Patent ID: 7549046

Claim:
A method for authorization of a service technician for performing a service operation on a vehicle, the method performed by the vehicle and comprising the steps of: accessing a secure device having limited accessibility but being accessible by the service technician and storing a first cryptographic key associated with the service technician; obtaining from a certification authority a certification that an authentic technician is associated with a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key and further verifying that the certification authority is authorized to certify the authentic technician by accessing a prestored dynamic list that is rewritable by a vehicle manufacturer; utilizing the second cryptographic key in cryptographic communication with the secure device; determining whether the service technician is the authentic technician based on whether the second cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication; upon determining that the service technician is the authentic technician based on the second cryptographic key being successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication, accessing a technician database to determine whether the service technician is indicated as authorized to perform the service operation on the vehicle; and allowing the service technician to perform the service operation if the service technician is indicated as authorized to perform the service operation.