Methods, control devices and vehicles for authentication of transport missions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022043460-A1
Application number	US-201917297556-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	Dec 7, 2018
Publication date	Feb 10, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for enabling authentication of transport missions, performed in a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system. Each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members. The method comprises signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and sending the signed information to a plurality of the other members of the group, in order to request them to authenticate the transport mission. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for authenticating transport missions, to control devices implementing the methods, to computer programs, to computer-readable storage mediums, and to autonomous vehicles.

First claim

1 . A method for enabling authentication of transport missions, performed in a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, the method comprising:
signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and sending the signed information to a plurality of the other members of the group, in order to request the plurality of the other members of the group to authenticate the transport mission.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising storing the signed information in the member.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the storing comprises storing the signed information in a block chain, in response to receiving an authentication of the transport mission from at least a predefined number of the other members of the group.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the signing comprises generating a signature, using the cryptographic function, based on information defining the mission to be performed and on information associated with previously authenticated missions performed by the autonomous vehicles in the group.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the signing comprises creating a block comprising information defining the mission to be performed, using the cryptographic function, for use in a block-chain, and wherein the sending comprises sending the signed information including the block to the plurality of members in the group.

6 . A computer program product comprising a computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer program product used for enabling authentication of transport missions, performed in a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, said computer program code comprising computer instructions to cause one or more control devices to perform the following operations:
signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and sending the signed information to a plurality of the other members of the group, in order to request the plurality of the other members of the group to authenticate the transport mission.

7 . (canceled)

8 . A control device, for enabling authentication of transport missions, where the control device is a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, wherein the control device is configured to perform the following operations:
signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and sending the signed information to a plurality of the other members of the group, in order to request the plurality of the other members of the group to authenticate the transport mission.

9 . A method for authenticating transport missions, performed by a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, wherein the method comprises:
receiving, from a member in the group, signed information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and verifying the authenticity of the transport mission using the cryptographic function.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising sending an authentication of the transport mission to the at least one autonomous vehicle, in response to the mission being verified as authentic.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , comprising sending an authentication of the transport mission to a plurality of the members in the group, in response to the mission being verified as authentic.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the control device is arranged in the at least one autonomous vehicle, and the method comprises:
authorizing the at least one autonomous vehicle to execute the transport mission, in response to receiving an authentication of the transport mission from at least a predefined number of the other members of the group.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the method comprises:
sending, to the off-board system, an acknowledgment of the authorization to execute the transport mission by the at least one autonomous vehicle.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , comprising:
storing the signed information in the control device in response to receiving an authentication of the transport mission from at least a predefined number of the other members of the group.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the storing comprises adding the signed information to a block chain in the control device.

16 . The method according to claim 9 , comprising:
determining that the at least one transport mission is not authentic, in response to a pre-determined time expiring before receiving an authentication from at least a predefined number of the other members of the group.

17 . A computer program product comprising computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer program product used for authenticating transport missions, performed by a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, said computer program code comprising computer instructions to cause one or more control devices to perform the following operations:
receiving, from a member in the group, signed information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and verifying the authenticity of the transport mission, using the cryptographic function.

18 . (canceled)

19 . A control device for authenticating transport missions, where the control device is a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, wherein the control device is configured to perform the following operations:
receiving, from a member in the group, signed information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and verifying the authenticity of the transport mission, using the cryptographic function.

20 . An autonomous vehicle comprising a control device for enabling authentication of transport missions, where the control device is a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system, wherein each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members, wherein the control device is configured to perform the following operations:
signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at

Assignees

• Scania Cv Ab

Inventors

• Claesson André
• Ährlig Linus
• Sjödin Robert
• Teppola Sami
• Kallio Mikko
• Skeppström Tomas
• Colling Morgan

Classifications

• G05D1/692

  involving a plurality of disparate vehicles · CPC title

• H04L9/50

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

• H04W12/12

  Detection or prevention of fraud · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title