Vehicle Operational Data Access With Verified User Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle owners and independent repair shops lack access to onboard operational data, leading to maintenance issues and safety problems due to the lack of data access provided by OEMs.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods for securely accessing onboard vehicle data by verifying user association with the vehicle, using a vehicle identification number (VIN) and user information, and employing an authorization controller to grant access to authorized users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If OEMs restrict access to onboard operational data to maintain security and control, then data security and system control are improved, but vehicle owners and independent repair shops cannot access necessary data for maintenance and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments access rights by creating different user roles (vehicle owners, authorized repair shops, OEMs) with specific permission levels. Each role can access only the data and functions appropriate to their needs, resolving the contradiction by allowing broad accessibility for authorized users while maintaining security through role-based restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authorization system that mediates between OEM data security requirements and user access needs. This intermediary layer verifies user credentials, manages authentication tokens, and controls data access without requiring direct OEM involvement in each access request, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining security.
2Productivity
If OEMs provide comprehensive data access to all users, then maintenance and safety monitoring are improved, but system security and data protection are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of data access to different users based on their specific needs and authorization levels. Vehicle owners can access their own vehicle data, authorized repair shops can access data for vehicles they service, and OEMs maintain full access. This resolves the contradiction by enabling maintenance efficiency for authorized users while protecting against unauthorized access through localized access controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic access control where permissions are not static but change based on user authentication status, vehicle ownership verification, and service authorization. The system dynamically grants or revokes access rights based on real-time conditions, allowing comprehensive data access when needed for maintenance while protecting data when access is not authorized.
3Reliability
If verification processes are made rigorous to ensure only authorized users access data, then security is improved, but access time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by requiring users to complete verification processes in advance before needing data access. Vehicle owners verify their ownership through pre-submitted documentation, and repair shops obtain authorization before servicing vehicles. This upfront verification reduces wait times during actual data access while maintaining high authorization accuracy through thorough preliminary checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating and storing verified user credentials, vehicle ownership certificates, and authorization tokens that can be quickly validated without re-verifying the original documents each time access is needed. This copying mechanism maintains high authorization accuracy through stored verified information while dramatically reducing verification time for subsequent access requests.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, computer-readable media, and devices for accessing onboard operational data in a vehicle. The systems, methods, computer-readable media, and devices may include hardware and/or software for performing operations that include: obtaining user information and vehicle information, obtaining verification information, e.g., from a verification source, verifying that a specific user is associated with the vehicle based on the verification information, communicatively connecting to the vehicle based on the vehicle information; obtaining the onboard data from the vehicle; and providing the onboard data to the user. In embodiments, the user may be the owner of the vehicle, the registrant of the vehicle, or a repair person that is servicing the vehicle and needs access to onboard data besides OBD error codes.