Iris-detection alignment for vehicle feature activation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10300889-B2
Application number	US-201715699566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for iris-detection alignment for vehicle entry and feature activation. An example vehicle includes a window, a camera facing the window, a puddle lamp to project an indicator pointing toward the camera, a UV source, and a controller. The controller is to project, via the UV source, a display onto the window upon detecting a user aligns with the indicator. The controller also is to provide directions to the user, via the display, to position an iris in front of the camera and activate a vehicle feature upon identifying the user via iris recognition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a window;
a camera facing the window;
a puddle lamp to project an indicator pointing toward the camera;
a UV source; and
a controller to:
project, via the UV source, a display onto the window upon detecting a user aligns with the indicator;
provide directions to the user, via the display, to position an iris in front of the camera; and
activate a vehicle feature upon identifying the user via iris recognition.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the indicator projected by the puddle lamp includes footprints that are directed toward the camera.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the camera captures images to enable the controller to detect when the user aligns with the indicator.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a sideview mirror adjacent to the window, the puddle lamp being positioned on the sideview mirror.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , further including a second camera that is positioned on the sideview mirror and is configured to capture images to enable the controller to detect when the user aligns with the indicator.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle feature activated by the controller includes unlocking a door to facilitate vehicle entry for the user.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle feature activated by the controller includes initiating a setting that corresponds to the user.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the window includes a UV ink layer that reflects UV light projected by the UV source onto the window to create the display on the window.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the display projected onto the window includes at least one of a set of eyes and a line of indicators that direct the user in positioning the iris in front of the camera.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller changes a color of the set of eyes to indicate to the user that the iris is in position for iris recognition.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including speakers that emit audible directions to the user for positioning the iris in front of the camera.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a communication module configured to communicate with a key fob of the user via a wireless personal area network.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the puddle lamp projects the indicator in response to the controller detecting, via the communication module, that the key fob of the user is nearby.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a door handle adjacent to the window.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller projects, via the UV source, a keypad onto the window in response to detecting that the user has grasped the door handle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the controller:
opens a door to facilitate vehicle entry in response to receiving a first code via the keypad; and
provides the directions to position the iris in response to receiving a second code via the keypad.

17. A method comprising:
projecting, via a puddle lamp, an indicator pointing toward a vehicle camera that captures images through a vehicle window;
projecting, via a UV source, a display onto the vehicle window upon detecting that a user aligns with the indicator;
providing directions to the user, via the display, to position an iris in front of the vehicle camera; and
activating, via a processor, a vehicle feature upon identifying the user via iris recognition.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the directions to position the iris in front of the vehicle camera includes projecting at least one of a set of eyes and a line of indicators onto the vehicle window.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the puddle lamp projects the indicator in response to detecting, via a communication module, a key fob of the user.

20. The method of claim 17 , further including:
projecting, via the UV source, a keypad onto the vehicle window in response to detecting that the user has grasped a door handle;
opening a door in response to receiving a first code via the keypad; and
providing the directions to position the iris in response to receiving a second code via the keypad.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Greenberg Jeffrey Allen
• Hassani Ali
• Van Wiemeersch John Robert

Classifications

• B60Q1/2665

  on rear-view mirrors (lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258) · CPC title

• B60R25/24

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title

• B60Q1/24

  for lighting other areas than only the way ahead · CPC title

• B60Q5/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices · CPC title

• G06K9/00617

  Physics · mapped topic