Vehicle access and security based on biometrics
View Patent ↗Method for interacting with a vehicle includes controlling interaction with the vehicle based on receipt of a signal by a component on the vehicle, and generating the signal based on biometric data entered via a portable communications device proximate the vehicle. The entered biometric data may be verified as biometric data of a driver of the vehicle prior to generating the signal. The biometric data may be a fingerprint, a palm print, a hand print, a facial image, and/or a voiceprint, all of which may be obtained using the communications device, e.g., a smartphone. The controlled interaction with the vehicle may be maintaining a brake lockout mechanism coupled to at least one brake of the vehicle in a locked state until the signal is received and/or maintaining at least one door of the vehicle in a locked state until the signal is received.
1. A method for interacting with a vehicle from which status messages are sent at a first rate from the vehicle using a communications system or whose use is monitored at a first, set frequency by a monitoring system, comprising:
receiving biometric data from a biometric sensor of a portable communications device proximate the vehicle, the portable communications device being configured to use a communications network for voice and data communications between the portable communications device and other remotely situated communications devices;
causing a vehicle control signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to interact with the vehicle;
causing the generated vehicle control signal to be provided to a signal-receiving component on the vehicle such that interaction with the vehicle is controlled based on the received biometric data; and
changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system from the first rate to a second, different rate dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system from the first frequency to a second, different frequency dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data such that different received biometric data causes different changes in the rate at which messages are sent or different frequencies at which use of the vehicle is monitored.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising verifying the received biometric data as known biometric data of a driver of the vehicle prior to generating the vehicle control signal.
3. A method for interacting with a vehicle from which status messages are sent at a first rate from the vehicle using a communications system or whose use is monitored at a first, set frequency by a monitoring system, comprising
receiving, at a signal-receiving component on the vehicle, a vehicle control signal and biometric data generated from a biometric sensor of a portable communications device proximate the vehicle, the portable communications device being configured to use a communications network for voice and data communications between the portable communications device and other remotely situated communications devices;
determining, using a processor on the vehicle, whether the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component is from a person authorized to interact with the vehicle;
only if so, performing vehicle action based on the vehicle control signal received by the signal-receiving component; and
changing a rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system from the first rate to a second, different rate dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system from the first frequency to a second, different frequency dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data such that different biometric data received by the signal-receiving component causes different changes in the rate at which messages are sent or different frequencies at which use of the vehicle is monitored.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to obtain a fingerprint.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to obtain a palm print.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to obtain a hand print.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to obtain a facial image.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to obtain a voiceprint.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of causing a vehicle control signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to interact with the vehicle comprises:
transmitting the received biometric data to a remote site separate and apart from the vehicle at which the known biometric data is accessible; and
performing biometric data verification of the received biometric data at the remote site by analyzing the received biometric data relative to the known biometric data, the vehicle control signal based on the biometric data received at the portable communications device proximate the vehicle being generated at the remote site, and
the step of causing the generated vehicle control signal to be provided to a signal-receiving component on the vehicle comprises transmitting the vehicle control signal from the remote site to the signal-receiving component on the vehicle.
10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of performing vehicle action based on the vehicle control signal received by the signal-receiving component comprises maintaining a brake lockout mechanism coupled to at least one brake of the vehicle in a locked state until the vehicle control signal is received.
11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of performing vehicle action based on the vehicle control signal received by the signal-receiving component comprises maintaining at least one door of the vehicle in a locked state until the signal is received.
12. A method for preventing theft of cargo from a vehicle transporting the cargo and from which status messages are sent at a first rate from the vehicle using a communications system or whose use is monitored at a first, set frequency by a monitoring system, comprising:
receiving biometric data from a biometric sensor of a portable communications device proximate the vehicle, the portable communications device being configured to use a communications network for voice and data communications between the portable communications device and other remotely situated communications devices;
causing a signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to access, handle or move the cargo;
causing the generated signal to be provided to a cargo-control component on the vehicle such that access to, handling of or movement of the cargo is conditioned on receipt of the signal and thus the received biometric data; and
changing a rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system from the first rate to a second, different rate dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system from the first frequency to a second, different frequency dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data such that different biometric data received by at the portable communications device causes different changes in the rate at which messages are sent or different frequencies at which use of the vehicle is monitored.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of causing a signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to access, handle or move the cargo comprises verifying the entered biometric data as known biometric data of a driver or other authorized operator of the vehicle or handler of the cargo of the vehicle prior to generating the signal to enable access to, handling of or movement of the cargo.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of causing a signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to access, handle or move the cargo comprises generating the signal using a processor on the vehicle that performs the biometric data verification and provides the generated signal to the cargo-control component on the vehicle.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of causing a signal to be generated when the biometric data received at the portable communications device is from a person authorized to access, handle or move the cargo comprises:
transmitting the received biometric data to a remote site separate and apart from the vehicle at which the known biometric data is accessible; and
performing biometric data verification of the received biometric data at the remote site by analyzing the received biometric data relative to the known biometric data, the signal based on the biometric data received at the portable communications device proximate the vehicle being generated at the remote site, and
the step of causing the generated signal to be provided to a cargo-control component on the vehicle comprises transmitting the signal from the remote site to the cargo-control component on the vehicle.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated vehicle control signal is generated to cause a brake lockout mechanism coupled to at least one brake of the vehicle to be maintained in a locked state until the vehicle control signal is received.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated vehicle control signal is generated to cause a doors of the vehicle to be maintained in a locked state until the vehicle control signal is received.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications device is a smartphone.
19. The method of claim 3 , wherein the communications device is a smartphone.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the communications device is a smartphone.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data includes a comparison of the received biometric data to the biometric data of a driver of the vehicle,
the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the received biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system dependent on analysis of the received biometric data comprising reducing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle or reducing the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system when the analysis of the received biometric data indicates that the received biometric data corresponds to the known biometric data of the driver of the vehicle.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system frequency dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data comprises directing the communications system to change the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system frequency dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data comprises directing the monitoring system to change the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored dependent on analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data.
24. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of determining, using a processor on the vehicle, whether the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component is from a person authorized to interact with the vehicle comprises comparing the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component to known biometric data of the person authorized to interact with the vehicle,
the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data comprising reducing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system or reducing the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored when the analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data indicates that the biometric data corresponds to the known biometric data of the person authorized to interact with the vehicle.
25. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data comprises directing the communications system to change the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data.
26. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data comprises directing the monitoring system to change the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored dependent on analysis of the biometric data received by the signal-receiving component relative to known biometric data.
27. The method of claim 12 , wherein the analysis of the received biometric data relative to known biometric data includes a comparison of the received biometric data to the biometric data of a driver of the vehicle,
the step of changing a rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data comprising reducing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle or reducing the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system when the analysis of the received biometric data indicates that the received biometric data corresponds to the known biometric data of the driver of the vehicle.
28. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system from the first rate to a second, different rate dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system from the first frequency to a second, different frequency dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data comprises directing the communications system to change the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data.
29. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of changing the rate at which the messages are sent from the vehicle using the communications system from the first rate to a second, different rate dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data or the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored by the monitoring system from the first frequency to a second, different frequency dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data comprises directing the monitoring system to change the frequency at which use of the vehicle is monitored dependent on analysis of the biometric data received at the portable communications device relative to known biometric data.