EP2100428A2

EP2100428A2 - Method and system for read out of data from a memory on a mobile remote device

Info

Publication number: EP2100428A2
Application number: EP07846762A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matthias Lydike; Bernd Hoeppener
Original assignee: Efkon Germany GmbH
Current assignee: Efkon GmbH
Priority date: 2006-12-01
Filing date: 2007-11-23
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: AT504581A1; US20100075633A1; AT504581B1; AT505078A1; RU2009125000A; AT505078B9; WO2008064821A2; RU2454819C2; AT505078B1; BRPI0718934A2; WO2008064821A3

Abstract

According to the invention, read out of data from a memory of a mobile remote device (2), for example a vehicular device, by a server (4) can be achieved by means of establishing a wireless connection between the server (4) and the device (2) by the server, subsequently carrying out an authentication check on the server side and establishing a VPN (virtual private network) from the server (4), whereupon the data is read out from the memory (3) of the device (2) to the server (4) by means of the VPN network and stored.

Description

Method and system for reading data from a memory of a mobile remote device

The invention relates to a method for reading out data from a memory of a mobile remote device, e.g. Fahrzeuggerats, by a server, wherein between the server and the device a wireless communication connection is established.

Likewise, the invention relates to a system for reading data from a memory of a mobile remote device, e.g. Fahrzeuggerats, by a server, as well as the device is assigned a modem for wireless communication.

With regard to the communication between a mobile device and a server, electronic tolling systems or the like of fee collection systems are well-known in the course of communication between a vehicle device and a central server, namely for the identification of the vehicle and the debit or payment of fees, to send from the vehicle to the server. In addition, it has also become known to transmit other types of data from a mobile device to a central computer, cf. for example EP 996 105 A, according to which a stationary read / write device receives data relating to temperature etc. from a mobile device. US Pat. No. 7,034,683 B further discloses a system for monitoring vehicles, products and persons using RFID tags and corresponding data concerning location, type of charge, etc. being transmitted via GSM to a server. Furthermore, WO 2006/004231 A1 deals with the remote reading of an energy meter, wherein if data is not received, a line connection to a read modem is to be established, an authentication code being provided for this special case. Specifically, however, it is about the use of services of an existing network, especially in a stationary equipment, as opposed to access to individual remote, mobile, passive devices by a central station.

On the other hand, it is known from EP 1 655 921 A1, for example. It has become known to subject users of a communication system for network access to authentication so that only authorized subscriber terminals are granted access to the network. Also known per se are VPN connections, see, for example, US 2006/0155822 A1, which generally discloses a VPN connection between a mobile device and an Internet device, which concerns a service network, in which a rights assignment and the use of services stand in the foreground. The problem of reading data, in particular data that can be assigned to different owners, in objects or devices that are mobile and completely passive, is not addressed here.

In practice, there is often the situation of transferring data from a mobile, remote, passive terminal to a computer, namely a terminal, at the request of the latter, whereby this data transmission should be feasible on the mobile remote device side without any special effort, and On the other hand, aspects of data protection must be taken into account.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and a system for reading out data from a memory of a mobile remote device by a server as mentioned above, in a simple and secure manner also using a public network and in compliance with data protection provisions Send data to the server at its request. In particular, it is intended to allow downloading of authentic data if the object or device containing the data is too far away to reach it directly, or if it is constantly changing its location due to the mobile training. It should also be possible to request and download certain data from different devices, especially on behalf of authorized companies.

To solve this object, the invention provides a method and a system for reading out data as stated in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the dependent claims. With the technique according to the invention, data from a mobile remote (vehicle) device can be requested and downloaded from a data station, a server, which can also be mobile, for example, in addition to being stationary. However, for example, a conventional radio connection, in particular via GPRS or GSM, but also an infrared (IR) connection, a wireless LAN connection or the like. Wireless connection can be used. In detail, after establishing such a communication connection from the server, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection between the server and the device is realized, and the corresponding applications are integrated into the connection on the server and on the remote device. With the help of the authentication process, it is ensured that the required data can only be downloaded with the appropriate authorization, whereby this data transmission is preferably also carried out under encryption for security reasons. In this way, data requested by different companies from a wide range of devices can be requested and downloaded to the server, and the server (or one of several servers operating in the network) can also be made available to various customers for such download services. For example, it is conceivable to download from vehicles vehicle-specific data, such as tachograph data, but also from meters, utilities, etc., ie "read out such objects" remotely Data or other specific data that is to be protected from a data protection point of view and that may only be made accessible to an authorized company, and that the data is protected against tampering when transported over a public network measures according to the invention with the VPN communication path in the context of a public network and by the authentication and optionally by the encryption, with key exchange, for a secure connection, achieved Preferably, the authentication using an authentication card is made in a m card reader - after handover, for example, by a customer of the server - is read, so access to certain mobile devices, such as devices in certain Vehicles, in the field, to obtain. However, it is also possible to connect the authentication unit to a management unit for virtual card images (electronic "authorization cards") and no additional measures are required.The numbers of the devices in the case of mobile phone connections can be public and the access to the data According to the invention, as mentioned, via the authentication, in particular via an authentication card.

Dxe invention thus enables the secure reading of data from a memory of a mobile remote device, which is a passive device, with all the necessary steps for reading the data from the side of the server or computer, ie the "terminal", are made Server-side authentication ensures that only permissible access to data in the mobile, passive devices can take place, whereby in the case of data from different owners, authentication also ensures access to only one's own data Unlike competing data readout techniques, there are no compulsory ones Service connection and no network connection, and access to signed, protected data in a passive, mobile object in a secure manner, starting from the central data terminal, is made possible.In this context, the - known per se - VPN- Connection of meaning.

The invention will be explained below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments, to which, however, it should not be limited, and with reference to the drawings. In detail in the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention for remote reading of data with a server and a mobile device; FIG.

FIG. 1A schematically shows in a comparable block diagram a system according to the invention modified for the remote reading of data compared with FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 schematically shows the connection setup between server and device with establishment of a VPN connection and provision of an authentication and encryption procedure; FIG.

3 shows a flow chart for illustrating the basic procedure in the method according to the invention for remote reading of data; and

4 and 5 are detailed flowcharts to portions in the flowchart of FIG. 3, illustrating the authentication procedure and the data transmission.

O

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system 1 for reading out data from a passive remote device 2, which is a mobile device, specifically a vehicle device, such as a so-called OBU (On-Board Unit), but also another device, such as a device connected to a tachograph in the case of trucks. From this device 2, i. more precisely, from a memory 3 of this device 2, a terminal, hereafter server 4 for short, requests the respective data in order to keep them in compliance with

Security arrangements, as will be explained in more detail below, to get transferred. It should be understood that the illustrated a server 4 is to be understood only as an example, and that also several servers in the network, possibly in conjunction with a common database 5, as memory where the downloaded data is stored, may be present, and In particular, a plurality of devices 2, for example, several thousand devices 2, may be present.

The memory 3 in the respective device 2 can be present in various known embodiments, and the data are written into this memory 3 or read out of the memory 3 with the aid of a processor 6 or the like. The processor 6 (hereinafter referred to simply as μP 6) is assigned an encryption / decryption unit 7, which may be designed as a separate component and connected to the μP 6, but which is also formed as a software module in a program memory of the μP 6 can be. The μP 6 contains further Also, a corresponding communication module (not illustrated in detail) to the server 4 via an interface 8 and an associated modem 9 for wireless communication, such as a GPRS modem or a wireless LAN modem (W-LAN modem) to communicate.

The respective connection establishment over these wireless communication paths takes place from the server 4, which has a corresponding communication modem 10, e.g. a GPRS modem or a wireless LAN modem, with which it is connected via an interface 11. The server 4 contains computer means 12, which may be formed by one or more processors or microcomputers (μC), a part of which forms a separate control unit 13, which has an encryption / decryption unit 14 assigned and via a VPN device 15 and the Interface 11 is connected to the modem 10.

Furthermore, an authentication unit 16 is provided in the computer means 12, which is connected via an interface 17 to a card reader 18 for reading authorization cards 19 which contain a code and which are inserted into the card reader 18. Optionally, as a unit 18 there may also be a management unit for virtual authorization cards (virtual card images). In addition, an input unit 20 is provided, in which case also a corresponding authentication procedure is conceivable in order to prove an access authorization for the request of data from the respective device 2. The control unit 13 of the computer means 12 is further connected via an interface 21 to the memory 5.

FIG. 1A illustrates a system 1 modified from the system according to FIG. 1 for reading out data from a remote, mobile device 2, for example once again an OBU vehicle device. The system 1 here also has a server 4 for retrieving data from the remote device 2, specifically from its memory 3. The server 4 is preferably designed as a mobile read-out device, and he or she is in principle similar to the server 4 of FIG. 1 formed so that, as far as agreement is given, a re-detailed description may be unnecessary, similar to the case of Device 2. In any case, corresponding components of the server 4 as well as the remote device 2 have been given the same reference numbers.

In particular, according to FIG. 1A, the server 4 again has computer means 12 with a control unit 13, a

Encryption / decryption unit 14 and an authentication unit 16 on. Unlike in the case of FIG. 1, in the system 1 according to FIG. 1A, the card reader 18 is integrated in the server 4 in order to be able to insert authorization cards 19 directly into the server 4 and to be able to read from it.

Similar to Fig. 1, in the system 1 of Fig. IA, a VPN device 15 is also connected to the computer means 13 using a mobile telephone modem, e.g. a GSM modem or a W-LAN modem, generally a modem 10, is connected via an interface 11 to the VPN device 15.

In addition, according to FIG. 1A, a modem 10 'known per se for infrared communication is also connected to the VPN device 15. This IR modem 10 'includes, for example, IR transmitter 22, e.g. in the form of corresponding LEDs, as well as IR receiving means 23, for example in the form of one or more IR-sensitive diodes.

Correspondingly, the remote device 2 also has an IR modem 9 'with IR transmitting means 22' and IR receiving means 23 ', this IR modem 9' being connected to the processor 6 of the device 2 via the encryption / descrambling unit 7 , This IR modem 9 ', instead of the wireless modem, wireless modem or mobile modem 9 shown in FIG. 1 or preferably, as shown in Fig. IA, be provided in addition to the latter modem 9 so as to Readout of data on request from the server 4 hm depending on the choice or for more favorable communication conditions either via the W-LAN or mobile phone connection (modems 9, 10) or via the infrared communication connection (modems 9 ', 10') provided.

In the case of a mobile server 4, it is also expedient to connect this server 4 to the database 5 via a wireless network Network (radio network) to produce, unless the database 5 is integrated into the server 4. Accordingly, an arrangement of transmitting and receiving radio modems 24 and 25 for the communication between the mobile server 4 and the database 5 is illustrated by dashed lines as an example in Fig. IA.

In Fig. 2, the connection between the server 4 and device 2 is schematically illustrated schematically with the provided several security levels. In this case, the production of a communication connection 30 is illustrated as the first measure (outer shell) and the establishment of a VPN connection 31 as the next inner "shell." As an additional security measure at the next higher level, the described authentication 32 and the encryption 33 are in the transmission of the Data between the respective applications 34, 35 of the server 4 and the device 2 are respectively indicated in detail at 36 the data request and the authentication process and the transfer of keys and at 37 the transmission of the data.

Hereinafter will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures 3 to 5, in which flowcharts to illustrate the procedure in the remote reading of the data, as already described above, a concrete process in the data transmission. It is generally shown in FIG. 3 that according to a field 40, if there is a desire for data transmission, a wireless connection to the device 2 is established from the server 4. In accordance with an interrogation field 41, it is then checked whether this wireless connection is established, for example via GSM or GPRS, or else via IR, and if not, return to the initial field 40. However, as soon as the wireless connection is established, it is queried in accordance with a further query field 42 whether there is a legitimate query, ie whether an authentication has been or has been made. If this is not true, the process continues immediately to the end 43 of the process. If, however, in the check according to query field 42, the result is an authorization of the query, then according to a field 44, the VPN connection is established from the server. Following this, in accordance with a field 45, the data is transmitted from the device 2 to the server 4, wherein continuously according to an interrogation field 46 queries whether the data has already been completely transferred. If this is not the case, the data transmission is continued according to box 45. However, when the data has been completely transferred, the end 43 of the process is reached.

FIG. 4 illustrates in more detail the process during the authentication, it being assumed that the security modules (crypto-control) of the server 4 and of the terminal 2 each have special keys; the corporate key, along with the terminal (frontend) key, must be a valid pair.

Referring to Fig. 4, corresponding to a field 50, the server 4 sends the corporate identifier for authentication purposes, i. an identification of the company for which the data transmission is to be initiated and which is authorized to transmit the data from the respective terminal 2. According to an interrogation field 51, this corporate identifier is then checked in the device 2, and if the device 2 rejects it, i. the enterprise identifier is not known to the device 2, the transition to the end 43 as described. In the other case, the device 2 sends back a confirmation message to the server 4, s. Box 52 in Fig. 4. Thereafter, the server 4 provides a VPN key for establishing a VPN connection, s. Field 53, after which the establishment of the VPN connection according to box 54 takes place.

Following this, as already stated, the data transmission follows, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. Initially, in box 55, the server 4 asks for a list of accessible data; It should be taken into account here that several authorized subscribers are conceivable, to whom data is assigned in each case, but which also have to be protected against each other. According to field 56, the device 2 then sends the list of accessible data to the server 4, then the server 4 queries the data for the transmitted list, s. Box 57 in Fig. 5, and according to box 58, the device 2 sends the data and the associated signature, if, as is preferred, the data is already stored in the memory 3 of the device 2 stored. In the server 4 is further queried continuously in accordance with query box 59, whether the list end is reached, ie whether all data transfer according to the list were; if not, returns to box 57 to request further data. If, however, a complete transmission of the data according to the list is given, the data transfer is terminated according to field 60, the VPN connection is closed according to field 61 and, finally, according to field 62, the wireless communication connection (GSM, GPRS) is ended, the end step 43 then reached.

Claims

claims

A method of reading data from a memory (3) of a mobile remote device (2) by a server (4), wherein a wireless communication link is established between the server (4) and the device (2), characterized that after establishing the wireless communication link (30) from the server (4) on the server side an authentication check (31) performed and built from the side of the server forth a VPN (virtual private network) connection (32) is, after which the data from the memory (3) of the device (2) read, transmitted to the server (4) via the VPN connection and stored.

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless communication connection is via a mobile telephone network, e.g. GPRS, is being set up.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless communication connection is established via infrared.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless communication connection is established via a wireless LAN.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the authentication by reading a code from an authorization card (19) is performed.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the authentication is granted access to the data of at least one predetermined mobile remote device (2), but not to those of other remote mobile devices.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data is transmitted in encrypted form.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the data for remote reading of payers or Ta be transferred to chographers.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the data for remote reading of utilities are transmitted.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the mobile device (2) is a vehicle device.

11. System (1) for reading data from a memory (3) of a mobile remote device (2), by a server (4), as well as the device (2) a modem (10, 9, 10 ', 9 ') is assigned to the wireless communication, characterized in that the server (4) has a VPN device (15) for establishing a VPN connection to the device (2) after establishing a wireless communication connection by the server (4), and that the server (4) is associated with an authentication unit (16).

12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that the VPN device (15) is set up to establish the VPN connection only for a given authentication.

13. System according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the modems (10; 9) for wireless communication are mobile telephone modems.

14. System according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the modems (10 ¹ , 9 ') for wireless communication are infrared modems.

15. System according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the modems for wireless communication W-LAN modem.

16. System according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the authentication unit (16) is connected to a card reader (18) for reading authorization cards (19) or with a management unit for virtual card images.

17. System according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized records that the device (2) and the server (4) have an encryption unit or decoding unit (7; 14) for encrypted data transfer.

18. System according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the server (4) is a mobile server.

19. System according to any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that the server (4) both a mobile phone modem (10) and / or a W-LAN modem and an IR modem (10 ') for wireless communication having.

20. System according to any one of claims 11 to 19, characterized in that the device (2) both a mobile phone modem (9) and / or a W-LAN modem and an IR modem (9 ') for wireless communication having.

21. System according to any one of claims 11 to 20, characterized in that the mobile device (2) is a vehicle device.