Motor Vehicle Having a Driver Identification Device and Driver Identification Signal Transmitter

• US 20160260269A1
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: PIETSCHMANN, Ingolf
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In a motor vehicle, a driver of the vehicle can identify himself or herself. A vehicle driver signal specific to the driver of the vehicle is then generated and transmitted by the motor vehicle by way of a transmitter. This allows devices situated in the vicinity of the vehicle to respond individually to a driver of a vehicle and to supply him or her with corresponding information.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle driver identification device that identifies a vehicle driver;

a signal generation device that generates a signal specific to the vehicle driver identified with the vehicle driver identification device; and

a transmitter usable to emit the signal specific to the vehicle driver, whereby devices in a vicinity of the motor vehicle are able to react to a presence of the vehicle driver.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle driver identification device comprises one or more of a biometric sensor, an electronic vehicle key or a radio sensor for reading an electronic identification card.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the signal generation device is connected to a data memory which stores data specific to one or more vehicle drivers, and

the signal generation device is able to read the data specific to the vehicle driver identified with the vehicle driver identification device from the data memory.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the transmitter is configured to emit a radio signal, according to a predetermined standard.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the predetermined standard is WLAN or Bluetooth.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to carry out bidirectional communication together with the transmitter.

7. A system, comprising:

a motor vehicle having;

a vehicle driver identification device that identifies a vehicle driver;

a signal generation device that generates a signal specific to the vehicle driver identified with the vehicle driver identification device; and

a transmitter usable to emit a specific vehicle driver signal;

one or more devices each having;

a receiver configured to receive the specific vehicle driver signal, and

an optical and/or acoustic signaling device configured to output an optical and/or acoustic signal, respectively, in accordance with the specific vehicle driver signal received by the receiver.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the device comprises a transmitter configured to communication with the motor vehicle in a bidirectional manner.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein

the one or more devices are connected to a server that stores data specific to one or more vehicle drivers, the one or more devices receiving, from the server, further information relating to the vehicle driver identified with the received vehicle driver signal.

10. A method for use in a motor vehicle equipped with a vehicle driver identification device that identifies a vehicle driver, a signal generation device that generates a signal specific to the vehicle driver identified with the vehicle driver identification device, and a transmitter usable to emit the signal specific to the vehicle driver, the method comprising the acts of:

identifying, via the vehicle driver identification device, a vehicle driver of the motor vehicle;

generating, via the signal generation device, a vehicle driver signal specific to the identified driver; and

transmitting, via the transmitter, the specific vehicle driver signal, whereby devices in a vicinity of the motor vehicle are able to react to a presence of the vehicle driver based on the transmitted specific vehicle driver signal.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein:

a signal not specific to the vehicle driver and indicating only that information specific to the vehicle driver is available is transmitted via the transmitter, and

after receiving a device signal from a device in the vicinity of the motor vehicle, identifying the device using the device signal and then transmitting the specific vehicle driver signal via the transmitter.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle driver signal specific to the vehicle driver in transmitted only if a predetermined device in a group of devices is identified.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the specific vehicle driver signal is transmitted in an encrypted form.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the specific vehicle driver signal is transmitted in an encrypted form.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the specific vehicle driver signal is transmitted in an encrypted form.