System and method for feature activation via gesture recognition and voice command

• US 10,166,995 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Beauvais, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Frejd, Russell
• Application Number:
  US14/991,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170197636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for activating a vehicle feature through gesture recognition and voice command by an authorized user. Generally, a vehicle control system of the present disclosure obtains gesture commands and voice commands from an authorized user and communicates with a body control module to complete the vehicle feature. More specifically, in certain embodiments, a processor of the vehicle control system is configured to initiate a feature activation mode of a vehicle control system, authenticate an authorized user, receive a gesture command and a voice command, determine a vehicle feature associated with the received gesture command and voice command, and activate the determined feature in response to the recognized gesture command and voice command.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a wireless communication module to obtain a gesture command and a voice command from a user located outside of the vehicle;

a vehicle control system configured to;

receive the gesture command representative of motion of the user recorded by a mobile device from the mobile device communicatively coupled to the wireless communication module;

determine a vehicle feature associated with the gesture command;

activate the determined associated vehicle feature;

subsequently receive the voice command from a microphone; and

supplement the activated vehicle feature based on the voice command.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system initiates a feature activation mode to receive obtained gesture command information from the mobile device.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the vehicle control system initiates the feature activation mode by detecting a key fob proximate to the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the user initiates the feature activation mode of the vehicle control system from within the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to terminate the feature activation mode in response to not receiving the gesture command within a predetermined period of time.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the associated vehicle feature includes self-parking.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the voice command guides the activated self-parking feature.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is to verify that the user is an authorized user prior to activating the feature associated with the obtained gesture command and voice command.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a body control module.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the body control module activates the vehicle feature associated with the obtained gesture command.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module is to cause the mobile device to display the received gesture commands captured by the mobile device.

12. A method of operating a vehicle feature activation system of a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining from a mobile device communicatively coupled to the vehicle, a gesture command representative of motion of a user recorded by the mobile device;

activating a vehicle feature associated with the gesture command;

subsequently receiving, by a vehicle control system, a voice command from a user; and

supplementing the activated vehicle feature based on the voice command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle control system initiates a feature activation mode to receive obtained gesture command information from the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle control system initiates the feature activation mode by detecting a key fob proximate to the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user initiates the feature activation mode of the vehicle control system from within the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the associated vehicle feature includes self-parking.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the voice commands guide the activated self-parking feature.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle control system verifies that the user is an authorized user prior to activating the feature associated with the obtained gesture command and voice command.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a body control module.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the body control module activates the vehicle feature associated with the obtained gesture command and voice command.