System for the automatic control of the access and/or engine start authorization of a user in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10449929-B2
Application number	US-201715687021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2017
Priority date	Aug 25, 2016
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A system for automatic control of entry and/or motor starting authorization of a user for a vehicle. A control device or a computation device associated with the control device uses at least one statistical computation method to compute a probability of misuse for obtaining an entry and/or motor starting authorization for the vehicle. If the computed probability of misuse reaches or exceeds a prescribable threshold value, a control signal at least for unlocking the vehicle doors and/or for enabling of the motor control device is/are stopped or produced by the control device only if at least one additional authentication criterion has been satisfied; and/or the system for control of entry and/or motor starting authorization is deactivated if it is established that the vehicle is parking in an environment where the probability of future misuse of the electronic key reaches or exceeds a prescribable threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for automatic control of entry and/or motor starting authorization of a user for a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
a control device that controls at least one function of unlocking/locking one or more entry doors of the motor vehicle and/or enabling/disabling a motor control device adapted for controlling operation of a motor of the motor vehicle; and
an electronic key associated with the control device,
wherein the control device and the electronic key each include a transceiver for sending and receiving signals,
wherein at least one signal transmitted from the electronic key to the control device is an encoded signal for authentication of the electronic key so that, after evaluation of the encoded signal, given an authorized electronic key, the control device produces a control signal for unlocking one or more of the entry doors and/or for enabling of the motor control device,
wherein the control device is configured for at least one of:
computing, after receiving the encoded signal for an authorized electronic key, by at least one statistical computation method using one or more pieces of information available to the control device able to be used as an indication for computation of a probability of misuse of the electronic key for obtaining an entry and/or motor starting authorization for the motor vehicle, and, in response to the computed probability of misuse reaching or exceeding a prescribable threshold value, stopping at least one control signal for unlocking one or more of the entry doors and/or for enabling of the motor control device or producing the at least one control signal only in response to at least one additional authentication criterion being satisfied, wherein the one or more pieces of information include at least one of:
a time of a last stoppage of the motor of the motor vehicle;
a time of a last start of the motor of the motor vehicle;
a time of a last locking of the one or more entry doors;
a time of a last unlocking of the one or more entry doors;
a time of a last disabling of the motor control device;
a time of a last enabling of the motor control device;
which of the one or more entry doors that was used last;
an approximate position of the electronic key in an interior of the motor vehicle before a last start of the motor of the motor vehicle;
times of regularly made journeys; and
regular times of nonuse of the motor vehicle; and

deactivating the system for control of the entry and/or motor starting authorization in response to the control device using at least one statistical computation method to establish that the motor vehicle is parking in an environment in which the probability of future misuse of the electronic key reaches or exceeds a prescribable threshold value based on current parking coordinates of the motor vehicle and at least one further criterion associable with the parking coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pieces of information include at least one of:
a time difference between a last unlocking and a last locking of the one or more entry doors;
a time difference between a last stoppage of the motor of the motor vehicle and a last locking of the one or more entry doors; and
a time difference between a last unlocking of the one or more entry doors and a last start of the motor of the motor vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additional authentication criterion includes at least one of:
manual operation of the electronic key;
presence of a trustworthy mobile device within a maximum, prescribable distance from the motor vehicle;
presence of a mobile device on hand for a last locking of the one or more entry doors within a maximum, prescribable distance from the motor vehicle;
confirmation action by a user for a trustworthy mobile device;
authentication by voice recognition; and
authentication by performance of a prescribable gesture.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the further criterion associable with the parking coordinates includes at least one of:
whether the parking position is in a public carpark;
whether the parking position is in a railroad station or surroundings of a railroad station;
whether the parking position is in a surroundings of a freeway entry ramp;
whether the parking position is in a rest area on a freeway;
whether the parking position is in an environment with an increased number of criminal offences in comparison with the average;
whether the parking position is in a private carpark;
whether the parking position is adjacent a residence;
whether the parking position is adjacent a workplace.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a signaling device that signals to the user a denial of unlocking of the one or more entry doors, a denial of enabling of the motor control device, a requirement for an additional authentication criterion and/or a deactivation of the system for control of the entry and/or motor starting authorization.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one statistical computation method makes use of or is based on:
a neural network;
a rule-based method;
a tree-based algorithm;
a genetic algorithm;
fuzzy logic;
a hybrid model;
a Bayesian network; or
meta learning.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a learning mode that, when activated, allows data regarding proper use of the motor vehicle to be captured and/or input into the system by a legitimate user of the vehicle.

8. A motor vehicle including the system for automatic control of entry and/or motor starting authorization of a user for the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 .

9. A method for control of a system for automatic entry and/or motor starting authorization of a user for a motor vehicle, wherein the system comprises a control device that controls at least one function of unlocking/locking one or more entry doors of the motor vehicle and/or enabling/disabling the motor control device, and an electronic key associated with the control device, wherein the control device and the electronic key have a transceiver for sending and receiving signals, the method comprising:
transmitting at least one encoded signal from the electronic key to the control device; for authentication of the electronic key;
evaluating the encoded signal for an authorized electronic key;
producing a control signal with the control device, given an authorized electronic key, for unlocking one or more of the entry doors and/or for enabling of the motor control device; and
the method further comprising at least one of:
computing, after receiving the encoded signal for an authorized electronic key, by at least one statistical computation method using one or more pieces of information available to the control device able to be used as an indication for computation of a probability of misuse of the electronic key or obtaining an entry and/or motor starting authorization for the motor vehicle, and, in response to the computed probability of misuse reaching or exceeding a prescribable threshold value, stopping at least one control signal for unlocking one or more of the entry doors and/or for enabling of the motor control device or producing the at least one control signal only in response to at least one additional authentication criterion being satisfied, wherein the one or more pieces of information include at least one of:
a time of a last stoppage of the motor of the motor vehicle;
a time of a last start of the motor of the motor vehicle;
a time of a last locking of the one or more entry doors;
a time of a last unlocking of the one or more entry doors;
a time of a last disabling of the motor control device;
a time of a last enabling of the motor con

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Pflug Florian
• Decke Hendrik

Classifications

• B60R2325/106

  Internet · CPC title

• B60R25/2045

  by hand gestures · CPC title

• B60R25/24

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title

• B60R25/257

  Voice recognition · CPC title

• B60R25/04 Primary

  operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor · CPC title