Driver recognition to control vehicle systems

Abstract

A driver recognition system of a vehicle identifies a person approaching the vehicle as a driver or other user. In one approach, the driver recognition system collects data using one or more cameras of the vehicle. The collected data corresponds to the person approaching the vehicle. Based on the collected data, a computing device determines (e.g., using a machine-learning model) whether the person is a user (e.g., driver) associated with the vehicle. If the person is a user associated with the vehicle, then the computing device causes one or more actions to be performed for the vehicle (e.g., controller configuration, boot up of a computing device, updating software using over-the-air update, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 at least one camera mounted on a first vehicle; and   at least one processing device configured to:
 receive first data from at least one vehicle other than the first vehicle; 
 receive second data from the at least one camera; 
 determine, based on the first and second data, that a first person approaching the first vehicle is an authorized user; and 
 in response to determining that the first person is an authorized user, perform at least one action for the first vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one action comprises predicting and launching software for use by the first person. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a machine-learning model, wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 determine a behavior of the first person;   wherein determining that the first person is an authorized user comprises providing an output from the machine-learning model that uses the behavior of the first person as input.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 determine a context of the vehicle;   wherein the at least one action comprises selecting software based on the context, and launching the selected software.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect the first person, wherein the second data is image data, and the camera is configured to start collecting the image data in response to the detection by the sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the image data is used to determine a behavior of the first person. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 transmit the image data to a server that serves multiple vehicles including the first vehicle, wherein the server is configured to perform an identification process using the image data to provide an identification of a person; and   receive, from the server, the identification.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the server is further configured to collect data from other vehicles used by the first person, and the identification is based on the data collected from the other vehicles. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a LiDAR sensor, radar sensor, infrared sensor, or microphone. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to predict, based on the first and second data, an application to be used by the first person while inside the first vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein performing the at least one action comprises executing software associated with the first person. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first person is an authorized user comprises analyzing, using an artificial neural network, a behavior of the first person when approaching the first vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 determine a movement of the first person;   wherein determining that the first person is an authorized user is based on the movement of the first person.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one action comprises adjusting at least one setting of the first vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 at least one camera of a first vehicle to collect image data;   memory configured to store a database of user data; and   at least one processing device configured to:
 receive the collected image data; 
 determine, based on the received image data, that a first person approaching the first vehicle is an authorized user; and 
 in response to determining that the first person is an authorized user, perform, based on the database of user data, at least one action for the first vehicle. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 execute facial recognition software using the collected image data as input; and   access, based on the execution of the facial recognition software, the database to obtain at least one user preference;   wherein the action is performed based on the user preference.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the user preference is a manner of operation as determined based on prior approaches and entries to the first vehicle by the first person. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one camera comprises a first camera facing towards a first side of the first vehicle, and a second camera facing towards an opposite second side of the first vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 determine a location of the first person;   wherein the at least one action corresponds to the determined location.   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 receiving first data from at least one vehicle other than a first vehicle;   receiving second data from at least one camera of the first vehicle;   determining, based on the first and second data, that a first person approaching the first vehicle is an authorized user; and   in response to determining that the first person is an authorized user, performing at least one action for the first vehicle.