System and method for allocation and use of privileges for assisting in the operation and movement of a vehicle

Abstract

Techniques are described for enabling a device such as a user device or a device within a vehicle system to receive permissions related to the operation and movement of a vehicle associated with the device. The vehicle can support movement on land, water, air, or in space. The authorizing agency server can provide a signed document indicating the permission to the device, and the permission permits the vehicle to perform actions related to the operation and movement of the vehicle, such as exceeding a specified speed limit, using a reserved lane on a trunk road, or receiving favorable traffic treatment. The device can wirelessly transmit a message including the signed document to an additional device separate from the vehicle, and the additional device responds according to the permission, such as yielding the road to the vehicle. The signed document can include a digital signature and a digital certificate for authenticating the permission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Related Application)

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Indian Patent Application No. 202241039053, titled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSIGNING AND USING PRIVILEGES TO ASSIST MANEUVERING AND TRAVEL OF VEHICLES", filed on Jul. 7, 2022, which has been assigned to the assignee of this application and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] Vehicles (e.g., road vehicles, aerial vehicles, marine vehicles, or space vehicles) typically need to move from one location to another and / or through a series of locations (e.g., along a predetermined land or sea route, flight path, or orbit) during use. There may be obstacles and restrictions to such movement, such as other vehicles and legal requirements regarding when and how such movement can occur.

Summary of the Invention

[0003]

[0003] The embodiments described herein provide for the acquisition and granting of vehicle privileges using a digitally signed document and one or more digital certificates, collectively referred to as a "signed document". The signed document can be transmitted to a receiving device that includes a vehicle or another device in the vehicle (e.g., a mobile phone), and wirelessly transmitted from the receiving device to other nearby devices to alert the nearby devices of the vehicle's privileges. Depending on the type of privilege granted, the nearby devices can respond accordingly. Such privilege requests and grants can enable a privilege-granting authority to provide privileges and the corresponding signed document relatively quickly (e.g., on demand or as needed), which can be particularly useful in emergency and other urgent situations.

[0004]

[0004] An exemplary method in a device for enabling permissions related to vehicle operation according to the present disclosure can include receiving, in the device, a signed document from a privilege-granting authority server indicating the granting of one or more permissions, the device including a vehicle or a related device, the related device being associated with the vehicle, and the one or more permissions permitting the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to vehicle operation. The method can also include, after receiving the signed document, wirelessly transmitting a message including the signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, the wireless transmission of the message being configured to invoke a response from the one or more additional devices according to the one or more permissions.

[0005]

[0005] An exemplary method in a privilege-granting authority server to enable a device to obtain and use permissions related to vehicle operation according to the present disclosure can include establishing a communication link between the privilege-granting authority server and the device, where the device comprises a vehicle or a related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle. The method can also include transmitting, from the privilege-granting authority server to the device, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions, where the one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to vehicle operation, and the signed document is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle when wirelessly transmitted from the device to the one or more additional devices.

[0006]

[0006] An exemplary device to enable permissions related to vehicle operation according to the present disclosure can include a transceiver, a memory, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, where the one or more processors are configured to receive, via the transceiver, from a privilege-granting authority server, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions, the device comprises a vehicle or a related device, the related device is associated with the vehicle, and the one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to vehicle operation. After receiving the signed document, the one or more processors can be further configured to wirelessly transmit a message including the signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, and the wireless transmission of the message is configured to invoke a response from the one or more additional devices according to the one or more permissions.

[0007]

[0007] An exemplary entitlement server that enables a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle according to the present disclosure can include a transceiver, a memory, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory. The one or more processors can be configured to establish a communication link between the entitlement server and the device, where the device includes a vehicle or a related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle. The one or more processors can be further configured to transmit, via the transceiver, a signed document indicating one or more grants of permission to the device, where the one or more grants of permission permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle, and the signed document is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices when wirelessly transmitted from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle according to the one or more grants of permission.

[0008]

[0008] This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used alone to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all of the drawings, and the appropriate portions of each claim. The foregoing, together with other features and examples, will be described in more detail below in the following specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

[0009] A view showing an overview of an exemplary road traffic scenario.

Figure 2

[0010] A view showing an exemplary scenario related to a general aerial vehicle.

Figure 3

[0011] A view showing an overview of an exemplary scenario of a marine vehicle navigating a waterway.

Figure 4

[0012] A message flow diagram of a process for requesting and granting vehicle permission according to one embodiment.

Figure 5

[0013] A version of the flowchart of FIG. 4, according to one embodiment, in which all processes can be automatically executed by an electronic device.

Figure 6

[0014] Shows exemplary data that can be included in a signed document to establish permission or privilege according to one embodiment.

Figure 7A

[0015] Shows an exemplary message structure that can be used in some embodiments.

Figure 7B

Figure 8

[0016] A flowchart of a method in a device for enabling permission related to vehicle operation according to one embodiment.

Figure 9

[0017] A flowchart of a method in a privilege-granting authority server for enabling a device to obtain and use permission related to vehicle operation according to one embodiment.

Figure 10

[0018] A block diagram of one embodiment of a device that can be utilized as part of a vehicle (e.g., the vehicle's electrical system) or as an associated device (e.g., a mobile device, a cellular phone, etc.) as described herein.

Figure 11

[0019] A block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system.

[0010]

[0020] According to some exemplary implementations, like reference numerals in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011]

[0021] The following description is directed to several implementations for the purpose of describing inventive aspects of various embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in many different ways. The described implementations are for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 standard for ultra-wideband (UWB), the IEEE 802.11 standard (including those specified as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) technology), the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard, code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) for mobile communications, GSM / General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1xEV-DO, EV-DO Rev A, EV-DO Rev B, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), Long TermIt can be implemented in any device, system, or network that can transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals according to any communication standard, such as Evolution, LTE, Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), or other known signals used for communication within a wireless, cellular, or Internet of Things (IoT) network that utilizes 3G technology, 4G technology, 5G technology, 6G technology, or further implementations thereof. Additionally, vehicle-related RF signals can be communicated using relevant wireless communication technologies and / or standards related to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), and / or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication or similar types of communication. As used herein, V2V, V2I, V2N, and V2P, as well as cellular-based variants (e.g., cellular V2X or CV2X), can be considered different types of V2X communication.

[0012]

[0022] As used herein, "RF signal" includes electromagnetic waves that transport information through the space between a transmitter (or transmitting device) and a receiver (or receiving device). The transmitter used herein can transmit a single "RF signal" or multiple "RF signals" to the receiver. However, due to the propagation characteristics of RF signals through multiple channels or paths, the receiver may receive multiple "RF signals" corresponding to each transmitted RF signal.

[0013]

[0023] Also, as used herein, "privilege" generally refers to a permission granted to a vehicle by an authority, enabling the vehicle to perform an operation that would otherwise not be permitted. Thus, the terms "privilege" and "permission" can be used interchangeably. As will be described in more detail herein, a digitally signed document and one or more digital certificates (collectively referred to herein as "signed documents") can be provided to a vehicle as evidence of the granted privileges and can be communicated by the vehicle, which can cause a response from a receiving device to help the vehicle exercise these privileges.

[0014]

[0024] As described above, a vehicle can obtain certain privileges or permissions to operate in a particular manner during normal or abnormal movement. These permissions can vary depending on factors such as the type of vehicle, the nature of the intended operation and / or movement, and the associated privilege-granting authority (referred to herein as the "privilege-granting authority"), and can be permanent or temporary. The permission can enable the vehicle to reach its destination faster, access a particular area or location that would otherwise be inaccessible, etc. As mentioned above, the vehicle can be of various types and can include road vehicles, aerial vehicles, marine vehicles, and / or space vehicles. Examples of different types of vehicles and privileges will be described with respect to FIGS. 1-4.

[0015]

[0025] FIG. 1 is a top view showing an exemplary traffic scenario 100, in which a vehicle 105 (in this example, a road vehicle such as an automobile or a truck) can obtain one or more privileges that can affect how it is operated during movement. For example, vehicle 105 may need to urgently reach its destination but may face delays due to obstacles such as intersections, toll booths, speed limits, roadworks, lane closures or restrictions, traffic congestion, etc. The privilege can be granted by a privilege-granting authority (not shown) to enable vehicle 105 to move more quickly through traffic and reduce or avoid delays due to obstacles.

[0016]

[0026] Privileges in road traffic scenarios such as traffic scenario 100 in FIG. 1 can be granted for any of a variety of reasons. For example, VIPs (e.g., diplomats and government authorities), doctors, bureaucrats, etc. may require fast and efficient road access in the public interest by avoiding delays. The transportation of concrete to a construction site may be subject to time limits to avoid the setting of the concrete. The transportation of legal documents may be subject to delivery time constraints. Those engaged in health and public safety may have an upper limit on travel time. Attendees of important events may need assistance to arrive on time. Travelers going to an airport may need to move to the airport in time to catch an impending flight.

[0017]

[0027] The authority conferring privilege (also referred to as "authority" in this specification) can vary in different situations and environments. Generally, the authority conferring privilege can correspond to an organization that manages infrastructure, such as a government, a town, a city, or a local government of a state, or a private entity that may, for example, outsource the management of vehicle-related privileges (such as road privileges) by a government or a local government. In that case, the signed document may be applicable only in the corresponding management area of each authority conferring privilege. In some examples, the signed document may be applicable to multiple jurisdictions, for example, based on an existing mutual agreement between the respective authorities conferring privilege for multiple jurisdictions. Therefore, when a vehicle moves from an area managed by one authority to an area managed by another authority, the vehicle can request different privileges (or signed documents) from different authorities, or use a signed document provided by one authority in an area managed by another authority. For example, when a vehicle moves from one state to another state or across multiple states, the vehicle may need to request multiple signed documents if the states are managed by different authorities, or it may be possible to use one signed document in all states, for example, if the signed document is provided by a national authority. Note that since it can be difficult to define exact boundaries, the area or jurisdiction of an authority may not be strictly defined by clear boundaries. Therefore, there may be an overlapping area between the areas that can be controlled by two (or more) authorities, and in that case, a signed document from either (or any) of the authorities may be considered valid.

[0018]

[0028] As described above and as used herein, the term "signed document" refers to a document that indicates one or more privileges and / or priorities temporarily or permanently assigned to a vehicle, a device associated with the vehicle (e.g., a modem or an "in-vehicle system" used for communication), or a device belonging to a user, operator, or passenger of the vehicle. For example, the document can explicitly list and name each of one or more privileges and / or priorities, or the document can include an encoding (e.g., binary ASN.1 encoding) of each of one or more privileges and / or priorities. The document can be a text document (e.g., encoded as unformatted text and optionally encoded using Extensible Markup Language (XML)) or a binary document (e.g., encoded using ASN.1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One)). The document can be signed using a digital signature, which can be based, for example, on a public-private key pair, and the digital signature can include encryption using the private key of a hash of the document's content (based on a known or identified hash algorithm). The document can be authenticated by a recipient of the document by verifying the digital signature. For example, in the case of a digital signature based on a public-private key pair as described now, the recipient can decrypt the digital signature using the public key and verify that the decrypted result matches the hash of the document, and the hash of the document can be obtained by the recipient using the same known or identified hash algorithm. In this example, the public key used by the recipient to verify the digital signature can be provided and authenticated by one or more digital certificates, e.g., digital certificates defined according to ITU X.509 or IETF RFC 5280, which can be provided together with the document and the digital signature. The collection including a document indicating one or more privileges and / or priorities related to a vehicle, a digital signature, and one or more digital certificates (if included) is referred to herein as a "signed document".A signed document may be called a certificate, a signed certificate, a privilege certificate, or any other name. The use of digital signatures (e.g., based on a public-private key pair) for authenticating documents and the use of digital certificates for providing and authenticating public keys are widely known in the art. It should be noted that the term "unsigned document" is used herein to refer to a document that indicates one or more privileges and / or priorities related to a vehicle but does not have a digital signature or one or more digital certificates.

[0019]

[0029] Depending on the desired functionality, a signed document can be imparted and used in different ways. A vehicle receiving privileges via a signed document may include a permanent in-vehicle user equipment (UE) having vehicle-to-everything (V2X) wireless communication capabilities. In such a case, the signed document enabling the privileges can be set permanently or temporarily in the in-vehicle UE. Alternatively, a separate UE associated with the vehicle (such as a driver's or passenger's mobile phone) can be used. In the latter case, the separate UE can operate as a proxy UE for the vehicle. In either case, the UE (the permanent in-vehicle UE or the separate UE associated with the vehicle) receives the signed document and uses V2X (e.g., using 4G / 5G sidelink signaling) to transmit it to other devices in the area (e.g., via unicast or broadcast) to obtain various driving privileges, which can be applicable for the duration defined in the signed document or until a new signed document with modified privileges is issued.

[0020]

[0030] A vehicle, such as vehicle 105 of FIG. 1, can send a signed document to any of various nearby vehicles and devices, depending on the scenario and privileges. For example, in the traffic scenario 100 of FIG. 1, vehicle 105 that receives a signed document conferring various privileges can send the signed document to one or more nearby vehicles 110, 115, a roadside unit (RSU) 120, and / or a cellular base station 125. In some examples, the receiving device can propagate the signed document to other devices. For example, the roadside unit 120 or the cellular base station 125 can relay the signed document to a more distant vehicle 130 that may be outside the direct RF communication range with the privileged vehicle 105 but can still be affected by the privileges of the privileged vehicle 105. In some cases, traffic-related devices such as traffic lights 140 and radars 150 can receive the signed document directly from the privileged vehicle 105, or can receive the signed document and / or another indication that the vehicle 105 has certain privileges via another device such as the roadside unit 120 that manages the traffic-related devices.

[0021]

[0031] The type of permission granted can vary in different traffic scenarios. Privileges can include, for example, permission to exceed the posted speed limit up to a certain limit without being stopped or receiving a violation ticket, access to a designated or reserved parking spot, permission to use a toll road to pass through a toll area without delay and / or without payment, access to a reserved driving lane (e.g., a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane 160 or any other high-priority lane), changing a traffic signal (e.g., traffic signal 140) to green at an intersection upon arrival (or just before), or permission to use detours and shortcuts (not available to other vehicles) to avoid areas of traffic congestion, road construction, lane closures, and / or road closures, or combinations thereof. According to some embodiments, the signed document can have rules that permit all or a subset of the available privileges. Further, the privileges can be restricted to a particular one or more routes, speed ranges, particular one or more areas, particular days and / or times, and / or a particular period during which the signed document expires. According to some embodiments, the RSU obtains the position and / or speed and direction of the privileged vehicle and manages traffic-related devices to help enable a particular privilege (e.g., instructing a traffic signal to turn green when the privileged vehicle approaches).

[0022]

[0032] The determination by the privilege-granting authority to grant a privilege to a vehicle can be based on any of several factors. For example, some privileges can be granted only to a particular type of vehicle. For example, emergency vehicles and / or vehicles carrying VIPs can be the only type of vehicle with access to privileges such as turning a traffic signal green when approaching an intersection. Some privileges can be granted based on payment (e.g., paying to access an HOV lane, a privileged route, etc.). Other privileges can be based on a need such as a health emergency. Further details are provided below regarding the process that can be used to request and grant privileges.

[0023]

[0033] Depending on the privileges granted, the receiving device (a device that receives a document signed by a privileged vehicle) can respond in accordance with the granted privileges to implement or exercise the privileges. For example, in some embodiments, the privileges can include assistance when overtaking a non-privileged vehicle. In traffic scenario 100, this can mean enabling the privileged vehicle 105 to exceed the existing speed limit and instructing nearby (non-privileged) vehicles 115 to move to another lane. The instruction to the nearby vehicles 115 can be sent from the RSU 120 or from the privileged vehicle 105 itself (e.g., via a V2X message). If the nearby vehicle 115 is an autonomous (self-driving) vehicle, the nearby vehicle 115 may automatically change lanes. Otherwise, the instruction can be conveyed to the driver of the nearby vehicle 115 via an audio message or a text message. If the receiving device does not recognize the privilege (e.g., due to an invalid signed document / non-matching authority or because the receiving device is not implemented or configured to recognize or support the privilege), or if the privileged vehicle cannot exercise the privilege, the receiving device can send a message to the privileged vehicle (e.g., via V2X) to indicate to the privileged vehicle that actions for implementing / exercising the privilege are not being performed by the receiving device.

[0024]

[0034] Note that a signed document may not be able to guarantee enhanced privileges. That is, the grant of privileges by the privilege-granting authority does not necessarily lead to the receipt or exercise of privileges by the privileged vehicle in all situations. Receiving privileges may depend, for example, on the privileges of nearby vehicles and the priority status of the privilege or the privileged vehicle. For example, in traffic scenario 100, if a nearby vehicle 115 has the same privileges as the privileged vehicle 105, the privileged vehicle 105 may not be able to exercise the privilege of overtaking vehicle 115. Similarly, if vehicle 130 has the privilege of receiving a green signal (e.g., green signal 140) at an intersection, it may not be possible for the privileged vehicle 105, which has the same privilege, to exercise this privilege when both approach the intersection at approximately the same time. According to some embodiments, priorities can be used to determine which vehicle receives the privilege when such a conflict occurs.

[0025]

[0035] Depending on the desired function, the priority may relate to the status of the vehicle itself (e.g., a vehicle having a VIP status), the status of the user or UE owner associated with the vehicle, and / or the status of privileges / permissions (e.g., a privilege having an associated high-priority status). According to some embodiments, the priority levels related to privileges and / or vehicle status may be explicitly defined within a signed document granted by a privilege-granting authority. Further, multiple priority levels can be established such that, when the privileges of a lower-priority vehicle conflict with the privileges of a higher-priority vehicle, the higher-priority vehicle can override the privileges of the lower-priority vehicle. Depending on the desired function, the priority associated with a privilege can be established for each privilege (e.g., each privilege that a vehicle has can have its own priority) or can be established for each vehicle (e.g., all privileges of a vehicle or a UE associated with the vehicle can have the same priority). Generally, when there is a conflict in implementing privileges for two vehicles, the privilege for the higher-priority vehicle / privilege can be exercised at the expense of the lower-priority vehicle / privilege, and the privilege for a privileged vehicle having any priority level (e.g., a vehicle having a signed document granting the privilege) can be granted with priority over a vehicle having no privilege / priority.

[0026]

[0036] According to some embodiments, a receiving device that receives a signed document can use rules to determine how to respond to one or more privileges associated with the signed document. These rules can be defined according to the privileges and any associated priorities, and can be implemented by a device that receives a signed document from a privileged vehicle, such as an RSU. For example, an RSU can enforce the privileges of a privileged vehicle (e.g., instructing a traffic signal to turn blue as the privileged vehicle approaches, waiving a toll at a toll booth, and / or instructing a control arm to be lifted), and in the event of a conflict, can further prioritize enforcing higher-priority privileges over lower-priority privileges. In addition to, or as an alternative to, priorities, an RSU (and other receiving devices) can determine to enforce a privilege based on other factors such as the result of whether the privilege is enforced / denied, available resources for enforcing the privilege, historical data regarding the vehicle and / or vehicle user, the time at which the RSU receives a request for the privilege (e.g., the timestamp of receiving a signed document from the privileged vehicle), or a combination thereof.

[0027]

[0037] In some embodiments, to facilitate this determination, a user score (or user rating) or vehicle score (or vehicle rating) regarding the vehicle driver / user can be established. For example, a database of user scores (or ratings) can be established based on the user's traffic violation records. The database can be made accessible from a specific device such as an RSU that supports vehicle privileges (e.g., via the Internet or via a dedicated signaling link). In situations where such a device (e.g., an RSU) may need to determine which of two vehicles with competing privileges that have the same priority should be granted the privilege, the device can determine which vehicle to grant the privilege based on the user score (or rating) and / or other factors. If the priorities and / or other factors are tied or otherwise do not indicate which vehicle should receive the privilege, the vehicle can be randomly selected. According to some embodiments, the database can be maintained for the case where a vehicle has its privilege denied (e.g., when another vehicle is given a higher priority), and this database can be used as a factor for subsequent determinations of whether to grant the privilege. Using this information, the device (e.g., an RSU) can help ensure that a vehicle that has had its privilege denied in one case may have a higher likelihood of exercising the privilege in a subsequent case.

[0028]

[0038] As described above, receiving devices such as RSU and nearby vehicles can respond to enable a privileged vehicle to exercise one or more of its privileges. To further enable this, in addition to sending a signed document, the privileged vehicle can use one or more messages that can also include a signed document that can indicate the presence, speed, location, indication / purpose, or combinations thereof of the privileged vehicle to communicate information (e.g., via V2X). This can enable the receiving device to respond to grant privileges accordingly. In the traffic scenario 100 of FIG. 1, for example, the privileged vehicle 105 can communicate its position and speed to nearby vehicles 115, thereby enabling the nearby vehicles 115 to know (taking into account their own positions) how much time there is to change lanes to allow the privileged vehicle 105 to proceed in the HOV lane 160 without being obstructed.

[0029]

[0039] As described above, the privileged vehicle can communicate a signed document to one or more receiving devices by broadcast, groupcast / multicast, or unicast. In the case of broadcast, the broadcast period can be based on the speed of the vehicle and / or the density of surrounding vehicles. For example, the higher the speed and / or the greater the vehicle density, the more frequently the privileged vehicle can transmit the signed document. According to some embodiments, the decision to broadcast, groupcast (also known as multicast), or unicast the signed document can depend at least in part on the type of privilege granted. For example, a privileged vehicle granted the privilege of receiving a green signal when approaching an intersection may not be likely to affect the operation of other vehicles. As a result, the privileged vehicle can unicast the signed document associated with its privilege to an RSU or directly to a traffic signal equipped with RSU functionality and does not use broadcast or groupcast. However, if the privileged vehicle has other privileges associated with a signed document that may affect the operation of nearby vehicles, the privileged vehicle can further (or alternatively) communicate the signed document to both nearby vehicles and the RSU by unicast, groupcast (or multicast), or broadcast.

[0030]

[0040] Depending on the desired functionality, embodiments can limit the ability or frequency with which a vehicle requests one or more privileges. In some embodiments, for example, a vehicle can be prevented from requesting a signed document that grants one or more privileges unless it is required to reach a particular destination (e.g., a destination associated with an important national or international level conference or event) by a particular time, or a particular or any destination (e.g., if the purpose of the movement meets certain priority conditions). Further, in some embodiments, a vehicle can transmit a request only when the traffic volume is high (e.g., above a certain threshold), or when there are a number of traffic signals (e.g., above a threshold number) that can delay the vehicle's arrival at its destination.

[0031]

[0041] In some embodiments, for example, one or more privileges may be granted to a vehicle in an emergency situation, effectively enabling the vehicle to become a temporary emergency vehicle or at least operate as a temporary emergency vehicle. The privilege-granting authority may decide to provide such privileges to a vehicle under certain conditions, such as when there are no ambulances or other emergency vehicles available to reach a vulnerable person (e.g., in a state of medical emergency) within a threshold amount of time (which may vary depending on, for example, the type of medical emergency). In such a case, the driver of a non-emergency vehicle may be able to transport the vulnerable person to a hospital and thus request privileges that enable the vehicle to become a temporary emergency vehicle or operate as a temporary emergency vehicle. This may occur, for example, when an emergency response agency (Public Safety Answering Point, PSAP) (e.g., an emergency service / 911 dispatcher) receives an emergency call from the driver or the vulnerable person and determines that there are no ambulances available to take the vulnerable person to an emergency treatment room in time to effectively handle the medical emergency. In this example, the PSAP functions as the privilege-granting authority and can provide a signed document to a device associated with the driver (e.g., the driver's vehicle or a UE associated with the driver / vulnerable person) via the Internet and / or a wireless network (e.g., a cellular, Bluetooth, and / or Wi-Fi network). To help protect against false alarms / misconduct, the privileges associated with a temporary emergency vehicle can be granted only for a limited amount of time (e.g., approximately the maximum amount of time required to transport the vulnerable person to the emergency treatment room) and within a specific area (e.g., defined by a geofence / geopolygon that covers one or more routes from the current location of the vulnerable person to the emergency treatment room). In some embodiments, a device associated with the driver (e.g., a vehicle or a UE associated with the vehicle) that receives the signed document may alert the driver when the vehicle is approaching the limits of the privileges. For example, the device can warn the driver when the period associated with the privilege is about to expire and / or when the vehicle is approaching the geographical boundaries of the privilege.

[0032]

[0042] As described above, some privileges may be granted based on payment by the user. In some embodiments, the fee for a privilege may vary based on factors such as the number of users (e.g., passengers) utilizing the use of the signed document, the nature of the privilege, the priority required in the signed document, the period of use, the area of use, and the like. For example, the cost of receiving a privilege for movement within a dense urban area (e.g., the busy streets of New York City) during rush hour may be significantly higher than the cost of the same privilege for use in a small town or during a period of low traffic volume (e.g., at night or very early in the morning). The fee can also depend on the institution. For example, for the same priority / conditions, the charging by one institution may be higher than that of another institution. This may also depend on factors such as the tax requirements of the institution, the revenue required by the institution, and the like.

[0033]

[0043] According to some embodiments, the receiving device can verify the authenticity of a signed or unsigned document by interacting in real time with an authorizing agency that can be indicated in the signed or unsigned document. For example, the receiving device can interact with a computer server maintained by the authorizing agency. Such interaction is referred to herein as "real-time document verification." For example, the receiving device can send a message to the authorizing agency (or associated server) that includes a signed or unsigned document, or one or more privileges claimed by the vehicle, and optionally the vehicle's identification information and / or the identification information of the signed or unsigned document. The authorizing agency (or associated server) can then respond to the receiving device and indicate whether the signed or unsigned document, or the privilege claimed by the vehicle, is authentic. In such cases, the unsigned document may only indicate a set of privileges (and priorities), the identification information of the unsigned document and / or the vehicle (e.g., name or number), and may not include additional information for authenticating the unsigned document, because the authentication can be performed in real time through the interaction between the receiving device and the authorizing agency. To facilitate such interaction, the privileged vehicle can include the identification information of the authorizing agency when communicating the signed or unsigned document to the receiving device, or the signed or unsigned document can include the identification information of the authorizing agency as part of the signed or unsigned document. For such interactive verification to be secure, the receiving device may be configured using the identification information of a known and trusted authorizing agency (e.g., Internet address), and verification can only be performed if the authorizing agency indicated in the signed or unsigned document, or by the vehicle or device providing the signed or unsigned document, is one of the authorizing agencies configured in the receiving device.

[0034]

[0044] According to some embodiments where real-time document verification is used, the authorizing agency can maintain a log indicating the time when a signed or unsigned document was verified against a receiving device (e.g., RSU) in order to obtain some privilege. In embodiments where a fee is associated with the privilege, the log can be used to determine the corresponding fee (e.g., the fee can be billed later to the user or owner of the privileged vehicle).

[0035]

[0045] In some embodiments, the authorizing agency can limit the number of uses of a signed document to prevent overuse and maintain the value of the privilege. For example, the authorizing agency can have a predetermined limit on the number of signed documents for a particular privilege that it can provide or will provide. In some embodiments, when approaching this limit, the priorities associated with different privileges can be adjusted. For example, if the number of signed documents to be issued exceeds the predetermined limit for a particular privilege, the number of lower-priority privileges can be reduced and / or the lower-priority privileges can be cancelled.

[0036]

[0046] The type of user / vehicle to which the privilege is granted can vary depending on the desired functionality. Persistent users can include, for example, users who are permanently or over a long period of time granted privileges. These users can include, for example, VIPs, tourist vehicles, government / agency vehicles, transport vehicles, and / or others. In some embodiments, other users to whom the privilege is granted over a long period (e.g., one year or more) can be considered "persistent" users in some respects, such as when determining the priority associated with the granted privilege. In some embodiments, persistent users with privileges granted permanently (or over a long period) can be granted temporary privileges with a higher priority if a higher priority is required.

[0037]

[0047] Temporary users may include users who can be temporarily privileged over a more limited period (e.g., a single trip, one day / week / month, etc.). The priority associated with the temporary privilege can be need-based, depending on the purpose for which the privilege is sought. For example, a passenger who is late for a flight can contact the airline or the airport to obtain road privileges (e.g., at a monetary cost) in order to arrive at the airport on time. In this example, the airline or the airport can act as the privilege-granting authority and can be granted such authority by the government or local municipality. If payment for the privilege is received by the airline / airport, the airline / airport can transfer some or all of this payment to the government or local municipality. In another example, a university can issue road privileges to students during exam periods. In another example, a user (e.g., a driver) can pay an additional vehicle license or registration fee to obtain limited additional privileges, and / or a particular type of vehicle and / or the owner of the vehicle can receive an automatic set of privileges. For example, motorcycles and electric vehicles can be automatically granted the privilege of accessing HOV lanes.

[0038]

[0048] According to some embodiments, privileges and / or associated priorities can be updated, deleted, or relinquished after being granted to a vehicle, device, or user. This can be done, for example, by the vehicle or device in the case of an update or relinquishment, or by a server of the privilege-granting authority. According to some embodiments, the server of the privilege-granting authority can track a first vehicle to which a privilege has been assigned using information from sources such as an RSU, the first vehicle itself, or other vehicles. The server can also consider additional information such as the number of vehicles with higher priorities and / or higher privileges on a designated route for the first vehicle and / or near the first vehicle that may delay the first vehicle. If the server determines that the first vehicle may be delayed beyond a known travel time or target, the server can upgrade the privilege and / or priority, for example, by providing an updated signed document to the first vehicle or a device associated with the first vehicle. Upgrading the privilege and / or priority can incur an additional charge to the user. The additional charge can be based on several factors such as the degree of upgrade of the privilege and / or priority, the number of other vehicles having similar privileges and / or priorities, etc.

[0039]

[0049] According to some embodiments, granting privileges by the methods described herein can enable privileged vehicles to receive faster movement on highways and arterial roads. For example, in an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle with appropriate privileges (e.g., "express" or priority lane access) can be moved to a less congested lane, while a vehicle without such privileges can be moved out of these lanes. In a manually operated vehicle with a driver warning function, when a lane is occupied by one or more vehicles having privileges, the driver of a non-privileged vehicle can be warned to exit the lane or not enter the lane. On the other hand, in a manually operated vehicle, the driver of a vehicle with appropriate privileges can be provided with assistance in lane changes, such as being advised which lane to move into on an arterial road and when to change lanes.

[0040]

[0050] Many of the foregoing aspects regarding the granting and use of privileges have been described with respect to road vehicles or ground vehicles (e.g., traffic scenario 100 of FIG. 1), but many of these aspects can be applied to non-road vehicles and / or non-ground vehicles as well as other uses. As described above, other uses can include aerial vehicles, marine vehicles, or space vehicles.

[0041]

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a scenario related to aerial vehicles in general, provided to illustrate some aspects that may be specific to aerial vehicle applications. FIG. 2 shows an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 210 (e.g., a commercial or personal drone), but the aspects described herein with respect to aerial vehicles can be applied to other types of aerial vehicles, including manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (e.g., helicopters, airplanes, gliders, balloons, etc.).

[0042]

[0052] Embodiments can be extended to aerial vehicles in a manner similar to how privileges / permissions related to movement / operation can be granted to ground vehicles to reduce delays in movement (e.g., as described with respect to FIG. 1). In particular, specific privileges / permissions for flight can be granted to aerial vehicles by a relevant privilege-granting authority. In the case of aerial vehicles, the privilege-granting authority can include a government, a government agency, a local authority, or other entity having jurisdiction over aerial movement. The privileges can be granted based on various factors such as priority, requirements, purpose of movement, type of aerial vehicle, etc. For example, different types of aerial vehicles can be given different types of privileges. These types can include, for example, military and government aerial vehicles, commercial aerial vehicles, civilian aerial vehicles, aerial vehicles related to agriculture, forestry, mining, or public safety, etc.

[0043]

[0053] In addition to many of the types of privileges described above with respect to road vehicles (e.g., relaxed speed limits, access to specific lanes / routes, etc.), there can be other privileges that may be specific to aerial movement. For example, different restrictions may apply to aerial movement over a particular area, and privileges may grant exceptions to some of these restrictions.

[0044]

[0054] According to some embodiments, different types of areas can impose different standardized restrictions on air travel across such areas. In an example having eight area types, the areas can be defined as follows. Area 0: Airport, landing site, runway Area 1: Military area / confidential area (such as presidential palace, Ministry of National Defense, etc.) Area 2: School / hospital Area 3: Dense urban area Area 4: Residential area Area 5: Large gathering area such as park, theme park, etc. Area 6: Urban area Area 7: Others (e.g., rural area).

[0045]

[0055] Different restrictions may be applied to different types of areas, and some types are more restrictive than others. In this example, area types 0 - 3 can be much more restrictive regarding air travel than area types 4 - 7.

[0046]

[0056] Additional factors can determine which type of area (or, more generally, which type of air travel restriction) can be applied. This can include, for example, whether the area includes private / public land in rural, suburban, or urban areas. Based on the rights of the applicable landowner, a private landowner can enforce the minimum altitude at which an aerial vehicle can fly over private land. Some restrictions including such minimum altitude limits can be lifted upon payment of the applicable fees (such as access fees).

[0047]

[0057] Returning to FIG. 2, for example, different area types include dense urban area 220, hospital area 230, and rural area 240. Dense urban area 220 may include high-rise buildings and other obstacles that can result in restrictions on any air movement or at least any area movement below a relatively high minimum altitude 250 (e.g., 300 - 2000 feet depending on the height of the buildings). Hospital area 230 has fewer restrictions and is restricted for air movement below a relatively low minimum altitude 260 (e.g., 100 - 200 feet). Rural area 240, which may include non-occupied public land or private land, can have even fewer restrictions and, if any, is restricted for air movement below a relatively low minimum altitude 260. When aerial vehicle 210 passes boundary 270 from one area to another, different restrictions may apply and (in some cases) the privilege of air movement may be obtained from different authorizing agencies.

[0048]

[0058] Different privileges may be applied to different areas. For example, in dense urban area 220, privileges can be given for flights below a relatively high minimum altitude 250, or even below a relatively low minimum altitude 260. This can enable commercial delivery drones to deliver payloads to destinations within dense urban area 220, for example, or helicopters to land on and take off from the rooftops of buildings. These privileges can be restricted to a specific airspace immediately above the target location. Regarding hospital area 230, which may have air movement related to medical helicopters arriving at and / or departing from the hospital, aerial vehicle 210 may be granted the privilege to fly above the hospital area (e.g., above the relatively low minimum altitude 260) during periods when the flight of medical helicopters is not expected. Regarding rural area 240, privileges to fly below a minimum altitude (e.g., the relatively low minimum altitude 260) at a specific time can be given based on payment of fees, etc.

[0049]

[0059] According to some embodiments, when determining whether to grant a particular permission to an aerial vehicle, the authorizing authority may take into account different aspects of the movement, characteristics, and / or capabilities of the aerial vehicle. These aspects may include, for example, the weight of the aerial vehicle and / or its payload, the area / distance the aerial vehicle intends to move, the speed at which the aerial vehicle moves, the maximum time the aerial vehicle can stay in the air based on fuel / battery level and / or thermal capacity, the maximum altitude at which the aerial vehicle can move, the aerial vehicle and / or other conditions that may have an impact (e.g., generated noise, durability, etc.), or a combination thereof. When requesting permission from the authorizing authority, the aerial vehicle may share this information with the authorizing authority, along with other details that the authorizing authority may require (e.g., departure location, destination, etc.).

[0050]

[0060] General details regarding the process of requesting and granting privileges for vehicle movement (of any vehicle type) that embodiments may employ are described below with respect to FIGS. 4 - 9. However, with respect to an aerial vehicle, an exemplary process may proceed as follows. First, permissions related to aerial movement may be requested and obtained by the aerial vehicle or an entity associated therewith (e.g., an aerial vehicle controller). This can be done before and / or during flight. The aerial vehicle can interact with the controller (e.g., using direct and / or indirect wireless RF communication) to provide position and flight details and receive instructions (e.g., to proceed, or to stay at its position / return to the origin). In some embodiments, the controller can interact with the authorizing authority. In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle can directly interact with the authorizing authority.

[0051]

[0061] In some cases, the permission can be modified or cancelled during flight depending on different situations. The modification or cancellation of the permission can be based on, for example, a change in requirements or a dynamic change in the relevant rules. For example, if an emergency occurs for one or more aerial vehicles in the area, the privileges for a particular other UAV that has already been assigned can be cancelled by the privilege-granting authority or the relevant server, for example, by sending an updated signed document from the server to each of the other UAVs, or by sending an instruction from the server to each of the other UAVs indicating that the already assigned signed document has been cancelled. If a sudden emergency occurs during flight for an aerial vehicle, or if there is a delay in the flight schedule, the aerial vehicle can, for example, appropriately respond to the emergency (e.g., land as soon as possible, etc.) or request additional permission and / or a higher priority from the privilege-granting authority in order to catch up with the flight schedule.

[0052]

[0062] As described above, different permissions can be applied to airspaces over different types of areas. Further, permissions can be received / denied, cancelled, or modified before or during flight. The permissions requested and granted can relate to flight to a specific area (e.g., latitude / longitude permission), flight at a specific altitude / above / below a specific altitude (altitude permission), flight at a specific speed (speed or velocity permission), flight along a specific route, takeoff from a specific location and / or landing at a specific location, carriage (or non-carriage) of specific cargo, or combinations thereof. Further, as mentioned, the granting of such permissions can be based in part on various characteristics related to the type of the aerial vehicle, its capabilities, the intended movement route, aerospace constraints, etc. For example, speed or velocity-based permissions can be granted to enable the aerial vehicle to reach its destination by a specific desired time. Permissions that enable the aerial vehicle to move at a lower altitude and at a lower speed (e.g., along a route over an uncongested area) can be granted to an aerial vehicle carrying heavy loads. Permissions that enable a relatively noisy aerial vehicle to move along a route over an uncongested area may be preferred over permissions that enable movement near a school or hospital. However, during holidays, permissions may be given for movement over a school or other area that is closed on holidays. Other time-based permissions can include the requirement for movement at a higher altitude at night or during the day, depending on the area, to reduce noise.

[0053]

[0063] As described above, the purpose of the movement can affect which permissions are granted. An aerial vehicle moving in an urgent emergency situation (e.g., carrying important drugs, medical supplies, critically injured persons, etc.) can be given a high priority with permission to move at any speed at a low altitude. On the other hand, an aerial vehicle moving for a non-emergency purpose can be given a relatively low priority with a higher minimum altitude limit. Other restrictions on speed, altitude, etc. can be applied when the purpose of the movement is less urgent.

[0054]

[0064] The denial of permission can also be based on any of a variety of factors. The authorizing agency can deny permission if it determines that a particular requested permission would result in an unsafe movement. The denial can be based on, for example, the capabilities of the aerial vehicle, current weather conditions (wind, rain, fog, smoke, smog, etc.), current battery / fuel levels, etc. The presence of other aerial vehicles can also play a role in denying permission if granting permission would increase the likelihood of a collision between aerial vehicles to a dangerous level.

[0055]

[0065] Similar to the example of road traffic described above, priorities can also play a role. For example, the purpose of the movement and the type of aerial vehicle can play a role in the priority of the decision. Specifically, when granting a particular permission, a particular type of aerial vehicle (e.g., military and government aerial vehicles) can be given priority over other types of aerial vehicles (e.g., civilian aerial vehicles). In addition to or instead of this, a particular permission can have an associated priority, which can also be based on the type of aerial vehicle, purpose, etc. Thus, in scenarios with particularly high traffic, aerial vehicles with a lower priority cannot access the same area / altitude as aerial vehicles with a higher priority.

[0056]

[0066] Figure 3 is a top - down view of an exemplary scenario in which a document signed when granting permission related to a water (or ocean) vehicle navigating a waterway can be used. Generally speaking, an authorizing agency (e.g., a port authority, a coastal guard, etc.) can establish and manage the movement of water vehicles (e.g., commercial, government, and / or recreational ships and boats) in various waterways. The various routes within the waterway can be established for different types of use, including mixed - use routes.

[0057]

[0067] In the scenario shown in FIG. 3, a loaded cargo ship 310 sailing towards the dock 320 and / or an empty cargo ship 330 sailing away from the dock 320 can receive permission to sail between the dock 320. In particular, the central route 340 within the waterway where the cargo ships are permitted to move may not be wide enough to allow the loaded cargo ship 310 to sail past the empty cargo ship 330 and reach the dock 320. The authorizing authority can, therefore, grant permission to allow the loaded cargo ship 310 and / or the empty cargo ship 330 to temporarily enter the dock approach route 350 and / or the non-commercial route 360, enabling the ships to pass each other. To grant permission in a safe manner, the authorizing authority can track the positions of all water vehicles within the area. This can include knowing the position of the non-cargo water vehicle 370 and, in some cases, warning the non-cargo ship 370 of the permission given to the loaded cargo ship 310 and / or the empty cargo ship 330 to temporarily enter the non-commercial route 360.

[0058]

[0068] Some embodiments can be used for applications other than road vehicles, water vehicles, and aerial vehicles. For example, a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite may be able to change its position or orbit (e.g., to avoid collisions with other satellites or objects heading into space). Using the techniques provided herein, embodiments can enable changing a position and / or an orbit or requesting authorization related to other movement by a satellite and / or other space vehicle.

[0059]

[0069] It should be further noted that applicable RF communications related to a particular application can be utilized in such applications. As shown herein, V2X can be used for road traffic applications. Alternative RF communication technologies can be utilized for alternative applications related to aerial vehicles, water vehicles, and / or space vehicles.

[0060]

[0070] Figure 4 is a message flow diagram of a process for requesting and granting vehicle privileges for any of a variety of applications, including applications for road vehicles, water (or marine) vehicles, air vehicles, and space vehicles, as described herein. Optional operations are indicated by dotted / dashed lines. In this example, a vehicle 405 (e.g., a road vehicle, water vehicle, air vehicle, or space vehicle) can communicate with a privilege-granting authority 410 via one or more intervening network devices 415. The network devices 415 can include cell towers, base stations, servers, repeaters, public and / or private data (and voice) communication networks (e.g., including wide area networks (WANs), the Internet, etc.), or combinations thereof. The types of network devices 415, networks, communication technologies, etc. can vary depending on the application. As described above, V2X can be used in some applications including applications for road vehicles. Additional or alternative wireless communication standards can be utilized, for example, in marine and / or aerospace applications. The vehicle 405 can correspond to a part of the vehicle or, in some cases, a device (e.g., a UE) associated with the vehicle (e.g., a device belonging to or carried by a vehicle operator or passenger).

[0061]

[0071] As shown in block 420, the process can start with an optional function of detecting a trigger event. As used herein, a trigger event can include an event that triggers vehicle 405 to request a privilege-related permission from the authorizing agency 410 for movement. According to some embodiments, a trigger event can include a determination by vehicle 405 that without the necessary permission, vehicle 405 may not arrive at the destination at the desired time or may never arrive. This can occur before or during movement and is based on monitoring the current movement, traffic conditions, etc. Other trigger conditions can correspond to a change in the state of the vehicle (e.g., low fuel / battery, engine / motor failure, etc.), an emergency (e.g., of the vehicle or occupants), the need to move in a particular manner or along a particular route, or a combination thereof.

[0062]

[0072] In response to the trigger event, vehicle 405 can establish a data connection or session (e.g., a TCP / IP connection) with the authorizing agency 410, as indicated by arrow 425. The establishment of the data connection can be managed by applicable protocols and standards. Note that in some examples, there may already be a data connection established between vehicle 405 and the authorizing agency 410 before the detection of the trigger event in block 420. In such cases, the operation at arrow 425 may not be required.

[0063]

[0073] In some embodiments, vehicle 405 can further transmit vehicle characteristics and / or vehicle requirements, as indicated by arrows 430 and 435 respectively. As described above, an aerial vehicle can indicate characteristics such as weight, fuel level, noise level, cargo type, etc., and these characteristics can be considered by the authorizing agency 410 when determining whether to grant a particular permission. Vehicle requirements can include specific needs of the vehicle, such as delivering a load, moving along a particular route, or arriving at a destination on time. Again, these needs can be considered by the authorizing agency 410 when determining whether to grant a permission and which permission to grant.

[0064]

[0074] Although described above with respect to aerial vehicles, there are applications or embodiments that include other vehicle types, and for the determination of whether to grant a particular permission, vehicle 405 transmits vehicle characteristics, requirements, and / or other information to the authorizing agency 410. This can be the case, for example, in the aforementioned example where a personal road vehicle effectively becomes a temporary emergency vehicle for transporting a vulnerable person experiencing a medical emergency to an emergency treatment room or is granted a specific permission to function as a temporary emergency vehicle. In such a case, information regarding the type of medical emergency experienced by the vulnerable person may be provided, and that information may notify the urgency of the need to transport the vulnerable person to the emergency treatment room. Some medical emergencies can be more urgent than other medical emergencies. Thus, in a more urgent medical emergency, vehicle 405 may receive a permission (e.g., regarding maximum speed, a particular route, etc.) that enables it to arrive at the emergency treatment room more quickly than in a less urgent medical emergency.

[0065]

[0075] Next, vehicle 405 can send a privilege request, indicated by arrow 440, to the privilege-granting authority 410, and then this request (and any relevant information such as vehicle characteristics / requirements) can be used to determine whether to grant the privilege, as shown in block 445. As shown earlier, some permissions can be obtained at a monetary cost, in which case the privilege-granting authority 410 and the vehicle 405 can be involved in a financial transaction (not shown), in which case the privilege-granting authority 410 can contact a financial institution or can withdraw from a pre-funded account associated with the vehicle 405.

[0066]

[0076] According to some embodiments, operations 420-445 may be automatic, manual, or a combination thereof. That is, the detection of the trigger event at block 420, the subsequent communication between the vehicle 405 and the privilege-granting authority 410, and the decision to grant the privilege at block 445 can be automatically performed by a computer server operating in place of the vehicle 405 (e.g., a UE embedded in the vehicle or another UE located in the same location as the vehicle) and the privilege-granting authority 410 without human input. However, alternatively, some or all of these operations may be performed manually (e.g., with at least some human intervention). Returning to the example where the permission enables a normal passenger vehicle to effectively become a temporary emergency vehicle or function as a temporary emergency vehicle, a human user can detect a health emergency (trigger event) of a vulnerable person and call an emergency service dispatcher (privilege-granting authority). The caller may also provide the emergency service dispatcher with information that enables the emergency service dispatcher to determine whether to grant the permission, such as details regarding the emergency, identification information of the caller and / or the vulnerable person, details regarding the vehicle (license plate number / characteristics / requirements), etc. The person at the emergency service dispatcher can, like an emergency vehicle, decide to grant the vehicle a permission that enables the vehicle to exceed speed limits and receive green lights, etc. (Again, this can be limited to a specific period and a set of specific routes or alternative routes.)

[0067]

[0077] As indicated by arrow 450, the authorization agency 410 can then create a signed document and transfer it (e.g., electronically) to the vehicle 405 (or a device located within the vehicle). Optionally, as indicated by arrow 455, the vehicle 405 may send a confirmation response to the authorization agency. As will be described in detail below, the signed document can be provided in various forms that can vary depending on the type of vehicle, permissions, etc. Generally, the format can include information such as the identification information of the authorization agency 410, the identification information of the vehicle 405, any time permissions granted, the description or identification information of the permissions and privileges granted in block 445, the expiration time of the permissions and privileges, the priority of the permissions and privileges, and / or the priority of the vehicle 405, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, information regarding the route of the vehicle 405 (e.g., a geopolygon or a series of identified roads) may be included in the signed document.

[0068]

[0078] Upon receiving the signed document, the vehicle 405 can (e.g., optionally) be configured based on the details and content of the signed document as shown in block 460. This configuration can include changing the operation (e.g., adjusting the route, speed, etc.) and configuring the wireless communication interface to send the signed document to other vehicles / devices 465.

[0069]

[0079] As shown in block 470, vehicle 405 also communicates the signed document to other vehicles / devices 465. As described above, this communication may be unicast, groupcast / multicast, or broadcast, and may utilize appropriate RF technologies and related protocols and standards, such as those that support V2X, proximity-based services (ProSe) defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), sidelink RF signaling, etc. The other vehicles / devices 465 can then verify the signed document. For example, each of the other vehicles / devices 465 can verify the digital signature included in the signed document using the public key provided and authenticated by one or more digital certificates included in the signed document. Alternatively, in 450 and block 470, if an unsigned document rather than a signed document is transferred, each of the other vehicles / devices 465 can verify the unsigned document using real-time document verification as described above herein. The other vehicles / devices 465 can then respond accordingly (e.g., change lanes, flight paths, waterways or altitude, adjust traffic lights, etc.) to enable vehicle 405 to exercise one or more of its granted privileges.

[0070]

[0080] Figure 5 is an extension and variation of the message flow diagram of FIG. 4, and all processes can be automatically (e.g., without potential human intervention) executed by electronic devices such as vehicle 505 (which may correspond to vehicle 405), privilege-granting authority 510 (which may correspond to privilege-granting authority 410), network device 515 (which may correspond to network device 415), and other vehicle / devices 520 (which may correspond to other vehicle / devices 465). Here, vehicle 505 can request privileges from privilege-granting authority 510 using any of various data channels, as shown in block 525. This includes wireless communication, email, text (SMS), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) calls, dedicated or proprietary channels for privilege requests, etc. For example, an international delivery service using drones can access privilege-granting authority 510 for a specific delivery vehicle 505 using a dedicated communication interface, an application programming interface (API) call (e.g., when interfacing with the computer server of privilege-granting authority 510), etc.

[0071]

[0081] Note that in some embodiments, there may be a seamless transition between making a voice call to privilege-granting authority 510 (e.g., from vehicle 505) to request privileges and receiving a signed document from privilege-granting authority 510 to prove the privileges via another medium. In some embodiments, for example, a mobile phone associated with vehicle 505 can be used to request privileges, and then privilege-granting authority 510 can send the signed document to the mobile phone (e.g., via SMS, email, TCP / IP, an application, etc.). Then, the mobile phone can be used within vehicle 505 to send the signed document to other vehicle / devices 520. Alternatively, the mobile phone may transfer the signed document to vehicle 505 (e.g., using an application) via a wired or wireless technology such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, etc.

[0072]

[0082] Similar to other examples provided in this specification, vehicle 505 can determine a privilege-granting authority 510 to which to send a privilege request based on the position and / or intended route of vehicle 505, and the corresponding authority having jurisdiction over the position / intended route. If the intended route is covered by multiple jurisdictions, vehicle 505 can send multiple privilege requests to multiple privilege-granting authorities (e.g., it can repeat the operations shown in block 525).

[0073]

[0083] The determination to grant privileges at block 530, the transmission of a signed document indicating the privileges shown by arrow 535, and the communication of the signed document to other vehicles / devices at block 540 can each proceed in a manner similar to the corresponding operations in FIG. 4. In some embodiments, at arrow 535, the data channel used to send the signed document may be the same as the data channel used to request privileges at block 525. For example, the signed document can be sent using the communication channel established when requesting privileges. Again, this can include wireless communication, email, text (SMS), SIP, TCP / IP, a dedicated or proprietary protocol and / or channel for privilege requests, etc.

[0074]

[0084] Figure 6 shows exemplary text data based on XML that can be included as part of a signed document to indicate permissions or privileges assigned to a vehicle or a device associated with the vehicle, according to one embodiment. Here, the text data includes the identification information (tel: 0629481198) of the user associated with the vehicle and the time when the permission was assigned. The data also includes an expiration time and a route (indicated by a series of latitude / longitude positions) applicable to the permission. The permission includes an increased maximum travel speed (120 mph) and an increased priority level (VIP). Of course, in different examples, it may include different data (e.g., reflecting different permissions, different users, etc.), and different embodiments may use different formatting / structures to transmit the permission data.

[0075]

[0085] In embodiments that enable the vehicle to effectively become a temporary emergency vehicle, a format identical or similar to that shown in Figure 6 can be used to transmit the permission. According to some embodiments, the permission and the signed document can generally be embedded in a single data structure described as follows when based on ASN.1 encoding.

[0076]

Table 1

[0077]

[0086] Here, the token can include a text, octet, or binary string indicating the privilege provided by the privilege-granting authority, the period can indicate the validity period of the privilege, the destinationName can indicate the destination of the vehicle, the geoPolygon can indicate the geographical area where the privilege is valid, the signature can include a digital signature of other parameters (e.g., a digital signature of a binary string or octet string including the token, the period, the destinationName, and the geoPolygon), and the certificate can include one or more digital certificates that provide and authenticate the public key used for the signature.

[0078]

[0087] According to some embodiments, the above data structure can be included in a message such as an emergency Vehicle Alert (EVA) message, which is sent by a privileged authority to a vehicle granted permission to become a temporary emergency vehicle and then transmitted by this vehicle to other devices such as other vehicles and RSUs. EVA can be a wireless message defined in the relevant V2X standard that an emergency vehicle can send to other vehicles and devices using V2X. Conventionally, private vehicles do not have the function of an emergency vehicle. However, using the permission request and granting techniques provided herein, a privileged permission authority such as an emergency service center (e.g., PSAP / emergency service dispatcher) can permit a non-emergency vehicle to send an EVA (and / or equivalent) message. Also in this case, this permission can be associated with a specific time limit and / or a set of specific geopolygons / routes. With this permission, the vehicle can then directly send an EVA message to other vehicles / devices via V2X, thereby enabling various privileges for the vehicle as described herein.

[0079]

[0088] According to some embodiments, a vehicle can send an EVA message to an intervening device that can relay these messages and / or control other devices. In traffic scenario 100 of FIG. 1, for example, privileged vehicle 105 can send an EVA message to base station 125 via the Uu radio interface. The base station 125 can then wirelessly relay this EVA message to one or more other devices within its coverage area and / or to one or more remote devices (e.g., via the Internet).

[0080]

[0089] In an embodiment that enables a vehicle to effectively become a temporary emergency vehicle, the EVA message structure may be modified to enable this function. For example, the EVA message structure may be defined by a standard (e.g., SAE J2735), and the standard may be modified to enable the embodiments described herein.

[0081]

[0090] FIG. 7A shows an exemplary ASN.1-based EVA message structure that may be used in such an embodiment. Structure 700 shows the content of the modified EVA message. In addition to the data (e.g., timestamp, ID, details, etc.) included in a conventional EVA message, the modified EVA message may include a "basicType" parameter indicating the vehicle type, as well as signature parameters and certificate parameters as described above. According to an embodiment, when a passenger vehicle becomes a temporary emergency vehicle, the vehicle type may be set as "passenger vehicle" or the like. In the case of an emergency vehicle, the vehicle type (if this parameter is included) can be set as "emergency", "ambulance", "police", or the like.

[0082]

[0091] FIG. 7B shows an exemplary ASN.1-based modification to the "EmergencyDetails" parameter used in the EVA message of FIG. 7A. Here, in addition to the previously used parameters (e.g., sirenUse, lightsUse, etc.), EmergencyDetails can further include vehicleDetails and routeMap parameters. These parameters can provide information regarding the privileged vehicle and a route map associated with a route or set of routes that the privileged vehicle may need to move along, respectively. In this case as well, the route map can be defined using geopolygons. The vehicle details parameter can include identification information of the vehicle, including the vehicle identification number (VIN) or other ID and / or other identifying features (e.g., whether it is a passenger car / truck / van, color, type, model, etc.).

[0083]

[0092] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method 800 in a device for enabling permission regarding the operation of a vehicle according to an embodiment. As will be described in more detail below, the device can include a vehicle or a device associated with the vehicle, such as a mobile phone of a passenger or operator of the vehicle, or a device attached to the vehicle (e.g., a modem or a device within a vehicle system). The operations shown in Figure 8 may correspond to one or more operations performed by the vehicle or associated device in the foregoing embodiments. The means for performing the functions shown in one or more of the blocks shown in Figure 8 may be executed by hardware and / or software components of an electronic device, and this electronic device may be an independent device or may be integrated into a larger system or vehicle. Exemplary components of such a device are shown in Figure 10 and will be described in more detail below.

[0084]

[0093] The function of block 810 includes receiving, at the device, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions from a privilege-granting authority server, where the device includes a vehicle or an associated device, the associated device is associated with the vehicle, and the one or more permissions authorize the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle. As described above, the vehicle can include a road vehicle, an aerial vehicle, a marine vehicle, or a space vehicle. As shown in the foregoing embodiments, the privilege-granting authority server may be maintained by a privilege-granting authority and may be capable of communicating the signed document to the vehicle and / or other devices (e.g., via one or more network devices). The privilege-granting authority can include a government, an agency, or other entity that has jurisdiction over the operation of the vehicle along at least a portion of the route on which the vehicle has traveled, is traveling, or will travel.

[0085]

[0094] The device itself may comprise a vehicle or a subsystem thereof (e.g., a UE incorporated in the vehicle), or a device associated with the vehicle. As shown in the embodiments described above, the associated device may include a passenger's or operator's mobile phone or other device of the vehicle. More generally, the associated device may include a mobile device located in the same location as the vehicle (e.g., inside or on the vehicle). According to some embodiments, the associated device may be associated with the vehicle based on information obtained by an authorizing authority that associates the device with the vehicle. This information may be included in one or more permission requests, or may be provided separately, and can identify the vehicle (e.g., using a VIN and / or other identifier), the passenger / operator, and / or the associated device (e.g., using a unique ID such as a phone number, device ID / serial number, MAC address, etc.).

[0086]

[0095] Means for performing the functions in block 810 may include bus 1005, processor 1010, DSP 1020, wireless communication interface 1030, sensor 1040, memory 1060, and / or other components of device 1000, as shown in FIG. 10 and described below.

[0087]

[0096] The functionality of block 820 includes wirelessly transmitting a message including the signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle after receiving the signed document, and the wireless transmission of the message is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices according to one or more permissions. Here, the one or more additional devices may include receiving devices and / or vehicles that the vehicle may be able to respond to in order to exercise the granted permissions. As described in the foregoing embodiments, the receiving vehicle can move from the path of the privileged vehicle or access a specific dock or parking spot in order to allow the privileged vehicle to pass faster along the path. The receiving device may include an RSU and / or other infrastructure device that can change traffic signals, move toll booth arms, move or direct traffic, and / or change conditions in a way that allows the privileged vehicle to exercise its permission.

[0088]

[0097] The means for performing the functionality in block 820 may include bus 1005, processor 1010, DSP 1020, wireless communication interface 1030, sensor 1040, memory 1060, and / or other components of device 1000, as shown in and described below with reference to FIG. 10.

[0089]

[0098] Depending on the desired functionality, embodiments of method 800 can include one or more additional features. For example, as described above, the signed document can include instructions for one or more permissions and a digital signature. The digital signature can be based on a public-private key pair, the signed document can further include one or more digital certificates, and the one or more digital certificates indicate and authenticate the public key.

[0090]

[0099] According to some embodiments, method 800 can further include determining a trigger event for requesting one or more permissions and sending a request for one or more permissions from the device to the authorizing agency server, and receiving the signed document is in response to the request. As described in the embodiments above, the type of trigger event can vary depending on the application. For example, the trigger event can include the presence of an emergency, user input indicating a desire to obtain one or more permissions, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move along a particular route, to a particular destination, or at a particular time, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move in a particular manner, or a combination thereof.

[0091]

[0100] As described with respect to FIG. 4, a vehicle or device can send information to an authorizing agency so that the authorizing agency can determine whether to grant permission. Accordingly, some embodiments of method 800 can further include sending vehicle information from the device to the authorizing agency server before receiving the signed document. In such embodiments, the vehicle information can indicate one or more characteristics of the vehicle's operator or passengers, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The purpose of the movement and / or the status of the operator / passenger can affect the decision of whether to grant the signed document. Accordingly, one or more characteristics of the vehicle's operator or passengers can include VIP status, employment as a doctor, government authority, military authority, or public safety authority, having a medical condition, and / or performing important or emergency operations using the vehicle. In addition to or instead of this, one or more characteristics of the vehicle can include the weight of the vehicle, the size of the vehicle, the type of the vehicle, the manufacturer of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, the cargo of the vehicle, the maximum range of the vehicle, the maximum speed of the vehicle, the maximum altitude of the vehicle, or the noise level of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

[0092]

[0101] Here, the operation of the vehicle may be related to any type of action or movement that the vehicle can take during movement. Thus, according to some embodiments of method 800, one or more actions related to the operation of the vehicle include accessing a transportation route, flight area, road, or lane, accessing a preferred movement route, using a specific parking spot, landing location, dock position, or earth orbit, transporting a specific item or item type, moving to an alternative earth orbit, moving at a specific speed or speed range, moving at a specific altitude or altitude range, performing one or more maneuvers, or combinations thereof.

[0093]

[0102] Method 800 can include additional or alternative features described elsewhere in this specification. For example, one or more permissions may be temporary. The signed document can further indicate a priority level of one or more permissions. The device can wirelessly transmit a message to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle while the vehicle is moving along a route, and the selection of the route, the way the vehicle moves along the route, or both, is responsive to a response from one or more additional devices. According to some embodiments, the method further includes receiving an updated signed document from a privileged authority server, wirelessly transmitting the updated signed document from the device to a further additional device separate from the vehicle, and adjusting the route, adjusting the way the vehicle moves along the route, or both, in response to the receipt of the updated signed document or a response from a further additional vehicle.

[0094]

[0103] The message may comprise one or more V2X messages, one or more Proximity-based Services (ProSe) messages, one or more sidelink messages, or some combination thereof. Depending on the desired functionality, the message or the signed document (or both) can further include information indicating the vehicle's destination, the duration of one or more permissions, the vehicle's route, or a combination thereof. Wirelessly transmitting the message can include broadcasting the message, multicasting the message (e.g., to several receiving devices), or unicasting the message to a specific receiving device. Transmitting the message can include transmitting the message using ProSe communication or sidelink communication. According to some embodiments, method 800 can further include receiving, after transmitting the message, one or more confirmation responses of the receipt of the message from one or more additional devices.

[0095]

[0104] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method 900 in a privilege-granting authority server to enable a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, according to one embodiment. Again, the device can include a vehicle or a device associated with the vehicle. The operations shown in FIG. 9 can correspond to one or more operations performed by a privilege-granting authority server as described in the embodiments provided herein. The means for performing the functions shown in one or more of the blocks shown in FIG. 9 can be executed by hardware and / or software components of a computer system. An exemplary configuration of such a computer system is shown in FIG. 11, which is described in more detail below.

[0096]

[0105] The function of block 910 includes establishing a communication link between the privilege-granting authority server and the device, where the device includes a vehicle or a related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle. In this case too, depending on the application, the vehicle can include a road vehicle, an aerial vehicle, a marine vehicle, or a space vehicle. This application can further affect the communication technology used to establish the communication link. As shown previously, different types of communication links can be managed by different types of standards / protocols. The means for performing the function in block 910 can include, as shown in FIG. 11 and described below, bus 1105, processor 1110, DSP input device 1115, communication subsystem 1130, memory 1135, and / or other components of computer system 1100.

[0097]

[0106] The function of block 920 includes sending a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions from the privilege-granting authority server to the device, where the one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle, and the signed document is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices when wirelessly transmitted from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, such that the response can enable the vehicle to exercise its permission as described above.

[0098]

[0107] In some embodiments, the privilege-granting authority server can include in the signed document an indication of one or more permissions and a digital signature. The digital signature can be based on a public-private key pair, and the privilege-granting authority server can include in the signed document one or more digital certificates that indicate and authenticate the public key.

[0099]

[0108] As described herein, the determination of whether to grant one or more permissions can be based on any of a variety of factors. Thus, according to some embodiments, method 900 can further include determining to grant one or more permissions (e.g., as described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5) before transmitting the signed document, and determining to grant one or more permissions is at least partially based on weather conditions, emergency conditions related to the vehicle, the destination of the vehicle, the period during which the vehicle moves with one or more permissions, one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, or one or more requirements of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. In such embodiments, method 900 can further include determining a priority level for one or more permissions and including the priority level in the signed document. In addition to, or instead of, this, method 900 can include receiving, at the authorization authority server, a request for one or more permissions, and determining to grant one or more permissions can be in response to receiving the request for one or more permissions. In addition to, or instead of, this, method 900 can include receiving, at the authorization authority server, vehicle information related to the vehicle, and determining to grant one or more permissions is at least partially based on the vehicle information, where the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements related to the operation of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle can include VIP status, employment as a doctor, government authority, military authority, or public safety authority, having a medical condition, or performing important or emergency operations using the vehicle. For example, one or more characteristics of the vehicle can include the weight of the vehicle, the size of the vehicle, the type of the vehicle, the manufacturer of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, the cargo of the vehicle, the maximum range of the vehicle, the maximum speed of the vehicle, the maximum altitude of the vehicle, the loudness of the noise of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

[0100]

[0109] Means for performing the functions in block 920 can include bus 1105, processor 1110, DSP input device 1115, communication subsystem 1130, memory 1135, and / or other components of computer system 1100, as shown in FIG. 11 and described below.

[0101]

[0110] Embodiments can further use one or more additional features, depending on the desired functionality. For example, according to some embodiments, one or more operations related to the operation of a vehicle can include accessing a transportation route, flight area, road, or lane, accessing a preferred movement route, using a specific parking spot, landing location, or dock position, or an earth orbit, transporting a specific item or item type, moving to an alternative earth orbit, moving at a specific speed or speed range, moving at a specific altitude or altitude range, moving at a specific maneuver or maneuver range, or a combination thereof. Some embodiments of method 900 can further include determining to revoke one or more permissions after transmitting a signed document and transmitting, from a privilege-granting authority server to the device, a message indicating the revocation of one or more permissions. Here, determining to revoke one or more permissions can be based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle has arrived at a designated destination, a determination that the vehicle has left a designated movement route of the vehicle, an emergency condition affecting the designated movement route of the vehicle, a traffic condition affecting the designated movement route of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

[0102]

[0111] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an embodiment of device 1000, which can be used as part of a vehicle (e.g., the vehicle's electrical system) or as a related device (e.g., a mobile device, a cellular phone, or other UE) as described herein (e.g., in connection with FIGS. 1-9). For example, device 1000 can perform one or more of the functions of the method shown in FIG. 8 and / or more general functions of the devices, vehicles, and / or UEs described herein. It should be noted that FIG. 10 is only intended to provide a generalized view of various components, and any or all of those components can be utilized as needed. In some cases, it can be noted that the components shown in FIG. 10 can be localized in a single physical device and / or distributed among various networked devices that can be located at different physical locations. Further, as previously mentioned, the functions of the devices and vehicles described in the previously described embodiments can be performed by one or more of the hardware components and / or software components shown in FIG. 10.

[0103]

[0112] Device 1000 is shown that includes hardware elements that can be electrically coupled via bus 1005 (or may communicate otherwise as appropriate). The hardware elements can include, without limitation, one or more general purpose processors (e.g., application processors), one or more dedicated processors (such as digital signal processor (DSP) chips, graphics acceleration processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), and / or other processing structures or means, including processor(s) 1010. Processor(s) 1010 can include one or more processing units that can be housed in a single integrated circuit (IC) or multiple ICs. As shown in FIG. 10, some embodiments can have a separate DSP 1020 depending on the desired functionality. Location determination and / or other determinations based on wireless communication can be performed at processor(s) 1010 and / or wireless communication interface 1030 (described below). Device 1000 can also include one or more input devices 1070 that can include, without limitation, one or more keyboards, touchscreens, touch pads, microphones, buttons, dials, switches, etc., and one or more output devices 1015 that can include, without limitation, one or more displays (e.g., touchscreens), light emitting diodes (LEDs), speakers, etc.

[0104]

[0113] Device 1000 may also include, but is not limited to, a modem, a network card, an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a wireless communication interface 1030 such as a chipset (e.g., a Bluetooth (registered trademark) device, an IEEE 802.11 device, an IEEE 802.15.4 device, a Wi-Fi device, a WiMAX device, a WAN device, and / or various cellular devices), which may enable the mobile device 1000 to communicate with other devices as described above in this embodiment. As described herein, the wireless communication interface 1030 can enable data and signaling to be communicated (e.g., transmitted and received) with a wireless node of a network via, for example, an eNB, a gNB, an ng-eNB, an access point, various base stations and / or other access node types, and / or other network components, computer systems, and / or any other electronic devices communicatively coupled to a wireless node. The communication can be performed via one or more wireless communication antennas (singular or plural) 1032 that transmit and / or receive a wireless signal 1034. According to some embodiments, the wireless communication antenna(s) 1032 can include a plurality of individual antennas, an antenna array, or any combination thereof. The antenna(s) 1032 may be capable of transmitting and receiving wireless signals using beams (e.g., Tx beams and Rx beams). Beamforming may be performed using digital and / or analog beamforming techniques using respective digital and / or analog circuits. The wireless communication interface 1030 may include such circuits.

[0105]

[0114] Depending on the desired functionality, the wireless communication interface 1030 may include separate receivers and transmitters, or any combination of transmitters, receivers, and / or transceivers to communicate with base stations (e.g., ng-eNB and gNB) and other terrestrial transceivers such as wireless devices and access points. The device 1000 may communicate with different data networks that may include various network types. For example, a WWAN may be a CDMA network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) network, an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) network, a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) network, WiMax (IEEE802.16), etc. A CDMA network may implement one or more RATs such as CDMA2000®, WCDMA, etc. CDMA2000® includes the IS-95 standard, the IS-2000 standard, and / or the IS-856 standard. A TDMA network may implement GSM, Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (D-AMPS), or some other RAT. An OFDMA network may utilize LTE, LTE Advanced, 5G NR, etc. 5G NR, LTE, LTE Advanced, GSM, and WCDMA are described in documents from 3GPP. CDMA2000® is from the "3rd Generation Partnership Project 2" (3 rdIt is described in documents from an organization named Generation Partnership Project 2, 3GPP2). 3GPP documents and 3GPP2 documents are publicly available. A wireless local area network (WLAN) may also be an IEEE 802.11x network, and a wireless personal area network (WPAN) may be a Bluetooth network, IEEE 802.15x, or some other type of network. The techniques described herein may also be used for any combination of WWAN, WLAN, and / or WPAN.

[0106]

[0115] Device 1000 may further include sensor 1040. The sensor(s) 1040 can include, without limitation, one or more inertial sensors and / or other sensors (e.g., accelerometer(s), gyroscope(s), camera(s), magnetometer(s), altimeter(s), microphone(s), proximity sensor(s), optical sensor(s), barometer(s), etc.), some of which can be used to obtain position relationship measurements and / or other information.

[0107]

[0116] An embodiment of device 1000 may also include a GNSS receiver 1080 that can receive a signal 1084 from one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites using an antenna 1082 (which may be the same as antenna 1032). Positioning based on GNSS signal measurements can be utilized to complement and / or incorporate the techniques described herein. GNSS receiver 1080 can use conventional techniques to extract the position of device 1000 from GNSS satellites of GNSS systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLONASS, the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) over Japan, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) over India, and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) over China. Further, GNSS receiver 1080 can be enabled in other ways to associate with or use with various augmentation systems (e.g., Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS)), such as Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS), and Geo Augmented Navigation system (GAGAN), one or more global and / or regional navigation satellite systems.

[0108]

[0117] Although GNSS receiver 1080 is shown as a separate component in FIG. 10, it can be noted that the embodiments are not so limited. The term "GNSS receiver" as used herein may include hardware components and / or software components configured to obtain GNSS measurements (measurements from GNSS satellites). In some embodiments, therefore, the GNSS receiver may include a measurement engine (as software) executed by one or more processors, such as a processor (s) 1010, DSP 1020, and / or a processor within the wireless communication interface 1030 (e.g., within a modem). The GNSS receiver may optionally also include a positioning engine, which can use GNSS measurements from the measurement engine to determine the position of the GNSS receiver using, for example, an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), Weighted Least Squares (WLS), a Hatch filter, a particle filter, etc. The positioning engine can also be executed by one or more processors such as processor (s) 1010 or DSP 1020.

[0109]

[0118] Device 1000 may further include and / or communicate with a memory 1060. The memory 1060 may include, without limitation, solid state storage devices such as random access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM) that may be local and / or network accessible storage, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, programmable, flash updatable, etc. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data store, including, without limitation, various file systems, database structures, etc.

[0110]

[0119] The memory 1060 of device 1000 may also include software elements (not shown in FIG. 10) including other code such as an operating system, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or one or more application programs, and the one or more application programs may include computer programs provided by various embodiments and / or be designed to implement the methods provided by other embodiments as described herein and / or configure the system. By way of example only, one or more of the procedures described above with respect to the method may be implemented as code and / or instructions in memory 1060 executable by device 1000 (and / or processor 1010 or DSP 1020 within device 1000). In some embodiments, such code and / or instructions may then be used to configure and / or adapt a general-purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or more operations in accordance with the described method.

[0111]

[0120] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system 1100 that can be used in whole or in part to provide the functionality of one or more network components (e.g., servers) described in embodiments herein. For example, computer system 1100 can perform one or more of the functions of the method shown in FIG. 9 and / or the more general functions of the entitlement server described herein. It should be noted that FIG. 11 is only intended to provide a generalized view of the various components, and any or all of those components may be utilized as needed. Thus, FIG. 11 broadly shows how individual system elements can be implemented in a relatively separated or relatively more integrated manner. Additionally, note that the components shown in FIG. 11 can be localized to a single device and / or distributed among various networked devices located in different geographical locations.

[0112]

[0121] A computer system 1100 is shown that includes hardware elements that can be electrically coupled via a bus 1105 (or may communicate otherwise as needed). The hardware elements may include, without limitation, one or more general-purpose processors, one or more dedicated processors (such as digital signal processing chips, graphics acceleration processors, etc.), and / or processors (singular or plural) 1110 that can include other processing structures configured to execute one or more of the methods described herein. The computer system 1100 may also include one or more input devices 1115, which may include, without limitation, a mouse, keyboard, camera, microphone, etc., and one or more output devices 1120, which may include, without limitation, a display device, printer, etc.

[0113]

[0122] The computer system 1100 may further include (and / or communicate with) one or more non-transitory storage devices 1125, which may include, without limitation, local and / or network-accessible storage, and / or may include solid-state storage devices such as RAM and / or ROM, which may be, without limitation, a disk drive, drive array, optical storage device, programmable, flash updatable, etc. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data store, including, without limitation, various file systems, database structures, etc. Such a data store may include databases (singular or plural) and / or other data structures used to store and manage messages and / or other information to be sent to one or more devices via a hub, as described herein.

[0114]

[0123] Computer system 1100 may also include a communication subsystem 1130. The communication subsystem 1030 may include wireless communication technologies managed and controlled by a wireless communication interface 1133, as well as wired technologies (such as Ethernet, coaxial communication, universal serial bus (USB), etc.). The wireless communication interface 1133 may include one or more wireless transceivers that can transmit and receive wireless signals 1155 (e.g., signals by 5G NR or LTE) via a wireless antenna(s) 1150. Thus, the communication subsystem 1130 may comprise a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a chipset, etc., which enable the computer system 1100 to communicate with any device on each network, including user equipment (UE), base stations and / or other TRPs, and / or any other electronic device described herein, on any of the communication networks described herein. Thus, the communication subsystem 1130 may be used to receive and transmit data as described in the embodiments of this specification.

[0115]

[0124] In many embodiments, computer system 1100 will further include a working memory 1135 that may include a RAM device or a ROM device, as described above. Software elements shown as being located within working memory 1135 may include an operating system 1140, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code such as one or more applications 1145, which may include computer programs provided by various embodiments, as described herein, and / or may be designed to implement methods provided by other embodiments and / or configure systems provided by other embodiments. By way of example only, one or more procedures described with respect to the method(s) described above may be implemented as code and / or instructions executable by a computer (and / or a processor within the computer), and in one aspect, such code and / or instructions may then be used to configure and / or adapt a general-purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or more operations in accordance with the described method.

[0116]

[0125] These sets of instructions and / or code may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as the above-described memory device(s) 1125. In some cases, the storage medium may be incorporated within a computer system such as computer system 1100. In other embodiments, the storage medium may be separate from the computer system (e.g., a removable medium such as an optical disk) and / or may be provided in an installation package so that it can be used to program, configure, and / or adapt a general-purpose computer using the instructions / code stored thereon. These instructions may take the form of executable code executable by computer system 1100 and / or may take the form of source and / or installable code, which, when compiled and / or installed on computer system 1100 (e.g., using any of various generally available compilers, installation programs, compression / decompression utilities, etc.), then takes the form of executable code.

[0117]

[0126] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantial variations may be made in accordance with specific requirements. For example, customized hardware may also be used and / or certain elements may be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software such as applets), or both. Additionally, connections to other computer systems such as network input / output devices may be utilized.

[0118]

[0127] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a component that can include a memory can include a non-transitory machine-readable medium. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any storage medium involved in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a particular manner. In the embodiments provided above, various machine-readable media may be involved in providing instructions / codes to a processor and / or other device(s) for execution. Additionally or alternatively, a machine-readable medium may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / codes. In many implementations, a computer-readable medium is a physical and / or tangible storage medium. Such a medium can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic and / or optical media, any other physical media having a pattern of holes, RAM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium that a computer can read instructions and / or codes from.

[0119]

[0128] The methods, systems, and devices described herein are examples. Various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as needed. For example, features described with respect to some embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of embodiments may be combined as well. The various components of the figures provided herein may be embodied in hardware and / or software. Also, technology evolves, and thus, many of the elements are examples that do not limit the scope of the present disclosure to their specific examples.

[0120]

[0129] For reasons mainly related to general usage, it has been found that it is sometimes convenient to refer to such signals as bits, information, values, elements, symbols, characters, variables, terms, numbers, numerical values, etc. However, it should be understood that all of these or similar terms should be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless otherwise specified, as is clear from the above description, throughout this specification, descriptions using terms such as "process", "calculate", "compute", "determine", "confirm", "specify", "associate", "measure", "execute", etc. clearly refer to actions or processes of specific devices such as dedicated computers or similar dedicated electronic computing devices. Therefore, in the context of this specification, a dedicated computer or similar dedicated electronic computing device can operate or transform signals generally represented as physical electrical, electronic, or magnetic quantities within the memory, registers, or other information storage devices, transmission devices, or display devices of the dedicated computer or similar dedicated electronic computing device.

[0121]

[0130] The terms "and" and "or" as used in this specification may include various meanings that are also expected to depend at least in part on the context in which such terms are used. Generally, "or" is intended to mean A, B, and C when used to associate a list such as A, B, or C, where it is used in an inclusive sense here, and A, B, or C where it is used in an exclusive sense here. In addition, the term "one or more" as used in this specification may be used to represent any feature, structure, or property in the singular form, or may be used to represent some combination of features, structures, or properties. However, it should be noted that this is only an exemplary example and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Further, the term "at least one of" when used to associate a list such as A, B, or C can be interpreted to mean any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, AB, AA, AAB, AABBCCC, etc.

[0122]

[0131] While several embodiments have been described, various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the above elements may be merely components of a larger system, and other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of various embodiments. Also, some steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Therefore, the above description does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0123]

[0132] In view of this description, embodiments may include different combinations of features. Example implementations are described in the following numbered clauses. Clause 1. A method in a device for enabling permissions related to operation of a vehicle, the method including: receiving, at the device, from a privilege-granting authority server, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions, wherein the device includes the vehicle or an associated device, the associated device being associated with the vehicle, the one or more permissions authorizing the vehicle to perform one or more actions related to operation of the vehicle; and, after receiving the signed document, wirelessly transmitting a message including the signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, wherein the wireless transmission of the message is configured to elicit a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more permissions. Clause 2. The method of clause 1, wherein the signed document includes one or more authorization indications and a digital signature. Clause 3. The method of clause 2, wherein the digital signature is based on a public-private key pair and the signed document further includes one or more digital certificates, the one or more digital certificates indicating and authenticating the public key. Clause 4. A method according to any one of clauses 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle comprises a road vehicle, an air vehicle, a marine vehicle or a space vehicle. The method according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, further comprising determining a trigger event for requesting one or more permissions and sending a request for one or more permissions from the device to the authorizing agency server, and receiving a signed document is a response to the request. Clause 6. The trigger event includes the existence of an emergency, user input indicating a desire to obtain one or more permissions, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move along a specific route, to a specific destination, or at a specific time, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move in a specific manner, or a combination thereof, as described in clause 5. Clause 7. The method according to any one of clauses 1 to 6, further comprising sending vehicle information from the device to the authorizing agency server before receiving the signed document, where the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of the vehicle operator or passengers, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof. Clause 8. One or more characteristics of the vehicle operator or passengers include VIP status, employment as a doctor, government authority, military authority, or public safety authority, having a medical condition, performing important or emergency operations using the vehicle, or a combination thereof, as described in clause 7. Clause 9. One or more characteristics of the vehicle include the weight of the vehicle, the size of the vehicle, the type of the vehicle, the manufacturer of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, the cargo of the vehicle, the maximum range of the vehicle, the maximum speed of the vehicle, the maximum altitude of the vehicle, the noise level of the vehicle, or a combination thereof, as described in any one of clauses 7 to 8. Clause 10. One or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle include accessing a transportation route, flight area, road, or lane, accessing a priority movement route, using a specific parking spot, landing location, dock position, or earth orbit, transporting a specific item or item type, moving to an alternative earth orbit, moving at a specific speed or speed range, moving at a specific altitude or altitude range, performing one or more maneuvers, or a combination thereof, as described in any one of clauses 7 to 9. Clause 11. One or more permissions are temporary, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 10. Clause 12. A signed document further indicates the priority level of one or more permissions, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 11. Clause 13. While the vehicle is moving along a route, the device wirelessly transmits a message to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, and the selection of the route, the manner in which the vehicle moves along the route, or both is in response to a response from one or more additional devices, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 12. Clause 14. Further includes receiving an updated signed document from a privilege-granting agency server, wirelessly transmitting the updated signed document from the device to a further additional device separate from the vehicle, and adjusting the route, adjusting the manner in which the vehicle moves along the route, or both in response to receiving the updated signed document or a response from a further additional vehicle, in the method described in Clause 13. Clause 15. The message includes one or more vehicle-to-everything (V2X) messages, one or more proximity-based service (ProSe) messages, one or more sidelink messages, or some combination thereof, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 14. Clause 16. The message or signed document further includes information indicating the destination of the vehicle, the duration of one or more permissions, the route of the vehicle, or a combination thereof, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 15. Clause 17. Wirelessly transmitting the message includes broadcasting the message, multicasting the message, or transmitting the message to a specific receiving device via unicast, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 16. Clause 18. Transmitting the message includes transmitting the message using proximity-based service (ProSe) communication or sidelink communication, in the manner described in any one of Clauses 1 through 17. The method according to any one of clauses 1 to 18, further comprising receiving, after sending a message, one or more confirmation responses of the receipt of the message from one or more additional devices. A method in a privilege-granting authority server for enabling a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, the method comprising establishing a communication link between the privilege-granting authority server and the device, wherein the device comprises a vehicle or a related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle; and sending, from the privilege-granting authority server to the device, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions, wherein the one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle, and the signed document is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices according to the one or more permissions when wirelessly transmitted from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle. The method according to clause 20, further comprising including in the signed document one or more permission instructions and a digital signature. The method according to clause 21, wherein the digital signature is based on a public key-private key pair and further comprises including in the signed document one or more digital certificates, and the one or more digital certificates indicate and authenticate the public key. The vehicle according to any one of clauses 20 to 22, including a road vehicle, an aerial vehicle, a marine vehicle, or a space vehicle. The method according to any one of clauses 20 to 23, further comprising determining, before sending the signed document, to grant one or more permissions, wherein determining to grant one or more permissions is at least partially based on weather conditions, emergency conditions related to the vehicle, the destination of the vehicle, the period during which the vehicle moves with one or more permissions, one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The method according to clause 24, further comprising determining the priority level of one or more permissions and including the priority level in the signed document. The method according to any one of clauses 24 to 25, further comprising receiving, at the authorizing agency server, a request for one or more permissions, wherein determining to grant one or more permissions is in response to receiving the request for one or more permissions. The method according to any one of clauses 24 to 26, further comprising receiving, at the authorizing agency server, vehicle information regarding the vehicle, wherein determining to grant one or more permissions is at least partially based on the vehicle information, and the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements regarding the operation of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The method according to clause 27, wherein one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle include VIP status, employment as a doctor, government authority, military authority, or public safety authority, having a medical condition, or performing important or emergency operations using the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The method according to any one of clauses 27 to 28, wherein one or more characteristics of the vehicle include the weight of the vehicle, the size of the vehicle, the type of the vehicle, the manufacturer of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, the cargo of the vehicle, the maximum range of the vehicle, the maximum speed of the vehicle, the maximum altitude of the vehicle, the noise level of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The method according to any one of clauses 27 to 29, wherein one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle include accessing a transportation route, a flight area, a road, or a lane, accessing a priority movement route, using a specific parking spot, landing location, dock position, or earth orbit, transporting a specific item or item type, moving to an alternative earth orbit, moving at a specific speed or speed range, moving at a specific altitude or altitude range, performing one or more maneuvers, or a combination thereof. Clause 31. After transmitting a signed document, further comprising determining to revoke one or more permissions, and transmitting from a privilege-granting authority server to a device a message indicating revocation of the one or more permissions, the method according to any one of Clauses 20 to 30. Clause 32. The determination to revoke one or more permissions is based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle has arrived at a designated destination, a determination that the vehicle has left a designated travel route of the vehicle, an emergency condition affecting the designated travel route of the vehicle, a traffic condition affecting the designated travel route of the vehicle, or a combination thereof, the method according to Clause 31. Clause 33. A device for enabling permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, the device comprising a transceiver, a memory, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, the one or more processors receiving, via the transceiver, from a privilege-granting authority server a signed document indicating grant of one or more permissions, the device comprising the vehicle or a related device, the related device being associated with the vehicle, the one or more permissions permitting the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle, receiving; and after receiving the signed document, wirelessly transmitting from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle a message including the signed document, the wireless transmission of the message being configured to invoke a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more permissions, transmitting. Clause 34. The signed document includes instructions and a digital signature for one or more permissions, the device according to Clause 33. Clause 35. The digital signature is based on a public key-private key pair, the signed document further includes one or more digital certificates, and the one or more digital certificates indicate and authenticate the public key, the device according to Clause 34. Clause 36. The vehicle includes a road vehicle, an aerial vehicle, a marine vehicle, or a space vehicle, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 35. Clause 37. One or more processors are further configured to determine a trigger event for requesting one or more permissions and to send a request for one or more permissions to an authorizing agency server via a transceiver, wherein receiving a signed document is a response to the request, and to send, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 36. Clause 38. The trigger event includes the existence of an emergency, user input indicating a desire to obtain one or more permissions, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move along a specific route, to a specific destination, or at a specific time, the need to obtain one or more permissions to move in a specific manner, or a combination thereof, the device according to Clause 37. Clause 39. One or more processors are further configured to send vehicle information from the device to an authorizing agency server before receiving a signed document, and the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of the vehicle operator or passenger, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 38. Clause 40. One or more permissions are temporary, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 39. Clause 41. The signed document further indicates a priority level of one or more permissions, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 40. Clause 42. One or more processors are further configured to wirelessly send a message to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle while the vehicle is moving along a route, and the selection of the route, the way the vehicle moves along the route, or both is in response to a response from one or more additional devices, the device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 41. Clause 43. One or more processors are further configured to receive an updated signed document from an authorization agency server, wirelessly transmit the updated signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, and adjust a route, adjust how the vehicle moves along the route, or both, in response to receiving the updated signed document or a response from one or more additional vehicles. The device according to Clause 42. Clause 44. The message or signed document further includes information indicating a destination of the vehicle, a duration of one or more permissions, a route of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 43. Clause 45. To wirelessly transmit a message, one or more processors are configured to broadcast the message, multicast the message, or transmit the message to a specific receiving device by unicast. The device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 44. Clause 46. To transmit a message, one or more processors are configured to transmit the message using Proximity-based Service (ProSe) communication or sidelink communication. The device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 45. Clause 47. One or more processors are further configured to receive one or more confirmation responses of receipt of the message from one or more additional devices after transmitting the message. The device according to any one of Clauses 33 to 46. Clause 48. A Privilege Granting Authority Server that enables a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, the Privilege Granting Authority Server comprising a transceiver, a memory, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, the one or more processors being configured to establish a communication link between the Privilege Granting Authority Server and the device, wherein the device includes a vehicle or a related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle, and to transmit, via the transceiver, a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permissions to the device, wherein the one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more operations related to the operation of the vehicle, and the signed document is configured to invoke a response from one or more additional devices according to the one or more permissions when wirelessly transmitted from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle. A Privilege Granting Authority Server configured to perform the above. Clause 49. The Privilege Granting Authority Server according to Clause 48, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to include, in the signed document, an indication of the one or more permissions and a digital signature. Clause 50. The digital signature is based on a public key - private key pair, and the one or more processors are configured to include one or more digital certificates in the signed document, and the one or more digital certificates indicate and authenticate the public key. The Privilege Granting Authority Server according to Clause 49. Clause 51. The one or more processors are further configured to determine, prior to transmitting the signed document, to grant the one or more permissions, and determining to grant the one or more permissions is at least partially based on weather conditions, an emergency state related to the vehicle, the destination of the vehicle, the period during which the vehicle moves with the one or more permissions, one or more characteristics of the operator or passengers of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The Privilege Granting Authority Server according to any one of Clauses 48 to 50. Clause 52. The privilege-granting authority server according to Clause 51 is further configured such that one or more processors determine one or more permission priority levels and include the priority levels in the signed document. Clause 53. The privilege-granting authority server according to any one of Clauses 51 to 52 is further configured such that one or more processors receive requests for one or more permissions via a transceiver, and in response to receiving the requests for one or more permissions, the one or more processors are further configured to determine to grant one or more permissions. Clause 54. The privilege-granting authority server according to any one of Clauses 51 to 53 is further configured such that one or more processors receive vehicle information regarding a vehicle via a transceiver, and the one or more processors are configured to determine to grant one or more permissions at least partially based on the vehicle information, where the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of an operator or passenger of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof. Clause 55. The privilege-granting authority server according to any one of Clauses 48 to 54 is further configured such that after transmitting a signed document, one or more processors determine to revoke one or more permissions and transmit a message indicating the revocation of the one or more permissions to a device via a transceiver. Clause 56. The privilege-granting authority server according to Clause 55 is configured to determine to revoke one or more permissions at least partially based on a determination that the vehicle has arrived at a designated destination, a determination that the vehicle has left a designated travel route of the vehicle, an emergency situation affecting the designated travel route of the vehicle, a traffic situation affecting the designated travel route of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. Clause 57. An apparatus having means for performing the method according to any one of Clauses 1 to 32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions comprising code for performing the method according to any one of clauses 1 to 32 of clause 58.

Claims

1. A method in a device for enabling authorization related to the operation of a vehicle, wherein the method is The device receives a signed document from a privilege granting authority server indicating the granting of one or more permissions to the vehicle, The device includes the vehicle or related devices, and the related devices are associated with the vehicle. The aforementioned one or more permissions grant, receive, permission to the vehicle to perform one or more actions related to the operation of the vehicle. A method comprising, after receiving the signed document, wirelessly transmitting a message containing the signed document from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, wherein the wireless transmission of the message is configured to call a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more authorizations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signed document comprises the one or more authorization instructions and a digital signature, optionally the digital signature being based on a public-private key pair, and the signed document further comprises one or more digital certificates, the one or more digital certificates identifying and authenticating the public key.

3. The aforementioned vehicle is Road vehicles, Aerial vehicles, Marine vehicles, or The method according to claim 1, including a space vehicle.

4. Determining the trigger events for requesting one or more of the aforementioned permissions, The device further includes transmitting the one or more permission requests to the privilege granting authority server, and receiving the signed document, which constitutes a response to the request, optionally, The aforementioned trigger event is, The existence of an emergency situation, User input indicating a request to obtain one or more of the aforementioned permissions, The need to obtain one or more of the aforementioned permits to travel along a specific route to a specific destination or at a specific time, The need to obtain one or more of the aforementioned permits for travel in a specific manner, or The method according to claim 1, including a combination thereof.

5. Prior to receiving the signed document, the device further includes transmitting vehicle information to the privilege granting authority server, wherein the vehicle information includes one or more characteristics of the vehicle's operator or passengers, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof, optionally, The one or more characteristics of the operator or passenger of the vehicle are, VIP status, Employment as a physician, government official, military official, or public security official, Having a medical condition, Using the aforementioned vehicle to perform important or urgent actions, The method according to claim 1, including these combinations.

6. Further comprising transmitting vehicle information from the device to the privilege granting authority server before receiving the signed document, wherein the vehicle information includes one or more characteristics of the operator or passenger of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements for operating the vehicle, or a combination thereof, optionally, The one or more characteristics of the vehicle are, The weight of the aforementioned vehicle, The size of the aforementioned vehicle, The aforementioned vehicle type, The manufacturer of the aforementioned vehicle, The model of the aforementioned vehicle, The cargo of the aforementioned vehicle, The maximum cruising range of the aforementioned vehicle, The maximum speed of the aforementioned vehicle, The maximum altitude of the aforementioned vehicle, The loudness of the noise from the aforementioned vehicle, or The method according to claim 1, including a combination thereof.

7. The one or more actions related to the steering of the vehicle are, Access to air routes, flight areas, roads, or lanes. Access to priority travel routes, Using a specific parking spot, landing location, dock location, or Earth orbit, Transporting specific items or item types, Moving to an alternate Earth orbit, Moving at a specific speed or within a specific speed range. Moving at a specific altitude or altitude range, Performing one or more maneuvers, The method according to claim 1, including a combination thereof.

8. The aforementioned one or more permits are temporary, and / or The method according to claim 1, wherein the signed document further indicates the priority level of the one or more of the permits.

9. The device wirelessly transmits the message to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle while the vehicle is moving along the route, and the choice of the route, the way the vehicle moves along the route, or both, is in response to the response from the one or more additional devices. The above method is optional, Receiving the updated signed document from the privileged authority server, The updated signed document is transmitted wirelessly from the device to an additional device separate from the vehicle. In response to the receipt of the updated signed document or the response from the additional vehicle, Adjusting the aforementioned path, Adjusting the method by which the vehicle moves along the route, or The method according to claim 1, further comprising doing both.

10. The aforementioned message or the aforementioned signed document is The destination of the aforementioned vehicle, Duration of one or more of the aforementioned permits, The route of the aforementioned vehicle, or The method according to claim 1, further comprising information indicating these combinations.

11. Transmitting the aforementioned message wirelessly means Broadcasting a message, Multicasting a message, or This includes, and / or, sending a message to a specific receiving device by unicast. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the message includes transmitting the message using proximity-based service (ProSe) communication or sidelink communication.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving one or more acknowledgments of receipt of the message from one or more additional devices after sending the message.

13. A method in a privileged granting authority server for enabling a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, wherein the method is: Establishing a communication link between the privilege granting authority server and the device, wherein the device comprises the vehicle or related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle, Transmitting a signed document from the privilege granting authority server to the device indicating the granting of one or more permissions to the vehicle, The aforementioned one or more permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more actions related to the operation of the vehicle, A method comprising transmitting, wherein the signed document is configured to, when transmitted wirelessly from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, to invoke a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more authorizations.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising including the one or more authorization instructions and digital signature in the signed document, optionally, the digital signature being based on a public-private key pair, and further comprising including the one or more digital certificates in the signed document, the one or more digital certificates identifying and authenticating the public key.

15. Before sending the aforementioned signed document, The decision to grant one or more of the aforementioned licenses further includes, Weather conditions, Emergency conditions related to the aforementioned vehicle, The destination of the aforementioned vehicle, During the period in which the vehicle is moving with one or more of the above permits, One or more characteristics of the operator or passenger of the aforementioned vehicle, One or more characteristics of the aforementioned vehicle, One or more requirements of the aforementioned vehicle, or The method according to claim 13, which is at least partially based on these combinations.

16. Determining the priority level of one or more of the aforementioned permits, The signed document further includes, and / or, The privilege granting authority server further includes receiving the request for the one or more permissions, and deciding to grant the one or more permissions is in response to receiving the request for the one or more permissions, and / or The method according to claim 15, further comprising the privilege granting authority server receiving vehicle information relating to the vehicle, and deciding to grant the one or more permissions, on at least in part the vehicle information, wherein the vehicle information indicates one or more characteristics of the operator or passenger of the vehicle, one or more characteristics of the vehicle, one or more requirements relating to the operation of the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

17. After sending the aforementioned signed document, to decide to revoke one or more of the aforementioned permits, The privilege granting authority server further includes sending a message to the device indicating the revocation of one or more of the permissions, optionally, Decision to revoke one or more of the aforementioned permits is, The determination that the aforementioned vehicle has arrived at the designated destination, The determination that the vehicle has deviated from the designated route of movement for the vehicle, An emergency condition affecting the designated travel path of the aforementioned vehicle, Traffic conditions affecting the designated travel route of the aforementioned vehicle, or The method according to claim 13, which is at least partially based on a combination thereof.

18. A device for enabling authorization related to the operation of a vehicle, wherein the device is Transmitter and receiver, Memory and The system comprises the transceiver and the memory, and one or more processors communicably coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors Receiving a signed document from a privilege granting authority server via the transceiver indicating the granting of one or more licenses to the vehicle, The device comprises the vehicle or related device, and the related device is associated with the vehicle. The aforementioned one or more permissions grant permission to the vehicle to perform one or more actions related to the operation of the vehicle, The device is configured to transmit a message containing the signed document to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, after receiving the signed document, wherein the wireless transmission of the message is configured to call a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more authorizations.

19. A privilege granting authority server for enabling a device to obtain and use permissions related to the operation of a vehicle, wherein the privilege granting authority server is: Transmitter and receiver, Memory and The system comprises the transceiver and the memory, and one or more processors that are communicably coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors Establishing a communication link between the privilege granting authority server and the device, wherein the device includes the vehicle or related devices, and the related devices are associated with the vehicle. Transmitting a signed document indicating the granting of one or more permits to the vehicle to the device via the transceiver, The one or more of the above permissions permit the vehicle to perform one or more actions related to the operation of the vehicle, A privilege granting authority server is configured to transmit and, when the signed document is transmitted wirelessly from the device to one or more additional devices separate from the vehicle, to invoke a response from the one or more additional devices in accordance with the one or more authorizations.

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