A method for authorizing the use of telematics services, a mobile communication device, and a communication system for implementing this method.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for authorizing the use of telematics services for a vehicle based on at least one digital vehicle key. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile communication device and a communication system for carrying out the method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for permitting the use of a telematics service for a vehicle, as described in the generic concept of claim 1. The present invention particularly relates to a mobile communication device for implementing the method, and a communication system for conveniently implementing the method.

Background Art

[0002] A number of vehicle manufacturers provide so-called telematics services for their vehicles, and through these telematics services, convenient vehicle functions are provided to the users of the corresponding vehicles. Only some are listed, but navigation services, traffic information services, opening and closing of vehicle windows and hatches, remote control assistance, and vehicle auxiliary heating programs are examples. After registering and activating the telematics service with the server infrastructure of the vehicle manufacturer, hereinafter referred to as the vehicle backend, which is associated with the vehicle, the user of the vehicle can usually use the telematics service via a mobile communication device based on an application that communicates directly with the vehicle to realize the desired vehicle functions provided by the vehicle manufacturer. The drawback is that registering and activating the telematics service requires a certain amount of effort before using the telematics service, which reduces the comfort experienced by the user with the vehicle. From Patent Document 1, devices and methods for controlling vehicle access rights and / or driving rights, particularly based on a mobile communication device, are known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved embodiment, or at least one different embodiment, of a method for permitting the use of telematics services for vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The basic idea of ​​this invention is to enable authorization for the use of telematics services for vehicles based on a digital vehicle key.

[0006] To this end, a method is proposed for authorizing the use of vehicle telematics services, within which a mobile communication device equipped with a storage medium, such as a smartphone, is provided, the storage medium storing at least one digital vehicle key and an executable application for performing vehicle telematics services. Preferably, at least one digital vehicle key is generated in the storage medium of the mobile communication device in a preparatory stage preceding this method, and a digital certificate of affiliation, such as a digital certificate conforming to the X.509v3 standard, is registered in the vehicle backend associated with the vehicle. Furthermore, the application has instructions such that, when the application is executed by the mobile communication device, a prepared vehicle is selected, for example by user query, and authentication of the mobile communication device and / or the application is performed using the vehicle backend associated with that vehicle based on at least one digital vehicle key. User query can be implemented by screen query on the mobile communication device that provides the user with a prepared vehicle to select. Alternatively, the selection of a prepared vehicle can be performed without user interaction based on a computer-based algorithm. Preferably, the mobile communication device and / or application are authenticated to the vehicle backend using the private key of the digital vehicle key. More preferably, the vehicle backend uses a certificate stored in the vehicle backend for at least one digital vehicle key during authentication. Furthermore, the vehicle backend provides telematics services for the vehicle. The vehicle backend can implement appropriate hardware and software components for this purpose. Furthermore, within the framework of this method, the vehicle backend establishes a user session associated with the selected vehicle for the mobile communication device and / or application. Within this user session, the vehicle user can use the vehicle's telematics services based on the application, provided that authentication by the vehicle backend is successful.

[0007] The present invention enables the comfortable, and in particular relatively smooth, authorization of the use of telematics services for vehicles based on a digital vehicle key. In this process, the user registration in the vehicle backend, subsequent activation of the telematics service by the vehicle backend, and password-based user authentication required immediately before using the telematics service, which were previously necessary, are eliminated. This significantly improves user convenience.

[0008] In this invention, a vehicle telematics service is preferably understood as a vehicle function provided by the vehicle backend, which is performed by the vehicle and can be useful to the corresponding vehicle user. Telematics services include, for example, navigation services, traffic information services, opening and closing of vehicle windows and hatches, remote control assistance, and auxiliary heating programs for the vehicle. Vehicle users can typically access telematics services based on an application provided by the vehicle manufacturer. The application is installed, for example, on a mobile communication device, particularly a smartphone, and communicates with the vehicle to implement vehicle functions selected by the user. Needless to say, the corresponding vehicle functions must be implemented in the vehicle. Through this communication means (application), vehicle users can also retrospectively activate new functions, such as additional navigation maps or seat heaters in rental models, directly via the backend. This is particularly attractive in the rental process.

[0009] The mobile communication device can be implemented as a smartphone or smartwatch, and preferably can be designed to communicate via telecommunication with a vehicle backend, at least one vehicle, and at least one other mobile communication device. However, the present invention is not limited to this type of mobile communication device.

[0010] In the present invention, a digital vehicle key is preferably understood to be a digital key stored on a storage medium that, in particular, enables basic vehicle functions such as contactless unlocking and locking of the vehicle, and starting the vehicle. In addition to these basic functions, at least one digital vehicle key can also provide functions related to convenience. This includes, for example, digital sharing of the digital vehicle key with other users of the vehicle.

[0011] In this invention, an application is preferably understood to be an executable computer program. These computer programs can be optimized for use in mobile communication devices, particularly smartphones.

[0012] In this invention, the vehicle backend is preferably understood to be any server infrastructure suitable for providing telematics services for vehicles. The vehicle backend may also include, in particular, backend devices and backend software, i.e., both hardware and software components.

[0013] It may be preferable to provide at least one digital vehicle key with an access rights indicator related to telematics services in order to determine the scope of use of the telematics services provided that a user is permitted to use within the framework of an established user session. Based on the access rights indicator, the scope of vehicle telematics services available within the framework of an established user session can be limited, so that a particularly small number of vehicle functions become available. The access rights indicator can be mapped or implemented, for example, in the Access Profile of at least one digital vehicle key. This makes it relatively easy to determine the scope of permitted use of telematics services.

[0014] It is preferable that an access rights indicator, associated with at least one digital vehicle key, is set by the vehicle user, the vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner, or by the vehicle backend, before the user session is established. This allows the scope of telematics service use within a user session to be set relatively easily by the vehicle user, the vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner. Thus, the use of telematics services for the vehicle is realized only within the scope set by the access rights indicator of the digital vehicle key. Preferably, the vehicle owner or a person authorized by the vehicle owner has the full access rights indicator, thereby enabling unlimited use of the vehicle's telematics services. In rental scenarios, or when digitally sharing a digital vehicle key with co-users of a vehicle, it may be advantageous if the use of telematics services is set, for example, limited, before the user session.

[0015] Furthermore, the method is preferably implemented using a digital friend vehicle key issued to a co-user of a vehicle based on a digital vehicle key by, for example, the vehicle user, the vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner. The digital friend vehicle key is preferably generated along with a certificate of affiliation, such as an X.509v3 certificate, when at least one digital vehicle key is digitally shared with a co-user of the vehicle, and thereafter the digital friend vehicle key is stored in the co-user's mobile communication device and / or the storage medium of that mobile communication device, and the certificate of affiliation is registered in the vehicle backend associated with the vehicle. The digital friend vehicle key can be used in place of the digital vehicle key within the framework of the proposed method to achieve authentication by the vehicle backend. This ensures that co-users of a vehicle to which the vehicle user, vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner has provided a digital friend vehicle key through digital sharing can also use the telematics services for the vehicle. In this case, since authentication of the joint user's mobile communication device and / or application is achieved based on the digital friend vehicle key, the joint user does not need to transmit personal data to the vehicle backend, which is relatively convenient for the joint user.

[0016] Preferably, the digital friend vehicle key is also equipped with an access rights indicator. This access rights indicator can be set when the digital friend vehicle key is issued or in the user account of the user created in the vehicle backend, so that when a user session is established for a co-user of the vehicle, the scope of use of the vehicle's telematics services permitted to the co-user is determined within the framework of the established user session. The access rights indicator for the friend vehicle key may be set, for example, by the vehicle user, the vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner.

[0017] Preferably, the vehicle user, or the vehicle owner, or a person authorized by the vehicle owner, can declare the digital friend vehicle key issued to a co-user invalid, or invalidate the digital friend vehicle key, for example, by the passage of time, in which case the established user session ends simultaneously and can no longer be resumed. This ensures that, after the termination of the digital friend vehicle key issuance or after the passage of time, the co-user's granted right to use the vehicle's telematics service terminates and is therefore no longer available. This increases the security of this method when digitally sharing a digital vehicle key.

[0018] Furthermore, in order to implement this method, the vehicle user or co-user of the vehicle may, based on the application, take the following steps in particular: 1) Steps to start an application on a mobile communication device, 2) When at least one digital vehicle key is stored in the storage medium of the mobile communication device, the user can, by selection, a) Authentication should be performed based on at least one stored digital vehicle key, or b) Should authentication be performed via password-based authentication? A step in which a user query is performed to determine the user 3) As an alternative to step 2), the application operates without user interaction and based on a predetermined computer-based algorithm that does not utilize, for example, a digital vehicle key for authentication. a) Authentication should be performed based on at least one stored digital vehicle key, or b) Should authentication be performed via password-based authentication? Steps to make a decision 4) If a) is selected, proceed to the following step 6), 5)b) If selected, the vehicle's backend performs password-based authentication to authorize the use of the vehicle's telematics service. 6) When multiple digital vehicle keys are stored on the storage medium of the mobile communication device, a further user query is performed to determine, by selection, which vehicle the telematics service should be used for. This is preferable when implementing this.

[0019] This allows the vehicle user or co-user to comfortably determine whether to authenticate via the vehicle backend based on a digital vehicle key, and in cases where multiple digital vehicle keys are stored on the mobile communication device's storage medium, they can select which vehicle should receive the telematics service. This makes the proposed method relatively easy to learn, which particularly improves customer acceptance.

[0020] In particular, at least one digital vehicle key can be provided in accordance with the specifications of the digital vehicle key of the Car Connectivity Consortium. Preferably, the aforementioned digital friend vehicle key is also provided in compliance with the CCC specifications. Here, the "CCC specifications" are preferably defined by the document "Car Connectivity Consortium Digital Key Release 3 Technical Specification Version 1.0.0 (CCC-TS-101)" abbreviated as CCC and subsequent documents, the disclosure content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Therefore, at least one digital vehicle key is generated particularly during the process of user pairing or friend pairing in a secure storage element called a secure element of a mobile communication device compliant with CCC, and a digital certificate belonging to the digital vehicle key, particularly an X.509v3 certificate, is simultaneously registered in the vehicle backend of the selected vehicle. More preferably, at least one digital vehicle key comprises an asymmetric cryptographic key pair, a so-called public key and private key, and a certificate belonging thereto, such as an X.509v3 certificate.

[0021] It is also preferable when an established user session is executed anonymously or pseudonymously, that is, when it is executed as an anonymous or pseudonymous user session.

[0022] Definition of the data protection agency regarding anonymity: "The EU's personal data protection legislation defines pseudonymisation as the processing of personal data in such a way that this data can no longer be attributed to a specific individual, without the use of additional information." Source: https: / / edps.europa.eu / press-publications / press-news / blog / pseudonymous-data-processing-personal-data-while-mitigating_en.

[0023] The difference between anonymity and pseudonymity is that in the case of pseudonymity, additional information is required to reverse-infer a person. In the case of anonymity, this is no longer possible. This can better meet the user's concern for data protection above all else. Because users do not need to disclose personal data, especially for using telematics services. Furthermore, especially co-users do not need to provide personal data to the vehicle backend. This is advantageous for co-users in a rental scenario or when sharing a digital vehicle key digitally.

[0024] Furthermore, the method according to the present invention could also be used as an entry point for new customers of the vehicle backend. This can be achieved by enabling co-users, who represent potential new customers of the vehicle backend but are not yet registered with the vehicle backend, to comfortably and relatively quickly use the telematics service for vehicles based on the proposed method. In this case, the telematics service is complemented by a program that enables easy registration of co-users in the vehicle backend.

[0025] According to another basic idea of ​​the present invention, a mobile communication device, in particular a smartphone or smartwatch, is provided, which has a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one digital vehicle key and an executable application for performing telematics services for a vehicle. The mobile communication device is preferably designed to carry out the present method in accordance with the above description. This provides an advantageous mobile communication device, which can be used to carry out the present method. The mobile communication device is particularly designed to store multiple digital vehicle keys in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0026] According to another fundamental idea of ​​the present invention, a communication system is provided for carrying out the method in accordance with the above description. This communication system comprises a vehicle designed to perform telematics services, a mobile communication device having a storage medium formed in accordance with the above description and suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the above description, an executable application stored in the storage medium of the mobile communication device for performing telematics services for the vehicle, and a vehicle backend. The application has instructions that, when the mobile communication device executes the application, authentication of the mobile communication device and / or the application is performed in the vehicle backend associated with the vehicle based on at least one digital vehicle key. The vehicle backend provides telematics services for the vehicle and is also designed to establish and terminate at least one user session for the mobile communication device and / or the application, within the framework of a user session, each user of the vehicle can use the provided telematics services for the vehicle based on their respective application. This provides a favorable communication system, on which the method can be carried out.

[0027] Furthermore, it may be preferable if the aforementioned application uses a Digital Key Framework defined by CCC during authentication. Preferably, the device-side frame for the digital vehicle key is referred to as the Digital Key Framework, which implements primary functions such as vehicle pairing, digital sharing of the digital vehicle key, and management of the digital vehicle key.

[0028] Furthermore, preferably, if a vehicle backend or vehicle manufacturer-based parallel process is designed for the digital vehicle key, no digital vehicle key or a digital vehicle key compliant with the CCC standard is provided. This is similar to a digital vehicle key compliant with the CCC standard, where an asymmetric cryptographic key pair consisting of a public key and a private key can be used together with a certificate, particularly an X.509v3 certificate.

[0029] It is preferable if the vehicle user is the vehicle owner, someone authorized by the vehicle owner, or the vehicle's backend. In a rental scenario, a co-user can be considered the vehicle lessee or a trusted person of the user.

[0030] In summary, the present invention relates preferably to a method for authorizing the use of telematics services for a vehicle based on a digital vehicle key. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile communication device and communication system for carrying out this method.

[0031] Further important features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, drawings, and corresponding descriptions based on the drawings.

[0032] The features described above, and the features further described below, should be understood to be usable not only in the combinations shown, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and will be described in more detail below, where the same reference numerals represent the same, similar, or functionally identical components. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0034] [Figure 1] A highly simplified flowchart of the method according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 2]A slightly simplified flowchart of the method according to the present invention is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] Figure 1 shows a highly simplified flowchart of proposed Method 1 for authorizing the use of a vehicle telematics service, in which, in the first step A, a mobile communication device 2 equipped with a storage medium is first provided, which stores at least one digital vehicle key 4 and an executable application 6 for performing the vehicle telematics service. Furthermore, the application 6 has instructions that, when the mobile communication device 2 executes the application 6 in the second step B of Method 1, a provided vehicle is selected and authentication of the mobile communication device 2 and / or the application 6 is performed using a vehicle backend 9 associated with that vehicle based on at least one digital vehicle key 4. The aforementioned vehicle backend 9 provides the vehicle telematics service, and in the third step C of the method, a user session 10 associated with the selected vehicle is established for the mobile communication device 2 and / or the application 6. Provided that authentication is successful, the vehicle user can use the provided vehicle telematics service based on the aforementioned application 6 within the user session 10.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a slightly simplified flowchart of proposed Method 1 for authorizing the use of telematics services for vehicles, however, within the framework of Method 1, the same method steps A, B, and C as shown in the flowchart in Figure 1 are essentially carried out. Accordingly, in Figure 2, a CCC-compliant mobile communication device 2 is indicated by the framework, which is designed to carry out proposed Method 1, and for this purpose the mobile communication device 2 has a storage medium which stores at least one digital vehicle key 4 provided in accordance with the CCC standard and an executable application 6 for performing telematics services for vehicles. Application 6, which serves as a user interface for using the telematics service, includes a Secure Element 11 stored in a storage medium, which contains at least one digital vehicle key 4, or communicates with the Security Element 11 and utilizes a Digital Key Framework 12, defined according to the CCC standard, which is also stored in the storage medium. This Digital Key Framework 12 provides a device-side frame for operation using at least one digital vehicle key 4. Application 6, although merely illustrative, has a user authentication logic 13, which represents, so to speak, an application-side implementation of authentication based on the digital vehicle key 4. Application 6 further includes instructions that, when Application 6 is executed by the mobile communication device 2, a provided vehicle is selected, and authentication 7 of the mobile communication device 2 and / or Application 6 is performed using a vehicle backend 9 associated with the vehicle, based on the secret key of at least one digital vehicle key 4. For this purpose, in the vehicle backend 9, in a preparatory stage preceding Method 1, at least one certificate 8 belonging to a digital vehicle key 4, such as an X.509v3 certificate, is registered in the Digital Key Backend 16 of the vehicle backend 9.The aforementioned vehicle backend 9, which provides telematics services for vehicles, has, for illustrative purposes only, a backend authentication logic 14 implemented in a backend application 17 that implements the server-side implementation of the telematics services, and this backend authentication logic 14 represents a backend implementation of authentication based on at least one digital vehicle key 4. Within the framework of the proposed method 1, the backend authentication logic 14 of the vehicle backend 9 establishes, for example, an anonymous user session 10 associated with the selected vehicle for the mobile communication device 2 and / or application 6, upon successful authentication. Within the framework of the established user session 10, the vehicle user can use the telematics services provided for the vehicle based on application 6. It should be further noted that at least one digital vehicle key 4 used for authentication may provide an access rights index 15 related to the telematics services, and based on this access rights index 15, the scope of use of the vehicle's telematics services permitted to the vehicle user within the framework of the user session 10 is determined when the user session 10 is established. The access rights indicator 15 is preferably set before the establishment of the user session 10 by the vehicle user, who is, for example, the vehicle owner or a person authorized by the vehicle owner, in a rental scenario in which a digital friend vehicle key 5 is issued along with a corresponding certificate 8 by digital sharing of at least one digital vehicle key 4.

Claims

1. Method (1) for authorizing the use of telematics services for vehicles, - A mobile communication device (2) is provided, which has a storage medium that stores at least one digital vehicle key (4) and an executable application (6) for performing telematics services for the vehicle. - The application (6) further includes instructions that, when the application (6) is executed by the mobile communication device (2), a provided vehicle is selected and authentication of the mobile communication device (2) and / or the application (6) is performed using the vehicle backend (9) associated with the vehicle based on the at least one digital vehicle key (4), - The vehicle backend (9) provides telematics services to the vehicle associated with it. The method (1) is characterized in that the vehicle backend (9) establishes a user session (10) associated with the selected vehicle for the mobile communication device (2) and / or the application (6), and if the authentication is successful, the user of the vehicle can use the telematics services for the vehicle provided based on the application (6) within the user session (10).

2. The method (1) according to claim 1, - The method (1) is characterized in that at least one digital vehicle key (4) is provided with an access rights indicator (15) related to telematics services, and based on the access rights indicator (15), the scope of the telematics services that the user of the vehicle can use within the user session (10) is determined when the user session (10) is established.

3. The method (1) according to claim 2, - The method (1), characterized in that the access rights indicator (15) is set before the establishment of the user session (10) by the user of the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle, a person authorized by the owner of the vehicle, or the vehicle backend (9).

4. A method (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, - The method (1) is characterized in that it is carried out using a digital friend vehicle key (5) issued to a joint user of the vehicle based on the digital vehicle key (4).

5. The method (1) according to claim 4, - The method (1), characterized in that the digital friend vehicle key (5) is provided with the usage rights indicator (15) described in claim 2 or 3.

6. The method (1) according to claim 4 or 5, - If the user of the vehicle, or the owner of the vehicle, or a person authorized by the owner of the vehicle, declares the digital friend vehicle key (5) issued to a co-user of the vehicle invalid, - The method (1) is characterized in that, at the same time, the established user session (10) is terminated, and future user sessions using the digital friend vehicle key can no longer be established.

7. A method (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, In order to carry out the above method (1), the user of the vehicle or a co-user of the vehicle, based on the application (6), in particular, take the following steps, namely: 1) Steps to start the application (6) on the mobile communication device, 2) When at least one digital vehicle key (4) is stored in the storage medium of the mobile communication device (2), the user may, by selection, a) Authentication should be performed based on the stored at least one digital vehicle key (4), or b) Should authentication be performed via password-based authentication? The step of actively making a judgment, 3) Instead of step 2), the application (6) performs a predetermined computer-based algorithm without user interaction. a) Authentication should be performed based on the stored at least one digital vehicle key (4), or b) Should authentication be performed via password-based authentication? Steps to make a decision 4) If a) is selected, proceed to the following step 6), 5) If b) is selected, the vehicle's backend (9) performs password-based authentication to authorize the use of the telematics service for the vehicle. 6) When multiple digital vehicle keys (4) are stored in the storage medium of the mobile communication device (2), a further user query is performed in which the user actively determines, by selection, which vehicle the telematics service should be used for. The method (1) is characterized by carrying out the following.

8. A method (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, - The method (1), characterized in that the at least one digital vehicle key (4) is provided in accordance with the CCC standard.

9. A method (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, - The method (1), characterized in that the user session (10) is executed as an anonymous or pseudonymous user session (10).

10. Mobile communication device (2), particularly a smartphone, - The mobile communication device (2) is characterized in that it has a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one digital vehicle key (4) and an executable application (6) for performing telematics services for a vehicle, and the mobile communication device (2) is designed to carry out the method (1) described in claims 1 to 9.

11. A communication system for carrying out the method (1) described in claims 1 to 9, - Vehicles designed to perform telematics services, - A mobile communication device (2) having a storage medium, which is formed in particular according to claim 10 and is suitable for carrying out the method (1) described in claims 1 to 9, - To perform telematics services for the vehicle, an executable application (6) stored in the storage medium of the mobile communication device (2) has instructions that, when executed by the mobile communication device (2), authentication of the mobile communication device (2) and / or the application (6) is performed by a vehicle backend (9) associated with the vehicle based on at least one digital vehicle key (4), - A vehicle backend (9) that provides telematics services for the vehicle and is designed to establish and terminate user sessions (10) associated with a selected vehicle for the mobile communication device (2) and / or the application (6), wherein within the framework of the user session (10), the user of the vehicle can use the provided telematics services for the vehicle based on the application (6) with respect to the vehicle backend (9), The communication system is characterized by having the following features.

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