System and method for managing entrance and exit using driver face identification within vehicle

• US 8,988,188 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Chang, Jae Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US13/173,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20120126939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/541, 340/426.1, 382/118, 382/115
• 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 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for managing entrance and exit of a vehicle from a facility via a driver facial identification operation within a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention includes a vehicle configured to recognize driver'"'"'s face within vehicle by performing a driver identification operation, and then configured to send driver information via a wireless communication to a vehicle access control center in response to a positive identification of the driver'"'"'s face. The vehicle access control center in the present invention then performs a verification of the driver information upon receiving the driver information from the vehicle, and controls an opening and closing of a gate for vehicle access according to of the verification of the driver information.

Claims

1. A system for managing entrance and exit of a vehicle from a facility using a driver'"'"'s facial identification within a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle configured to photograph a driver'"'"'s face using a camera in the vehicle and to extract facial characteristic information from the photographed image data to perform a first driver identification operation immediately after a driver gets into the vehicle, and send the facial characteristic information via a wireless communication to a vehicle access control center if a positive identification of the driver'"'"'s face was made in the first driver identification and the vehicle is passing a gate for vehicle access; and

the vehicle access control center configured to perform a second driver identification operation of the face of the driver by comparing the facial characteristic information received from the vehicle with the facial characteristic information stored in the vehicle access control center and to control an opening and closing of a gate for vehicle access according to a result of the second driver identification operation of the face of the driver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises:

the wireless communication configured to perform wireless communications with the vehicle access control center;

a camera configured to photograph the driver'"'"'s face within the vehicle;

a storage configured to store facial characteristic information of the driver; and

a controller configured to extract facial characteristic information from data associated with the photographed image, compare the extracted facial characteristic information with the facial characteristic information of the storage to perform the first driver identification operation of the driver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to make a positive identification of the driver when the extracted facial characteristic information is identical to the facial characteristic information of the storage.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the driver is not registered to the system when the extracted facial characteristic information is not identical with the facial characteristic information of the storage and initiates a new registration process in response to the determination that the driver is not registered.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle further comprises a display configured to display a result of the first driver identification operation and a screen for inputting information for the new registration process.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle access control center comprises:

the wireless communication configured to communicate with a wireless communication of one or more vehicles;

a storage configured to store facial characteristic information for one or more individuals having permission to access the facility;

an access management controller configured to compare the facial characteristic information received from the vehicle with the facial characteristic information stored in the storage unit to perform the second driver identification operation of the driver of the vehicle; and

a gate controller configured to control an opening and closing of a gate in response to a request from the access management controller.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle access control center comprises;

wireless communication configured to communicate via a wireless communication with the vehicle;

a storage configured to store facial characteristic information for one or more individuals having permission to access the facility;

an access management controller configured to compare the facial characteristic information received from the vehicle with the facial characteristic information stored in the storage to perform the second driver identification operation of the driver'"'"'s face; and

a gate controller configured to control an opening and closing of a gate in response to a request from the access management controller.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is performed by using one of a group consisting of an infrared ray (IR), a radio frequency (RF), WiFi, a near field communication (NFC), and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is performed by using one of a group consisting of an infrared ray (IR), a radio frequency (RF), WiFi, a near field communication (NFC), and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to send a request to the camera to photograph the driver'"'"'s face in response the vehicle ignition being turned on while the vehicle is stopped.

11. A method for managing entrance and exit of a vehicle from a facility using a driver facial identification operation within a vehicle, the method comprising:

photographing a face of driver within a vehicle using a camera in the vehicle immediately after a driver gets into the vehicle;

extracting facial characteristic information from data associated with the photographed image of the driver'"'"'s face;

performing a first driver identification operation in the vehicle by using the extracted facial characteristic information;

if a positive identification of the driver'"'"'s face was made in the first driver identification operation and vehicle is passing a gate for vehicle access, sending the facial characteristic information to a vehicle access control center via a wireless communication;

performing a second driver identification operation of the face of the driver in the vehicle by comparing the facial characteristic information sent to the vehicle access control center with facial characteristic information stored in the vehicle access control center; and

opening a gate to allow the vehicle to access the facility in response to a positive verification.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein photographing a face of driver further comprises photographing the face of driver when either when the vehicle ignition is turned on or when a door of vehicle is opened or closed, and the vehicle is stopped.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the driver identification operation further comprises determining that a positive identification has been made when the facial characteristic information of a driver which is previously stored is identical to the extracted facial characteristic information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication is performed by using one of a group consisting of an infrared ray (IR), a radio frequency (RF), WiFi, a near field communication (NFC), and a radio frequency identification (RFID).

15. The method of claim 11, wherein opening the gate to allow the vehicle to access the facility further comprises opening the gate in response to a positive verification of the driver,

wherein a positive verification of the driver is made when facial characteristic information sent to the vehicle access center is identical to facial characteristic information previously stored for an individual that is allowed to access the facility.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein opening the gate to allow a vehicle to access a facility is requested in response to the comparing additional information and vehicle information as well as the facial characteristic information and achieving a positive verification based on the comparison.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional information comprises a social security number, a name, an address, and a telephone number of driver, and the vehicle information comprises a vehicle manufacturing company, a model name, and a frame serial number.