Integrated biometric switch

• US 9,002,586 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Feit, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUDY, ANGELINA M
• Application Number:
  US13/692,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/2, 701/36, 701/1, 180/283, 180/287, 382/124, 340/5.53
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

A user interface is provided. The interface can be used to control an electronic system that is in communication with a vehicle. The interface includes a fingerprint reader, and a push-button switch mounted to the fingerprint reader. The switch is configured to detect a user pressing upon a surface of the fingerprint reader. The interface includes a controller. The controller is configured to detect the user pressing upon the surface of the fingerprint reader using the push-button switch, and, after detecting the user pressing upon the surface of the fingerprint reader, capture fingerprint data of the user using the fingerprint reader.

Claims

1. A user interface for controlling an electronic system in communication with a vehicle, comprising:

a housing, including;

a fingerprint reader disposed within the housing and being configured to move within the housing, and

a switch contact mounted to the fingerprint reader and configured to close upon sufficient displacement of the fingerprint reader resulting from a user pressing upon a platen of the fingerprint reader; and

a controller configured to;

detect an authorized key fob,

after detecting the authorized key fob, turn on an illuminator and an optical reader of the fingerprint reader,

after turning on the illuminator and the optical reader, detect that the switch contact is closed, and

when the authorized key fob is detected and the switch contact is closed;

at least one of start and stop an engine of the vehicle, and

capture fingerprint data of the user using the fingerprint reader.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint reader includes a multispectral imaging device.

3. The user interface of claim 1, including a vehicle processor configured to:

receive the fingerprint data of the user;

access a user preference database to identify a preference using the fingerprint data; and

configure at least one device of the vehicle in accordance with the preference.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the device of the vehicle includes at least one of an entertainment device, climate control device, and seat positioning device.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to mount to a dashboard of the vehicle.

6. A user interface for controlling a start-stop function of a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a fingerprint reader disposed within the housing and being configured to move within the housing, and

a switch mounted to the fingerprint reader and configured to detect a displacement of the fingerprint reader resulting from a user pressing upon a surface of the fingerprint reader;

a controller configured to;

detect an authorized key fob,

after detecting the authorized key fob, turn on an illuminator and an optical reader of the fingerprint reader,

after turning on the illuminator and the optical reader,

detect the user pressing upon the surface of the fingerprint reader using the switch, and

when the authorized key fob is detected and the user is detected pressing upon the surface of the fingerprint reader;

at least one of start and stop an engine of the vehicle, and

capture fingerprint data of the user using the fingerprint reader; and

a vehicle processor configured to;

receive the fingerprint data from the controller,

use the fingerprint data to identify a driver of the vehicle, and

configure at least one device of the vehicle in accordance with a preference of the user.

7. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the fingerprint reader includes a multispectral imaging device.

8. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the user interface is configured to mount to a dashboard of the vehicle.

9. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to, when no preferences are associated with the user, prompt the user to provide identifying information.

10. A method of operating a vehicle system, comprising:

detecting, by a controller, an authorized key fob;

after detecting the authorized key fob, turning on an illuminator and an optical reader of a fingerprint reader,

after turning on the illuminator and the optical reader, detecting, by the controller, a displacement of a platen of the fingerprint reader, the fingerprint reader being disposed within a housing and configured to move within the housing;

after detecting, by the controller, the authorized key fob and displacement of the platen of the fingerprint reader;

at least one of starting and stopping an engine of the vehicle, and

capturing fingerprint data of a user pressing upon the platen; and

using, by a vehicle processor, the fingerprint data to determine an identity of the user.

11. The method of claim 10, including, after using the fingerprint data to determine the identity of the user, using the identity of the user to retrieve a preference of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, including using the preference to modify a configuration of a device in communication with the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the device of the vehicle includes at least one of an entertainment device, climate control device, and seat positioning device.

14. The method of claim 10, including:

when there are no preferences associated with the user, prompting the user to enter identifying information.