Biometric data-driven application of vehicle operation settings

• US 9,135,420 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Felkins, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/760,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.82, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/539, 340/430, 701/35, 701/29, 701/32, 704/246
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints

Abstract

Biometric data-driven application of vehicle operations is implemented by a scanner, a computer processor communicatively coupled to the scanner over a vehicle network, and logic executable by the computer processor. The logic receives, from the scanner over the vehicle network, biometric data for an operator of a vehicle and compares the biometric data from the scanner to sets of biometric data stored in a memory device of the vehicle. Upon determining that the biometric data from the scanner matches one of the sets of biometric data stored in the memory device, the logic retrieves operational settings configured for the operator and implements at least one action to achieve a result defined by the operational settings.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a scanner disposed on a vehicle steering wheel;

a computer processor communicatively coupled to the scanner over a vehicle network; and

logic executable by the computer processor, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

receiving, from the scanner over the vehicle network, biometric data for an operator of a vehicle;

comparing the biometric data from the scanner to sets of biometric data stored in a memory device of the vehicle;

upon determining that the biometric data from the scanner matches one of the sets of biometric data stored in the memory device, retrieving operational settings configured for the operator, the one of the sets of biometric data mapped to the operational settings configured for the operator;

monitoring vehicle operational data for a triggering event caused by exceeding at least one of the operational settings, the operational settings include a speed limit, the triggering event comprising a speed of the vehicle reaching a maximum speed value set by the speed limit; and

implementing at least one action in response to an occurrence of the triggering event, wherein the at least one action includes generating and transmitting an electronic message to an owner of the vehicle that notifies the owner of the triggering event.

2. The system of claim 1 implementing the at least one action further includes activating a speed limiter resulting in prevention of the vehicle from exceeding the maximum speed value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the speed limiter is at least one of an accelerator and brakes.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the implementing the at least one action further includes activating a warning generator, the warning generator continuously presented until the speed of the vehicle is reduced to a value that is below the maximum speed value.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational settings further include a seatbelt setting, the triggering event comprises the operator initiating a driving event without securing the seatbelt, and the implementing the at least one action further includes activating a warning generator, the warning generator continuously implemented until the seatbelt is secured.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational settings further include a volume limit of an audio system, the triggering event comprises a volume of the audio system exceeding a maximum volume limit, and implementing the at least one action includes activating a volume controller coupled to the audio system resulting in reduction of the volume below the maximum volume limit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

registering the operator of the vehicle, comprising;

receiving, via an input component in the vehicle, a request from a user to register the operator, the request initiated via a user interface of the logic;

prompting the user to activate the scanner for the operator;

receiving the biometric data from the scanner;

storing the biometric data in the memory device;

prompting the user to configure the operational settings for the operator via the user interface; and

storing the operational settings with the biometric data in the memory device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input component is a center stack display device in the vehicle, the center stack display device communicatively coupled to the computer processor over the vehicle network.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a scanner disposed on a vehicle steering wheel, over a vehicle network, biometric data for an operator of a vehicle, the biometric data received at a computer processor communicatively coupled to the scanner;

comparing the biometric data from the scanner to sets of biometric data stored in a memory device of the vehicle;

upon determining that the biometric data from the scanner matches one of the sets of biometric data stored in the memory device, retrieving operational settings configured for the operator, the one of the sets of biometric data mapped to the operational settings configured for the operator;

monitoring vehicle operational data for a triggering event caused by exceeding at least one of the operational settings, the operational settings include a speed limit, the triggering event comprising a speed of the vehicle reaching a maximum speed value set by the speed limit; and

implementing at least one action in response to an occurrence of the triggering event, wherein the at least one action includes generating and transmitting an electronic message to an owner of the vehicle that notifies the owner of the triggering event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the implementing the at least one action further includes activating a speed limiter resulting in prevention of the vehicle from exceeding the maximum speed value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the speed limiter is at least one of an accelerator and brakes.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein implementing the at least one action further includes activating a warning generator, the warning generator continuously presented until the speed of the vehicle is reduced to a value that is below the maximum speed value.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the operational settings further include a seatbelt setting, the triggering event comprises the operator initiating a driving event without securing the seatbelt, and implementing the at least one action further includes activating a warning generator, the warning generator continuously implemented until the seatbelt is secured.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the operational settings further include a volume limit of an audio system, the triggering event comprises a volume of the audio system exceeding a maximum volume limit, and implementing the at least one action further includes activating a volume controller coupled to the audio system resulting in reduction of the volume below the maximum volume limit.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising registering the operator of the vehicle, comprising:

receiving, via an input component in the vehicle, a request from a user to register the operator, the request initiated via a user interface of the logic;

prompting the user to activate the scanner for the operator;

receiving the biometric data from the scanner;

storing the biometric data in the memory device;

prompting the user to configure the operational settings for the operator via the user interface; and

storing the operational settings with the biometric data in the memory device.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon, which when executed by a computer cause a computer to implement a method, the method comprising:

receiving over a vehicle network, from a scanner disposed on a vehicle steering wheel, biometric data for an operator of a vehicle;

comparing the biometric data from the scanner to sets of biometric data stored in a memory device of the vehicle;

upon determining that the biometric data from the scanner matches one of the sets of biometric data stored in the memory device, retrieving operational settings configured for the operator, the one of the sets of biometric data mapped to the operational settings configured for the operator;

monitoring vehicle operational data for a triggering event caused by exceeding at least one of the operational settings, the operational settings include a speed limit, the triggering event comprising a speed of the vehicle reaching a maximum speed value set by the speed limit; and

implementing at least one action in response to an occurrence of the triggering event, wherein the at least one action includes generating and transmitting an electronic message to an owner of the vehicle that notifies the owner of the triggering event.