Controlling access to an in-vehicle human-machine interface

• US 9,457,816 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Van Wiemeersch, Adam Leonard, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US14/335,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/199 for avoiding maloperation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/199 for avoiding maloperation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 : Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/24 : Capacitance type, e.g. as level indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 : Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 : Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 : Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 : Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 : Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 : specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 : for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 : adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 : to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

An in-vehicle computer is programmed to determine that a driver'"'"'s hands are at least one predetermined location in the vehicle, the at least one predetermine location including a location on a steering wheel, determine that a vehicle passenger is in a safe position with respect to a human-machine interface; and provide passenger access to the human-machine interface such that the passenger may access operations of the computer that are inaccessible to the driver.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising a computer comprising a processor and a memory, programmed to:

determine that a driver'"'"'s hands are on a steering wheel;

detect human speech according to speech recognition processing included in a human machine interface (HMI) to determine that the driver is coaching a passenger concerning operating the HMI; and

disable all occupant access to the HMI based on identifying the coaching.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrocardiogram sensor, the computer being further programmed to associate the data from the electrocardiogram sensor with the driver of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrocardiogram sensor, the computer being further programmed to perform a validation to determine whether signals from the at least one electrocardiogram sensor represent a human heartbeat.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor in a display of the human machine interface arranged to provide data concerning a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s hands on the steering wheel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the human-machine interface includes at least one of a visual display, a touchscreen, a speaker, and a microphone.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors arranged to provide inputs for determining whether the passenger is in a safe position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensors include at least one of a weight sensor, a camera, and a sensor included in an occupant classification system (OCS).

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least two sensors arrangeable in the steering wheel, wherein to determine that the driver'"'"'s hands are on the steering wheel includes to determine that palms and fingers of both of the driver'"'"'s hands are on the steering wheel.

9. A method, comprising:

determining that a driver'"'"'s hands are on a steering wheel of a vehicle;

detecting human speech according to speech recognition processing included in a human machine interface (HMI) to determine that the driver is coaching a passenger concerning operating the HMI; and

disabling all occupant access to the HMI based on identifying the coaching.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating the data from at least one electrocardiogram sensor with the driver of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing a validation of data from at least one electrocardiogram sensor to determine whether signals from the at least one electrocardiogram sensor represent a human heartbeat.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving data from a sensor in a display of the human machine interface to determine a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s hands on the steering wheel.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the human-machine interface includes at least one of a visual display, a touchscreen, a speaker, and a microphone.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving inputs from a plurality of sensors to determine whether the passenger is in a safe position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensors include at least one of a weight sensor, a camera, and a sensor included in an occupant classification system (OCS).

16. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the driver'"'"'s hands are on the steering wheel includes determining that palms and fingers of both of the driver'"'"'s hands are on the steering wheel.