# US 10,482,226 B1 · System and method for autonomous vehicle sharing using facial recognition

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- Number: US 10,482,226 B1
- Document ID: US10482226B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/409,148
- Filed: 2017-01-18
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-22
- Assignees: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
- Applicants: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
- Inventors: Blake Konrardy; Scott T. Christensen; Gregory Hayward; Scott Farris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482226B1

## CPC

- G01C 21/3461: {Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries}
- B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle
- B60R 16/0234: {related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles}
- B60R 21/0136: responsive to actual contact with an obstacle {, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle (monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558)}
- B60R 25/04: operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
- B60R 25/102: a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
- B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems
- B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters}
- B60W 30/16: Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
- B60W 40/04: Traffic conditions
- B60W 60/0023: {in response to energy consumption}
- B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant}
- B60W 60/0059: {Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity}
- G01B 21/00: Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
- G01C 21/34: Route searching; Route guidance
- G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents}
- G01C 21/343: {Calculating itineraries (travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047)}
- G01C 21/3438: {Rendezvous; Ride sharing}
- G01C 21/3453: {Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments}
- G01C 21/3469: {Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects}
- G01C 21/3617: {using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement}
- G01C 21/362: {received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application}
- G01C 21/3697: {Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence)}
- G01S 19/13: Receivers
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G05B 23/0245: {based on a qualitative model, e.g. rule based; if-then decisions}
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/0011: {associated with a remote control arrangement}
- G05D 1/0055: {with safety arrangements}
- G05D 1/0212: {with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287)}
- G05D 1/0231: {using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16)}
- G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means}
- G05D 1/0255: {using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals (sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93)}
- G05D 1/0285: {using signals transmitted via a public communication network, e.g. GSM network}
- G05D 1/0287: {involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16)}
- G05D 1/0289: {with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93)}
- G05D 1/0293: {Convoy travelling}
- G05D 1/0295: {by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet}
- G05D 1/223: Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
- G05D 1/227: Handing over between remote control and on-board control; Handing over between remote control arrangements
- G05D 1/228: Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles
- G05D 1/247: using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
- G05D 1/249: from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle, e.g. from cameras
- G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80)
- G05D 1/646: Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path
- G05D 1/69: Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
- G05D 1/692: involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
- G05D 1/693: for avoiding collisions between vehicles
- G05D 1/695: for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight
- G05D 1/697: for rendezvous of two or more vehicles, e.g. for in-flight refuelling (docking at a base station G05D1/661)
- G06F 11/3688: {for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites}
- G06F 11/3692: {for test results analysis}
- G06F 16/2455: Query execution
- G06F 16/90335: {Query processing}
- G06F 17/00: Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00)
- G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
- G06F 21/55: Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
- G06F 30/15: Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- G06Q 30/0284: {Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters}
- G06Q 30/0645: Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
- G06Q 40/08: Insurance
- G06Q 50/163: Real estate management
- G06Q 50/265: {Personal security, identity or safety}
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- G07C 5/006: {Indicating maintenance}
- G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)}
- G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)}
- G07C 5/0816: {Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction}
- G07C 5/0841: {Registering performance data (recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B)}
- G07C 9/00563: {using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns}
- G08B 21/00: Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
- G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
- G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence)
- G08B 25/00: Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
- G08B 25/014: {Alarm signalling to a central station with two-way communication, e.g. with signalling back}
- G08G 1/017: identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence)
- G08G 1/0965: responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
- G08G 1/096725: {where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control}
- G08G 1/096783: {where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element}
- G08G 1/143: {inside the vehicles}
- G08G 1/146: {where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space}
- G08G 1/148: {Management of a network of parking areas}
- G08G 1/161: {Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication}
- G08G 1/165: {for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees}
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection}
- G08G 1/20: {Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles}
- G08G 1/205: {Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental}
- G16Y 10/80: Homes; Buildings
- G16Y 30/00: IoT infrastructure
- H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks}
- H04L 12/2816: {Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities (arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)}
- H04L 12/2825: {Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002)}
- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source}
- B60R 2021/0027: {Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services}
- B60R 2021/01013: {Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2530/209: Fuel quantity remaining in tank
- B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
- B60W 2552/05: Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
- B60W 2552/35: Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
- B60W 2554/4026: Cycles
- B60W 2554/4029: Pedestrians
- B60W 2554/4041: Position
- B60W 2554/406: Traffic density
- B60W 2556/10: Historical data
- G01S 19/42: Determining position
- Y02A 10/40: Controlling or monitoring, e.g. of flood or hurricane; Forecasting, e.g. risk assessment or mapping
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- G16Y: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS [IoT]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Methods and systems for identifying autonomous vehicle users are described herein. An autonomous vehicle may receive a request to pick up a user at a starting location and transport the user to a destination location. Accordingly, the autonomous vehicle may travel to the starting location. Upon arriving at the starting location, the autonomous vehicle may detect whether a person approaching the vehicle is the user by detecting a biometric identifier for the person. The biometric identifier may then be compared to a biometric fingerprint for the user, and if there is a match, the autonomous vehicle may determine that the person is the user. As a result, the user may be allowed to enter the autonomous vehicle and/or the autonomous vehicle may begin travelling to the destination location. Otherwise, the person may be denied entry to the autonomous vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method for identifying autonomous vehicle users, comprising:
receiving, at one or more processors in an autonomous vehicle, a request from a user for transportation to a destination location, wherein the request includes identification information and a location of the user;
causing, by the one or more processors, the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location of the user;
prior to the user entering the autonomous vehicle:
detecting, via an external facing camera or touch sensor attached to the autonomous vehicle, a biometric identifier of the user; and
comparing, by the one or more processors, the biometric identifier to the identification information;
when the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to a same user, causing, by the one or more processors, a control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle to allow the user to enter the autonomous vehicle and travel to the destination location; and
when the biometric identifier and the identification information do not correspond to the same user, causing, by the one or more processors, the control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle not to allow the user to travel to the destination location including at least one of: turning off a vehicle engine or shutting down one or more autonomous operation features for the autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the biometric identifier includes at least one of: a fingerprint, a facial scan, or a retinal scan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request for transportation is received via an application on a mobile device of the user, and wherein the identification information includes login information for the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the login information is used to retrieve a user profile for the user, and wherein the user profile includes one or more biometric fingerprints of the user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein comparing the biometric identifier to the identification information includes:
retrieving, by the one or more processors, the one or more biometric fingerprints associated with the user profile from a database;
comparing, by the one or more processors, the biometric identifier to the one or more biometric fingerprints; and
when the biometric identifier matches at least one of the one or more biometric fingerprints, determining, by the one or more processors, that the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to the same user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:
transmitting, by the one or more processors, a biometric fingerprint capture screen to the mobile device, wherein the biometric fingerprint capture screen includes one or more user controls for generating the one or more biometric fingerprints;
receiving, at the one or more processors via the biometric fingerprint capture screen, the one or more biometric fingerprints from the mobile device; and
storing, by the one or more processors, the one or more biometric fingerprints in association with the user profile for the user in the database.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user is a first user, the destination location is a first destination location, and further comprising:
while travelling to the first destination location for the first user, receiving, at the one or more processors, a request from a second user for transportation to a second destination location, wherein the request includes identification information and a location of the second user;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the location of the second user is within a predetermined threshold distance of a route in which the autonomous vehicle is travelling to the first destination location; and
when the location of the second user is within the predetermined threshold distance of the route, causing, by the one or more processors, the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location of the second user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
prior to the second user entering the autonomous vehicle:
detecting, via one or more sensors associated with the autonomous vehicle, a biometric identifier of the second user; and
comparing, by the one or more processors, the biometric identifier for the second user to the identification information for the second user; and
when the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to a same second user, causing, by the one or more processors, the control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle to allow the second user to enter the autonomous vehicle and travel to the second destination location before or after travelling to the first destination location.

### Claim 9

A computer system configured to identify autonomous vehicle users, the computer system comprising one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors configured to:
receive, in an autonomous vehicle, a request from a user for transportation to a destination location, wherein the request includes identification information and a location of the user;
cause the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location of the user;
prior to the user entering the autonomous vehicle:
detect, via an external facing camera or touch sensor attached to the autonomous vehicle, a biometric identifier of the user; and
compare the biometric identifier to the identification information;
when the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to a same user, cause a control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle to allow the user to enter the autonomous vehicle and travel to the destination location; and
when the biometric identifier and the identification information do not correspond to the same user, cause the control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle not to allow the user to travel to the destination location including at least one of: turning off a vehicle engine or shutting down one or more autonomous operation features for the autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer system of claim 9, wherein the biometric identifier includes at least one of: a fingerprint, a facial scan, or a retinal scan.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The computer system of claim 9, wherein the request for transportation is received via an application on a mobile device of the user, and wherein the identification information includes login information for the user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer system of claim 11, wherein the login information is used to retrieve a user profile for the user, and wherein the user profile includes one or more biometric fingerprints of the user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer system of claim 12, wherein to compare the biometric identifier to the identification information, the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors are configured to:
retrieve the one or more biometric fingerprints associated with the user profile from a database;
compare the biometric identifier to the one or more biometric fingerprints; and
when the biometric identifier matches at least one of the one or more biometric fingerprints, determine that the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to the same user.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computer system of claim 13, wherein the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors are further configured to:
transmit a biometric fingerprint capture screen to the mobile device, wherein the biometric fingerprint capture screen includes one or more user controls for generating the one or more biometric fingerprints;
receive, via the biometric fingerprint capture screen, the one or more biometric fingerprints from the mobile device; and
store, the one or more biometric fingerprints in association with the user profile for the user in the database.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The computer system of claim 9, wherein the user is a first user, the destination location is a first destination location, and the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors are further configured to:
while travelling to the first destination location for the first user, receive a request from a second user for transportation to a second destination location, wherein the request includes identification information and a location of the second user;
determine whether the location of the second user is within a predetermined threshold distance of a route in which the autonomous vehicle is travelling to the first destination location; and
when the location of the second user is within the predetermined threshold distance of the route, cause the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location of the second user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The computer system of claim 9, wherein the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors are further configured to:
prior to the second user entering the autonomous vehicle:
detect, via one or more sensors associated with the autonomous vehicle, a biometric identifier of the second user; and
compare the biometric identifier for the second user to the identification information for the second user; and
when the biometric identifier and the identification information correspond to a same second user, cause the control mechanism within the autonomous vehicle to allow the second user to enter the autonomous vehicle and travel to the second destination location before or after travelling to the first destination location.