System and method for distributing digital vehicle keys to passive nfc devices via nfc

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020148168-A1
Application number	US-201816185664-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	May 14, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a vehicle, a first passive Near-Field Communication (NFC) device, and a first mobile device communicatively coupled to the vehicle and including a digital vehicle key. The first mobile device distributes the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device and informs the vehicle an instance in which the mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a vehicle; a first passive Near-Field Communication (NFC) device; and a first mobile device communicatively coupled to the vehicle and including a digital vehicle key: a computer processor operable to execute a set of computer-readable instructions; and a memory operable to store the set of computer-readable instructions operable to:
distribute the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device; and
inform the vehicle an instance in which the first mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second passive NFC device; and a second mobile device configured to:
request the digital vehicle key from the first mobile device; and
responsive to receiving the digital vehicle key from the first mobile device, distribute the digital vehicle key to the second passive NFC device.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle is communicatively coupled to the second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is further configured to inform the vehicle an instance in which the second mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the second passive NFC device.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the second mobile device is further configured to inform the first mobile device an instance in which the second mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the second passive NFC device, and wherein the first mobile device is further configured to inform the vehicle the instance in which the second mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the second passive NFC device.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to, responsive to distributing the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device:
generate a table including an identification associated with the first passive NFC device; and transmit the table to the vehicle.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the identification is predetermined by a manufacturer of the first passive NFC device.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to associate a use condition to the identification.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to:
determine that a power supply of the vehicle is out of power; and use, based on the determination that the power supply of the vehicle is out of power, the passive NFC device as a key for accessing the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further operable to:
determine that a power supply of the first mobile device is out of power; and use, based on the determination that the power supply of the first mobile device is out of power, the first the passive NFC device as a key for accessing the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mobile device is configured to distribute the digital vehicle key based on a distribution condition.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the distribution condition limits a number of times the first mobile device is allowed to distribute the digital vehicle key.

12 . A method comprising:
distributing a digital vehicle key stored in a first mobile device to a first passive Near-Field Communication (NFC) device; and informing a vehicle communicatively coupled to the first mobile device an instance in which the first mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving, at the first mobile device, a request for the digital vehicle key from a second mobile device; and responsive to receiving the digital vehicle key from the first mobile device, allowing the second mobile device to distribute the digital vehicle key to a second passive NFC device.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising informing the vehicle an instance in which the second mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the second passive NFC device.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising, responsive to distributing the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device:
generating, at the first mobile device, a table including an identification associated with the first passive NFC device; and transmitting the table to the vehicle.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the identification is predetermined by a manufacturer of the first passive NFC device.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising associating a use condition to the identification.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining that a power supply of the vehicle is out of power; and using, based on the determination that the power supply of the vehicle is out of power, the passive NFC device as a key for accessing the vehicle.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determine that a power supply of the first mobile device is out of power; and use, based on the determination that the power supply of the first mobile device is out of power, the passive NFC device as a key for accessing the vehicle.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that are executable via processors to perform operations comprising:
distributing a digital vehicle key stored in a first mobile device to a first passive Near-Field Communication (NFC) device; informing a vehicle communicatively coupled to the first mobile device an instance in which the first mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device; determining that a power supply of the first mobile device is out of power; and using, based on the determination that the power supply of the first mobile device is out of power, the passive NFC device as a key for accessing the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Delong Aaron Matthew
• Elangovan Vivekanandh
• Hille Kevin Thomas
• Van Wiemeersch John Robert

Classifications

• B60R2325/103

  Near field communication [NFC] · CPC title

• B60R25/24 Primary

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

• H04W12/47

  using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules · CPC title

• H04W12/04

  Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] · CPC title

• H04W4/40 Primary

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title