Software Root of Trust for Cross-Brand Vehicle Digital Keys
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital key systems for vehicles rely on dedicated hardware and require secure pairing by the OEM, making replacement or repair difficult and costly, and are not easily compatible with legacy or different brand mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A control system for mobile devices that communicates with a vehicle's digital key system using short-range communication protocols like NFC, BLE, or UWB, allowing performance of vehicle functions without a physical key, and operates independently of the mobile device OEM's keyless vehicle control functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated hardware and OEM secure pairing are used for digital key systems, then security and reliability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase, and ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces dedicated hardware security systems with a software-based control system that runs on general-purpose mobile devices. The control system uses software cryptographic modules and secure computing environments instead of specialized hardware security modules, allowing the same security functions to be performed on standard smartphones and tablets.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to be platform-agnostic and can operate on any mobile device regardless of manufacturer or operating system. This universal approach allows a single control system design to serve multiple vehicle models and work with various mobile devices, eliminating the need for device-specific hardware implementations.
2Reliability
If dedicated hardware and OEM secure pairing are used for digital key systems, then security is improved, but ease of repair and replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces proprietary hardware security systems with software-based security implementations that can be updated and replaced without physical hardware changes. The control system uses software cryptographic keys and secure computing environments that can be provisioned, updated, and revoked through software updates rather than hardware replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements dynamic security provisioning where cryptographic keys and security credentials can be updated, revoked, or transferred through software processes. This allows security credentials to be dynamically managed without requiring physical hardware replacement, enabling easy repair and replacement scenarios.
3Reliability
If proprietary digital key protocols are used, then security is improved, but adaptability and compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal compatibility across multiple mobile device platforms including iOS, Android, and other operating systems. The same control system can be deployed on different vehicle models and works with various mobile devices through standardized communication protocols, eliminating the need for proprietary device-specific implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary layer between the vehicle and mobile device, providing platform-agnostic communication interfaces. It translates between different mobile device operating systems and the vehicle's digital key system, enabling secure communication without requiring proprietary protocols for each device type.
4Reliability
If OEM-specific keyless functionality is used, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for users with different device brands
Solution Approach 1:
The control system provides consistent keyless vehicle control functionality across all mobile device brands and models. Users experience the same ease of operation whether using iOS, Android, or other operating systems, as the control system abstracts away platform-specific differences and provides uniform access to vehicle functions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A control system for use at a mobile device to control a digital key system of a vehicle, wherein the digital key system is implemented according to a predetermined vehicle digital key specification to enable one or more vehicle functions to be performed at the vehicle without using a physical key for the vehicle, and wherein the control system, when executed by a processor of the mobile device, is arranged to: communicate, in accordance with the predetermined vehicle digital key specification, with the digital key system via at least one short range communication protocol to cause performance of at least one of the one or more vehicle functions; and provide a secured software runtime environment at the mobile device for the control system to perform one or more secured operations, the one or more secured operations including the control system acting as a software root of trust, in accordance with the predetermined vehicle digital key specification, for performance of at least one of the one or more vehicle functions.