Keyless key
AssigneeVolvo Car Corporation
InventorsChristoffer Carlsson, Alfons Massey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various systems and methods are presented regarding incorporating “connected/smart” vehicle technology into a legacy system vehicle. A smart key can be communicatively coupled to a digital/electronic interface, wherein the key and the interface are co-located on a vehicle. One or more portable devices (e.g., one or more cellphones) can be configured to communicate with the interface and, accordingly, operate the vehicle in a manner similar to if the key was in the possession of an entity wanting to gain access/operate the vehicle. Prior to initiating operation of the vehicle, the respective portable devices can be synchronized/authenticated to enable the respective portable device to access and command operation of the interface and the co-located key.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a memory that stores computer executable components;
- and
- a processor that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
- a key interface configured to interact with a physical key that comprises an embedded radio frequency identification device (RFID) that enables control of a set of operations of a vehicle, wherein the physical key is physically locked in the key interface, and wherein the key interface comprises a faraday cage generator;
- and
- an access component configured to control operation of the key interface, and further configured to:
- control the key interface to establish, via the faraday cage generator, a faraday cage around the physical key that blocks transmissions from the embedded RFID to disable control of the set of operations of the vehicle;
- receive a first cryptographic signature from a first device associated with an owner of the vehicle;
- receive an access request from a second device associated with an entity requesting access to the key interface, wherein the access request includes a second cryptographic signature;
- determining whether the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified;
- and
- in response to a determination that the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified:
- control the key interface to remove, via the faraday cage generator, the faraday cage around the physical key to enable transmissions from the embedded RFID to enable control of the set of operations of the vehicle.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- receiving, by a processor of a key interface installed in vehicle, a first cryptographic signature from a first device associated with an owner of the vehicle, wherein the key interface is configured to interact with a physical key that comprises an embedded radio frequency identification device (RFID) that enables control of controls a set of operations of the vehicle, wherein the physical key is physically locked in the key interface, and wherein the key interface comprises a faraday cage generator;
- establishing, by the processor, via the faraday cage generator, a faraday cage around the physical key that blocks transmissions from the embedded RFID to disable control of the set of operations of the vehicle;
- receiving, by the processor, an access request from a second device associated with an entity requesting access to the key interface, wherein the access request includes a second cryptographic signature;
- determining, by the processor, whether the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified;
- and
- in response to a determination that the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified, removing, by the processor, via the faraday cage generator, the faraday cage around the physical key to enable transmissions from the embedded RFID to enable control of the set of operations of the vehicle.
A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions, wherein, in response to being executed, the machine-executable instructions cause a processor of a key interface installed in a vehicle to perform operations, comprising:
- receiving a first cryptographic signature from a first device associated with an owner of the vehicle, wherein the key interface is configured to interact with a physical key that comprises an embedded radio frequency identification device (RFID) that enables control of controls a set of operations of the vehicle, wherein the physical key is physically locked in the key interface, and wherein the key interface comprises a faraday cage generator;
- establishing, via the faraday cage generator, a faraday cage around the physical key that blocks transmissions from the embedded RFID to disable control of the set of operations of the vehicle;
- receiving an access request from a second device associated with an entity requesting access to the key interface, wherein the access request includes a second cryptographic signature;
- determining whether the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified;
- and
- in response to a determination that the first cryptographic signature and the second cryptographic signature are verified, removing, via the faraday cage generator, the faraday cage around the physical key to enable transmissions from the embedded RFID to enable control of the set of operations of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.