Method for projecting a light pattern into the environment of a vehicle and access control system

Abstract

Method for projecting a light pattern (1) into the surroundings of a vehicle (2) using a lighting device (3) of the vehicle (2), wherein the light pattern (1) is designed to include a code, an optical reader (4) detects the light pattern (1), a computing unit (5) coupled to the reader (4) recognizes the code in the light pattern (1) and, depending on information described by the code, causes an action to be carried out, wherein the computing unit (5) is integrated into or coupled to an access control station (6), checks whether a code corresponding to the code described by the light pattern (1) can be found in a memory of the computing unit (5) and, if a corresponding code is found, causes an obstacle (8) controllable by the access control station (6) and blocking entry into an area (7) to be removed.so that the vehicle (2) can enter the area (7), or the obstacle (8) is left in the entrance to the area (7) if the computing unit (5) does not find a corresponding code in its memory, wherein a central computing device (9) generates the code and initially transmits it to the vehicle (2) and the computing unit (5), characterized in that the vehicle (2) automatically begins projecting the light pattern (1) into the environment when the vehicle (2) falls below a predetermined distance to the access control station (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for projecting a light pattern into the environment of a vehicle with a lighting device of the vehicle according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1 and to an access control system according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 9.

[0002] Garage door openers are generally known from the state of the art, for example through DE 10 2005 058 144 A1. For convenient opening, the motor for operating the garage door can be controlled by a radio remote control. This remote control can be carried in a vehicle, meaning that a user who wants to park their vehicle in the garage does not have to get out to open the garage door. However, a disadvantage is that the remote control must be carried in the vehicle and therefore takes up space or, as it slides around while driving, can make annoying noises. Furthermore, the garage door cannot be opened if the remote control is forgotten. Finally, the remote control can be stolen, giving unauthorized access to the garage.

[0003] Furthermore, access systems are known for areas separated from the public road network, such as private parking lots, parking garages, or company premises. Entering such an area typically requires passing through a barrier or a gatehouse. Cards containing an RFID chip can be used to identify vehicles authorized to enter the area. The disadvantages mentioned in connection with remote control systems also apply to these cards. Moreover, such chip cards can be easily copied. To read the RFID chip, the vehicle must also be stopped near a suitable reader. This makes it difficult for vehicles that are not permitted to stop, for example, if they are transporting a VIP and stopping would be too dangerous, to access the area.

[0004] Furthermore, automated toll stations are known where the license plate of a vehicle that has already paid the toll can be stored as an identifier. This plate is then captured at the toll station by a camera system. If the license plate is recognized, the vehicle is granted access to the toll road. However, a disadvantage of such systems is that they are particularly easy to circumvent. For example, it is sufficient for an attacker to copy the license plate of an authorized vehicle and affix it to their own vehicle.

[0005] A method for controlling a moving vehicle is also known from US patent 2022 / 0032874 A1. This method allows control of an autonomously controlled vehicle to be taken over using a mobile device such as a tablet computer, and enables the user to communicate to the vehicle which available parking space it should park in. To pair the mobile device with the vehicle, the vehicle projects a light pattern, similar to an optoelectronic code, into its surroundings, which is scanned by the mobile device. The mobile device then transmits the scanned information to the vehicle wirelessly or by displaying a corresponding optoelectronic code, which is subsequently read by the vehicle. If the mobile device transmits the correct light pattern to the vehicle, a pairing between the mobile device and the vehicle is established.

[0006] DE 10 2020 130 473 B3 also describes a method and a system for distance-dependent projection of image objects using HD matrix spotlights.

[0007] Furthermore, DE 10 2016 010 373 A1 discloses a method and a device for detecting the open state of a garage door.

[0008] Furthermore, a method for verifying a vehicle's access authorization and an access control system used for this purpose are disclosed in DE 10 2005 004 044 B3. The method involves the vehicle emitting a sequence of lights, which is detected by a recording device such as a camera. If the detected sequence of lights matches a stored sequence, the access control system grants access to an area, for example by opening a barrier.

[0009] The present invention is based on the objective of providing an improved method and corresponding system with which access control for entering an area can be carried out in a particularly simple, convenient, safe and reliable manner.

[0010] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method for projecting a light pattern into the surroundings of a vehicle with a vehicle lighting device having the features of claim 1, and an access control system configured for this purpose having the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are described in the dependent claims.

[0011] In a method for projecting a light pattern into the surroundings of a vehicle with a lighting device of the vehicle of the type mentioned above, the light pattern is designed such that it includes a code. An optical reader detects the light pattern, a computing unit coupled to the reader recognizes the code in the light pattern, and, depending on information described by the code, triggers an action. The computing unit is integrated into or coupled to an access control station, checks whether a code corresponding to the light pattern can be found in a memory of the computing unit, and, if a corresponding code is found, causes an obstacle blocking entry into an area, which is controllable by the access control station, to be removed so that the vehicle can enter the area.or the obstacle is left in the entrance to the area if the processing unit does not find a corresponding code in its memory, wherein a central computing device generates the code and initially transmits it to the vehicle and the processing unit. According to the invention, the vehicle automatically begins projecting the light pattern into its surroundings when the vehicle falls below a predetermined distance to the access control station.

[0012] The method according to the invention enables a particularly simple, convenient, secure, and reliable vehicle access control system for the area. This eliminates the need to carry any remote controls, chip cards, or other identification devices, thus preventing them from being lost or stolen. Furthermore, it prevents the reduced comfort of vehicle occupants caused by objects lying around in the vehicle interior. In addition, the light pattern is comparatively difficult to copy compared to, for example, a license plate.

[0013] The optical reader could, for example, be a camera. This could be permanently mounted at the entrance to the area and capture the immediate vicinity of the entrance. In particular, the optical reader can detect the light pattern while the vehicle is driving, enabling access control without the vehicle having to stop.

[0014] The obstacle blocking access to the area could be, for example, a barrier gate, a retractable hydraulic cylinder, a gate, a garage door, or similar. The area itself could be a garage, a private parking space (such as a private underground garage in a residential complex), company premises, or military base. The optical reader can be integrated into a garage or positioned within the garage area and, for example, detect light patterns projected by the vehicle onto a roadway or a vertical object like a wall. The obstacle could also be a virtual boundary, such as a geofence. In the case of a geofence, the vehicle or its user could face a penalty if it enters the area without permission.However, by means of the projected light pattern, the vehicle can convey to the access control station that permission to enter the area has been granted, thus allowing the vehicle (penalty-free) entry into the area.

[0015] The central computing unit can, for example, be a cloud server. The central computing unit generates the code, for example, after receiving a manual request from a vehicle user or an operator of the access control station, and transmits it accordingly, e.g., wirelessly, to the vehicle and the computing unit. To receive the code, the vehicle includes a telematics unit and a control unit suitable for managing the code and controlling the lighting system. A mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or the like can also be connected to the vehicle, with the mobile device communicating with the central computing unit. A corresponding app, configured to provide the functionality of the method according to the invention, can then be executed on the mobile device.The computing unit integrated into or coupled to the access control station can receive the encoding from the central computing facility, particularly via a wired connection, for example via the Internet.

[0016] In particular, the request to generate the code by the central computing unit includes a corresponding identifier for the respective vehicle and access control station. This allows the respective access control stations to be assigned to the corresponding vehicles authorized to enter the areas. The identifier of the respective vehicle and computing unit can also be determined by the central computing unit itself, depending on the specific use case.

[0017] The encoding generated by the central computing unit can be stored in the computing unit and in the vehicle (in the control unit) for a longer period of time and used each time for access control of the vehicle to the area.

[0018] The automatic projection of a light pattern into the surroundings when the vehicle falls below the specified distance to the access control station enables particularly convenient access control for the vehicle user. This eliminates the need for the vehicle user to perform any manual actions to gain access to the area.

[0019] The vehicle determines its distance to the access control station itself, for example, by comparing its position with the station's position on a digital map. The vehicle can determine its position based on a global navigation satellite system such as GPS, Galileo, Beidou, GLONASS, or similar systems. The vehicle or access control station may also be equipped with a transponder or corresponding receiver, enabling the vehicle to detect its approach. The vehicle may also have one or more cameras to capture its surroundings, and the resulting camera images are analyzed using image recognition algorithms. This allows the vehicle to identify characteristic features of the access control station, enabling it to pinpoint the exact station it is approaching.The vehicle then begins projecting the light pattern required to grant access to the respective access control station into the surrounding area.

[0020] Preferably, the central computing unit generates a new code before each vehicle enters the area and transmits it to the computing unit and the vehicle. This creates a particularly secure access control system, because even if an attacker captures a previously used light pattern and uses it for projection with their own vehicle, access will no longer be granted for that light pattern. Instead, the vehicle and access control station use a new, individual light pattern with a corresponding code for each access attempt.

[0021] The central computing unit can be manually instructed by a vehicle user to generate and transmit the code. For example, while stopped in front of the obstacle, the vehicle user can enter an action via the vehicle's human-machine interface or a mobile device connected to the vehicle, thereby instructing the central computing unit to generate and transmit the code. The transmission of a new code / light pattern can also be linked to the vehicle's initiation of the light pattern projection.

[0022] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the light pattern is implemented as an optoelectronic code. For example, one-dimensional barcodes or two-dimensional patterns such as matrix codes or QR codes are examples of optoelectronic codes. Such optoelectronic codes allow the integration of comparatively large amounts of data into relatively small light patterns. Furthermore, optoelectronic codes can be detected by the optical reader regardless of the orientation of the projected light pattern relative to the optical reader. This enables particularly reliable encoding recognition. The corresponding light pattern can be projected onto any surface, such as a road surface driven over by a vehicle or a vertical obstacle like a wall.In general, the light pattern could also be created, for example, by a flashing pattern, especially a Morse code. However, this has the disadvantage that a comparatively large amount of information needs to be transmitted, and the light pattern must be displayed for a relatively long time, which increases the time required to identify the vehicle.

[0023] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that at least one vehicle headlight is used to project the light pattern. Vehicle headlights are typically aligned ahead in the direction of travel of the vehicle and thus allow the light pattern to be projected onto a surface in front of the vehicle. Since the vehicle intends to enter an area, its front typically points towards the area, making a projection of the light pattern in front of the vehicle particularly suitable for detection by the optical reading device. A particularly sharp and bright light pattern can also be achieved by simultaneously projecting the light pattern with both vehicle headlights. In particular, the vehicle headlights are designed as so-called high-resolution matrix headlights. This enables the generation of a wide variety of light patterns with minimal effort.

[0024] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the light pattern includes at least a portion of wavelength components attributable to the infrared spectrum. Using infrared light to generate the light pattern has the advantage that people cannot perceive the pattern. This also means that people are not disturbed by the projected light pattern. Accordingly, the optical reading device is designed to detect infrared light. Simultaneously, lighting such as low beam or high beam can be activated, and the light pattern in the infrared spectrum can be emitted. This prevents the driver from being disturbed by the interruption of the low or high beam or from being temporarily unable to perceive their surroundings due to darkness.

[0025] Furthermore, a light pattern primarily generated in the visible spectrum may not be detected by the optical reader because it is masked by another light source, such as a particularly bright street light or even the sun. However, since other electrical lighting devices, such as the aforementioned street light, as well as sunlight, have little or no intensity in the infrared spectrum, a light pattern belonging to the infrared spectrum is difficult to mask, thus improving its detection by the optical reader.

[0026] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that the light pattern is projected into the environment for a shorter period than 100 ms, preferably shorter than 10 ms, and particularly preferably shorter than 1 ms. These are exceptionally short projection time windows, especially with a projection duration so short that it is imperceptible to humans. This also prevents people from being disturbed or impaired by the emission of the light pattern. Furthermore, projecting the light pattern with such a short projection time makes it more difficult for an attacker to copy the encoding, since the attacker must record an image of the light pattern precisely when it is emitted.

[0027] Preferably, the light pattern is projected into the environment several times in succession. For example, the light pattern can be pulsed into the environment at a specific frequency. To enable the optical reader to capture the light pattern, the vehicle's lighting system and the optical reader must be synchronized with respect to the projection frequency and sampling rate, depending on the projection duration. If the optical reader is, for example, a camera, its sampling rate will then coincide with the projection frequency, so that the camera records an image whenever the vehicle's lighting system projects the light pattern into the environment.

[0028] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that, during an authentication period, a sequence of at least two different light patterns is projected into the environment, and the processing unit grants access to the area if the sequence of light patterns detected by the reader corresponds to a sequence of light patterns read from the processing unit's memory. Accordingly, the sequence of light patterns is determined by the central processing unit and transmitted to the vehicle and the processing unit. A database of possible light patterns can be maintained in both the vehicle and the processing unit, which are then read out by the vehicle and the processing unit, respectively, depending on the sequence received from the central processing unit. This enables even more reliable and secure access control for the vehicle to the area.It is no longer sufficient for an attacker to simply copy a specific light pattern; the attacker must also know the sequence of the correct light patterns. In particular, a new sequence of light patterns can be determined by the central computer before each vehicle enters the area. This makes it even more difficult for the attacker to gain access to the area.

[0029] According to the invention, in an access control system comprising a central computing unit, a vehicle, at least one access control station, and a computing unit integrated into or coupled to each access control station, the respective components of the access control system are configured to carry out the method described above. The vehicle can be any type of vehicle, such as a car, truck, van, bus, construction machine, or the like.

[0030] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention also result from the exemplary embodiment, which is described in more detail below with reference to the figure.

[0031] The single figure shows a schematic top view of a vehicle, which is granted access to an area from an access control station by projecting a light pattern into the surroundings.

[0032] In Fig. 1. A vehicle 2 approaches an area 7, which is blocked by an access control station 6. The access control station 6 is, for example, a barrier, as shown, whose barrier arm forms an obstacle 8. The area 7 is, for example, a company premises.

[0033] Vehicle 2 includes a control unit 11 for controlling a lighting device 3 of vehicle 2, for example as in Fig. Figure 1 shows the two vehicle headlights 10. By means of the lighting device 3, a light pattern 1 is automatically projected into the vicinity of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 2 comes within a predetermined distance of the access control station 6. For example, the light pattern 1 is projected onto the ground in front of the vehicle 2 in the direction of travel.

[0034] Light pattern 1 includes a code that authorizes vehicle 2 to enter area 7. Light pattern 1 is implemented specifically as an optoelectronic code, for example as shown in Fig. 1 shown as a QR code.

[0035] The encoding can be implemented in a suitable manner; for example, the in Fig. The QR code shown, as depicted, includes an identifier of the access control station 6, the vehicle 2, and a validity period.

[0036] The light pattern 1 is detected by an optical reader 4, for example, a camera. This is also possible with a moving vehicle 2, as indicated by the arrow. Data generated by the optical reader 4 is evaluated by a processing unit 5. The processing unit 5 is able to recognize the encoding in the light pattern 1 and check whether a corresponding encoding is present in a memory of the processing unit 5. If this is the case, the processing unit 5 controls the access control station 6 to cause the removal of the obstacle 8, so that the vehicle 2 can enter the area 7.

[0037] The coding is generated by a central computing unit 9 and distributed by it to the vehicle 2 and the computing unit 5. To communicate with the central computing unit 9, the vehicle 2 includes, in particular, a wireless communication interface 12, such as a telematics unit. This is coupled to the control unit 11 in order to store the coding in the control unit 11.

[0038] For example, by entering a manual command into a human-machine interface, a user of vehicle 2 can trigger the generation of the code by the central computing unit 9. The central computing unit 9 then receives an identifier for the access control station 6 or the computing unit 5, as well as for vehicle 2. The respective vehicle 2 and the respective computing unit 5 then receive the code. Each time vehicle 2 arrives at the access control station 6, a new code can be generated and transmitted to vehicle 2 and computing unit 5.

[0039] The centralized management of the codes by the central computer unit 9 has the advantage that a user can easily and conveniently gain access to area 7, even if they change their vehicle 2. For example, the user can identify themselves at a particular vehicle 2 using a username and password or via an app running on a mobile device such as a smartphone. The central computer unit 9 then transmits the appropriate code to the vehicle 2 currently being used by the user. No other authorization objects, such as remote controls, transponders, keycards, or the like, need to be carried by the user. Furthermore, the use of light patterns 1 to identify a specific user or vehicle 2 via a code makes it more difficult for an attacker to gain access to area 7.

Claims

[1] Method for projecting a light pattern (1) into the environment of a vehicle (2) using a lighting device (3) of the vehicle (2), wherein the light pattern (1) is designed to include a code, an optical reader (4) detects the light pattern (1), a computing unit (5) coupled to the reader (4) recognizes the code in the light pattern (1) and, depending on information described by the code, causes an action to be carried out, wherein the computing unit (5) is integrated into or coupled to an access control station (6), checks whether a code corresponding to the code described by the light pattern (1) can be found in a memory of the computing unit (5) and, if a corresponding code is found, causes an obstacle (8) that is controllable by the access control station (6) and blocks entry into an area (7) to be removed,so that the vehicle (2) can enter the area (7), or the obstacle (8) is left in the entrance to the area (7) if the computing unit (5) does not find a corresponding code in memory, wherein a central computing device (9) generates the code and initially transmits it to the vehicle (2) and the computing unit (5), , characterized by , that the vehicle (2) automatically begins projecting the light pattern (1) into the surroundings when the vehicle (2) falls below a predetermined distance to the access control station (6). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the central computing unit (9) generates a new encoding before each entry of the vehicle (2) into the area (7) and transmits this to the computing unit (5) and the vehicle (2). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the light pattern (1) is implemented as an optoelectronic code. [4] Method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized by, that at least one vehicle headlight (10) is used to project the light pattern (1). [5] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the light pattern (1) includes at least some wavelength components attributable to the infrared spectrum. [6] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the light pattern (1) is projected into the environment for a period shorter than 100ms, preferably shorter than 10ms and particularly preferably shorter than 1ms. [7] Method according to claim 6, characterized by , that the light pattern (1) is thrown into the environment several times in succession. [8] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by, that during an authentication period a sequence of at least two different light patterns (1) is projected into the environment and the computing unit (5) grants access to the area (7) if the sequence of light patterns (1) detected by the reader (4) corresponds to a sequence of light patterns (1) read from the memory of the computing unit (5). [9] Access control system comprising a central computing unit (9), a vehicle (2), at least one access control station (6) and a computing unit (5) integrated into or coupled to the access control station (6), characterized by a device for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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