Automobile Equipment Control System and Control Method Thereof

• US 20120327232A1
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Original Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Tai-Chang, Chang, Wen-Yan, Chou, Hong-Long, Chang, Yin-Pin
• Application Number:
  US13/207,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327232A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness

Abstract

An automobile equipment control system and a control method thereof. The system comprises an input module, a storage module, an image capturing module, a first recognizing module, a second recognizing module and a processing module. The input module is used to input a plurality of vehicle equipment setting values. The storage module is used to save a plurality of facial characteristic values and a plurality of setting values of vehicle equipment. The image capturing module is used to capture the image of the user. The first recognizing module analyzes the facial image in the image and extracts a facial characteristic point from the facial image. The second recognizing module analyzes the user'"'"'s hand gesture, the user'"'"'s head gestures or what the user speaks so as to decide which setting value of vehicle equipment is adopted to control the vehicle equipment.

Claims

1. An automobile equipment control system, comprising:

a storage module storing at least one facial characteristic value and at least one automobile equipment setting value;

an image capturing module capturing an image;

a first recognizing module electrically coupled to the image capturing module, analyzing a facial image in the image, and then extracting a facial characteristic point from the facial image;

a second recognizing module analyzing a user'"'"'s natural interaction to generate a recognition signal;

a processing module electrically coupled to the storage module, the first recognizing module, the second recognizing module and at least one automobile equipment, comparing the facial characteristic point with the at least one facial characteristic value, and analyzing the recognition signal to produce an analysis result, and retrieving one of the at least one automobile equipment setting value from the storage module according to the analysis result to control the operation of the at least one automobile equipment.

2. The automobile equipment control system of claim 1, further comprising an input module electrically coupled to the storage module, inputting the at least one automobile equipment setting value.

3. The automobile equipment control system of claim 2, wherein the automobile equipment is a car seat, audio-video equipment, illumination equipment, air-conditioning equipment, network equipment and navigation equipment.

4. The automobile equipment control system of claim 3, wherein the second recognizing module is a voice recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is voice, and the recognition signal is a voice recognition signal, and the second recognizing module analyzes the user'"'"'s voice to generate the voice recognition signal and transmit the voice recognition signal to the processing module.

5. The automobile equipment control system of claim 3, wherein the second recognizing module is a head movement recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is head movement, and the recognition signal is a head movement recognition signal, and the second recognizing module analyzes the user'"'"'s head movement to generate the head movement recognition signal and transmit the head movement recognition signal to the processing module.

6. The automobile equipment control system of claim 3, wherein the second recognizing module is a hand gesture recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is hand gesture, and the recognition signal is a hand gesture recognition signal, and the second recognizing module analyzes the user'"'"'s hand gesture to generate the hand gesture recognition signal, and transmit the hand gesture recognition signal to the processing module.

7. A control method of an automobile equipment control system, comprising the steps of:

using a storage module to store at least one facial characteristic value and at least one equipment setting value;

using an image capturing module to capture an image;

using a first recognizing module to analyze a facial image in the image, and then retrieve a facial characteristic point from the facial image;

using a second recognizing module to analyze a user'"'"'s natural interaction to generate a recognition signal;

using a processing module to compare the facial characteristic value with the facial characteristic point, and analyze the recognition signal to produce an analysis result, and retrieve one of the at least one equipment setting value stored in the storage module to control at least one automobile equipment according to the analysis result.

8. The control method of an automobile equipment control system as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

using an input module to input the at least one automobile equipment setting value.

9. The control method of an automobile equipment control system as recited in claim 8, wherein the automobile equipment is a car seat, audio-video equipment, illumination equipment, air-conditioning equipment, network equipment and navigation equipment.

10. The control method of an automobile equipment control system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second recognizing module is a voice recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is voice, and the recognition signal is a voice recognition signal.

11. The control method of an automobile equipment control system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second recognizing module is a head movement recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is head movement, and the recognition signal is a head movement recognition signal.

12. The control method of an automobile equipment control system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second recognizing module is a hand gesture recognition module, and the user'"'"'s natural interaction is hand gesture, and the recognition signal is a hand gesture recognition signal.

13. An automobile equipment control system, comprising:

means for storing at least one facial characteristic value and at least one automobile equipment setting value;

means for capturing an image;

means for analyzing a facial image in the image, and then extracting a facial characteristic point from the facial image;

means for analyzing a user'"'"'s natural interaction to generate a recognition signal;

means for comparing the facial characteristic point with the at least one facial characteristic value, and analyzing the recognition signal to produce an analysis result; and

means for retrieving one of the at least one automobile equipment setting value from the storage module according to the analysis result to control the operation of the at least one automobile equipment.

14. The automobile equipment control system of claim 13, wherein the automobile equipment is a car seat, audio-video equipment, illumination equipment, air-conditioning equipment, network equipment and navigation equipment.

15. The automobile equipment control system of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s natural interaction is voice, and the recognition signal is a voice recognition signal.

16. The automobile equipment control system of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s natural interaction is head movement, and the recognition signal is a head movement recognition signal.

17. The automobile equipment control system of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s natural interaction is hand gesture, and the recognition signal is a hand gesture recognition signal.