IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,601,282
Granted Patent B1
US 11,601,282 · App. 17/080,470 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Systems and methods for vehicle configuration verification with failsafe code

Inventors: Matthew Lewis Floyd (Alpharetta, GA); Leroy Luther Smith, Jr. (Sandy Springs, GA); Brittney Benzio (Atlanta, GA); Nathan Barnard (Bloomington, IL); Shannon Marie Lowry (Atlanta, GA)
Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
H04L9/3239G05D1/0214G06F21/54
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,601,282
App. No.
17/080,470
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

A computer system for verifying vehicle software configuration may be provided. The computer system may include a processor and a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to: (1) transmit, to a vehicle computing system, an authentication request including a hash algorithm specification; (2) receive, from the vehicle computing system, a current configuration hash value and a vehicle identifier; (3) retrieve a trusted data block from a memory based upon the vehicle identifier, the trusted data block including a stored configuration hash value and a smart contract code segment; (4) execute the smart contract code segment, the smart contract code segment including a failsafe code segment; and/or (5) transmit the authentication response to the vehicle computing system, and cause the vehicle computing system to execute the failsafe code segment.

Claims (43)

1. A computer system for remote verification of a vehicle software configuration stored within a vehicle, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to:

execute a smart contract code segment including a failsafe code segment, wherein the smart contract code segment, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

determine that a current configuration hash value associated with the vehicle is invalid based on a stored configuration hash value included in a trusted data block;

generate an authentication response including the failsafe code segment, the authentication response is configured to cause a vehicle computing system associated with the vehicle to execute the failsafe code segment; and

transmit the authentication response to the vehicle computing system, thereby causing the vehicle computing system to execute the failsafe code segment.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further configured to:

transmit, to the vehicle computing system, an authentication request including a hash algorithm specification;

receive, from the vehicle computing system, the current configuration hash value and a vehicle identifier; and

retrieve the trusted data block from a memory based upon the vehicle identifier, the trusted data block including the smart contract code segment.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the smart contract code segment further includes a failsafe destination, wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to autonomously navigate to the failsafe destination.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the failsafe code segment is further configured to cause the vehicle computing system to generate a route to the failsafe destination not including smart roadways.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to revert one or more configuration changes made to the vehicle computing system.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to revert software changes until a current vehicle configuration hash value matches a fallback configuration hash value included in the smart contract code segment.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to disable at least one autonomous driving functionality on the vehicle computing system.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe code segment is further configured to cause the vehicle to exit a smart roadway before disabling autonomous driving functionality.

9. A computer-implemented method for remote verification of a vehicle software configuration stored within a vehicle, using one or more processors, said method comprising:

executing a smart contract code segment including a failsafe code segment, wherein the smart contract code segment, when executed by the one or more processors, facilitates:

determining that a current configuration hash value associated with the vehicle is invalid based on a stored configuration hash value included in a trusted data block;

generating an authentication response including the failsafe code segment, the authentication response is configured to cause a vehicle computing system associated with the vehicle to execute the failsafe code segment; and

transmitting the authentication response to the vehicle computing system, thereby causing the vehicle computing system to execute the failsafe code segment.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

transmitting, to the vehicle computing system, an authentication request including a hash algorithm specification;

receiving, from the vehicle computing system, the current configuration hash value and a vehicle identifier; and

retrieving the trusted data block from a memory based upon the vehicle identifier, the trusted data block including the smart contract code segment.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the smart contract code segment further includes a failsafe destination, wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to autonomously navigate to the failsafe destination.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the failsafe code segment is further configured to cause the vehicle computing system to generate a route to the failsafe destination not including smart roadways.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to revert one or more configuration changes made to the vehicle computing system.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to revert software changes until a current vehicle configuration hash value matches a fallback configuration hash value included in the smart contract code segment.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by a computing device including at least one processor coupled to a memory device, the computer-executable instructions cause the computing device to:

execute a smart contract code segment including a failsafe code segment, wherein the smart contract code segment, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

determine that a current configuration hash value associated with a vehicle is invalid based on a stored configuration hash value included in a trusted data block;

generate an authentication response including the failsafe code segment, the authentication response is configured to cause a vehicle computing system associated with the vehicle to execute the failsafe code segment; and

transmit the authentication response to the vehicle computing system, thereby causing the vehicle computing system to execute the failsafe code segment.

16. The computer-readable storage media medium of claim 15 , wherein computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

transmit, to the vehicle computing system, an authentication request including a hash algorithm specification;

receive, from the vehicle computing system, the current configuration hash value and a vehicle identifier; and

retrieve the trusted data block from a memory based upon the vehicle identifier, the trusted data block including the smart contract code segment.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the smart contract code segment further includes a failsafe destination, wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to autonomously navigate to the failsafe destination.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to revert one or more configuration changes made to the vehicle computing system.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the failsafe code segment is configured to cause the vehicle computing system to revert software changes until a current vehicle configuration hash value matches a fallback configuration hash value included in the smart contract code segment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the failsafe code segment is further configured to cause the vehicle to exit a smart roadway before disabling autonomous driving functionality.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: FLOYD, MATTHEW LEWIS; LOWRY, SHANNON M.; SMITH, LEROY L.; BARNARD, NATHAN; BENZIO, BRITTNEY
To: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 054169/0162 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16026930 · Jul 3, 2018
Provisional Application 62655524 · Apr 10, 2018
Provisional Application 62639606 · Mar 7, 2018
Provisional Application 62623983 · Jan 30, 2018