Chauffeur function thumbprint lock and ignition systems

• US 8,892,272 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Wooding
• Original Assignee: David Wooding
• Inventors: Wooding, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/962,780
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 705/325, 340/5.52, 382/115
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

A vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system is a fingerprint recognition system used in conjunction with automobile locks and automatic door openers. A thumbprint scanner compares a thumbprint with a stored database of thumbprints for a match. When a match is found, the vehicle door unlocks and is automatically opened to the fully opened position where it returns to manual operation. A second scanner, the ignition thumb-pad, then searches for an image match of the entered thumbprint on the ignition thumb-pad for a match and starts the engine if found. The ignition thumb-pad has a master-door-opener-interface with a five button keypad for automatically opening any combination of doors on the car, or all may be opened simultaneously. A key fob with five buttons is able to remotely access the master-door-opener-interface for door opening operation.

Claims

1. A vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system comprising:

a thumbprint access assembly having;

at least one door thumb-pad having;

a door unlock activation circuit; and

a door opener activation circuit having an electric door opener;

an ignition thumb-pad having;

an ignition-interface-circuit; and

a master-door-opener-interface;

a central processing unit having;

a memory storage device;

a wireless keychain fob having;

an ignition-interface-circuit activator; and

a master-door-opener-interface activator;

wherein said at least one door thumb-pad is in communication with said central processing unit such that said central processing unit compares an imprinted-thumbprint on said at least one door thumb-pad with at least one memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint within said memory storage device for a match, said memory storage device located within said central processing unit;

wherein said central processing unit is in communication with said door unlock activation circuit and said door opener activation circuit such that said door unlock activation circuit unlocks at least one vehicle door and said door opener activation circuit opens said at least one vehicle door via said electric door opener when said central processing unit matches said imprinted-thumbprint with said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint;

wherein said ignition thumb-pad is in communication with said central processing unit and said ignition-interface-circuit such that a motor of said vehicle is started when said central processing unit matches said imprinted-thumbprint with said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint;

wherein said master-door-opener-interface is located on said ignition thumb-pad and wherein said at least one vehicle door is opened when a door-button is pressed on said master-door-opener-interface;

wherein said ignition-interface-circuit activator is located on said wireless keychain fob and is able to communicate wirelessly with said ignition-interface-circuit such that said engine of said vehicle is started when a start button of said ignition-interface-circuit activator is pressed;

wherein said master-door-opener-interface activator is located on said wireless keychain fob and is able to communicate wirelessly with said door unlock activation circuit and said master-door-opener-interface such that said at least one said vehicle door is unlocked and is opened when at least one door button of said master-door-opener-interface activator is pressed; and

wherein said thumbprint access assembly is useful for limiting said vehicle entry and said starting of said motor of said vehicle to an authorized user-driver, and wherein said thumbprint access assembly is useful for keylessly unlocking and opening said vehicle door(s) for safety and convenience.

2. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein a key and a keyed ignition switch is able to be used alternately with said ignition thumb-pad.

3. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 2 wherein said key and said keyed ignition switch is able to override said ignition thumb-pad.

4. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein a door key and a keyed door-lock is able to be used alternately with said door thumb-pad.

5. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said door key and said keyed door-lock is able to override said door thumb-pad.

6. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said master-door-opener-interface of said ignition thumb-pad is able to selectively unlock and to open a first door, a second door, a third door, and a fourth door of said vehicle.

7. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 6 wherein said wireless keychain fob is able to selectively unlock and to open said first door, said second door, said third door, and said fourth door of said vehicle.

8. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said memory storage device is able to store a plurality of said images of said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprints.

9. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said ignition thumb-pad is a human machine interface such that said user-driver is able to add an additional said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint into said memory storage device using a 5 digit numeric code entered on said master-door-opener-interface of said ignition thumb-pad.

10. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said at least one door thumb-pad and said ignition thumb-pad are optical scanning keypads.

11. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises an analog-to-digital converter for storing said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint.

12. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises a trunk-lid thumb-pad.

13. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises an engine-hood thumb-pad.

14. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said thumbprint access assembly is installed OEM on said vehicle during an initial manufacturing process.

15. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said thumbprint access assembly is able to be retrofit-installed on said vehicle.

16. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said electric door opener further comprises a 12 volt direct current motor.

17. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 1 wherein said electric door opener disengages when said vehicle door reaches a fully opened position.

18. A vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system comprising:

a thumbprint access assembly having;

at least one door thumb-pad having;

a door unlock activation circuit; and

a door opener activation circuit having at least one electric door opener;

an ignition thumb-pad having;

an ignition-interface-circuit; and

a master-door-opener-interface;

a central processing unit having;

a memory storage device;

a wireless keychain fob having;

an ignition-interface-circuit activator; and

a master-door-opener-interface activator;

wherein said at least one door thumb-pad is in communication with said central processing unit such that said central processing unit compares an imprinted-thumbprint on said at least one door thumb-pad with at least one memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint within said memory storage device for a match, said memory storage device located within said central processing unit;

wherein said central processing unit is in communication with said door unlock activation circuit and said door opener activation circuit such that said door unlock activation circuit unlocks at least one vehicle door and said door opener activation circuit opens said at least one vehicle door via said at least one electric door opener when said central processing unit matches said imprinted-thumbprint with said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint;

wherein said electric door opener further comprises a 12 volt direct current motor;

wherein said electric door opener disengages when said vehicle door reaches a fully opened position;

wherein said ignition thumb-pad is in communication with said central processing unit and said ignition-interface-circuit such that a motor of said vehicle is started when said central processing unit matches said imprinted-thumbprint with said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint;

wherein said master-door-opener-interface is located on said ignition thumb-pad and wherein said at least one vehicle door is opened when a door-button is pressed on said master-door-opener-interface;

wherein said ignition-interface-circuit activator is located on said wireless keychain fob and is able to communicate wirelessly with said ignition-interface-circuit such that said engine of said vehicle is started when a start button of said ignition-interface-circuit activator is pressed;

wherein said master-door-opener-interface activator is located on said wireless keychain fob and is able to communicate wirelessly with said door unlock activation circuit and said master-door-opener-interface such that said at least one said vehicle door is unlocked and is opened when at least one door button of said master-door-opener-interface activator is pressed;

wherein a key and a keyed ignition switch is able to be used alternately with said ignition thumb-pad;

wherein said key and said keyed ignition switch is able to override said ignition thumb-pad;

wherein a door key and a keyed door-lock is able to be used alternately with said door thumb-pad;

wherein said door key and said keyed door-lock is able to override said door thumb-pad;

wherein said master-door-opener-interface of said ignition thumb-pad is able to selectively unlock and to open a first door, a second door, a third door, and a fourth door of said vehicle;

wherein said wireless keychain fob is able to selectively unlock and to open said first door, said second door, said third door, and said fourth door of said vehicle;

wherein said memory storage device is able to store a plurality of said images of said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprints;

wherein said ignition thumb-pad is a human machine interface such that said user-driver is able to add an additional said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint into said memory storage device using a 5 digit numeric code entered on said master-door-opener-interface of said ignition thumb-pad;

wherein said at least one door thumb-pad and said ignition thumb-pad are optical scanning keypads;

wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises an analog-to-digital converter for storing said memory-stored-authorized-thumbprint;

wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises a trunk-lid thumb-pad;

wherein said thumbprint access assembly further comprises an engine-hood thumb-pad;

wherein said thumbprint access assembly is installed OEM on said vehicle during an initial manufacturing process; and

wherein said thumbprint access assembly is useful for limiting said vehicle entry and said starting of said motor of said vehicle to an authorized user-driver, and wherein said thumbprint access assembly is useful for keylessly unlocking and opening said vehicle door(s) for a hands-free convenience.

19. The vehicle thumbprint door-lock and ignition access system of claim 18 further comprising a kit having:

said at least one door thumb-pad having said door unlock activation circuit and said door opener activation circuit;

said electric door opener;

said ignition thumb-pad having said ignition-interface-circuit and said master-door-opener-interface;

said central processing unit having said memory storage device;

said wireless keychain fob having said ignition-interface-circuit activator and said master-door-opener-interface activator; and

at least one set of user installation instructions.