Vehicle-setting-based driver identification system

• US 7,864,029 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Huang, Jihua, Chin, Yuen-Kwok, Lin, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US12/122,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.8, 340/5.72, 701/35, 701/49
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A system and method for identifying a person as an authorized driver of a vehicle based on settings of the vehicle. The system includes a sensor for detecting a presence of a driver in the vehicle. The system also includes one or more control modules corresponding to the parameters of the vehicle. The parameters can be controlled by the control modules. The system also includes a driver ID controller coupled to the control modules and the sensor. The driver ID controller is configured to recognize the driver as an authorized driver based on inputs from the sensor and the control modules. The driver ID controller can also command the control units to adjust the parameters to predefined one or more attributes corresponding to the authorized driver.

Claims

1. A tire monitor sensor unit, comprising:

A method for identifying a person as an authorized driver out of one or more authorized drivers of a vehicle, said method comprising;

obtaining one or more attributes corresponding to one or more parameters of the vehicle, said one or more parameters being adjustable by the person, wherein the one or more attributes are obtained after the presence of the person is detected, and wherein the one or more attributes include one or more attributes of one or more of vehicle systems for gaining access to the vehicle, vehicle accommodation systems and dynamic control systems of the vehicle, and the systems are selected from the group comprising key fobs, RFID immobilizers, door locks, seats, windows, throttle, brake, mirrors, hand wheel, radio, climate control, infotainment, powertrain, chassis, security, ignition and safety;

comparing each of the one or more attributes with a corresponding attribute for each of the one or more authorized drivers; and

recognizing the person as one authorized driver based on the comparison.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein recognizing the person includes ascertaining the person as the authorized driver when at least one attribute of the one or more attributes correlates with a corresponding at least one attribute of the authorized driver.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising authorizing the person as a new authorized driver when the at least one attribute of the one or more attributes does not correlate with corresponding at least one attribute of the authorized driver.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein recognizing the person includes obtaining for each of the one or more authorized drivers a number of attributes correlating with corresponding attributes of the one or more attributes and ascertaining the person as the authorized driver based on the number of attributes.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein recognizing the person includes determining whether a dominating aggregate factor exists for the recognized driver based on information collected for that driver, and using the aggregate factor to retrieve the driver'"'"'s ID.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising adjusting the one or more parameters to predefine one or more attributes corresponding to the authorized driver.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving an identification code input by the person to validate the person as the authorized driver, and adjusting the one or more parameters to one or more attributes corresponding to the authorized driver.

8. A method for driver-specific management of one or more parameters of vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting a presence of a driver in a driving seat of the vehicle;

obtaining one or more attributes corresponding to the one or more parameters of the vehicle, said one or more parameters being adjustable by the person, wherein the one or more attributes are obtained after the presence of the driver is detected;

recognizing the driver as one authorized driver based on the one or more attributes and corresponding attributes for each of one or more authorized drivers; and

adjusting the one or more parameters to predefined one or more attributes corresponding to the identified authorized driver.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein obtaining one or more attributes includes receiving an entry signal corresponding to an intended entry by the driver and extracting a driver identifier from the entry signal.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein recognizing the driver includes ascertaining the driver as one authorized driver when the driver identifier correlates with a driver identifier corresponding to the authorized driver.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising adjusting the one or more parameters to one or more attributes corresponding to a last-known authorized driver of the one or more authorized drivers when the driver identifier does not correlate with a driver identifier corresponding to the authorized driver.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising authorizing the driver as a new authorized driver when the driver identifier does not correlate with a driver identifier corresponding to any existing authorized drivers.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the attributes relate to vehicle systems for gaining access to the vehicle, vehicle accommodation systems and dynamic control systems of the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the systems are selected from the group comprising key fobs, RFID immobilizers, door locks, sears, windows, throttle, brake, mirrors, hand wheel, radio, climate control, infotainment, power-train, chassis, security, ignition and safety.

15. A system for driver-specific management of one or more parameters of a vehicle, said system comprising:

a sensor capable of detecting a presence of a driver in the vehicle;

one or more control modules corresponding to the one or more parameters, said control modules being capable of controlling the one or more parameters, said control modules also being capable of monitoring the one or more parameters to obtain one or more attributes, where the one or more attributes include one or more attributes of one or more of vehicle systems for gaining access to the vehicle, vehicle accommodation systems and dynamic control systems of the vehicle, and the systems are selected from the group comprising key fobs, RFID immobilizers, door locks, seats, windows, throttle, brake, mirrors, hand wheel, radio, climate control, infotainment, powertrain, chassis, security, ignition and safety; and

a driver ID controller coupled to the one or more control modules and the sensor, the driver ID controller being configured to recognize the driver as an authorized driver based on inputs from the sensor and the one or more control modules and command the one or more control modules to adjust the one or more parameters to the one or more attributes predefined to correspond to the authorized driver.

16. The system according to claim 15 further comprising an interface to facilitate input by the driver and display of information.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the interface comprises a processing unit to process input by the driver.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the vehicle includes access level sub-systems, accommodation level sub-systems and dynamic control level sub-systems, and wherein the driver ID controller integrates the access level sub-systems, the accommodation level sub-systems and the dynamic control level sub-systems by adjusting settings for the access level sub-systems, the accommodation level sub-systems and the dynamic control level sub-systems for the recognized driver.