# US 11,999,317 B2 · Information processing apparatus and information processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,317 B2 - Document ID: US11999317B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/931,181 - Filed: 2022-09-12 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-17 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Denso Corporation - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Denso Corporation - Inventors: Tomonari Yamaguchi; Masanori Kushibe; Etsuji Terauchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999317B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/252: {Fingerprint recognition} - B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user - B60R 25/243: {with more than one way to gain access} - B60R 25/25: using biometry - B60R 2325/103: Near field communication [NFC] - B60R 2325/205: Mobile phones - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An information processing apparatus has a controller configured to identify a driver of a vehicle 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. 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. The user device may include a first communication terminal capable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle and a second communication terminal incapable of functioning as an electronic key of the vehicle. The controller gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus that identifies a driver of a vehicle 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, comprising a controller including at least one processor configured to execute the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle, wherein: 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, the first part includes a finger part of the living body and a face of the living body, the first authentication includes fingerprint authentication based on the finger part and face authentication based on the face part, the controller gives higher priority to the result of fingerprint authentication than the result of face authentication in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle, the user device includes a first communication terminal that functions as an electronic key of the vehicle and a second communication terminal that does not function as an electronic key of the vehicle, the second authentication includes authentication of the first communication terminal and authentication of the second communication terminal, and the controller gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit in which data that links first parts with users and data that links user devices with users are stored, wherein the controller executes the processing of: identifying a first user linked with the first part of which the first authentication is successful on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit; identifying a second user linked with the user device of which the second authentication is successful on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit; and identifying the driver of the vehicle as the first user in the case where the first user and the second user are different. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller executes the processing of: receiving selection as to whether or not the first part and/or the user device is to be linked with the user; storing data that links the first part and/or the user device with the user in the storage unit in the case where the controller receives the selection that the first part and/or the user device is to be linked with the user; and not storing data that links the first part and/or the user device with the user in the storage unit in the case where the controller receives the selection that the first part and/or the user device is not to be linked with the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if neither data that links the first part of which the first authentication is successful with a user nor data that links the user device of which the second authentication is successful with a user is stored in the storage unit, the controller determines that the driver of the vehicle is a guest user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein after it is determined that the driver of the vehicle is a guest user, the controller further executes the processing of: attempting to establish communication connection with the second communication teaninal that is linked with a user by the data stored in the storage unit; if communication connection with the second communication terminal is established, outputting information that suggests a change from the guest user to a third user linked with the second communication terminal; receiving the operation of requesting a change from the guest user to the third user; and changing the driver of the vehicle from the guest user to the third user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in the processing of attempting to establish communication connection with the second communication terminal, the controller attempts to establish communication connection based on hands-free profile with the second communication terminal through a first device that provides hands-free communication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit further stores user information including information about a user-specific setting value relating to equipment provided in the vehicle, and the controller performs setting of the equipment according to the user information of the user identified as the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the setting value includes at least one of a setting value relating to the driving position, a setting value relating to multimedia, a setting value relating to an advanced safety system, and a setting value relating to a body system. ### Claim 9 An information processing method for identifying a driver of a vehicle 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, comprising identifying the driver of the vehicle by a computer, wherein: the computer 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 the first part includes a finger part of the living body and a face of the living body, the first authentication includes fingerprint authentication based on the finger part and face authentication based on the face part, the computer gives higher priority to the result of fingerprint authentication than the result of face authentication in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle, the user device includes a first communication terminal that functions as an electronic key of the vehicle and a second communication terminal that does not function as an electronic key of the vehicle, the second authentication includes authentication of the first communication terminal and authentication of the second communication terminal, and the computer gives higher priority to the result of authentication of the first communication terminal than the result of authentication of the second communication terminal in the processing of identifying the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the computer further comprises a storage unit in which data that links first parts with users and data that links user devices with users are stored, and the computer executes the processing of: identifying a first user linked with the first part of which the first authentication is successful on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit; identifying a second user linked with the user device of which the second authentication is successful on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit; and identifying the driver of the vehicle as the first user in the case where the first user and the second user are different. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The infoimation processing method according to claim 10, wherein the computer executes the processing of: receiving selection as to whether or not the first part and/or the user device is to be linked with the user: storing data that links the first part and/or the user device with the user in the storage unit in the case where the computer receives the selection that the first part and/or the user device is to be linked with the user: and not storing data that links the first part and/or the user device with the user in the storage unit in the case where the computer receives the selection that the first part and/or the user device is not to be linked with the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein if neither data that links the first part of which the first authentication is successful with a user nor data that links the user device of which the second authentication is successful with a user is stored in the storage unit, the computer determines that the driver of the vehicle is a guest user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The infoimation processing method according to claim 12, wherein after it is determined that the driver of the vehicle is a guest user, the computer further executes the processing of: attempting to establish communication connection with the second communication terminal that is linked with a user by the data stored in the storage unit; if communication connection with the second communication terminal is established, outputting information that suggests a change from the guest user to a third user linked with the second communication terminal; receiving the operation of requesting a change from the guest user to the third user; and changing the driver of the vehicle from the guest user to the third user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein in the processing of attempting to establish communication connection with the second communication terminal, the computer attempts to establish communication connection based on hands-free profile with the second communication terminal through a first device that provides hands-free communication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the storage unit further stores user information including information about a user-specific setting value relating to equipment provided in the vehicle, and the computer perforins setting of the equipment according to the user information of the user identified as the driver of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The information processing method according to claim 15, wherein the setting value includes at least one of a setting value relating to the driving position, a setting value relating to multimedia, a setting value relating to an advanced safety system, and a setting value relating to a body system.