Patent ID: 9280653
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method for allowing access to an electronic control unit (ECU) on a vehicle, said method comprising: storing an ECU identification value that identifies the ECU in a memory on the ECU; storing the ECU identification value and an ECU security key value associated with the ECU identification value at a remote and secure database; requesting the ECU identification value from the ECU by a service tool; generating a challenge in the ECU in response to the request; sending the ECU identification value and the challenge from the ECU to the service tool; sending the ECU identification value and the challenge from the service tool to the secure database; identifying the ECU security key value that corresponds to the ECU identification value; generating a message in the database based on the ECU security key value that includes a response to the challenge; sending the message from the database to the service tool; sending the message from the service tool to the ECU; and allowing access to the ECU if the response to the challenge is accepted by the ECU.