VEHICLE ACCESS AUTHENTICATION

Abstract

System, comprehensive: a vehicle control system configured to do the following: Transmitting a notification containing a vehicle position, and relocating the vehicle position as transmitted using a pre-released position offset in response to localization information received from a positioning system indicating the vehicle position corresponding to a predetermined position, and In response to receiving a request containing a device position from a mobile device that has interpreted the transmission, enabling access to the vehicle in response to the fact that the difference between the device position and the vehicle position is less than a predetermined threshold distance.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for authenticating a mobile device for granting access to a vehicle. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] When a driver or other user in possession of a passive access device approaches a vehicle, a short-range signal from the passive access device authenticates the user to unlock one or more vehicle doors. Some passive access systems may also provide for automatic door locking when the keyless access device is moved away from the vehicle.

[0003] In US 2016 / 0203661A1, a system and procedure for managing virtual vehicle keys comprises: receiving a request to use a vehicle at a central facility; receiving a portable wireless device identifier at the central facility; generating a virtual vehicle key at the central facility that enables vehicle access using the portable wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the portable wireless device and a vehicle for which the portable wireless device has access authorization.

[0004] A vehicle accessory according to US 2013 / 0332007A1 can transmit an initial signal to a mobile device, the initial signal containing the vehicle's location. The mobile device can monitor its own location. Based on the mobile device's location and the vehicle's location, the mobile device can determine whether one or more location-based criteria have been met. If a location-based criterion is determined to be met, the mobile device can send a second signal to the vehicle accessory indicating that a vehicle function should be controlled. For example, the mobile device can activate or deactivate vehicle functions (such as door locking, vehicle defrosting, etc.) in a manner that utilizes efficient signal transmission. SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention comprises the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0006] Accordingly, a system includes a vehicle control unit configured to transmit a notification containing the vehicle position in response to localization information received from a positioning system indicating a vehicle position corresponding to a predetermined position, and to allow access to the vehicle in response to receiving a request containing a device position from a mobile device that has interpreted the transmission, in response to a distance between the device position and the vehicle position that is less than a predetermined threshold.

[0007] A procedure for a vehicle involves transmitting an encrypted combination of a vehicle identifier and a vehicle position in response to a positioning system indicating a vehicle position corresponding to a specified pickup location, and decrypting the request and enabling access to the vehicle in response to receiving an encrypted request containing both a device identifier and a device position from a mobile device that has decrypted the transmission, in response to the device position being within a predefined threshold distance of the pickup location.

[0008] A system includes a mobile device configured to send an access request to the vehicle in response to receiving a notification from the vehicle indicating that access is available. This request includes both a vehicle identifier and a device position according to localization information received from a device positioning system, using a predefined offset value for the position offset. Upon receiving access information from the vehicle that interpreted the request, the system displays an acknowledgment notification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle-based computing platform; Fig. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the generation and distribution of authentication identifiers associated with a ride-sharing transaction; Fig. Figure 3 is a data flow diagram illustrating the generation and distribution of authentication identifiers associated with the ride-sharing transaction; Fig. 4A is a data flow diagram illustrating the transmission of an encrypted message indicating the availability of access to the vehicle; Fig. 4B is a data flow diagram illustrating the authentication of the vehicle and the mobile device to grant access to the vehicle; Fig. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm for authenticating a vehicle transfer and requesting access to the vehicle; and Fig. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm for authenticating and granting a vehicle access request. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that other embodiments may take different and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be enlarged or reduced to show details of certain components. Accordingly, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching the person skilled in the art the versatile uses of the present invention.The person skilled in the art will understand that various features illustrated and described with reference to any of the figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to create embodiments not expressly illustrated or described. The combinations of illustrated features provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features, consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, may be desirable for certain applications or implementations.

[0010] A vehicle equipped with a wireless communication interface (such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)) can communicate with smartphones or other personal devices belonging to the vehicle's occupants. Using this interface, users can wirelessly control one or more in-vehicle components or functions, such as door locks, seat positions, mirror and pedal positions, climate control settings, and the like. For example, the mobile device could request that a driver's door be unlocked when the user approaches the vehicle. In another example, the mobile device could request that one or more vehicle doors be unlocked based on a seat reserved during a ride-sharing transaction.

[0011] The vehicle can send an encrypted transmission over the communication interface to announce that vehicle access is available to an authorized user. A mobile device that intercepts the transmission can be configured to decrypt the message and use the vehicle ID and vehicle location contained in the transmission to verify that the intercepted vehicle access transmission originates from a legitimate vehicle and that it is not being sent by an unauthorized device attempting to intercept and send a response to the vehicle to gain unauthorized access, as in a relay attack. For example, the mobile device can verify that the vehicle ID contained in the intercepted transmission matches a vehicle ID associated with a previously conducted transaction.In one example, the transaction could be a pickup for a ride. In another example, the mobile device could confirm that the vehicle position included in the transmission is within a predefined threshold distance from the mobile device.

[0012] In response to a transmission, the mobile device can request access to the vehicle using an encrypted transmission that includes a mobile device identifier and the device's current location. Upon confirmation that the mobile device identifier matches the identifier associated with the current transaction and that the device's location is within a predefined threshold distance from the vehicle, the vehicle can grant access to the user in possession of the mobile device. Upon determining that the intercepted transmission or access request involves a location outside the threshold distance, the vehicle and the mobile device can send a notification indicating that the intercepted transmitted information is falsified or otherwise manipulated.

[0013] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates an example diagram of a System 100 that can be used to provide telematics services to a Vehicle 102. The Vehicle 102 can be various types of passenger vehicles, such as a soft-roader (crossover utility vehicle - CUV), off-road vehicle (sport utility vehicle - SUV), truck, recreational vehicle (RV), boat, aircraft, or other mobile machinery for transporting people or goods. Telematics services can include, as non-restrictive options, navigation, route guidance, vehicle diagnostics, local business search, incident reporting, and hands-free calling. In one example, the System 100 can include the SYNC system, manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan.It should be noted that the illustrated system 100 is merely an example and more, fewer and / or differently arranged elements can be used.

[0014] A computing platform 104 can include one or more processors 106 connected to and configured with both memory 108 and a computer-readable storage medium 112 to execute instructions, commands, and other routines that support the operations described herein. For example, the computing platform 104 can be configured to execute instructions from vehicle applications 110 to provide features such as navigation, accident reporting, satellite radio decryption, and hands-free calling. Such instructions and other data can be stored non-volatilely using a variety of computer-readable storage media 112. The computer-readable storage medium 112 (also referred to as processor-readable medium or memory) includes non-volatile (e.g.,(Material) medium involved in providing instructions or other data that can be read by the processor 106 of the computing platform 104. Computer-executable instructions can be assembled or interpreted by computer programs created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including, but not limited to, Java, C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Fortran, Pascal, JavaScript, Python, Perl, and PL / SQL, either individually or in combination.

[0015] The computing platform 104 can also be configured to communicate with other components of the vehicle 102 via one or more in-vehicle networks 142. As shown, the computing platform 104 can communicate with a first set of systems, subsystems, or components of the vehicle via a first in-vehicle network 142A and with a second set of systems, subsystems, or components of the vehicle 102 via a second in-vehicle network 142B. In other examples, the computing platform 104 can be connected to more or fewer in-vehicle networks 142. Additionally or alternatively, one or more systems, subsystems, or components of the vehicle 102 can be connected to the computing platform 104 via other in-vehicle networks 142 that differ from the networks shown, or directly without a connection to an in-vehicle network 142.

[0016] The vehicle's internal networks 142 can include one or more of, for example, a controller area network (CAN), an Ethernet network, or a media-oriented system transfer (MOST) of the vehicle. The vehicle's internal networks 142 can enable the computing platform 104 to communicate with other systems in the vehicle 102, such as an internal modem 144, a global positioning system (GPS) controller 146 configured to provide information about the current position and direction of travel of the vehicle 102, and various vehicle controllers 148 configured to provide other types of information regarding the systems of the vehicle 102.As some non-restrictive examples, vehicle controls 148 may include the following: a powertrain control configured to provide control of operating components of the engine (e.g., idle control components, fuel supply components, emission control components, etc.) and to monitor operating components of the engine (e.g., status of engine diagnostic codes); a body control configured to manage various performance control functions, such as exterior lighting, interior lighting, keyless entry, remote start, and checking the status of access points (e.g.,The closing status of the hood, doors and / or trunk of the vehicle 102; a radio transceiver configured to communicate with key fobs or other local devices of the vehicle 102; and a climate control management system configured to provide control and monitoring of the heating and cooling system components (e.g., control of compressor clutch and blower fan, temperature sensor information, etc.).

[0017] The computing platform 104 of the vehicle 102 can be configured to communicate with one or more mobile devices 152 located inside or outside the vehicle, or within a predefined distance from the vehicle 102. Examples of mobile devices 152 may include mobile phones, tablet computers, smartwatches, laptop computers, portable music players, or other portable computing devices capable of communicating with the computing platform 104. Similar to the computing platform 104, the mobile device 152 may include one or more processors 162 configured to execute instructions from mobile applications 168 that are loaded from a storage medium 166 of the mobile device 152 onto a memory 164.

[0018] In some examples, the computing platform 104 may include a wireless transceiver 150 (e.g., one or more from a BLUETOOTH controller, a ZigBee® transceiver, a Wi-Fi transceiver, etc.) configured to communicate with a compatible wireless transceiver 154 of the mobile device 152. In some cases, the mobile devices 152 attempting to request permission to connect to the computing platform 104 may be detected by the computing platform 104 according to paired device data 160 stored in the storage medium 112. In other examples, the wireless transceiver 150 of the vehicle 102 and the mobile device 152 may communicate using a BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) network; e.g.,The BLUETOOTH controller (an advertiser) of vehicle 102 can transmit a notification, for example, based on the current geographical position of vehicle 102, and a compatible transceiver (a scanner) of the mobile device 152 can actively monitor the transmission and process it upon receipt. An example of an advantage of the advertiser / scanner relationship is that neither device needs to be electronically coupled and connected to authorize communication between them.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the computing platform 104 can communicate with the mobile devices 152 via a wide area network 156, which provides communication services to devices connected to the wide area network 156, such as packet-switched network services (e.g., internet access, VoIP communication services). An example of a wide area network 156 could be a cellular network. The computing platform 104 can, for example, use the vehicle 102's in-vehicle modem 144 to connect to the wide area network 156. Similarly, the mobile devices 152 can be connected to the wide area network 156 using a device modem 158 of the mobile device 152, such as via unique assigned device identifiers (e.g.,MAC (media access control) addresses, mobile device numbers (MDNs), IP (internet protocol) addresses, mobile station international subscriber directory numbers (MSISDNs), international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), etc., are used to identify the communications of the mobile devices 152 over the wide area network 156. In some examples, the mobile applications 168 may be configured to communicate with the computing platform 104 or other locally networked devices and with the wide area network 156.

[0020] The computing platform 104 and the mobile devices 152 can communicate with a ride-sharing transaction server (hereinafter referred to as "server") 206 via a connection to the wide area network 156 or via another connection method. The server is configured to receive a ride-sharing transaction request from the mobile devices 152 and to generate one or more encryption keys, vehicle identifiers, mobile device identifiers, and position offset values ​​associated with the request and distribute them to the vehicle 102 and the mobile devices 152. The server 206 and its components, such as components like those relating to at least Fig. 1 and Fig. The operations described in Section 2 can be provided as software that performs the operations described herein when executed by the CPU 217 of Server 206. Alternatively, Server 206 and its components can be provided as hardware, firmware, or combinations of software, hardware, and / or firmware. Furthermore, it is understood that Server 206's operations can be provided by fewer, more, or differently named components.

[0021] The computing platform 104 can also be provided with various features that allow vehicle occupants to interface with it. For example, the computing platform 104 can include an audio input 114 configured to receive voice commands from vehicle occupants via a connected microphone 116, and an additional audio input 118 configured to receive audio signals from connected devices. The additional audio input 118 can be a wired jack, such as a stereo input, or a wireless input, such as a Bluetooth® audio connection. In some examples, the audio input 114 can be configured to provide audio processing functions, such as pre-amplifying low-level signals and converting analog inputs into digital data for processing by the processor 106.

[0022] The computing platform 104 can also provide one or more audio outputs 120 to an input of the audio playback function of the audio control 122. In further examples, the computing platform 104 can provide an audio output to the occupants by using one or more dedicated loudspeakers (not illustrated). The audio control 122 can include an input selector 124 configured to provide audio content from a selected audio source 126 to an audio amplifier 128 for playback from vehicle loudspeakers 130, and to include audio content generated by the computing platform 104, audio content decoded from flash memory drives connected to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) subsystem 132 of the computing platform 104, and audio content routed through the computing platform 104 from the additional audio input 118, and the like.The computing platform 104 can use a speech interface 134 to provide a hands-free interface to the computing platform 104 and to support speech recognition, e.g., of audio data received via the microphone 116 according to a grammar of available commands and the generation of speech prompts for output via the audio control 122.

[0023] The computing platform 104 can also receive input from human-machine interface (HMI) controllers 136 configured to provide occupant interaction with the vehicle 102, for example, via one or more buttons or other HMI controllers configured to call functions of the computing platform 104. The computing platform 104 can also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more displays 138 configured to provide visual output to the vehicle occupants via a video controller 140.

[0024] The computing platform 104 can include a device linking interface 170 to enable the integration of functions of the mobile applications 168 into the grammar of commands available via the voice interface 134. The device linking interface 170 can also provide the mobile applications 168 with access to vehicle features, such as information available to the computing platform 104 via the vehicle's internal networks 142, or access to the display 138. An example of a device linking interface 170 is the SYNC-APPLINK component of the SYNC system provided by the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI.

[0025] In Fig. Figure 2 shows an exemplary diagram 200 of the vehicle 102 and the mobile devices 152, each communicating with the server 206 via the wide area network 156. Fig. 1 and Fig. Section 2 illustrates exemplary components of Server 206. As described above with reference to at least Section 1, Server 206 and its components, such as components 208-218, can be provided as software, hardware, or firmware, or combinations thereof. Although an example of the components defining Server 206 is illustrated and described, it is further understood that its operations can be provided by fewer, more, or differently named components. Likewise, Mobile Device 152 and its components, such as components 220-236, can be provided as software which, when executed by Processor 162 of Mobile Device 152, provides the operations described herein. Alternatively, Mobile Device 152 and its components can be provided as hardware or firmware, or combinations thereof.Furthermore, it is understood that the processes of the mobile device 152 can be provided by fewer, more, or differently named components.

[0026] A user of the mobile device 152 can use a ride-sharing application interface 220, which is connected to a web server 208, to initiate a transaction with the server 206. For example, a transaction request receive controller 210 of the server 206 can process the user input received by the web server 208, such as a username, pickup location, destination, payment method, and the like. A device identifier generator 212 can assign an identifier to the mobile device, and a vehicle identifier generator 214 can define a vehicle identifier for use with a given ride-sharing request.

[0027] A position offset generator 216 of server 206 can generate a position offset value for application during the current transaction associated with wireless transmissions. In one example, the position offset generator 216 can select a random or pseudorandom number of degrees, minutes, and seconds by which the latitude and / or longitude of vehicle 102 and mobile device 152 can be offset. In some examples, the position offset value can be set as a random value between a minimum range from the vehicle (e.g., 100 feet, one mile, etc.) and a maximum range from the vehicle (e.g., ten miles, 100 miles, etc.). In another example, the position offset generator 216 can select a decimal value by which the geographic coordinates, converted to a decimal format, are to be offset.In yet another example, the Position Offset Generator 216 can select an offset value according to one or more coordinate systems, such as a numerical or polar coordinate system, or a Cartesian, cylindrical, spherical, or homogeneous coordinate system, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the position offset can include a multitude of segments for application to a multitude of dimensions, so that, for example, a first segment of the offset is applied to a first dimension, and a second segment, different from the first, is applied to a second dimension, and so on. Furthermore, the position offset can be one of a multitude of numerical types, such as an integer, an integer, and the like, and can be a positive or negative value, or a combination of both; e.g.,The first part of the offset value can be positive and the second part negative. Furthermore, the positional offset can be applied to the parameter that identifies the geographic position in a variety of mathematical operations, such as, but not limited to, addition, subtraction, and the like.

[0028] An encryption key generator 218 of server 206 can define an encryption key and a decryption key for use by vehicle 102 and mobile device 152 in connection with the current transaction. The encryption and decryption keys (or cryptographic keys) can each be a string of a predefined length, generated using a random bit generator, and derived from another string, which in turn is derived from a password, which in turn is derived according to a key agreement between two parties, and so on.In some examples, the cryptographic keys can be generated using asymmetric key algorithms, symmetric key algorithms, or a combination of both, such as, but not limited to, the Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm, RSA, Blowfish, Twofish, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and the like. Web server 208 can send instructions 222 to mobile device 152 and instructions 252 to computing platform 104, each containing one or more of the encryption key, mobile device identifier, vehicle identifier, and position offset to be used in connection with the current transaction. Web server 208 can also send the pickup location and destination of the mobile device 152 user to vehicle 102.

[0029] Upon receiving instructions 252, the computing platform 104 can compare the current position of vehicle 102, as provided, for example, by the GPS controller 146, with the pickup location and can navigate vehicle 102 to the pickup location if its current position does not match the desired pickup location. An authentication controller 238 can send an encrypted transmission 240 indicating that vehicle access is available to an authorized user. The encrypted transmission 240 can be secured using the pre-shared encryption key associated with the current transaction and / or can include the received vehicle identifier and the current position offset of vehicle 102 using the position offset value.

[0030] An authentication controller 224 of the mobile device 152 can decrypt the captured transmission 226, isolating a vehicle identifier 232 and a vehicle position 236. In an example, the authentication controller 224 can refer to the decryption key contained in the instructions 222 received from the server 206.

[0031] An identifier check controller 230 can compare the vehicle identifier 232 contained in the captured transmission with the vehicle identifier received from the server 206, for example, via instructions 222. A position check controller 234, in response to the captured vehicle identifier 232 matching the vehicle identifier in instructions 222, can compare a vehicle position 236 in the captured transmission with the current position of the mobile device 152. In one example, the position check controller 234 can reverse an application of the position offset, as received in instructions 222, before comparing the transmitted vehicle position 236 with the current position of the mobile device 152.The position of the vehicle 102 can be authenticated in response to the position verification controller 234 detecting that the vehicle 102 is within a predefined threshold distance from the mobile device 152.

[0032] The authentication controller 224 of the mobile device 152 can transmit an encrypted request 228 for access to the vehicle 102 in response to successful confirmation of the vehicle's identifier and position. For example, the authentication controller 224 can encrypt the request 228 using the encryption key received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction. The request 228 can, for example, include the mobile device's identifier received from the server 206 and the current position of the mobile device 152, as received from a GPS transceiver of the mobile device 152 and further adjusted using the position offset.

[0033] The authentication controller 238 of vehicle 102 can decrypt a captured vehicle access request 242 using the decryption key from instructions 252 received from server 206. An identifier check controller 244 of vehicle 102 can compare a captured identifier of mobile device 246 with the device identifier in instructions 252. A position check controller 248, in response to the captured identifier of mobile device 246 matching the device identifier stored in instructions 252, can compare a received position 250 of the mobile device with the current position of vehicle 102. For example, the position check controller 248 can reverse an application of the position offset, as received in instructions 252, before comparing the received position 250 of the mobile device with the current position of vehicle 102.The position of the mobile device 152 can be authenticated in response to the position verification controller 248 detecting that the mobile device 152 is within a predefined threshold distance from the vehicle 102.

[0034] The authentication controller 238 of vehicle 102 can transmit an access confirmation to mobile device 152 in response to successful confirmation of the mobile device's identifier and position. For example, the authentication controller 238 can issue a command to open one or more doors of vehicle 102 in response to determining, for example based on the signal strength of mobile device 152, that the user is within a predefined distance of vehicle 102.

[0035] Fig. Figure 3 illustrates an example data flow diagram 300, which demonstrates the generation and distribution of authentication parameters associated with a ride-sharing transaction. In one example, the data flow can be implemented using a system such as that described in Fig. 2 is illustrated.

[0036] At time index (A), mobile device 152 sends a ride-sharing transaction request to ride-sharing transaction server 206. A user of mobile device 152 can, for example, use the ride-sharing application interface 220 installed on mobile device 152 to make a selection indicating a desired pickup location. At time index (B), server 206 generates a device identifier for the mobile device 152 that sent the transaction request and assigns the generated device identifier to the current transaction. For example, server 206's device identifier generator 212 can generate a device identifier using a random number generator algorithm, a pseudorandom number generator algorithm that operates from an input value, and the like.

[0037] At time index (C), server 206 generates a vehicle identifier for vehicle 102, which is assigned to perform the requested service, and assigns the generated vehicle identifier to the current transaction. The vehicle identifier generator 214 of server 206 can, for example, generate a vehicle identifier using a random or pseudorandom number generator algorithm or the like. At time index (D), server 206 generates a position offset and assigns the generated position offset to the current transaction. In one case, the position offset generator 216 of server 206 can refer to a list of position offsets stored in the server's memory and associated with a variety of values, such as degrees, minutes, seconds, and the like, which identify an applicable change to the current geographic position of both vehicle 102 and mobile device 152.

[0038] At time index (E), server 206 generates an encryption key and assigns it to the current transaction. For example, server 206's encryption key generator 218 can use one of a variety of key derivation functions to generate one or more encryption keys of a predefined length. At time index (F), server 206 sends instructions 222 to mobile device 152, containing the device identifier, vehicle identifier, position offset, and encryption key associated with the current transaction. For example, server 206's web server 208 can communicate with mobile device 152's processor 162 and display the device identifier, vehicle identifier, position offset, and encryption key for use in communicating with vehicle 102 to request access to it.

[0039] At time index (G), server 206 sends instructions 252 to vehicle 102, containing the device identifier, vehicle identifier, position offset, and encryption key associated with the current transaction. For example, web server 208 can communicate with the computing platform 104 of vehicle 102 and indicate that the device identifier, vehicle identifier, position offset, and encryption key should be used to communicate with mobile device 152 to request access to vehicle 102. The instructions 252 provided by web server 208 of server 206 can also include a pickup location associated with the current transaction, such as, among other things, the current position of a user of mobile device 152.

[0040] In relation to Fig. Figure 4A illustrates a data flow diagram 400, depicting the transmission of an encrypted message indicating the availability of access to vehicle 102. At time index (A), the web server 208 sends instructions 252 to vehicle 102, containing the pickup location, device identifier, vehicle identifier, position offset, and encryption key for granting access to vehicle 102 in connection with a given transaction.

[0041] At time index (B), the computing platform 104 determines whether the current position of vehicle 102 corresponds to the pickup location assigned to the transaction and received from server 206. In one example, the computing platform 104 can compare position information received from the GPS controller 146 of vehicle 102 with the pickup location specified by server 206. In another example, upon detecting that the position of vehicle 102 is within a predetermined threshold distance, such as one or more yards, feet, meters, etc., from the pickup location, the computing platform 104 can determine that vehicle 102 is at the pickup location assigned to the current transaction. If the position of vehicle 102 changes, the computing platform 104 can continue to query the GPS controller 146 to determine whether the new position corresponds to the pickup location.

[0042] At time index (C), upon detecting that the current position of vehicle 102 corresponds to the pickup location assigned to the transaction, computing platform 104 encrypts parameters associated with the current transaction before transmitting the encrypted message. In one example, computing platform 104 can use the encryption key received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction to encrypt the vehicle identifier. In another example, computing platform 104 can include the current position of vehicle 102, received from GPS controller 146, in the encrypted message. In yet another example, computing platform 104 can offset the current position of vehicle 102 using the position offset received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction before transmitting the encrypted message.

[0043] At time index (D), the computing platform 104 transmits an encrypted message indicating that access to the vehicle 102 may be available. For example, the computing platform 104 can control a portion of the transmission (e.g., according to customer-selected preferences and / or instructions to the processor 106, etc.) so that it remains within a predefined distance of the current position of the vehicle 102. The computing platform 104 can, for instance, control the signal strength of the BLE advertising connection so that it remains within a range of 100 feet.

[0044] In relation to Fig. Figure 4B illustrates an example data flow diagram 402 for the authentication of the vehicle 102 and the mobile device 152 to request and grant access to the vehicle 102. In one example, the data flow 402 can occur depending on one or more data flows, as shown in Fig. 4A illustrates this.

[0045] At time index (A), the computing platform 104 of vehicle 102 transmits an encrypted message, for example via a BLE advertising connection, indicating that access to vehicle 102 may be available. At time index (B), the mobile device 152 encrypts the captured transmission 226. The authentication controller 224 of mobile device 152 can, for example, decrypt the captured transmission 226 using the decryption key received in connection with the current transaction, as contained in instructions 222. After decrypting the captured transmission 226, mobile device 152 can, for example, isolate the vehicle identifier 232 and position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102.In one case, the authentication controller 224 can determine the position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102 by inversely applying the position offset received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction.

[0046] At time index (C), the mobile device 152 determines whether the vehicle identifier 232, which was forwarded via advertising connection by the transmitting vehicle 102, matches the vehicle identifier received by the server 206 in connection with the current transaction. For example, the identifier check control 230 of the mobile device 152 can refer to the vehicle identifier received by the server 206 in instructions 222 and stored in memory 164.

[0047] At the time index (D), the mobile device 152 determines whether the position 236 contained in the detected transmission from the vehicle 102 corresponds to the current position of the mobile device 152. For example, the position check controller 234 can compare the current position of the mobile device 152, reported by a GPS transceiver of the mobile device 152, with the position 236 isolated from the encrypted message received from the transmitting vehicle 102. The position check controller 234 can, for instance, determine that the position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102 corresponds to the current position of the mobile device 152, based on the detection that the difference between position 236 and the current position of the mobile device 152 is less than a predetermined threshold.

[0048] At time index (E), the mobile device 152 transmits a vehicle access request 228 in response to confirmation of the vehicle identification and position of the vehicle 102. For example, the authentication controller 224 of the mobile device 152 can encrypt the vehicle access request 228 to be transmitted before transmission using an encryption key received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction. The encrypted vehicle access request 228 can include one or more of the device identification and the position of the mobile device 152, which were received by the GPS transceiver and offset using the position offset value.

[0049] At the time index (F), vehicle 102 decrypts the captured access request 242 for vehicle 102. In one example, the authentication controller 238 of vehicle 102 can decrypt the captured vehicle access request 242 using the decryption key received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction, such as the decryption key contained in instructions 252. After decrypting the captured request 242, vehicle 102 can, in one example, isolate the identifier of mobile device 246 and the position 250 of mobile device 152 requesting access. In another case, the authentication controller 238 can determine the reported position 250 of mobile device 152 by inversely applying the position offset received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction.

[0050] At the time index (G), vehicle 102 checks whether the vehicle identifier 246, transmitted by mobile device 152, matches the device identifier received by server 206 in connection with the current transaction. For example, the identifier check control 244 of vehicle 102 can refer to the device identifier received by server 206 in instructions 252 and stored in memory 108.

[0051] At the time index (H), the vehicle 102 determines whether the position 250 transmitted by the mobile device 152 corresponds to the current position of the vehicle 102. For example, the position check controller 248 can compare the current position of the vehicle 102, reported by the GPS controller 146, with position 250, which was isolated from the detected access request for the vehicle 102. The position check controller 248 can, for instance, in response to detecting that the difference between position 250 and the current position of the vehicle 102 is less than a predefined threshold, determine that the position 250 of the mobile device 152, as interpreted from the detected transmission, corresponds to the current position of the vehicle 102.

[0052] At time index (I), upon confirmation of the device identifier and the position of the mobile device 152, the vehicle 102 transmits an access confirmation to the vehicle 102. In an example, the authentication controller 238 can transmit a notification indicating that the user of the authenticated mobile device 152 has been granted the requested access to the vehicle 102.

[0053] Fig. Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary process 500 for requesting access to the vehicle 102. The process 500 can, for example, be carried out by the processor 162 of the mobile device 152, which communicates with the vehicle 102 via the wide area network 156.

[0054] In operation 502, the mobile device 152 captures an encrypted transmission, for example, transmitted via a BLE advertising connection. In operation 504, the mobile device 152 decrypts the captured transmission 226. For example, the authentication controller 224 of the mobile device 152 can decrypt the captured transmission 226 using the decryption key received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction, such as that contained in instructions 222. As part of, or upon completion of, the decryption process, the mobile device 152 can identify the vehicle identifier 232 and the position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102 in the captured transmission 226.In one case, the authentication controller 224 can determine the position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102 by inversely applying the position offset received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction.

[0055] In process 506, the mobile device 152 determines whether the vehicle identifier 232, transmitted by the transmitting vehicle 102, matches the vehicle identifier received by the server 206 in connection with the current transaction. If it is determined that the vehicle identifier 232 does not match the vehicle identifier assigned to the current transaction, the controller can proceed with process 502.

[0056] After confirming that the vehicle identifier stored in connection with the current transaction corresponds to the vehicle identifier 232 of the transmitting vehicle 102, the mobile device 152 determines in process 508 whether the position 236 transmitted by vehicle 102 corresponds to the current position of the mobile device 152. For example, the position verification controller 234 can compare the current position of the mobile device 152, as reported by the GPS transceiver of the mobile device 152, with the position 236 isolated from the captured transmission of the transmitting vehicle 102.In another example, the position check control 234, in response to the detection that a difference between position 236 and the current position of the mobile device 152 is less than a predetermined threshold distance, can determine that the position 236 of the transmitting vehicle 102 corresponds to the current position of the mobile device 152.

[0057] Upon determination that the difference between the current position 236 of the vehicle 102 and that of the mobile device 152 is greater than a predefined threshold distance, e.g., the vehicle 102 and the mobile device 152 are several hundred feet apart, the mobile device 152 transmits a notification in process 510 indicating that messages from the vehicle 102 are being falsified or otherwise manipulated.

[0058] In operation 512, mobile device 152 transmits a vehicle access request 228 in response to confirmation of the vehicle identification and position of vehicle 102. In one example, mobile device 152 can encrypt the vehicle access request 228 before transmission using an encryption key received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction, as described in relation to Fig. 4B described. The encrypted vehicle access request 228 may include one or more of the device identifier and the position of the mobile device 152, which was offset using the position offset received from the server 206 in connection with the current transaction.

[0059] In process 514, the mobile device 152 determines whether the requested vehicle access has been confirmed by the vehicle 102. For example, the processor 162 can wait for a predefined period for an access confirmation to be transmitted by the vehicle 102, and if the confirmation is not received, the controller can proceed with process 502.

[0060] In process 516, a user of the mobile device 152 gains access to the vehicle 102 after receiving confirmation that access has been granted. In one example, the user of the mobile device 152 can request that the vehicle 102 indicate which vehicle door to use to access the reserved seat in connection with the current transaction. In another example, after transmitting the access confirmation, the vehicle 102 can enable door locking activation if the mobile device 152 is within a shorter distance than predefined, for example, several feet. In some examples, the vehicle 102 can enable door locking activation for the mobile device 152 based on its ability to receive a low-current signal from the vehicle 102.

[0061] Fig.Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary process 600 for processing a request for access to the vehicle 102. The process 600 can be carried out, for example, by the computing platform 104 of the vehicle 102, which communicates with the mobile device 152 via the wide area network 156.

[0062] In process 602, the computing platform 104 receives the pickup location in connection with the current transaction. For example, the computing platform 104 can receive instructions 252 from server 206, which contain the pickup location, the device identifier, the vehicle identifier, the position offset, and the encryption key for use in granting access to vehicle 102 in connection with the current transaction.

[0063] In process 604, the computing platform 104 determines whether the current position of vehicle 102 corresponds to the pickup location received from server 206. For example, computing platform 104 can compare position information received from the GPS controller 146 of vehicle 102 with the pickup location specified by server 206. Furthermore, if the position of vehicle 102 changes, computing platform 104 can query the GPS controller 146 to determine whether the new position corresponds to the pickup location.

[0064] In process 606, upon detecting that the current position of vehicle 102 corresponds to the pickup location associated with the transaction, computing platform 104 encrypts parameters associated with the current transaction, such as the vehicle identifier and the current position of vehicle 102, before transmitting the encrypted message over the BLE advertising connection. In one example, computing platform 104 can encrypt one or more parameters using the encryption key received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction. In another example, computing platform 104 can offset the current position of vehicle 102 using the position offset received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction before encrypting the transmission.

[0065] In operation 608, computing platform 104 transmits the encrypted message indicating that access to vehicle 102 may be available. For example, computing platform 104 can control the transmission range so that it remains within a predefined distance of vehicle 102's current position. For instance, computing platform 104 can control the signal strength of the BLE advertising connection to ensure it is within a range of one hundred feet.

[0066] In operation 610, the computing platform 104 can determine whether a transmission containing an encrypted access request has been captured. In one example, the computing platform 104 can wait for a predefined period after transmitting the encrypted message over the BLE advertising connection before determining whether a transmission containing an access request has been captured. In operation 610, as a response to determining that the access request has not been captured, the controller can return to operation 608, where the computing platform 104 transmits an encrypted message over the BLE advertising connection.

[0067] In response to the detection of a transmitted access request from mobile device 152, the computing platform 104 decrypts the detected request 242 in operation 612 using the decryption key assigned to the current transaction. After decrypting the detected request 242, the vehicle 102 can isolate the identifier of mobile device 246 and the position 250 of mobile device 152 transmitting the request. For example, the computing platform 104 can determine the position 250 of the transmitting mobile device 152 by inversely applying the position offset value received from server 206 in connection with the current transaction.

[0068] In process 614, the computing platform 104 determines whether the device identifier 246 contained in the captured transmission corresponds to the device identifier received by the server 206 in connection with the current transaction. For example, the identifier check control 244 of the vehicle 102 can refer to the device identifier received by the server 206 in instructions 252 and stored in memory 108.

[0069] In process 616, the computing platform 104 determines whether the position 250 of the transmitting mobile device 152 corresponds to the current position of the vehicle 102. For example, in response to the detection that the difference between position 250 and the current position of the vehicle 102 is less than a predefined threshold, the computing platform 104 can determine that the position 250 of the mobile device 152 corresponds to the current position of the vehicle 102. In process 618, in response to the computing platform 104 determining that the position 250 of the mobile device 152 requesting access is greater than a predefined threshold, a notification is sent indicating that messages from the mobile device 152 are being falsified or otherwise manipulated.

[0070] Upon confirmation of the device identifier and the position of the mobile device 152, the computing platform 104 transmits an access confirmation to the vehicle 102 in operation 620. In one example, the computing platform 104 can transmit a notification to the mobile device 152 indicating that the requested access to the vehicle 102 has been granted.

[0071] The processes, methods, or algorithms disclosed herein may be input to or implemented by a processing device, a controller, or a computer, which may include an existing programmable electronic control unit or a dedicated electronic control unit. Likewise, the processes, methods, or algorithms may be stored as data and instructions that can be executed by a controller or computer in many forms, including, but not limited to, information permanently stored on non-writable storage media such as ROM devices, and information modifiably stored on writable storage media such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, RAM devices, and other magnetic and optical media. The processes, methods, and algorithms may also be implemented in a software-executable object.Alternatively, the processes, procedures or algorithms may be implemented wholly or partially using suitable hardware components, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), state machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, or a combination of hardware, software and firmware components.

[0072] The terms used in the description are descriptive and not limiting, and it is understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of different embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention, which may not be expressly described or illustrated. Although different embodiments may be described as advantageous or preferred over other embodiments or implementations according to the prior art with respect to one or more desired properties, a person skilled in the art will recognize that one or more features or properties may be called into question in order to achieve the desired overall attributes of the system, which depend on the specific application and implementation.These attributes may include, but are not limited to, cost, strength, service life, life cycle costs, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, operability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. Therefore, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or implementations in the prior art with respect to one or more properties are not outside the scope of protection of the disclosure and may be desirable for certain applications.

Claims

[1] System, encompassing: a vehicle control system configured to do the following: Transmitting a notification containing a vehicle position, and relocating the vehicle position as transmitted using a pre-released position offset in response to localization information received from a positioning system indicating the vehicle position corresponding to a predetermined position, and In response to receiving a request containing a device position from a mobile device that has interpreted the transmission, enabling access to the vehicle in response to the fact that the difference between the device position and the vehicle position is less than a predetermined threshold distance. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the pre-released position offset is an offset value received from a remote server in response to a ride request received by the server from the mobile device. [3] System according to claim 1, wherein the control is further configured to use a pre-released position offset to reverse a position offset applied by the mobile device to the device position in order to determine the difference. [4] System according to claim 1, wherein the requirement further includes a device identifier and wherein the controller is further configured to additionally authenticate the device identifier in order to enable access to the vehicle. [5] System according to claim 1, wherein the control is further configured to: Encrypt the notification as transmitted using an encryption key and Enabling access in response to receiving the request from the mobile device that decrypted the transmission. [6] System according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the encryption key from a remote server in response to a ride request received by the server from the mobile device. [7] System according to claim 1, wherein the predefined position is a pick-up location of a ride request sent by the mobile device. [8] Procedures, comprehensive: Relocating a vehicle position using a pre-approved position offset and subsequently transmitting an encrypted combination of an identifier and the relocated vehicle position in response to a vehicle at a pickup location by a positioning system; and In response to receiving an encrypted request containing both an identifier and a position of a mobile device receiving the transmission, decrypting the request and enabling access to the vehicle in response to the device position being within a predefined distance from the pickup location. [9] Method according to claim 8, further comprising reversing a positional offset applied by the mobile device to the device position for comparing the vehicle position with the device position, using a pre-released positional offset. [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein the pre-released position offset is an offset value received from a remote server in response to a ride request received by the server from the mobile device. [11] Method according to claim 8, wherein the specified pick-up location is based on a ride request received by the mobile device via a remote server. [12] Method according to claim 8, wherein the encrypted combination is encrypted using an encryption key received from a remote server in response to a ride request received by the server from the mobile device. [13] Method according to claim 8, further comprising decrypting the request using a decryption key received by the remote server in response to a ride request received by the server from the mobile device. [14] System, encompassing: a mobile device configured to do the following: Sending an access request, which includes both a device identifier and a device position, according to the position information received from a device positioning system, using a predefined offset value to a vehicle in response to receiving an access request to the vehicle indicating that access to the vehicle is available, and Displaying a confirmation notification in response to receiving an access confirmation from the vehicle that interpreted the request. [15] System according to claim 14, wherein the receipt of the access confirmation from the vehicle occurs in response to the fact that a difference between the device position and a vehicle position identified according to a positioning system of the vehicle is less than a predefined threshold distance. [16] System according to claim 14, wherein the access notification is made in response to a ride request sent by the mobile device. [17] System according to claim 14, wherein the access notification further includes a vehicle position and wherein the mobile device is further configured to send the access request in response to the fact that the vehicle position is within a predefined threshold distance from a pickup location associated with a ride request sent by the mobile device. [18] System according to claim 1, wherein the pre-released position offset comprises a random or pseudo-random number of degrees, minutes and seconds by which the latitude and / or longitude of the vehicle position is offset. [19] System according to claim 1, wherein the pre-released position offset a random value between a predetermined minimum range and a predetermined maximum range from the vehicle or includes a decimal value by which the geographic coordinates of the vehicle position, converted into a decimal format, are offset.

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