Control of vehicle features based on user recognition and identification

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented for accepting inputs into a vehicle or other conveyance to control functions of the conveyance. A vehicle control system can receive gestures and other inputs. The vehicle control system can also obtain information about the user of the vehicle control system and information about the environment in which the conveyance is operating. Based on the input and the other information, the vehicle control system can modify or improve the performance or execution of user interface and functions of the conveyance. The changes make the user interfaces and/or functions user-friendly and intuitive.

1 . A method for modifying features of a conveyance, comprising:
 a vehicle control system, including a processor, identifying a user within the conveyance;   the vehicle control system retrieving a user profile associated with the user, which is associated with the identified user;   the vehicle control system retrieving characteristics in the user profile;   the vehicle control system determining if at least one of the characteristics impacts a function of the conveyance, wherein the function is a user interface configuration; and   the vehicle control system, if the at least one of the characteristics impacts the function of the conveyance, automatically changing the function based on the at least one of the characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the vehicle control system determining if an override has been set; and   if the override has been set, the vehicle control system ignoring the change to the function.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the override is provided by the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an age of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, if the age is under a predetermined benchmark, the user is prohibited for accessing the function of the conveyance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an eyesight of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, if the eyesight is under a predetermined benchmark, the user interface is modified for the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second function is also changed based on a second characteristic, wherein the second characteristic is a logged hours of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein, if the logged hours is under a predetermined benchmark, wherein the second function is changed, wherein the second function is a route information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user is a passenger. 
     
     
         11 . A conveyance comprising:
 a processor operable to execute one or more modules, the modules comprising:   a user identification module that:   identifies a user within the conveyance;   retrieves a user profile, which is associated with the identified user;   retrieves characteristics in the user profile;   a user customization module that:   determines if at least one of the characteristics impacts a function of the conveyance, wherein the function is a user interface configuration; and   if the at least one of the characteristics impacts the function of the conveyance, automatically changes the function based on the at least one of the characteristics, wherein the conveyance continues to be operated by the user with the changed function.   
     
     
         12 . The conveyance of  claim 11 , wherein the user customization module is further operable to:
 determine if an override has been set; and   if the override has been set, ignore the change to the function.   
     
     
         13 . The conveyance of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an age of the user, and wherein, if the age is under a predetermined benchmark, the user is prohibited for accessing the function of the conveyance. 
     
     
         14 . The conveyance of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an eyesight of the user, and wherein, if the eyesight is under a predetermined benchmark, a user interface is modified for the user. 
     
     
         15 . The conveyance of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is a logged hours of the user, and wherein, if the logged hours is under a predetermined benchmark, a second function is changed, wherein the second function is a route information. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium stored on a storage medium and having instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to identify a user within a conveyance;   instructions to retrieve a user profile, which is associated with the identified user;   instructions to retrieve characteristics in the user profile, which is associated with the identified user;   instructions to determine if at least one of the characteristics impacts a function of the conveyance, wherein the function is a user interface configuration; and   if the at least one of the characteristics impacts the function of the conveyance, instructions to automatically change the function based on the at least one of the characteristics, wherein the conveyance continues to be operated by the user with the changed function.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 instructions to determine if an override has been set; and   if the override has been set, instructions to ignore the change to the function.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an age of the user, and wherein, if the age is under a predetermined benchmark, the user is prohibited for accessing a second function of the conveyance. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is an eyesight of the user, and wherein, if the eyesight is under a predetermined benchmark, the user interface is modified for the user. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the characteristics is a logged hours of the user, and wherein, if the logged hours is under a predetermined benchmark, a second function is changed, wherein the second function is a route information.