Virtual Vehicle Keypad Access with Deviation-Contour Gesture Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle security systems face challenges in providing secure and cost-effective access methods that allow users to share access codes without relying on physical keys or biometric data, which can be inconvenient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A camera-based vehicle entry system that allows users to customize a virtual keypad using arbitrary touchpoints on or near the vehicle, utilizing preexisting features or decals, and tracks sequences of touchpoints to encode a security key, ensuring distinctness and repeatability through repeated trials and deviation contour analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a physical keypad is positioned on the exterior of a vehicle to provide secure access, then security functionality is achieved, but hardware costs, wiring requirements, installation complexity, and warranty concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of a physical keypad on the vehicle's exterior surface using projected imagery. This virtual keypad replicates the security functionality of a physical keypad without requiring actual physical keys, wiring, or hardware installation. The system captures images of the virtual keypad display and processes touch gestures as if interacting with a physical device, thereby achieving security access while eliminating hardware complexity.
2Reliability
If biometric data such as facial recognition is used for vehicle access, then security is enhanced, but user convenience decreases when the owner is unavailable or biometric identification fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shared secret code as an intermediary authentication mechanism between biometric systems and traditional key-based access. This mediator allows authorized users to bypass biometric requirements when needed, enabling flexible access scenarios such as when the owner is unavailable or when sharing access with others. The system accepts this intermediate form of authentication to maintain both security and convenience.
3Ease of operation
If predefined hand gestures are used for vehicle access, then keyless entry is achieved, but user education requirements increase and detection accuracy decreases due to gesture variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent requires users to perform a series of preliminary gesture trials during setup to establish their personal gesture patterns before actual authentication begins. The system captures and analyzes multiple trial gestures to create personalized baseline data for each user, accounting for individual variations in gesture execution. This preliminary action enables the system to accurately recognize and differentiate between authorized users based on their established patterns, thereby improving detection accuracy without requiring users to learn complex predefined gestures.
4Device complexity
If a virtual keypad is projected onto a vehicle surface to avoid hardware costs, then hardware complexity is reduced, but ensuring distinct and repeatable touchpoint sequences becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system captures images of the user's touch gestures on the virtual keypad and analyzes the touchpoint sequences. During setup, the system provides feedback to the user about whether their gesture sequences are sufficiently distinct and repeatable. The image processing algorithms evaluate the clarity and consistency of detected touchpoints, allowing the system to validate that the virtual keypad interactions meet required precision thresholds before enabling authentication.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable and secure vehicle access by allowing users to define custom touchpoint sequences that are distinct and repeatable, reducing costs associated with physical keypads and improving user convenience by eliminating the need for biometric data or complex gestures.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor configured to capture real-time images according to a predetermined field of view from the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Access to a vehicle is controlled by detecting gestures pointing to a virtual keypad. A setup mode preconfigures a sequence of touchpoints as a security key, wherein an administrant performs a timed series of distinct gestures according to a chosen number and location of touchpoints which are detected by the vehicle using captured real-time images. Touchpoints during a plurality of repetition trials provide respective sets of datapoints for each one of the distinct gestures in the series. A respective deviation contour is determined for each respective set and then expanded to represent regions of validity for respective touchpoints corresponding to the sequence of touchpoints. The expanded deviation contours are accepted as defining the sequence of touchpoints for the security key if there is no overlap between any expanded deviation contours to complete the setup mode.