DE202009018513U1 - Device for controlling an adjusting drive of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Authentication and authorization device (1) for controlling an adjustment drive (4) of a motor vehicle by a vehicle occupant (Fn), - with at least one biometric sensor (Sn), and - with an evaluation device (8a), which is used for processing and evaluation by means of the or each biometric sensor (Sn) recorded data (Dn) is set up to use the data (Dn) to make a selection between unrestricted, restricted or no authorization of the vehicle occupant (Fn).

Description

The invention relates to an authentication and authorization device for controlling an adjustment drive of a motor vehicle taking into account biometric data of a vehicle occupant. Under adjustment is in this case understood in particular a window of a motor vehicle.

Adjusting drives are electric motor-driven adjusting devices (adjusting elements), which are used in many ways in the field of motor vehicle technology. Thus, adjusting drives for adjusting movable vehicle parts, in particular sunroofs, vehicle doors, tailgates, loading floor adjustments, seats and / or vehicle windows are used. Adjustment drives for window or vehicle windows are generally referred to as windows.

Such an adjustment is usually operated manually by a setting process is triggered when an operator (vehicle occupant) actuates a corresponding control button. The adjustment process is maintained either during the period of manual operation or in the so-called automatic mode even if the operator has pressed the control button only briefly and then no longer touched.

For safety reasons, in particular for automatic operation, it is required that a so-called anti-trap protection be provided to minimize a risk of injury to the vehicle occupant. This ensures that a closing operation of an actuating element actuated by means of the adjusting drive, for example the vehicle window, is not only stopped, but also reversed, when, within a predetermined opening range of the disk, its feed counteracts a resistance of at most 100 N.

An electrically operated window lift with anti-trap is for example from the DE 20 2006 002 527 U1 known. The DE 101 25 748 A1 and the DE 103 40 286 A1 also disclose electronic controls for such windows.

In order to meet the increasing demands on such anti-pinch systems with the endeavor to minimize the risk of injury to an operator (user, vehicle occupant), a disproportionate increase in the design effort compared to the performance improvements can be seen. In particular, current adjustment drives and in particular the previously used window systems are not able to protect special user groups, such as children, with respect to other user groups comparatively high security from injury.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for controlling (control) of an adjustment, in particular a window regulator, a motor vehicle, which provides a reliable protection against injury while avoiding the disadvantages mentioned.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments and variants are the subject of the dependent claims.

The biometric data of a body part of a vehicle occupant (user, operator) are detected by at least one biometric sensor. The acquired biometric data are compared or compared using reference data. The reference data may also be or include threshold values for differentiating large and small body parts, in particular fingers.

The evaluation is carried out with regard to the authorization of the vehicle occupant either to an unrestricted or limited or no control of the respective adjustment drive.

If the evaluation carried out on the basis of the comparison of the acquired biometric data with the reference data leads to an identification of the vehicle occupant or the operator as fully authorized, an operating command, for example a keystroke, causes these vehicle occupants to control the adjustment drive. If, in analogy to the vehicle occupant, it is identified as being restrictedly authorized, a corresponding operating command (key press) of this vehicle occupant results in only limited activation of the adjustment drive. The restriction may be, for example, that the drive operates with reduced power and generates a correspondingly reduced adjustment force, which in turn leads to a comparison with a robust normal operation lowered clamping force.

If, on the other hand, the vehicle occupant, for example a child, is identified as being unauthorized for activation, then an operating command from this vehicle occupant does not trigger the adjustment drive. In this case, a control initiated by the unauthorized vehicle occupant as a result of its operating command (key press) is suppressed or aborted. The refusal of the authorization can, for example, based on the sensory detection and detection of, for example, a Child done against an adult person's little finger.

The invention is based on the consideration that in an especially simple and reliable manner an improvement of anti-jamming systems equipped with adjustable drives motor vehicles can be achieved if the already existing or available information in the vehicle are used extensively. In particular, for the person-specific differentiation of user groups that typically actuate such adjustment drives, already existing or provided here identification and authorization systems can be used in the motor vehicle based on the collection and evaluation of biometric data and / or features.

A system and a method for identifying a vehicle occupant in terms of its access to the vehicle or certain vehicle spaces, such as the glove box, by an authentication to open or close the corresponding vehicle compartment are, for example, from DE 103 21 750 A1 known.

From the DE 10 2007 023 140 A1 In addition, it is known to use a camera system for recording and analyzing movement data of the person for detecting and / or identifying a person. The identification of an authorized access person by means of a biometric sensor for determining an image of the vehicle occupant for setting preset memory values, in particular a seat, mirror, radio or air conditioning pre-setting, for example, from DE 103 21 750 A1 known.

However, the known identification systems based on the recognition of a specific person are neither suitable nor intended to use biometric data to increase the protection of certain groups of persons in order to authorize a vehicle occupant or certain user groups to control an adjustment drive. By evaluating the biometric data for restricted or unrestricted authorization to control the adjustment drive only with regard to a person-specific normal or increased protection against injury, the identification of a specific person plays practically no role.

According to a preferred variant, the fingerprint of the vehicle occupant is read in for authentication for a control of the adjustment drive. This is done suitably immediately upon contact with a corresponding operating element (pushbutton or switch) for adjusting the actuating or adjusting element actuated by means of the adjusting drive, for example the vehicle window. Alternatively, other biometric data, in particular an image of a body part, the body size or the weight of the vehicle occupant can be detected. For this purpose, biometric features or data acquired by means of a camera, a headrest sensor or a weight sensor in the seating area are available.

In an advantageous development of the invention, however, all or several biometric data already recorded in the vehicle are linked with each other and with the usually existing electronic controls in the form of central or decentralized control devices of the corresponding adjusting drives, such as a door control device. The links can be made via a wireless or wired data exchange.

Preferably, then the control of the currently selected by the vehicle occupant adjustment function is carried out functionally to the effect that certain user groups with certain recognized properties can not activate the corresponding adjustment and thus reliable protection against injury is ensured. The recognition of the properties of defined user groups, which receive no or only limited authorization, can be characterized by reference data in the form of threshold values, which are assigned to comparatively small vehicle occupants with correspondingly small or very small body parts (finger, hand, arm and / or neck).

The logical linking of the acquired sensor data is suitably carried out centrally. On the other hand, the sensor data on the one hand and the control signals derived therefrom on the other hand are suitably transported via data bus systems already installed on the vehicle side.

For this purpose, the authentication and authorization device for controlling the adjustment drive comprises at least one biometric sensor and an evaluation and control device for processing and evaluation of the acquired biometric data and for generating a differentiated control signal for a more or less limited activation or for a non-or deactivation of Adjustment drive, if the vehicle occupant this more or less entitled or unauthorized.

Preferably, the authentication and authorization device for controlling an adjustment drive of a motor vehicle comprises a number of biometric sensors whose data or sensor signals are preferably connected to each other ( logical). The evaluation device is provided and set up to process the data acquired by the or each biometric sensor and possibly to logically link them. During the evaluation, a selection is made on the basis of the recorded data between an unrestricted, a restricted or no authorization of the vehicle occupant for controlling the relevant drive. In other words, in the context of the authentication by means of the evaluation device, it is checked on the basis of the characteristics derived from the acquired biometric data whether the operating operator (vehicle occupant) executes an operating command to control the selected adjusting drive, ie is authorized in accordance with said gradation.

The evaluation device is followed by a control device which generates a control signal as a result of an operating or control command by the vehicle occupant, for example by pressing an operating button. In this case, a control signal is generated only in unrestricted and limited authorization of the vehicle occupant. A limited authorization, for example, leads to a reduction of the driving force of the adjusting drive and thus to a prescribable reduced pinching force. in the case of refusal of authorization of the vehicle occupant, no control signal is generated to activate the adjustment or an already completed control command is aborted (interrupted), so remains ineffective.

Suitably, the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor, which is arranged on a control element (electrical control switch or push-button) for actuating the adjustment drive. The fingerprint sensor is configured to detect the biometric structures or the like of the human finger substantially in terms of its size. Biometric sensors are for example from the DE 198 31 570 A1 , from the EP 1 431 905 A2 and from the DE 199 03 568 B4 known.

As further, often already existing in a motor vehicle sensors for detecting biometric data or features headrest sensors, usually arranged in the vehicle seat weight sensors, acoustic speech recognition devices or cameras are particularly suitable. The acquired biometric data and features can then be used by AND or OR links for a particularly reliable authentication of the vehicle occupant or a specific operating group and thus for a particularly fail-safe authorization determination for controlling the respective adjustment drive. In the case of several sensors, a data bus or a data bus structure is particularly suitable for transmitting the acquired biometric data from the sensors to the evaluation device.

The advantages achieved by the invention are in particular that by incorporating already less sensory biometric data in the usually existing control of actuators in motor vehicles with virtually no or with only very little additional hardware effort an improved injury protection for users of automatically, in particular electric motor driven adjusting elements (adjusting devices) is achieved.

If necessary, the effort can be further reduced by using existing biometric sensors for this additional protection function. In particular, the control of at least such adjusting elements can be selectively interrupted and reliably prevented, which pose a risk of injury to selected and thus certain groups of people. Since corresponding persons or groups of persons are determined relatively precisely on the basis of specific body characteristics and the corresponding characteristics can be reliably detected by sensors, only a control algorithm, which already exists conventionally, of the software-implemented control logic can be adequately prepared in a simple manner. In the process, any existing biometric sensor which supplies characteristic biometric data or characteristics for the person or group of persons may ultimately be suitable for authorizing a control authorization.

The device according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for a very differentiated control authorization by a specific combination of the functional logic of drive systems in and on the motor vehicle for example window regulators, seat adjusters, load floor adjustments, sunblinds, vehicle doors, turntables and / or hood systems.

Suitable systems or sensors for biometric and other person-specific data are particularly fingerprint sensors, camera systems in the vehicle interior and in the vehicle exterior (reversing camera), weight-detecting sensors in the seats and acoustic information through speech-recognition systems and their combination for the realization of functional logic-related security functions. These are preferably a change, in particular a reduction in trapping forces, a suppression of travel commands or a cancellation of already activated, ongoing activations.

This overall security for users of adjustment in and on the vehicle elevated. A particularly low cost at at least approximately neutral costs is also achieved if the biometric data in vehicles with corresponding data bus systems are provided in a simple manner to the respective control devices of the adjusting drives. A saving is also in the relevant adjustment drives in and on the motor vehicle - especially in complex anti-trap systems - by using comparatively inexpensive electronics, motors and adjustment realized.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show:

1 schematically functional elements of a device for detecting and evaluating biometric data of a person authorized to control an adjusting drive,

2 in a representation according to 1 a conditionally authorized to control the adjustment person, and

3 in a representation according to the 1 and 2 a person unauthorized to control the adjustment drive.

Corresponding parts are provided in all figures with the same reference numerals.

1 to 3 schematically show an interior detail of a motor vehicle with an authentication or authorization device 1 and with a vehicle occupant F _n hereinafter referred to as an operator on a vehicle seat 2 , The vehicle occupant F _n is within reach of an operating or actuating element in the form of a control button 3 for an adjustment drive 4 , The control button 3 used in the embodiment for actuating the window regulator drive 4 , This moves via an adjustment mechanism 5 a vehicle window 6 along an adjustment path 7 between a shown (top) open position and a likewise shown in dashed lines (lower) closed position automatically when the control button 3 is operated by the vehicle occupant F _n and this to control the adjustment 4 is authorized.

The control button 3 is provided with a biometric sensor S ₁ in the form of a fingerprint sensor on the control button 3 is arranged. This detects the fingerprint of one on the control button 3 put on or approaching this finger. The sensor S ₁ is connected via a signal line L ₁ with an evaluation and control device 8th connected, the functional and / or circuitry of an evaluation 8a and one of these downstream control device 8b is constructed. The sensor S ₁ supplies to the evaluation device 8a a sensor signal with sensor-specific biometric data D _{1 of} the vehicle occupant F _n .

Another sensor S ₂ in the form of a vehicle seat 2 arranged weight sensor is also via a signal line 12 with the evaluation device 8a connected. The sensor S ₂ supplies to the evaluation device 8a a sensor signal with sensor-specific biometric data D _{2 of} the vehicle occupant F _n .

Further, located in one with the vehicle seat 2 connected headrest 9 a sensor 53 in the form of a capacitive headrest sensor. This sensor S ₃ is used to adjust the position of the headrest 9 relative to the head of the vehicle occupant F _n . The sensor S ₃ is in turn via a signal line L ₃ with the evaluation 8a connected and delivers to the evaluation and control device 8th a sensor signal with sensor-specific biometric data D _{3 of} the vehicle occupant T _n .

A camera as a sensor S ₄ serves to receive an image of certain body parts of the vehicle occupant F ₁ and is aligned in the embodiment within the vehicle interior to the head and the upper body of the vehicle occupant F _n . This sensor S ₄ is also connected to the evaluation device via a signal line L ₄ 8a connected and provides to this a sensor signal with biometric data or features D _{4 of} the vehicle occupant F _n .

The evaluation device 8a downstream control device 8b is via a control or data line 10 with the adjustment drive 4 connected. Although it is in the present embodiment in the adjustment 4 is a window lift, the control device 8b However, also be connected to a different adjustment or in the case of a data bus system with several adjustment drives of the vehicle. Such adjustment drives, as well as the window lift drive 4 , are preferably modular and usually include an electric motor (DC or Komutatormotor) and a transmission and electronics. The electronics of the adjustment drive 4 serves on the one hand to control the electric motor with respect to its direction of rotation and speed and on the other hand for processing directly or indirectly detected speed and direction information or data.

As a signal lines L _n , a data bus (system) or other interfaces may be provided to the biometric data D _n from the sensors S _n to the evaluation and control device 8th to convey. The evaluation and control device 8th generates on the basis of the sensory acquired biometric data or features D _n a control signal ST _n , via the control or data line 10 to the adjustment drive 4 is guided to control this or its electric motor accordingly.

The 2 and 3 each show a vehicle occupant F ₂ or F ₃ with compared to the vehicle occupant F ₁ after 1 small body size with otherwise matching vehicle interior and same authentication and authorization device 1 , So there are in turn a number of biometric sensors S _n , namely a fingerprint sensor S ₁ , a weight sensor S ₂ , a headrest sensor S ₃ and a camera S ₄ signal technology with the evaluation and control device 8th connected. The control device 8b is in turn via the control line 10 with the adjustment drive 4 connected. This is analogous to 1 as a window regulator with a corresponding adjustment mechanism 5 for the vehicle window 6 coupled along the travel path 7 can be moved between a closed position and an open position.

So is the in 2 shown vehicle occupant F _2, although smaller than the vehicle occupant F ₁ according to 1 but larger than the one in 3 shown vehicle occupant F ₃ . The different body size of the vehicle occupants F ₁ , F ₂ and F _{3 is} reflected in the sensory biometric data D _n , which in the course of an evaluation by means of the evaluation 8a be compared with corresponding reference data R _n . The reference data R _n are suitably threshold values for, for example, a specific finger size, a specific weight or a specific weight, a specific image pattern of a body part or a specific, in particular vertical distance of the head of the vehicle occupant F _n to the headrest 9 ,

The evaluation by means of the evaluation device 8a Based on the data, threshold and / or pattern comparison leads to an evaluation result with, for example, none, a small or a large deviation of all or individual sensory biometric data D _n from the corresponding reference data R _n . The operating and / or control authorization (authentication) carried out on the basis of the detection and evaluation of the biometric data D _{n of} the respective vehicle occupant F _n leads to unrestricted, restricted or no authorization of the corresponding vehicle occupant F ₁ , F ₂ and / or F ₃ Actuation of the adjustment drive 4 ,

So is the in 1 illustrated vehicle occupant F ₁ due to the detected biometric data D _n as for controlling the adjustment 4 authenticated authenticated. The evaluation device checks 8a based on the derived from the sensory biometric data D _n derived characteristics of the vehicle occupant F _n , whether it is here - for example, according to 1 - to an adult or to a child or toddler in accordance with the 2 respectively. 3 is. This in turn depends on the evaluation of the device 8a Tested functional logic determines whether the vehicle occupant F _{n is} normal, above average or significantly at risk of injury and therefore to control the adjustment 4 unrestricted, restricted or unjustified. In this case, for example, a vehicle occupant F ₁ according to 1 recognized as an adult and fully authorized with the result that one of this operator as a result of pressing the button 3 executed operating command leads to a corresponding control signal or command ST ₁ , the normal operation of the adjustment 4 allows.

In one recognized as a limited authorized vehicle occupant F ₂ , as this example in 2 is displayed, leads via the control key 3 triggered operating command to only limited operation of the adjustment 4 , For this purpose, generates the evaluation and control device 8th based on the result of the comparison of the detected biometric data D _n with the reference data R _n, a control signal ST ₂ for a drive power reduced in such a way that the maximum trapping forces achieved by the vehicle window 6 near the closed position, are slightly reduced or significantly reduced.

The authentication of the compared to in 1 illustrated, fully authorized operator F ₁ only partially authorized operator F ₂ according to 2 can be done on the basis of the detected by means of the sensor S ₁ fingerprint, the one in comparison to the vehicle occupant F ₁ after 1 little finger detected. Alternatively or additionally, the biometric data detected by the weight sensor S ₂ to D _2, signals or data D ₃ of the headrest sensor S ₃ used and / or the characteristics of the camera D ₄ S ₄ and by means of the evaluation device 8a for example, be analyzed by logical links.

For example, a detected fingerprint of the in 2 illustrated operator F ₂ falls below a predetermined reference value R _n threshold in an AND operation with the biometric data D _n at least one other sensor S _n as a condition for authentication to the control authorization of the adjustment 4 be used. Likewise, further AND and / or OR operations can be used in the examination of the operating and control authorization of the respective vehicle occupant F ₂ .

The characterization of an example in 3 illustrated operator F ₃ than to control the adjustment 4 can be done analogously both on the basis of the detected by means of the sensor S ₁ fingerprint and the biometric data D _{2 of} the weight sensor S ₂ , the data D _{3 of} the headrest sensor S ₃ and / or the features D _{4 of} the camera S ₄ . A corresponding analysis is again carried out by means of the evaluation device 8a , for example by logical links of various sensory biometric features and data D ₁ to D ₄ .

As a further biometric feature for authentication of a vehicle occupant F ₂ for controlling the adjustment 4 can be used in a manner not shown, preferably only in addition, an acoustic speech recognition.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Authentication / authorization device

2

vehicle seat

3

control key

4

Adjuster / power window

5

adjustment mechanism

6

vehicle window

8th

Evaluation / control device

9

headrest

10

Control / data line

D _n

biometric data

F _n

passenger

L _n

signal line

R _n

Reference data / threshold values

S _n

biometric sensor

S ₁

fingerprint sensor

S ₂

weight sensor

S ₃

Headrests sensor

S ₄

camera

ST _n

control signal

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202006002527 U1 [0005]
• DE 10125748 A1 [0005]
• DE 10340286 A1 [0005]
• DE 10321750 A1 [0014, 0015]
• DE 102007023140 A1 [0015]
• DE 19831570 A1 [0024]
• EP 1431905 A2 [0024]
• DE 19903568 B4 [0024]

Claims (6)

Authentication and authorization device ( 1 ) for controlling an adjustment drive ( 4 ) of a motor vehicle by a vehicle occupant (F _n ), - with at least one biometric sensor (S _n ), and - with an evaluation device ( 8a ), Which is adapted for processing and analysis of _n) detected by means of the or each biometric sensor (S data (D _n) to make reference to the data (D _n) a choice between a full, a restricted or no authorization of the vehicle occupant (F _n). Authentication and authorization system ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized by one of the evaluation device ( 8a ) downstream control device ( 8b ), with unrestricted authorization of the vehicle occupant (F _n ) a control signal (ST _n ) for unrestricted activation, with limited authorization of the vehicle occupant (F _n ) a control signal (S _n ) for limited activation and in the case of no authorization of the vehicle occupant no control signal to Activation of the adjustment drive ( 4 ) generated. Authentication and authorization system ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the evaluation device ( 8a ) the sensor data (D _n ) of by means of a number of different biometric sensors (S _n ) biometric data (D _n ) of the vehicle occupant (F _n ) for the authentication of the vehicle occupant (F _n ) logically linked together. Authentication and authorization system ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the biometric sensor (S _n ) is connected to a control element ( 3 ) for actuating the adjusting drive ( 4 ) arranged fingerprint sensor (S ₁ ). Authentication and authorization system ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 or 4, characterized by a camera (S ₄ ), a headrest sensor (S ₃ ), a weight sensor (S ₂ ) and / or a speech recognition device for acquiring biometric data (D _n ) of the vehicle occupant (F _n ). , Authentication and authorization system ( 1 ) (According to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized by a (when a plurality of sensors S _n) provided data bus (L _n) for transmitting the recorded biometric data (D _n) to the evaluation device 8a ).

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