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AppleGranted patentCars & transportInterest 6/10

Apple patents system for transferring digital car keys between devices

This patent describes a method for moving a digital car key from one Apple device to another during the initial setup process. It allows a user to authorize the transfer of secure vehicle credentials from an existing device to a new one, ensuring the new device can unlock or start the car.

Why it mattersThis simplifies the process of giving family members or new phone owners access to a shared vehicle without needing to manually re-enter codes or visit a dealer.

In the filing’s own words

The present disclosure generally relates to managing car key credentials, including transferring a car key during a device setup process and configuring a new role for sharing a car key.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer system configured to communicate with one or more input devices, comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for: during a setup process of the computer system: receiving, via the one or more input devices, a request to provision the computer system with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of a vehicle; and in response to receiving the request to provision the computer system with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of the vehicle, initiating a process to provision the computer system with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of the vehicle, wherein as part of the process a second computer system, different from the computer system, that is provisioned with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of the vehicle, displays a prompt for authorization to provide credential information corresponding to the vehicle to the computer system; responsive to the second computer system receiving authorization, via one or more input devices of the second computer system, to provide credential information corresponding to the vehicle to the computer system: receiving, as part of the process to provision the computer system with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of the vehicle, credential information from the second computer system based on the second computer system receiving authorization to provide the credential information to the computer system; and provisioning, using the credential information, the computer system with a secure credential that is configured to provide authorization to use one or more functions of the vehicle.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
User interfaces for managing car key credentials
Patent number
US12752737B2
Application number
18896815
Filed
Sep 25, 2024
Granted
Oct 6, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
21

Classified under

B60R 25/241 Operations & transportG06F 21/32 Physics & computingG07C 9/20 Physics & computing

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.