Ride sharing accessory device and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10521736-B2
Application number	US-201615291378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A method of authorizing access and operation for vehicle sharing via a portable device. A request reservation is generated to reserve a vehicle via a portable device carried by a user. The reservation includes a portable device identifier and reservation details. Authentication keys are transmitted to the portable device and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle in response to a successful authorization. The plug-in device is used to perform vehicle access and vehicle operations of the vehicle. The authentication keys enable the portable device and the plug-in device to be paired for enabling vehicle access and operations. An authorization is executed between the portable device carried by a user and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle. Access to the vehicle operations are enabled in response to a successful authorization.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of authorizing access and operation for vehicle sharing via a portable device comprising:
generating a request reservation to reserve a vehicle via a portable device carried by a user, the request reservation including a portable device identifier and reservation details, wherein generating the request reservation includes:
communicating the request reservation to a remote entity by the portable device,
generating a signed access token by the remote entity, wherein the signed access key includes a cleartext package of allowed operations, constraints, and the portable device identifier, the cleartext package is not readable by the portable device, and
transmitting the signed access token to the portable device within a predetermined time from the reservation request;

transmitting authentication keys to the portable device and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle in response to a successful authorization, the plug-in device used to perform vehicle access and vehicle operations of the vehicle, the authentication keys enabling the portable device and the plug-in device to be paired for enabling vehicle access and operations;
executing an authorization between the portable device carried by a user and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle; and
enabling access to vehicle operations in response to a successful authorization, wherein the enabling comprises:
generating, by the portable device, a secure package, the secure package including an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer including the signed access key, the outer layer including a command request, the outer layer being signed by the portable device;
transmitting the secure package from the portable device to the plug-in device;
verifying, by the plug-in device, the signature of the portable device on the outer layer;
verifying, by the plug-in device, the signature of the remote entity on the inner layer; and
actuating, in response to verifying both the signature of the portable device and the signature of the remote entity and in response to determining that the command request is within the allowed operations, a respective vehicle operation associated with the command request.

2. The method of clam 1 further comprising the steps of performing an initial setup of the plug-in device in the vehicle, wherein performing the initial setup includes pairing the plug-in device as an additional keyfob to the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein pairing the plug-in device as an additional keyfob to the vehicle further comprises the steps of:
coupling the plug-in device to a service communication port of the vehicle;
accessing a vehicle communication platform (VCP) of the vehicle;
pairing the plug-in device to a passive entry/passive start system of the vehicle;
requesting cryptography keys from a remote entity via the VCP for validation between the plug-in device and the passive entry/passive start system; and
successfully pairing the plug-in device to the passive entry/passive start system for ongoing communication between the plug-in device and passive entry/passive start system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a confirmation to the portable device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein executing an authorization between the portable device carried by the user and the plug-in device further comprises:
receiving, by the portable device, an interrogation signal transmitted by a communication node module of the vehicle;
pairing the portable device and the communication node module of the vehicle;
transmitting a notification, by the portable device, to the communication node module relating to a proximity of the portable device to the vehicle; and
validating the portable device to a passive entry/passive start system of the vehicle utilizing an authorization key validation technique.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the communication node module includes a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) module, and wherein the interrogation signal is transmitted as a BLE signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein receiving by the portable device the interrogation signal transmitted by the BLE module of the vehicle further comprises:
monitoring a communication bus for communication over a predetermined period of time; and
transmitting a wake-up call to a vehicle communication platform (VCP) in response to communication on the communication bus during the predetermined period of time; otherwise
entering sleep mode.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein validating the portable device to the passive entry/passive start system of the vehicle utilizing authorization key validation further comprises:
transmitting a wake-up call by the BLE module over a communication bus to a vehicle communication platform (VCP);
communicating a request for token validation to a remote entity via the VCP;
verifying, by the remote entity, a validity of the token;
transmitting a validation response to the portable device and the plug-in device;
transmitting an authorization key wirelessly from the portable device to the BLE module;
communicating the authorization key received by the BLE module to the plug-in device via the communication bus;
validating, by the plug-in device, the authorization key received from the portable device; and
communicating to the portable device an authorized pairing with the plug-in device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein communicating a request for token validation to the remote entity via the VCP includes communicating a request for token validation from the portable device to the remote entity if a communication path from the VCP to the remote entity is not available.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein verifying by the remote entity that the token is still valid comprises the following steps:
determining by the remote entity of the validity of the token;
in response to determining the token is valid, determining whether a valid command request is being made by the portable device; and
transmitting a confirmation to the portable device that the command request is successfully received and authorized, otherwise, transmitting a failure message to the portable device in response to either token being invalid or the command request being invalid.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling access to the vehicle and vehicle operations in response to a successful authorization further comprises:
actuating a command on the portable device relating to a vehicle operation;
transmitting the command from the portable device to a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) module;
receiving the command by the BLE module and communicating the command to the plug-in device;
transmitting, by the plug-in device, the command to a passive entry/passive start system; and
actuating the selected vehicle function in response to receiving the command.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein transmitting the command to the passive entry/passive start system comprises:
transmitting, by the plug-in device, a wake-up call on a communication bus to the passive entry/passive start system; and
transmitting the command on the communication bus to the passive entry/passive start system.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the plug-in device further includes a keyfob printed circuit board for communicating indirectly with the passive entry/passive start system, wherein transmitting the command to the passive entry/passive start system further comprises:
communicating the command to the keyfob printed circuit board; and
transmitting the command to the passive entry/passive start system.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising tra

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc
• Gm Glboal Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Grimm Donald K
• Pebbles Paul H
• Miles Robert P
• Phillips Iii Ramie
• Ryan Travis J
• Ju Xi
• Namineni Pavan K
• Oesterling Christopher L

Classifications

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title

• B60R25/24

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

• H04L63/061

  for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838) · CPC title

• H04L63/0876

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title