Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Venkata Kishore Kajuluri

Xin Ye

Bradley Warren Smith

Jacob David Nelson

Lisa Therese Boran

Cameron Smyth

Kevin Smith

Daniel Aaron Zajac

A vehicle system includes a first control module, a plurality of second control modules, and a vehicle network. The vehicle network communicatively couples the first control module and the second control modules. The first control module is programmed to generate an update command including a plurality of authentication keys and transmit the update command over the vehicle network. The update command is functionally addressed to be receivable by the second control modules. Each second control module is programmed to receive a configuration file; in response to receiving the update command, identify the authentication keys in the update command that are associated with that second control module based on the configuration file; and update with the identified authentication keys.

Transmission of authentication keys

A vehicle system includes a first control module. The first control module is programmed to generate an update command including a plurality of authentication keys and a mapping associating the authentication keys with a plurality of second control modules transmit the update command over a vehicle network. The update command is functionally addressed to be receivable by the second control modules.

A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive a plurality of first message patterns; receive a plurality of second message patterns; determine a set of differences between the first message patterns and the second message patterns; for at least one of the differences, determine a respective resolution in favor of either the first message patterns or the second message patterns; and generate a plurality of third message patterns. The message patterns define messaging between electronic control units on board a vehicle. The message patterns include values for attributes assigned to the respective message patterns. The third message patterns include the at least one resolution and commonalities between the first message patterns and the second message patterns.

Verification of message patterns for vehicle ECUs

An onboard communication network of a vehicle is monitored to detect a plurality of available messages that include respective cipher-based message authentication codes (CMAC) and that were identified as eligible messages based on having an information entropy greater than a specified threshold. A first message is selected from the plurality of available messages. The CMAC of the selected message is input into a random number generator that outputs a random number seeded by the CMAC of the selected message. Then the random number is provided.

System and method for a vehicle network

A vehicle communication network is monitored to detect a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs). Upon identifying a new ECU in the plurality of ECUs, a highest ECU trip counter is determined from the plurality of ECUs. A global trip counter stored in the memory is updated based on the highest ECU trip counter. The updated trip global trip counter is greater than the highest ECU trip counter. Then a replacement synchronization message is provided to the plurality of ECUs on the vehicle communication network. The replacement synchronization message includes the updated global trip counter.

Vehicle electronic control unit authentication

A system for a vehicle includes a computer, a first electronic control module, and a wired vehicle communications network coupling the computer and the first electronic control module. The computer is programmed to transmit authentication keys to the first electronic control module and a plurality of second electronic control modules via the wired vehicle communications network, encrypt a table of the authentication keys using a first key, store the encrypted table, transmit the encrypted table to the first electronic control module via the wired vehicle communications network, and transmit the encrypted table and the first key to a remote server spaced from the wired vehicle communications network.

A system includes a control module and a local server. The server is programmed to transmit a command to perform an operation to a plurality of vehicles including a vehicle including the control module. The command including a digital signature that is common across the vehicles. The control module is programmed to receive a temporary value; receive the command; decrypt the digital signature in the command with the temporary value; upon verifying the decrypted digital signature, perform the operation; and upon a metric incrementing to a threshold value, prevent decryption of the digital signature with the temporary value.

Securely transmitting commands to vehicle during assembly

Systems and methods described herein provide for assigning classifications to signals and corresponding messages for prioritization and transmission across a vehicle CAN bus. The assigned classifications are used to select authentication keys specific to each classification of message. Nodes of the CAN bus can include different sets of keys based on the classifications of messages handled at the nodes. Keys are distributed and localized to reduce any potential impact on critical functions of the vehicle system that may result from compromise of an authentication key.

Assigning categories for messages and symmetric key per category to localize the impact in case of key compromise

Techniques for using a trip flag to detect desynchronization of trip counter values in a vehicle system. Techniques include a first electronic control unit (ECU) receiving a synchronization message including a trip counter and receiving a message from a second ECU including a trip flag. The trip flag includes a single bit of data generated by the second ECU. The first ECU compares the trip flag to a last bit of the trip counter stored at the first electronic control unit and processes the message in response to the trip flag matching the trip counter. The first ECU compares the trip counter to a previous trip counter based on the trip flag differing from the trip counter. The first ECU processes the message using the previous trip counter or increments the trip counter to process the message based on the comparison with the previous trip counter.

Detecting and resolving desynchronization of trip counter values in authenticated messages

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to, upon receiving an authorization message, transmit a plurality of new authentication keys to a respective plurality of control modules, the memory including an expiration time for the authorization message; update a listing of the control modules with respective statuses of the transmissions of the respective new authentication keys to the respective control modules, wherein each status is one of successful or unsuccessful; upon at least one status being unsuccessful, prevent the authorization message from expiring at the expiration time; after preventing the authorization message from expiring, retransmit the respective new authentication keys to each control module for which the respective status is unsuccessful; and then expire the authorization message.

Authorization of a user device is suspended based on determining, for a first predetermined time, a distance between the user device and a vehicle is greater than a threshold distance. Then a user input specifying a vehicle parameter is requested. Upon receiving the user input, the user input is validated based on the user input matching a stored vehicle parameter. The user device is deauthorized based on a) failing to receive a valid user input within a second predetermined time, or b) receiving a number of invalid user inputs equal to a threshold number.

Vehicle deauthortization of user device

Systems and methods described herein provide for assigning classifications to signals and corresponding messages for prioritization and transmission across a vehicle CAN bus. The assigned classifications are used to prioritize messages, signals, and nodes of the vehicle CAN bus. The classifications are used to prioritize critical messages and high priority messages that control operations of the vehicle system.

Using signal rating to identify security critical CAN messages and nodes for efficient implementation of distributed network security features

The present disclosure relates to a system that allows engagement of an electronic plug-in device (EPID) with an on-board diagnostic II (OBD-II) port of a vehicle. The EPID includes an accelerometer and a processor. The accelerometer detects vibrations associated with engine operation. The processor, in communication with the accelerometer, executes instructions to receive an input waveform from the accelerometer. The processor may determine whether the input waveform from the accelerometer is associated with the engine operation. The processor may transition the EPID from a sleep state to a wake state if the input waveform is detected to be associated with the engine operation. In contrast, the processor may transition the EPID from the wake state to the sleep state when the input waveform is not associated with the engine operation.

Growing community of inventors

Southgate, MI, United States of America

Venkata Kishore Kajuluri