DE102022204338B4 - Method and system for authorizing vehicle use - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to provide a method for authorizing the use of a vehicle, with which unnecessary checks of driving ability are avoided, a method (100) for authorizing the use of a vehicle is proposed, wherein a user (10) is identified on a vehicle (11, 11a, 11b, 11c). , wherein a personalized driving ability profile (16) assigned to the user (10) is retrieved, comprising results of driving ability tests, vehicle use being permitted if the driving ability profile (16) includes a positive result of a driving ability test, it being further provided that the result of a driving ability test is positive if the user (10) has proven his ability to drive before being identified on the vehicle (11, 11a, 11b, 11c) by carrying out actions in an environment that is comparable in complexity to the requirements of driving a vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for releasing vehicle use, wherein a user is identified on a vehicle, a personalized driving ability profile assigned to the user comprising results of driving ability tests being retrieved, vehicle use being permitted if the driving ability profile includes a positive result of a driving ability test.

The invention further relates to a system designed to carry out a method for authorizing vehicle use.

Methods for detecting a potential impairment of a vehicle driver are known from the prior art, with the aim of stopping the operation of a vehicle if such an impairment is detected. For example, it is particularly important for professional drivers, police officers and drivers of emergency vehicles that their ability to drive is ensured before driving a vehicle.

Excessive alcohol or drug consumption, the use of prescription medications, as well as health changes or fatigue can cause physiological impairments and behavioral changes that negatively affect a driver's cognitive functions and motor skills.

To test the driving ability of repeat alcohol or drug offenders who are still permitted to drive a motor vehicle, automobile manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers provide in-vehicle sobriety testing devices that are connected to the vehicle's ignition system. For example, a vehicle can be equipped with breathing sensors that communicate with an on-board control system.

The EP 3 789 250 A1 discloses a management system for identifying and biomonitoring at least one user of a vehicle. An associated personal module is designed for a user in order to access the user's personal data and thereby identify the user. Furthermore, a vehicle-related module is provided, which is designed to access at least one vehicle component, and a communication module is provided, which is designed to enable an exchange of data between the personal module and the vehicle-related module, even if the personal module is Module is located outside the vehicle. The vehicle-related module is designed to make or allow at least one change to the at least one vehicle component based on the exchanged data. The personal module can be designed to record the user's health-specific data and to provide information about potential health deteriorations that can influence the ability to drive for exchange.

The DE 10 2021 108 656 A1 discloses a security system of a vehicle and a method for operating a security system of a vehicle, wherein physiological parameters of the vehicle driver are recorded by the security system, a medical history of the vehicle driver being determined in relation to functions of the security system, a critical physiological situation of the vehicle driver depending on the recorded physiological parameters and/or the medical history is recognized, and one or more autonomous reactions of the safety system to reduce the effects of the critical physiological situation on driving safety are determined and implemented by the safety system.

The DE 10 2012 205 808 A1 discloses a computer-implemented method for health monitoring. The method includes communicating with one or more medical and/or wellness devices. The method further includes receiving a plurality of data relating to a medical or wellness condition from at least one of the one or more medical and/or wellness devices. The method further includes reporting a measurement value from the one or more medical devices based at least in part on the received data.

The DE 10 2016 013 337 A1 relates to a method for signal processing for a driving license check, comprising the steps: determining at least one piece of vehicle interior information in a vehicle interior of a vehicle for assessing a driving license of at least one person in the vehicle interior, processing the determined at least one piece of vehicle interior information into at least one corresponding information signal, and sending the at least one information signal into the environment of the vehicle, and a control device for carrying out the method. In this regard, it is stated that it is known to carry out automated alcohol tests at barriers, at border crossings or when crossing onto a ship in a port. Although some trucks already have breath alcohol-controlled immobilizers, so-called interlocks, to detect driving of the driver and to prevent the engine from starting and the drivers are already tested by these breath alcohol-controlled immobilizers before starting the journey, all truck drivers must pass a further test at such barriers before they are allowed to cross a border or leave the port.

In methods known from the prior art, the approval of vehicle use is often tied to a user's medical or physiological data. In other methods known from the prior art, driving ability tests are carried out directly in the vehicle before the start of the journey. If a vehicle is exchanged, a driving test must be carried out again before starting to drive a new vehicle.

The present invention is based on the object of providing a method for authorizing vehicle use, with which unnecessary checks of driving ability are avoided.

To solve the problem on which the invention is based, a method for releasing vehicle use is provided, wherein a user is identified on a vehicle, a personalized driving ability profile assigned to the user comprising results of driving ability tests is retrieved, vehicle use being permitted if the driving ability profile is positive Result of a driving ability test, it being further provided that the result of a driving ability test is positive if the user has proven his ability to drive before being identified on the vehicle by carrying out actions in an environment that is comparable in terms of complexity to the requirements for driving a vehicle.

The vehicle can be a motor vehicle such as an automobile with an internal combustion engine, a battery-electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle can be a car, a truck, a motorcycle or similar. In addition, the vehicle can also be designed as an eBike, a forklift, a watercraft or aircraft or as another motorized or non-motorized vehicle.

Vehicle use can in particular involve authorization to drive the vehicle.

If a user wants to use a vehicle that is particularly suitable for carrying out the method, according to the invention he is first identified on the vehicle.

A vehicle-side data processing device, for example a control unit or on-board computer, and/or software implemented in a vehicle-side data processing device can be provided for the identification. Identification can be done, for example, by entering a code, through biometric recognition or through voice recognition. It is also possible for the user to identify himself using a user-side data processing device on the vehicle, in particular on a vehicle-side data processing device of the vehicle. The user-side data processing device can be a portable data processing device such as a smartphone or a smartwatch or similar. In addition, it is also possible for the user-side data processing device to be a vehicle key, in particular a radio-based one.

Furthermore, according to the method, a personalized driving ability profile assigned to the user is retrieved, for example from the vehicle-side data processing device. For this purpose, the vehicle-side data processing device can receive the driving ability profile, for example from the user-side data processing device. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the vehicle-side data processing device to be connected to the Internet, for example via a mobile phone network, and to retrieve the personalized driving ability profile assigned to the user from a server or from a cloud service.

The driving ability profile includes results of driving ability tests. If the retrieved driving ability profile includes a positive result of a driving ability test, approval for vehicle use is given according to the method, preferably by the vehicle-side data processing device. According to the invention, it is provided that the result of a driving ability test is positive if the user has proven his ability to drive before being identified on the vehicle by carrying out actions in an environment that is comparable in terms of complexity to the requirements for driving a vehicle.

This has the advantage that a new driving test no longer needs to be carried out in the vehicle if the user has already proven his driving ability before being identified on the vehicle. In particular, the user can change vehicle without a new check of driving ability must be carried out. If a user has proven their ability to drive by previously and inconspicuously driving a first vehicle, the user can then switch to a second vehicle and receive approval to use this vehicle without having to be tested again for their ability to drive. The previous unobtrusive driving of the first vehicle can therefore be stored in the driving ability profile within the scope of the invention as evidence of the user's ability to drive in the form of a positive result of a driving ability test. If the user identifies himself on the second vehicle, the driving ability profile is retrieved and the positive result is used to determine that the driver is fit to drive. Approval to use the second vehicle can therefore take place without the need for a further driving test.

In the method according to the invention, the driving ability test can therefore also be carried out in particular before the journey and outside the vehicle.

It is preferably provided that the driving ability profile is updated after the authorized use of the vehicle has ended.

If the user has been given permission to drive a vehicle, then after the use of the vehicle has ended, provided that no suspicious behavior was detected, the use of the vehicle can be used as evidence of the user's ability to drive in the form of a positive result of a driving ability test in the area assigned to the user Driving ability profile is saved, i.e. the driving ability profile is updated with the positive result. If the user then changes to another vehicle, the positive result of the driving ability test from the updated driving ability profile is used to allow the use of the other vehicle without further testing of the ability to drive.

With further advantage it can be provided that the use of the vehicle is permitted if the driving ability test, which is stored as a positive result in the driving ability profile, was not more than a predetermined period of time ago.

If a driving ability test with a positive result has been completed by the user before identification on the vehicle, then after the driving ability profile has been retrieved, this positive result of the previous driving ability test is checked, preferably by the vehicle-side data processing device, to see how long ago the result was before the identification . If the result is no longer than the predetermined period of time before identification, approval for use of the vehicle is granted. However, if the driving test, which has a positive result, is longer than the predetermined period of time before identification on the vehicle, use of the vehicle will not be permitted despite the positive result. It can then be provided that a new roadworthiness test is carried out in the vehicle.

As an alternative to checking the predetermined period of time for the validity of a positive result of a driving ability test in the driving ability profile, it can also be provided that after the predetermined period of time has elapsed after the performance of the driving ability test, which has the positive result, this positive result is deleted from the ability to drive profile, so that it is no longer present when the driving ability profile is retrieved.

Preferably, it is provided that for the positive result of the driving ability test, a period of time is determined within which a probability of being able to drive is above a minimum probability, and that the predetermined period of time is determined as the determined period of time.

Depending on the environment in which the user carried out the actions that demonstrated his ability to drive, which is comparable in terms of complexity to the requirements for driving a vehicle, a period of time can be determined for which the positive result of the environment-dependent ability to drive test should last. For example, if the user has proven his ability to drive by driving a vehicle for a minimum period of time, a longer period of time can be determined than if the user has proven his ability to drive, for example by carrying out a cognitive test.

In other words, the likelihood of being able to drive may decrease more quickly or more slowly over time, depending on the environment in which the user demonstrated his or her ability to drive. Accordingly, the predetermined period of time will then be longer or shorter.

A positive result of a driving test should therefore preferably only be assigned to a user for a limited period of time. The period in which there is a sufficient probability that you will be able to drive with a probability above a necessary minimum probability can be determined by the depending on the vehicle and the form of mobility. The approvals for vehicle use can be granted in such a way that they are limited in time and are issued differently depending on the vehicle or form of mobility.

With further advantage it can be provided that the probability is determined using a look-up table or using an artificial intelligence method.

With even further advantage it can be provided that the actions include driving a vehicle for a minimum driving time and/or with complex driving maneuvers.

If the user has driven a vehicle adequately and safely for a minimum driving time and/or with complex driving maneuvers with unobtrusive driving behavior, this can be used as evidence of his or her ability to drive. The vehicle used to prove roadworthiness can be a motor vehicle such as an automobile with an internal combustion engine, a battery-electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle can be a car, a truck, a motorcycle, an eBike, a forklift, a watercraft or aircraft or any other motorized or non-motorized vehicle.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the actions include operating a complex machine and/or operating complex software.

For example, if the user has successfully operated a complex machine, such as a tool used in industry, without any abnormalities, this operation of the complex machine can be viewed as a driving ability test passed with a positive result. The same applies to operating complex software. The actions may also include piloting a drone or playing a complex computer game.

With further advantage it can be provided that the actions include carrying out a driving test on a data processing device, in particular on a mobile data processing device.

A driving ability test explicitly designed as a driving ability test, which was carried out, for example, on a computer, a smartphone or similar, can be used as evidence of the ability to drive and stored as a positive result in the driving ability profile. The driving test can also be carried out using wearables such as smartwatches, smart clothing or as part of a medical examination. It can therefore additionally preferably be provided that the driving ability profile includes current health data, biovital data or movement detection data which prove or support the ability to drive. The health data, biovital data or motion detection data can be determined, for example, through smart clothing worn on the body, with a smartwatch or other wearables with integrated sensors. Furthermore, the health, biovital or movement detection data can also be determined using sensors installed within the vehicle.

The data processing device, in particular the mobile data processing device, can be the user-side data processing device. For example, the user can carry out the driving test using suitable software on their smartphone. The passing of this driving ability test on the smartphone is then stored as a positive result in the driving ability profile and can be accessed by the vehicle-side data processing device either from the smartphone or from an external server or from a cloud service to authorize the use of the vehicle.

With further advantage it can be provided that an emergency clearance is granted and that the use of the vehicle is permitted if the emergency clearance is granted.

If an emergency clearance is granted, the check of driving ability can be waived. This can be the case in particular in an emergency operation with an ambulance, in which an operations center gives a driver emergency clearance for certain vehicle uses.

The method for authorizing vehicle use can be used particularly advantageously with vehicles that include driver assistance systems for automated or highly automated driving. Such vehicles can in particular be vehicles with automation levels 3 to 5. Such vehicles require that the user's attention or ability to drive be monitored in order to ensure that the user can take over driving the vehicle at short notice.

Furthermore, it can be provided that new driving ability tests in the vehicle replace the previous driving ability tests, in particular the results of the previous driving ability tests, modify.

A further solution to the problem underlying the invention consists in a system designed to carry out a method described above, comprising at least one vehicle, preferably comprising driver assistance systems for automated or highly automated driving, with a vehicle-side data processing device, wherein the vehicle-side data processing device is designed to identify a user and to retrieve a personalized driving ability profile assigned to the user, comprising results of driving ability tests, and to allow vehicle use if the driving ability profile includes a positive result of a driving ability test.

With particular advantage, the system includes several vehicles. This makes it possible for the user to change the vehicle without having to undergo another driving test if a positive result of a previously carried out driving test is stored in the driving ability profile. All functions, features and configurations explained for the method described above can also be transferred to the system in a corresponding manner.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached figures.

• 1 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens zur Freigabe einer Fahrzeugnutzung, und
• 2 ein System ausgebildet zur Durchführung eines Verfahrens zur Freigabe einer Fahrzeugnutzung.

Show it:

• 1 a flowchart of a method for authorizing vehicle use, and
• 2 a system designed to carry out a method for authorizing vehicle use.

1 shows a flowchart for a method 100 for authorizing vehicle use. The procedure 100 after 1 can be done, for example, using a system 200 2 be performed.

In a first method step S1, a user 10 has proven his ability to drive by carrying out actions in an environment that is comparable in complexity to the requirements of driving a vehicle. The actions can involve driving a first vehicle 11, 11a over a minimum driving period and/or with complex driving maneuvers. Proven ability to drive is assessed as a positive result of a driving ability test. In addition, a period of time is determined within which the probability that proven driving ability will continue to exist is above a minimum probability. The determined period of time is stored as a predetermined period of time together with the positive result of the driving ability test in a second method step S2 on an external server 13 in a personalized driving ability profile 16 assigned to the user. The result of the driving ability test carried out in this way will be stored. In a third method step S3, the user 10 identifies himself on a second vehicle 11, 11b, which includes a vehicle-side data processing device 12 provided for this purpose. On the user side, a mobile data processing device 14, for example a smartphone 15, can be used for identification. In a fourth method step S4, the vehicle-side data processing device 12 retrieves the personalized driving ability profile (16) comprising at least the result of the previous driving ability test. The vehicle-side data processing device 12 checks the result of the previous roadworthiness test in a fifth step S5. If the result is positive and the driving ability test, which has the positive result, was not more than the predetermined period of time ago, the use of the vehicle is permitted in a sixth method step S6.

After the journey with the second vehicle 11, 11b has ended, the journey is evaluated in a seventh method step S7 as further evidence of the user's 10's ability to drive and, in turn, as a positive result of a driving ability test stored with a predetermined period of time in the personalized driving ability profile (16) assigned to the user. The driving ability profile (16) updated in this way can then be called up to enable the use of the vehicle of a third vehicle 11, 11c.

Reference symbol list

100

Proceedings

200

system

10

User

11

vehicle

11a

First vehicle

11b

Second vehicle

11c

Third vehicle

12

Data processing device

13

server

14

Data processing device

15

Smartphone

16

Driving ability profile

S1-S7

Procedural steps

Claims (10)

Method (100) for releasing vehicle use, wherein a user (10) is identified on a vehicle (11, 11a, 11b, 11c), a personalized driving ability profile (16) assigned to the user (10) comprising results of driving ability tests being retrieved, wherein vehicle use is permitted if the driving ability profile (16) includes a positive result of a driving ability test, characterized in that the result of a driving ability test is positive if the user (10) confirms his ability to drive before being identified on the vehicle (11, 11a, 11b , 11c) by carrying out actions in an environment that is comparable in complexity to the requirements of driving a vehicle. Procedure (100) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the driving ability profile (16) is updated after the end of an approved vehicle use. Procedure (100) according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the use of the vehicle is permitted if the driving test, which shows the positive result, was not more than a predetermined period of time ago. Procedure (100) according to Claim 3 , characterized in that for the positive result of the driving test, a period of time is determined within which a probability of being fit to drive is above a minimum probability, and the predetermined period of time is determined as the determined period of time. Procedure (100) according to Claim 4 , characterized in that the probability is determined using a look-up table or using an artificial intelligence method (100). Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actions include driving a vehicle (11, 11a, 11b, 11c) over a minimum driving time and/or with complex driving maneuvers. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actions include operation of a complex machine and/or operation of complex software. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actions include carrying out a driving test on a data processing device (14), in particular on a mobile data processing device (14). Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an emergency clearance is issued and that vehicle use is permitted when emergency clearance is granted. System (200) designed to carry out a method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one vehicle (11, 11a, 11b, 11c), preferably comprising driver assistance systems for automated or highly automated driving, with a vehicle-side data processing device (12), wherein the vehicle-side data processing device (12) is designed to identify a user (10) and to retrieve a personalized driving ability profile (16) assigned to the user (10), comprising results of driving ability tests, and to allow vehicle use if the driving ability profile (16). positive result of a driving test.

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