# US 12,179,699 B2 · Systems and methods for countering security threats in a passive keyless entry system

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- Number: US 12,179,699 B2
- Document ID: US12179699B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/872,605
- Filed: 2022-07-25
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-18
- Assignees: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Satyajit Patne; Edward Allen Cain, Jr.; Gabriel Lawrence; Joshua Davis; Mark Klausner; Nathan Humpal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179699B2

## CPC

- B60R 25/246: {characterised by the challenge triggering}
- B60R 25/245: {where the antenna reception area plays a role}
- B60R 25/25: using biometry
- B60R 25/33: of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
- H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)}
- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04W 12/122: Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
- H04W 12/63: Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
- H04W 12/65: Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
- H04W 12/68: Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, 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

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to securing wireless communications for passive keyless entry (PKE) to an asset. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to acquiring sensor data about at least a surrounding environment of a vehicle that provides access according to wireless communications with a remote device, analyzing the sensor data to define operating conditions identifying security characteristics of the vehicle and interactions of the remote device with the vehicle. The method includes activating a countermeasure from an available group of countermeasures according to at least the operating conditions. The method includes wirelessly communicating, by the vehicle with the remote device, according to the countermeasure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An access system for securing wireless communications for passive keyless entry (PKE) to a vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing:
a monitoring module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to, responsive to acquiring sensor data about at least a surrounding environment of the vehicle that provides access according to wireless communications with a remote device, analyze the sensor data to define operating conditions identifying security characteristics of the vehicle and interactions of the remote device with the vehicle, and compare the sensor data from the surrounding environment of the vehicle with sensor data received from the remote device to confirm a location of the remote device relative to the vehicle,
wherein the monitoring module includes instructions to acquire the sensor data including instructions to acquire at least a portion of the sensor data from the remote device about a region around a user that possesses the remote device, including acquiring the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light that is of a visible spectrum from one or more of a headlight and a taillight of the vehicle, and
activate a countermeasure from an available group of countermeasures according to at least the operating conditions; and
a communication module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to wirelessly communicate, by the vehicle with the remote device, according to the countermeasure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data from the remote device includes at least environmental conditions of the remote device and connection information about nearby devices communicating wirelessly, the connection information including wireless identifiers of nearby devices, the environmental conditions indicating one or more of barometric pressure, temperature, noise levels, and light intensity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to acquire the sensor data further include instructions to acquire the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light and sound.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module includes instructions to activate the countermeasure including instructions to establish a secure communication channel with the remote device in addition to a primary communication channel, the secure communication channel being established according to a wireless communication protocol defined by IEEE 802.11, and communicating at least a portion of a secure handshake over the secure communication channel, the primary communication channel and the secure communication channel operating on a different transmission frequencies.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module includes instructions to activate the countermeasure including instructions to analyze the sensor data to identify a user according to a biometric registered with the vehicle, the biometric including at least one of a facial signature and a gait.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module includes instructions to activate the countermeasure including instructions to identify a direction of departure by a user from the vehicle and a corresponding direction of arrival by the user to verify the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The access system of claim 1, wherein the security characteristics define a base security level of the vehicle, wherein the monitoring module includes instructions to selectively activate the countermeasure including instructions to activate a base group that is a subset from the available group according to the base security level,
wherein the base group includes countermeasures defining:
timing constraints for a challenge message that the vehicle wirelessly communicates,
content constraints defining unique content of the challenge message for separate iterations, and
the timing constraints defining instance timing between transmitting successive iterations of the challenge message and response timing for receiving a response to the challenge message.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
responsive to acquiring sensor data about at least a surrounding environment of a vehicle that provides access according to wireless communications with a remote device, analyze the sensor data to define operating conditions identifying security characteristics of the vehicle and interactions of the remote device with the vehicle, and compare the sensor data from the surrounding environment of the vehicle with sensor data received from the remote device to confirm a location of the remote device relative to the vehicle,
wherein the instructions to acquire the sensor data including instructions to acquire at least a portion of the sensor data from the remote device about a region around a user that possesses the remote device, including acquiring the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light that is of a visible spectrum from one or more of a headlight and a taillight of the vehicle;
activate a countermeasure from an available group of countermeasures according to at least the operating conditions; and
wirelessly communicate, by the vehicle with the remote device, according to the countermeasure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the sensor data from the remote device includes at least environmental conditions of the remote device and connection information about nearby devices communicating wirelessly, the connection information including wireless identifiers of nearby devices, the environmental conditions indicating one or more of barometric pressure, temperature, noise levels, and light intensity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions to acquire the sensor data further include instructions to acquire the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light and sound.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions to activate the countermeasure including instructions to establish a secure communication channel with the remote device in addition to a primary communication channel, the secure communication channel being established according to a wireless communication protocol defined by IEEE 802.11, and communicating at least a portion of a secure handshake over the secure communication channel, the primary communication channel and the secure communication channel operating on a different transmission frequencies.

### Claim 12

A method, comprising:
responsive to acquiring sensor data about at least a surrounding environment of a vehicle that provides access according to wireless communications with a remote device, analyzing the sensor data to define operating conditions identifying security characteristics of the vehicle and interactions of the remote device with the vehicle, and comparing the sensor data from the surrounding environment of the vehicle with sensor data received from the remote device to confirm a location of the remote device relative to the vehicle,
wherein acquiring the sensor data includes acquiring at least a portion of the sensor data from the remote device about a region around a user that possesses the remote device, including acquiring the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light that is of a visible spectrum from one or more of a headlight and a taillight of the vehicle;
activating a countermeasure from an available group of countermeasures according to at least the operating conditions; and
wirelessly communicating, by the vehicle with the remote device, according to the countermeasure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor data from the remote device includes at least environmental conditions of the remote device and connection information about nearby devices communicating wirelessly, the connection information including wireless identifiers of nearby devices, the environmental conditions indicating one or more of barometric pressure, temperature, noise levels, and light intensity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein acquiring the sensor data further includes acquiring the sensor data responsive to the vehicle intentionally emitting light and sound.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein activating the countermeasure includes establishing a secure communication channel with the remote device in addition to a primary communication channel, the secure communication channel being established according to a wireless communication protocol defined by IEEE 802.11, and communicating at least a portion of a secure handshake over the secure communication channel, the primary communication channel and the secure communication channel operating on a different transmission frequencies.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein activating the countermeasure includes analyzing the sensor data to identify a user according to a biometric registered with the vehicle, the biometric including at least one of a facial signature and a gait.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein activating the countermeasure includes identifying a direction of departure by a user from the vehicle and a corresponding direction of arrival by the user to verify the user.