Systems, methods, and apparatus for identifying an occupant of a vehicle

• US 9,573,541 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Graumann, David L., Healey, Jennifer, Montesinos, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Point, Rufus
• Application Number:
  US13/977,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for identifying an occupant of a vehicle. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for identifying an occupant of a vehicle. The method includes receiving a primary identification (ID) input and one or more secondary ID inputs, wherein the primary ID input comprises identification token information; retrieving cluster information based at least on the primary ID input; comparing the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information; determining a confidence value associated with the identification of the occupant based at least in part on the comparison of the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information; and outputting information based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

Claims

1. A method comprising executing computer-executable instructions by one or more processors for identifying an occupant of a vehicle, the method further comprising:

receiving a primary identification (ID) input and one or more secondary ID inputs, wherein the primary ID input comprises identification token information;

retrieving cluster information based at least on the primary ID input;

comparing the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more average values associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

identifying the occupant based at least in part on the one or more average values falling within one or more predetermined ranges associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

determining a confidence value associated with the identification of the occupant based at least in part on the comparison of the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more vehicle settings based at least in part on the identification of the occupant; and

outputting information based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification token information comprises information stored on one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a magnetic strip, a key fob, or a non-volatile memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary ID inputs comprise one or more of weight or weight distribution associated with the occupant of the vehicle, image features associated with the occupant of the vehicle, or audible features associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cluster information comprises an indication of prior association between the primary ID input and the one or more secondary ID inputs.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising training the cluster information based at least in part on one or more of the received one or more secondary ID inputs or the determined confidence value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein training the cluster information comprises updating a mean and variance of the cluster information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the information comprises one or more of an audible or visual prompt or greeting, a command for setting personalized features of the vehicle, or a predetermined command.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a primary reader for receiving input from a primary identification (ID) device;

one or more secondary ID input devices;

at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; and

one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

receiving a primary identification (ID) input from the primary reader and one or more secondary ID inputs;

retrieving cluster information from the at least one memory based at least in part on the primary ID input;

comparing the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more average values associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

identifying an occupant based at least in part on the one or more average values falling within one or more predetermined ranges associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

determining a confidence value associated with the identification of the occupant of the vehicle based at least in part on the cluster information or on the comparison of the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more vehicle settings based at least in part on the identification of the occupant; and

outputting information based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising at least a speaker or a display for greeting or prompting the occupant of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the primary ID device comprises information stored on one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a magnetic strip, a key fob, or a non-volatile memory.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the one or more secondary ID input devices comprise one or more of sensors for measuring weight or weight distribution associated with the occupant of the vehicle, a camera for capturing image features associated with the occupant of the vehicle, or a microphone for capturing audible features associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the cluster information comprises an indication of prior association between the primary ID input and the one or more secondary ID inputs.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for training the cluster information based at least in part on the received one or more secondary ID inputs.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein training the cluster information is further based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein training the cluster information comprises updating a mean and variance of the cluster information based at least in part on one or more of the received secondary ID inputs.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein outputting information comprises one or more of an audible or visual prompt or greeting, a command for setting personalized features of the vehicle, or a predetermined command.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; and

one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

receiving a primary identification (ID) input and one or more secondary ID inputs;

retrieving cluster information from the at least one memory based at least in part on the primary ID input;

comparing the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more average values associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

identifying an occupant based at least in part on the one or more average values falling within one or more predetermined ranges associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

determining a confidence value associated with the identification of the occupant of a vehicle based at least in part on the cluster information or on the comparison of the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more vehicle settings based at least in part on the identification of the occupant; and

outputting information based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the primary ID input comprises information stored on one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a magnetic strip, a key fob, or a non-volatile memory.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the secondary ID inputs comprise one or more of weight or weight distribution associated with the occupant of the vehicle, image features associated with the occupant of the vehicle, or audible features associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cluster information comprises an indication of prior association between the primary ID input and the one or more secondary ID inputs, wherein the indication comprises a relative degree of association.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for training the cluster information based at least in part on the received one or more secondary ID inputs.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the training of the cluster information is further based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the training of the cluster information comprises updating a mean and variance of the cluster information based at least in part on one or more of the received secondary ID inputs.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the outputting of the information comprises one or more of an audible or visual prompt or greeting, a command for setting personalized features of the vehicle, or a predetermined command.

25. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising a computer-usable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein, said computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for learning an identity of an occupant of a vehicle, the method further comprising:

receiving a primary identification (ID) input and one or more secondary ID inputs;

retrieving cluster information based at least on the primary ID input;

comparing the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more average values associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

identifying the occupant based at least in part on the one or more average values falling within one or more predetermined ranges associated with the one or more secondary ID inputs;

determining a confidence value associated with the identification of the occupant of a vehicle based at least in part on the cluster information or on the comparison of the one or more secondary ID inputs with the cluster information;

determining one or more vehicle settings based at least in part on the identification of the occupant; and

outputting information based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

26. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 25, wherein the primary ID input comprises information stored on one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a magnetic strip, a key fob, or a non-volatile memory and wherein the secondary ID inputs comprise one or more of weight or weight distribution associated with the occupant of the vehicle, image features associated with the occupant of the vehicle, or audible features associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

27. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 25, wherein the cluster information comprises an indication of prior association between the primary ID input and the one or more secondary ID inputs.

28. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 25, further comprising training the cluster information based at least in part on the received one or more secondary ID inputs.

29. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 28, wherein training the cluster information is further based at least in part on the determined confidence value.

30. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 28, wherein training the cluster information comprises updating a mean and variance of the cluster information based at least in part on one or more of the received secondary ID inputs.