Patent Publication Number: US-10308217-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for secure pairing

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The illustrative embodiments generally relate to a method and apparatus for secure pairing. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Utilization of mobile applications for various smartphone platforms, as well as mobile applications used to communicate with and control vehicle functions is a rapidly growing customer demand within the automotive field. Because vehicles have been provided with the capability to interface with, receive commands from, and grant control of functions to a smartphone, security measures must be taken to prevent unauthorized access to the vehicle via a smartphone or other mobile device. Previous solutions have included direct on-screen access via a vehicle screen to pair a device, but this can permit a limited-time user (someone who borrows the vehicle, for example) to pair to the vehicle. Another previous option included some form of time delay following a request for verification purposes and to prevent immediate access to a party for whom access may not be desired. This can be onerous, however. 
     In another illustrative existing example, systems and methods may provide for determining a first proximity status of a first mobile device with respect to a vehicle, and determining a second proximity status of a second mobile device with respect to the vehicle. Additionally, an accessibility of one or more functions of the vehicle may be configured based at least in part on the first proximity status and the second proximity status. In one example, a policy associated with one or more of the first mobile device and the second mobile device may be identified, wherein the accessibility is configured further based on the policy. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first illustrative embodiment, a system includes a processor configured to receive a request from a mobile device to utilize a vehicle resource. The processor is also configured to determine that a first key has been used to start a vehicle a first time and a second key has been used to start the vehicle a second time and approve the request if both the first key and the second key were used to start the vehicle the first time and the second time, respectively. 
     In a second illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes providing access to a vehicle resource by a vehicle processor in response to a request received by the vehicle processor from a mobile device if the vehicle has previously been started using a first key a first time and using a second key a second time, and if the first and second times meet predetermined criteria. 
     In a third illustrative embodiment, a system includes a mobile device processor configured to transmit a request to a vehicle processor to utilize a vehicle resource. The mobile device processor is further configured to receive authorization to access the vehicle resource from the vehicle processor based on the vehicle previously being started with a first key a first time and a second key a second time, the first and second times meeting a predetermined vehicle criteria. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an illustrative vehicle computing system; 
         FIG. 2  shows the flow of an illustrative device or application pairing; and 
         FIG. 3  shows an illustrative pairing process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative and may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the claimed subject matter. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system  1  (VCS) for a vehicle  31 . An example of such a vehicle-based computing system  1  is the SYNC system manufactured by THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. A vehicle enabled with a vehicle-based computing system may contain a visual front end interface  4  located in the vehicle. The user may also be able to interact with the interface if it is provided, for example, with a touch sensitive screen. In another illustrative embodiment, the interaction occurs through, button presses, spoken dialog system with automatic speech recognition and speech synthesis. 
     In the illustrative embodiment  1  shown in  FIG. 1 , a processor  3  controls at least some portion of the operation of the vehicle-based computing system. Provided within the vehicle, the processor allows onboard processing of commands and routines. Further, the processor is connected to both non-persistent  5  and persistent storage  7 . In this illustrative embodiment, the non-persistent storage is random access memory (RAM) and the persistent storage is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. In general, persistent (non-transitory) memory can include all forms of memory that maintain data when a computer or other device is powered down. These include, but are not limited to, HDDs, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, solid state drives, portable USB drives and any other suitable form of persistent memory. 
     The processor is also provided with a number of different inputs allowing the user to interface with the processor. In this illustrative embodiment, a microphone  29 , an auxiliary input  25  (for input  33 ), a USB input  23 , a GPS input  24 , screen  4 , which may be a touchscreen display, and a BLUETOOTH input  15  are all provided. An input selector  51  is also provided, to allow a user to swap between various inputs. Input to both the microphone and the auxiliary connector is converted from analog to digital by a converter  27  before being passed to the processor. Although not shown, numerous of the vehicle components and auxiliary components in communication with the VCS may use a vehicle network (such as, but not limited to, a CAN bus) to pass data to and from the VCS (or components thereof). 
     Outputs to the system can include, but are not limited to, a visual display  4  and a speaker  13  or stereo system output. The speaker is connected to an amplifier  11  and receives its signal from the processor  3  through a digital-to-analog converter  9 . Output can also be made to a remote BLUETOOTH device such as PND  54  or a USB device such as vehicle navigation device  60  along the bi-directional data streams shown at  19  and  21  respectively. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the system  1  uses the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  to communicate  17  with a user&#39;s nomadic device  53  (e.g., cell phone, smart phone, PDA, or any other device having wireless remote network connectivity). The nomadic device can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, tower  57  may be a WiFi access point. 
     Exemplary communication between the nomadic device and the BLUETOOTH transceiver is represented by signal  14 . 
     Pairing a nomadic device  53  and the BLUETOOTH transceiver  15  can be instructed through a button  52  or similar input. Accordingly, the CPU is instructed that the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver will be paired with a BLUETOOTH transceiver in a nomadic device. 
     Data may be communicated between CPU  3  and network  61  utilizing, for example, a data-plan, data over voice, or DTMF tones associated with nomadic device  53 . Alternatively, it may be desirable to include an onboard modem  63  having antenna  18  in order to communicate  16  data between CPU  3  and network  61  over the voice band. The nomadic device  53  can then be used to communicate  59  with a network  61  outside the vehicle  31  through, for example, communication  55  with a cellular tower  57 . In some embodiments, the modem  63  may establish communication  20  with the tower  57  for communicating with network  61 . As a non-limiting example, modem  63  may be a USB cellular modem and communication  20  may be cellular communication. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the processor is provided with an operating system including an API to communicate with modem application software. The modem application software may access an embedded module or firmware on the BLUETOOTH transceiver to complete wireless communication with a remote BLUETOOTH transceiver (such as that found in a nomadic device). Bluetooth is a subset of the IEEE 802 PAN (personal area network) protocols. IEEE 802 LAN (local area network) protocols include WiFi and have considerable cross-functionally with IEEE 802 PAN. Both are suitable for wireless communication within a vehicle. Another communication means that can be used in this realm is free-space optical communication (such as IrDA) and non-standardized consumer IR protocols. 
     In another embodiment, nomadic device  53  includes a modem for voice band or broadband data communication. In the data-over-voice embodiment, a technique known as frequency division multiplexing may be implemented when the owner of the nomadic device can talk over the device while data is being transferred. At other times, when the owner is not using the device, the data transfer can use the whole bandwidth (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz in one example). While frequency division multiplexing may be common for analog cellular communication between the vehicle and the internet, and is still used, it has been largely replaced by hybrids of Code Domain Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA), Space-Domain Multiple Access (SDMA) for digital cellular communication. These are all ITU IMT-2000 (3G) compliant standards and offer data rates up to 2 mbs for stationary or walking users and 385 kbs for users in a moving vehicle. 3G standards are now being replaced by IMT-Advanced (4G) which offers 100 mbs for users in a vehicle and 1 gbs for stationary users. If the user has a data-plan associated with the nomadic device, it is possible that the data-plan allows for broad-band transmission and the system could use a much wider bandwidth (speeding up data transfer). In still another embodiment, nomadic device  53  is replaced with a cellular communication device (not shown) that is installed to vehicle  31 . In yet another embodiment, the ND  53  may be a wireless local area network (LAN) device capable of communication over, for example (and without limitation), an 802.11g network (i.e., WiFi) or a WiMax network. 
     In one embodiment, incoming data can be passed through the nomadic device via a data-over-voice or data-plan, through the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver and into the vehicle&#39;s internal processor  3 . In the case of certain temporary data, for example, the data can be stored on the HDD or other storage media  7  until such time as the data is no longer needed. 
     Additional sources that may interface with the vehicle include a personal navigation device  54 , having, for example, a USB connection  56  and/or an antenna  58 , a vehicle navigation device  60  having a USB  62  or other connection, an onboard GPS device  24 , or remote navigation system (not shown) having connectivity to network  61 . USB is one of a class of serial networking protocols. IEEE 1394 (FireWire™ (Apple), i.LINK™ (Sony), and Lynx™ (Texas Instruments)), EIA (Electronics Industry Association) serial protocols, IEEE 1284 (Centronics Port), S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format) and USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) form the backbone of the device-device serial standards. Most of the protocols can be implemented for either electrical or optical communication. 
     Further, the CPU could be in communication with a variety of other auxiliary devices  65 . These devices can be connected through a wireless  67  or wired  69  connection. Auxiliary device  65  may include, but are not limited to, personal media players, wireless health devices, portable computers, and the like. 
     Also, or alternatively, the CPU could be connected to a vehicle based wireless router  73 , using for example a WiFi (IEEE 803.11)  71  transceiver. This could allow the CPU to connect to remote networks in range of the local router  73 . 
     In addition to having exemplary processes executed by a vehicle computing system located in a vehicle, in certain embodiments, the exemplary processes may be executed by a computing system in communication with a vehicle computing system. Such a system may include, but is not limited to, a wireless device (e.g., and without limitation, a mobile phone) or a remote computing system (e.g., and without limitation, a server) connected through the wireless device. Collectively, such systems may be referred to as vehicle associated computing systems (VACS). In certain embodiments particular components of the VACS may perform particular portions of a process depending on the particular implementation of the system. By way of example and not limitation, if a process has a step of sending or receiving information with a paired wireless device, then it is likely that the wireless device is not performing that portion of the process, since the wireless device would not “send and receive” information with itself. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand when it is inappropriate to apply a particular computing system to a given solution. 
     In each of the illustrative embodiments discussed herein, an exemplary, non-limiting example of a process performable by a computing system is shown. With respect to each process, it is possible for the computing system executing the process to become, for the limited purpose of executing the process, configured as a special purpose processor to perform the process. All processes need not be performed in their entirety, and are understood to be examples of types of processes that may be performed to achieve elements of the invention. Additional steps may be added or removed from the exemplary processes as desired. 
     As previously noted, many present solutions for pairing a device/application/account to a vehicle leave something to be desired. Pairing through a vehicle interface may be convenient, but it may allow an unintended user to pair with a vehicle and gain control functionality. Pairing that requires a lengthy time-delay can both irritate authorized users and limit functionality for those users during the time delay. With the combination of vehicle feature control through smartphones and the increasingly common trend of temporarily renting vehicles or sharing a vehicle, an efficient way to pair a device or authorize an application to control a vehicle function is desirable. 
     In the illustrative embodiments, the presence of multiple authorized vehicle keys, in conjunction with a pairing request, allows pairing of a smart phone or authorization of an application. Since presumably only a vehicle owner or authorized requestor will have access to more than one key, this can provide an efficient mechanism for verifying a request, while at the same time limiting the request to those parties most likely to be authorized to make the request. 
       FIG. 2  shows the flow of an illustrative device or application pairing. With respect to the illustrative embodiments described in this figure, it is noted that a general purpose processor may be temporarily enabled as a special purpose processor for the purpose of executing some or all of the exemplary methods shown herein. When executing code providing instructions to perform some or all steps of the method, the processor may be temporarily repurposed as a special purpose processor, until such time as the method is completed. In another example, to the extent appropriate, firmware acting in accordance with a preconfigured processor may cause the processor to act as a special purpose processor provided for the purpose of performing the method or some reasonable variation thereof. 
     In this illustrative example, there are four acting entities involved in the pairing. Specifically, these are a mobile application requesting authorization or device requesting pairing, a service delivery network (SDN), an embedded modem and a remote keyless entry system (or other vehicle keys). Here, the owner  201  is requesting authorization for a mobile application to receive approval to control a vehicle function. Additionally or alternatively, a mobile device pairing request could be initiated. The owner first utilizes the mobile device (here an application on the device) to request pairing  203 . The request is sent to the SDN, where a pairing mode is activated based on the request  205 . In this example, the pairing mode then looks for the presence of two different keys used to start the vehicle  207 , which indicates a high likelihood of an owner starting the vehicle in conjunction with the pairing request. 
     The owner, subsequent to requesting the pairing, can utilize a first key to start the vehicle  215 . This results in a message that a first key was used to start the vehicle  217 . Then, when this process is complete, the owner can power down the vehicle and use a second key to start the vehicle  219 . This results in a message that a second key was used to start the vehicle  221 . In some cases, remote users may be provided with temporary keys to a vehicle (e.g., digital keys or codes), because of this, the “used a key to start the vehicle” indicia may require that an original OEM issued key be used to start the vehicle, as opposed to a digital one. This could be used to prevent a party with two different temporary digital keys from improperly pairing an application or device. 
     Provided that both keys are used to start the vehicle and both indicia of successful startups are sent prior to a timeout  209 , the pairing will be successful and a success message may result  223 . Pairing can then be confirmed on the mobile device or at the application requesting the pairing  225 . The timeout can be used to help prevent inadvertent pairing, such as if one key were used a first day and another key were used a second day. An appropriately short window can be applied to the timeout such that the multiple-key startups are done intentionally within the window. Lapsing of the time window can cause the pairing process to exit  211  and cancel the pairing of the device  213 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an illustrative pairing process. With respect to the illustrative embodiments described in this figure, it is noted that a general purpose processor may be temporarily enabled as a special purpose processor for the purpose of executing some or all of the exemplary methods shown herein. When executing code providing instructions to perform some or all steps of the method, the processor may be temporarily repurposed as a special purpose processor, until such time as the method is completed. In another example, to the extent appropriate, firmware acting in accordance with a preconfigured processor may cause the processor to act as a special purpose processor provided for the purpose of performing the method or some reasonable variation thereof. 
     This is an example of a vehicle or cloud-based process that can run to determine if the pairing request and required follow-up (in this example, the two key start process) has been performed in the appropriate time period. 
     The process receives a pairing request  301 . This could be a request sent to the vehicle directly, or a request sent to the cloud for authorization of a device, application, or user account (e.g., without limitation, a request to utilize vehicle functionality using the device, application or account). The process then enters a pairing mode  303 , which starts a timeout clock in this example and begins to look for utilization of a first key to start the vehicle  305 . It is also possible, for example, that the vehicle has already been started with a particular key, and that this process will log or report the utilization of the first key based on a startup prior to the pairing request. 
     If, for example, the vehicle were not yet started, the mobile device could communicate requests with a backend network, which could receive startup information from a vehicle and send instructions to the mobile device to facilitate the pairing/request approval. This avoids direct communication between the vehicle and device, although the process described herein could also be run on a vehicle and facilitated through direct communication between the vehicle and the device. 
     In this example, so that the user knows the protocol for pairing, the process then instructs the user to re-start the vehicle using a different key  307 . This instruction persists, in this example, until the vehicle is powered down  309 . Once the vehicle is powered down and restarted  311 , the process can check to see if a different key is used  313 . An instruction to start the vehicle twice with two different keys can be sent to a requesting mobile device or application for display, or can be displayed on a vehicle interface. Depending on whether a particular implementation requires dual start up following a request, or “counts” the first start up prior to a request as the first of the two startups, the process can issue a tailored instruction. 
     If the key used to start the vehicle for a second time is an appropriate alternate key  315 , the process can report the second key usage to start the vehicle  317  (or log the usage, if approval is all local to the process). At any point during this process, if the timeout expires, the process can exit. 
     Once the second key has been approved and recorded or reported, the process can confirm the permissions for the original request  319 . This may require secondary approval from a remote source, depending on the level of access requested. Also, if a backend is involved, the backend may verify that both keys used were keys that correspond to permissible keys for pairing purposes. The use of the two keys can confirm the presence of an authorized user, but the requesting device or application may require additional approval (to ensure, for example, that the manufacturer has approved the device or application for usage in the requested manner, to avoid errors or malfunctions). Once confirmation of the requested permission is received  321 , the process can pair the application  323  (or otherwise provide the requested resources/functionality/control). Otherwise, the process may alert the user that an error has occurred  325 , which, in this case, likely results from an improper requesting application or device, because at this point both keys have been properly utilized to start the vehicle. Vehicle resources include, but are not limited to, control of vehicle systems, use of vehicle inputs/outputs and gathering data from vehicle systems. 
     Through use of the multiple key startup system described herein, quick pairing can be obtained in a manner that should be relatively simple for an authorized vehicle owner or user that has access to all keys. Improper pairing can be avoided, and the authorized user can proceed in a fairly simple manner when a proper request is sent. 
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.