Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Daniel M King

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Kevin Thomas Hille

Timothy Thivierge, Jr

Ali Hassani

Cameron Smyth

Hamid M Golgiri

Thomas Lee Miller

Aaron Matthew DeLong

Eugene Karpinsky

Farhan Ehsan

Santosh Kumar Lalwani

Ming Lang Kuang

Ryan Edwin Hanson

Mark Douglas Malone

Yuming Niu

Vivekanandh Elangovan

William David Treharne

Eric L Reed

Kirk Pebley

Zeljko Deljevic

Ronald Patrick Brombach

Thomas Michael McQuade

Michael Hrecznyj

Scott Alan Watkins

Filip Tomik

Frank J Desjarlais

Thomas Anthony Spoto

Charles Richard Drake

Jason Myslinski

Erick Michael Lavoie

Mark Anthony Cuddihy

Steven Yellin Schondorf

Scott J Lauffer

Ray C Siciak

David Celinske

Howard Paul Tsvi Linden

Scott Howard Gaboury

Alyssa Chatten

Ryan Joseph Gorski

Robert S Kern

Arie Groeneveld

Maria Eugenia Protopapas

Greg Conner

Steven T Skikun

Patricia Seashore

James Theodore Cikalo

Michael Wrobel, Jr

John David Jorgensen

William Michael Gardner

Keith Zwyghuizen Doorenbos

Micheal Nikiforuk

Maeen Mawari

Steven Erno

James E Kaminske

Colm Deloughery

Dennis Montville

Mohammad Talha

Rouaa Nakhieh

Jayeshkumar Ramani

Suvrat Jain

A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive a request to activate a vehicle, receive diagnostic data for one or more vehicle components from an activation component, arbitrate the request and the diagnostic data to identify an activation mode of the vehicle that is one of an unpowered mode, a power-up mode, or a fully-started mode, and instruct the activation component to activate one or more vehicle components associated with the identified activation mode.

Enhanced vehicle activation

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an enhanced valet mode for vehicles. An example method may include receiving a request to enter a valet mode of the vehicle. The example method may also include enabling the valet mode of the vehicle. The example method may also include disabling, based on the valet mode of the vehicle being enabled, a secure idle mode of the vehicle, wherein the secure idle mode of the vehicle includes locking a gear shifter of the vehicle in a park position when an occupant of the vehicle is outside of a cabin of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for enhanced vehicle valet mode

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an enhanced valet mode for vehicles. An example method may include receiving a request for a temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include generating a temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include displaying a request for entry of the temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include determining that an input has been received. The example method may also include determining that a mobile device is located within the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle. The example method may also include preventing the vehicle from starting based on authorization of the mobile device for a period of time subsequent to the input being received.

A server includes one or more processors, programmed to responsive to receiving, from a mobile device of a user, a hailing request that identifies the user as requesting to schedule a ride, select a vehicle to respond to the hailing request based on a capacity to accept an encryption key of the vehicle, the hailing request including a user profile, generate an encryption key to authenticate the mobile device of the user with the vehicle, send the encryption key to both the vehicle and the mobile device to schedule the ride.

Autonomous vehicle authentication key delivery

Systems and methods for reducing latency in vehicle access requests are provided herein. An example method includes receiving a first vehicle access request from a user, determining a pre-authenticated status for the user based on authenticating the user in response to the first vehicle access request, determining a pre-authorized status for the user based on the determination of the pre-authenticated status, receiving a second first vehicle access request from the user, and granting access to the vehicle when the user has the pre-authenticated status. Access to the vehicle can be conditioned upon the pre-authorized status of the user.

Systems and methods for reducing latency in vehicle access requests

A system for a vehicle includes an input device configured to send an activation signal responsive to an input to start the vehicle. The system further includes a vehicle body controller, programmed to, responsive to the input and a lack of presence of a phone operating as a key, send an activation signal to activate a power source within a cabin of the vehicle for up to a predefined time period since a last vehicle start.

Method and system for activating in-vehicle power source

A power system for a vehicle includes a control module, a low-voltage battery electrically coupled to the control module, a high-voltage battery electrically coupled to the control module, an engine electrically coupled to the high-voltage battery, and a computer. The computer is programmed to, while the vehicle is in an off state, in response to a pending download to the control module, provide power to the control module with one of the low-voltage battery, the high-voltage battery, or the engine upon determining whether the low-voltage battery and the high-voltage battery have sufficient charge to power the control module for the download.

Power supply during vehicle off state

A system includes a virtual-driver module, a DC/DC converter electrically coupled to the virtual-driver module, a low-voltage battery electrically coupled to the virtual-driver module, a high-voltage battery electrically coupled to the DC/DC converter, and a computer communicatively coupled to the DC/DC converter. The computer is programmed to, in response to a request to start a vehicle including the virtual-driver module in a manual mode, the vehicle being in an off state at the time of the request, set a setpoint of the DC/DC converter at a first voltage; then perform at least one pre-drive test on the vehicle; and then set the setpoint of the DC/DC converter at a second voltage lower than the first voltage.

Power supply during vehicle startup

A vehicle ridesharing system includes a user interface used to interact with rideshare passengers. The interface matches a selected user identifier with a PIN index and sends the PIN index to a vehicle body control module (BCM) of the vehicle through an unsecure communication channel. The BCM uses the PIN index to select a salt value and a nonce associated with a unique user associated with the PIN index, and sends a salt and a nonce back to the interface through the unsecure channel. The user enters a PIN value into the interface to authenticate their identity for the rideshare service. The interface generates a first hash result by hashing the PIN value with the salt and the nonce received from the BCM, and sends the hashed result back to the BCM for authentication.

Authentication PIN collision prevention for autonomous vehicles

A secured device has a secure storage area and is configured to communicate with an authentication manager of a key server. A salt and a key identifier of a key are received to the secured device from the key server. Information corresponding to the key identifier is embedded into the salt to create a combined identifier-salt value. The combined identifier-salt value is stored in the secure storage area. The combined identifier-salt value is utilized as additional input to a hash function along with a password. The key is identified using the information corresponding to the key identifier embedded into the salt.

Secure storage enhancements for authentication systems

Method and apparatus are disclosed for key fobs for vehicle remote park-assist. An example key fob for a vehicle includes buttons including a lock button, an unlock button, and a trigger button. The example key fob also includes an antenna and a controller. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a lock signal responsive to detecting the lock button is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, an unlock signal responsive to detecting the unlock button is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a remote-start signal responsive to detecting a remote-start combination of the buttons is pressed. The controller is configured to transmit, via the antenna, a remote park-assist (RePA) signal to initiate RePA of the vehicle responsive to detecting a RePA combination of the buttons is pressed.

Key fobs for vehicle remote park-assist

Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to systems and methods for securely creating passwords for performing various keyless operations upon a vehicle. In an exemplary method, a computer receives a request for creating a password for a phone-as-a-key (PaaK) device. The computer determines that the PaaK device is present inside the vehicle and that the vehicle engine has been placed in an accessory state or a run state by an authorized PaaK device located in the vehicle. The computer further determines that a passive entry passive start (PEPS) key fob is present inside the vehicle. A prompt is provided for entry of a password. The computer checks to determine if an entered password has been already assigned to another PaaK device. If unassigned, the computer links the password to the PaaK device and authorizes the entered password as a valid keyless starting password for the vehicle.

Systems and methods for creating a password and/or a keypad code for executing keyless operations upon a vehicle

Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to systems and methods for ensuring password security when starting a vehicle having a keyless engine starting system. In an exemplary method, a computer detects a depression of an engine start push button when no phone-as-a-key (PaaK) device or passive-entry-passive-start (PEPS) key fob is present in the vehicle. The computer responds by executing a verification procedure prior to password validation. The verification procedure can include operations such as determining that no PaaK device or PEPS key fob is present either inside the vehicle or within a defined geofence outside the vehicle. If the verification procedure is successful, the computer displays a prompt upon a display screen for entering of a password. The computer then uses various security measures when verifying the validity of an entered password, followed by displaying of a message indicating acceptance or rejection of the password.

Systems and methods for starting a vehicle using a secure password entry system

Method and apparatus are disclosed for remote starting of engines via vehicle keypads. An example vehicle includes a keypad, a communication module to communicate with a mobile device designated as a wireless key, and a vehicle activator. The vehicle activator is to remote start an engine in response to receiving a first code entered via the keypad when a battery of the mobile device is discharged and authorize control of the engine in response to the communication module establishing communication with the mobile device.

Remote starting of engines via vehicle keypads

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Daniel M King