System and method for authenticating user of robotaxi

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11587379-B2
Application number	US-202117366372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2020
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

Abstract

An embodiment system for authenticating a user of a robotaxi includes a smart phone configured to request an authentication of the user based on a digital key, an authentication server configured to create a first authentication number, transmit the first authentication number to the smart phone, receive a second authentication number from the robotaxi when the authentication using the digital key fails, and request unlocking of a door to the robotaxi when the first authentication number and the second authentication number match, and the robotaxi configured to receive the second authentication number from the user, transmit the second authentication number to the authentication server, and unlock the door in response to the request from the authentication server.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for authenticating a user of a robotaxi, the system comprising:
an authentication server configured to:
authenticate the user based on reference biometric information of the user and biometric information transmitted from the robotaxi;
create a first authentication number in case of a normal user;
receive a second authentication number from the robotaxi; and
request unlocking of a door to the robotaxi when the first authentication number and the second authentication number match; and

the robotaxi, which includes a call button located on an exterior of the robotaxi, configured to:
receive a call request for a voice call with a service associate of a customer service center in response a user input to the call button;
provide the voice call with the service associate in the customer service center in response to the call request;
acquire the biometric information of the user;
transmit the biometric information of the user to the authentication server;
receive the second authentication number from the user;
transmit the second authentication number to the authentication server; and
unlock the door in response to the request from the authentication server.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the call button is located on a B pillar of the robotaxi.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the robotaxi includes a sensor configured to acquire the biometric information of the user.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the robotaxi includes a touch keypad configured to receive the second authentication number from the user.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the touch keypad is located on an outer surface of a door window of the robotaxi.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a smart phone configured to call the robotaxi in response to a ride request of the user.

7. A method for authenticating a user of a robotaxi, the method comprising:
receiving, by the robotaxi, a user request from a smart phone;
receiving, by the robotaxi, a call request of the user when the smart phone is unavailable;
providing, by the robotaxi, a voice call with a service associate in a customer service center in response to the call request of the user when the smart phone is unavailable;
receiving, by the robotaxi, a second authentication number from the user, the second authentication number being provided to the user from the service associate;
acquiring, by the robotaxi, biometric information of the user and transmitting the biometric information of the user to an authentication server;
authenticating, by the authentication server, the user based on reference biometric information of the user and the biometric information transmitted from the robotaxi;
creating, by the authentication server, a first authentication number in response to authenticating the user;
requesting, by the authentication server, unlocking of a door to the robotaxi when the second authentication number received from the robotaxi and the first authentication number match; and
unlocking, by the robotaxi, the door in response to the request from the authentication server.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein requesting the unlocking of the door to the robotaxi includes:
receiving, by the robotaxi, the second authentication number from the user; and
transmitting, by the robotaxi, the second authentication number to the authentication server.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the second authentication number from the user comprises receiving the second authentication number from the user via a touch keypad located on a door window of the robotaxi.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the robotaxi includes a call button to receive the call request of the user.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the robotaxi includes a sensor to acquire the biometric information of the user.

12. A method for operating a robotaxi, the method comprising:
receiving a customer service request at the robotaxi by a user outside the robotaxi;
initiating, by the robotaxi, a voice call between the user and a service associate in a customer service center in response to the customer service request of the user;
acquiring, by the robotaxi, biometric information of the user;
transmitting, by the robotaxi, the biometric information of the user to an authentication server;
receiving, at the robotaxi from the user, a second authentication number that the user received from the service associate;
transmitting, by the robotaxi, the second authentication number to the authentication server;
receiving, by the robotaxi from the authentication server, an authentication result of the user that is based on the biometric information and the second authentication number; and
providing access to the robotaxi in response to the authentication result received from the authentication server.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, by the robotaxi, a request from a smart phone of the user prior to receiving the customer service request at the robotaxi.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the customer service request comprises receiving user input from an input device of the robotaxi prior to providing access to the robotaxi, the input device being accessible from outside the robotaxi.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving, at the robotaxi from the user, the second authentication number comprises receiving input from the user at a touch keypad located at an exterior surface of the robotaxi.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
authenticating, by the authentication server, the user based on reference biometric information of the user and the biometric information transmitted from the robotaxi;
creating, by the authentication server, a first authentication number;
determining that the second authentication number received from the robotaxi and the first authentication number match; and
transmitting, by the authentication server to the robotaxi, the authentication result in response to authenticating the user and determining that the second authentication number and the first authentication number match.

17. A robotaxi comprising:
a user input accessible from outside the robotaxi;
a biometric sensor; and
a controller configured to:
receive a customer service request from the user input;
initiate a voice call between a user outside the robotaxi and a service associate in a customer service center in response to the customer service request;
acquire biometric information of the user using the biometric sensor;
transmit the biometric information of the user to an authentication server;
receive a second authentication number from the user input;
transmit the second authentication number to the authentication server;
receive an authentication result of the user that is based on the biometric information and the second authentication number; and
provide access to the robotaxi in response to the authentication result.

18. The robotaxi of claim 17 , wherein the user input comprises a call button and a touch keypad;
wherein the controller is configured to receive the customer service request from the call button; and
wherein the controller is configured to receive the second authentication number from the touch keypad.

19. The robotaxi of claim 18 , wherein the call button is located on an external surface of a B pillar of the robotaxi and the touch keypad is located on an outer surface of a door window of the robotaxi.

20. The robotaxi of claim 17 , further comprising an AV

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Oh Da Ye

Classifications

• B60R25/24

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

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G07C9/00563

  using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title