Vehicle door control device, method, and program

Abstract

The present invention enables the accurate control of a door which a user wishes to control on the basis of the gaze of the user. A gaze detection means (11) detects the gaze of the user on the basis of an image in which the user is captured. A determination means (12) determines whether the user is looking at a region corresponding to a specific door for at least a prescribed duration on the basis of the detected gaze of the user. An authentication means (13) uses the image in which the user is captured to authenticate the user. A door control means (14) unlocks the specific door if it has been determined that the user has looked at the region corresponding to the specific door for at least the prescribed duration and if the user authentication has been successful.

Description

Vehicle door control device, method, and computer-readable medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle door control device, a method, and a computer-readable medium.

[0002] As a related technique, Patent Document 1 discloses a smart entry system. In the smart entry system described in Patent Document 1, a user approaches a vehicle while carrying an electronic key. An electronic key authentication device installed inside the vehicle communicates wirelessly with the electronic key carried by the user and authenticates the electronic key. A camera installed inside the vehicle captures an image of the user carrying the electronic key. The user directs their gaze toward an area corresponding to the door they wish to select from multiple areas pre-defined for each door in the vehicle. A computing device detects the user's gaze from the image captured by the camera and determines the door selected by the user based on the detected gaze. A door unlocking device unlocks the door selected by the user.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-2095

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the door unlocking device unlocks the door corresponding to the area where the user directs their gaze. The user can select the desired door depending on the area where the user directs their gaze. However, the user's gaze may fluctuate while walking, and the user may not be able to accurately specify the door they want to open.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle door control device, method, and computer-readable medium that can accurately control the door that a user wants to control based on the user's line of sight.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides, as a first aspect, a vehicle door control device including: gaze detection means for detecting a gaze of a user attempting to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image captured of the user; determination means for determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer based on the detected gaze; authentication means for authenticating the user using the image; and door control means for unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and the user has been successfully authenticated.

[0007] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a vehicle door control method, which includes detecting a line of sight of a user attempting to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image captured of the user, determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer based on the detected line of sight, authenticating the user using the image, and unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and the user has been successfully authenticated.

[0008] In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a processor to execute a process including detecting a line of sight of a user about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image captured of the user, determining whether the user has looked at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer based on the detected line of sight, authenticating the user using the image, and unlocking the specific door if it is determined that the user has looked at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and the user has been successfully authenticated.

[0009] The vehicle door control device, method, and computer-readable medium according to the present disclosure can accurately control the door that the user wants to control based on the user's line of sight.

[0010] A block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle door control device according to the present disclosure. A block diagram showing a vehicle door control device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. A schematic diagram showing a vehicle and an area toward which a user's line of sight is directed. A flowchart showing an operation procedure of a vehicle-controlled door device. A block diagram showing a vehicle control device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. A block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the vehicle control device.

[0011] Prior to describing embodiments of the present disclosure, an overview of the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a vehicle door control device according to the present disclosure. The vehicle door control device 10 includes a line-of-sight detection unit 11, a determination unit 12, an authentication unit 13, and a door control unit 14.

[0012] The gaze detection means 11 detects the gaze of a person about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors, i.e., a user, based on an image of the user. The determination means 12 determines, based on the gaze detected by the gaze detection means 11, whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door among the multiple doors of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0013] The authentication means authenticates the user using an image of the user attempting to get into the vehicle. The door control means unlocks the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and when the user has been successfully authenticated.

[0014] In the present disclosure, if a user looks at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and if the user has been successfully authenticated, the door control unit 14 unlocks the specific door. In the present disclosure, the door corresponding to the area the user looked at for a predetermined period of time or more is controlled, thereby reducing the possibility of controlling a door other than the door the user wants to open. Therefore, the vehicle door control device 10 according to the present disclosure can accurately control the door the user wants to control based on the user's line of sight.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate for clarity of explanation. In addition, in each drawing, the same or similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle door control device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle door control device 100 includes an occupant detection unit 101, a line-of-sight detection unit 102, a door determination unit 103, a face authentication unit 104, and a door control unit 105. The vehicle door control device 100 may be physically configured as a device including, for example, one or more memories and one or more processors. At least a portion of the functions of each unit in the vehicle door control device 100 may be realized by the one or more processors operating in accordance with instructions read from the one or more memories. The vehicle door control device 100 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle. The vehicle door control device 100 corresponds to the vehicle door control device 10 shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] The occupant detection unit 101 acquires a camera image from the camera 130. The camera 130 is mounted on a vehicle and captures an image of the area around the vehicle. The camera 130 captures an image of a person who is about to get into the vehicle, i.e., an occupant, around the vehicle. The occupant of the vehicle is also called a user. The camera 130 may be embedded in, for example, a B-pillar of the vehicle, i.e., a pillar between the front door and the rear door.

[0018] 2 illustrates only one camera 130, the number of cameras 130 is not limited to one. The occupant detection unit 101 may acquire camera images from each of the multiple cameras 130. For example, the occupant detection unit 101 may acquire camera images from a camera that captures an area on the left side of the vehicle, a camera that captures an area on the right side of the vehicle, and a camera that captures an area behind the vehicle.

[0019] The occupant detection unit 101 uses a camera image to detect a user who is about to get into the vehicle. For example, the occupant detection unit 101 extracts a face image or a face area of ​​a person near the vehicle from the camera image. When a face image or a face area is extracted, the occupant detection unit 101 determines that a user has been detected. The gaze detection unit 102 detects the gaze of the user detected by the occupant detection unit 101 based on the camera image. For example, the gaze detection unit 102 detects the user's eyes from an image of the face area in the camera image, i.e., the face image, and detects the direction in which the user's eyes are facing. Any known algorithm may be used for gaze detection. The gaze detection unit 102 corresponds to the gaze detection means 11 shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] The vehicle has a plurality of doors 150. The vehicle is also provided with a plurality of areas corresponding to the plurality of doors 150. The door determination unit 103 determines whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer, based on the user's line of sight detected by the line of sight detection unit 102. If the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer, the door determination unit 103 determines the specific door as a door to be controlled. In other words, the door determination unit 103 determines the door corresponding to an area onto which the user's line of sight has been directed for a predetermined period of time or longer as a door to be controlled. The door determination unit 103 corresponds to the determination means 12 shown in FIG. 1 .

[0021] 3 schematically illustrates a vehicle and a user's line of sight. In this example, the user is approaching the vehicle 200 from the right side of the vehicle 200. The line of sight detection unit 102 detects the line of sight of the user 210 based on a camera image. For example, if the user 210 wants to open a front door, the user 210 is likely to look at the front door while approaching the vehicle 200. Furthermore, if the user 210 wants to open a rear door, the user 210 is likely to look at the rear door. If the user 210 wants to open the trunk or rear hatch, the user 210 is likely to look at the trunk or rear hatch.

[0022] When the user 210's gaze is directed toward a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer, the door determination unit 103 identifies the door in the gaze direction as the door that the user 210 wants to open. For example, when the user's gaze is directed toward an area 211 corresponding to a front door for a predetermined period of time or longer, the door determination unit 103 determines the front door as the door to be controlled. When the user's gaze is directed toward an area 212 corresponding to a rear door for a predetermined period of time or longer, the door determination unit 103 determines the rear door as the door to be controlled. When the user's gaze is directed toward an area 213 corresponding to a trunk or a rear hatch for a predetermined period of time or longer, the door determination unit 103 determines the trunk or the rear hatch as the door to be controlled.

[0023] 3 illustrates an example in which the user 210 on the right side of the vehicle 200 opens the right door of the vehicle, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. Areas corresponding to the right door and the left door of the vehicle may be set on the right side of the vehicle. In this case, the door determination unit 103 may determine the right door or the left door as the door to be controlled depending on the area to which the user's gaze is directed. The number of doors to be controlled is not necessarily limited to one, and the door determination unit 103 may determine multiple doors as doors to be controlled when the user's gaze is directed toward a certain area for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0024] The door determination unit 103 may change the predetermined time period depending on the orientation of the user's face in the camera image. The ease of gaze detection or the accuracy of gaze detection may change depending on the orientation of the user's face relative to the camera 130. For example, when the user's face is significantly tilted relative to the camera 130, the accuracy of gaze direction detection is considered to be lower than when the user's face is directly facing the camera 130. The door determination unit 103 may set the predetermined time period longer when the user's face is facing a direction in which the accuracy of gaze direction detection is low than when the user's face is facing a direction in which the accuracy of gaze direction detection is high.

[0025] Instead of or in addition to changing the predetermined time period according to the face direction, the door determination unit 103 may change the predetermined time period according to the distance between the user and the vehicle. Because the image of the user in a camera image becomes smaller as the distance increases, it is considered that the ease or accuracy of gaze direction detection decreases as the distance increases. When the distance between the user and the vehicle is long and therefore the accuracy of gaze direction detection is expected to be low, the door determination unit 103 may set the predetermined time period longer than when the distance is short. The distance between the user and the vehicle may be estimated from the camera image or may be measured separately using a sensor capable of measuring distance, such as a light detection and ranging (LiDAR). Changing the predetermined time period according to the face direction and / or distance allows the predetermined time period to be appropriately set according to the ease or accuracy of gaze detection, which changes depending on the face direction and distance. Therefore, it is considered that the door determination unit 103 can more accurately determine the door to be controlled.

[0026] The face authentication unit 104 authenticates the user detected by the occupant detection unit 101. In this embodiment, the face authentication unit 104 authenticates the user through face authentication using a camera image from the camera 130. For example, the face authentication unit 104 registers face images of people permitted to ride in the vehicle or feature amounts extracted from the face images. The face authentication unit 104 compares the face image included in the camera image or the feature amounts extracted from the face image with the registered face image or feature amounts. The face authentication unit 104 calculates a matching score indicating the similarity between the face image included in the camera image or the feature amounts extracted from the face image and the registered face image or feature amounts. If the matching score is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the face authentication unit 104 determines that the user's face has been successfully authenticated. The face authentication unit 104 corresponds to the authentication means 13 shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] The door control unit 105 unlocks the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at an area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and when the user's face has been successfully authenticated. In other words, when the user's face has been successfully authenticated by the face authentication unit 104, the door control unit 105 unlocks the door that has been determined by the door determination unit 103 to be the door to be controlled. The door control unit 105 corresponds to the door control means 14 shown in FIG. 1 .

[0028] For example, if the user has been looking at an area corresponding to the front door for a predetermined period of time or longer and the user's face authentication has been successful, the door control unit 105 unlocks the front door. The door control unit 105 may not only unlock the door but also open the door. For example, if the door is an electric sliding door, the door control unit 105 sends a control signal to a controller such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the electric sliding door, and controls a motor that drives the electric sliding door. For example, if the door is a hinged door, the door control unit 105 may leave the door half-open via some mechanism.

[0029] In this embodiment, when a user approaches a vehicle, the door determination unit 103 may determine whether the user looks at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer after the distance between the user and the vehicle becomes within a first distance. In other words, the door determination unit 103 may determine a door to be controlled when the user approaches the vehicle to the first distance. Similarly, the face authentication unit 104 may authenticate the user by face authentication after the distance between the user and the vehicle becomes within the first distance. The determination of a door to be controlled by the door determination unit 103 and the face authentication by the face authentication unit 104 may be performed in parallel. Furthermore, the door control unit 105 may control a door after the distance between the user and the vehicle becomes within a second distance shorter than the first distance.

[0030] For example, the door determination unit 103 and the face authentication unit 104 may determine the door to be controlled and perform face authentication when the user approaches within 5 m of the vehicle, and the door control unit 105 may control the door when the user approaches within 1 m of the vehicle. In this case, the determination of the door to be controlled and face authentication can be completed by the time the user approaches the vehicle, and the door can be unlocked after the user has sufficiently approached the vehicle.

[0031] Next, the operation procedure will be described. Fig. 4 shows the operation procedure of the vehicle door control device 100. The operation procedure of the vehicle door control device 100 corresponds to a vehicle door control method. The occupant detection unit 101 detects a user around the vehicle based on a camera image from the camera 130 (step S1). The face authentication unit 104 performs face authentication on the user detected in step S1 (step S2).

[0032] The gaze detection unit 102 determines whether the distance between the user and the vehicle is within a first distance (step S3). If the gaze detection unit 102 determines in step S3 that the distance between the user and the vehicle is within the first distance, the gaze detection unit 102 detects the gaze of the user detected in step S1 (step S4). Steps S2 and S4 may be performed either first or in parallel. Furthermore, if face authentication fails in step S2, the processes from step S3 onwards may not be performed.

[0033] The door determination unit 103 determines whether the user's gaze is directed toward an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined time or longer in the gaze detection unit 102 (step S5). If it is determined in step S5 that the user's gaze is not directed toward an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined time or longer, the process returns to step S4, where the user's gaze is detected. If it is determined in step S5 that the user's gaze is directed toward an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined time or longer, the door determination unit 103 determines that the specific door is the door to be controlled (step S6).

[0034] The door control unit 105 determines whether the distance between the user and the vehicle is within a second distance (step S7). If the door control unit 105 determines in step S7 that the distance between the user and the vehicle is within the second distance and if the face authentication was successful in step S2, the door control unit 105 controls the door determined in step S6 (step S8). In step S8, the door control unit 105 unlocks, for example, the door determined to be the door to be controlled. If the face authentication was unsuccessful in step S2, the door control unit 105 does not control the door.

[0035] In this embodiment, the line-of-sight detection unit 102 detects the user's line of sight, and if the user's line of sight is directed toward an area corresponding to a specific door, the door determination unit 103 determines that door as the door to be controlled. If the user's face is successfully authenticated by the face authentication unit 104, the door control unit 105 unlocks the door determined by the door determination unit 103 as the door to be controlled. In this embodiment, the door corresponding to the area the user has been looking at for a predetermined period of time or more is controlled. Therefore, the door determination unit 103 can correctly determine the door the user wants to open, and the door control unit 105 can unlock the door the user wants to open.

[0036] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 5 shows a vehicle door control device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle door control device 100a according to this embodiment includes a biometric determination unit 106 in addition to the configuration of the vehicle door control device 100 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2. When a user is moving toward the vehicle, the biometric determination unit 106 determines whether the user's face in the camera image is a biometric face based on the camera image of the camera 130. For example, the biometric determination unit 106 determines whether the user's face in the camera image is an artificial object such as a photograph, or the user's own face. The biometric determination unit 106 is also referred to as a biometric determination means.

[0037] For example, when a user is walking toward a vehicle and approaches the vehicle while looking at a specific door, the user's line of sight is considered to change as the distance between the user and the vehicle changes. On the other hand, when a person who does not have the authority to use the vehicle approaches the vehicle while holding up a photo of the user's face, the user's line of sight detected from the camera image is considered to remain constant even when the distance changes. The biometric determination unit 106 can determine whether the user's face in the camera image is a biometric face based on the change in the user's line of sight as the user moves.

[0038] For example, when a user walks toward a vehicle, the biometric determination unit 106 determines whether the line of sight detected by the line of sight detection unit 102 changes in accordance with a change in the distance between the user and the vehicle. Based on the result of this determination, the biometric determination unit 106 determines whether the user's face is a living person's face. When the user's line of sight detected as the user moves changes, the biometric determination unit 106 determines that the user's face in the camera image is a living person's face. When the user's line of sight does not change, the biometric determination unit 106 determines that the user's face in the camera image is not a living person's face.

[0039] Instead of or in addition to determining whether the face in the camera image is a living face based on a change in the line of sight, the biometric determination unit 106 may determine whether the face in the camera image is a living face based on the movement of the user's torso and the movement of the face in the camera image. The biometric determination unit 106, for example, detects the up and down movement of the user's face area in the camera image and the up and down movement of the user's torso area in the camera image. The biometric determination unit 106 determines whether the up and down movement of the face area is linked to the up and down movement of the torso area.

[0040] For example, when a person approaches a vehicle holding up a photo of the user's face, the area of ​​the face in the camera image and the area of ​​the torso, i.e., the area below the neck, which is the living body, are not moving in tandem, and are likely to move unnaturally. If the up and down movement of the area of ​​the user's face in the camera image is linked to the up and down movement of the area of ​​the user's torso in the camera image, the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the face in the camera image is a living body. If the up and down movement of the area of ​​the user's face in the camera image is not linked to the up and down movement of the area of ​​the user's torso in the camera image, the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the face in the camera image is not a living body.

[0041] In this embodiment, if the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the user's face in the camera image is not a biometric face, the face authentication unit 104 determines that user authentication has failed. Alternatively, if the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the user's face in the camera image is not a biometric face, the face authentication unit 104 may not perform face authentication. In this embodiment, if the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the user's face in the camera image is not a biometric face, face authentication in the face authentication unit 104 is not successful. Therefore, the door control unit 105 does not control the door.

[0042] In this embodiment, the biometrics determination unit 106 determines whether the user's face in the camera image is a living body face. If the biometrics determination unit 106 determines that the face is not a living body face, the face authentication unit 104 does not succeed in authenticating the user's face. This prevents malicious individuals from impersonating the user using a user's facial photograph, thereby improving security. Other effects are the same as those described in the first embodiment.

[0043] Next, the hardware configuration of the vehicle door control device 100 will be described. Fig. 6 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the vehicle door control device 100. The vehicle door control device 100 has a processor (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 501, a ROM (read only memory) 502, and a RAM (random access memory) 503. In the vehicle door control device 100, the processor 501, the ROM 502, and the RAM 503 are connected to each other via a bus 504. Although not shown, the vehicle door control device 100 may include other circuits such as peripheral circuits, communication circuits, and interface circuits.

[0044] The ROM 502 is a non-volatile storage device. For example, a semiconductor storage device with a relatively small capacity, such as a flash memory, is used as the ROM 502. The ROM 502 stores the programs executed by the processor 501.

[0045] The program includes instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable media or tangible storage media include RAM, ROM, flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), Blu-ray discs or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The program may also be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable media or communication media include electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0046] The RAM 503 is a volatile storage device. Various semiconductor memory devices such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM) are used for the RAM 503. The RAM 503 can be used as an internal buffer for temporarily storing data and the like.

[0047] The processor 501 loads a program stored in the ROM 502 into the RAM 503 and executes the program. When the CPU 501 executes the program, the functions of each unit in the vehicle door control device 100 can be realized.

[0048] The vehicle door control device 100 does not necessarily have to be a single device. The vehicle door control device 100 may be configured using multiple physically separated devices. Furthermore, all functions of the vehicle door control device 100 do not necessarily have to be installed in the vehicle. For example, in the vehicle door control device 100, at least one of the line-of-sight detection unit 102, the door determination unit 103, and the face authentication unit 104 may be arranged outside the vehicle. In this case, the functional unit arranged in the vehicle and the functional unit arranged outside the vehicle may transmit and receive information via a wireless communication network.

[0049] The above describes the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments that do not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure are also included in the present disclosure.

[0050] For example, some or all of the above embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0051] [Supplementary Note 1] A vehicle door control device comprising: a gaze detection means for detecting the gaze of a user who is about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors, based on an image captured of the user; a determination means for determining whether the user is looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer, based on the detected gaze; an authentication means for authenticating the user using the image; and a door control means for unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and when the user is successfully authenticated.

[0052] [Supplementary Note 2] The vehicle door control device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the determining unit changes the predetermined time period depending on a direction of the face of the user in the image.

[0053] [Supplementary Note 3] The vehicle door control device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the determination unit changes the predetermined time period depending on a distance between the user and the vehicle.

[0054] [Supplementary Note 4] The vehicle door control device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, wherein the determination means determines whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer after the distance between the user and the vehicle has become within a first distance, and the door control means unlocks the specific door after the distance between the user and the vehicle has become within a second distance that is shorter than the first distance.

[0055] [Supplementary Note 5] The vehicle door control device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4, wherein the authentication unit authenticates the user by facial recognition.

[0056] [Appendix 6] The vehicle door control device according to Appendix 5, further comprising a biometric determination means for determining whether the face of the user in the image is a biological face based on the image when the user is moving towards the vehicle, and the authentication means fails to authenticate the user if it is determined that the face of the user in the image is not a biological face.

[0057] [Appendix 7] The vehicle door control device described in Appendix 6, wherein the biometric determination means determines whether the detected line of sight has changed as the distance between the user and the vehicle has changed, and determines whether the user's face in the image is a biometric face based on the result of the determination.

[0058] [Appendix 8] The vehicle door control device according to appendix 6 or 7, wherein the biometric determination means determines whether the user's face in the image is a biometric face based on the movement of the user's torso in the image and the movement of the user's face in the image.

[0059] [Appendix 9] The vehicle door control device described in Appendix 8, wherein the biometric determination means determines whether the up and down movement of the user's face area in the image is linked to the up and down movement of the user's torso area in the image, and determines whether the user's face in the image is a biometric face based on the result of the determination.

[0060] [Supplementary Note 10] A vehicle door control method comprising: detecting a line of sight of a user attempting to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image of the user; determining based on the detected line of sight whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer; authenticating the user using the image; and unlocking the specific door if it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and if the user is successfully authenticated.

[0061] [Supplementary Note 11] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a processor to execute a process including: detecting a line of sight of a user about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors, based on an image of the user; determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer, based on the detected line of sight; authenticating the user using the image; and unlocking the specific door if it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer and the user has been successfully authenticated.

[0062] 10: Vehicle door control device 11: Line of sight detection means 12: Determination means 13: Authentication means 14: Door control means 100: Vehicle door control device 101: Occupant detection unit 102: Line of sight detection unit 103: Door determination unit 104: Face authentication unit 105: Door control unit 106: Biometric determination unit 130: Camera 150: Door 200: Vehicle 210: User 211-213: Area 501: Processor 502: ROM 503: RAM 504: Bus

Claims

1. a line-of-sight detection means for detecting a line of sight of a user who is about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors, based on an image of the user; a determining means for determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or more based on the detected line of sight; authentication means for authenticating the user using the image; A vehicle door control device comprising: a door control means for unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and when the user has been successfully authenticated.

2. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1 , wherein the determining unit changes the predetermined time period depending on a direction of the user's face in the image.

3. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1 , wherein the determining unit changes the predetermined time period depending on a distance between the user and the vehicle.

4. the determination means determines whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or longer after the distance between the user and the vehicle has become within a first distance; 3. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1, wherein the door control means unlocks the specific door after the distance between the user and the vehicle becomes within a second distance that is shorter than the first distance.

5. The vehicle door control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the authentication unit authenticates the user by facial recognition.

6. a liveness determination unit that determines, when the user is moving toward the vehicle, whether or not the face of the user in the image is a live face, based on the image; The vehicle door control device according to claim 5 , wherein the authentication unit fails to authenticate the user when it is determined that the face of the user in the image is not a biological face.

7. 7. The vehicle door control device according to claim 6, wherein the biometric determination means determines whether the detected line of sight has changed as the distance between the user and the vehicle has changed, and determines whether the user's face in the image is a biometric face based on the result of the determination.

8. The vehicle door control device according to claim 6, wherein the biometric determination means determines whether the face of the user in the image is a biometric face based on a movement of the user's torso in the image and a movement of the user's face in the image.

9. Detecting a line of sight of a user who is about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image of the user; determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or more based on the detected line of sight; authenticating the user using the image; A vehicle door control method comprising unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and when the user has been successfully authenticated.

10. Detecting a line of sight of a user who is about to get into a vehicle having multiple doors based on an image of the user; determining whether the user has been looking at an area corresponding to a specific door for a predetermined period of time or more based on the detected line of sight; authenticating the user using the image; A program for causing a processor to execute processing including unlocking the specific door when it is determined that the user has been looking at the area corresponding to the specific door for a predetermined period of time or more and when the user has been successfully authenticated.