Autonomous Vehicle Next-Action Display Using Dynamic Morphing Cues

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passengers in autonomous vehicles experience motion sickness and anxiety due to the lack of clear communication about the vehicle's next actions, as conventional systems rely on static images that fail to effectively convey dynamic movements like speed, acceleration, direction, and turn radius.

Innovation Solution

A graphical user interface that uses a dynamically morphing shape to visually represent the next action of the autonomous vehicle, incorporating real-time data from various sources such as navigation systems, sensors, and external information to convey changes in speed, acceleration, direction, and turn radius, allowing passengers to quickly understand the vehicle's actions with a glance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If static images are used to convey next action, then the system is simple and easy to implement, but the information conveyance is insufficient and fails to represent dynamic movements effectively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation conveyanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the Dynamics principle by transforming the static display interface into a dynamic one. The morphing shape continuously changes its form, direction, and visual properties to represent the autonomous vehicle's next actions in real-time. This dynamic visualization effectively conveys speed, acceleration, direction changes, and turn radius through the shape's transformation, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If multiple static images are used to show vehicle actions, then more information can be conveyed, but the passenger experience is not significantly improved and anxiety remains

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger comfortVSAvoidinformation processing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic morphing shape provides a continuous, fluid visualization of the vehicle's next actions, making it easier for passengers to process information intuitively. The shape's transformation naturally communicates the vehicle's intended movements, reducing cognitive load and passenger anxiety while significantly improving comfort and reliability of the passenger experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional display systems are used, then the implementation is straightforward, but passengers experience motion sickness and anxiety due to lack of clear communication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation easeVSAvoidpassenger discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic morphing shape effectively communicates the autonomous vehicle's next actions to passengers, reducing uncertainty and anxiety. By visually representing speed, direction, and movement characteristics through the shape's transformation, the system addresses passenger discomfort while maintaining reasonable implementation complexity through a focused visualization approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes color changes as part of the morphing shape to enhance the communication of vehicle actions. Color variations provide additional visual cues about the nature and intensity of upcoming maneuvers, helping passengers understand and anticipate vehicle behavior, thereby reducing motion sickness and anxiety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentUS11767023B2Displaying next action of an autonomous vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.09.26 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • US11767023B2 patent drawing
  • US11767023B2 patent drawing
  • US11767023B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems, methods and computer program products that facilitate displaying next action of an autonomous vehicle. A system can include a memory and a processor that executes computer executable components. The computer executable components can include: an analysis component that determines or infers next action of an autonomous vehicle and a display component that generates a graphical user interface that visually conveys the next action, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a shape that dynamically morphs to visually represent the next action.