Electronic Key Registration System with Time-Limited Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic key registration systems face challenges in preventing unauthorized registration and rewriting of electronic key information, which can lead to security breaches and misuse.

Innovation Solution

An electronic key registration system that employs a verification ECU connected to a bus in the vehicle, using bidirectional communication and challenge-response verification with a SEED registration technique to securely register and manage electronic keys, with time-limited registration periods to prevent unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If electronic key registration is allowed without time limitation, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to unauthorized registration risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectronic key registration convenienceVSAvoidsecurity against unauthorized registration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by setting a registration valid period before unauthorized registration can occur. The control device checks whether the current time falls within the valid period before allowing registration, preventing unauthorized registration attempts outside the authorized time window.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The registration validity is made dynamic through time-based control. The control device dynamically checks the current time against the stored valid period and adjusts registration acceptance accordingly, transitioning from static unlimited registration to dynamic time-limited registration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If bidirectional communication verification is implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity against unauthorized accessVSAvoidcommunication verification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback through bidirectional communication where the control device sends challenge data to the electronic key, receives response data, verifies it against expected values, and provides feedback by either accepting or rejecting the registration. This closed-loop verification enhances security while maintaining manageable complexity through structured interaction protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2662840B1Electronic key registration system
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 KK TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
  • EP2662840B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2662840B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2662840B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An electronic key registration system (16) registers a key ID and an encryption key (Kcr) of an electronic key (2) to a controller (4) installed in a communication subject (1) that communicates with the electronic key (2) through wireless connection. The electronic key (2) includes a monitoring unit (23, 26) that monitors whether or not registration of the electronic key (2) is attempted in a permissible period. A registration invalidation unit (25, 28) prohibits registration of the electronic key (2) to the communication subject (1) when the permissible period expires.