DIGITAL VEHICLE KEY FOR PROVIDING LIMITED USE OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

Providing limited access to and / or limited use of a vehicle involves receiving a limited-use digital vehicle key from the vehicle, wherein the limited-use digital vehicle key specifies one or more conditions for one or more instances of access to and use of the vehicle; verifying the limited-use digital vehicle key from the vehicle based at least partially on a vehicle state; and, in response to the verification of the limited-use digital vehicle key, permitting at least one instance of access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to one or more conditions of the limited-use digital vehicle key matching the vehicle state.

Description

[0001] Some vehicles provide the ability to receive a Digital Vehicle Key (DVK) from a portable computing device to unlock a vehicle door, start the engine, or perform another function upon authentication. Several problems can occur when attempting to use a DVK. For example, the portable computing device (such as a smartphone or smartwatch) providing the DVK may be locked, and the vehicle owner (or other person responsible for the vehicle) may be unable to unlock it; the portable computing device may run out of battery power and become inoperable; or the portable computing device may be lost, stolen, or broken.If the portable computing device cannot provide the DVK to the vehicle and the owner does not currently possess a physical vehicle key, the owner may not be able to access the vehicle. SUMMARY

[0002] In general, the techniques described in this disclosure relate to a portable computing device that enables the owner (or other responsible person) of a vehicle to create a Limited Use Digital Vehicle Key (VFC) and make the Limited Use VFC available to another party's (e.g., a user's) computing device. The Limited Use VFC may include conditions for accessing and / or using the vehicle, which may be restricted by, for example, time, location, speed limit, acceleration limit, application of brakes, function, or other limitations. The user can then cause their computing device to make the Limited Use VFC available to the vehicle.In response to receiving the Limited Use Card (DVK), the vehicle can verify the Limited Use Card and, if verified, grant the user access to the vehicle only as provided by the conditions specified or indicated by the Limited Use Card.

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a procedure that involves receiving a vehicle-limited digital vehicle key, wherein the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key specifies one or more conditions for one or more instances of access to and use of the vehicle; verifying the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key based at least partially on a vehicle state; and, in response to the verification of the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key, permitting at least one instance of access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to the one or more conditions of the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key being consistent with the vehicle state.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vehicle that includes a vehicle state; and a circuit for a digital vehicle key to receive a digital vehicle key for limited use, wherein the digital vehicle key for limited use specifies one or more conditions for one or more of access to and use of the vehicle; to verify the digital vehicle key for limited use based at least partially on the vehicle state; and, in response to the verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use, to permit at least one of access to and use of the vehicle in response to the fact that the one or more conditions of the digital vehicle key for limited use are consistent with the vehicle state.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a device comprising: means for receiving a digital vehicle key for limited use by a vehicle, wherein the digital vehicle key for limited use specifies one or more conditions for one or more instances of access to and use of the vehicle; means for verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use by the vehicle based at least partially on a vehicle state; and, in response to the verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use, means for permitting at least one instance of access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to the one or more conditions of the digital vehicle key for limited use being consistent with the vehicle state.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the one or more processors to receive from a vehicle a digital vehicle key for limited use, wherein the digital vehicle key for limited use specifies one or more conditions for one or more of access to and use of the vehicle; to verify the digital vehicle key for limited use by the vehicle based at least partially on a vehicle state of the vehicle;and in response to the verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use by the vehicle, to allow at least one access to and use of the vehicle in response to the fact that one or more conditions are consistent with the vehicle's condition.

[0007] The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, functions, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an exemplary computing environment for creating and using a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details of an exemplary computing system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for exemplary computing systems for creating and using a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with aspects of this disclosure. Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for exemplary computing systems for receiving and verifying a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with aspects of this disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Fig. Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an exemplary computing environment for creating and using a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In some scenarios, an owner may wish to provide a digital vehicle key (DVK) for a vehicle to another party (e.g., a family member, friend, employee, etc.). The other party can store the DVK on their computing device (which may or may not be portable). Then, if the owner experiences a problem with their portable computing device when attempting to access the vehicle, the owner can allow the other party to use the DVK from their computing device to enable the user to access the vehicle.In another scenario, the owner might want the other party to access the vehicle even if the owner cannot do so (e.g., if the owner is not at the same location as the vehicle). For example, the other party could be a family member, friend, renter of the vehicle, mechanic, car dealer, parking attendant, insurance company representative, etc., who needs temporary access to and / or use of the vehicle. In some cases, the other party's computing device might be a computer system accessing the vehicle over a network from a location other than the vehicle's location. In these scenarios, however, the owner might not want to grant the other party full and unlimited access to and / or use of the vehicle.

[0009] Several scenarios for the use of digital vehicle keys in this context are considered. For example, the owner might want to rent out the vehicle using a third-party rental service. After notifying the third-party rental service and entering into an agreement with them, the owner can then create a limited-license digital vehicle key and assign this new limited-license digital vehicle key to the third-party rental service. The third-party rental service then finds a renter for the vehicle and creates a limited-use digital vehicle key for the renter, restricted according to the limited license agreed upon by the owner.When the rental time arrives, the owner puts the vehicle into "rental" mode, which allows the vehicle to successfully verify the limited-use digital vehicle key, which is augmented by the third-party limited-use license key. The renter can then use the vehicle within the terms and conditions of the limited-use digital vehicle key received from the third-party rental service.When the rental period is over, the owner can change the vehicle's condition from "rental" vehicle state and back to normal vehicle state, and the limited-license digital vehicle key belonging to the third party can be deactivated, and the limited-use digital vehicle key associated with that third party's limited-license digital vehicle key would also be terminated.

[0010] In another example, it is assumed that an owner's computing system used to control the vehicle (such as a smartphone) is malfunctioning (e.g., dead battery, broken, no network connection, etc.) and unable to communicate with the vehicle in any way. It is also assumed that the owner has extended a limited-license digital vehicle key to the owner's insurance company or a third-party roadside assistance provider. The owner may be able to call the roadside assistance provider (perhaps using a different phone), and after the owner is authenticated, the provider can request that the roadside assistance provider allow the owner to enter and start the vehicle.The roadside assistance company can then use the permissions of the limited-license digital vehicle key received from the owner to put the vehicle into a "roadside assistance" state. This authorizes their limited-license digital vehicle key to complete remote key exchange (RKE) actions over a network ("over the air"). The roadside assistance company can then unlock the vehicle and start it for the owner using this over-the-air digital vehicle key. The owner can then drive to a safe location (e.g., home). Once the owner regains access to their computer system (e.g., recharges their phone battery, buys a new phone or computer, etc.), they can reset the vehicle to its normal state.This would prevent the breakdown assistance company from performing further over-the-air RKE actions until subsequent authorization by the owner.

[0011] Sometimes the owner may need to take the vehicle to a mechanic for maintenance. The owner can set the vehicle's condition to "Repair" status and give the mechanic a limited-use digital vehicle key to allow the mechanic to access and / or use the vehicle as needed to perform maintenance and / or repair services. Once the services are complete and the owner picks up the vehicle from the mechanic, the owner removes the "Repair" status from the vehicle's condition (and returns the vehicle's condition to normal), thus deactivating the mechanic's limited-use digital vehicle key.

[0012] Following an accident, the owner's insurance company determines that the vehicle is a total loss. While the owner is away from the vehicle, with their computing device (e.g., smartphone) away from the vehicle, the insurance company is to assume ownership of the vehicle so that the owner can receive insurance benefits. The vehicle may use one or more sensors (e.g., a crash sensor) to determine that it has sustained serious damage, and the vehicle will put its status into an "insurance" mode. This action can activate a digital vehicle key for limited use by the insurance company, allowing the insurance company to dispatch an agent to perform over-the-air RKE actions and move the vehicle as needed.

[0013] Accordingly, the owner (or other responsible party) of a vehicle may wish to allow another party (a user) to access and / or use the owner's vehicle using a DVK. For example, the owner may wish to lend the vehicle to a friend for a specific period of time. The owner may allow a family member (e.g., a son or daughter) to use the vehicle, but only under certain operating conditions (e.g., with a specified maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum braking conditions, location, time periods during a day, etc.). The owner may lease the vehicle to a renter for a specific period of time under certain conditions. The owner may wish to allow a mechanic or car dealer to access and / or use the vehicle for maintenance or inspection purposes.The owner may want an insurance company to inspect the vehicle at a location separate from the owner's location. The owner may want a roadside assistance company to access the vehicle for repair or towing purposes. Other uses are possible.

[0014] Therefore, the owner may wish to restrict the other party's access to and / or use of the owner's vehicle. Currently, an owner can transfer a DVK (Dual Vehicle Identification Code) for vehicle 108 to the other party, but in some cases, the DVK may not have any usage restrictions. This may be undesirable.

[0015] The technology described in this disclosure provides a mechanism for an owner (or other responsible party) to create a DVK 120A for limited use, which specifies or indicates one or more conditions of use of the vehicle 108. The owner sends the DVK 120A for limited use to the user who has been authorized by the owner to access or use the owner's vehicle via any communication mechanism (resulting in a copy designated as DVK 120B for limited use in the Fig. (designated as 1). The user can store the received DVK 120B for limited use (e.g., on the vehicle user's computing system 116 (which may be a smartphone, smartwatch, personal computer, tablet computer, server, or other computing device)) and then make the DVK 120B available to the vehicle's computing system 110. The vehicle's computing system 110 verifies the DVK 120B for limited use and provides access to and / or use of the vehicle 108 only in response to one or more of the conditions specified by the DVK for limited use matching a current state of the vehicle.

[0016] One technical effect of this technology is that an owner can use their computer system to provide another user with limited remote access to the owner's vehicle via the user's computer system and a network. The vehicle prevents a user from accessing it if the digital vehicle key provided to the vehicle is not authorized and only within the one or more conditions defined by the digital vehicle key.

[0017] The DVK computing environment 100 includes the vehicle owner computing system 102, which is operated by an owner of the vehicle 108. As used herein, an owner can be a person who holds the legal title to the vehicle 108 or anyone authorized by the owner to be primarily responsible for the vehicle (e.g., a lessee, a family member, an employee, etc.). The vehicle owner computing system 102 can be configured with digital key technology to facilitate access to and / or use of the vehicle 108.

[0018] The DVK computing environment 100 includes a DVK server 105, which communicates with the vehicle computing system 110 in the vehicle 108 to update one or more lists of one or more authorized DVKs for the vehicle, permissions, and terms of use. The DVK server 105 can also communicate with the vehicle owner computing system 102 to create and / or distribute DVKs for the vehicle 108 to the vehicle user computing system 116. The DVK server 105 can also communicate with the vehicle user computing system 116 to provide a DVK for limited use. For example, the DVK server 105 could be operated by a vehicle manufacturer or by a third-party provider.

[0019] Vehicle 108 can be a car, truck, van, boat, airplane, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), etc. Although in Fig. Although only one vehicle is shown, the processing detailed herein for the vehicle owner computing system 102 can be used for a variety of vehicles of different types. The process of accessing the vehicle may, for example, involve gaining access to the vehicle, such as unlocking a door via a lock 123 or the vehicle's trunk / frunk, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the process of accessing and / or using the vehicle may involve changing an operating state of the vehicle, such as starting the vehicle's engine, turning off the vehicle's engine, disarming a security system, turning on the stereo, moving an electric seat, changing control settings (e.g., heating, air conditioning), deactivating a battery, activating a battery, etc.In one implementation, the vehicle 108 includes at least the lock 123, the vehicle computing system 110, and a vehicle state 114. The vehicle computing system 110 can include any computing device associated with or embedded in the vehicle to perform processing for the vehicle.

[0020] Vehicle state 114 can describe a current, desired system state of the vehicle. In one implementation, vehicle state 114 can include unlimited use or a restriction of temporary limited use (e.g., by a temporary user), such as a restriction of limited use for a family member, limited use for a friend, limited use for a renter, limited use for a mechanic, limited use for a car dealer, limited use for an insurance adjuster, limited use for a roadside assistance company, or any other state defined by the vehicle owner. In one implementation, the owner can set the current value of vehicle state 114 via the vehicle owner computation system 102. Vehicle state 114 can be stored in a memory device within or accessible by the vehicle computation system 110.In one implementation, vehicle condition 114 can be set by the owner to a rental operational status for use by a temporary renter of the vehicle, and one of the conditions of the DVK for limited use can be a rental operational status. Vehicle condition 114 can be set by the owner to a repair operational status for use by a mechanic or other service technician of the vehicle, and one of the conditions of the DVK for limited use can be a repair operational status. Vehicle condition 114 can be set by the owner to a breakdown assistance operational status for use by a breakdown assistance service of the vehicle, and one of the conditions of the DVK for limited use can be a breakdown assistance operational status.Vehicle condition 114 can be set by the owner to an insurance status for use by the vehicle's insurance company, and one of the conditions of the Limited Use Certificate (DVK) can be an insurance operating status. Vehicle condition 114 can be set by the vehicle 108, based at least partially on one or more vehicle operating statuses indicating that the vehicle is not operational, to at least one of a repair status, a breakdown assistance status, and an insurance status before the Limited Use Certificate 120B is verified.

[0021] The vehicle owner computing system 102 can include a DVK owner manager 112 to create DVKs, send DVKs to the vehicle 108 (optionally via the DVK server 105), send DVKs to one or more users (optionally via the DVK server 105), and send an updated vehicle status 114 to the vehicle 110 (optionally via the DVK server 105). In one scenario, the vehicle status 114 can be set by the vehicle itself (rather than by the vehicle owner) based on one or more operational statuses of the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle has been involved in an accident, the vehicle has broken down, one or more components of the vehicle have become inoperative, the vehicle has run out of fuel or electrical charge, scheduled maintenance is due, etc.).

[0022] In the scenario where an owner desires unlimited access to and use of the vehicle, the DVK Owner Manager 104, based on owner input, creates a DVK 106 for unlimited use or accesses a previously created one. The DVK 106 for unlimited use does not impose any conditions on access to and / or use of the vehicle. The owner can instruct the Vehicle Owner Computing System 102 to provide the DVK 106 for unlimited use to the Vehicle Computing System 110 of the vehicle 108. The Vehicle Computing System 110 then provides unlimited access to and use of the vehicle once the DVK for unlimited use is verified by the DVK Vehicle Manager 122.The DVK 106 for unlimited use can be protected, encrypted, decrypted, verified and / or authenticated by any cryptographic method by the DVK Owner Manager 104 and / or the DVK Vehicle Manager 122.

[0023] In the scenario where the owner wants to grant another party (e.g., a user) limited access to and use of the vehicle, the DVK Owner Manager 104, based on owner input, creates a DVK 120A for limited use or accesses a previously created one. The DVK 120A for limited use has one or more conditions set for access to and / or use of the vehicle. The owner can instruct the DVK Owner Manager 104 of the vehicle owner computing system 102 to make the DVK 120A for limited use available to the DVK User Manager 118 of the vehicle user computing system 116, which is operated by a user (optionally via the DVK Server 105).

[0024] The DVK 120A for limited use can specify one or more usage conditions for the vehicle (which may include limitations on the vehicle's capabilities). These usage conditions may include, for example, vehicle condition, door unlocking and locking, engine access unlocking and locking, trunk access, engine start, engine stop, time, location, speed limit, acceleration limit, braking, seatbelt use, stereo volume, heating and air conditioning settings, suspension settings, road conditions, weather conditions, maximum vehicle load, maximum vehicle towing capacity, or any other condition detected, specified, or received by the vehicle. In one implementation, the DVK 120A for limited use includes one or more of these conditions.In another implementation, the limited-use DVK specifies a set of one or more conditions to the DVK vehicle manager 122 of the vehicle computing system 110 (for example, by communicating an identifier or operating code that specifies a predefined set of one or more conditions). In some scenarios, the limited-use DVK may have the capability to provide other DVKs.

[0025] The DVK user manager 118 can receive the DVK 120B for limited use from the vehicle owner computer system 102 and / or DVK server 105 and store the DVK 120B for limited use in a memory of the vehicle computer system 116 for later use. When the user wants to access and / or use the vehicle 108, the DVK user manager 118 of the vehicle user computer system 116, based on user input, provides a copy, specification, or other information that uniquely and securely identifies the DVK 120B for limited use to the DVK vehicle manager 122 of the vehicle computer system 110. The DVK vehicle manager 122 verifies the validity of the DVK 120B for limited use and, if verified, provides access to and / or use of the vehicle 108 based at least partially on vehicle condition 114 and one or more conditions specified or indicated by the DVK 120B for limited use.This means that access to and / or use of the vehicle may be permitted in response to one or more of the conditions of DVK 120B for limited use matching vehicle condition 114.

[0026] In the example of Fig. Environment 100 can include the vehicle owner computing system 102, the DVK server 105, the vehicle user computing system 116, and the vehicle computing system 110, which communicate with each other via a network 130. The vehicle owner computing system 102, the vehicle user computing system 116, and / or the vehicle computing system 110 can represent any suitable computing system, such as one or more desktop computers, laptop computers, mainframes, servers, cloud computing systems, etc., that are capable of both sending and receiving information to a network, such as network 130. In some examples, the components of the vehicle owner computing system 102, the vehicle user computing system 116, and / or the vehicle computing system 110, which are in Fig. 1 are illustrated, reside and run on the same or separate computing devices and systems, which are operated and / or controlled by one or more entities. In some examples, the DVK server 105 can represent one or more cloud computing systems that provide access to their respective services via a cloud over network 130 for one or more of the vehicle owner computing systems 102, vehicle user computing systems 116, and vehicle computing systems 110.

[0027] The vehicle owner computing system 102 may include the DVK owner manager 112, the vehicle user computing system 116 may include the DVK user manager 118, and / or the vehicle computing system 110 may include the DVK vehicle manager 122. The DVK owner manager 112 may perform operations described herein using software, hardware, firmware, or a mixture of hardware, software, and firmware that resides in and / or runs within the vehicle owner computing system 102 to perform functions related to generating DVKs.The vehicle owner computing system 102 can run the DVK owner manager 112 with multiple processors or devices, as virtual machines running on underlying hardware, as one or more services of an operating system or computing platform, and / or as one or more executable programs on an application layer of a computing platform of the vehicle owner computing system 102. One or more of the DVKs 106 for unlimited use and DVKs 120A-B for limited use can be stored in any suitable data storage, such as a database, repository, blockchain, journal, certificate authority, and the like, to store data related to the generation of DVKs by the vehicle owner computing system 102.

[0028] The DVK user manager 118 can perform the operations described herein using software, hardware, firmware, or a mixture of hardware, software, and firmware located in and / or running on the vehicle user computing system 116 to perform functions related to the use of DVKs. The vehicle user computing system 116 can execute the DVK user manager 118 with multiple processors or devices, as virtual machines running on underlying hardware, as one or more services of an operating system or computing platform, and / or as one or more executable programs on an application layer of a computing platform of the vehicle user computing system 116.The DVK 120 for limited use can be stored in any suitable data storage device, such as a database, repository, blockchain, journal, certification authority, and the like, to store data related to the use of DVKs by the vehicle user computing system 116.

[0029] The DVK vehicle manager 110 can perform the operations described herein using software, hardware, firmware, or a mixture of hardware, software, and firmware located in and / or running on the vehicle computing system 110 to perform functions related to the verification of DVKs and the authorization of access to vehicles when verified. The vehicle computing system 110 can run the DVK vehicle manager 122 with multiple processors or devices, as virtual machines running on underlying hardware, as one or more services of an operating system or computing platform, and / or as one or more executable programs on an application layer of a computing platform of the vehicle computing system 110.One or more of the DVKs 106 for unlimited use, DVKs 120A-B for limited use and the vehicle condition 114 can be stored in any suitable data storage, such as a database, a repository, a blockchain, a journal, a certification authority and the like, to store data related to DVKs by the vehicle computing system 110.

[0030] Network 130 represents any public or private communication network, such as cellular, Wi-Fi, and / or other types of networks, for transmitting data between computer systems, servers, and computing devices. Network 130 may include one or more network hubs, network switches, network routers, or any other network equipment operationally coupled, thereby enabling the exchange of information between the DVK server 105, the vehicle owner computer system 102, the vehicle user computer system 116, and the vehicle computer system 110. The DVK server 105, the vehicle owner computer system 102, the vehicle user computer system 116, and the vehicle computer system 110 can transmit and receive data over Network 130 using any suitable communication techniques.Each of the DVK server 105, the vehicle owner computing system 102, the vehicle user computing system 116 and the vehicle computing system 110 can be operationally coupled to the network 130 using respective network connections, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, satellite (including cellular satellite) or any other type of wired and / or wireless network connection.

[0031] Each of the DVK Server 105, the Vehicle Owner Computing System 102, the Vehicle User Computing System 116, and the Vehicle Computing System 110 represents an individual mobile or non-mobile computing device. Examples of such computing systems include a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, a mainframe, a set-top box, a television, a wearable device (e.g., a computerized watch, computerized glasses, computerized headphones, computerized gloves, etc.), a home automation device or system (e.g., a smart thermostat or home assistant device), a gaming system, a media player, an e-book reader, a mobile television platform, an automotive navigation or infotainment system, or any other type of mobile, non-mobile, portable, and non-portable computing device.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details of an exemplary computing system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. A computing system 210 of Fig. 2 is described below as an example of the vehicle computer system 110, as in Fig. 1 illustrates.

[0033] The 210 computer system from Fig. 2 can be an example of a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, desktop computer, server, mainframe, set-top box, television, portable device, home automation device or system, gaming system, media player, e-book reader, mobile television platform, automotive navigation or infotainment system, or any other type of mobile, non-mobile, portable, and non-portable computing device configured to receive and output a specification of notification data. In one example, computing system 210 is located inside a vehicle. Fig. Figure 2 illustrates only one example of the Computing System 210, and many other examples of the Computing System 210 can be used in other cases and may include a subset of the components included in the exemplary Computing System 210, or may include additional components that are in Fig. 2 are not shown. Other instances of the computing system 210 can be used as the vehicle owner computing system 102 and / or the vehicle user computing system 116.

[0034] As in the example of Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the computing system 210 includes a UIC 232, one or more processors 240, one or more input components 242, one or more communication units 244, one or more output components 246, and one or more memory components 248. One or more memory components 248 of the computing system 210 also include a DVK vehicle manager 222 (an example of the DVK vehicle manager 122), a DVK 206 for unlimited use (an example of the DVK 106 for unlimited use), a DVK 220 for limited use (an example of the DVK 220 for limited use), and a vehicle state 214 (an example of the vehicle state 114).

[0035] Communication channels 250 can connect any of the components 240, 212, 244, 246, 242, and 248 for communication between the components (physical, communicative, and / or operational). In some examples, the communication channels 250 can include a system bus, a network connection, a data construct for communication between processes, or any other method for communicating data.

[0036] One or more input components 242 of the computing system 210 can receive inputs. Examples of inputs include tactile, audio, and video inputs. The input components 242 of the computing system 210 include, in one example, a presence-sensitive display, a touch-sensitive screen, a mouse, a keyboard, a speech-responsive system, a video camera, a microphone, or any other type of device for detecting inputs from a human or a machine.

[0037] One or more output components 246 of the computing system 210 can produce outputs. Examples of outputs include tactile, audio, and video outputs. The output components 246 of the computing system 210 include, in one example, a presence-sensitive display, a sound card, a video graphics adapter card, a loudspeaker, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a light field display, haptic motors, linear actuators, or any other type of device for producing outputs to a person or machine.

[0038] One or more communication units 244 of the computing system 210 can communicate with external devices over one or more wired and / or wireless networks by sending and / or receiving network signals on the one or more networks. Examples of one or more communication units 244 include a network interface card (e.g., an Ethernet card), an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, a GPS receiver, or any other type of device capable of sending and / or receiving information. Other examples of one or more communication units 244 include shortwave radios, cellular data radios, wireless network radios, and universal serial bus (USB) controllers.

[0039] The UIC 232 of the Computing System 210 can be hardware that functions as an input and / or output device for the Computing System 210. For example, the UIC 232 can include a display component, which can be a screen on which information is displayed by the UIC 232, and a presence-sensitive input component that can detect an object on and / or near the display component.

[0040] One or more processors 240 can implement functionality and / or execute instructions within the computing system 210. For example, one or more processors 240 on the computing system 210 can receive and execute instructions stored by one or more memory components 248 that perform the functionality of the DVK vehicle manager 222. The instructions executed by one or more processors 240 can cause the computing system 210 to store information in one or more memory components 248 during program execution. Examples of one or more processors 240 include application processors, display controllers, sensor hubs, and any other hardware configured to act as a processing unit. One or more processors 240 can execute instructions from the DVK vehicle manager 222 to perform actions or functions.This means that the DVK vehicle manager 222 can be operated by one or more processors 240 to perform various actions or functions of the computing system 210.

[0041] One or more memory components 248 within the computer system 210 can store information for processing during the operation of the computer system 210. That is, the computer system 210 can store data that is accessed by the module 216 of the DVK vehicle manager 222 during execution in the computer system 210. In some examples, one or more memory components 248 are temporary storage, meaning that a primary purpose of one or more memory components 248 is not long-term storage. One or more memory components 248 on the computer system 210 can be configured as volatile storage for the short-term storage of information and therefore do not retain stored contents when they are turned off.Examples of volatile memory include random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM) and other forms of volatile memory known in the prior art.

[0042] In some examples, one or more memory components 248 also include one or more computer-readable storage media. One or more memory components 248 can be configured to store larger amounts of information as volatile memory. One or more memory components 248 can also be configured for long-term storage of information as non-volatile memory and retain information after power cycles. Examples of non-volatile memory include magnetic hard disks, optical discs, flash memory, or forms of electrically programmable memory (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable memory (EEPROM). One or more memory components 248 can store program instructions and / or information (e.g., data) associated with the DVK vehicle manager 222.The DVK vehicle manager 222 can be run on one or more processors 240 to perform functions similar to those of the DVK vehicle manager 122. Fig. 1.

[0043] The DVK vehicle manager 222, when executed by one or more processors 240, can receive the vehicle state 214 from one or more input components 242 and store the vehicle state in one or more memory components 248. One or more input components 242 can receive the vehicle state 214 from a computing system operated by the vehicle owner. The vehicle state 214 received by the computing system 210 can include a restriction on the limited use of the vehicle by a temporary user. The restriction on the limited use of the vehicle by a temporary user in vehicle state 214 can include a restriction on limited use for a family member of the vehicle owner, a restriction on limited use for a renter of the vehicle, and a restriction on limited use for a mechanic of the vehicle.The DVK vehicle manager 222, when run by one or more processors 240, can receive the digital vehicle key for limited use from a computing system operated by a user who is not the vehicle owner. The vehicle state 214 can be set by the vehicle based at least partially on one or more operating states of the vehicle before the digital vehicle key for limited use is verified. The DVK vehicle manager 222, when run by one or more processors 240, can provide access, which may include unlocking one or more doors of the vehicle and opening one or more trunks and frunks of the vehicle.The DVK vehicle manager 222, when executed by one or more processors 240, can analyze one or more conditions of the digital vehicle key 120B for limited use, where the one or more conditions include one or more of time, location, speed limit, and acceleration. The vehicle condition 214 can include rental, repair, breakdown assistance, and insurance, among other conditions. The vehicle condition 214 can be set by the vehicle 108, based at least partially on one or more operational vehicle conditions indicating that the vehicle is not functioning, to at least one of a repair condition, a breakdown assistance condition, and an insurance condition before the DVK 120B is verified for limited use.

[0044] Fig. Figure 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for exemplary computing systems for creating and using a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with aspects of this disclosure. According to an example, one or more process blocks of Fig. 3 are carried out by the vehicle owner computing system 102, the vehicle user computing system 116 and / or the vehicle computing system 110, which are in Fig. 1 are shown. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the process can involve the DVK Owner Manager 104 of the Vehicle Owner Computing System 102 creating the DVK 120 for limited use at block 302, based at least partially on owner input. At block 304, the DVK Owner Manager 104 optionally sets a current value for the vehicle state 114 in the vehicle 108 (which may include restrictions on the use of the vehicle, as defined by one or more conditions). In another scenario, the vehicle 108 sets the current value for the vehicle state 114 based at least partially on the current operational status of the vehicle (which may include input data from one or more sensors of the vehicle). At block 306, the DVK Owner Manager 104 sends the DVK 120 for limited use to the DVK User Manager 118 of the Vehicle User Computing System 116.When the user wants to access and / or use vehicle 108, the DVK user manager 118, based on user input, sends the DVK 120 for limited use to the DVK vehicle manager 122 in the vehicle computing system 110 at block 308. At block 310, the DVK vehicle manager 122 verifies the DVK 120 for limited use based at least partially on the vehicle state 114. In an implementation, the verification of the DVK 120 for limited use may include decryption and authentication operations. At block 312, if the DVK 120 is verified for limited use, then at block 316 the DVK vehicle manager 122 allows the user, via the DVK user manager 118, to access and / or use the vehicle 108 in response to one or more conditions specified (or indicated) by the DVK 120 for limited use matching the vehicle state 114.At block 312, if the DVK 120 is not verified for limited use, then the DVK vehicle manager 122 at block 314 denies the user access to and use of the vehicle 108 via the DVK user manager 118.

[0045] Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for an exemplary computing system for receiving and verifying a digital vehicle key for limited use in accordance with aspects of this disclosure. According to an example, one or more process blocks of Fig. 4 are carried out by the DVK vehicle manager 222 of the vehicle computer system 110, which is in Fig. 1 is shown.

[0046] In block 402, procedure 400 involves receiving a digital vehicle key 120 for limited use by vehicle 108, wherein the digital vehicle key for limited use specifies one or more conditions for one or more of access to and use of the vehicle.

[0047] In block 404, procedure 400 involves verifying, by vehicle 108, the digital vehicle key 120 for limited use based at least partially on a vehicle condition 114 of the vehicle.

[0048] In Block 404, Procedure 400, in response to the verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use, involves allowing at least one access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to one or more conditions matching Vehicle State 114.

[0049] In this way, various aspects of the techniques described in this revelation can enable the following examples.

[0050] Example 1 is a procedure that includes: receiving a vehicle-limited digital vehicle key, wherein the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key specifies one or more conditions for one or more instances of access to and use of the vehicle; verifying the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key based at least partially on a vehicle state; and, in response to the verification of the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key, permitting at least one instance of access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to the one or more conditions of the vehicle-limited digital vehicle key matching the vehicle state.

[0051] Example 2. The procedure according to Example 1, further comprising receiving the vehicle status by the vehicle prior to verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use.

[0052] Example 3. The procedure according to one of Examples 1 to 2, further comprising receiving the vehicle status from a computer system operated by the owner.

[0053] Example 4. The procedure according to one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle condition includes a restriction on the limited use of the vehicle by a temporary user of the vehicle.

[0054] Example 5. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 4, further comprising receiving the digital vehicle key for limited use from a computing system operated by a user who is not the owner of the vehicle.

[0055] Example 6. The procedure according to one of Examples 1 to 5, further comprising setting, based at least partially on one or more operating states of the vehicle, the vehicle state by the vehicle prior to verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use.

[0056] Example 7. The method according to one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein access to the vehicle includes one or more of unlocking a door of the vehicle and one of opening a trunk and frunk of the vehicle.

[0057] Example 8. The method according to one of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the one or more conditions include one or more of time, location, speed limit and acceleration.

[0058] Example 9. The procedure according to one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle condition includes a rental condition, a repair condition, a breakdown assistance condition and an insurance condition.

[0059] Example 10. The procedure according to any of Examples 4 to 9, comprising setting the vehicle state by the vehicle based at least partially on one or more operational states of the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is not functioning, to at least one of a repair state, a breakdown assistance state and an insurance state prior to verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use.

[0060] Example 11 is a system comprising a processor and a storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

[0061] Example 12 is a machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-10.

[0062] As an example, and not a limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or any other storage medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data constructs and that can be accessed by a computer. Likewise, any connection is properly referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if instructions are transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium.It should be understood, however, that computer-readable storage media and data storage media do not include connections, carrier waves, signals, or other volatile media, but instead refer to non-volatile, tangible storage media. Disk and disc, as used herein, include Compact Disc (CD), Laser Disc, Optical Disc, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Floppy Disc, and Blu-ray Disc, with disks typically reproducing data magnetically, while discs reproducing data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included in the scope of a computer-readable medium.

[0063] Instructions can be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Accordingly, the term "processor," as used herein, can refer to any of the foregoing designs or any other design suitable for implementing the techniques described herein. Additionally, some aspects of the functionality described herein can be provided within dedicated hardware and / or software modules. The techniques could also be implemented entirely within one or more circuits or logic elements.

[0064] The techniques of this disclosure can be implemented in a variety of devices or apparatuses, including a wireless handheld device, an integrated circuit (IC), or a set of ICs (e.g., a chipset). Various components, modules, or units are described in this disclosure to highlight functional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosed techniques, but do not necessarily require implementation by different hardware units. Rather, as described above, different units can be combined in a single hardware unit or provided by a collection of interoperable hardware units, including one or more processors as described above, in conjunction with suitable software and / or firmware.

[0065] Various embodiments have been described. These and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

[1] Procedure, encompassing: Receiving a digital vehicle key for limited use by a vehicle, wherein the digital vehicle key for limited use specifies one or more conditions for one or more of access to and use of the vehicle; Verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use by the vehicle based at least partially on a vehicle state of the vehicle; and In response to the verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use, allowing at least one access to and use of the vehicle by the vehicle in response to the fact that one or more of the conditions of the digital vehicle key for limited use match the vehicle's condition. [2] Method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the vehicle state by the vehicle prior to verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use. [3] Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising receiving the vehicle state from a computing system operated by an owner of the vehicle. [4] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle condition comprises a restriction of the limited use of the vehicle by a temporary user of the vehicle. [5] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising receiving the digital vehicle key for limited use by a computing system operated by a user who is not the owner of the vehicle. [6] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising setting the vehicle state by the vehicle based at least partially on one or more operating states of the vehicle prior to verifying the digital vehicle key for limited use. [7] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein access to the vehicle comprises one or more of unlocking a door of the vehicle and one of opening a trunk and frunk of the vehicle. [8] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein one or more conditions comprise one or more of time, location, speed limit and acceleration. [9] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle condition includes one or more of a rental condition, a repair condition, a breakdown assistance condition or an insurance condition. [10] Method according to any one of claims 4 to 9, further comprising: Comprehensive setting of the vehicle status by the vehicle based at least partially on one or more operational statuses of the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is not functioning, to at least one of a repair status, a breakdown assistance status and an insurance status prior to verification of the digital vehicle key for limited use. [11] System, encompassing: a processor and a storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10. [12] Machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-10.

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