# US 11,305,666 B2 · Digital car keys and sharing of digital car keys using mobile devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,666 B2 - Document ID: US11305666B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/987,919 - Filed: 2020-08-07 - Published: 2020-11-19 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-22 - Assignees: Emerging Automotive, LLC - Applicants: Emerging Automotive, LLC - Inventors: Angel A. Penilla; Albert S. Penilla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305666B2 ## CPC - B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types - B60L 53/665: {Methods related to measuring, billing or payment} - B60L 53/68: Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control - B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries - B60R 25/01: operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens - B60R 25/2018: {Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking} - B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user - B60R 25/241: {whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers} - G06Q 10/02: Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events - G06Q 10/021: {Re-booking existing reservations} - G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance - G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals - G06Q 20/308: {using the Internet of Things} - G06Q 20/326: {Payment applications installed on the mobile devices} - G06Q 20/3829: {involving key management} - G06Q 30/00: Commerce - G06Q 30/0643: {graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation} - G06Q 30/0645: Rental transactions; Leasing transactions - G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply - G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit} - G07C 9/20: involving the use of a pass - G07F 15/005: {dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles (electrical charging as such, B60L50/00)} - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04W 4/44: for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - B60L 2240/70: Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres - B60L 2250/10: by alarm - B60L 2250/16: by display - B60L 2250/20: by driver identification - B60L 2270/36: of vehicles - G06Q 20/32: using wireless devices - G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services} - G07C 2009/00412: {the transmitted data signal being encrypted} - G07C 2009/00769: {with data transmission performed by wireless means} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV] - Y04S 30/14: Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 - 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 - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - 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) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Methods and systems for sharing digital electronic keys (e-keys) to use a vehicle with the e-key are provided. One example method includes sending, via a first application of a first mobile device, a message to a second mobile device to initiate providing access to the vehicle via the e-key. The method includes receiving, by the first mobile device, data confirming from the second mobile device indicating receipt and creating the e-key at the second mobile device for the vehicle with a level of access that was set via the first application of the first mobile device. The data confirming receipt for the e-key is authenticated by the first mobile device. The method includes sending, by the first mobile device, verification of the e-key for use via the second mobile device. The e-key is registered with a server to enable activation of the e-key on the second mobile device. A second application of the second mobile device provides a user interface for access of the e-key for unlocking and starting the vehicle. In one example, the e-key is usable via wireless communication with the vehicle over a near field communication (NFC) connection. In one example, the first application of the first mobile device is provided with an interface to enable revocation to disable the e-key shared with a user of the second mobile device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for sharing an electronic key (e-key) to use a vehicle, comprising: sending, from a first mobile device to a second mobile device, a message to provide access to the vehicle via the e-key, the message includes an access code that identifies authentication for the vehicle and identifies a level of access for use of the vehicle; receiving, by the first mobile device, confirmation from the second mobile device that the e-key was created using the authentication and the level of access; and sending verification of the e-key to the second mobile device, and responsive to the verification the second mobile device is configured to register the e-key with a server to activate the e-key to use the vehicle with the level of access granted by the first mobile device; wherein the first mobile device is paired with the vehicle by processing a pairing transaction between the first mobile device and the vehicle and registering an administrator e-key with the server, the server including one or more servers, and wherein the server or one or more servers include an automaker server that stores a database for authenticating e-keys to vehicles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication for the vehicle includes encryption data for the vehicle, the encryption data for the vehicle is provided by the first mobile device, the first mobile device being paired with the vehicle with an administrator e-key, and wherein the access code is generated at the first mobile device, the first mobile device being paired with the vehicle with an administrator e-key. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message to provide access to the vehicle is generated by the first mobile device without server involvement by the server, and the server is used for said registering and activation of the e-key to be used by the second mobile device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, accessing an application on the first mobile device to select sharing of the e-key and identification of a recipient of the e-key, the recipient associated with the second mobile device, wherein the first mobile device is paired with the vehicle with an administrator e-key before sending the message to share the e-key with the second mobile device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the e-key, once registered and activated, is configured for use by the second mobile device with electronics and software of the vehicle, and wherein wireless communication between the second mobile device and the vehicle enable use of the e-key to unlock and start the vehicle in accordance with said level of access. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said wireless communication includes one of WiFi communication, or Bluetooth communication, or near field communication (NFC), or a cellular communication, or radio communication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second mobile devices are one of a smartphone, or a smartwatch, or smart glasses, or a computer, or a digital assistant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message sent by the first mobile device is via a message notification, or an email address, or a phone number, or a text number, or a message address, or a notification, or a link, or a web address, or a social network address, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the level of access defines a privilege of use for the vehicle as set via the first mobile device for use by a user of the second mobile device, the privileges define one of a geographic restriction for where the vehicle is allowed to be used, or a speed restriction, or an occupancy restriction, or a time frame of use restriction, or a time of day use restriction, or a time expiration of use restriction, or a combination of two or more thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, sending, by the first mobile device, revocation message to disable the e-key shared with the second mobile device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: binding the e-key to the second mobile device once the e-key is registered and activated for use via the second mobile device, and wherein e-key of the second mobile device when activated, enables access of the vehicle via a near field communication (NFC) transmission between the second mobile device and the vehicle. ### Claim 12 A method for using an electronic key (e-key) with a vehicle, comprising: initiating, by a mobile device, a wireless connection with communication circuitry of the vehicle for initiating pairing of the mobile device with the vehicle, the mobile device is configured to use an access code obtained from a server to establish the wireless connection with the vehicle for pairing; receiving, by the mobile device, encrypted information from the vehicle, the encrypted information is decrypted using data from the access code, wherein a confirmation of the decryption of the information is sent by the mobile device to the vehicle for pairing the mobile device and the vehicle using the e-key; and communicating, by the mobile device with a server data confirming the pairing to cause registration of the e-key and activation of the e-key, wherein the activation of the e-key enables use of the e-key to unlock and start the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein wireless communication between the mobile device and the vehicle uses a protocol including one of a WiFi communication, or a Bluetooth communication, or a near field communication (NFC), or a cellular communication, or a radio communication. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is one of a smartphone, or a smartwatch, or smart glasses, or a computer, or a digital assistant.