Vehicle security systems and methods employing facial recognition using a reflected image

• US 20030142849A1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson, Louis J. Hofffman
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson, Louis J. Hofffman
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H., Hoffman, Louis J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,831,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation

Abstract

A movable-vehicle security system includes a facial-recognition system including a scanner such as a television or infrared camera directed at the face of a person in the driver'"'"'s seat, which system produces output control signals that are applied to enable or disable operation of the vehicle, with or without a key or other supplemental security system. In a particular embodiment, the system includes a camera mounted on the “third taillight” assembly (which is preferably mounted below the roof and inside the rear window), directed at the rear-view mirror, and coupled to a facial-recognition computer, which in turn is coupled (with appropriate security precautions) to an enabling element for the vehicle, such as a starter motor. In a further embodiment, the system can be coupled to various elements of the motive system to create an auto-starting car.

Claims

1. A security system for a movable vehicle comprising:

(a) an electronic camera having an output and positioned so as to scan at least a portion of the face of a person located at the driver'"'"'s station of a powered vehicle and structured to produce image signals on said output;

(b) an electronic facial-recognition system coupled to the output of the camera; and

(c) an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system;

(d) wherein the facial-recognition system produces select control signals on an output only if signals representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of the person derived from the image signals produced on the camera'"'"'s output match a member of a set of signals stored in said electronic storage device, each member representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator; and

(e) wherein the output of the facial-recognition system is coupled to an enabling system of the powered vehicle that is responsive to the select control signals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is an electronic still camera.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, when activated, the camera repeatedly produces full-frame video picture signals.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is an infrared scanner.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a second camera that is a reflective-light scanner, and wherein both cameras are positioned to scan at least a portion of the face of the seated person and are coupled to the facial-recognition system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the portion of the face scanned by the camera includes an iris of an eye of the person at the driver'"'"'s station, and wherein the electronic facial-recognition system recognizes features of the iris.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is mounted in front of the driver'"'"'s seat and directed at the driver'"'"'s face.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the camera is supported by a mount for an interior rear-view mirror of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the camera includes an autofocus lens control.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the camera is mounted on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the camera is mounted at the center of the steering wheel.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is mounted along the vertical center plane of the vehicle and adjacent to the rear window, and wherein the scanning axis of the camera is directed along the center plane and at a rear-view mirror of the vehicle.

alter a personal setting automatically based on the stored data associated with the operator recognized by the facial-recognition system, said electronic control structured to control an operating setting of at least one of the following elements of the vehicle:

(a) an audio system;

(b) an electronic seat;

(c) a window;

(d) a temperature controller;

(e) a mirror; and

(f) the angle of the steering wheel column relative to the dashboard.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the facial-recognition system is further coupled to a sound generator that is responsive to the select control signals to generate a predetermined audible sound.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the facial-recognition system further produces an alarm condition if, after a predetermined time, the facial-recognition system fails to effect said match.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein, upon recognition of the alarm condition, the facial-recognition system triggers an audible alarm.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein, upon recognition of the alarm condition, the facial-recognition system transmits alarm signals to a remote location.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein, upon recognition of the alarm condition, the facial-recognition system retains in non-volatile storage information derived from the signals on the camera output.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein, upon recognition of the alarm condition, the facial-recognition system activates a light.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the facial-recognition system is further coupled to a key-operated switch that, when activated, activates the camera to store in the electronic storage device, as representative of a member of the set of authorized operators, selected signals representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of a person located at the driver'"'"'s station of the vehicle and derived from the signals on the camera output.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the key-operated switch is activated by a coded sequence of turns.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein activation of the switch disables the facial-recognition system for a predetermined period of time.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the control signals activate an engine capable of powering and moving the vehicle.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the engine becomes engaged to move the vehicle only in response to the control signals.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the engine becomes engaged to move the vehicle in response to a selected gear-shifting action by the person located at the driver'"'"'s station.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein a selected gear-shifting action by the person located at the driver'"'"'s station turns off the engine.

34. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second personal-identification system, and wherein the select control signals are produced only in response to identification of an authorized operator by both the facial-recognition system and the second personal-identification system.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the second personal-identification system includes a fingerprint reader.

36. An apparatus for securing a movable vehicle comprising a taillight assembly supporting at least the following elements:

(a) an electronic camera having an output for image signals;

(b) a facial-recognition system coupled to the output of the camera; and

(c) an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system;

(d) wherein the facial-recognition system produces on an output select control signals only if image signals representative of select characteristics of a scanned face match a member of a set of personal identifying signals stored in said electronic storage device, each member of the stored set representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the taillight assembly further supports an electronic input port structured to receive control signals generated upon the operation of a brake pedal of the vehicle.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the taillight assembly further supports a wireless transmitter.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising a control unit structured for coupling to an enabling system of the vehicle and supporting a receiver and a decoder, which decoder communicates with said enabling system to control the enabling system to enable operation of the vehicle only if the decoder detects that the select control signals have been received by the receiver from the transmitter.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a sensor activated by the presence of a person at the driver'"'"'s station, and wherein the taillight assembly further supports an electronic input port structured to receive control signals generated upon activation of the seat sensor.

41. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the taillight assembly further includes mounting brackets configured to be secured to the roof of the vehicle.

42. A movable vehicle having a passenger cabin and an engine compartment, comprising:

(a) a rear-view mirror mounted at the front of the passenger cabin;

(b) a taillight assembly mounted along the vertical center plane of the vehicle near the rear of the passenger cabin and supporting at least the following elements;

i) an electronic camera having an output for picture signals, which camera is positioned to be directed at the rear-view mirror;

ii) a facial-recognition system coupled to the output of the camera;

iii) an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system; and

iv) a transmitter

v) wherein the facial-recognition system transmits via the transmitter select control signals only if picture signals representative of select characteristics of a scanned face match a member of a set of signals stored in said electronic storage device, each member of the stored set representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator;

(c) an enabling system structured to enable operation of the vehicle; and

(d) a control unit coupled to the enabling system and supporting a coupled receiver and decoder, which decoder activates the enabling system only if the decoder detects that the select control signals have been received by the receiver from the transmitter.

43. The vehicle of claim 42 wherein the control unit is integrally coupled to the enabling system and located in the engine compartment.

44. The vehicle of claim 42 wherein the taillight assembly is suspended from the roof above the passenger cabin.

45. The vehicle of claim 42 further comprising a brake pedal in the passenger cabin coupled to the taillight assembly.

46. The vehicle of claim 45 further comprising a driver'"'"'s seat sensor in the passenger cabin coupled to the camera.

47. The vehicle of claim 46 further comprising a sound generator in the passenger cabin coupled to the control unit.

48. The vehicle of claim 42 further comprising an audible alarm device coupled to the control unit.

49. The vehicle of claim 42 further comprising a key-operated switch in the passenger cabin coupled to the facial-recognition system.

50. The vehicle of claim 42 further comprising a shift lever in the passenger cabin and a transmission device in the engine compartment coupled to the shift lever, wherein the shift lever is coupled to the control unit.

51. A method for securing a moving vehicle comprising:

(a) producing image signals by electronically scanning at least a portion of the face of a person located at the operator'"'"'s station of a powered vehicle;

(b) computer analyzing the image signals and generating code signals representative of a set of predefined facial characteristics; and

(c) comparing the code signals with a set of previously stored reference signals representative of the predefined facial characteristics of an authorized operator; and

(d) generating enabling signals enabling operation of the powered vehicle if and only if the code signals electronically match the reference signals.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the scanning is with respect to infrared radiant emissions from the face of the person.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein scanning is electro-optical and with respect to the reflected visible image of the face.

54. The method of claim 51 further comprising initiating scanning by sensing whether the person has pressed a brake pedal of the vehicle.

55. The method of claim 51 further comprising repeating acts (a) through (d) until the earlier of (i) a predetermined time and (ii) generation of the enabling signals.

56. The method of claim 51 further comprising employing the enabling signals to generate a predetermined audible sound.

57. The method of claim 51 further comprising detecting when a person is located at the operator'"'"'s station and effecting such scanning only when a person is so located.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising the preliminary act of activating a key-operated switch in the passenger cabin coupled to the facial-recognition system to store the reference signals.

59. A method of retrofitting a moveable vehicle with a security system, which vehicle has a passenger cabin and an engine compartment, a rear-view mirror mounted along the centerline of the vehicle at the front of the passenger cabin, a brake pedal in the passenger cabin, and an enabling device supported in the engine compartment and structured to enable motive force to the vehicle, comprising:

(a) mounting a taillight assembly along the vertical center plane of the vehicle near the rear of the passenger cabin, which assembly supports at least the following elements;

i) a rear-directed light;

ii) a front-directed electronic camera having an output for a picture signal;

iii) a facial-recognition system coupled to the output of the camera;

iv) an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system; and

v) a transmitter;

vi) wherein the facial-recognition system transmits select control signals only if picture signals representative of select characteristics of a scanned face match a member of a set of signals stored in said electronic storage device, each member of the stored set representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator; and

(b) positioning the assembly so that the camera is directed at the rear-view mirror;

(c) coupling the light and the camera of the taillight assembly to a line carrying a control signal that is generated upon operation of the brake pedal; and

(d) coupling a control unit to the enabling device, which control unit supports a receiver and activates the enabling system only upon receipt by the receiver of the select control signals from the transmitter of the taillight assembly.

60. The method of claim 59 further comprising replacing the enabling device with an integral unit containing both the control unit and the enabling device.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein such mounting comprises suspending the taillight assembly from a roof supported above the passenger cabin.

62. The method of claim 59 further comprising coupling the camera to a line carrying control signals that are generated upon activation of a sensor activated by the presence of a person in the driver'"'"'s seat of the passenger cabin.

63. The method of claim 59 further comprising coupling the control unit to a sound generator in the passenger cabin, which control unit further activates the sound generator in a select fashion upon receipt of the select control signals.