Vehicle computer update authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10706140-B2
Application number	US-201616089646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A first computer includes a processor programmed to receive from a second computer a request to install a computer update. The request includes identification data. The first computer is further programmed to request, from a third computer, remote from the vehicle and from the second computer, a first authentication for the request to install the computer update. The request includes the identification data. The first computer receives the first authentication from the third computer. The first computer is further programmed to send, to a user device, an instruction to request from a user, a second authentication of the request to install the computer update. The first computer receives the second authentication from the user and installs the computer code.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system including a first computer in a vehicle including a first processor and a first memory, the first memory storing instructions executable by the first processor such that the first processor is programmed to:
receive, from a second computer, a first request to install a first computer update, the first request including identification data;
send a second request, to a third computer, remote from the vehicle and from the second computer, a first authentication for the first request to install the first computer update, the second request including the identification data;
receive, from the third computer, the first authentication;
send, to a fourth computer that is a user device, an instruction to make a third request, from a user at the fourth computer, for a second authentication of the first request to install the first computer update;
receive, from the fourth computer, based on the instruction to the fourth computer to make the third request for the second authentication, the second authentication;
determine, prior to installing the first computer update, whether the first computer update complies with acceptance criteria;
then install, after receiving the first authentication from the third computer and the second authentication received from the fourth computer, and upon determining that the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, the first computer update received from the second computer; and
also upon determining that the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, generate an updated acceptance criteria, the updated acceptance criteria based at least in part on the first computer update, and then use the updated acceptance criteria in a second computer update.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first computer update includes at least one of computer code, configuration parameters and calibration parameters.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to determine whether the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, the processor is further programmed to:
identify one or more characteristics of the first computer update; and
determine that the one or more characteristics correspond to one or more respective acceptance criteria.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to determine whether the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, the processor is further programmed to:
apply, to the first computer update, in a test environment, one or more inputs;
receive, from the first computer update, one or more outputs; and
determine that the one or more outputs are within predetermined ranges for the respective one or more outputs.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein an access protocol of the second computer is different from an access protocol of the third computer.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction to make the third request for the second authentication includes an authorization code, and
receiving the second authentication includes receiving the authorization code.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the authorization code is received via an interface in the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third computer includes a third processor and a third memory, the third memory storing instructions executable by the third processor such that the third processor is programmed to:
receive, from the first computer, the second request for the first authentication including identification data;
determine, based on the identification data, that the first request to install the first computer update is from an authorized source; and
transmit the first authentication to the first computer.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user device includes a fourth processor and a fourth memory, the fourth memory storing instructions executable by the fourth processor such that the fourth processor is programmed to:
receive, from the first computer, the instruction to make the third request for the second authentication;
provide, to the user, an interface;
receive, from the user, an input; and
send, based on the input, the second authentication to the computer.

10. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first computer in a vehicle, from a second computer, a first request to install a first computer update, the first request including identification data;
sending a second request, to a third computer, remote from the vehicle and from the second computer, a first authentication for the first request to install the first computer update, the second request including the identification data;
receiving, from the third computer, the first authentication;
sending, to a fourth computer that is a user device an instruction to make a third request, from a user at the fourth computer, for a second authentication of the first request to install the first computer update;
receiving, from the fourth computer, based on the instruction to the fourth computer to make the third request for the second authentication, the second authentication;
determining, prior to installing the first computer update, whether the first computer update complies with acceptance criteria;
then installing, after receiving the first authentication from the third computer and the second authentication received from the fourth computer, and upon determining that the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, the first computer update received from the second computer; and
also upon determining that the first computer update complies with the acceptance criteria, generate an updated acceptance criteria, the updated acceptance criteria based at least in part on the first computer update, and then use the updated acceptance criteria in a second computer update.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying one or more characteristics of the first computer update; and
determining that the one or more characteristics correspond to one or more respective acceptance criteria.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
applying, to the first computer update, in a test environment, one or more inputs;
receiving, from the first computer update, one or more outputs; and
determining that the one or more outputs are within predetermined ranges for the respective one or more outputs.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein an access protocol of the second computer is different from an access protocol of the third computer.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the instruction to make the third request for the second authentication includes an authorization code, and
receiving the second authentication includes receiving the authorization code.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the authorization code is received via an interface in the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by the third computer, from the first computer, the second request for the first authentication including identification data;
determining, by the third computer, based on the identification data, that the first request to install the first computer update is from an authorized source; and
transmitting the first authentication to the first computer.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hassani Ali
• Hoellerbauer Jakob Nikolaus

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F21/44

  Program or device authentication · CPC title

• G06F21/445 Primary

  by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs · CPC title

• G06F21/40

  by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required · CPC title

• G06F21/572

  Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS] · CPC title