Vehicle Door Lock System Using Knocking Event Correlation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless vehicle keys are vulnerable to eavesdropping and relay attacks, allowing unauthorized access as the access information can be intercepted and manipulated by non-trusted devices.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle door lock system that requires physical contact verification using a portable electronic device, generating and comparing triggering event data from both the vehicle and the device to ensure the device is in proximity, thereby preventing unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless key access information data is transferred wirelessly between the wireless key and the vehicle, then convenience for the user is improved, but security against eavesdropping and relay attacks deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvenience for the userVSAvoidsecurity against eavesdropping and relay attacks
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism involving a portable electronic device that acts as a mediator between the wireless key and the vehicle. This device captures triggering events (such as knocking sounds or vibrations) from both the vehicle and the portable device, verifies their correlation, and only then permits access. This intermediary layer prevents direct eavesdropping and relay attacks on the wireless communication channel while maintaining the convenience of wireless access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a portable electronic device is used as a wireless key, then functionality and integration are improved, but vulnerability to interception and manipulation by non-trusted devices worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctionality and integrationVSAvoidvulnerability to interception and manipulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by requiring the portable electronic device to perform a triggering event (such as knocking or vibrating) before access is granted. The vehicle's sensor detects this triggering event and generates triggering event data, which is then verified against data from the portable device. This preliminary verification step ensures that the portable device is physically present and actively participating in the access process, preventing interception and manipulation by non-trusted devices while maintaining the versatility of using portable devices as keys.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 security by preventing relay attacks and ensuring only trusted devices with proximity access information can unlock the vehicle, thereby securing access.

Implementation Method 1

generate first triggering event data, indicative of a first triggering event detected by the vehicle event sensor, caused by a knocking of an object onto the vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact detection: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

generate second triggering event data, indicative of a second triggering event detected by the portable electronic device event sensor, caused by a knocking of the portable electronic device onto an object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP3901923A1A method and vehicle door lock system for managing access to the vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.10.27 NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RES & DEV CO LTD
  • EP3901923A1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3901923A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3901923A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a vehicle door lock system (100) of a vehicle (1), a portable electronic device (20) and a method for managing access to the vehicle (1). The vehicle door lock system (100) comprises: a door lock (5a,5b,5c,5d); a vehicle event sensor (10a,10b,10c,10d); and a processing circuitry (102a), the processing circuitry (102a,102b,102c) is configured to cause the vehicle door lock system (100) to generate first triggering event data (1TED), indicative of a first triggering event detected by the vehicle event sensor (10a,10b,10c,10d), caused by a knocking of an object onto the vehicle (1), at a first time (T1), obtain, from a portable electronic device (20), second triggering event data (2TED), indicative of a second triggering event caused by a knocking of the portable electronic device (20) onto an object, at a second time (T2), determine if the first triggering event and the second triggering event both occurs within a predetermined time period by comparing the first triggering event data (1TED) and the second triggering event data (2TED).