Keyless user identification and authorization system for a motor vehicle

• US 6,271,745 B1
• Filed: 01/02/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Anzai, Hidehiko, Castaldi, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/002,501
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.3, 340/825.32, 340/825.34, 340/426, 340/427, 340/425.5, 382/115, 382/24, 235/380, 235/382.5, 395/188.01
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system for identifying the user of a vehicle and providing a level of authorization as a function of the identification of the user is disclosed. The system comprises fingerprint reading units located on the exterior and in the interior of the vehicle for scanning the fingerprint of a user of the vehicle. A control unit is coupled to the fingerprint reading unit for receiving the output of the fingerprint reading unit and for comparing and matching the scanned fingerprint with fingerprints previously enrolled in the control unit and for providing a signal indicative of a level of authorization as a function of the enrolled fingerprint with which the scanned fingerprint is matched. A vehicle locking unit is provided for enabling the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks including the ignition switch, the driver'"'"'s door lock, the passenger door lock, the trunk and the glove box lock.

Claims

1. A system for identifying a user of a vehicle and providing a level of authorization for the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks as a function of the identification, said system comprising:

(a) at least two fingerprint reading means for scanning the fingerprint of a user of the vehicle wherein at least one of said fingerprint reading means is located on the exterior of the vehicle and at least one of said fingerprint reading means is located in the interior of the vehicle;

(b) control means coupled to said fingerprint reading means for receiving the output thereof and for comparing and matching the scanned fingerprint with fingerprints previously enrolled therein and for providing a signal indicative of a level of authorization as a function of the enrolled fingerprint with which the scanned fingerprint is matched, wherein more vehicle lock operations are authorized by the fingerprint reading means in the interior of the vehicle than by the fingerprint reading means on the exterior of the vehicle and wherein only the interior fingerprint reading means can authorize starting the vehicle; and

(c) vehicle lock means for enabling and disabling the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks, wherein the output of said control means is coupled to said vehicle lock means and wherein the vehicle lock operations are enabled and disabled as a function of the level of authorization of the user.

2. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means includes power unit means for providing power to the system, said power unit means including interface means for interfacing with the vehicle battery and an auxiliary power means for providing power to the system when the vehicle battery does not supply sufficient power.

3. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the fingerprint reading means located on the exterior of the vehicle is located on the driver'"'"'s door of the vehicle and at least one of the fingerprint reading means located in the interior of the vehicle is located on the vehicle dashboard in the passenger compartment.

4. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system includes a dashboard unit coupled to said control means, said dashboard unit including a display means, input switch means;

and said interior fingerprint reading means.

5. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle lock means enables the operation of at least one of the vehicle ignition switch, the driver door lock, the passenger door lock, the trunk lock and the glove box lock.

6. A system for identifying a user of a vehicle and providing a level of authorization for the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks as a function of the identification, said system comprising:

(a) at least one fingerprint reading device for scanning the fingerprint of a user of the vehicle;

(b) control means coupled to said fingerprint reading device for receiving the output thereof and for comparing and matching the scanned fingerprint with fingerprints previously enrolled therein and for providing a signal indicative of a level of authorization as a function of the enrolled fingerprint with which the scanned fingerprint is matched;

(c) vehicle lock apparatus for enabling and disabling the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks, wherein the output of said control means is coupled to said vehicle lock apparatus and wherein the vehicle lock operations are enabled or disabled as a function of the level of authorization of the user; and

(d) a valet device having a pattern thereon corresponding to a fingerprint for insertion and reading by said fingerprint reader device, wherein when said valet device is inserted in said fingerprint reading device, a predetermined level of authorizing is given to the user.

7. A system for identifying a user of a vehicle and providing a level of authorization for the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks as a function of the identification, said system comprising:

(a) at least one fingerprint reading means for scanning the fingerprint of a user of the vehicle;

(b) control means coupled to said fingerprint reading means for receiving the output thereof and for comparing and matching the scanned fingerprint with fingerprints previously enrolled therein and for providing a signal indicative of a level of authorization as a function of the enrolled fingerprint with which the scanned fingerprint is matched;

(c) vehicle lock means for enabling and disabling the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks, wherein the output of said control means is coupled to said vehicle lock means and wherein the vehicle lock operations are enabled or disabled as a function of the level of authorization of the user; and

(d) valet means having a pattern thereon corresponding to a fingerprint for insertion and reading by said fingerprint reader means, wherein when said valet means is inserted in said fingerprint reading means, a predetermined level of authorizing is given to the user.

8. A system for identifying a user of a vehicle and providing a level of authorization for the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks as a function of the identification, said system comprising:

(a) at least two fingerprint reading devices for scanning the fingerprint of a user of the vehicle wherein at least one of said fingerprint reading devices is located on the exterior of the vehicle and at least one of said fingerprint reading devices is located in the interior of the vehicle;

(b) control means coupled to said fingerprint reading devices for receiving the output thereof and for comparing and matching the scanned fingerprint with fingerprints previously enrolled therein and for providing a signal indicative of a level of authorization as a function of the enrolled fingerprint with which the scanned fingerprint is matched, wherein more vehicle lock operations are authorized by the fingerprint reading devices in the interior of the vehicle than by the fingerprint reading devices on the exterior of the vehicle and wherein only the interior fingerprint reading means can authorize starting the vehicle; and

(c) vehicle lock apparatus for enabling and disabling the operation of a plurality of vehicle locks, wherein the output of said control means is coupled to said vehicle lock apparatus and wherein the vehicle lock operations are enabled and disabled as a function of the level of authorization of the user.

9. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said control means includes power unit means for providing power to the system, said power unit including an interface for interfacing with the vehicle battery and an auxiliary power device for providing power to the system when the vehicle battery does not supply sufficient power.

10. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said system includes a valet device having a pattern thereon corresponding to a fingerprint, wherein when said valet device is inserted in said fingerprint reading devices, a predetermined level of authorizing is given to the user.

11. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the fingerprint reading device located on the exterior of the vehicle is located on the driver'"'"'s door of the vehicle and at least one of the fingerprint reading device located in the interior of the vehicle is located on the vehicle dashboard in the passenger compartment.

12. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said system includes a dashboard unit coupled to said control means, said dashboard unit including a display, input switch;

and said interior fingerprint reading devices.

13. A system for identifying and authorizing the user of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said vehicle lock apparatus enables the operation of at least one of the vehicle ignition switch, the driver door lock, the passenger door lock, the trunk lock and the glove box lock.