# US 12,192,379 B2 · Systems and methods for enabling trusted communications between controllers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,379 B2 - Document ID: US12192379B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/312,928 - Filed: 2023-05-05 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-05 - Assignees: Neustar, Inc. - Applicants: Neustar, Inc. - Inventors: Brian R. Knopf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192379B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04L 9/006: {involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models (network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823)} - H04L 9/088: {Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms (network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068)} - H04L 9/0891: {Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying} - H04L 9/14: using a plurality of keys or algorithms - H04L 9/321: {involving a third party or a trusted authority} - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - H04L 2209/84: Vehicles - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Systems and methods are described that enable trusted communications between two entities. In one implementation, a controller of a vehicle may include one or more processors configured to receive data and a controller signature from a second controller of the vehicle. The controller signature may be generated based on at least a first portion of the data. The one or more processors may be further configured to transmit the data and the controller signature to a gateway of the vehicle and receive a gateway signature from the gateway. The gateway signature may be generated based on at least a second portion of the data and transmitted to the controller after the gateway verified the controller signature. In addition, the one or more processors may be configured to verify the gateway signature and process the data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gateway of a vehicle, the gateway comprising: one or more processors connected to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a controller signature and data from a first controller of the vehicle, wherein the controller signature was generated by a second controller of the vehicle based at least in part on a portion of the data, wherein the second controller is configured to provide the data to the first controller and wherein the first controller is configured to relay the data to the gateway; verify the controller signature; obtain a gateway signature, wherein the gateway signature is generated based on at least a portion of the data using a private key of the gateway; and transmit the gateway signature to the first controller, wherein the first controller is configured to process the data after the controller signature has been verified by the gateway. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the gateway is coupled to the first controller and the second controller via a bus system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gateway of claim 2, wherein the bus system is a controller-area network (CAN) bus system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to verify the controller signature by generating a hash value of the data, decrypting the controller signature, and comparing the decrypted controller signature with the generated hash value of the data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gateway of claim 4, wherein the gateway signature is generated by encrypting a hash value of the data with the private key of the gateway. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the gateway signature is a digital signature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit the data to the first controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to verify that the second controller is authorized to send a communication to the first controller by accessing a policy controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gateway of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the data is in accordance with one or more policies associated with the policy controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to verify that the data does not include any known malicious software code or instructions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gateway of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to verify that that the first controller and the second controller are active. ### Claim 12 A method implemented on a gateway of a vehicle, comprising: receiving a controller signature and data from a first controller of the vehicle, wherein the controller signature was generated by a second controller of the vehicle based at least in part on a portion of the data, wherein the second controller is configured to provide the data to the first controller and wherein the first controller is configured to relay the data to the gateway; verifying the controller signature; obtaining a gateway signature, wherein the gateway signature is generated based on at least a portion of the data using a private key of the gateway; and transmitting the gateway signature to the first controller, wherein the first controller is configured to process the data after the controller signature has been verified by the gateway. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein verifying the controller signature comprises generating a hash value of the data, decrypting the controller signature, and comparing the decrypted controller signature with the generated hash value of the data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the gateway signature is generated by encrypting a hash value of the data with the private key of the gateway. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the gateway signature is a digital signature. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to: receive a controller signature and data from a first controller of a vehicle, wherein the controller signature was generated by a second controller of the vehicle based at least in part on a portion of the data, wherein the second controller is configured to provide the data to the first controller and wherein the first controller is configured to relay the data to a gateway; verify the controller signature; obtain a gateway signature, wherein the gateway signature is generated based on at least a portion of the data using a private key of the gateway; and transmit the gateway signature to the first controller, wherein the first controller is configured to process the data after the controller signature has been verified by the gateway. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to verify that the second controller is authorized to send a communication to the first controller by accessing a policy controller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that the data is in accordance with one or more policies associated with the policy controller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to verify that the data does not include any known malicious software code or instructions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the gateway is coupled to the first controller and the second controller via a bus system.