VEHICLE OCCUPANT AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM

• US 20160082926A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hertz Corporation (Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Navigation Solutions, LLC (Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Philip A., Mouser, Michael J., Finney, Donald J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,875,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 Eye recognition

Abstract

A method is disclosed that is implemented by a computing device in a vehicle. Identifying information is obtained from an occupant of the vehicle via an input device operatively connected to the computing device. If the computing device has connectivity to a remote authentication server, the computing device transmits a request to the authentication server, and controls whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on a response from the remote authentication server. The request includes the identifying information and a vehicle identifier of the vehicle, and requests that the authentication server determine, based on the identifying information and the vehicle identifier, whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle. If the computing device lacks connectivity to the remote authentication server, full operation of the vehicle is temporarily enabled until the computing device has connectivity to the remote authentication server.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device in a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining identifying information from an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the identifying information is received via an input device operatively connected to the computing device;

if the computing device has connectivity to a remote authentication server;

transmitting a request to the authentication server, wherein the request includes the identifying information and a vehicle identifier of the vehicle, and requests that the authentication server determine, based on the identifying information and the vehicle identifier, whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle; and

controlling whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on a response from the remote authentication server; and

if the computing device lacks connectivity to the remote authentication server, temporarily enabling full operation of the vehicle until the computing device has connectivity to the remote authentication server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is received at the computing device from the remote authentication server, and indicates whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled comprises disabling the vehicle if the response indicates that the occupant is not authorized to operate the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein disabling full operation of the vehicle comprises transmitting a command on a vehicle bus of the vehicle to disable an ignition of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the response is sent from the remote authentication server to a mobile device of the occupant and includes an authentication code; and

wherein controlling whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on the response comprises;

enabling full operation of the vehicle if the authentication code is correctly received from the occupant; and

disabling full operation of the vehicle if either of the following occurs;

an incorrect authentication code is received from the occupant;

no authentication code is received from the occupant within a predefined time period.

6. The method of claim 5:

wherein the authentication code is received from the occupant via the same or another input device that is operatively connected to the computing device;

or

wherein the authentication code is received from the occupant as a wireless transmission from the mobile device of the occupant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises an authentication code entered by the occupant or received from a mobile device of the occupant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises a signature of the occupant.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises biometric information of the occupant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the biometric information comprises one or more of a retinal scan, an iris scan, a fingerprint scan, and a photograph of the occupant'"'"'s face.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises a photograph of an authenticating document of the occupant.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an initial determination, locally at the computing device and based on additional identifying information from the occupant, of whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle; and

disabling full operation of the vehicle if the initial determination indicates that the occupant is not authorized to operate the vehicle;

wherein said transmitting the request to the remote server is only performed if the initial determination indicates that the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle.

13. A computing device comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to provide connectivity to a remote authentication server;

an input device; and

processing circuitry operatively connected to the wireless transceiver and the input device and configured to;

obtain identifying information from an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the identifying information is received via the input device;

if the computing device has connectivity to the remote authentication server;

transmit a request to the authentication server, wherein the request includes the identifying information and a vehicle identifier of the vehicle, and requests that the authentication server determine, based on the identifying information and the vehicle identifier, whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle; and

control whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on a response from the remote authentication server; and

if the computing device lacks connectivity to the remote authentication server, temporarily enable full operation of the vehicle until the computing device has connectivity to the remote authentication server.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the response is received at the computing device from the remote authentication server, and indicates whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein to control whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled, the processing circuitry is configured to disable the vehicle if the response indicates that the occupant is not authorized to operate the vehicle.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein to disable full operation of the vehicle, the processing circuitry is configured to transmit a command on a vehicle bus of the vehicle to disable an ignition of the vehicle.

17. The computing device of claim 13:

wherein the response is sent from the remote authentication server to a mobile device of the occupant and includes an authentication code; and

wherein to control whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on the response, the processing circuitry is configured to;

enable full operation of the vehicle if the authentication code is correctly received from the occupant; and

disable full operation of the vehicle if either of the following occurs;

an incorrect authentication code is received from the occupant;

no authentication code is received from the occupant within a predefined time period.

18. The computing device of claim 17:

wherein the authentication code is received from the occupant via the same or another input device;

or

wherein the authentication code is received from the occupant as a wireless transmission from the mobile device of the occupant.

19. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the identifying information comprises an authentication code entered by the occupant or received from a mobile device of the occupant.

20. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the identifying information comprises a signature of the occupant.

21. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the identifying information comprises biometric information of the occupant.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the biometric information comprises one or more of a retinal scan, an iris scan, a fingerprint scan, and a photograph of the occupant'"'"'s face.

23. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the identifying information comprises a photograph of an authenticating document of the occupant.

24. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

perform an initial determination, locally at the computing device and based on additional identifying information from the occupant, of whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle; and

disable full operation of the vehicle if the initial determination indicates that the occupant is not authorized to operate the vehicle;

wherein the transmission of the request to the remote server is only performed if the initial determination indicates that the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle.