System and Method for Improving the Security of Odometer Information

Abstract

To provide the improvement of security of odometer information related to a vehicle.SOLUTION: According to this embodiment, a method for improving the security of odometer information is provided. The method that can be performed by a system mounted on a vehicle can include acquiring one or more pieces of odometer information from an odometer electronic controller unit (ECU), storing the one or more pieces of odometer information in an on-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU, acquiring a use table, determining whether a boundary condition determined in the use table is satisfied, and storing the one or more pieces of odometer information in an electronic fuse on the basis of the use table, on the basis of determination that the boundary information is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to vehicle systems, and more particularly, to improving the security of odometer information in vehicle systems.

Background Art

[0002] An odometer is a device or system used in a vehicle to measure and display information related to the distance traveled by the vehicle. The odometer provides information regarding vehicle usage, maintenance schedules, and potential resale value.

[0003] In recent vehicles, odometer information is typically managed and stored in a single electronic control unit (ECU), such as an odometer ECU. Such a practice is vulnerable from the perspective of odometer information security because a person can easily access and control the odometer ECU (e.g., by replacing the ECU, modifying the ECU, etc.) to manipulate the odometer information. For example, the recorded mileage can be reset to zero or any other arbitrary number for malicious purposes (e.g., reselling the vehicle to a trusted customer at a higher price).

[0004] In view of the above, odometer information management in the related art is vulnerable to odometer fraud and there is a need to improve the security of odometer information.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Exemplary embodiments consistent with the present disclosure effectively and efficiently provide improved security for odometer information.

[0006] According to exemplary embodiments, a method for improving the security of odometer information is provided. The method may be performed by a system implemented in a vehicle and may include: obtaining one or more odometer information from an odometer ECU; storing one or more odometer information in an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU; obtaining a usage table; determining whether boundary conditions defined in the usage table are met; and, based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met, storing one or more odometer information in an electronic fuse based on the usage table.

[0007] According to one embodiment, a system is provided that is implemented in a vehicle to improve the security of odometer information. The system may include a memory storage configured to store computer executable instructions, and at least one processor that is communicatively connected to the memory storage. The at least one processor may be configured to retrieve one or more odometer information from an odometer ECU, store one or more odometer information in an IVI ECU, retrieve a usage table, determine whether boundary conditions defined in the usage table are met, and, based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met, store one or more odometer information in an electronic fuse based on the usage table.

[0008] Additional embodiments may be described in part in the following description and partially revealed therefrom, or may be realized by implementing the embodiments presented in this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] The features, advantages, and importance of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar elements.

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows diagrams of exemplary components of a vehicle according to one or more exemplary embodiments. [Figure 2]This figure shows an exemplary usage table according to one or more exemplary embodiments. [Figure 3] This figure shows a block diagram of exemplary components in a control system according to one or more exemplary embodiments. [Figure 4] This figure shows a flowchart illustrating a method for improving the security of odometer information according to one or more exemplary embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] A detailed description of preferred embodiments follows with reference to the accompanying drawings. The foregoing disclosure provides examples and explanations, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit implementations to the exact forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in view of the foregoing disclosure or can be obtained from implementations. Furthermore, one or more functions or components of one embodiment may be incorporated into or combined with another embodiment (or one or more functions of another embodiment). Furthermore, it should be understood that in the flowcharts and descriptions of operations provided below, one or more operations may be omitted, one or more operations may be added, one or more operations may be performed (at least partially) simultaneously, and the order of one or more operations may be changed.

[0012] Where particular combinations of functions are enumerated in the claims and / or disclosed herein, such combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of possible implementations. In fact, many of these functions can be combined in ways not specifically enumerated in the claims and / or disclosed herein. Each of the dependent claims listed below may depend directly on only one claim, but the disclosure of possible implementations includes each dependent claim combined with all other claims in the set of claims.

[0013] Any element, action, or instruction used herein should not be construed as important or essential unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, when used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” When referring to only one item, the term “one” or similar terms should be used. Also, when used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” “include,” “including,” or similar terms are intended to be open-ended. Additionally, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “at least partially based on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, expressions such as "[A] and / or [B]," “at least one of [A] and [B],” or "[A] or [B]" should be understood as including only A, only B, or both A and B.

[0014] Throughout this specification, references to “one embodiment,” “embodiment,” “non-limiting preferred embodiment,” or similar terms mean that certain functions, structures, or features described in relation to the embodiments shown are included in at least one embodiment of the Solution. Therefore, throughout this specification, phrases such as “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “in a non-limiting preferred embodiment,” and similar terms may, but are not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0015] Furthermore, the functions, benefits, and features described herein may be combined in any preferred manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize, in view of the description herein, that the disclosure may be implemented without one or more of the specific functions or benefits of a particular embodiment. In other examples, additional functions and benefits may be recognized in certain embodiments, which may not be present in all embodiments of the disclosure.

[0016] Furthermore, the term “vehicle” as used herein refers to any preferred type of vehicle on which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. For example, “vehicle” may refer to a powered vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, bus, motorcycle, or any other preferred type of motor vehicle powered by an engine, motor, or other mechanical means. Alternatively or further, “vehicle” as used herein may refer to a bicycle, skateboard, and any other preferred type of unpowered vehicle, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0017] The systems and methods of the related technologies described above manage and store odometer information in a single electronic control unit (ECU), such as an odometer ECU. Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure also store odometer information in additional ECUs (e.g., an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU, a central domain controller (C-DC) ECU, etc.) and in one or more electronic fuses based on a usage table. Therefore, the risk of odometer information being compromised or manipulated can be reduced because the odometer information can be stored in one or more electronic fuses, which are one-time programmable read-only memory (ROM) or write-restricted memory, configured to permanently record more recent information and less externally accessible compared to an ECU.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a diagram of exemplary components of a vehicle 100 according to one or more exemplary embodiments. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 100 may include a control system 110, an odometer ECU 120, an IVI ECU 130, a powertrain ECU 140, an engine ECU 160, an electronic fuse 150 associated with the powertrain ECU 140, and an electronic fuse 170 associated with the engine ECU 160.

[0019] The components of vehicle 100 have been simplified for illustrative purposes, and without departing from the scope of this disclosure, vehicle 100 may include additional components and / or may consist of different things in actual implementations. For example, in some implementations, vehicle 100 may further include additional ECUs (e.g., C-DC ECU, advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) ECU, etc.), and an ECU may have multiple electronic fuses associated with it, and so on.

[0020] The control system 110 may be configured to manage one or more odometer information. Specifically, the control system 110 may receive one or more odometer information from the odometer ECU 120 and then appropriately store the odometer information in the IVI ECU 130 and electronic fuses 160 and 170 (if applicable). The one or more odometer information may include, for example, the total number of miles or total distance traveled by the vehicle (e.g., in units such as kilometers (km) or miles), the number of miles traveled (i.e., the distance traveled by the vehicle during a particular trip), the average speed of the vehicle over a particular period and / or distance, the fuel efficiency or fuel consumption of the vehicle over a particular period and / or distance (e.g., in units such as kilometers per liter (km / L) or miles per gallon (MPG)), and similar information.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment, the control system 110 may periodically store odometer information in the IVI ECU 130 according to a predetermined cycle. For example, the control system 110 may retrieve odometer information from the odometer ECU 120 and then store the odometer information in the IVI ECU 130 at the beginning of each month. The control system 110 may repeat this operation for at least a certain period (e.g., six consecutive months). Furthermore, the control system 110 may store the odometer information as encrypted and hashed information. Furthermore, similarly, the control system 110 may also store the odometer information in another ECU (e.g., a C-DC ECU) in addition to or as an alternative to the IVI ECU 130.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment, the control system 110 may obtain a usage table and then manage one or more odometer information based on the usage table. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows an exemplary usage table according to one or more exemplary embodiments. As shown in FIG. 2, the usage table may include a plurality of mappings of vehicle travel distances and the timing for inputting or storing one or more odometer information into one or more electronic fuses. The usage table in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and it is contemplated that the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited thereto. Specifically, according to the requirements of the implementation mode, the travel distance may be defined in other suitable units (such as miles, etc.), the time may be defined in other suitable units (such as days, quarters, etc.), and the specific values or parameters in the usage table may be different and may be of the same kind.

[0023] The usage table defines boundary conditions for starting the input or storage of odometer information into one or more electronic fuses. The boundary conditions may include a minimum travel distance. As a result, whenever the control system 110 determines that the vehicle is in or has entered a specific state, the control system 110 may determine whether the distance traveled by the vehicle meets the minimum travel distance, and then determine whether the odometer information should be input or stored in the electronic fuses. For example, in the example of FIG. 2, the boundary condition is a minimum travel distance of 1000 km. In this case, when the control system 110 determines that the vehicle is in an ignition-off (IG-OFF) state (such as when the vehicle is shut down), the control system 110 may determine whether the distance traveled by the vehicle 100 is 1000 km or more. Therefore, based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle 100 is 1000 km or more, the control system 110 may determine that the boundary conditions for storing the odometer information in one or more electronic fuses are met, and thereby may start the input or storage of the odometer information.

[0024] When inputting or storing odometer information in an electronic fuse is required, the control system 110 may retrieve a usage table and select a mapping from among several mappings included in the usage table based on the distance the vehicle has traveled. Therefore, based on the selected mapping, the control system 110 may determine when to store the odometer information in the electronic fuse, and then store the odometer information in the electronic fuse accordingly. For example, based on the determination that vehicle 110 has traveled 2500 km, the control system 110 may determine that the odometer information should be stored in the electronic fuse every two months. Therefore, in addition to storing the odometer information in the IVI ECU (or C-DC ECU), the control system 110 may also store the odometer information in the electronic fuse every two months. The control system 110 may store the odometer information as encrypted and hashed information.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment, the usage table may be an exponentially increasing usage table. In this case, multiple mappings in the usage table could be, for example, y=a(1+r) t Based on the exponential growth algorithm, where y represents the future value, a represents the initial or starting value, r represents the growth rate, and t represents the time elapsed from the start of the growth process. In other words, as the distance traveled between uses of the electronic fuses increases significantly, the input or storage of odometer information to the electronic fuses occurs more frequently at the beginning of the vehicle's life and less frequently as the vehicle travels longer distances. Therefore, vehicles traveling longer distances initially write to the electronic fuses at a higher frequency and faster rate to maintain the exponential growth rate, but write at a lower frequency as time passes. This allows for the optimal use of electronic fuses when storing odometer information, especially when the number of electronic fuses in a vehicle is limited.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment, the usage table can be stored in the odometer ECU and obtained by the control system 110 when needed. Further or alternatively, the usage table can be stored in the storage medium of the control system 110 (examples of the storage medium will be further described below with reference to FIG. 3). By default, the usage table can be an exponentially increasing-based table as described above in this specification. When needed, the control system 110 can update the usage table to reflect the current usage trend. For example, the control system 110 can determine whether the usage of the vehicle has exceeded a predetermined period (e.g., six months), and then, based on the determination that the usage of the vehicle has exceeded the predetermined period (e.g., after six months), perform a slope analysis to determine the current usage trend of the vehicle. Thus, the control system 110 can update the usage table to reflect the current usage trend.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment, the control system 110 can initiate one or more vehicle operations according to the state of the vehicle. Specifically, based on the determination that the vehicle has entered or has entered the ignition-on (IG-ON) state (such as when the vehicle is first started), before entering the driving state, the control system 110 can check the odometer information stored in the IVI ECU (and / or another ECU such as the C-DC ECU) through, for example, an encryption challenge or a secure boot confirmation. Similar verification can also be initiated by other vehicle components such as, for example, the ADAS ECU.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment, based on a determination that the vehicle is in or has entered the IG-ON state, the control system 110 may compare odometer information stored in the IVI ECU (and / or another ECU such as the C-DC ECU) with odometer information stored in the electronic fuse. For example, the control system 110 may retrieve odometer information from the IVI ECU and the electronic fuse, and then compare the retrieved odometer information (e.g., via hashing). Based on a determination that the odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from the odometer information stored in the electronic fuse, the control system 110 may initiate one or more vehicle actions, such as displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle (e.g., sending an error code on the display, activating the vehicle's engine warning light), commanding the engine immobilizer to disable one or more actions of the vehicle's engine (e.g., disabling engine ignition), and similar actions.

[0029] According to exemplary embodiments, the control system 110 (or one or more operations associated therewith) may be implemented in one or more ECUs. For example, the control system 110 (or one or more operations associated therewith) may be implemented in the odometer ECU 120, the IVI ECU 130, the powertrain ECU 140, the engine ECU 150, and / or any other suitable ECU such as the C-DC ECU and the ADAS ECU.

[0030] Referring still to Figure 1, the odometer ECU 120 may be configured to measure, track, and record one or more pieces of odometer information associated with the vehicle 100. For example, the odometer ECU 120 may receive input from a sensor (e.g., a sensor that monitors the movement of the vehicle) and then process the sensor input to calculate the distance the vehicle has traveled. Once the odometer information is determined, the odometer ECU 120 may store the odometer information in its own memory storage and provide the odometer information to the control system 110 for further processing.

[0031] The IVI ECU 130 may be configured to manage the vehicle's information and entertainment system, including audio playback, video display, and navigation. In addition, the IVI ECU 130 may also provide an interface to external devices such as smartphones or navigation devices, and a user interface to access and control various infotainment functions. Furthermore, the IVI ECU 130 may also receive odometer information (from the control system 110) and then store the odometer information in its memory storage. In this regard, the IVI ECU 130 may function as an additional ECU for storing odometer information, thereby providing redundancy or backup of the odometer information. Furthermore, the IVI ECU 130 may also be configured to present odometer information to the driver via one or more displays in the vehicle 100 (e.g., an IVI display, a navigation display, etc.).

[0032] The powertrain ECU 140 may be configured to control the operation of the vehicle's powertrain, which typically includes transmission components and a drivetrain. For example, the powertrain ECU 140 may be configured to manage the shifting and torque distribution of the transmission in the vehicle 100. The electronic fuse 150 may include one or more non-volatile memories (e.g., ROM, write-restricted memory, etc.), which may be configured to interact with the powertrain ECU 140 to store associated information (e.g., version information of the powertrain ECU 140, etc.). In some implementations, the electronic fuse 150 may further include a microfuse mounted on the component in which the powertrain ECU 140 is deployed (e.g., a computer chip, etc.). The electronic fuse 150 may receive odometer information from the control system 110 and then store the odometer information internally. According to an exemplary embodiment, first the control system 110 may transmit odometer information to the powertrain ECU 140, and then the powertrain ECU 140 may transmit odometer information to the electronic fuse 150.

[0033] The engine ECU 160 may be configured to monitor and control the operation of the engine of the vehicle 100. For example, the engine ECU 160 may monitor the engine and adjust fuel injection, enable or disable engine ignition, manage idle speed control and engine shutdown / start procedures, and similar actions. According to an exemplary embodiment, the engine ECU 160 may be configured to provide information on the vehicle's ignition status (e.g., IG-ON, IG-OFF, etc.) to the control system 110. Similar to the electronic fuse 150, the electronic fuse 170 may include one or more non-volatile memories (e.g., ROM, write-restricted memory, etc.), which may be configured to interact with the engine ECU 160 and store associated information (e.g., version information of the engine ECU 160, etc.). In some implementations, the electronic fuse 170 may further include a microfuse implemented in the component (e.g., a computer chip, etc.) in which the engine ECU 160 is deployed. The electronic fuse 170 can receive odometer information from the control system 110 and then store the odometer information internally. According to one embodiment, first the control system 110 may transmit the odometer information to the engine ECU 160, and then the engine ECU 160 may transmit the odometer information to the electronic fuse 170.

[0034] Next, referring to Figure 3, which shows a block diagram of exemplary components in a control system 110 according to one or more exemplary embodiments. As shown in Figure 3, the control system 110 may include at least one bus 111, at least one processor 112, at least one memory 113, at least one storage component 114, at least one input component 115, at least one output component 116, and at least one communication interface 117.

[0035] Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the control system 110 may include more or fewer components than those shown in Figure 3, and / or components associated therewith may be arranged differently than those shown in Figure 3. For example, in some embodiments, the control system 110 may include a plurality of storage components 114, the input component 115 and the output component 116 may be implemented as transceiver components, the memory 113 and the storage component 114 may be implemented as memory storage, and so on.

[0036] Bus 111 may be configured to facilitate or enable communication between components of the control system 110. Specifically, bus 111 may connect components in a communicative manner to provide means for the movement and flow of control signal data between components. Bus 111 may include one or more of the following preferred types of buses: internal buses, address buses, data buses, control buses, Controller Area Network (CAN) buses, Ethernet buses, Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) buses, and any other suitable buses that can be implemented in the control system 110 to enable real-time (or near real-time) communication and cooperation between components within the control system 110.

[0037] The processor 112 may be implemented as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software, and may be configured to handle real-time (or near real-time) data processing and control of the control system 110. The processor 112 may include one or more of the following: a central processing unit (CPU), an image processing unit (GPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), an accelerator processing unit (APU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and / or other types of processing or computational components that may be implemented in the control system 110. In some implementations, the processor 112 may be programmable to perform one or more operations described herein. Furthermore, the processor 112 may include a plurality of processing units, each dedicated to performing a specific operation (for example, one processing unit may be assigned to handle communication with an ECU, another processing unit may be assigned to handle communication with an electronic fuse, etc.).

[0038] Memory 113 may include one or more media for storing temporary data, runtime variables, program instructions, and buffers necessary for the operation of the control system 110. Memory 113 may include one or more of the following preferred types of memory: flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic or static storage devices (e.g., flash memory, magnetic memory, and / or optical memory), and any other preferred types of memory that can be implemented in the control system 110 to store information and / or instructions for use by the processor 112.

[0039] The storage component 114 may be configured to store non-volatile data, such as firmware, configuration settings, calibration data, information, and / or software related to the operation and use of the control system 110. For example, the storage component 114 may include, together with a corresponding drive, a hard disk (e.g., magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, and / or solid-state disk), a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a floppy disk, a cartridge, a magnetic tape, and / or another type of non-transient computer-readable media.

[0040] According to the embodiment, the storage component 114 may be configured to store computer-readable or computer-executable instructions that implement one or more operations of the control system 110, one or more usage tables, information about one or more default timings that store odometer information in the IVI ECU (or any other suitable ECU), information that implements one or more exponential increase algorithms, information that implements one or more slope line analyses, information that implements one or more vehicle operations, and the like. The storage component 114 may provide the stored information to the memory 113 for execution of the processor 112.

[0041] The input component 115 may include one or more input components (e.g., a touchscreen display, keyboard, keypad, mouse, button, switch, and / or microphone) that allow the control system 110 to receive information via user input or the like. The output component 116 may include one or more output components (e.g., a display, speaker, navigation device, one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), etc.) that provide output information from the system 110. According to the embodiment, the input component 115 and / or the output component 116 may be optional and may be excluded from the control system 110.

[0042] At least one communication interface 117 may include transceiver-like components (e.g., transceiver and / or separate receiver and transmitter) that enable the control system 110 to communicate with other vehicle components (e.g., ECU, electronic fuse, etc.) via wired connection, wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connections. For example, the communication interface 117 may include a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus interface, Ethernet interface, optical interface, coaxial interface, infrared interface, radio frequency (RF) interface, Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, Wi-Fi interface, cellular network interface, or similar.

[0043] According to one or more embodiments, the communication interface 117 may include at least one input / output (I / O) interface, at least one network interface, at least one storage interface, or the same, enabling components 112-116 to communicate with other vehicle components. Furthermore, the communication interface 117 may include one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable the control system 110 (or one or more components contained therein) to communicate with one or more software applications (e.g., software applications deployed in an ECU).

[0044] Computer executable instructions (e.g., software instructions) may be read into memory 113 and / or storage component 114 from another computer-readable medium or another device (e.g., a remote server, external storage) via the communication interface 117. When executed, the computer executable instructions stored in memory 113 and / or storage component 114 may cause the processor 112 to perform one or more processes described herein. Furthermore or alternatively, hardwired circuits may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to perform one or more processes described herein. Thus, the implementations described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0045] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a method 400 for improving the security of odometer information according to one or more exemplary embodiments. The method may be performed by at least one processor (e.g., processor 112) of a system in a vehicle (e.g., control system 110) when executing a computer-readable instruction stored in one or more memory storages (e.g., memory 113, storage component 114, etc.). The method 400 may be triggered regularly or periodically.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, in operation S410, at least one processor may be configured to obtain one or more pieces of odometer information from an odometer ECU (e.g., ECU120). One or more pieces of odometer information may include, for example, the total number of miles or total distance traveled by the vehicle (e.g., in units such as km, miles, etc.), the number of miles traveled (i.e., the distance traveled by the vehicle during a particular trip), the average speed of the vehicle over a particular period and / or distance, the fuel efficiency or fuel consumption of the vehicle over a particular period and / or distance (e.g., in units such as kilometers per liter (km / L), miles per gallon (MPG), etc.), and similar information.

[0047] In operation S420, at least one processor may be configured to store one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU (or any other suitable ECU such as the C-DC ECU). According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one processor may periodically store one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU according to a predetermined cycle (for example, at the beginning of each month).

[0048] In operation S430, at least one processor may be configured to retrieve a usage table. For example, the usage table may be stored in the control system's storage (e.g., memory 113, storage component 114, etc.), and at least one processor may retrieve the usage table from the storage. As another example, the usage table may be stored or implemented in the odometer ECU. In this case, at least one processor may communicate with the odometer ECU to retrieve the usage table. The usage table may include an exponential growth-based usage table that includes multiple mappings based on exponential growth rates, each mapping may include the distance traveled by the vehicle and associated timings for storing one or more odometer pieces of information in one or more electronic fuses. An example of a usage table is described above with reference to Figure 2.

[0049] In operation S440, at least one processor may be configured to determine whether boundary conditions defined in the usage table are met. For example, the usage table may include the minimum travel distance. In this case, at least one processor may determine whether boundary conditions are met by determining whether the vehicle is in or has entered the ignition-off (IG-OFF) state; determining whether the distance traveled by the vehicle is equal to or greater than the minimum travel distance based on the determination that the vehicle is in or has entered the IG-OFF state; determining whether boundary conditions are met based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum travel distance; and determining whether boundary conditions are not met based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is less than the minimum travel distance.

[0050] Based on the determination that the boundary conditions are not met, method 400 may terminate or end, and one or more odometer information entries are not stored or entered into any electronic fuse. Conversely, based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met, at least one processor may be configured to store one or more odometer information entries in one or more electronic fuses based on a usage table. For example, at least one processor may store one or more odometer information entries by selecting a mapping from a plurality of mappings based on the distance traveled by the vehicle, determining the timing for storing one or more odometer information entries in one or more electronic fuses based on the selected mapping, and storing one or more odometer information entries in one or more electronic fuses according to the determined timing. According to an exemplary embodiment, some portion of the odometer information may be stored in a first electronic fuse, and other portion of the odometer information may be stored in a second electronic fuse. One or more electronic fuses may include electronic fuses associated with the powertrain ECU and / or electronic fuses associated with the engine ECU.

[0051] The flowchart in Figure 4 merely illustrates possible embodiments, and it is assumed that the scope of this disclosure should not be limited thereto. Specifically, in some implementations, Method 400 may include more / fewer operations than those shown in Figure 4.

[0052] For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, method 400 may further include an operation to update the usage table. In this case, at least one processor may be configured to update the usage table by determining whether the vehicle has been used for a predetermined period of time, performing a slope analysis to determine the current usage trend of the vehicle based on the determination that the vehicle has been used for a predetermined period of time, and updating the usage table based on the current usage trend.

[0053] Furthermore, method 400 may further include one or more vehicle operations, for example, displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle, commanding the engine immobilizer to disable one or more operations of the vehicle's engine, and initiating such operations. In this case, at least one processor may be configured to initiate one or more vehicle operations by determining whether the vehicle is in or has entered an ignition-on (IG-ON) state, comparing one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU with one or more odometer information stored in an electronic fuse based on the determination that the vehicle is in or has entered an IG-ON state, and initiating one or more vehicle operations based on the determination that one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from one or more odometer information stored in an electronic fuse.

[0054] Further descriptions of the specific operations associated with the operation of Method 400 are provided above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Therefore, any redundant explanations associated therewith may be omitted below for the sake of brevity.

[0055] To this end, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide enhanced security for odometer information. Specifically, compared to storing and managing odometer information in a single odometer ECU in related technologies, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure store odometer information in at least one additional ECU (e.g., IVI ECU, C-DC ECU, etc.) and one or more electronic fuses. Inputting or storing odometer information in the electronic fuses is initiated and performed according to a usage table (which is regularly updated according to the vehicle's latest usage trends). Thus, the timing of inputting or storing odometer information in the electronic fuses is determined according to driver behavior, optimizing the use of electronic fuses in the vehicle. Furthermore, odometer information stored in various vehicle components (e.g., ECUs, electronic fuses, etc.) can be used to verify the accuracy and completeness of the odometer information, and one or more actions (e.g., engine immobilization) can be performed based on it, effectively reducing the risk of odometer fraud.

[0056] The functions, advantages, and importance of the exemplary embodiments described herein are merely part of the disclosure and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the disclosure. Further descriptions of the functions, components, configurations, operations, and implementations of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as well as the associated technical advantages and importance, are provided below.

[0057] It is understood that any particular order or hierarchy of blocks in the processes / flowcharts disclosed herein is an example of exemplary technique. It is understood that any particular order or hierarchy of blocks in the processes / flowcharts may be rearranged based on design preferences. Furthermore, some blocks may be combined or omitted. The appended method claims present elements of various blocks in a sample order and are not intended to be limited to any particular order or hierarchy presented.

[0058] Some embodiments may relate to systems, methods, and / or computer-readable media at any possible level of technical detail of integration. Furthermore, as described herein, one or more of the above-described components may be implemented as instructions stored in a computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor (and / or may include at least one processor). The computer-readable medium may include a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium (or multiple mediums) having computer-readable program instructions to cause a processor to perform an operation.

[0059] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction-executing device. A computer-readable storage medium may be, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any preferred combination thereof. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes, namely, portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVDs), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanically encoded devices such as punched cards or grooved raised structures on which instructions are recorded, and any preferred combination thereof. The computer-readable storage media used herein should not be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmitting media (e.g., light pulses passing through optical fiber cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0060] The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or they may be downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network may include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface within each computing / processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer-readable program instructions for storage in a computer-readable storage medium within each computing / processing device.

[0061] The computer-readable program code / instructions that perform the operation may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, configuration data for integrated circuits, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, or similar, and procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be fully executed on the user's computer, partially executed on the user's computer, executed as a standalone software package, partially executed on the user's computer and partially executed on a remote computer, or fully executed on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or a connection to an external computer may be made (for example, via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, for example, an electronic circuit including a programmable logic circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) may execute computer-readable program instructions by personalizing the electronic circuit using state information of computer-readable program instructions in order to perform a particular action or operation.

[0062] The computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, or other programmable data processing device to generate a machine, and as a result, instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate means for implementing functions / actions specified in blocks or blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram. The computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can instruct computers, programmable data processing devices, and / or other devices to function in a particular way, and as a result, the computer-readable storage medium in which the instructions are stored comprises a manufactured article containing instructions for implementing modes of functions / actions specified in blocks or blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0063] Computer-readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device to perform a series of operational steps on the computer, other programmable device, or other device, thereby generating a computer implementation process, the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable device, or other device, which implement the functions / actions specified in the blocks or blocks(s) of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0064] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer-readable media according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction set comprising one or more executable instructions that implement a specified logical function. Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable media may include additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or blocks arranged differently compared to those depicted in the figures. In some alternative implementations, the functions described in the blocks may occur regardless of the order in which they are shown in the figures. For example, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, or blocks may be executed in reverse order depending on the functions they relate to. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or action or executes a dedicated combination of hardware and computer instructions.

[0065] It will be apparent that the systems and / or methods described herein can be implemented in various forms of hardware, firmware, or combinations of hardware and software. The actual dedicated control hardware or software code used to implement such systems and / or methods is not a limitation of the implementation. Therefore, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code, and it is understood that software and hardware can be designed to implement the systems and / or methods based on the descriptions herein. The inventions disclosed herein include the following embodiments: [Aspect 1] A method performed by at least one processor of a system implemented in a vehicle to improve the security of odometer information, Obtaining one or more odometer data points from the Odometer Electronic Controller Unit (ECU), The above-mentioned odometer information is stored in the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU, To retrieve the table to use, To determine whether the boundary conditions defined in the aforementioned usage table are met, Based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met, one or more odometer information items are stored in the electronic fuse based on the usage table, Methods that include... [Aspect 2] The storage of the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU is, The IVI ECU periodically stores one or more of the aforementioned odometer information according to a predetermined cycle, The method according to embodiment 1, including the method described in embodiment 1. [Aspect 3] The boundary conditions include a minimum travel distance, and the determination regarding whether the boundary conditions are met is, To determine whether the vehicle has entered the ignition-off (IG-OFF) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle has entered the IG-OFF state, it is determined whether the distance traveled by the vehicle satisfies the minimum travel distance, Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is satisfied. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is shorter than the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is not met. The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, including the method described in embodiment 1 or 2. [Aspect 4] The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the usage table is an exponential growth-based usage table comprising a plurality of mappings based on an exponential growth rate, each of the mappings comprising the distance traveled by the vehicle and associated timings for storing the one or more odometer pieces of information in the electronic fuse. [Aspect 5] The storage of the one or more odometer information in the electronic fuse is, Based on the distance traveled by the vehicle, a mapping is selected from among the multiple mappings. Based on the provided selected mapping, determine the timing for storing the one or more odometer pieces of information in the electronic fuse, The electronic fuse is used to store one or more odometer information items according to the timing determined above. The method according to embodiment 4, including the method described in embodiment 4. [Aspect 6] To determine whether the use of the vehicle has exceeded the prescribed period, Based on the determination that the use of the said vehicle has exceeded the predetermined period, a slope line analysis is performed to determine the current usage trend of the said vehicle, The usage table is updated based on the current usage trends, The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, further comprising the above. [Aspect 7] To determine whether the vehicle has entered the ignition-on (IG-ON) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle has entered the IG-ON state, the one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is compared with the one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse, Based on the determination that one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse, one or more vehicle operations are initiated. The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, further comprising the above. [Aspect 8] The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The method according to embodiment 7, which includes displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle. [Aspect 9] The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The method according to embodiment 7, comprising instructing the engine immobilizer to disable one or more operations of the engine of the vehicle. [Aspect 10] The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the electronic fuse comprises one or more electronic fuses associated with the powertrain ECU and electronic fuses associated with the engine ECU. [Aspect 11] A system implemented in a vehicle to improve the security of odometer information, wherein the system is Memory storage that stores executable computer instructions, At least one processor that is communicatively connected to the memory storage, The processor comprises the above, and the at least one processor executes the above instructions. Obtain one or more odometer information from the odometer electronic controller unit (ECU), The aforementioned one or more odometer information is stored in the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU, Get the table to use, Determine whether the boundary conditions defined in the aforementioned usage table are met. A system configured to store one or more odometer pieces of information in an electronic fuse based on the usage table, based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met. [Aspect 12] The aforementioned at least one processor is The system according to embodiment 11, configured to store the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU by periodically storing the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU according to a predetermined cycle. [Aspect 13] The boundary conditions include a minimum travel distance, and the at least one processor is To determine whether the vehicle is in the ignition-off (IG-OFF) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle is in the IG-OFF state, it is determined whether the distance the vehicle has traveled satisfies the minimum travel distance, Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is satisfied. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is shorter than the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is not met. The system according to embodiment 11 or 12, configured to determine whether the boundary conditions are met by... [Aspect 14] The system according to embodiment 11 or 12, wherein the usage table is an exponential growth-based usage table comprising a plurality of mappings based on an exponential growth rate, each of which the mapping comprises the distance traveled by the vehicle and an associated timing for storing the one or more odometer pieces of information in the electronic fuse. [Aspect 15] The aforementioned at least one processor is Based on the distance traveled by the vehicle, a mapping is selected from among the multiple mappings. Based on the selected mapping, the timing for storing one or more odometer information in the electronic fuse is determined. The electronic fuse is used to store one or more odometer information items according to the timing determined above. The system according to embodiment 14, wherein the one or more odometer information is configured to be stored in the electronic fuse. [Aspect 16] The aforementioned at least one processor further, Determine whether the use of the vehicle has exceeded the prescribed period. Based on the determination that the use of the said vehicle has exceeded the predetermined period, a slope line analysis is performed to determine the current usage trend of the said vehicle. The system according to embodiment 11 or 12, configured to update the usage table based on the current usage trends. [Aspect 17] The aforementioned at least one processor further, Determine whether the vehicle is in the ignition-on (IG-ON) state. Based on the determination that the vehicle is in the IG-ON state, the one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is compared with the one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse. The system according to embodiment 11 or 12, configured to initiate one or more vehicle operations based on a determination that one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse. [Aspect 18] The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The system according to embodiment 17, which includes displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle. [Aspect 19] The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The system according to embodiment 17, comprising commanding the engine immobilizer to disable one or more operations of the engine of the vehicle. [Aspect 20] The system according to embodiment 11 or 12, wherein the electronic fuse comprises one or more electronic fuses associated with the powertrain ECU and electronic fuses associated with the engine ECU.

Claims

1. A method performed by at least one processor of a system implemented in a vehicle to improve the security of odometer information, To obtain one or more odometer information from the odometer electronic controller unit (ECU), The above-mentioned odometer information is stored in the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU, To retrieve the table to use, To determine whether the boundary conditions defined in the aforementioned usage table are met, Based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met, one or more odometer information items are stored in the electronic fuse based on the usage table, Methods that include...

2. The storage of the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU is, The IVI ECU periodically stores one or more of the aforementioned odometer information according to a predetermined cycle, The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.

3. The boundary conditions include a minimum travel distance, and the determination regarding whether the boundary conditions are met is, To determine whether the vehicle has entered the ignition-off (IG-OFF) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle has entered the IG-OFF state, it is determined whether the distance traveled by the vehicle satisfies the minimum travel distance. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is satisfied. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is shorter than the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is not met. The method according to claim 1 or 2, including the method described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the usage table is an exponential growth-based usage table comprising a plurality of mappings based on an exponential growth rate, each of the mappings comprising the distance traveled by the vehicle and associated timings for storing the one or more odometer pieces of information in the electronic fuse.

5. The storage of the one or more odometer information in the electronic fuse is, Based on the distance traveled by the vehicle, a mapping is selected from among the multiple mappings. Based on the provided selected mapping, determine the timing for storing one or more odometer information in the electronic fuse, The electronic fuse is used to store one or more odometer information items according to the timing determined above. The method according to claim 4, including the method described in claim 4.

6. To determine whether the vehicle has entered the ignition-on (IG-ON) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle has entered the IG-ON state, the one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is compared with the one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse, Based on the determination that one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse, one or more vehicle operations are initiated. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

7. The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The method according to claim 6, comprising displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle.

8. The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The method according to claim 6, comprising commanding the engine immobilizer to disable one or more operations of the engine of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic fuse comprises one or more electronic fuses associated with the powertrain ECU and electronic fuses associated with the engine ECU.

10. A system implemented in a vehicle to improve the security of odometer information, wherein the system is Memory storage that stores executable computer instructions, At least one processor that is communicatively connected to the memory storage, The processor comprises the above, and the at least one processor executes the instructions, Obtain one or more odometer information from the Odometer Electronic Controller Unit (ECU), The one or more odometer information items are stored in the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) ECU. Get the table to use, Determine whether the boundary conditions defined in the aforementioned usage table are met. A system configured to store one or more odometer information items in an electronic fuse based on the usage table, based on the determination that the boundary conditions are met.

11. The aforementioned at least one processor is The system according to claim 10, configured to store the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU by periodically storing the one or more odometer information in the IVI ECU according to a predetermined cycle.

12. The boundary conditions include a minimum travel distance, and the at least one processor is To determine whether the vehicle is in the ignition-off (IG-OFF) state, Based on the determination that the vehicle is in the IG-OFF state, it is determined whether the distance traveled by the vehicle satisfies the minimum travel distance. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is satisfied. Based on the determination that the distance traveled by the vehicle is shorter than the minimum travel distance, it is determined that the boundary condition is not met. The system according to claim 10 or 11, configured to determine whether the boundary conditions are met by...

13. The system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the usage table is an exponential growth-based usage table comprising a plurality of mappings based on an exponential growth rate, each of the mappings comprising the distance traveled by the vehicle and associated timings for storing the one or more odometer pieces of information in the electronic fuse.

14. The aforementioned at least one processor is Based on the distance traveled by the vehicle, a mapping is selected from among the multiple mappings. Based on the selected mapping, the timing for storing one or more odometer information in the electronic fuse is determined. The electronic fuse is used to store one or more odometer information items according to the timing determined above. The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more odometer information is configured to be stored in the electronic fuse.

15. The aforementioned at least one processor further, Determine whether the vehicle is in the ignition-on (IG-ON) state. Based on the determination that the vehicle is in the IG-ON state, the one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is compared with the one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse. The system according to claim 10 or 11, configured to initiate one or more vehicle operations based on a determination that one or more odometer information stored in the IVI ECU is different from one or more odometer information stored in the electronic fuse.

16. The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The system according to claim 15, further comprising displaying a message to notify the driver of the vehicle.

17. The aforementioned one or more vehicle operations are The system according to claim 15, comprising commanding the engine immobilizer to disable one or more operations of the engine of the vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the electronic fuse comprises one or more electronic fuses associated with the powertrain ECU and electronic fuses associated with the engine ECU.

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