DE102022124412A1 - Authentication system for authenticating a key to the vehicle and associated method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an authentication system (1) of a vehicle (20) for authenticating a particularly portable key (10) to the vehicle (20) for releasing vehicle functions for an operator (2) who in particular carries the key (10) with him, wherein the key (10) has a first UWB transceiver (11) for UWB communication with the vehicle (20) and a first BLE transceiver (12) for BLE communication with the vehicle (20), the vehicle (20 ) has a second UWB transceiver (21) for UWB communication with the key (10) and a second BLE transceiver (22) for BLE communication with the key (10), the first BLE transceiver (12) being formed is to exclusively take on an advertising role in BLE communication, and the second BLE transceiver (22) is designed to take on a scanning role in BLE communication.

Description

The invention relates to an authentication system with which an authentication of a particularly portable, but alternatively also stationary key can be carried out relative to the vehicle in order to enable vehicle functions for an operator who, for example, carries the key with him, operates it or approaches it. The invention further relates to a method for operating such an authentication system of a vehicle for authenticating a particularly portable key.

A wide variety of keyless entry systems are known from the prior art, which can use both low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) radio waves. The combination using LF/HF systems is also known from the prior art.

In radio-based authorization systems, security, especially against compromise of the radio communication carried out, is of crucial importance. As part of the release of a vehicle function using portable keys or ID transmitters, the determination of a position, a distance or distance or a similar size, for example to check the plausibility of the bidirectional communication carried out, is known from the prior art. In general, it is becoming increasingly common to determine the distance using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication.

For example, it teaches DE 10 2017 109 293 A1 or that comes from the same patent family US 11,277,742 B2 a method and an associated system in which radio communication takes place one after the other between the ID transmitter and various UWB antennas and the signal transit time is evaluated in a central control device.

At the time of registration, a standard widely used in the automotive industry envisages determining distance using both UWB communication and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, using a mobile phone as an ID transmitter.

The problem, however, is that a comparatively large amount of energy is required for UWB communication and BLE communication, so that the function of the ID transmitter cannot be integrated into a conventional key or a “smart fob” because its internal energy storage Otherwise it would have to be replaced or charged very often.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide an authentication system and an associated method which enable integration into an ID transmitter that is not designed as a mobile phone or the like and preferably as a key.

The object is achieved according to the invention by an authentication system with the features of patent claim 1 and by a method with the features of the independent patent claim.

According to the invention, an authentication system of a vehicle for authenticating a particularly portable key to the vehicle for releasing vehicle functions for an operator who in particular carries the key with him is therefore proposed. For this purpose, the key has a first UWB transceiver for UWB communication with the vehicle and a first BLE transceiver for BLE communication with the vehicle. Analogously, the vehicle also has a second UWB transceiver for UWB communication with the key and a second BLE transceiver for BLE communication with the key. Deviating from the state of the art, the first BLE transceiver is designed to exclusively take on an advertising role in BLE communication, so that it does not have to take on the energy-consuming scanner role. Accordingly, the second BLE transceiver is designed to take on a scanning role in BLE communication.

By operating the first BLE transceiver as an advertiser and, if necessary, the other measures explained below, the energy consumption in or on the key can be reduced, so that the battery life of a battery that provides the energy in or on the key is increased.

In addition to the energy saving through the use of the key-side, i.e. first, BLE transceiver as an advertiser, in order to save energy, according to an advantageous development, it is further provided that the first UWB transceiver is designed to generate UWB frames as messages for UWB communication, which are in particular poll, response, final and/or final data messages, which are optimized to consume as little energy as possible, especially when sending but also when receiving on the first UWB transceiver. The UWB frames are designed accordingly, in UWB communication, i.e. when sending and receiving UWB signals on the first UWB transceiver, in particular by a minimum message length and/or to consume minimal energy through a minimal signal amplitude.

At the time of registration, the UWB frames or frame types to be sent as part of the messages have been determined. The frame types are in particular Pre-Poll, Poll, Response Final and Finaldata. These frame types in turn contain sometimes different sections or data sections, which lead to different frame structures.

The UWB signals themselves or the UWB communication can initially be optimized or the energy consumption minimized by completely eliminating the UWB frame pre-poll as part of the UWB communication.

The data sections can in particular be the STS (Scrambled Timestamp Sequence) and PHY header (can also be referred to as PHR or physical layer header) sections.

To minimize energy consumption, the UWB frames Poll, Response and Final can contain a shorter STS. Furthermore, the PHY header in Finaldata can be omitted.

In addition, with the transmission of final data, only time differences or delta timestamps are transmitted instead of the otherwise usually absolute timestamps.

Since simultaneous processing, receiving or sending of both UWB signals in UWB communication and BLE signals in BLE communication is energy-intensive, another variant provides that the first UWB transceiver and the first BLE transceiver and/or the second UWB transceiver and the second BLE transceiver are designed for synchronization and time-offset or time-parallel communication, so that the BLE communication and the UWB communication can be carried out or are carried out with a time offset from one another and not overlapping in time or in parallel with one another . This training can be implemented, for example, by a corresponding method but also by software and/or hardware locks.

As explained at the beginning, the ID transmitter designed as a key is preferably not a mobile phone or the like, but rather a device designed for the specific application. Accordingly, the key can be a “smart key” or a “smart fob”. Alternatively, the key can also be integrated, for example, into a charging station or another stationary structure, such as a garage.

Especially if the key is integrated into a charging station, it can be used to enable a charging function.

Furthermore, the key can be characterized by the fact that it has an internal energy source, such as a battery or an accumulator, but at least no plug-in charging port for charging the energy source via a physical connection.

It is preferably provided that the second UWB transceiver and the second BLE transceiver are integrated into or connected to a module of the vehicle for determining a distance of the key from the vehicle. The module is designed to determine the distance of the key from the vehicle from UWB signals transmitted during UWB communication. Information transmitted via BLE communication can also be used to determine the distance. In addition to simply determining the distance, the module or a control device integrated therein can be designed to control the second UWB transceiver and/or the second BLE transceiver.

The module or the arrangement consisting of the module, the second UWB transceiver and the second BLE transceiver can also be referred to as an authentication arrangement.

The distance is determined in particular by calculating the signal transit time of the UWB signal transmitted between the first and the second UWB transceiver as part of the UWB communication. The use of the signal transit time to determine the distance is also known as the “time-of-flight” method, for which the module is designed accordingly.

For a more precise, fail-safe and compromise-proof determination of the distance, the vehicle can also have a large number of second UWB transceivers, which can communicate one after the other with the first UWB transceiver. The second UWB transceivers can be provided at different positions on the vehicle, whereby they can communicate with the second BLE transceiver, for example via the control unit of the vehicle, so that information exchanged or requested via BLE communication can be sent to each of the UWB transceivers and, for example can be provided indirectly via the control unit.

1. A) Aufbau einer BLE-Kommunikation zwischen dem ersten BLE-Transceiver und dem zweiten BLE-Transceiver;
2. B) Übermittlung von Informationen zur Entfernungsbestimmung mittels der BLE-Kommunikation von dem ersten BLE-Transceiver zu dem zweiten BLE-Transceiver;
3. C) Anfrage zur Initiierung der Entfernungsbestimmung von dem zweiten BLE-Transceiver zu dem ersten BLE-Transceiver über eine BLE-Kommunikation;
4. D) Bestätigung der Anfrage von dem ersten BLE-Transceiver an den zweiten BLE-Transceiver über eine BLE-Kommunikation;
5. E) Ansteuern des ersten UWB-Transceivers zur Initiierung der UWB-Kommunikation zwischen dem ersten UWB-Transceiver und dem zweiten UWB-Transceiver zur Entfernungsbestimmung, wobei dem zweiten UWB-Transceiver zum Aufbau der UWB-Kommunikation vorzugsweise die die durch die BLE-Kommunikation übermittelten Informationen bereitgestellt werden.

A further aspect according to the invention relates to a method for operating an authentication system according to the invention. The procedure includes at least the following steps, in particular in the order mentioned:

1. A) Establishing BLE communication between the first BLE transceiver and the second BLE transceiver;
2. B) transmitting distance determination information via BLE communication from the first BLE transceiver to the second BLE transceiver;
3. C) request to initiate range determination from the second BLE transceiver to the first BLE transceiver via BLE communication;
4. D) acknowledging the request from the first BLE transceiver to the second BLE transceiver via BLE communication;
5. E) Activating the first UWB transceiver to initiate the UWB communication between the first UWB transceiver and the second UWB transceiver to determine the distance, wherein the second UWB transceiver to establish the UWB communication preferably uses the data transmitted by the BLE communication information is provided.

Although the stated sequence of steps A to E may correspond to the actual order of the steps of the method, each of the steps B) to D) can also optionally be skipped or carried out in a different order. For example, in the process after step A, step E can follow directly. Alternatively, the steps could also be carried out in the order A), C), E).

If the vehicle has several or a large number of second UWB transceivers, it can also be provided that step E) is repeated several times. Each time step E) is carried out, a different second UWB transceiver and/or a mutually different combination of second UWB transceivers can be controlled to establish or initiate the UWB communication.

It is preferably provided that the first UWB transceiver, the first BLE transceiver, the second UWB transceiver and the second BLE transceiver communicate with a time offset from one another and that the UWB communication and the BLE communication are carried out with a time offset and do not overlap in time, which leads to energy savings, since in particular the key-side, i.e. first, transceivers neither have to receive signals at the same time nor have to receive and process signals at the same time.

It is further advantageous if the information for determining the distance is a processing time of a UWB signal in the key and/or settings of the first UWB transceiver and/or information relevant to determining the distance about the first UWB transceiver.

The BLE time slot (connection interval), i.e. the time slot in which BLE data is sent, can be optimized by matching the BLE time slot to the ranging cycle, i.e. to a cycle to which the distance is determined should, can be chosen. Although 42 ms is often defined for this, a BLE time slot of between 300 and 400 ms and preferably approximately 360 ms is preferably used here.

The features disclosed above can be combined in any way, as long as this is technically possible and they do not contradict each other.

• 1 ein Authentifizierungssystem;
• 2 ein Verfahrensablauf beim Betrieb des Authentifizierungssystems.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are shown in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. Show it:

• 1 an authentication system;
• 2 a process flow when operating the authentication system.

The figures are exemplary schematic. The same reference numbers in the figures indicate the same functional and/or structural features.

In 1 an authentication system 1 of a vehicle 20 for authenticating a here portable key 10 to the vehicle 20 for releasing vehicle functions for an operator 2 who carries the portable key 10 with him is shown. The key 10 has a first UWB transceiver 11 for UWB communication with the vehicle 20 and a first BLE transceiver 12 for BLE communication with the vehicle 20. Accordingly, the vehicle 20 has a second UWB transceiver 21 for UWB communication with the key 10 or more precisely for UWB communication with the first UWB transceiver 11 of the key 10 and a second BLE transceiver 22 for BLE communication with the key 10 or more precisely for BLE communication with the first BLE transceiver 12 of the key 10.

Systems are already known in the prior art which use a mobile instead of a key 10 Use a telephone or smartphone, as the high energy consumption resulting from UWB and BLE communication can be compensated for by charging the cell phone regularly.

In order to redesign the authentication system 1 and the associated method so that it can also be implemented in or with a key 10 due to a significantly reduced energy consumption, at least one, but preferably several, complementary measures are provided.

Accordingly, the first BLE transceiver 12 is designed to exclusively take on an advertising role in BLE communication and not a scanning role, since the advertising role, i.e. sending advertising messages, has a lower energy consumption than the constant or . frequent scanning for advertising messages in the scanning role. Accordingly, the second BLE transceiver 22 must be designed to take on a scanning role in BLE communication.

Such an authentication system 1 is also intended to determine, in particular, the distance of the key 10 from the vehicle 20 in order to be able to rule out relay station attacks. For this purpose, the time-of-flight method is used, in which the signal propagation times of UWB signals that are sent as part of the UWB communication are determined. Accordingly, the second UWB transceiver 21 and the second BLE transceiver 22 are integrated into a module 24 of the vehicle 20 for determining the distance. The distance determination module 24 can have further control means or control units for this purpose, which control the second UWB transceiver 21 and the second BLE transceiver 22 to carry out the method and can determine the distance between the key 10 and the vehicle 20 based on the UWB communication and the BLE communication. Furthermore, such control units, such as the control unit 23 shown, can also be provided outside the module 24. In general, the second UWB transceiver 21, the second BLE transceiver 22 and the control unit 23 do not have to be arranged in a module 24, but can be integrated into different systems of the vehicle 20 and only coupled to one another in terms of signaling.

In 2 In particular, the flow of communication according to its time course t between the various components of the authentication system 1 is shown, the first UWB transceiver 11 and the first BLE transceiver 12 of the key 10 being shown together, whereas the UWB transceiver 21, the BLE -Transceiver 22 and the vehicle-side control unit 23 of the vehicle 20 that controls the method are shown separately from one another.

The process can essentially be divided into at least four phases I to IV, which can also be viewed independently of one another, so that the individual phases could possibly be preceded or followed by other or different phases.

• I Zeitliche Synchronisierung der Steuereinheit 23 mit dem zweiten UWB-Transceiver 21 und dem zweiten BLE-Transceiver 22 bzw. zeitliche Synchronisierung dieser miteinander.
• II Definieren bzw. Ermitteln der für die Entfernungsbestimmung erforderlichen Information;
• III Anfordern der Entfernungsbestimmung;
• IV Übermittlung der Signale zur Entfernungsbestimmung bzw. Entfernungsbestimmung.

The phases are essentially:

• I Temporal synchronization of the control unit 23 with the second UWB transceiver 21 and the second BLE transceiver 22 or temporal synchronization of these with one another.
• II Defining or determining the information required for determining the distance;
• III requesting the distance determination;
• IV Transmission of signals for distance determination or distance determination.

Within these phases, signals or commands are transmitted, which can also be referred to as messages, with the signals between the key 10 and the second UWB transceiver 21 always being UWB signals and between the key 10 and the second BLE transceiver. Transceiver 22 always deals with BLE signals. The signals or commands between the components of the vehicle 20 are preferably wired and in particular transmitted between them via CAN bus. These are shown as examples to show the BLE connection intervals.

Instead of a single UWB transceiver 21, several UWB transceivers 21 can also be provided on or in the vehicle 20, which can also be connected together to form a UWB module.

a

„SYNC“-Signal zur zeitlichen Synchronisierung von Steuereinheit 23, zweiten BLE-Transceiver 22 und zweiten UWB-Transceiver 21;

b

„FUP“-Signal zur zeitlichen Synchronisierung von Steuereinheit 23, zweiten BLE-Transceiver 22 und zweiten UWB-Transceiver 21;

c

Anforderung der von dem Schlüssel 10 benötigten Informationen zur Entfernungsbestimmung (Ranging Definition Request);

d

Anforderung der von dem Schlüssel 10 benötigten Informationen zur Entfernungsbestimmung (Ranging Definition Request);

e

Bestätigung, dass Informationen angefordert;

f

interne Bereitstellung der Informationen (Transfer Ranging Settings), welche insbesondere gemäß IEEE 802.15.4z HRP unter Berücksichtigung der erfindungsgemäßen Abweichungen entspricht;

g

Übermittlung der Informationen (Ranging Definition Response);

h

Übermittlung der Informationen mit Zeitstempel (Ranging Definition Response incl. Time Stamp);

i

Übermittlung von Informationen zur Herstellung der UWB-Kommunikation (Rangingkeys);

j

Bestätigung;

k

Anforderung bzw. Ankündigen der UWB-Kommunikation (Setup and Start), wobei der Zeitpunkt (Time Stamp) übermittelt wird, zu welchem die UWB-Kommunikation seitens des Schlüssels 10 erfolgen soll;

I

Bestätigung;

m

Anforderung der UWB-Kommunikation (Setup and Start), wobei der Zeitpunkt (Time Stamp) übermittelt wird, zu welchem die UWB-Kommunikation seitens des Schlüssels 10 erfolgen soll;

n

Anforderung der UWB-Kommunikation (Setup and Start), wobei der Zeitpunkt (Time Stamp) übermittelt wird, zu welchem die UWB-Kommunikation seitens des Schlüssels 10 erfolgen soll;

o

Bestätigung (Ranging Start Response);

p

Bestätigung (Ranging Start Response incl. Time Stamp);

q

UWB-Kommunikation, gemäß ihrer zeitlichen Reihenfolge bestehend aus den Botschaften bzw. UWB-Frames: Poll, Response, Final, Final Data. Die UWB-Kommunikation kann bei mehreren zweiten UWB-Transceivern 21 mehrfach und zeitlich nacheinander erfolgen, so dass der schlüsselseitige erste UWB-Transceiver 11 nacheinander mit verschiedenen zweiten UWB-Transceivern kommuniziert;

r

Übermittlung der Signallaufzeiten zwischen dem ersten und zweiten UWB-Transceivern 11, 21 und/oder der Entfernung zwischen Schlüssel 10 und Fahrzeug 20.

The transmitted signals or commands are the following:

a

“SYNC” signal for temporal synchronization of control unit 23, second BLE transceiver 22 and second UWB transceiver 21;

b

“FUP” signal for time synchronization of control unit 23, second BLE transceiver 22 and second UWB transceiver 21;

c

Requesting the information required by the key 10 to determine the distance (Ranging Definition Request);

d

Requesting the information required by the key 10 to determine the distance (Ranging Definition Request);

e

Confirmation that information was requested;

f

internal provision of the information (transfer ranging settings), which corresponds in particular to IEEE 802.15.4z HRP, taking into account the deviations according to the invention;

G

Transmission of information (Ranging Definition Response);

H

Transmission of information with a time stamp (Ranging Definition Response including Time Stamp);

i

Transmission of information to establish UWB communication (ranging keys);

j

Confirmation;

k

Request or announcement of the UWB communication (Setup and Start), whereby the time stamp is transmitted at which the UWB communication should take place on the part of the key 10;

I

Confirmation;

m

Request for UWB communication (Setup and Start), whereby the time stamp is transmitted at which the UWB communication should take place on the part of the key 10;

n

Request for UWB communication (Setup and Start), whereby the time stamp is transmitted at which the UWB communication should take place on the part of the key 10;

O

Confirmation (Ranging Start Response);

p

Confirmation (Ranging Start Response including Time Stamp);

q

UWB communication, consisting of the messages or UWB frames according to their chronological order: Poll, Response, Final, Final Data. The UWB communication can take place several times and one after the other in several second UWB transceivers 21, so that the key-side first UWB transceiver 11 communicates in succession with different second UWB transceivers;

r

Transmission of the signal transit times between the first and second UWB transceivers 11, 21 and/or the distance between key 10 and vehicle 20.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102017109293 A1 [0004]
• US 11277742 B2 [0004]

Claims (11)

Authentication system (1) of a vehicle (20) for authenticating a particularly portable key (10) to the vehicle (20) for releasing vehicle functions for an operator (2), who in particular carries the key (10) with him, wherein the key (10) has a first UWB transceiver (11) for UWB communication with the vehicle (20) and a first BLE transceiver (12) for BLE communication with the vehicle (20), wherein the vehicle (20) has a second UWB transceiver (21) for UWB communication with the key (10) and a second BLE transceiver (22) for BLE communication with the key (10), wherein the first BLE transceiver (12) is designed to exclusively take on an advertising role in BLE communication, and the second BLE transceiver (22) is designed to take on a scanning role in BLE communication. Authentication system according to Claim 1 , wherein the first UWB transceiver (11) is designed to generate UWB frames as messages for UWB communication, which are in particular poll, response, final and/or final data messages, and wherein the UWB frames are designed to consume minimal energy during UWB communication on the first UWB transceiver (11), in particular by means of a minimal message length and/or a minimal signal amplitude. authentication system Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the first UWB transceiver (11) and the first BLE transceiver (12) and / or the second UWB transceiver (21) and the second BLE transceiver (22) are designed for synchronization and time-shifted or parallel communication, so that the BLE communication and the UWB communication are staggered from one another or carried out in parallel. Authentication system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the key (20) is designed as a smart key or smart fob. Authentication system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second UWB transceiver (21) and the second BLE transceiver (22) are integrated into or connected to a module (24) of the vehicle (20) for determining a distance of the key (10) from the vehicle (20). , wherein the module (24) is designed to determine the distance of the key (10) from the vehicle (20) from UWB signals transmitted during UWB communication. Authentication system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of second UWB transceivers (21) are provided, which are designed to communicate one after the other with the first UWB transceiver (11). Method for operating an authentication system (1) of a vehicle (20) for authenticating a particularly portable key (10) to the vehicle (20) for releasing vehicle functions for an operator (2) who in particular carries the key (10) with him, according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: A) Establishing BLE communication between the first BLE transceiver (12) and the second BLE transceiver (22); E) Activating the first UWB transceiver (11) to initiate UWB communication between the first UWB transceiver (11) and the second UWB transceiver (21) to determine the distance. Method according to the preceding claim, further comprising at least one of the steps that can be carried out between steps A) and E): B) transmission of distance determination information by means of BLE communication from the first BLE transceiver (12) to the second BLE transceiver (22); C) request to initiate the distance determination from the second BLE transceiver (22) to the first BLE transceiver (12) via BLE communication; D) Confirmation of the request from the first BLE transceiver (12) to the second BLE transceiver (22) via BLE communication. Method according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (20) has a plurality of second UWB transceivers (21) and step E) is repeated several times, each time using different and/or a mutually different combination of second UWB transceivers (21). Establishing the UWB communication is controlled. Method according to one of the preceding Claims 7 until 9 , wherein the first UWB transceiver (11), the first BLE transceiver (12), the second UWB transceiver (21) and the second BLE transceiver (22) communicate with each other at different times and the UWB communication and the BLE communication are carried out at different times and do not overlap in time. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the information for determining the distance is a processing time of a UWB signal in the key (10) and/or settings of the first UWB transceiver (11) and/or information relevant to determining the distance the first UWB transceiver (11).

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