Vehicle authentication device

Abstract

To provide an authentication device for a vehicle capable of improving accuracy of vein authentication.SOLUTION: The authentication device for a vehicle provided on an outer surface panel 208 of the vehicle comprises: a vein sensor 30 that reads a vein pattern of a user; a housing 20 having a cylindrical part 21 in which one end opens towards an opening 206 formed in the outer surface panel and the other end is provided with the vein sensor; a cover 40 facing the vein sensor and covering an opening 22 of the housing, configured to allow only light necessary for the vein sensor to read the vein pattern to be transmitted; and a control part that collates the vein pattern read by the vein sensor with the user's vein pattern registered in the vehicle, and controls unlocking / locking of a door 202 of the vehicle based on a collation result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle authentication device, and more particularly to a vehicle authentication device provided on an exterior panel of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Some vehicles, such as automobiles, are equipped with a security system that permits the operation of a controlled object when a user is determined to be an authorized user through biometric authentication. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a security device that permits engine start when a user is positively determined to be an authorized user through finger vein authentication. The security device stores reference finger vein pattern data of an authorized user, compares detected finger vein pattern data input from a vein sensor with the reference finger vein pattern data, and, when the two data match, determines that the user is an authorized user and permits engine start.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes that biometric authentication related to palm veins may be adopted instead of finger vein authentication, and that the operation to be controlled is not limited to starting the engine but may also include locking and unlocking the doors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-58334 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, when acquiring palm vein pattern data, for example, it is required to hold the palm at a predetermined distance from the vein sensor so that the entire palm can be photographed. Also, when locking and unlocking vehicle doors using palm vein authentication, for example, the user needs to perform the authentication operation from outside the vehicle, and a sensor or the like used for the authentication operation needs to be attached to the exterior panel of the vehicle.

[0006] However, for example, it is difficult to stably hold the palm of the hand away from the vein sensor, and if the palm moves during the authentication process, an authentication error occurs, which is undesirable as it can lead to a decrease in authentication accuracy. On the other hand, for example, if a base for placing the palm is provided on the exterior panel of the vehicle, the palm can be held stably, but external light such as sunlight can enter the vein sensor through the base, which is undesirable as it can lead to a decrease in authentication accuracy.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle authentication device that improves the accuracy of vein authentication. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle authentication device of the present invention is provided on an exterior panel of a vehicle, the vehicle authentication device including: a vein sensor that reads a user's vein pattern; a housing having a cylindrical portion that is open at one end toward an opening formed in the exterior panel and has the vein sensor provided at the other end; a cover that faces the vein sensor, covers the opening of the housing, and is configured to transmit only light necessary for the vein sensor to read the vein pattern; and a control unit that compares the vein pattern read by the vein sensor with the user's vein pattern registered in the vehicle and controls unlocking and locking of the vehicle doors based on the comparison result. a notification means for notifying the user of the position of the cover; Equipped with The notification means is configured to form a positioning guide on at least a portion of the cover for placing at least a portion of the user's hand. It is characterized by:

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle authentication device, comprising: a proximity sensor that detects the user approaching the vehicle; Sa The control unit is further configured to transmit, to the notification means, a notification signal for notifying the user of the position of the cover, based on a user approach signal received from the proximity sensor.

[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle authentication device, the notification signal includes a positioning signal for notifying the user of a position at which the user places his / her hand, The control unit is configured to transmit a positioning signal for forming the positioning guide to the notification means based on the user approach signal.

[0011] In one embodiment of the vehicle authentication device of the present invention, the housing is attached to a B-pillar of an exterior panel member of the vehicle, and the cover is exposed to the outside of the vehicle when the door is closed. In the vehicle authentication device according to one aspect of the present invention, the cover is formed of a filter glass that transmits only light necessary for reading the vein pattern.

[0012] In the vehicle authentication device according to one aspect of the present invention, the opening of the housing is provided along the opening of the outer panel, and the cover is provided flush with the outer panel. 。 Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the vehicle authentication device of the present invention, the housing has a cylindrical portion with one end open toward an opening formed in an exterior panel of the vehicle and the other end provided with a vein sensor. The cover is configured to cover the opening of the housing facing the vein sensor and transmit only light necessary for the vein sensor to read the vein pattern. Therefore, when performing a user's vein authentication operation, the user can stably hold the palm at a position away from the vein sensor by, for example, contacting the cover with the palm from outside the vehicle. This prevents the palm from moving during the authentication operation, and improves the accuracy of the vein authentication. Furthermore, the cover blocks light that is unnecessary for the vein sensor to read the vein pattern among disturbance light such as sunlight. This prevents light unnecessary for reading the vein pattern from entering the vein sensor, and only light necessary for reading the vein pattern enters the vein sensor, thereby improving the accuracy of the vein authentication. In this way, according to the present invention, a vehicle authentication device that improves the accuracy of the user's vein authentication can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a right side view of a vehicle provided with a palm vein authentication device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a positioning guide is formed by an LED according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a system configuration diagram of a palm vein authentication device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 5 is a flowchart showing a vehicle door unlocking operation process realized by the vehicle palm vein authentication device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart showing a vehicle door locking operation process implemented by the vehicle palm vein authentication device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle will be described as an example of a vehicle authentication device. Fig. 1 is a right side view of a vehicle 200 provided with a palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a positioning guide 95 is formed by an LED 90 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a system configuration diagram of the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] For ease of explanation, "front", "rear", "left" and "right" are defined based on the traveling direction of the vehicle 200 as seen by a seated occupant, and "up" and "down" are defined based on gravity. That is, the arrows "front" and "rear" shown in each figure indicate the forward and backward directions of the vehicle 200, and the arrows "up" and "down" indicate the up and down directions of the vehicle 200. The left and right direction is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear and up-down directions, and indicates the width direction of the vehicle 200. In the description of this embodiment, the vehicle 200 has a right-hand steering wheel, and the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 controls unlocking and locking of the right front door 202 of the vehicle 200. [Configuration of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10] A palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device that captures an image of a vein pattern of a user's palm to perform identity authentication. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle includes a housing 20, a palm vein sensor 30 (vein sensor), a cover 40, an ECU 50 as a control unit, a proximity sensor 60, a door open / closed state detection sensor 80, an LED 90 as a notification unit, a light irradiation unit 100, a door unlocking actuator 110, and a door locking actuator 120. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle is provided on an exterior panel 208 of a vehicle 200. The exterior panel 208 is a member that faces the outside of the vehicle 200, and includes, for example, a right front door 202. [ECU50] The ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50 is a calculator including a microcomputer, and is installed in the vehicle 200. The ECU 50 has a CPU, a memory (ROM, RAM, etc.), an input / output device (A / D converter, D / A converter, etc.), and is configured to perform a predetermined control by the CPU reading and executing a program recorded in the ROM. As shown in FIG. 4, the palm vein sensor 30, the proximity sensor 60, and the door open / closed state detection sensor 80 are connected to the ECU 50 by wire or wireless, and predetermined signals are input from these sensors. In addition, the LED 90, the light irradiation means 100, the door unlocking actuator 110, and the door locking actuator 120 are connected to the ECU 50 by wire or wireless. The ECU 50 performs a predetermined calculation based on the input predetermined signal, and outputs a predetermined signal to the LED 90, the light irradiation means 100, the door unlocking actuator 110, and the door locking actuator 120.

[0017] The ECU 50 is configured to compare the palm vein pattern read by the palm vein sensor 30 with the vein pattern of the user registered in the vehicle 200, and control unlocking and locking of the right front door 202 of the vehicle 200 based on the comparison result. In addition, in the unlocking operation process of the right front door 202, the ECU 50 is configured to transmit to the LED 90 a first light emission signal as a notification signal for notifying the user of the position of the cover 40 and a second light emission signal as a positioning signal for forming a positioning guide 95 on which at least a part of the user's hand is placed, based on the user approach signal received from the proximity sensor 60, and to transmit to the light irradiation means 100 an irradiation signal for irradiating irradiation light (near-infrared rays) toward the palm of the user. In addition, in the locking operation process of the right front door 202, the ECU 50 is configured to transmit to the LED 90 a first light emission signal for notifying the user of the position of the cover 40 and a second light emission signal as a positioning signal for forming a positioning guide 95 on which at least a part of the user's hand is placed, based on a door open signal and a door closed signal received from the door open / closed state detection sensor 80, and to transmit an irradiation signal for irradiating the palm of the user's hand with irradiation light (near-infrared rays) to the light irradiation means 100. The unlocking operation process and the locking operation process of the right front door 202 realized by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 centered around the ECU 50 will be described later. [Case 20] As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 20 has a tubular portion 21 having a right end 21a (one end) open toward an opening 206 formed in an outer panel 208 (see the right opening 22 in FIG. 2) and a palm vein sensor 30 (vein sensor) provided at a left end 21b (other end). As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular portion 21 has a hollow shape and includes a right opening 22 formed at the right end 21a of the tubular portion 21, a left opening 23 formed at the left end 21b of the tubular portion 21, a bottom wall portion 24 formed at the left end 21b of the tubular portion 21 and surrounding the left opening 23, and an outer peripheral surface 25 provided at the right end 21a of the tubular portion 21 and surrounding the right opening 22. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the tubular portion 21 includes a tubular portion inner surface 21c having a shape that widens from the left end 21b toward the right end 21a. In this embodiment, the opening 206 in the exterior panel 208 refers to the opening 206 formed in the right front door 202.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 20 is attached to a B-pillar 210 of an exterior panel member 204 of a vehicle 200. The exterior panel member 204 is disposed on the vehicle inner side of an exterior panel 208 in Fig. 2, and includes, for example, the B-pillar 210. Specifically, the housing 20 is attached to the B-pillar 210 such that the tubular portion 21 is at least partially embedded in the B-pillar 210. As shown in Fig. 2, a right opening 22 of the housing 20 (an opening of the housing 20) is provided along an opening 206 of an exterior panel 208. Specifically, the right opening 22 of the housing 20 is provided on the left side of the opening 206 of the exterior panel 208 and along the opening 206.

[0019] The right-side opening 22 is a portion that is covered by the cover 40 as described below, and may be rectangular or may have a shape other than rectangular. The left-side opening 23 penetrates at least a portion of the bottom wall portion 24 in the left-right direction, and communicates with the right-side opening 22 through the cylindrical portion 21. The shape of the left-side opening 23 is not particularly limited as long as it allows the palm vein sensor 30 to be exposed. The bottom wall portion 24 is a portion that is embedded in the B-pillar 210 of the vehicle 200. [Palm vein sensor 30, light irradiation means 100] The palm vein sensor 30 is attached to the outer panel member 204 and positioned within the left opening 23, and is configured to read the palm vein pattern (vein pattern) of the user when the palm is positioned a predetermined distance from the palm vein sensor 30 and in focus. Specifically, the palm vein sensor 30 is embedded in, for example, a B pillar 210 of the outer panel member 204. The palm vein sensor 30 is disposed so as to face the cover 40 and the user's palm through the left opening 23 of the housing 20.

[0020] The light irradiating means 100 is embedded in, for example, the B-pillar 210, and is configured to irradiate a predetermined irradiation light toward the palm of the user based on an irradiation signal from the ECU 50. The irradiation light is near-infrared light, and its wavelength is, for example, 0.75 μm to 1.4 μm. The irradiation light emitted from the light irradiating means 100 passes through the cover 40 and is irradiated to the palm, and when it reaches the inside of the palm, it is scattered, and a part of it passes through the cover 40 as reflected light and heads toward the palm vein sensor 30. Since reduced hemoglobin flowing through the veins has a property of absorbing near-infrared light, when an image of the palm is taken using the palm vein sensor 30, the vein part under the skin of the palm appears darker than the surrounding tissue, and the pattern due to this difference in light and dark becomes the vein pattern. Note that the configurations of the palm vein sensor 30 and the light irradiating means 100 are publicly known, so detailed explanations of these will be omitted. [Cover 40] As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 40 covers the right opening 22 of the housing 20 facing the palm vein sensor 30 and is configured to transmit only light necessary for the palm vein sensor 30 to read the vein pattern. The cover 40 is exposed to the outside of the vehicle 200 when the right front door 202 is closed. The cover 40 is made of filter glass that transmits only light necessary for the palm vein sensor 30 to read the vein pattern. The cover 40 is formed so as to be flush with the exterior panel 208 of the vehicle. Specifically, the cover 40 is formed so as to be flush with the right front door 202. In addition, the cover 40 is not limited to being made of glass as long as it transmits only the above-mentioned light, and may be made of, for example, plastic. [Proximity sensor 60] The proximity sensor 60 is a sensor that detects a user approaching the vehicle 200, and is provided, for example, on the right front door 202. The proximity sensor 60 is configured to detect a change in the distance of the user from the vehicle 200 during unlocking operation processing of the right front door 202, regardless of whether the user has a remote control key, and to transmit a user approach signal to the ECU 50. Note that the configuration of the proximity sensor 60 is publicly known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Door open / close detection sensor 80] The door open / closed state detection sensor 80 is, for example, an angle sensor that detects whether the right front door 202 is open or closed, and is provided, for example, on the right front door 202. The door open / closed state detection sensor 80 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the right front door 202 when the right front door 202 is locked, and to transmit to the ECU 50 a door open signal when the right front door 202 is open, and a door closed signal when the right front door 202 is closed. Note that the configuration of the door open / closed state detection sensor 80 is known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. [LED90] The LED 90 is provided on the cover 40, for example, as a light source for notifying the user of the position of the cover 40. The LED 90 is arranged, for example, along the contour of the cover 40, and is configured to light up or flash in a predetermined color based on a first light emission signal from the ECU 50. The LED 90 is also configured to form a positioning guide 95 for placing at least a part of the user's hand in at least a part of the cover 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the positioning guide 95 is formed by the LED 90 arranged to have a downwardly curved shape. The positioning guide 95 is formed, for example, by a rough trajectory from the thumb to the little finger through the wrist, and thus a shape that follows a part of the contour of the palm of the user's hand is drawn. The positioning guide 95 may be drawn in a shape that follows the entire contour of the palm of the user's hand. Then, the LED 90 lights up or flashes based on a second light emission signal from the ECU 50, thereby forming the positioning guide 95 as shown in FIG. 3. Since the configuration of the LED 90 is known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Door unlock actuator 110] The door unlocking actuator 110 is for unlocking the right front door 202, and is provided, for example, on the right front door 202. The door unlocking actuator 110 receives an unlocking signal from the ECU 50, and unlocks the right front door 202 based on the unlocking signal. Note that the configuration of the door unlocking actuator 110 is publicly known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Door Lock Actuator 120] The door lock actuator 120 is for locking the right front door 202, and is provided, for example, on the right front door 202. The door lock actuator 120 receives a locking signal from the ECU 50, and locks the right front door 202 based on the locking signal. Note that the configuration of the door lock actuator 120 is well known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. [Unlocking operation process by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10] Next, an unlocking operation process of the right front door 202 by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an unlocking operation process of the right front door 202 of the vehicle 200 realized by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] The palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle is used when a user unlocks the right front door 202 from outside the vehicle 200. First, the ECU 50 receives a user approach signal transmitted from the proximity sensor 60, and judges whether or not the user is approaching the vehicle 200 according to a change in the distance of the user from the vehicle 200 (S200). If the ECU 50 judges based on the user approach signal that the user is not approaching the vehicle 200 (No in S200), the unlocking operation process of the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle ends without any further processing (END).

[0022] On the other hand, if the ECU 50 determines that the user is approaching the vehicle 200 (Yes in S200), the ECU 50 transmits a first light emission signal to the LED 90, and controls the LED 90 to light up or blink (S210). As a result, for example, the LED 90 arranged along the outline of the cover 40 lights up or blinks. Next, the ECU 50 determines whether the user is approaching the vehicle 200 further according to a change in the distance of the user from the vehicle 200 based on the user approach signal (S220). If the ECU 50 determines that the user is not approaching the vehicle 200 (No in S220), the unlocking operation process of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 ends without any further processing (END).

[0023] When the ECU 50 determines that the user is approaching the vehicle 200 further (Yes in S220), the ECU 50 transmits a second light emission signal to the LED 90, and controls the LED 90 to light up or blink so as to form a positioning guide 95 (S225). As a result, the LED 90 lights up or blinks in a shape that follows, for example, a part of the outline of the palm of the user's hand (FIG. 3).

[0024] Next, the ECU 50 transmits an irradiation signal to the light irradiating means 100, and performs control for emitting irradiation light from the light irradiating means 100 (S230). As a result, the irradiation light is irradiated onto the user's palm through the cover 40, and upon reaching the inside of the palm, the light is scattered, and a part of the light is reflected through the cover 40 toward the palm vein sensor 30. The palm vein sensor 30 then reads the palm vein pattern of the user when the user's palm is positioned at a predetermined distance from the palm vein sensor 30 and is in focus.

[0025] Next, the ECU 50 compares the palm vein pattern of the user read by the palm vein sensor 30 with a pre-stored master vein pattern and determines whether the two vein patterns match (S240). Specifically, the ECU 50 compares the features (e.g., the number and positions of vein branches) of the user's palm vein pattern and the master vein pattern, and determines that the two vein patterns match if the degree of similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and determines that the user who placed his / her palm on the cover 40 is the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50.

[0026] If the ECU 50 determines that the two vein patterns do not match (No in S240), it is determined that the user who placed the palm of their hand on the cover 40 is not the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50, and the unlocking operation process of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 ends without any further processing (END). On the other hand, if the ECU 50 determines that the two vein patterns match (Yes in S240), the user who placed the palm of his / her hand on the cover 40 is determined to be the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50.

[0027] Next, the ECU 50 transmits an unlock signal to the door unlock actuator 110 to unlock the right front door 202, and controls to unlock the right front door 202 (S250), and this operation process ends (END). As a result, after the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 has completed the unlocking operation process of the right front door 202, the user can manually open the right front door 202. [Locking operation process by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10] Next, a locking operation process of the right front door 202 by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a locking operation process of the right front door 202 of the vehicle 200 realized by the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] The palm vein authentication device 10 for vehicles is used when a user locks the right front door 202 from outside the vehicle 200. First, the ECU 50 receives a door open signal from the door open / close state detection sensor 80 and judges whether the right front door 202 is open or not (S400). Specifically, the ECU 50 judges that the right front door 202 is open when the rotation angle of the right front door 202 is equal to or greater than a pre-stored threshold value, and judges that the right front door 202 is not open when the rotation angle is less than the threshold value. When the ECU 50 judges that the right front door 202 is not open, that is, closed (No in S400), the locking operation process of the palm vein authentication device 10 for vehicles ends without any further processing (END).

[0029] On the other hand, when the ECU 50 determines that the right front door 202 is open (Yes in S400), the ECU 50 receives a door closing signal from the door open / close state detection sensor 80 and determines whether the right front door 202 is closed (S410). Specifically, when the rotation angle of the right front door 202 is equal to or less than a pre-stored threshold, the ECU 50 determines that the right front door 202 is closed, and when the rotation angle is equal to or greater than the threshold, the ECU 50 determines that the right front door 202 is not closed. When the ECU 50 determines that the right front door 202 is not closed, that is, is left open (No in S410), the locking operation process of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 ends without any further processing (END).

[0030] On the other hand, when the ECU 50 determines that the right front door 202 is closed (Yes in S410), the ECU 50 transmits a first light emission signal to the LED 90, and controls the LED 90 to light up or blink (S420). As a result, for example, the LED 90 arranged along the outline of the cover 40 lights up or blinks. Furthermore, the ECU 50 transmits a second light emission signal to the LED 90, and controls the LED 90 to light up or blink so as to form a positioning guide 95 (S420). As a result, for example, the LED 90 lights up or blinks in a shape that follows a part of the outline of the palm of the user's hand (FIG. 3).

[0031] Next, ECU 50 transmits a light emission signal to light irradiating means 100, and controls light irradiating means 100 to emit irradiated light (S440). As a result, the irradiated light is irradiated onto the user's palm through cover 40, and upon reaching the inside of the palm, it is scattered, and part of the light is reflected through cover 40 toward palm vein sensor 30. Palm vein sensor 30 then reads the user's palm vein pattern when the user's palm is positioned at a predetermined distance and in focus.

[0032] Next, the ECU 50 compares the palm vein pattern of the user read by the palm vein sensor 30 with a pre-stored master vein pattern and determines whether the two vein patterns match (S450). Specifically, the ECU 50 compares the features (e.g., the number and positions of vein branches) of the user's palm vein pattern and the master vein pattern, and determines that the two vein patterns match if the similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and determines that the user who placed his / her palm on the cover 40 is the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50.

[0033] If the ECU 50 determines that the two vein patterns do not match (No in S450), it is determined that the user who placed the palm of their hand on the cover 40 is not the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50, and the unlocking operation process of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 ends without any further processing (END). On the other hand, if the ECU 50 determines that the two vein patterns match (Yes in S450), the user who placed the palm of his / her hand on the cover 40 is determined to be the user whose master vein pattern is stored in the ECU 50.

[0034] Next, the ECU 50 transmits a lock signal to the door lock actuator 120 to lock the right front door 202, and performs control to lock the right front door 202 (S460), after which this operation process ends (END). [Effects of the palm vein authentication device 10 for vehicles] Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. As described above, according to the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the housing 20 has a cylindrical portion in which the right end 21a is opened (right opening 22) toward the opening 206 formed in the outer panel 208 of the vehicle 200 and the palm vein sensor 30 is provided at the left end 21b. The cover 40 is configured to block the right opening 22 of the housing 20 facing the palm vein sensor 30 and transmit only light necessary for the palm vein sensor 30 to read the palm vein pattern. Specifically, the cover 40 is formed of a filter glass that transmits only the light. Therefore, when performing palm vein authentication, the user can stably hold the palm at a position away from the palm vein sensor 30 by contacting the palm with the cover 40 from outside the vehicle. This prevents the palm from moving during the authentication operation, thereby improving the accuracy of palm vein authentication. Furthermore, among ambient light such as sunlight, light that is unnecessary for the palm vein sensor 30 to read the palm vein pattern (i.e., light with wavelengths other than near-infrared light) is blocked by the cover 40. This prevents light unnecessary for reading the vein pattern from entering the palm vein sensor 30, and only light necessary for reading the palm vein pattern enters the palm vein sensor 30, thereby improving the accuracy of palm vein authentication.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ECU 50 is configured to transmit a notification signal to the LED 90 for notifying the user of the position of the cover 40 based on the user approach signal received from the proximity sensor 60. In this way, when the ECU 50 determines that the user is approaching the vehicle 200, the LED 90 lights up or blinks, so that the user can easily recognize the position of the cover 40. Therefore, even if the cover 40 is set to the same color as the right front door 202 to improve the overall appearance of the vehicle 200, the user can easily recognize the position of the cover 40.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ECU 50 is configured to transmit the second light emission signal to the LED 90 based on the user approach signal received from the proximity sensor 60. Therefore, by placing the palm of the user's hand on the cover 40 in accordance with the positioning guide 95, the user can easily position the palm relative to the cover 40. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the palm from moving during the authentication process, thereby improving the accuracy of the authentication process.

[0037] Furthermore, according to the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cover 40 is exposed to the outside of the vehicle 200 when the right front door 202 is closed. The B-pillar 210 is located at a height suitable for the user to position the palm of his / her hand on the cover 40. Therefore, when performing authentication, the user can place the palm of his / her hand on the cover 40 with a more natural movement, and can continue to stably hold the palm of his / her hand at a position away from the palm vein sensor 30.

[0038] Moreover, according to the palm vein authentication device 10 for vehicles according to the embodiment of the present invention, the right opening 22 of the housing 20 is provided along the opening 206 of the outer panel 208 (right front door 202). Moreover, the cover 40 is provided flush with the outer panel 208 (right front door 202). In this way, since there are no irregularities in the place where the user places the palm (the cover 40 and the periphery of the cover 40), the user can place the palm on the cover 40 with a natural movement at a position where the palm vein authentication sensor 30 is focused. In this way, the accuracy of the palm vein authentication operation can be improved. Furthermore, the impact on the aerodynamic surface of the vehicle 200 can be suppressed.

[0039] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the vehicle palm vein authentication device 10 according to the above embodiment, but includes all aspects included in the concept of the present invention and the scope of the claims, and each configuration may be appropriately and selectively combined. For example, the shape, material, arrangement, size, etc. of each component in the above embodiment may be appropriately changed depending on the specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] For example, in the above embodiment, the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle performs unlocking and locking operations for the right front door 202 of the vehicle 200. However, the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle may control unlocking and locking operations for another door, for example, a right rear door. In this case, the palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle may be attached to, for example, a C-pillar.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the proximity sensor 60 is configured as a so-called distance measuring sensor that detects a change in the distance of the user from the vehicle 200. However, the proximity sensor 60 may be configured as a so-called area sensor that transmits a user approach signal to the ECU 50 when the user approaches the proximity sensor 60 within a predetermined distance. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the notification means is the LED 90, but the notification means may be, for example, a halogen bulb, or may be something other than visual notification (for example, vibration, sound, etc.).

[0042] In the above embodiment, the vehicle authentication device is described as a palm vein authentication device 10 for a vehicle. However, the vehicle authentication device may be configured as a finger vein authentication device for a vehicle that performs authentication using the finger veins of a user. In the above embodiment, the positioning guide 95 formed by the LED 90 is described as having a shape that conforms to a part of the palm of the user's hand. However, when the vehicle authentication device is configured as a finger vein authentication device for a vehicle, the positioning guide 95 is configured to depict the shape of a fingertip of a user, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10 Palm vein authentication device for vehicles (vehicle authentication device) 20. Cabinet 21 Cylindrical part 21a Right side end (one end) 21b Left end (other end) 22 Right side opening (opening) 23 Left side opening 25 Outer circumferential surface 30 Palm vein sensor (vein sensor) 40 Cover 50 ECU (control unit) 60 Proximity Sensor 90 LED (notification means) 95 Positioning guide 200 vehicles 202 Right front door (door) 204 Exterior Panels 208 Outer Panel 210 B-pillar

Claims

1. A vehicle authentication device provided on an exterior panel of a vehicle, a vein sensor that reads a user's vein pattern; a housing having a cylindrical portion whose one end is open toward an opening formed in the outer panel and whose other end is provided with the vein sensor; a cover configured to face the vein sensor, close the opening of the housing, and transmit only light necessary for the vein sensor to read the vein pattern; a control unit that compares the vein pattern read by the vein sensor with a vein pattern of the user registered in the vehicle and controls unlocking and locking of the doors of the vehicle based on a comparison result; a notification means for notifying the user of the position of the cover; Equipped with The notification means is configured to form a positioning guide on at least a portion of the cover for placing at least a portion of the user's hand. A vehicle authentication device comprising:

2. a proximity sensor configured to detect the user approaching the vehicle; The vehicle authentication device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to transmit, to the notification means, a notification signal for notifying the user of the position of the cover, based on the user approach signal received from the proximity sensor.

3. the notification signal includes a positioning signal for notifying the user of a position at which the user places his / her hand, 3. The vehicle authentication device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit a positioning signal for forming the positioning guide to the notification means based on the user approach signal.

4. the housing is attached to a B-pillar of an exterior panel member of the vehicle, The cover is exposed to the outside of the vehicle when the door is closed.

4. The vehicle authentication device according to claim 1.

5. 5. The vehicle authentication device according to claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of a filter glass that transmits only light necessary for reading the vein pattern.

6. The opening of the housing is provided along the opening of the outer panel, The vehicle authentication device according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is flush with the outer panel.

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