Vehicle Gateway Firmware Reprogramming With Integrated Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing reprogramming procedures for vehicle controllers are inefficient, requiring repeated authentication and updates for each firmware across multiple controllers, leading to degraded efficiency and potential re-installation issues when problems occur.

Innovation Solution

A gateway and firmware integrated management apparatus authenticate and manage integrated firmware, using a single authentication information item and generating encryption keys for each controller, allowing simultaneous updates and reducing the burden on individual controllers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate authentication is performed for each controller firmware, then firmware security is maintained, but reprogramming efficiency deteriorates due to repeated authentication processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirmware securityVSAvoidreprogramming efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate firmware authentication processes into a single integrated authentication process. The gateway performs one-time authentication with the diagnostor, and then multiple controllers can simultaneously receive and verify firmware through this single authenticated connection, eliminating the need for repeated authentication for each controller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway acts as an intermediary between the diagnostor and multiple controllers. It receives authenticated firmware from the diagnostor, manages the firmware distribution to multiple controllers, and coordinates the simultaneous reprogramming process, thereby reducing the authentication burden on individual controllers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If one-to-one correspondence between diagnostor and controller is used, then individual controller control is precise, but the number of authentication information items increases with multiple controllers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontroller control precisionVSAvoidnumber of authentication information items

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway provides universal authentication service to multiple controllers simultaneously. A single authentication between the gateway and diagnostor serves as the basis for firmware distribution to multiple controllers, making the authentication process multi-functional rather than requiring separate authentication for each controller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the reprogramming process into two distinct phases: authentication phase (gateway-diagnostor only) and firmware distribution phase (gateway to multiple controllers). This segmentation allows authentication to be performed once while firmware is distributed to multiple controllers, reducing the total number of authentication information items required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of time

If simultaneous firmware updates are performed on multiple controllers, then reprogramming time is reduced, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereprogramming timeVSAvoidsystem coordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway serves as a central coordinator that manages simultaneous firmware updates across multiple controllers. It receives authenticated firmware from the diagnostor, maintains firmware integrity, and distributes firmware to multiple controllers in a coordinated manner, simplifying the complexity of simultaneous updates by providing centralized management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway performs preliminary authentication with the diagnostor before initiating simultaneous firmware updates to multiple controllers. This preliminary action ensures that the firmware is authenticated and ready for distribution, reducing the complexity of coordinating simultaneous updates by preparing all necessary credentials and firmware data in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11182485B2In-vehicle apparatus for efficient reprogramming and controlling method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.11.23 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A reprogramming method of a vehicle includes authenticating a diagnostor; receiving integrated firmware comprising a plurality of firmwares that correspond to a plurality of target controllers, respectively, from the diagnostor that is completely authenticated; authenticating the integrated firmware; encrypting and storing the plurality of firmwares included in the integrated firmware; and generating encryption keys that corresponds the plurality of target controllers, respectively apparatus. The encrypting and storing comprises encrypting and storing the plurality of firmwares to the encryption keys that correspond to the plurality of firmwares, respectively.