Automobile controller using biological information, and system and method which use the automobile controller

• US 20030090154A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyatake, Takafumi, Miura, Naoto, Nagasaka, Akio, Takezaki, Jiro, Kuragaki, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,141,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition

Abstract

Highly convenient automobile engine starting uses an individual authentication device which utilizes biological information and provides a security function required when starting the engine, while protecting a sensor for receiving the biological information. An engine starting system can comprise an ignition switch for controlling a state of an automobile; a key for changing a state of the ignition switch; a registration key for registering biological information; a switch for starting an engine; a sensor for inputting biological information; a device for storing biological information; a collating unit for collating the inputted biological information with the stored biological information; and a lid for covering the sensor of an authentication device.

Claims

1. An engine starting system comprising:

an ignition switch unit for controlling a state of an automobile;

a key for changing a state of the ignition switch;

a biological information input unit for receiving biological information;

a biological information authenticating unit including at least a biological information storing unit for holding biological information which has been registered prior to use of the engine starting system to authenticate the inputted biological information; and

a biological information registration unit for registering biological information;

wherein the key is used to start the biological information input unit, and the biological information authenticating unit authenticates the inputted biological information by referencing the registered biological information before the key is used to start an engine.

2. An engine starting system according to claim 1,

wherein said biological information input unit includes at least a sensor unit for receiving biological information, a cover unit for covering the sensor unit, and a trigger unit for instructing reception of the biological information;

and

wherein said trigger unit starts the biological authentication, and the biological information is subsequently obtained to collate the obtained biological information with the registered biological information before the engine is started.

3. An engine starting system according to claim 1,

wherein the cover unit of said biological information input unit is unlocked when the ignition switch is in an ON state, and

when the ignition switch is in a state other than the ON state, or when individual authentication is completed, the cover unit is locked.

4. An engine starting system according to claim 2, wherein said cover unit forbids at least infrared rays to pass therethrough.

5. An engine starting system according to claim 2, wherein the cover unit of the biological information input unit is a lid which covers at least the sensor unit of the biological information input unit.

6. An engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein the key includes a first key for starting an engine and a second key for switching to a biological information registration mode and the second key is different from the first key.

7. An engine starting system according to claim 1,

wherein said biological information registration unit comprises a reading unit for reading from an information medium said information medium holding biological information that is not held in the biological information storing unit, and

said biological information registration unit reads the biological information from the information medium using the reading unit into the biological information storing unit to register the read biological information.

8. An engine starting system according to claim 1, further comprising information about a term of validity which shows that the result of the authentication performed by the biological information authenticating unit is effective for a given period of time.

9. An engine starting system according to claim 8, wherein when the ignition switch enters a state other than the ON state, the information about the term of validity is invalidated.

10. An engine starting system according to claim 8, wherein if engine start time is within the term of validity, the engine is started without performing individual authentication.

11. An engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein the biological information is a finger-vein pattern.

12. An engine starting system according to claim 6, wherein said second key has a different shape from the first key, and said ignition switch unit is provided with a registration position used for registering the biological information.

13. An engine starting system according to claim 6,

wherein said second key for registering the biological information is a key which comprises a built-in transponder having an individual code that is set on an individual vehicle basis, and

when use of the second key causes a state of the ignition switch unit to change to a registration position, the individual authenticating unit reads the individual code to collate the read individual code with an individual code previously stored and then switches the biological information authenticating unit to a registration mode according to the result of the collation.

14. An engine starting system according to claim 6,

wherein said second key for registering the biological information is a card having an individual code that is set on an individual vehicle basis,

said biological information authenticating unit includes a card reading unit for reading information held in the card and a collating unit for collating the read information with an individual code previously stored and

said biological information authenticating unit switches the biological information authenticating unit to a registration mode according to the result of the collating unit.

15. An engine starting system according to claim 7, wherein said information medium is an IC card,

the IC card holds an individual code which is provided on an individual vehicle basis and the biological information,

said biological information authenticating unit includes a reading unit for reading the IC card and a collating unit for collating an individual code stored in the IC card with an individual authentication code previously stored in the biological information authenticating unit, and

said biological information authenticating unit registers the biological information in the biological information storing device according to the result of the collation.

16. An engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein the engine is restarted without authenticating the biological information if an engine stall is detected.

17. An engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein said biological information registration unit comprises a notifying unit which sends notification that the registration of the biological information has been completed as soon as registration of the biological information is completed.

18. An engine starting system according to claim 1, further comprising a canceling unit for canceling the function of authenticating the biological information.