Method for Performing Driver Identity Verification

• US 20080252412A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Larsson, Petter, Bjork, Hanna, Hagermann, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,344,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition

Abstract

Method for assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver, the method including utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver identification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver. A first driver identification procedure is performed on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle. A second driver identification procedure is performed on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the first and second driver identification procedures are performed with a time interval therebetween, the time interval being dependent upon the nature of the work being performed by the operator. A remedial measure is exercised to avert potentially negative impact when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least one of the performed identification procedures.

Claims

1. A method for assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver, the method comprising:

utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver verification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver;

performing a first driver verification procedure on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle;

performing a second driver verification procedure on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the first and second driver verification procedures are performed with a time interval therebetween, the time interval being dependent upon the nature of the work being performed by the operator;

exercising a remedial measure to avert potentially negative impact when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least one of the performed verification procedures; and

wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises utilizing biometric data that can change over time for a particular person thereby potentially permitting an verification failure of that person based on a comparison of current biometric measures against a previously-produced template of the same characteristics, and automatically updating the previously-produced template.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the automatic update is achieved in a multi-modal verification system wherein the verification system uses more than one biometric/PIN-code/smart card and the second driver verification procedure is different from the first driver verification procedure.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one verification procedure utilizes updated face recognition biometric data that has changed over time.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein upon the operator entering the vehicle a prompt is issued requiring identity verification using PIN-code, fingerprint and face recognition, and after which the system verifies the operator identity using PIN-code and face recognition and uses the fingerprint biometric to update the fingerprint template in the database.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple driver verification procedures are performed during a single driving shift of the operator, the single driving shift extending from when the operator enters the vehicle for the first time when coming onto work and until the operator finally leaves the vehicle when leaving work.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second driver verification procedure is performed only when an operator of the vehicle is not determined to be an authorized driver based on performance of the first driver verification procedure.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is a passive verification test that does not require conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the passive verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the iris of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the retina of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is a facial thermogram of the operator.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the passive verification test has a failure rate due to at least one environmental condition that prevents an adequate scan of the physical characteristic of the operator from being obtained.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one environmental condition is insufficient lighting.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is an active verification test that requires conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the active verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle, the scan requiring that the operator place a body portion on a scanner.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is a print pattern of at least one of the operator'"'"'s fingers.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is the hand geometry of the operator.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a request to the operator to input a personal verification number into the system identifying the operator as an authorized driver.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the active verification test comprises reading hard-coded verification information on a verification card presented by the operator and requesting that the operator input a personal verification number into the system which corresponds to a hard-coded verification number read from the verification card.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a command to the operator to speak a prescribed phrase and recording the spoken phrase as a speech pattern and comparing that pattern to a set of control speech patterns of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

89. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second driver verification procedure is the same as the first driver verification procedure.

90. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising initiating the second driver verification immediately following a determination that the present operator is an unauthorized driver in the first driver verification procedure.

92. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the verification system comprises at least one identification system.

93. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises at least one identification procedure.

21. A method for assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver, the method comprising:

utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver verification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver;

performing a first driver verification procedure on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle;

performing a second driver verification procedure on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the second driver verification procedure is different from the first driver verification procedure;

exercising a remedial measure to avert potentially negative impact when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least one of the performed verification procedures; and

wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises utilizing biometric data that can change over time for a particular person thereby potentially permitting a verification failure of that person based on a comparison of current biometric measures against a previously-produced template of the same characteristics, and automatically updating the previously-produced template.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the remedial measure is exercised when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least two of the performed verification procedures.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising performing a third driver verification procedure on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the remedial measure is exercised when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least three of the performed verification procedures.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein each of the driver verification procedures are performed during a single driving session of the operator, the single driving session extending from when the operator mounts the driver'"'"'s seat and begins driving the vehicle and until the operator dismounts and leaves the driver'"'"'s seat.

26. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the second driver verification procedure is performed only when an operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based on performance of the first driver verification procedure.

27. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is a passive verification test that does not require conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the passive verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the iris of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the retina of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is a facial thermogram of the operator.

32. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the passive verification test has a failure rate due to at least one environmental condition that prevents an adequate scan of the physical characteristic of the operator from being obtained.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the at least one environmental condition is insufficient lighting.

34. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is an active verification test that requires conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the active verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle, the scan requiring that the operator place a body portion on a scanner.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is a print pattern of at least one of the operator'"'"'s fingers.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is the hand geometry of the operator.

38. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a request to the operator to input a personal verification number into the system identifying the operator as an authorized driver.

39. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the active verification test comprises reading hard-coded verification information on an verification card presented by the operator and requesting that the operator input a personal verification number into the system which corresponds to a hard-coded verification number read from the verification card.

40. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a command to the operator to speak a prescribed phrase and recording the spoken phrase as a speech pattern and comparing that pattern to a set of control speech patterns of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

94. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the verification system comprises at least one identification system.

95. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises at least one identification procedure.

41. A method for assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver, the method comprising:

utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver verification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver;

performing a first type driver verification procedure on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle;

performing a second type driver verification procedure on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the first and second driver verification procedures are of different types from one another and are performed with random time intervals therebetween;

exercising a remedial measure to avert potentially negative impact when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least one of the performed verification procedures; and

wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises utilizing biometric data that can change over time for a particular person thereby potentially permitting a verification failure of that person based on a comparison of current biometric measures against a previously-produced template of the same characteristics, and automatically updating the previously-produced template.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein the remedial measure is exercised when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least two of the performed verification procedures.

43. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein the driver verification procedures are performed with random time intervals therebetween.

44. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising initiating the second driver verification immediately following a determination that the present operator is an unauthorized driver in the first driver verification procedure.

45. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein each of the driver verification procedures are performed during a single driving session of the operator, the single driving session extending from when the operator mounts the driver'"'"'s seat and begins driving the vehicle and until the operator dismounts and leaves the driver'"'"'s seat.

46. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein the second driver verification procedure is performed only when an operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based on performance of the first driver verification procedure.

47. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is a passive verification test that does not require conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

48. The method as recited in claim 47, wherein the passive verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

49. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the iris of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

50. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the retina of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

51. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is a facial thermogram of the operator.

52. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the passive verification test has a failure rate due to at least one environmental condition that prevents an adequate scan of the physical characteristic of the operator from being obtained.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the at least one environmental condition is insufficient lighting.

54. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is an active verification test that requires conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the active verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle, the scan requiring that the operator place a body portion on a scanner.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is a print pattern of at least one of the operator'"'"'s fingers.

57. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is the hand geometry of the operator.

58. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a request to the operator to input a personal verification number into the system identifying the operator as an authorized driver.

59. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the active verification test comprises reading hard-coded verification information on an verification card presented by the operator and requesting that the operator input a personal verification number into the system which corresponds to a hard-coded verification number read from the verification card.

60. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a command to the operator to speak a prescribed phrase and recording the spoken phrase as a speech pattern and comparing that pattern to a set of control speech patterns of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

96. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein the verification system comprises at least one identification system.

97. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises at least one identification procedure.

61. A method for verifying a vehicle operator'"'"'s identity utilizing biometric data that can change over time for a particular person thereby potentially permitting a verification failure of that person based on a comparison of current biometric measures against a previously-produced template of the same characteristics, the method comprising:

automatically updating the previously-produced template, the automatic update being achieved in a multi-modal verification system wherein the verification system uses more than one biometric/PIN-code/smart card.

62. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein at least one verification method is used to verify the operator'"'"'s identity while another verification method which is not presently being used for operator verification purposes is used to update the previously-produced template after determining that the verification process was a success.

63. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein upon the operator entering the vehicle a prompt is issued requiring identity verification using PIN-code, fingerprint and face recognition, and after which the system verifies the operator identity using PIN-code and face recognition and uses the fingerprint biometric to update the fingerprint template in the database.

64. The method as recited in claim 61, further comprising storing the biometric template in a database on the vehicle.

65. The method as recited in claim 61, further comprising storing the biometric template in a database in the back-office thereby requiring real-time communication between the vehicle and the back-office.

66. The method as recited in claim 61, further comprising storing the biometric template in a database that a driver carries on their person.

67. The method as recited in claim 66, wherein the biometric template is stored in a smart card.

68. The method as recited in claim 67, further comprising utilization of a digital Tachograph driver'"'"'s card to store the verification templates, the card being a smart card that is suitable for such storage and is something that the driver is forced to use by law in some jurisdictions and is thus always carried with the driver.

69. The method as recited in claim 61, further comprising:

assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver verification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver;

performing a first driver verification procedure on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle;

performing a second driver verification procedure on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the first and second driver verification procedures are performed with a time interval therebetween, the time interval being dependent upon the nature of the work being performed by the operator; and

exercising a remedial measure to avert potentially negative impact when the present operator of the vehicle is determined to be an unauthorized driver based upon at least one of the performed verification procedures.

70. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein the second driver verification procedure is different from the first driver verification procedure.

71. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein the second driver verification procedure is the same as the first driver verification procedure.

72. The method as recited in claim 69, further comprising initiating the second driver verification immediately following a determination that the present operator is an unauthorized driver in the first driver verification procedure.

73. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein multiple driver verification procedures are performed during a single driving shift of the operator, the single driving shift extending from when the operator enters the vehicle for the first time when coming onto work and until the operator finally leaves the vehicle when leaving work.

74. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein a plurality of driver verification procedures of different types are conducted at random time intervals.

75. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is a passive verification test that does not require conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

76. The method as recited in claim 75, wherein the passive verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

77. The method as recited in claim 76, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the iris of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

78. The method as recited in claim 76, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is the retina of at least one of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

79. The method as recited in claim 76, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is a facial thermogram of the operator.

80. The method as recited in claim 76, wherein the passive verification test has a failure rate due to at least one environmental condition that prevents an adequate scan of the physical characteristic of the operator from being obtained.

81. The method as recited in claim 80, wherein the at least one environmental condition is insufficient lighting.

82. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein at least one of the first and second driver verification procedures is an active verification test that requires conscious interaction by the operator in association with the performance of the at least one of the driver verification procedures.

83. The method as recited in claim 82, wherein the active verification test comprises a scan of a physical characteristic of the operator from which an image is compared to a set of control images representative of authorized drivers of the vehicle, the scan requiring that the operator place a body portion on a scanner.

84. The method as recited in claim 83, wherein the scanned physical characteristic of the operator is a print pattern of at least one of the operator'"'"'s fingers.

85. The method as recited in claim 83, wherein the scanned physical characteristic is the hand geometry of the operator.

86. The method as recited in claim 82, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a request to the operator to input a personal verification number into the system identifying the operator as an authorized driver.

87. The method as recited in claim 82, wherein the active verification test comprises reading hard-coded verification information on an verification card presented by the operator and requesting that the operator input a personal verification number into the system which corresponds to a hard-coded verification number read from the verification card.

88. The method as recited in claim 82, wherein the active verification test comprises issuing a command to the operator to speak a prescribed phrase and recording the spoken phrase as a speech pattern and comparing that pattern to a set of control speech patterns of authorized drivers of the vehicle.

98. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the verification system comprises at least one identification system.

99. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein at least one of the verification procedures comprises at least one identification procedure.

91. (canceled)