparison unit 24. If the age of the motor vehicle 10 stored in the motor vehicle-specific actual data is greater than or equal to the predetermined age of the motor vehicle 10 stored in the motor vehicle-specific target data and the age of the vehicle component 30 stored in the vehicle component-specific actual data is greater than or equal to the predetermined age of the vehicle component 30 stored in the vehicle component-specific target data, then the predetermined event has occurred.

[0084] In a fourth method step S4 , the control device 20 deactivates the anti-theft function of the vehicle component 30 if it was determined in the third step S3 that the predetermined event has occurred. Reference numerals list

[0085] 10 Motor Vehicles

[0086] 20 Control devices

[0087] 21 detection units

[0088] 22 storage units

[0089] 23 Reading unit

[0090] 24 comparison units

[0091] 30 Vehicle Components

[0092] 31 Storage Modules

[0093] Method steps of S1-S4 method

Claims

1. A control device (20) for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component (30) of a motor vehicle (10), wherein: The control device (20) is designed to: - determine whether a predetermined event has occurred, and - deactivating an activated anti-theft function of said vehicle component (30) when said predetermined event occurs.

2. The control device (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that The control device (20) is designed to deactivate an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component (30) by cancelling a cryptographically protected coupling between the vehicle component (30) and the motor vehicle (10).

3. The control device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The predetermined event includes receipt of an enable signal by a control device (20).

4. The control device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The predetermined event includes reaching a predetermined mileage of the motor vehicle (10).

5. The control device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The predetermined event includes reaching a predetermined age of the vehicle component (30).

6. The control device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The predetermined event includes reaching a predetermined age of the motor vehicle (10).

7. A motor vehicle (10), characterized in that The motor vehicle (10) comprises a control device (20) according to one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for deactivating an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component (30) of a motor vehicle (10), wherein: The method comprises: - determine (S3) whether a predetermined event has occurred, and - when said predetermined event occurs, deactivating (S4) an activated anti-theft function of a vehicle component (30).

9. A computer program, characterized in that The computer program comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to claim 8 .

10. A computer readable medium, characterized in that The computer-readable medium includes instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to claim 8.

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