Vehicle Driver Identification Using Biometric Authentication Priority

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies struggle to accurately identify the driver of a vehicle, particularly when multiple users share a communication terminal or biometric data, leading to potential misidentification.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that prioritizes biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and face recognition, over communication terminal authentication to enhance driver identification accuracy, utilizing a controller to integrate data from both methods and adapt vehicle settings accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If communication terminal authentication is used for driver identification, then ease of operation is improved, but driver identification accuracy deteriorates when multiple users share a terminal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddriver identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication system is segmented into two independent components: communication terminal authentication and biometric authentication. This segmentation allows each method to be evaluated separately and combined through priority rules, resolving the contradiction by using biometric authentication to verify the actual driver when terminal sharing occurs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Biometric authentication serves as an intermediary verification layer between terminal authentication and driver identification. When terminal authentication succeeds but driver accuracy is questionable (shared terminal scenario), biometric authentication mediates to confirm the actual driver identity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If biometric authentication is prioritized over communication terminal authentication, then driver identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver identification accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication priority is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system automatically adjusts authentication methodology based on real-time conditions: using biometric authentication when terminal sharing is detected, and terminal authentication when no sharing is detected. This dynamic adaptation improves accuracy without permanently increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different authentication methods are applied to different situations locally. Biometric authentication is applied specifically to the driver's body (fingerprint, face), while terminal authentication is applied to the communication device. This localized application of quality ensures high accuracy for driver identification while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4151474B1Information processing apparatus and information processing method
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4151474B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4151474B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4151474B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing apparatus (107) has a controller configured to identify a driver of a vehicle (10) on the basis of at least one of the results of first authentication based on a first part of the living body of a user and second authentication based on a user device (20). The controller gives higher priority to the result of first authentication than the result of second authentication in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle (10). The user device (20) may include a first communication terminal (21-22) capable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle (10) and a second communication terminal (23) incapable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle (10). The controller gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal (21-22) than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal (23).