High-anti-theft-level vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on face recognition

Abstract

The invention discloses a high-anti-theft-level vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on face recognition, and the main design conception of the method is that intelligent unlocking door opening control is realized only by means of face recognition based on a face recognition technology, and through face recognition verification and anti-theft authentication, on the basis of face safe unlocking door opening, the anti-theft-level vehicle intelligent unlocking control is realized. The vehicle control and starting authority is accurately released to the target user; through a multi-round anti-theft authentication strategy of frame-by-frame recognition of a real-time scene and a face interaction image, the anti-theft level of unlocking and door opening through face recognition is remarkably improved, and other people except a vehicle owner are prevented from illegally unlocking the vehicle by illegally using the face data of the vehicle owner. The method does not depend on an entity key or a communication tool, so that a vehicle owner gets rid of the trouble that the vehicle door and the vehicle are unlocked by depend on the entity tool at present, and the use safety of the vehicle is ensured while the intelligent level of the vehicle is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive control technology, and in particular to a high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on facial recognition. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing maturity of AI technology, AI, new energy vehicles, intelligent connectivity, and smart cockpit technologies are beginning to integrate and develop in a highly integrated manner, propelling the development of intelligent vehicles to new heights and laying an important theoretical foundation for the development and realization of various new technologies in intelligent vehicles. Against this backdrop, to better meet the needs of vehicle users for convenient and service-oriented experiences in intelligent vehicles, this paper provides a thorough analysis of the intelligent unlocking and door opening function. Based on the unlocking and door opening behavior, there are currently six mainstream control methods: mechanical key control, remote key control, Bluetooth key control, flash key control, remote control, and NFC card control.

[0003] The details are as follows:

[0004] 1. Mechanical Key Control. Mechanical key control is the most basic, original, and reliable method of vehicle door lock control. Its basic principle is based on the mechanical transmission structure of traditional locks. The insertion and rotation of the key drives the lock cylinder, which in turn controls the extension and retraction of the bolt to unlock the door. Mechanical key unlocking can still unlock the vehicle even when it is abnormally low on power, has a power outage, or experiences a software malfunction, and it is an indispensable basic control method in vehicle door lock control.

[0005] 2. Remote Key Control. Remote key control is a second-generation locking and unlocking method developed from the first-generation mechanical key control. Compared to mechanical key control, remote key control utilizes the wireless remote control function of the central locking system, allowing users to open the door remotely without inserting a key into the lock. Its basic principle is that the key emits a weak radio wave, which is received by the car's antenna. The electronic control unit (ECU) identifies the signal code, and then the system's actuator (motor or solenoid coil) executes the locking / unlocking action. Because this control method allows for remote opening and locking, it is more convenient than mechanical keys and has better reliability. Therefore, it is a mainstream basic control method and has now been integrated with mechanical keys, collectively referred to as physical key control.

[0006] 3. Bluetooth Key Control. Bluetooth key control is a control method different from traditional physical keys. It allows car owners to control the vehicle via Bluetooth using their mobile phones. When a user approaches the vehicle, they can activate the phone's Bluetooth function to unlock the doors, replacing the traditional car key. Before using the Bluetooth key, the user simply needs to pair their phone with the car key and then connect the phone to the vehicle via Bluetooth technology. Furthermore, with the continuous development and maturity of technology in recent years, users can not only use the Bluetooth key to unlock and open the doors and trunk, but also achieve automatic unlocking when the Bluetooth key approaches the vehicle using contactless unlocking technology. Compared to remote keys, which rely on button batteries for power, Bluetooth keys operate via smartphones. When the phone's battery is low, the user can simply charge it via a data cable, eliminating the hassle of battery replacement and making it more convenient.

[0007] 4. NearLink Key Control. The NearLink car key is a digital car key using NearLink technology, with positioning accuracy more than 5 times that of traditional Bluetooth solutions. This technology was first showcased at the Seres M9 launch event in March 2025 and will be first applied to Huawei Pura 80 series phones in June 2025. Its core technology uses a phase difference combined with a time-of-flight (TOF) ranging algorithm, improving unlocking and locking accuracy by more than 6 times compared to traditional Bluetooth, effectively solving the problem of misjudgment caused by unstable signals. The device can accurately identify the user's distance and trigger a response within the welcome area (10 meters) and unlocking area (3 meters); within the locking area (8 meters), it can lock the car in time, avoiding frequent unlocking and locking. It maintains a stable connection even when the body obstructs the view (such as in a back pocket or backpack), making it Huawei's latest self-developed high-precision unlocking and door opening technology.

[0008] 5. Remote Control. Remote control is a method of unlocking and opening vehicle doors remotely using wireless network communication. Since remote control is achieved through the vehicle's T-BOX via a wireless communication network, it can achieve control over extremely long distances. However, due to limitations in network signal coverage and response latency, there may be some lag in practical use.

[0009] 6. NFC Card Control. NFC cards primarily operate based on Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, allowing devices to exchange data wirelessly over short distances. It is an emerging technology. Vehicles using NFC technology can exchange data when the vehicle and the NFC card are close to each other. It evolved from contactless radio frequency identification (RFID) and interconnectivity technologies, integrating a contactless reader, a contactless card, and point-to-point communication onto a single chip for vehicle unlocking and locking control.

[0010] The main drawbacks of the current unlocking and door opening control methods are analyzed in detail below:

[0011] 1. Mechanical Key Control. Mechanical key control is currently the most stable and reliable method for unlocking and opening vehicle doors, unaffected by the vehicle's power supply status. However, mechanical key control requires inserting a mechanical key into the lock and turning it to unlock and open the door, which is cumbersome and requires carrying the mechanical key with you at all times. It also lacks anti-theft features, and if the key is lost, there is a risk that it may be misused by others to unlock and open the door, leading to vehicle theft.

[0012] 2. Remote Key Control. Compared to traditional mechanical key control, remote key control eliminates the need to insert the key into the lock. Door unlocking can be achieved by pressing a button on the remote key. However, the remote key's functionality relies on its built-in battery; when the battery is depleted, the remote key will not function properly. Like mechanical keys, it must be carried at all times to unlock the doors. Furthermore, if the remote key is lost, the vehicle is at risk of misuse or theft.

[0013] 3. Bluetooth Key Control. Compared to traditional mechanical keys and remote keys, Bluetooth key control does not rely on a physical key. Bluetooth keys can be controlled intelligently by connecting to the vehicle's Bluetooth system via a mobile app; it also enables seamless locking and unlocking, offering a high level of intelligence. However, because it requires manual Bluetooth connection and the mobile app is not running in the background, the seamless locking and unlocking function cannot be used properly. Additionally, Bluetooth key positioning accuracy is not high, and its normal operation still requires a physical mobile phone as a carrier, making it impossible to unlock and unlock doors without any communication tools.

[0014] 4. Star Flash Key Control. Compared to Bluetooth keys, the Star Flash car key offers significantly improved positioning accuracy, avoiding the frequent unlocking and locking issues associated with Bluetooth's contactless unlocking mechanism. It is a newly developed high-precision unlocking technology. However, its functionality still requires the use of a physical Star Flash key and cannot be achieved without any communication tools.

[0015] 5. Remote Control. Remote control relies on wireless communication technology and uses the network for signal transmission and communication, thus enabling ultra-long-distance control under current internet technology conditions. However, its control is still limited by wireless communication signals and requires a mobile phone, watch, bracelet, or other communication device as the control carrier. It also cannot unlock or open doors without any communication tools.

[0016] 6. NFC Card Control. NFC card control involves exchanging data when an NFC card and the vehicle are brought close together, thus unlocking the vehicle and opening doors. While the control entity—the NFC card—is smaller than physical devices like phones, watches, bracelets, or keys, and doesn't rely on its own power, the physical device still needs to be carried by the user, which is inconvenient and carries the risk of card loss or vehicle theft. Summary of the Invention

[0017] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on facial recognition to solve the aforementioned technical problems.

[0018] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0019] This invention provides a high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on facial recognition, including:

[0020] After receiving the trigger signal provided by the current user on the outside of the vehicle, the face unlock function is activated;

[0021] Once activated, the camera collects visual information about the vehicle's surroundings and facial images of people outside the vehicle.

[0022] Facial and environmental compatibility authentication is performed based on the visual information surrounding the vehicle and the facial image information outside the vehicle.

[0023] Only after the fit verification is passed, facial authenticity verification is performed based on the visual information around the vehicle and the facial image information outside the vehicle.

[0024] User identity verification is performed based on the external facial image information only after the facial authenticity verification is passed;

[0025] After successful user authentication, only the driver's side door is unlocked, and vehicle control is released to the current user when preset conditions are met.

[0026] In at least one possible implementation, the face-environment fit authentication includes: determining whether there is only a single person corresponding to the face image within a preset range around the vehicle.

[0027] In at least one possible implementation, the face authenticity authentication includes: analyzing key points of continuously acquired multi-frame face images frame by frame, and combining them with time-synchronized and corresponding multi-frame surrounding environment images to determine the correlation between the face and the environment and the continuity of face actions.

[0028] In at least one of the possible implementations, the determination of the correlation between the face and the environment and the continuity of facial movements includes: combining the current ambient light and the wind direction represented by surrounding objects to identify the light and shadow state and hair state of key facial points.

[0029] In at least one possible implementation, the step of releasing preset vehicle control permissions to the current user when preset conditions are met includes:

[0030] Determine if the current user has entered the driver's seat;

[0031] If not, then only control of the door hatch will be released to the current user;

[0032] If so, then control of the vehicle's normal functions will be released to the current user.

[0033] In at least one of the possible implementations, the trigger signal includes a manual touch signal that is sensed by touch or vibration.

[0034] Compared to existing technologies, the main design concept of this invention lies in its use of facial recognition technology to achieve intelligent unlocking and door opening control solely through facial recognition. This is achieved through facial recognition verification and anti-theft authentication. Furthermore, based on secure facial unlocking, vehicle control and start permissions are precisely granted to the target user. The multi-round anti-theft authentication strategy, which embeds real-time scene and frame-by-frame facial interaction image recognition, significantly enhances the anti-theft level of facial recognition unlocking, preventing unauthorized individuals from using the owner's facial data to illegally unlock the vehicle. This invention does not rely on physical keys or communication tools, freeing car owners from the current inconvenience of relying on physical tools to unlock car doors and vehicles, greatly improving the vehicle's intelligence level while ensuring vehicle security. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on face recognition provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0038] As analyzed above regarding the mainstream and mature unlocking solutions in the industry, although there are various ways to unlock and open vehicle doors, they all rely on physical communication tools (such as mobile phones, NFC cards, and smartwatches), which require the car owner to carry them with them. Moreover, most communication tools are subject to various conditions for normal use (such as mobile phones, smartwatches, and smartwatches need to be in a state where the tool is not depleted of power). Therefore, there is still an urgent need for a control method that can unlock and open doors without relying on any communication tools, so that car owners can still achieve basic control of the vehicle without any communication tools.

[0039] In view of this, the present invention proposes an embodiment of a high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on facial recognition, specifically, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes:

[0040] Step S1: After receiving the trigger signal provided by the current user on the outside of the vehicle, activate the face unlock function;

[0041] Since this invention does not involve the use of communication tools such as mobile phones, electronic keys, or mechanical keys, the trigger signal mentioned in this step preferably refers to a user's manual touch signal or a voice command signal. The advantage of a voice command signal is that it requires no physical action and allows for initial authentication at the audio level. However, its disadvantage is that it is easily affected by environmental acoustic factors and user-related factors, leading to decreased trigger sensitivity. Therefore, in some preferred embodiments of this invention, a manual touch signal is proposed as the trigger signal. Manual triggering does not necessarily require the use of a "hand," nor does it rely on inconvenient biometrics (such as fingerprints), but rather on simple touch or vibration sensing.

[0042] Step S2: After being woken up, the camera collects visual information about the vehicle's surroundings and facial images of people outside the vehicle;

[0043] Step S3: Perform face and environment matching authentication based on the visual information of the vehicle's surroundings and the facial image information outside the vehicle;

[0044] The face and environment matching authentication refers to determining whether there is only a single person corresponding to the face image within a preset range around the vehicle. This is to avoid interference from multiple people around. Of course, this first authentication is not a single authentication standard. Other authentication methods will be introduced later. Moreover, this authentication process does not involve identity recognition, but is only a rough judgment of the number of people outside the vehicle. In some other preferred embodiments of the present invention, it can be further refined to determine whether the person corresponding to the currently scanned face image is the only person with vital signs within a predetermined range around the vehicle (excluding interference from standing figures).

[0045] Step S4: After the fit authentication is passed, perform face authenticity authentication based on the visual information around the vehicle and the face image information outside the vehicle.

[0046] At this point, the invention focuses on identifying the scanned facial image itself. However, this step is not identity authentication, but rather determining whether the scanned facial image information is a genuine human face. Specifically, it may include:

[0047] Frame-by-frame analysis of key points in continuously acquired multi-frame (e.g., 30 frames) facial images is performed, combined with time-synchronized and corresponding multi-frame surrounding environmental images, to determine the correlation between the face and the environment, as well as the continuity of facial movements (preferably subtle movements). This is to verify that the currently scanned face is real, taking into account the influence of surrounding environmental factors on the face and changes in the face itself. For example, the influence of current ambient light and wind direction (airflow) represented by surrounding objects on key facial points, such as changes in shadows and hair movement, can be considered to determine whether the currently scanned facial image information represents a real face.

[0048] Step S5: After the face authenticity verification is passed, the user identity is identified based on the face image information outside the vehicle;

[0049] Thus, the third round of authentication in this invention proposes to identify the user's identity corresponding to the face. That is, the aforementioned two main rounds of recognition primarily target the number of people in the vicinity and the authenticity of the face, and identity recognition is only carried out after the first two rounds of authentication have been satisfied. Those skilled in the art will understand that identity authentication in this step can be achieved through mature authentication schemes, such as pre-registering and recording authorized user identity information for identity matching and verification in this step. This invention will not elaborate on or limit this. However, it can be added that the first three rounds of authentication must be passed before proceeding to the next step; otherwise, failure to pass any one of the authentications will trigger the face unlock function to go into sleep mode, which can only be manually woken up again (which can be done, but is not limited to, through reminders, which will not be elaborated on).

[0050] Step S6: After the user's identity is verified, only the driver's side door is unlocked, and when the preset conditions are met, the vehicle control authority is released to the current user.

[0051] Finally, it can be added that the preferred method of releasing the preset vehicle control permissions to the current user when the preset conditions are met includes:

[0052] Determine if the current user has entered the driver's seat (understandably, "sitting down" is a better entry state, but entering the driver's seat does not necessarily mean "sitting down");

[0053] If not, then only the control of the door hood is released to the current user (such as the opening and closing permissions of other doors, hood, and tailgate).

[0054] If so, control of the vehicle's normal functions is released to the current user. This means the current user is allowed to use the vehicle's functions normally, including but not limited to starting the vehicle.

[0055] In conjunction with the embodiments mentioned above, the present invention also provides an embodiment of a high-anti-theft intelligent unlocking system based on facial recognition. The system mainly includes: a camera. For the intelligent unlocking and door opening system based on facial recognition, the camera used for facial recognition is installed at a preset position on the B-pillar of the vehicle, at a distance of 25cm from the top of the vehicle (for example, on a certain D-class vehicle, it can be installed on the B-pillar at a distance of 25cm from the top of the vehicle). More preferably, in actual operation, the camera can be a spherical camera with a diameter of 2cm, an outer cover plate, and the ability to rotate 360 ​​degrees. It has 8 million pixels and infrared imaging night vision function.

[0056] The controller, specifically the vehicle body controller, is a component controller originally used in vehicles.

[0057] Antennas are used for transmitting and receiving signals to ensure the stability of signal transmission. Antennas are also the original vehicle control antennas.

[0058] The face recognition module is used for reading, writing, and converting facial image information.

[0059] The power management module is preferably composed of an intelligent power distribution box and a battery, and is shared with the original vehicle's intelligent power distribution box and battery.

[0060] The working principle of the above-mentioned intelligent door opening system can be referred to as follows:

[0061] The user is located in the external area near the B-pillar of the vehicle. They manually open the outer cover of the facial recognition hardware device (this step is not required if the outer cover is not closed), and manually touch the camera lens. The facial recognition device senses the external touch signal and transmits the signal to the controller via the antenna. The controller then controls the power management module to wake up the vehicle.

[0062] After the vehicle is woken up, the camera's face capture function is automatically activated. The face recognition module is used to read and write the captured face image information and convert it into processable face capture data. After the capture is completed, the image information is transmitted to the face recognition module, which processes it using algorithms before transmitting it to the controller for face data comparison. The controller is responsible for coordinating the entire system and processing the face capture data. Through the conversion of face capture data, the vehicle unlocking and anti-theft verification is realized. Specifically, after successful face comparison, the controller initiates anti-theft authentication according to the preset anti-theft authentication process. After the authentication handshake is completed, the controller issues an unlock and driver's side door opening command. The electric door on the driver's side automatically opens, and after the owner enters the vehicle, the vehicle control authority is conditionally released.

[0063] In summary, the main design concept of this invention lies in achieving intelligent door unlocking control solely through facial recognition technology. This is achieved through facial recognition verification and anti-theft authentication. Furthermore, based on secure facial unlocking, vehicle control and start permissions are precisely granted to the target user. The multi-round anti-theft authentication strategy, which embeds real-time scene and frame-by-frame facial interaction image recognition, significantly enhances the anti-theft level of facial recognition unlocking, preventing unauthorized individuals from using the owner's facial data to illegally unlock the vehicle. This invention does not rely on physical keys or communication tools, freeing car owners from the current inconvenience of relying on physical tools to unlock doors and vehicles, greatly improving the vehicle's intelligence level while ensuring vehicle security.

[0064] In this invention, when directional terms are mentioned, they are relative concepts based on the embodiments. Furthermore, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the existence of A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c can represent: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0065] The above description of the structure, features, and effects of the present invention is based on the embodiments shown in the figures. However, the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that the technical features involved in the above embodiments and their preferred methods can be reasonably combined and matched by those skilled in the art to form a variety of equivalent solutions without departing from or changing the design concept and technical effects of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the scope of implementation shown in the figures. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of the present invention, or modifications to equivalent embodiments, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and figures, should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-anti-theft vehicle intelligent unlocking control method based on facial recognition, characterized in that, include: After receiving the trigger signal provided by the current user on the outside of the vehicle, the face unlock function is activated; Once activated, the camera collects visual information about the vehicle's surroundings and facial images of people outside the vehicle. Facial and environmental compatibility authentication is performed based on the visual information surrounding the vehicle and the facial image information outside the vehicle. Only after the fit verification is passed, facial authenticity verification is performed based on the visual information around the vehicle and the facial image information outside the vehicle. User identity verification is performed based on the external facial image information only after the facial authenticity verification is passed; After successful user authentication, only the driver's side door is unlocked, and vehicle control is released to the current user when preset conditions are met.

2. The intelligent unlocking control method for high-anti-theft vehicles based on face recognition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The face and environment matching authentication includes: determining whether there is only a single person corresponding to the face image within a preset range around the vehicle.

3. The intelligent unlocking control method for high-anti-theft vehicles based on face recognition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The face authenticity authentication includes: analyzing key points of multiple continuously acquired face images frame by frame, and combining them with time-synchronized and corresponding multiple frames of surrounding environment images to determine the correlation between the face and the environment and the continuity of face movements.

4. The intelligent unlocking control method for high-anti-theft vehicles based on face recognition according to claim 3, characterized in that, The determination of the correlation between the face and the environment and the continuity of facial movements includes: combining the current ambient light and the wind direction indicated by surrounding objects to identify the light and shadow state and hair state of key facial points.

5. The intelligent unlocking control method for high-anti-theft vehicles based on face recognition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of releasing preset vehicle control permissions to the current user when preset conditions are met includes: Determine if the current user has entered the driver's seat; If not, then only control of the door hatch will be released to the current user; If so, then control of the vehicle's normal functions will be released to the current user.

6. The intelligent unlocking control method for high-anti-theft vehicles based on face recognition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The trigger signal includes: a manual touch signal detected by touch or vibration.

Images