Vehicle Software Configuration Hash Verification With Failsafe Code

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software verification techniques are inefficient and impractical for verifying the complex software configurations of a large number of vehicles, particularly during peak times, and are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and unauthorized modifications.

Innovation Solution

The use of blockchain data storage and cryptographic hashing to generate and verify configuration hash values of vehicle software modules, allowing for decentralized validation and detection of unauthorized modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If centralized software verification is performed for each vehicle, then verification security is improved, but processing time increases significantly during peak times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification securityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The verification system is segmented into distributed verification nodes that operate independently across the blockchain network, allowing parallel verification of multiple vehicles simultaneously. This eliminates the single-point bottleneck of centralized verification while maintaining security through cryptographic validation of each vehicle's software configuration hash against the blockchain ledger.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain serves as an intermediary distributed ledger that stores trusted software configuration hashes. Instead of direct centralized verification, the system uses blockchain as a mediator that all verification nodes can access independently, enabling decentralized validation without requiring communication with a central authority for each verification request.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If manual software verification techniques are used, then verification accuracy is improved, but labor intensity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification accuracyVSAvoidmanual intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated self-service verification where vehicles independently generate their software configuration hashes and submit them to the blockchain network for validation. Verification nodes automatically compare submitted hashes against stored trusted hashes, eliminating manual verification steps while maintaining cryptographic accuracy through algorithmic comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual verification processes are replaced with automated cryptographic hash computation and comparison algorithms. The mechanical act of manual inspection is substituted with computational operations that automatically generate hash values and validate them against the blockchain ledger, providing both accuracy and automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If conventional verification systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but vulnerability to cyber-attacks increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcyber-attack vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain acts as a trusted intermediary ledger that stores cryptographic hashes of approved software configurations. This intermediary layer provides security without requiring complex point-to-point encryption between vehicles and verification servers, maintaining relative simplicity while protecting against tampering through the immutable nature of the blockchain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the verification parameter from checking individual software files to comparing cryptographic hash values. This parameter transformation simplifies the verification process while enhancing security, as hash comparison is computationally efficient and any modification to the software configuration results in a completely different hash value, making tampering detectable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If decentralized blockchain verification is implemented, then processing efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification workload is segmented across multiple distributed nodes in the blockchain network, allowing parallel processing of verification requests. Each node independently validates vehicle software hashes against the blockchain ledger, enabling simultaneous verification of multiple vehicles without centralized bottlenecks, thus improving throughput despite distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses cryptographic copying of the blockchain ledger across multiple verification nodes. Each node maintains a copy of the trusted software hash database from the blockchain, eliminating the need for complex real-time communication protocols during verification. Nodes independently validate against their local copies, simplifying the verification logic while maintaining decentralized efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20250126176A1Systems and methods for vehicle configuration verification with failsafe code
Publication Date: 2025.04.17 STATE FARM MUTAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
  • US20250126176A1 patent drawing
  • US20250126176A1 patent drawing
  • US20250126176A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer system for verifying vehicle software configuration may be provided. The computer system may include a processor and a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to: (1) transmit, to a vehicle computing system, an authentication request including a hash algorithm specification; (2) receive, from the vehicle computing system, a current configuration hash value and a vehicle identifier; (3) retrieve a trusted data block from a memory based upon the vehicle identifier, the trusted data block including a stored configuration hash value and a smart contract code segment; (4) execute the smart contract code segment, the smart contract code segment including a failsafe code segment; and/or (5) transmit the authentication response to the vehicle computing system, and cause the vehicle computing system to execute the failsafe code segment.