# US 10,872,485 B2 · Communication system for managing usage rights on a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,872,485 B2 - Document ID: US10872485B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/674,584 - Filed: 2017-08-11 - Published: 2018-02-22 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-19 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Volkswagen AG - Inventors: Hendrik Decke; André Oberschachtsiek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872485B2 ## CPC - G07C 9/28: the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence - G06Q 20/40: Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists - G07C 9/00857: {where the code of the data carrier can be programmed} - H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources} - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 12/35: {Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning} - G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G07C 2009/00865: {remotely by wireless communication} - H04L 2463/082: applying multi-factor authentication - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication system for managing usage rights to a vehicle, having a vehicle which includes a communication module inside the vehicle, a mobile terminal, and an electronic vehicle key which communicates with the communication module inside the vehicle and with the mobile terminal and allocates usage rights for the vehicle. Allocation of usage rights for the vehicle, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system for managing usage rights to a vehicle, the communication system comprising: a vehicle which comprises a communication module inside the vehicle; and an electronic vehicle key which communicates, via one or more communications modules inside the electronic vehicle key, with the communication module inside the vehicle and with a mobile terminal, and which allocates usage rights for the vehicle, wherein the allocation of usage rights for the vehicle, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal, wherein usage rights for the vehicle are withdrawn by the electronic vehicle key and the withdrawal of usage rights for the vehicle, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication system claim 1, wherein the usage rights for the vehicle comprise individual or all vehicle functions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein usage rights for the vehicle are allocated and/or withdrawn based identification of one or more persons or entities. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein vehicle functions and/or mobile online services are purchased by the electronic vehicle key and the purchase of the vehicle functions and/or of the mobile online services, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The communication system of claim 4, wherein the purchased vehicle functions and/or the purchased mobile online services are used with a plurality of vehicles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein a management system manages the usage rights to vehicles and/or the purchase of vehicle functions and/or mobile online services. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication system of claim 6, wherein a vehicle management application is installed on the electronic vehicle key and/or the mobile terminal and accesses the management system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The communication system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle management application displays a graphical interface for managing the usage rights for the vehicle and/or for purchasing vehicle functions and mobile online services on the mobile terminal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The communication system of claim 6, wherein at least one part of the management system is a decentralized management system on the electronic vehicle key. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The communication system of claim 6, further comprising a central computer, the central computer comprising at least one part of the management system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic vehicle key uses a communication module released for the electronic key by the mobile terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic vehicle key authorizes other electronic vehicle keys to communicate with a communication module inside the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic vehicle key is a personalized and/or personal electronic vehicle key. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic vehicle key cryptographically protects notifications to be transmitted against modification and/or eavesdropping. ### Claim 15 A communication methodology for managing usage rights to a vehicle, the methodology comprising: an electronic vehicle key communicating, via one or more communications modules inside the electronic vehicle key, with a vehicle communication module and with a mobile terminal; the electronic vehicle key allocating usage rights for the vehicle under control of the mobile terminal, wherein usage rights for the vehicle are withdrawn by the electronic vehicle key and the withdrawal of usage rights for the vehicle, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, wherein the usage rights for the vehicle comprise individual or all vehicle functions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, wherein usage rights for the vehicle are allocated and/or withdrawn based identification of one or more persons or entities. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, wherein vehicle functions and/or mobile online services are purchased by the electronic vehicle key and the purchase of the vehicle functions and/or of the mobile online services, which are carried out by the electronic vehicle key, are controlled by the mobile terminal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The communication methodology of claim 18, wherein the purchased vehicle functions and/or the purchased mobile online services are used with a plurality of vehicles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, further comprising a management system managing the usage rights to vehicles and/or the purchase of vehicle functions and/or mobile online services. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The communication methodology of claim 20, wherein a vehicle management application is installed on the electronic vehicle key and/or the mobile terminal and accesses the management system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The communication methodology of claim 21, further comprising the vehicle management application displaying a graphical interface for managing the usage rights for the vehicle and/or for purchasing vehicle functions and mobile online services on the mobile terminal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The communication methodology of claim 20, wherein at least one part of the management system is a decentralized management system on the electronic vehicle key. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, further comprising the electronic vehicle key using a communication module released by the mobile terminal for the electronic vehicle key. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, further comprising the electronic vehicle key authorizing other electronic vehicle keys to communicate with a communication module inside the vehicle. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, wherein the electronic vehicle key is a personalized and/or personal electronic vehicle key. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The communication methodology of claim 15, further comprising the electronic vehicle key cryptographically protecting notifications to be transmitted against modification and/or eavesdropping.