Method and system for binding a user account to a digital vehicle key

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12580745-B2
Application number	US-202218730151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 18, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A method and system for a vehicle for binding a user account with a digital key is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving information about an account binding of a user from an administrative platform for the vehicle, the information about the account binding comprising information on a digital account key. The method also includes receiving access information from a user, the access information comprising information on a digital user key, and verifying that the digital account key and the digital user key match to obtain user grant information. The method further includes obtaining information about one or more personalized settings or services of the user for the vehicle based on the user grant information, and applying the one or more settings to the vehicle or enabling the one or more services for the user in the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for a smart device of a user and for binding a user account with a digital key, the method comprising:
logging into the user account of an administrative platform for vehicles; receiving information on the digital key stored on the smart device; informing an application for processing vehicle information about the information on the digital key; generating a user account attestation comprising a signature based on the digital key; forwarding the user account attestation to the administrative platform for binding the user account with the digital key; binding the user account with the digital key at the administrative platform; transmitting the information on the account binding to a vehicle associated with the digital key; and based on the binding of the user account with the digital key, transmitting information on personalized user settings or services for the user from the administrative platform to the vehicle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital key is stored using a secure application of the smart device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising granting access to the digital key stored by the secure application to the application for processing vehicle information.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the smart device is a smartphone and the method is performed by a controller of the smartphone.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein binding the user account with the digital key comprises explicitly linking the user account and the digital key inside the vehicle through a human machine interface.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the human machine interface is a touchscreen display inside the vehicle.

7 . A method for an administrative platform for vehicles and for binding a user account with a digital key, the method comprising:
operating the administrative platform for vehicles; logging a user into the user account of the administrative platform via a smart device of the user; receiving a user account attestation comprising a signature from the smart device of the user; verifying that the user account attestation is signed based on the digital key to obtain a verified user account attestation; storing information on the account binding of the user account and the digital key based on the verified user account attestation; transmitting the information on the account binding from the administrative platform to a vehicle associated with the digital key; and transmitting information on personalized user settings or services for the user from the administrative platform to the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising using a private key of a pair of the private key and a public key as the digital key.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the verifying is based on the public key.

10 . The method of claim 7 further comprising applying the personalized user settings or services to the vehicle.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein applying the personalized user settings or services for the user of the vehicle comprises at least one of making a seat adjustment to the vehicle, applying a light setting in a cabin of the vehicle, applying a preset radio station to an audio source of the vehicle, applying a preconfigured key assignment to the vehicle, applying a personalized welcome message to a vehicle display.

12 . The method of claim 7 wherein the smart device is a smartphone.

13 . The method of claim 7 wherein the method is performed by a controller that is separate from the smart device and a vehicle.

14 . A method for a vehicle and for binding a user account with a digital key, the method comprising:
receiving information about an account binding of a user from an administrative platform for the vehicle, the information about the account binding comprising information on a digital account key; receiving access information from a user, the access information comprising information on a digital user key; verifying that the digital account key and the digital user key match to obtain user grant information; obtaining information about one or more personalized settings or services of the user for the vehicle based on the user grant information, and applying the one or more settings to the vehicle or enabling the one or more services for the user in the vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising granting access for the user to the vehicle based on the grant information.

16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the method is performed by a controller of the vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 14 wherein applying the one or more settings to the vehicle comprises at least one of making a seat adjustment to the vehicle, applying a light setting in a cabin of the vehicle, applying a preset radio station to an audio source of the vehicle, applying a preconfigured key assignment to the vehicle, applying a personalized welcome message to a vehicle display.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the information about one or more personalized settings or services of the user for the vehicle is obtained from the administrative platform after verifying that the digital account key and the digital user key match.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the information on a digital account key received from the administrative platform for the user includes the information about one or more personalized settings or services of the user, and such information about one or more personalized settings or services of the user is available to the vehicle after obtaining the user grant information.

20 . The method of claim 14 wherein the method is performed in association with the user entering the vehicle for a first time.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Knott Thorsten
• Mueller Olaf
• Diewald Stefan
• Hofmann Sven
• Schaefer Christoph
• Schwald Dominik

Classifications

• H04L9/0877

  using additional device, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard, USB or hardware security module [HSM] · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• B60K35/21

  using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays · CPC title

• B60R25/24

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

• H04L63/0853

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title