Control apparatus for enabling functions, motor vehicle having a control apparatus and method for operating a control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077861-B2
Application number	US-201917263467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2019
Priority date	Aug 22, 2018
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a control apparatus for enabling functions, comprising an integrated circuit. The control apparatus has a function register unit for storing at least one entry relating to an enabled state of a respective circuit function and/or of a respective circuit area of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is configured to enable the respective circuit function and/or the respective circuit area for use in accordance with the at least one entry in the function register unit. The control apparatus has a function control unit configured to respond to a predetermined actuation signal by changing the at least one entry in the function register unit, wherein the change is made only if a predetermined authenticity check based on a cryptographic method confirms a source of the actuation signal is authorized, so that the function control unit is actuatable only by a trusted source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a control apparatus of an infotainment apparatus of a motor vehicle for enabling functions, wherein the control apparatus comprises an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
receiving, by the infotainment apparatus, a user request for enabling a circuit function and/or a circuit area of the integrated circuit from a user;
creating, by the infotainment apparatus, a corresponding request signal based on the user request;
transmitting, by the infotainment apparatus, the corresponding request to a central computer of a manufacturer of the infotainment apparatus or a central computer of the motor vehicle;
receiving, by the central computer, the corresponding request;
verifying, by the central computer, a admissibility and an applicability of the corresponding request;
transmitting, by the central computer, a signal to a central enabling computer of a manufacturer of the control apparatus, wherein the signal is associated with the corresponding request;
sending, by the central computer, a predetermined communication signal to the infotainment apparatus;
receiving, by the infotainment apparatus, the predetermined communication signal;
setting, by the infotainment apparatus, the infotainment apparatus to a mode, wherein a direct communication between the control apparatus and the central enabling computer is enabled in the mode;
transmitting, by the infotainment apparatus, in response to setting the infotainment apparatus to the mode, a second signal to the central computer, wherein the second signal indicates that the control apparatus is ready for communication;
instructing, by the central computer, the central enabling computer to transmit an actuation signal to the control apparatus by sending a third signal;
generating, by the central enabling computer, a control signal associated with the user request using a cryptographic method, and transmitting the control signal to the control apparatus;
verifying, by the control apparatus, a signature of the control signal using the cryptographic method;
confirming, by the control apparatus, an authorization of the central enabling computer based on verifying the signature;
permitting, by the control apparatus, an actuation of the control apparatus;
processing, by a function control unit of the control apparatus, the actuation signal and changing at least one entry of a function register unit, wherein the at least one entry of the function register unit is associated with the circuit function and/or the circuit area of the integrated circuit;
enabling, by the integrated circuit, the circuit function and/or the circuit area for use based on the at least one entry of the function register unit;
sending, by the function control unit, a confirmation signal to the central enabling computer, wherein the confirmation signal indicates enabling the circuit function and/or the circuit area of the integrated circuit by changing the at least one entry of the function register unit;
transmitting, by the central enabling computer, a second confirmation signal to the central computer to confirm transmitting the actuation signal and the enabling the circuit function and/or the circuit area of the integrated circuit; and
transmitting, by the central computer, a notification signal to the control apparatus to confirm enabling the circuit function and/or the circuit area of the integrated circuit,
wherein the central enabling computer controls the function control unit of the control apparatus by means of the actuation signal via a protected connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function control unit is associated with the at least one entry of the function register unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying the signature further comprises verifying the signature using an asymmetric key pair or a block-chain method.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the predetermined actuation signal further comprises receiving the predetermined actuation signal via a network interface of the control apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reading, by the function control unit, the at least one entry of the function register unit; and
sending, by the function control unit, the at least one entry of the function register unit as an output signal upon receiving a request signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the function control unit, a reset signal to the circuit area of the integrated circuit to restart the circuit area.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein transmitting the reset signal further comprises transmitting the reset signal via at least one dedicated line, wherein the at least one dedicated line connects the function control unit to the circuit area of the integrated circuit.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the function control unit, at least one expiration entry relating to an expiration date or an expiration period of the at least one entry of the function register unit in an expiration register;
determining, by the function control unit, a current time and/or a current date; and
changing, by the function control unit, the at least one entry of the function register unit if the expiration date or the expiration period is exceeded.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the function control unit, the at least one entry of the function register unit in a storage device of the function control unit before changing the at least one entry of the function register unit.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the function control unit, at least two profiles in a profile storage device of the function control unit, wherein one of the at least two profile comprises at least one profile entry and is assigned to a respective identifier; and
changing, by the function control unit, the at least one entry of the function register unit according to the at least one profile entry upon receiving the respective identifier.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Lerzer Jürgen
• Gruber Hans Georg
• Dalke Christoph

Classifications

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• H04L9/3239

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• B60R16/0231 Primary

  Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P) · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• G06F9/30098

  Register arrangements · CPC title