Vehicle Key Management Device Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing key information management systems for vehicles lack effective measures to prevent unauthorized registration and usage by third parties, leading to potential abuse and misuse of vehicle access.

Innovation Solution

A key information management device and method that delivers key information only to authorized mobile terminals based on predetermined permissions, associating access with unique owner information and restricting access to prevent unauthorized use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If key information is delivered to mobile terminals based on vehicle identification information (VIN), then service accessibility is improved, but security against unauthorized access deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice accessibilityVSAvoidunauthorized access

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the authentication process into two distinct components: vehicle identification (VIN) for service registration and user-specific authentication information for access control. This segmentation allows the system to maintain service accessibility through VIN-based registration while preventing unauthorized access by requiring additional user-specific credentials that third parties cannot obtain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism between the vehicle and the mobile terminal. Instead of directly using VIN for access, the system mediates through user-specific authentication information (such as user IDs, passwords, or biometric data) that serves as a barrier against unauthorized access while still allowing legitimate users to access services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If authentication information is delivered to external devices, then service functionality is improved, but risk of information leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice functionalityVSAvoidauthentication information leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sensitive authentication information from the service registration process. Instead of delivering authentication credentials during service registration, the system separates registration (based on VIN) from authentication (based on user-specific information). This extraction prevents authentication information leakage while maintaining service functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary authentication verification before delivering key information to mobile terminals. The system performs preliminary checks using user-specific authentication information to verify legitimacy before providing access, thereby preventing information leakage to unauthorized parties while enabling legitimate service functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If service registration is simplified using only vehicle identification, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of access control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice registration simplicityVSAvoidaccess control security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the access control process into two segments: a simplified registration phase using only vehicle identification (VIN) for ease of operation, and a secure authentication phase using user-specific information for reliability. This segmentation maintains operational simplicity while ensuring access control security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary service registration using simple vehicle identification information, then adds a layer of preliminary user authentication before granting access. This preliminary action sequence maintains ease of operation during registration while ensuring reliability through subsequent authentication verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3476670B1Key information management device, key information management method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2022.12.14 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

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AI summary

A key information management device (30) includes an information processing device. The information processing device is configured to deliver key information to a mobile terminal (20; 20Aa; 20Ab; 20Ac; 20Ad; 20B) as the mobile terminal transmits a predetermined transmission signal toward a vehicle (10; 10A; 10B). The key information is information for unlocking the vehicle, starting the vehicle, or unlocking and starting the vehicle. The information processing device is configured to register permission for a user of the vehicle to use a predetermined service using the vehicle. The permission is permission to cause the information processing device to deliver the key information to a mobile terminal (20Ac; 20Ad; 20B) of a third party concerned with the predetermined service, other than the user of the vehicle, as an external device (40) concerned with the predetermined service transmits a predetermined request signal.