| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080204191 | System and method for controlling information access on a mobile platform - A method and system are provided for controlling extra-vehicle communications to a device of a mobile platform. The method comprises establishing a policy comprising attributes for permitting communications to the device, the attributes having selectable states. Access to communicate with the device is authorized based upon a least privilege of the selectable states of the attributes. An information requestor is permitted to communicate with the device when the access is authorized, and the information requestor is denied access to the device when one of the selectable states of the attributes is not satisfied | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080205320 | Method and system for selectively communicating with mobile platforms - There is provided a method for selectively communicating from a remote system to a subset of a plurality of vehicles. Each of the vehicles is equipped with a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communication device. The method comprises broadcasting a common message from the remote system to the vehicles via the first wireless communication device. A subset of the plurality of vehicles is selected based upon the common message. A communications link is established between the remote system and the second wireless communication device of each of the selected subset of vehicles to transmit formatted electronic data therebetween. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080208405 | Method and system for facilitating communication of information to a mobile platform - There is provided a method and system for facilitating communications between a remote access point and a mobile platform during a shutdown period. The mobile platform is equipped with a first receiver and a wireless communications receiver. A wake-up signal is wirelessly transmitted from a remote wireless device to the first receiver of the mobile platform. The communications receiver is activated based upon the wake-up signal. The remote access point is controlled to communicate with the communications receiver subsequent to the activation of the communications receiver. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20090077240 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A MOBILE SERVER - Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting data to a client device from a computer module in a vehicle. Data is transmitted from the computer module over an in-vehicle network to an in-vehicle communications gateway module. The data from the computer module is destined for the client device. A request for a software component is transmitted to the client device from a standard port of the in-vehicle communications gateway module. The software component comprises a non-standard transfer protocol module. The in-vehicle communications gateway module loads the non-standard transfer protocol module, and the data is exchanged between the in-vehicle communications gateway module and the client device according to the non-standard transfer protocol. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090077266 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A MOBILE SERVER - Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting data from remote server device to a computer module in a vehicle. A request for data is transmitted from the computer module over an in-vehicle network to an in-vehicle communications gateway module. The request for data from the computer module is destined for a remote server device. A request for a software component is transmitted from a standard port of the in-vehicle communications gateway module to the remote server device. The software component comprises a non-standard transfer protocol module. The in-vehicle communications gateway module loads the non-standard transfer protocol module, and the remote server device transmits the requested data to the in-vehicle communications gateway module according to the non-standard transfer protocol. The in-vehicle communications gateway module then transmits the requested data (provided from the remote server device) to the computer module over the in-vehicle network. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090077267 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A MOBILE SERVER - Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting data between a client device and a vehicle. A server hosted at an in-vehicle communications gateway module sends a software component comprising a non-standard transfer protocol module to a browser application hosted at the client device in response to a request from the client device. Standard ports at the in-vehicle communications gateway module and the client device are closed, and data is exchanged between the server and the browser application according to the non-standard transfer protocol. Optionally, the received data can then be transmitted from the in-vehicle communications gateway module to a computer module in the vehicle. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090091419 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO CONTROL REMOTE ACCESS TO A VEHICLE MODULE - A method for controlling remote access to a module of a vehicle includes the steps of determining whether the vehicle is in a predetermined state, and permitting remote access to the module only on the condition that the vehicle is in the predetermined state. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090138942 | SECURE OVER-THE-AIR MODIFICATION OF AUTOMOTIVE VEHICULAR OPTIONS - A method and system are provided for secure over-the-air modification of vehicular options by a vehicle user. The system includes a vehicle and a secure server. The vehicle includes receiver circuitry for receiving and demodulating wireless signals and a controller coupled to the receiver. The secure server is accessible by the vehicle user and generates a vehicular option modification package for provision to the vehicle by generating option parameter modification instructions in response to user parameter modification requests from the vehicle owner and generating authentication information in response to unique server authentication information associated with the secure server. The vehicle's receiver demodulates received wireless signals to generate the vehicular option modification package and the vehicle's controller authenticates the vehicular option modification package and, when the vehicular option modification package is authenticated, modifies the vehicular options of the vehicle in response to the parameter modification instructions. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090158396 | Secure Home-to-Vehicle Wireless Connectivity - A method for providing a secure communications link between a home PC and a vehicle through a wireless access point. The method includes providing a wireless connection between a vehicle communications system and the wireless access point and causing a user of the PC to initiate a communication with the vehicle communications system through the wireless access point so as to allow the user to send information to the vehicle from the home PC. The method also includes causing the vehicle communications system to send an authentication challenge to the PC, such as identifying a user name and password, to authorize the user to communicate with the vehicle communications system, and establishing a secure communications link between the vehicle communications system and the PC if the user responds to the challenge with a correct response. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090170539 | PREVENTING REPLAY-TYPE ATTACKS ON A VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - A method and system for preventing replay-type attacks on a vehicle communications system that sends short message service (SMS) messages between a call center and a fleet of vehicles. The method uses separate sequence counters maintained at the call center and at each of the vehicles in the fleet to help prevent or at least minimize the effects of unauthorized third party interference; such as replay-type attacks. Each wireless message is embedded with a sequence counter that is provided by the sender and is compared by the recipient with a separate sequence counter for purposes of validation. Some optional features that can be used in conjunction with the sequence counters include a tolerance window feature, a consecutive message feature, and a proximity feature, to name but a few. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090249074 | WIRELESS COMMUNICATION USING COMPACT CERTIFICATES - A method and communications system for generating and using compact digital certificates for secure wireless communication. Each compact certificate includes a digital signature and only a portion of the data used in generating the signature. The remaining certificate data is pre-stored on one or more wireless devices for which secure communication is desired. Upon receiving a compact certificate, the wireless device authenticates the certificate using its digital signature along with both the data contained in the certificate and the data pre-stored on the wireless device. This approach permits secure connections to be established between wireless devices using relatively small digital certificates. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090291637 | SECURE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION INITIALIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A wireless communication system for a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a portable wireless device comprising first and second manual interface devices and adapted to transmit a wireless network security protocol confirmation signal in response to manipulation of the first and second manual interface devices, and an onboard wireless communication device for the vehicle, adapted to accept a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) session outcome in response to receiving the wireless network security protocol confirmation signal. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090323967 | PRODUCTION OF CRYPTOGRAPHIC KEYS FOR AN EMBEDDED PROCESSING DEVICE - A system and method for producing cryptographic keys for use by an embedded processing device within a manufactured product. A pseudo random number generator is seeded with entropy data gathered by the embedded device, and the result is used to generate a public-private key pair. The process can be carried out during manufacturing so that the public key of each manufactured product can be stored in a database along with a unique identifier for the embedded device associated with the key. In one particular example, a vehicle having an installed telematics unit uses the key generating process to self-generate keys using entropy data available to the vehicle. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090328189 | SECURE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION INITIALIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A wireless communication system for use with a vehicle is disclosed. The communication system comprises a portable wireless device comprising a first manual interface device, the portable wireless device adapted to transmit an activation signal in response to manipulation of the first manual interface device, and an onboard wireless communication device for a vehicle. The onboard wireless communication device can be adapted to transmit Wi-Fi Protected Setup initiation signals in response to receiving the activation signal. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100040234 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING AN ASYMMETRIC KEY EXCHANGE BETWEEN A VEHICLE AND A REMOTE DEVICE - Methods and apparatus are provided for performing an asymmetric key exchange between a vehicle and a first remote device. The method comprises storing predetermined cryptographic information on the vehicle, generating a first public key and a first private key that correspond to the vehicle, storing the first private key on the vehicle, and providing the first public key and descriptive data associated with the vehicle to a trusted entity, wherein the trusted entity is configured to store the first public key and the descriptive data in a location that is accessible to the first remote device. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100049373 | METHOD FOR MODULAR SOFTWARE REMOVAL - A method of managing a code module that generates output information for a computer system is provided. The method comprises searching for the output information in the computer system, if the output information is not detected by the searching step, executing the code module, generating the output information in response to executing the code module, and removing the code module from the computer system in response to generating the output information. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100073125 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIRMING THAT A USER OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE IS AN AUTHORIZED USER OF A VEHICLE - Methods and a system are provided for confirming that a user of an electronic device is an authorized user of a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a request regarding the vehicle from the electronic device in response to a user action, verifying that the user is able to cause the vehicle to perform a predetermined operation, and permitting the request to proceed only if the vehicle performs the predetermined operation. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100109835 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOCATION BASED SECURITY FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A REMOTE DEVICE - A method for providing location based security for communication between a remote device and a mobile device having a global positioning system receiver for determining its current position. The method comprises receiving geographic data from the remote device, determining if the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position, and enabling subsequent communication with the remote device when the current position is within the predetermined geographic region. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100161490 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF RESPONDER INFORMATION - A device, such as a vehicle, and a method within the device are provided for protecting the privacy of device specific information. The method includes the steps of detecting a beacon transmitted by an association requestor, determining whether the association requestor is an authorized requester by determining whether a present parameter falls within a range of authorized parameters associated with the association requester, and transmitting the device specific information to the authorized requester only if the present parameter falls within the range of authorized requester parameters. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100178872 | INITIATING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A VEHICLE AND AN ACCESS POINT - Methods and a vehicle are provided for initiating a short range radio frequency (RF) connection between the vehicle and an access point. The vehicle includes transceiver circuitry comprising receiver circuitry and transmitter circuitry, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS coordinates, and a controller. The controller is coupled to the GPS receiver for determining a location of the vehicle in response to the GPS coordinates. The controller is also coupled to the transmitter circuitry for providing a probe request thereto for transmission to the access point in order to initiate the short range RF connection in response to the location of the vehicle. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100179720 | AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SYSTEM - A system and method for providing autonomous and remote vehicle maintenance and repair. The system employs an on-board diagnosis and prognosis module that monitors one or more vehicle buses to identify trouble codes and other information indicating a vehicle problem. The on-board module causes a telematic device on the vehicle to broadcast a message including a problem code that identifies the problem the vehicle is having. A remote repair center may receive the message and may identify a software upgrade patch associated with the problem that can be transmitted to the vehicle to upgrade its software to correct the problem. Also, the message may be received by another vehicle that is part of a broadcast network that has previously received the software upgrade patch to fix a problem on that vehicle, where the receiving vehicle may transmit the software upgrade patch to the vehicle having the problem. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100191973 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A SECURE CONNECTION WITH A MOBILE DEVICE - Methods and apparatus are provided for establishing a secure connection with a mobile device that is configured to store a first private key that mathematically corresponds to a first public key. The method comprises receiving a quasi-public key from a trusted entity, wherein the quasi-public key mathematically corresponds to a quasi-private key that is stored on the mobile device, receiving a first digital certificate from the mobile device, the first digital certificate comprising the first public key and a first digital signature generated with the quasi-private key, and authenticating the first digital certificate using the first digital signature and the quasi-public key. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100205429 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING THAT A REMOTE DEVICE IS A TRUSTED ENTITY - Methods and systems are provided for verifying that a remote device is a trusted entity. The method comprises receiving a first digital certificate from a first certificate authority, wherein the first certificate authority is a trusted entity, receiving a second digital certificate from the remote device during a first handshake procedure for establishing a secure connection, the second digital certificate corresponding to a second certificate authority, determining if the second digital certificate was issued by the first certificate authority based on at least a portion of the contents of the first digital certificate, and storing the second digital certificate to enable subsequent authentication of additional digital certificates received from the remote device, if the second digital certificate was issued by the first certificate authority. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100211770 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING PRIVATE DATA ON A VEHICLE - Methods and apparatus are provided for protecting private data on a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a first signal generated by a user of the vehicle and, in response to the first signal, deleting predetermined data stored on the vehicle to prevent the private data from being accessed. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100228423 | AGGREGATED INFORMATION FUSION FOR ENHANCED DIAGNOSTICS, PROGNOSTICS AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES OF VEHICLES - A system and method for enhancing vehicle diagnostic and prognostic algorithms and improving vehicle maintenance practices. The method includes collecting data from vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and storing the collected data in a database. The collected and stored data can be from multiple sources for similar vehicles or similar components and can include various types of trouble codes and labor codes as well as other information, such as operational data and physics of failure data, which are fused together. The method generates classes for different vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and builds feature extractors for each class using data mining techniques of the data stored in the database. The method also generates classifiers that classify the features for each class. The feature extractors and feature classifiers are used to determine when a fault condition has occurred for a vehicle component, sub-system or system. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100274570 | VEHICLE CHARGING AUTHORIZATION - Methods and apparatus are provided for charging an onboard energy storage system of a plug-in vehicle using a charging station. An embodiment of the system includes a vehicle communication system configured to transmit data related to charging authorization to the charging station. The embodiment also includes an electronic device configured to communicate with the vehicle communication system within a set range from the plug-in vehicle; and a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to the vehicle communication system. The vehicle controller is configured to direct the vehicle communication system to transmit the data related to charging authorization if the electronic device is within the set range from the plug-in vehicle. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20110032075 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR HOME-TO-VEHICLE APPLICATIONS OVER WIRELESS LINKS - Methods and apparatus are provided for enabling communication between an information handling device, such as a computer, and a vehicle. A dongle is provided for enabling the communication and includes an external coupling device, dongle transceiver circuitry, and a dongle controller. The dongle transceiver circuitry enables remote keyless entry communication between the dongle and the vehicle. The external coupling device couples the dongle to the information handling device, and the dongle controller is coupled to the external coupling device for determining when the dongle is coupled to the information handling device. The dongle controller is also coupled to the dongle transceiver circuitry for providing a remote keyless entry wakeup message to the dongle transceiver circuitry in response to receiving a communication initiation signal from the information handling device. | 02-10-2011 |
