System and method for facilitating user access to vehicles based on biometric information

摘要

Systems and methods are provided for authorizing a user to access an access-controlled environment. The system includes a system server platform that communicates with mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) and on-board vehicle computing devices accessed by users. The embodiments enable a series of operations whereby a user accessing a vehicle is prompted to biometrically authenticate using the user's smartphone or on-board vehicle computer. In addition, the system can further authorize the user and electronically facilitate access to the vehicle as well as perform other authorized operations relating to the use of the vehicle. In addition the vehicle access system integrates with various computing devices and computer-based services accessible to the user. The systems and methods also facilitate active monitoring of the vehicle occupants and environmental conditions using optical sensors and the like so as to enhance security, convenience and safety of the occupants during use of the vehicle.

主权项

1. A method for authorizing a user to access a vehicle, the method comprising:
accessing, by a computing device, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the computing device is a remote server computing device, and wherein information stored in the computer readable storage medium includes:
a plurality of user profiles, wherein each user profile is associated with a respective user and the respective user's mobile device,a plurality of vehicle profiles, wherein each vehicle profile is associated with a respective vehicle having a respective on-board computer, andpermissions associated with respective user profiles in relation to respective vehicle profiles, wherein the permissions govern access by the respective users to the respective vehicles; receiving, by the computing device over a network from the user's personal mobile device, an authorization request comprising: identification information associated with the user, and access information identifying a vehicle; authorizing, by the computing device based on the received authorization request, the user access to the vehicle, wherein the authorizing step comprises:
determining, by the computing device, that the received identification information corresponds to a user profile among the plurality of user profiles stored in the storage,determining, by the computing device, that the identified vehicle corresponds to a vehicle profile among the plurality of vehicle profiles stored in the storage,determining, by the computing device, based on the received biometric authentication status, that the user has been biometrically authenticated by the mobile device,identifying, based on the identification information and the access information, one or more permissions, among the permissions, that is associated with the user and the vehicle, andverifying, based on the one or more permissions, that the user is authorized to access the vehicle; creating, by the computing device in the storage, an access record concerning the authorized access; and transmitting, based on the authorization, by the computing device over a communications network to a remote computing device associated with the vehicle, an authorization notification that facilitates the user access to the vehicle.