Digital Key Access Certification for Unbonded Vehicle Functions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle access systems require digital keys to be linked or bonded with the vehicle owner, complicating access for multiple users, especially in scenarios like autonomous vehicles or ride-sharing services where users may be unrelated.

Innovation Solution

A central authority certifies unbonded access by verifying both users and vehicles at the time of interaction, using a computing system to generate and verify signed tokens for vehicle functions without prior pairing, allowing secure and convenient access for multiple users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If digital keys are linked with vehicle owner through registration process, then security and authorization are ensured, but access complexity and time consumption increase for multiple users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess securityVSAvoidaccess process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the bonding requirement between digital key and vehicle owner, allowing digital keys to function independently without being linked to specific users. The system removes the mandatory registration process that binds keys to owners, enabling any user with a digital key to access the vehicle through temporary certification at the point of access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary certification actions by having the vehicle advertise its service identifier and the digital key device present its capability before actual access occurs. This preliminary exchange of identifiers prepares the system for rapid authentication without requiring prior user registration or bonding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If users complete registration process to link with vehicle owner, then authorized access is guaranteed, but time consumption and operational simplicity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthorized accessVSAvoidregistration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a central authority as an intermediary that issues temporary certification tokens to both the vehicle and digital key device at the point of access. This intermediary enables rapid authentication without requiring users to complete time-consuming registration processes, as the central authority provides immediate temporary authorization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary certification actions by having the vehicle advertise its service identifier and the digital key device present its capability before actual access occurs. This preliminary exchange of identifiers prepares the system for rapid authentication without requiring prior user registration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If digital keys are bonded with vehicle owner, then ownership verification is ensured, but adaptability and convenience for multiple unrelated users decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveownership verificationVSAvoidmulti-user accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the bonding requirement between digital key and vehicle owner, allowing digital keys to function independently without being linked to specific users. The system removes the mandatory registration process that binds keys to owners, enabling any user with a digital key to access the vehicle through temporary certification at the point of access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables a single vehicle to serve multiple unrelated users through universal access mechanisms. By removing user-specific bonding requirements and implementing temporary certification, the vehicle can be accessed by any digital key device that completes the certification process, making the system adaptable to ride-sharing, autonomous vehicle, and multi-user scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12403862B1Central authority for certifying unbonded access to a vehicle via a digital key device

Publication Date: 2025.09.02 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Techniques for certifying unbonded access to a vehicle are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving, by a vehicle and from a computing system, a service identifier associated with a function of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle stores one or more device identifiers for each digital key device in communication with the vehicle, receiving, from a digital key device, a signed token associated with the service identifier, wherein the one or more device identifiers do not include a device identifier for the digital key device, sending, to the computing system, the signed token, receiving, from the computing system, an indication of whether the signed token is verified, responsive to determining, based on the indication, that the signed token is verified, authorizing use of the function of the vehicle, and storing the device identifier for the digital key device.