Gesture-based vehicle entry system with virtual keypad

A vehicle entry system for a vehicle, comprising:

• an image sensor configured to capture real-time images according to a predetermined field of view from the vehicle;
• a lockout device configured to selectably provide access to the vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to track a plurality of touching gestures of a user outside the vehicle to identify a sequence of touchpoints which encode a security key and to operate the lockout device to provide the access when the user validly performs the sequence of touchpoints which encode the security key, wherein the controller is adapted to preconfigure the sequence of touchpoints in a setup mode in which the controller:
• (A) detects an initial performance by an administrant of a timed series of distinct gestures according to touchpoints on a surface on or near the vehicle;
• (B) prompts the administrant for a plurality of repetition trials of the series of distinct gestures;
• (C) detects respective touchpoints during the repetition trials to provide a population of data to identify a contour of distinct gestures in the series to encode the security key;
• (D) triggers an unlock operation when the user performs touching gestures outside the vehicle;
• and
• (E) operates the lockout device to provide the access when the user validly performs the sequence of touchpoints according to the contour which encodes the security key.