System for vehicular biometric access and personalization

• US 9,275,208 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Protopapas, Maria Eugenia
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyzocha, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/845,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 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: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

A system and method for authenticating a user and creating and applying a user profile may include authenticating an administrator via an administrator identification. A user identification distinct from the administrator identification may be received, as well as a set of selected features associated with the user. A profile may be created and may include the user identification and the set of selected features. The profile may be applied in response to authenticating a user based on the user identification.

Claims

1. A vehicle authentication-system, comprising:

a vehicle display; and

a computing device configured to;

authenticate a first administrator via a first dealer administered identification;

receive a create second administrator selection;

receive a second identification distinct from the first identification; and

create, via the vehicle display, a second administrator profile including the second identification and vehicle features associated with the second identification, wherein the features include allowing a second administrator to create other user profiles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the features are each associated with a feature module including at least one of a lane assist module, a collision alert module, a blind spot module, a restraint warning module, a speed limitation module and a park assist module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the authenticating a first administrator includes:

a first authentication including recognizing a general input, and

a second authentication including matching a received user input with first user identification.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the general input includes a transmitter signal.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the received user input is one of a password, personal identification number (PIN), biometric input and signal from a smart device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the received user input includes an override PIN.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is further configured to apply a default profile in response to receiving the override PIN.

8. A method, comprising:

authenticating, via a computing device, a first administrator via a first dealer administered identification;

receiving, via an in-vehicle interface, a create second administrator selection;

receiving a second identification distinct from the first identification;

creating, at the interface, a second administrator profile including the second identification and a set of vehicle features associated with the second identification; and

applying the set of features associated with the second identification in response to authenticating a user based on the second identification.

9. The method of claim 8, applying each feature within the set of features, wherein each feature is associated with a feature module.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the authenticating a first administrator includes:

a first authentication including recognizing a general input, and

a second authentication including matching a received user input with the second identification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the general input includes a transmitter signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the received user input is one of a password, personal identification number (PIN), biometric input and signal from a smart device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the received user input includes an override PIN.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising applying a default profile in response to receiving the override PIN.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions, comprising instructions for:

authenticating an administrator via a dealer administered identification;

receiving, via a vehicle display, a create new administrator selection;

receiving a second identification distinct from the administered dealer identification; and

creating, at the display, a second administrator profile including the second identification and a set of vehicle features, wherein the features include allowing a second administrator to create other user profiles.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein each feature is associated with a feature module.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the authenticating a first administrator includes:

a first authentication including recognizing a general input, and

a second authentication including matching a received user input with the dealer identification.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the general input includes a transmitter signal.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the received user input is one of a password, personal identification number (PIN), biometric input and signal from a smart device.

20. The medium of claim 17, further comprising applying a default profile in response to receiving an override PIN.