Secure Vehicle Unit Data Signing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle units lack the capability to provide tamper-proof and authentic data recording, which is essential for determining responsibility in accidents, calculating driver salaries, and verifying compliance with regulations, as the data can be manipulated or altered.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle unit equipped with processing circuitry and memory that obtains, signs, and encrypts vehicle information data, ensuring the recorded data cannot be manipulated, and provides a secure method for storing and retrieving signed and encrypted data for vehicle-related events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is recorded without signing and encryption, then the recording process is simple and fast, but the data can be manipulated and lacks authenticity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata authenticityVSAvoidrecording process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing signing and encryption operations on vehicle data before the data is stored or transmitted. The vehicle unit signs the data with its private key and encrypts it before recording, ensuring that the data is protected against manipulation from the outset. This preliminary security measure prevents later disputes about data authenticity without requiring complex verification systems during data retrieval.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cryptographic intermediaries (digital signatures and encryption algorithms) between the data generation process and the storage process. These intermediaries act as mediators that verify and protect the data's integrity. The signing mechanism uses cryptographic keys as intermediaries to establish trust, while encryption algorithms serve as intermediaries to protect data confidentiality and integrity during storage and transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If signing and encryption are applied to all vehicle data, then data tampering is prevented, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively applying signing and encryption to specific types of vehicle data based on their importance and sensitivity. Not all vehicle data requires the same level of security processing. The system identifies critical data (such as speed, location, driver status) that needs cryptographic protection while potentially using simpler recording methods for less critical data, thereby optimizing the balance between security and processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If signed and encrypted data is stored, then evidence reliability is enhanced for legal and regulatory purposes, but storage requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevidence reliabilityVSAvoiddata storage requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies copying by creating cryptographic copies (digital signatures) of the vehicle data rather than storing multiple physical copies of the original data. The digital signature is a compact mathematical representation that verifies data authenticity without requiring additional storage of the actual vehicle data. This approach provides legal-grade evidence reliability while minimizing storage requirements, as the signature can be verified independently of the original data size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4488969A1Secure vehicle unit
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 STONERIDGE ELECTRONICS
  • EP4488969A1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4488969A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4488969A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described is a method performed by a vehicle unit (10) for providing information of vehicle related events, the method comprises obtaining (202) vehicle information data; signing (204) the obtained vehicle information data; recording (206) the signed vehicle information data; providing (208) the recorded signed vehicle information data for information of vehicle related events.