Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed and include a processor configured to execute instructions stored in a nontransitory computer-readable medium. The instructions include generating first message authentication code (MAC) bytes based on a shared secret key. The instructions include generating first nonce bytes and an authenticated packet based on the first MAC bytes, the first nonce bytes, and a message byte. The instructions include generating a de-whitened tone byte based on the shared secret key. The instructions include generating a message packet that includes the authenticated packet and the de-whitened tone byte. Generating the message packet includes pseudo-randomly identifying a first location of the authenticated packet and inserting the de-whitened tone byte at the first location.

Abstract: A reader includes a transceiver and a control module. The transceiver is configured to, during a current connection event, monitor notification messages transmitted from a portable access device to a phone-as-a-key (PaaK) system of a vehicle, where the notification messages are transmitted to establish a communication link between the portable access device and the PaaK system. The control module is configured to: perform an in-phase and quadrature phase capture of the notification messages based on fields in one or more of the notification messages, where the fields include a mobile de-whitened section including two or more series of consecutive bits, where the consecutive bits in each of the one or more series are all zeros or all ones; based on the in-phase and quadrature phase capture, determine an angle-of-arrival of the notification messages, and indicate the angle-of-arrival to the PaaK system for permitted access determined by the PaaK system.

Abstract: A portable access device for wirelessly gaining access to a vehicle includes a transceiver, receive and transmit queues, and a control module. The transceiver, during a current connection event, receives first notification messages from a PaaK system of the vehicle and in response thereto transmits second notification messages to the PaaK system. The first notification messages and the second notification message are transmitted to establish a communication link between the portable access device and the PaaK system. The receive queue receives the first notification messages. The transmit queue stores the second notification messages. The control module, based on a first one of the first notification messages, determines what data was transmitted during a last connection event prior to the current connection event and generates one or more of the second notification messages to include data not previously received during the last connection event.

Abstract: A system for includes master and sniffer devices. The master device includes: first antennas with different polarized axes; a transmitter transmitting a challenge signal via the first antennas from the vehicle to a slave device, where the slave device is a portable access device; and a receiver receiving a response signal in response to the challenge signal from the slave device. The sniffer device includes: second antennas with different polarized axes; and a receiver receiving, via the second antennas, the challenge signal from the transmitter and the response signal from the slave device. The sniffer device measures when the challenge signal and the response signal arrive at the sniffer device to provide arrival times. The master or sniffer device estimates at least one of a distance from the vehicle to the slave device or a location of the slave device relative to the vehicle based on the arrival times.

Abstract: A system for accessing or providing operational control of a vehicle includes a network device and a control module. The network device includes: an antenna module including antennas with different polarized axes; a transmitter transmitting a series of tones via the antenna module from the vehicle to a second network device and change the frequencies of the tones during the transmission of the series of tones, where, at any moment in time, at least one of the antennas is not cross-polarized with an antenna of the second network device; and a receiver receiving the series of tones from the second network device. The control module: determines differences in phases of the series of tones versus differences in frequencies of the series of tones; and based on the differences in the phases and the differences in the frequencies, determines a distance between the first network device and the second network device.

Abstract: A system and a method to wirelessly synchronize, monitor, or communicate, or a combination thereof, amongst sensors (e.g., sensors, hubs, sensor controllers, etc.) in a Bluetooth Low Energy-based microlocation system. The system or method, or both, may use the BLE hardware (e.g., transmitters, receivers, antennas, etc.) to interleave a communications protocol within the connection interval gaps of the BLE protocol used to communicate with devices.

Abstract: A system for providing operational control of a vehicle includes a first network device and control module. The first network device includes: polarized antennas; a transmitter transmitting an initiator packet via the polarized antennas from the vehicle to a second network device including a synchronization access word and a CW tone, one of the first and second network devices is implemented within the vehicle, the other one of the first and second network devices is a portable access device, and at any moment in time, at least one of the polarized antennas is not cross-polarized with an antenna of the second network device; and a receiver receiving a response packet from the second network device including the synchronization access word and the first CW tone. A control module determines a difference in RTT between the initiator and response packets and detects a range extension type relay attack.

Abstract: A system and method for a distributed security model that may be used to achieve one or more of the following: authenticate system components; securely transport messages between system components; establish a secure communications channel over a constrained link; authenticate message content; authorize actions; and distribute authorizations and configuration data amongst users' system components in a device-as-a-key system.

Abstract: A feed circuit for feeding an antenna includes: a first coupler including a first pair of opposing conductive elements; a second coupler including a second pair of opposing conductive elements; a third coupler including a third pair of opposing conductive elements; a delay line; first terminals configured to connect to the antenna; second terminals connected to a ground reference; and a feed terminal connected to the first coupler and configured to receive at least one of a transmit signal to be transmitted from the antenna or a combined received signal from the antenna. The first terminals are connected to the second coupler and the third coupler and configured to output a signal at different phases to conductive elements of the antenna. The second terminals are connected to the first coupler, the second coupler and the third coupler.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that include a control module of a vehicle. The control module instructs at least one of a beacon and a plurality of sensors to broadcast a ping signal in response to a user device being within a threshold distance of the vehicle. The plurality of sensors communicate signal information to the control module, and the signal information indicates an amount of reflection of the ping signal measured by the plurality of sensors. A sensor calibration module (i) determines a presence of a reflective element based on the signal information, and (ii) in response to determining the presence of the reflective element and the user device being connected to a communication gateway of the control module, adjusts a measurement of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on the signal information.

Abstract: A system and a method to wirelessly synchronize, monitor, or communicate, or a combination thereof, amongst sensors (e.g., sensors, hubs, sensor controllers, etc.) in a Bluetooth Low Energy-based microlocation system. The system or method, or both, may use the BLE hardware (e.g., transmitters, receivers, antennas, etc.) to interleave a communications protocol within the connection interval gaps of the BLE protocol used to communicate with devices.

Abstract: A system and method for a distributed security model that may be used to achieve one or more of the following: authenticate system components; securely transport messages between system components; establish a secure communications channel over a constrained link; authenticate message content; authorize actions; and distribute authorizations and configuration data amongst users' system components in a device-as-a-key system.

Abstract: A communication system with a master device configured to determine location information in real-time with respect to a portable device. The master device may direct one or more monitor devices to monitor communications that occur over a primary communication link. The monitor devices may sense characteristic information about the signal from the portable device, and communicate this characteristic information to the master device via an auxiliary communication link. The communication system may determine location of the portable device, authenticate the portable device, determine whether the portable device is authorized to allow or initiate an action, and command or enable an action with respect to equipment.

Abstract: An access system for a vehicle is provided and includes antennas and an access module. The antennas are configured to each receive a signal transmitted from a portable access device to the vehicle. One of the antennas is a circular polarized antenna. The access module is configured to: downconvert the received signal to generate an in-phase signal and a quadrature phase signal; execute a music algorithm to determine angles of arrival of the received signal as received at the antennas; determine a distance between the portable access device and the vehicle based on the angles of arrival; and permit access to the vehicle based on the distance.

Abstract: An access system for a vehicle includes a receiver and an access module. The receiver is configured to receive a signal transmitted from a portable access device to the vehicle. The access module is configured to: generate a differentiated signal based on the received signal; up-sample the differentiated signal to generate a first up-sampled signal; obtain or generate an expected signal; up-sample the expected signal to generate a second up-sampled signal; cross-correlate the first up-sampled signal and the second up-sampled signal to generate a cross-correlation signal; based on the cross-correlation signal, determine a phase difference between the first up-sampled signal and the second up-sampled signal; determine a round trip time of the signal received by the receiver; and permit access to the vehicle based on the round trip time.

Abstract: An access system for a vehicle is provided. The access system includes antennas and an access module. The antennas are configured to each receive a signal transmitted from a portable access device to the vehicle. The signal is transmitted on a 2.4 gigahertz frequency. The access module is configured to: downconvert the received signal to generate an in-phase signal and a quadrature phase signal; perform carrier phase based ranging including implementing a music algorithm to (i) determine a distance between the portable access device and the vehicle, and (ii) determine angles of arrival of the received signal as received at the antennas; determine a location of the portable access device relative to the vehicle based on the distance and the angles of arrival; and permit access to the vehicle based on the location.

Abstract: A method and system of creating microlocation zones by defining virtual boundaries using a system of one or more transmitters and receivers with one or more spatially-correlated antennas.

Abstract: A system for providing operational control of a vehicle includes a first network device and control module. The first network device includes: polarized antennas; a transmitter transmitting an initiator packet via the polarized antennas from the vehicle to a second network device including a synchronization access word and a CW tone, one of the first and second network devices is implemented within the vehicle, the other one of the first and second network devices is a portable access device, and at any moment in time, at least one of the polarized antennas is not cross-polarized with an antenna of the second network device; and a receiver receiving a response packet from the second network device including the synchronization access word and the first CW tone. A control module determines a difference in RTT between the initiator and response packets and detects a range extension type relay attack.

Abstract: A method of communicating with a portable access device includes iteratively performing an algorithm via an access module of a vehicle. The algorithm includes a series of operations including: selecting a frequency from multiple frequencies; selecting an antenna pair from multiple possible antenna pairs, where antennas of the possible antenna pairs include antennas with different polarized axes; transmitting a packet to the portable access device via the selected antenna pair; receiving a first RSSI and a response signal from the portable access device, the first RSSI corresponds to the transmission of the packet; and measuring a second RSSI of the response signal; based on the first RSSIs and the second RSSIs. A best one of the frequencies and a best antenna pair of the possible antenna pairs are selected. One or more additional packets are transmitted using the selected best frequency and the selected best antenna pair.

Abstract: A system for includes master and sniffer devices. The master device includes: first antennas with different polarized axes; a transmitter transmitting a challenge signal via the first antennas from the vehicle to a slave device, where the slave device is a portable access device; and a receiver receiving a response signal in response to the challenge signal from the slave device. The sniffer device includes: second antennas with different polarized axes; and a receiver receiving, via the second antennas, the challenge signal from the transmitter and the response signal from the slave device. The sniffer device measures when the challenge signal and the response signal arrive at the sniffer device to provide arrival times. The master or sniffer device estimates at least one of a distance from the vehicle to the slave device or a location of the slave device relative to the vehicle based on the arrival times.