Facial-recognition vehicle security system and automatically starting vehicle

A security system for a movable vehicle having a driver's station, a gearshift, and an enabling system, the security system comprising:

• (a) an electronic camera positioned to scan at least a portion of the face of a person located at the driver's station of the vehicle and produce on an output a facial-image-signal;
• (b) an electronic facial-image-signal storage device;
• (c) an electronic facial-recognition-signal comparator having an output, a first input coupled to the output of the camera, and a second input coupled to the facial-image-signal storage device;
• and
• (d) an AND gate having a first input coupled to the gearshift, a second input coupled to the comparator output, and an output coupled to the enabling system;
• whereby the enabling system is coupled and controlled to cause the vehicle to operate in response to the combination of a selected gear-shifting action by the person located at the driver's station and a match between signals representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of the person derived from the image signals produced on the camera's output and a member of a set of signals stored in the electronic storage device, each member representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator.

A method of securing a movable vehicle having a driver's station, a gearshift, and an enabling system, the method comprising.

• (a) scanning at least a portion of the face of a person located at the driver's station of the vehicle and producing image signals therefrom representative of select characteristics of the scanned person's face;
• (b) comparing the image signals to members of a set of previously stored facial image signals, each member of the set representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator of the vehicle;
• (c) producing a control signal reflective of whether the comparing in part (b) produced a match;
• (d) activating the enabling system if and only it
• (i) the control signal reflects a match;
• and
• (ii) the gearshift is manipulated in a selected fashion.

A method for maintaining security of a powered vehicle, the method comprising:

• (a) producing image signals by electronically scanning at least a portion of the face of a person at an operator's station;
• (b) computer analyzing the image signals and generating code signals representative of a set of predefined facial characteristics;
• (c) comparing the code signals with a set of previously stored reference signals representative of the predefined facial characteristics of an authorized operator;
• and
• (d) generating signals enabling operation of the powered vehicle if and only if:
• (i) the code signals electronically match one of the reference signals, and (ii) the gearshift is manipulated in a selected fashion.

A method of retrofitting a moveable vehicle with a security system, which vehicle has a passenger cabin and an engine compartment, a driver's seat in the passenger cabin, a gearshift within reach of a person in the driver's seat, and an enabling device supported in the engine compartment and structured to enable motive force to the vehicle, comprising:

• (a) mounting an assembly to the vehicle, which assembly supports at least the following elements:
• (i) an electronic camera having an output for picture signals;
• (ii) a facial-recognition system coupled to the output of the camera;
• and
• (iii) an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system;
• (b) positioning the assembly so that the camera is directed at the expected location of the face of a person seated in the driver's seat;
• (c) wherein the facial-recognition system issues an authorization control signal only if picture signals representative of select characteristics of a face in the rear-view mirror acquired by the electronic camera match a member of a set of signals stored in said electronic storage device, each member of the stored set representative of select characteristics of the face of an authorized operator;
• and
• (d) coupling a control unit to the enabling device and to the gearshift, which control unit activates the enabling system only upon receipt of the authorization control signal from the facial-recognition system and upon receipt of a signal reflective of a select shifting action of the gearshift.

An automatically starting movable vehicle having a driver's station and a gearshift, and an enabling system the security system comprising:

• (a) an electronic camera positioned to scan at least a portion of the face of a person located at the driver's station of the vehicle and produce on an output a facial-image-signal;
• (b) an electronic facial-image-signal storage device;
• and
• (c) an electronic facial-recognition-signal comparator having output, a first input coupled to the output of the camera, and a second input coupled to the facial-image-signal storage device;
• (d) wherein the enabling system coupled to the gearshift and to the comparator output such that it becomes activated in response to the combination of a selected gear-shifting action and a match between signals representative of select characteristics of the scanned face of the person derived from the facial-image-signal produced on the camera's output and a member of a set of signals stored in the facial-image-signal storage device, each member representative of elect characteristics of the scanned face of an authorized operator;
• and
• (e) wherein the enabling system is coupled so as not to require turning of a key to cause its activation.