METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE OPERATION USING FACE RECOGNITION

• US 20130311001A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hampiholi, Vallabha Vasant
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to systems and methods for detecting an unauthorized use of a vehicle. One or more facial images of one or more authorized drivers of a vehicle may be stored on a vehicle computing system. After detecting movement of the vehicle, one or more facial images of a driver of the vehicle may be periodically received from at least one in-vehicle camera. The one or more captured facial images of the driver may be periodically processed based on the stored facial images of the one or more authorized drivers to determine if the driver is an authorized driver. If the driver is not an authorized driver based on the periodic determination, vehicle operation may be disabled. If the driver is authorized based on the periodic determination, operation of the vehicle may continue.

Claims

1. A system for detecting an unauthorized use of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle computing system configured to;

store one or more facial images of one or more authorized drivers of a vehicle;

detect movement of the vehicle;

after movement of the vehicle, periodically receive one or more facial images of a driver of the vehicle from at least one in-vehicle camera;

periodically process the one or more captured facial images of the driver based on the stored facial images of the one or more authorized drivers to determine if the driver is an authorized driver;

if the driver is not an authorized driver based on the periodic determination, disable continued vehicle operation and transmit one or more messages of unauthorized use to one or more devices remote from the vehicle computing system; and

if the driver is authorized based on the periodic determination, enable continued operation of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the period is time based.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more facial images are received based on one or more triggering events.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the one or more triggering events include at least one of a change in seat pressure, erratic acceleration, deviating away from regular routes, detection of a border crossing, detection of a car yard on the present route, doors opening and closing while the vehicle is keyed on, the vehicle is in a secure or protected area, or a gear shift.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle computing system is configured to determine whether it is safe to disable the vehicle during vehicle movement when the driver is unauthorized.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cellular communication device communicating with the vehicle computing system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle computing system is configured to transmit the one or more messages to emergency responders at the one or more remote devices via the cellular communication device when the driver is unauthorized.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more messages include vehicle tracking information.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle computing system is on hoard the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 the vehicle computing system configured to process the captured facial images is further configured to:

send instructions to one or more in-vehicle cameras to scan an image field to detect a presence in the vehicle of at least one vehicle occupant other than the driver;

determine a status of the at least one other vehicle occupant as authorized to drive the vehicle if detected based on the scan; and

determine if the driver is authorized or unauthorized based on the status of the at least one other vehicle occupant.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the driver is a minor.

12. A system for detecting an unauthorized use of a vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more vehicle cameras which periodically capture one or more facial images of a driver of a vehicle after a vehicle startup; and

a vehicle computing system in communication with the one or more vehicle cameras and configured to;

detect movement of the vehicle;

after movement of the vehicle, periodically receive the one or more facial images of the driver from the one or more vehicle cameras;

periodically determine if the driver is an authorized driver based on the one or more received facial images of the driver;

disable continued vehicle operation if the driver is not an authorized driver based on the periodic determination and transmit one or more messages of unauthorized use to one or more devices remote from the vehicle computing system; and

enable continued operation of the vehicle if the driver is authorized based on the periodic determination.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more vehicle cameras is in the vicinity of the vehicle cabin.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more vehicle cameras is on a head unit of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the vehicle computing system is further configured to:

receive one or more messages from one or more vehicle sensors communicating with the vehicle computing system indicating the movement of the vehicle; and

transmit one or more messages to the one or more vehicle cameras to activate the camera(s) in response to the movement of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more vehicle cameras are configured to:

receive one or more messages from one or more vehicle sensors communicating with the one or more cameras, the one or more message indicating one or more triggering events for capturing the one or more facial images of the driver; and

capture the one or more facial images of the driver.

17. The system of claim 16 where the one or more vehicle cameras are further configured to transmit the one or more facial images of the driver to the vehicle computing system.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the one or more triggering events include at least one of a change in seat pressure, erratic acceleration, deviating away from regular routes, detection of a border crossing, detection of a car yard on the present route, doors opening and closing while the vehicle is keyed on, the vehicle is in a secure or protected area, or a gear shift.

19. The system of claim 12 further comprising a cellular communication device communicating with the vehicle computing system.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the vehicle computing system is configured to transmit the one or more messages to one or more vehicle owners or one or more emergency responders at the one or more remote devices via the cellular communication device when the driver is unauthorized.

21. A computer-implemented method for detecting an unauthorized use of a vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

storing one or more facial images of one or more authorized drivers of a vehicle;

during a journey in the vehicle,

periodically receiving one or more facial images of a driver of the vehicle from at least one camera in the vehicle;

periodically receiving one or more facial images of one or more vehicle passengers to determine if the one or more vehicle passengers have authorization to drive;

periodically processing the one or more facial images of the driver and the one or more passengers based on the stored facial images of the one or more authorized drivers;

determining if the driver is an authorized driver based on the processing of the one or more captured facial images of the driver and the one or more passengers;

if the driver is not an authorized driver based on the periodic determination, disable vehicle operation; and

if the driver is authorized based on the periodic determination, enable continued operation of the vehicle.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising determining whether it is safe to disable the vehicle during vehicle movement when the driver is unauthorized.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising communicating with a cellular communication device to transmit one or more messages to one or more remote devices when the driver is unauthorized.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein determining if the driver is authorized includes identifying an association between the driver and the one or more passengers stored in an image database.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising retrieving profile information of the driver to identify the age of the driver wherein the determining further includes determining if the driver is an authorized driver based on the age of the driver.