Virtual Key Loading via Vehicle ECU Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for controlling vehicle functionalities using user terminals lack efficient mechanisms for secure authorization and key management, particularly when transferring control from one user terminal to another.
Innovation Solution
A method for loading a virtual key into a user terminal using pairing data, which includes a challenge-response protocol for verification and time-limited authorization, enabling secure control of vehicle functionalities via wireless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a user terminal transmits pairing data to another user terminal to enable control of vehicle functionalities, then the ease of operation is improved, but the security and control over virtual keys is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's electronic control unit serves as an intermediary that receives pairing data from the first user terminal, verifies it through challenge-response protocols, and then issues a new virtual key to the second user terminal. This mediator approach allows secure key management while enabling terminal transfer, as the ECU controls and validates each step of the process rather than allowing direct terminal-to-terminal key transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the virtual key parameter itself during the transfer process. Instead of transmitting the original virtual key, the ECU generates a new virtual key based on the verified pairing data and time boundaries. This parameter change ensures that the original terminal's key becomes obsolete while the new terminal receives a validated key, maintaining security during the transition.
2Reliability
If the system uses challenge-response verification and time boundary checks, then the security is improved, but the complexity of the authorization process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing time boundaries (validity start and end times) when the virtual key is issued. This preliminary setup allows the challenge-response verification to be more efficient, as the ECU can pre-determine the validity window and quickly check whether the current time falls within this window during authorization attempts, reducing the computational complexity of real-time verification.
3Reliability
If the virtual key is issued by the vehicle's electronic control unit rather than directly between terminals, then the control and security are improved, but the time and steps required for key transfer increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by allowing the first user terminal to initiate the pairing data transmission and the second terminal to receive it during the key transfer process. While the ECU performs verification and key issuance, these actions occur in parallel with the terminal communications, minimizing idle time and maintaining continuous progress toward the key transfer goal rather than requiring sequential completion of each step.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a method for loading a virtual key (VK) in a user terminal (30), comprising the following steps: - receiving, by the user terminal (30), of a piece of matching data (TK) from another user terminal; - transmitting (E40) a piece of data dependent on the matching data (TK) to an electronic unit (11) of a vehicle; - receiving (E52), by the user terminal (30), from the electronic unit (11), of a virtual key (VK) for controlling at least one function of the vehicle. Such a user terminal (30) is also proposed.