Automotive Security Apparatus Preventing Relay Attacks
Solution Overview
Problem
Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) systems in vehicles are vulnerable to relay attacks, where attackers can gain unauthorized access by relaying communication between the vehicle and the key, and existing solutions either compromise safety and convenience or require costly multi-anchor systems.
Innovation Solution
An automotive security apparatus that determines the location of a vehicle key relative to the vehicle using security-location-information and vehicle-location-information, setting a security-condition-signal to enable or disable PKE mode, and providing alerts for unauthorized access attempts, utilizing BLE and other RF technologies to prevent relay attacks without needing UWB.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If PKE systems are implemented to enable convenient vehicle access, then ease of operation is improved, but vulnerability to relay attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional RF-based keyless entry communication with optical communication using visible light. The vehicle sends optical signals containing authentication data, and the key fob receives and processes these signals optically. This substitution fundamentally changes the communication medium, making relay attacks infeasible because optical signals cannot be easily intercepted and retransmitted over distance like RF signals can.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of communication frequency/wavelength from radio frequency to visible light frequency. By operating in the optical domain rather than RF domain, the system achieves both convenience (maintaining keyless operation) and security (preventing relay attacks through the physical properties of light).
2Reliability
If multi-anchor systems are deployed to prevent relay attacks, then security is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security function from complex infrastructure requirements and embeds it directly into the optical communication protocol between vehicle and key fob. Instead of requiring external anchor points or additional infrastructure, the security mechanism is built into the core authentication exchange using optical signals, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is self-sufficient in providing security through its own optical communication channel. The vehicle and key fob autonomously perform authentication using visible light without needing external verification infrastructure. The security mechanism serves itself through the inherent properties of optical communication, eliminating the need for additional complex systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances vehicle security by preventing unauthorized access and theft, maintaining safety and convenience while avoiding costly infrastructure requirements, by accurately determining key proximity and enabling secure vehicle access.
Implementation Method 1
a low frequency (LF) sub-system, which is fitted to a vehicle, provides a 125 kHz magnetic induction field in the vicinity of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a Very High Frequency (VHF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF) wireless communications sub-system is provided in a key fob. This sub-system is used to verify that a registered key fob is communicating with the vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
An automotive security apparatus 200, comprising: a security-terminal 202, configured to receive security-location-information 222 representative of a location of the automotive security apparatus or a vehicle key; and a vehicle-location-terminal 204, configured to receive vehicle-location-information 224 representative of a location of a vehicle, a processor 206, configured to compare the security-location-information 222 with the vehicle-location-information 224, and determine a security-condition-signal 228 based on whether the location of the automotive security apparatus or the vehicle key is inside or outside of a predetermined-proximity of the location of the vehicle; and an output-terminal 208, configured to provide the security-condition-signal 228.