Field Superposition for Automotive Relay Attack Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems, particularly in automotive applications, are vulnerable to relay attacks where signals between a transponder and a base station can be intercepted and relayed by attackers, compromising security.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of field superposition circuits and systems that use randomized superposition factors to drive interior vehicle antennas, generating communication fields, and authenticating the transponder based on the superposed vector components of signals received, ensuring that the signals are within an error-tolerant range, thereby preventing relay attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If relay devices are used to relay signals between transponder and base station, then communication range is extended, but security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes superposition factors between different communication cycles, making the field superposition pattern variable and unpredictable. This prevents relay attacks while maintaining extended communication range through multiple antenna coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the superposition factors (amplitude and phase parameters) of multiple antennas between communication cycles. By varying these parameters, the system creates different field superposition patterns that authenticate legitimate transponders while rejecting relayed signals, thus maintaining security with extended range.
2Measurement precision
If multiple antennas are driven with different superposition factors, then authentication capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores multiple sets of superposition factors before communication begins. During operation, it simply selects and applies predetermined factor sets, avoiding complex real-time calculations and reducing computational complexity while maintaining strong authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system periodically changes between different sets of superposition factors across communication cycles. This periodic variation provides multiple authentication challenges without requiring complex continuous computation, balancing authentication strength with manageable device complexity.
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
This approach effectively authenticates the transponder and prevents relay attacks by ensuring that the superposed signals from multiple antennas are within a specific error range, enhancing the security of wireless communication systems in automotive applications.
Implementation Method 1
different randomized superposition factors are used to drive one or two interior vehicle antennas to generate communication fields
Implementation Method 2
generate communication fields for respective communication cycles
Data Source
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AI summary
Wireless communications between a vehicle base station and a transponder are authenticated. In accordance with one or more embodiments, two or more antennas including at least one antenna within a vehicle are respectively driven using driving currents multiplied by different superposition factors for at least two iterative cycles. Separate vector components of the respective fields emitted by the antennas are used for calculating the superposition factors. For each cycle, each of the antennas is concurrently driven using the same phase respectively using the driving currents multiplied by the superposition factors, and superposed vector components are detected for a superposed signal including signals from both antennas. Communications are authenticated based on the detected superposed vector components for each for the superposed signal of each cycle being within a system error-based range of the sum of the separate vector components for each of the interior and exterior antennas as multiplied respectively by the superposition factors for the antenna from which the vector components are received.