Multi-modular biometric access system with camera-based driver identification, automatic vehicle personalization, safety-adaptive driving dynamics control and database-supported user management

Abstract

System for biometric identification of vehicle users, comprising several camera modules arranged in the A-pillar, B-pillar and exterior mirrors, a database-supported user management system, an in-vehicle control unit for automatic adjustment of seat, mirror, climate and performance parameters, and a door opening and locking mechanism, wherein the system is configured to detect an approaching person from multiple angles, biometrically identify them, automatically open the vehicle, adapt in-vehicle settings to a user profile, and automatically lock the vehicle when the person leaves.

Description

1. Purpose of the invention The purpose of the invention is to provide a comprehensive, camera-based system for the biometric identification of vehicle users, for the automatic personalization of vehicle-internal settings, for the safety-dependent adjustment of vehicle performance, and for the digital management of access authorizations. The system enables fully keyless vehicle access, flexible use by different people, automated vehicle handover and an integrated security and monitoring function. 2. Technical problem The current state of the art has several limitations: • Vehicle access requires physical keys, cards, or smartphones. • Biometric systems are mostly limited to a single camera and do not offer multi-angle recognition. • Personalizations such as seat and mirror adjustments must be made manually. • There is no driver-specific adjustment of vehicle performance (e.g., top speed). • Vehicle handovers are logistically complex and require key exchanges or lockers. • Security monitoring, black box functions, and digital logbooks are not integrated. • Autonomous vehicles do not have standardized passenger identification systems. What is lacking is a holistic system that combines access, personalization, security, monitoring and user management in a single solution. 3. Solution approach of the invention The invention combines several camera modules, biometric software, database-supported user management, in-vehicle control units and autonomous assistance functions into an integrated overall system. Key elements of the solution: • Multi-angle biometrics via cameras in the A-pillar, B-pillar, and exterior mirrors. • Automatic door unlocking upon detection of an authorized person. • Automatic personalization of seat, mirrors, climate control, infotainment, and driving modes. • Temporary or permanent access authorizations managed via a database or mobile applications. • Adaptive speed and power limits based on driver profiles (age, experience, education). • Automatic locking when the person leaves (rear view detection). • Gesture-based locking mechanism as an alternative operating method. • Digital logbook function with personalized time tracking. • Live monitoring and black-box recording of the vehicle's surroundings. • Enhanced environmental awareness for driver assistance systems (e.g., blind spot monitoring). • Support for autonomous vehicles, including passenger identification and lateral control.• Barcode-based user management as an alternative to biometric identification. • The system detects unauthorized tampering with the door handle or vehicle body via cameras and sensors integrated into the A- and B-pillars. Upon detection of unauthorized access, the system activates a visual deterrent sequence in the form of a brief light pulse and simultaneously triggers an audible alarm. The cameras record relevant environmental data to document security-related events. 3.1 Mechanical Module • Integration of camera modules into the A-pillar, B-pillar, and exterior mirrors. • Mechanical coupling to door opening and locking mechanisms. • Control of seat, mirror, and steering column motors for automatic adjustment. 3.2 Electrical Module • Camera sensors (RGB, IR, 3D). • Control unit for biometric processing and profile assignment. • CAN bus connection to seat, mirror, climate control, engine, and safety control units. • Electronic power and speed limiter. • Data logger for black box functions. • Communication module for GPS data, live transmission, and database access. 4. Functionality and advantages The system offers the following functions: • Keyless access without physical handover. • Temporary authorizations with an audible warning upon expiration. • Flexible use by any number of people, controlled via database access. • Automatic door opening for authorized users. • Automatic adjustment of all vehicle parameters. • Digital logbook with personalized usage recording. • Security monitoring while stationary, including warning messages. • Automatic locking when users leave. • Gesture control for locking functions. • Black box recording in case of accidents. • Live transmission of the driving event to the interior. • Combined GPS and camera data for precise location determination. • Personalized performance adjustment (maximum speed, acceleration). • Enhanced environmental perception through side cameras. • Person detection for autonomous vehicles (e.g., taxi pickup). • Lateral control of autonomous vehicles through camera-based environmental analysis.• Digital billing for autonomous transport. • Exclusion of unwanted persons from public autonomous transport. • Barcode-based user management as an alternative. 5. Compatibility with standard products • Compatible with existing vehicle platforms (CAN, LIN, FlexRay). • Can be retrofitted into vehicles with existing camera systems. • Can be integrated into infotainment and driver assistance systems via software. • Can be used in autonomous and conventional vehicles. 6. Summary of the advantages • Complete digitalization of vehicle access and handover processes. • Maximum flexibility for fleets, car sharing, and autonomous mobility. • Increased security through biometric identification and environmental monitoring. • Enhanced comfort through automatic personalization. • Reduced administrative effort through digital authorizations. • Improved accident investigation through black box functionality. • Future-proof integration into autonomous systems. 7. State of the art and comparison The current state of the art includes: • Simple facial recognition systems with a single camera. • Keyless-go systems without biometric identification. • Manual personalization of seat and mirrors. • No integrated performance limiter based on driver profiles. • No unified solution for autonomous passenger identification. The invention surpasses these systems through its modular, integrated, and database-driven architecture. 8. Comparison to the state of the art The invention offers: • Multi-angle biometrics instead of a single camera. • Fully automatic personalization instead of manual settings. • Digital authorizations instead of physical keys. • Adaptive power limitation instead of static vehicle parameters. • Integrated monitoring and a black box instead of separate systems. • Support for autonomous mobility instead of isolated functions. 8.1 Differentiation from the state of the art In contrast to known systems that merely provide a single camera for biometric recognition or simple door unlocking, the present invention features several significant technical differences and enhancements: • Multi-angle biometrics: The invention utilizes a combined camera system in the A-pillar, B-pillar, and exterior mirrors, enabling early, redundant, and high-resolution detection of approaching persons. Prior art is largely limited to a single camera in the B-pillar. • Automatic personalization based on head posture: The invention automatically adjusts seat, mirror, and interior settings based on the head and gaze direction detected by the cameras. Such dynamic, biometric-based fine-tuning is not present in the prior art.• Database-driven, temporary, and flexible access authorizations: The invention enables time-limited, group-based, or location-independent unlocking without physical key handover. No fully digital, keyless user management system exists in the prior art. • Automatic locking when persons leave: Rear view detection and automatic locking of the vehicle represent a novel security function not described in known systems. • Adaptive power and speed limitation: The invention adapts vehicle power and top speed to the driver's profile, age, or experience. Such personalized driving dynamics control systems are not provided for in the prior art. • Integrated black box and live monitoring functions: The invention combines biometric access with continuous environmental recording, live transmission, and accident reconstruction.The prior art treats these functions separately and not as an integrated overall system. • Support for autonomous vehicles: The invention enables passenger identification, lateral control, and digital billing in autonomous traffic systems. Such functions are not included in existing biometric access systems. • Alternative user management via barcodes: In addition to biometric methods, the invention also allows for non-biometric identification. This increases flexibility and is not provided for in the prior art. 9. Degree of innovation The invention represents a novel combination of: • biometric identification, • database-supported user management, • automatic vehicle personalization, • safety-adaptive driving dynamics, • autonomous environment perception, thus creating a fully integrated mobility system. 10. Ergonomic and sustainable features • Reduced manual intervention → less distraction. • Optimal seating and mirror position → ergonomically advantageous. • Energy-efficient climate control. • Sustainable use of vehicle fleets through digital handover processes. • Increased accessibility for different user groups.

Claims

System for biometric identification of vehicle users, comprising several camera modules arranged in the A-pillar, B-pillar and exterior mirrors, a database-supported user management system, an in-vehicle control unit for automatic adjustment of seat, mirror, climate and performance parameters, and a door opening and locking mechanism, wherein the system is configured to detect an approaching person from multiple angles, biometrically identify them, automatically open the vehicle, adapt in-vehicle settings to a user profile, and automatically lock the vehicle when the person leaves. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera in the A-pillar serves to detect the approaching person at an early stage. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera in the B-pillar produces a high-resolution close-up for biometric identification. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the cameras in the exterior mirrors serve to detect the head and viewing direction of the driver in order to automatically adjust the seat and mirror position. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the user management includes temporary, permanent or group-based access authorizations. System according to claim 5, characterized in that an acoustic warning is issued when a temporary authorization expires. System according to claim 1, characterized in that no physical keys are required and all authorizations are granted or revoked digitally via a database. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle automatically locks when the person is removed, as soon as the cameras capture a rear view of the person. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking mechanism can additionally be operated via gesture control. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a digital logbook is kept which documents the user-related vehicle usage over time. System according to claim 1, characterized in that safety monitoring takes place when the vehicle is stationary and detected hazards are transmitted to the user. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a black box function for recording environmental and vehicle data in accident situations is integrated. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the external camera images are transmitted to the vehicle interior in real time. System according to claim 1, characterized in that GPS data is combined with camera-based environmental perception to precisely determine the vehicle position. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle performance, in particular maximum speed and acceleration, is adapted or throttled according to the driver. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the side cameras complement the reversing camera for extended environmental perception. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the system is designed for the identification of passengers in autonomous vehicles. System according to claim 17, characterized in that the camera data are used for lateral control of autonomous vehicles. System according to claim 1, characterized in that billing for autonomous means of transport is carried out digitally via the user database. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a barcode can be used as a user identifier instead of biometric data. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that unauthorized manipulations of the door handle or the vehicle body are detected by the camera modules integrated in the A-pillar, B-pillar or in exterior mirrors and the system in this case triggers a short-term optical light pulse and an acoustic alarm and stores safety-relevant environmental data about the event. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in addition to the camera modules, vibration, pressure or motion sensors are provided which detect unauthorized manipulations of doors, handles or body parts and, in combination with the cameras, trigger an extended security response, wherein the system activates an optical and acoustic warning sequence and stores security-relevant environmental data about the event. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle has electronic monitoring of the vehicle's internal communication network, wherein manipulation attempts on the CAN, LIN or another vehicle internal bus system are detected and the system automatically enters a security mode in which unauthorized control commands are blocked, safety-relevant functions are prioritized and safety-relevant environmental data are stored. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system automatically switches to an extended security mode (“lockdown mode”) upon detection of a manipulation attempt, in which certain vehicle-internal functions are deactivated, external control commands are blocked, the interior and exterior lighting is activated as a deterrent and additional security-relevant processes are started, while security-relevant environmental data is simultaneously stored. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system automatically activates a GPS tracking mode upon detection of a safety-relevant event, in which the vehicle position is recorded at shortened intervals, stored and transmitted via a communication module to a stored database or an authorized body. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that redundant safety procedures are provided which, in the event of failure or manipulation of individual sensors or camera modules, automatically activate alternative detection and reaction mechanisms in order to maintain the functionality of the safety system. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is coupled with an external fleet management system, whereby access authorizations, vehicle states, location data, usage times and security-relevant events can be centrally managed, monitored and evaluated. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, upon detection of a safety-relevant event, the system automatically transmits a real-time notification to the vehicle owner, an authorized person or a fleet management system, wherein the notification contains information about the event type, the time, the location and the captured safety-relevant environmental data. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is linked to geobased zones (“geofencing zones”), wherein the vehicle automatically adjusts certain operating parameters, activates safety-relevant monitoring functions or checks access authorizations when entering a defined zone. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, upon detecting a zone defined as risky, the system automatically restricts vehicle-internal functions, in particular reduces the maximum speed, prioritizes certain assistance systems or increases the activation of safety-relevant sensors in order to increase the level of safety in this zone. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system automatically switches to a noise-reduced operating state ("Silent Mode") when entering a zone defined as sensitive, in which acoustic signals are minimized, non-safety-relevant functions are dampened and monitoring processes are activated more intensively in order to ensure unobtrusive and low-interference vehicle use. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, upon detection of a suspected theft or a security-relevant event, the system informs an authorized external security or police authority via a communication module, transmitting exclusively vehicle-related status and location data to enable a coordinated response. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, upon detection of a threat situation classified as extreme, the system automatically initiates an internal vehicle deactivation procedure, within which certain non-safety-relevant functions are switched off, vehicle movement is controlled and limited, and safety-relevant monitoring processes are prioritized in order to reduce the risk to the vehicle and its environment. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system automatically switches to a noise-reduced operating state ("Silent Mode") when entering a zone defined as sensitive, in which acoustic signals are minimized, non-safety-relevant functions are dampened and monitoring processes are activated more intensively in order to ensure unobtrusive and low-interference vehicle use. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the event of failure, malfunction or manipulation of individual camera modules, sensors or communication interfaces, redundant safety mechanisms are automatically activated, which provide alternative detection, monitoring and reaction processes to ensure the continuous functionality of the overall system. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is coupled in autonomous vehicle fleets with a central evacuation and safety management system, wherein safety-relevant events, hazardous situations or system malfunctions are automatically detected, prioritized and transmitted to a control center which then initiates coordinated evacuation, diversion or protective measures for individual vehicles or entire vehicle groups.

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