Abstract:
A Link device has a processor connected to an internal Link bus, a non-transitory memory, a digital device ID, one or both of firmware or software executing from non-transitory media, a first communication port enabled to communicate with a vehicle bus coupling computerized devices in a vehicle, and a second communication port enabled to communicate with one or more digital devices external to the vehicle. The firmware or software enables the Link device to communicate with the vehicle bus, and to accomplish a variety of tasks including pulling data from data stores in the vehicle and operating specific vehicle functions, and wherein the firmware or software manages communication with the one or more external digital devices, accepting only requests for cooperation with the Link device using the unique device ID with a request that is cryptographically secure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to provisional patent application (PPA) Ser. No. 61/712,388, filed Oct. 11, 2012, and all disclosure of the referenced PPA is incorporated herein at least by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the technical field of computer-implemented inventions, and pertains more particularly to enabling secure access to on-board computerized systems in vehicles such as automobiles. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Sophisticated computers control most vehicles sold at the time of the present patent application. These computers and the data they generate cannot be easily accessed and manipulated by software developers. The only way to access the computers is through an Onboard Diagnostics Port (OBD) present in most modern automobiles and trucks, which couples to the vehicle&#39;s Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. However, accessing the computers and the internal networks of a vehicle through this port requires dedicated hardware and software. It also requires specialized knowledge of protocols used to communicate with computerized systems in vehicles. This prevents most software developers from accessing the computers and data available in vehicles and building useful applications for them. What is needed is a secure system that makes automobile computers and data more easily and securely accessible. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In an embodiment of the invention a Link device is provided, comprising a processor connected to an internal Link bus, a non-transitory memory coupled to the Link bus, a digital device ID unique to the Link device, one or both of firmware or software executing from non-transitory media, a first communication port enabled to communicate with a vehicle bus coupling computerized devices in a vehicle, and a second communication port enabled to communicate with one or more digital devices external to the vehicle. The firmware or software enables the Link device to communicate with the vehicle bus, and to accomplish a variety of tasks including pulling data from data stores in the vehicle and operating specific vehicle functions, and wherein the firmware or software manages communication with the one or more external digital devices, accepting only requests for cooperation with the Link device using the unique device ID with a request that is cryptographically secure. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment a security key is associated with the Link device, and to be processed the request for cooperation must be signed using the security Key. Also in one embodiment the Link device is hard-wired into circuitry of the vehicle. Also in one embodiment the link device is coupled to an On Board Diagnostics (OBD) connector, and connected to an OBD connector of the vehicle. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment the second communication port comprises cellular circuitry for connecting with a cellular wireless network. In yet another embodiment the second communication port comprises near-field pairing circuitry enabled for connecting to a digital device in range that is also enabled for compatible near-field pairing. In still another embodiment the digital device in range is a mobile communication appliance associated with a specific user that is also associated with the vehicle. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment the mobile communication device executes an application bearing a specific and unique App ID. Also in another embodiment, once a request for cooperation is approved, the requesting application is enabled to cause the link device to accomplish individual tasks from the variety of enabled tasks. In yet another embodiment access to tasks in the variety of tasks is limited for individual users seeking access to the Link device by an authorized user selecting to allow only individual ones of the tasks in the variety of tasks. In another embodiment selection of tasks is made in a dialogue window presented to the authorized user. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the invention a method is provided, comprising steps of coupling a Link device to a vehicle bus coupling computerized devices in a vehicle, the Link device having a processor connected to an internal Link bus, a non-transitory memory coupled to the Link bus, a device ID unique to the Link device, one or both of firmware or software executing from non-transitory media, and a communication port enabled to communicate with one or more digital devices external to the vehicle, receiving a request to cooperate by the Link device from an external digital device via the communication port, approving the request to cooperate only if it references the device ID and is cryptographically secure, and granting to the external digital device ability to accomplish a variety of tasks including pulling data from data stores in the vehicle and operating specific vehicle functions. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment of the method a security key is associated with the Link device, and approval requires that the request for cooperation must be signed using the security Key. Also in one embodiment the Link device is hard-wired into circuitry of the vehicle. Also in one embodiment the link device is coupled to an On Board Diagnostics (OBD) connector, and connected to an OBD connector of the vehicle. In still another embodiment the communication port comprises cellular circuitry for connecting with a cellular wireless network. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment of the method the communication port comprises near-field pairing circuitry enabled for connecting to a digital device in range that is also enabled for compatible near-field pairing. In another embodiment the digital device in range is a mobile communication appliance associated with a specific user that is also associated with the vehicle. In still another embodiment the mobile communication device executes an application bearing a specific and unique App ID. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, once a request for cooperation is approved, the requesting application is enabled to cause the link device to accomplish individual tasks from the variety of enabled tasks. In yet another embodiment access to tasks in the variety of tasks is limited for individual users seeking access to the Link device by an authorized user selecting to allow only individual ones of the tasks in the variety of tasks. In still another embodiment selection of tasks is made in a dialogue window presented to the authorized user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating elements and connection of the elements in an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an architectural diagram illustrating further elements and connection in an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a representation of internal components of a hardware link in an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exemplary dialog in an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a computerized communication appliance, such as a smart phone  101 , in an embodiment of the present invention, in near-field wireless pairing with a service module  109  termed an Automatic Link by the present inventor and the enterprise that employ&#39;s him. Henceforth this module will be termer the “Link”, and should be regarded as a computerized hardware device executing firmware and software proprietary to the enterprise. Link  109  is connected via an OBD connector  108  with an OBD connector  107  of a vehicle in which the smart phone is carried. Service module  109  in this arrangement has access to data and functions of on-board computers in the vehicle, and has elements and functionality described further below. 
         [0019]    Smart phone  101  has a display  102 , which may be a touch-screen display, and is coupled wirelessly to a cellular network  105  for placing and receiving calls and accessing the well-known Internet network through a gateway in the cellular network. Thus device  101  is capable by execution of a browser application to access web pages of sites in the Internet, and capable of transmitting data to and receiving data from such sites. 
         [0020]    One capability of link  109 , as described briefly above, is near-field pairing, such as by Bluetooth™ wireless pairing. Link  109  may therefore by in wireless communication with device  101 , also enabled for Bluetooth™ pairing. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is an architectural diagram illustrating device  101  coupled to cellular network  105 , and through a base facility  201 , a gateway  202  and path  203  access to Internet backbone  204 . Internet backbone  204  represents all connections and interconnections in the Internet network. A server  205 , hosted by an enterprise not shown, is connected to the Internet backbone and coupled to a database  207 . Device  101  may thus download applications from pages of a web site hosted by server  205 , may execute such applications, and may also cause server  205  to execute applications and exchange data with device  101 . Device  101  may by virtue of the near-filed communication exchange data and software (SW) functions with Link  109  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0022]    Computers in modern cars have numerous capabilities. These includes things as simple as indicating how fast the vehicle is moving (velocity) to unlocking the car&#39;s doors. Most of these capabilities are exposed through the car&#39;s Onboard Diagnostics Port (OBD port). The communication protocol to communicate with the car&#39;s computers to get information, like velocity, is fairly standardized into a few known protocols. Other actions, like unlocking the door, may be communicating over some manufacture-specific proprietary protocol.
       The Link device in embodiments of the present invention has software and hardware that is capable of understanding all of these protocols and presents an application running on a smart phone or a general purpose computer paired with the Link with a single, simple way of communicating with the car. In embodiments of the present invention this application is an application indicated as SW  208  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and is a proprietary application provided by server  205  hosted by an enterprise that also provides Link  109 , and variety of services via server  205  to users of Link  109  and application SW  208 . This mechanism is similar to Software Application Programming Interfaces (API) used in other software-based products.       
 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a representation of internal components of Link  109  in an embodiment of the present invention. Link  109  comprises a hardwired path to OBD connector  108 , which is compatible with OBD connectors in modern vehicles. Connector  108  connects to an internal bus structure  305  which couples internal digital components. A processor  301  executes software that may be stored in an internal non-transitory physical digital memory  302 , and manages all communication between Link  109  and both the OBD system of a vehicle to which connector  108  may be coupled, and between Link  109  and any device paired through pairing circuitry  304 . Firmware  303  is controlled in execution by processor  301 , and may be updated and amended through pairing circuitry  304  in communication with functions of a paired computerized device, particularly device  101  described above. 
         [0025]    Link  109  in various embodiments of the present invention is connected to the OBD Port of a vehicle, as is shown in  FIG. 1 , and acts like a wireless gateway to the vehicle&#39;s OBD system through the vehicle&#39;s OBD port. Link  109  presents itself as an Application Programming Interface (API), which is accessible wirelessly. Capabilities of the Link are available for use by any application written to leverage these APIs. One such application is SW  208  described above. The host enterprise controls SW  208  completely and can ensure no malicious activity will happen through the SW, the enterprise does not have complete control over software written or provided by third-party entities. This there is a need for a secure API, which can authenticate different software applications to access specific capabilities of Link device  109 . 
         [0026]    As a specific example, SW  208  may be provided in a manner to be able to wirelessly unlock the vehicle&#39;s doors and also to be able to access from the OBD system the vehicle&#39;s velocity in real time, but the enterprise wants to limit third-party applications to only access the real time velocity, and not be able to unlock the vehicle&#39;s doors. 
         [0027]    Access Control (ACL) in embodiments of the invention is provided to selectively access any capabilities provided by the Automatic Link. The mechanism is similar to Facebook API. Software applications written to leverage the Facebook API are allowed to access only specific personal information the user has allowed the application to access, like only the user&#39;s email address and phone number but not relationship status or date of birth. In embodiments of the present invention the same fine-grained ACL is enabled to capabilities and information available in the vehicle&#39;s computer. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment of the present invention a secure API is achieved in this way: Firstly every Link  109  manufactured and sold to a user has in memory a specific secret Key which is unique to that Link and also a unique Identifier (Device ID). The Key and Device ID are indicated as elements  306  and  307  in  FIG. 3 . Every Link sold is entered and tracked by the enterprise server  205 , and only the server has the unique secret key for each Link in the field. 
         [0029]    When a Link is sold, the buyer (user) is registered and associated with a User ID. When an application is developed to use the secure API and provided to the public, the application is also assigned a unique identifier as an App ID. 
         [0030]    A software abstraction layer is executed by every Link in embodiments of the invention, and that layer, as a filter in the Link, expects and looks for a sequence of data specifically generated for a given User ID and App ID to specify what capabilities should be exposed to the user when using the particular application with that App ID. The sequence of data is further expected to be Cryptographically Signed using the Secret Key of the specific Link, known only to Server  205  hosted by the enterprise that sells the Links and manages the use of Links and Applications through Server  205 . Signing is a common mechanism used to identify two parties to each other communicating over an insecure channel. 
         [0031]    When a user accesses an Application with an App ID, the user is presented with a user Interface dialog window that enables the user to select and deny capabilities and information that will be allowed through his or her Link coupled to the OBD port in the user&#39;s vehicle. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a simplified example of a dialog  401  presented to a user at this point to configure access to capabilities of a specific Link by a specific App. An Enterprise ID is provided in the dialog, and at location  402  ID of the specific Link device and the specific Application being installed on the user&#39;s communication device  101 . Capabilities of the Link are listed and check boxes  403  are provided for the user to allow or deny each capability. When the user is satisfied with the configuration a Save button  404  saves the configuration in the user&#39;s App of at Server  205 , or both. 
         [0033]    The Save command sends the selection to the host Server, which validates the request and sends back the specific sequence of data as described above, which includes the configuration and the ID of both the App and the Link. The sequence is relayed to the link by the near-field pairing communication, such as Bluetooth™, and the SW abstraction layer in the Link validates the sequence by confirming if it was indeed signed by the Secret Key of the given device. 
         [0034]    Once the signature is verified by the filter in the Link, the user and the application are then allowed to access the capabilities that were chosen in the dialogue of  FIG. 4 . If the signature does not conform to what the Link device expects, any request for accessing the selected capabilities is denied in the Software Abstraction Layer. 
         [0035]    The Dialog informing the user about the required permissions is strictly controlled by the enterprise server or the App executing in the user&#39;s device  101 , or by both in combination. This is important to avoid situations where the user may be shown a limited set of capabilities in the Dialog, but the request sent to the server has additional capabilities the user for which the user did not give explicit permission. 
         [0036]    In various embodiments of the present invention a wide variety of applications that may be executed by a user&#39;s communication device  101  may be developed and provided for a wide variety of use cases, and may be configured to access a Link  109  having the capabilities described and taught herein, in particular APIs facing a vehicle&#39;s internal computer systems, and secure access and use through Device ID and Key. The unique capabilities of the Link as described and taught herein enable SW developers to create apps that are configured to work through the unique Links, without having to have and to program specific protocols and details that would be necessary without the standard provided by the unique Links provided herein. 
         [0037]    In some embodiments an application executing on user&#39;s device  101  or at server  205  may access a Link  109  by specific ID, and update software or firmware or both of the Link. In these embodiments a unique sequence including the device ID and the Key in the Link, and a special string enabling the update or action, is sent by the wireless connection to the Link, and the link may recognize and authorize the update request, after which the requested changes in software or firmware may be made by the requesting device with following instructions and data, recognized by the Link. 
         [0038]    In some other embodiments special requests may be made through wireless sequence, including Link ID and Key, and a string requesting a unique action related to the vehicle&#39;s computer system through its CAN bus, such an action perhaps designed to alter data or action of the internal computer system of the vehicle. 
         [0039]    It will be apparent to the skilled person that there are amendments and variations that may be made in the examples and embodiments described in this specification that do not alter the overall concept of the invention. There are, for example, many different ways that the components of the Links may be provided and arranged to interact, and many variations in the ways that applications may be programmed that are not explicitly described herein, but do not affect the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims that follow.