Method and system for vehicle authentication of a service technician

Abstract

A vehicle accesses a secure device having limited accessibility but being accessible by a service technician. The secure device stores a first cryptographic key associated with the service technician. The vehicle also obtains from a certification authority a certification that an authentic technician is associated with a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key. The certification certifies that the second cryptographic key is bound to information identifying the authentic technician. The vehicle utilizes the second cryptographic key obtained from the certification authority in cryptographic communication with the secure device, and determines whether the service technician is the authentic technician based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication. Upon determining the service technician is the authentic technician, the vehicle may allow the prospective component to become operative within the vehicle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.