Vehicle Cluster UI Design Adaptation for Steering Wheel Obstruction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cluster UI designs in vehicles often hide important information due to the steering wheel obstructing the view, leading to driver fatigue and visibility issues, as existing solutions that adjust the seat or steering wheel position are not optimal and may not suit individual driver preferences.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that detect the driver's eye position using a camera, determine the visible area on the cluster screen, and recommend a UI design by searching a database for designs that match the visible area, considering the importance and type of display information, and applying a selected design to ensure critical information is visible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the steering wheel is positioned between the cluster screen and the driver, then the driver can operate the vehicle controls, but part of the cluster screen becomes hidden causing important information to be invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by analyzing the specific visible area of the cluster screen for each driver and customizing the UI design to place important information elements within that visible area. Different drivers receive different UI layouts optimized for their specific viewing geometry, ensuring critical information is always in the visible portion of the screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes UI design parameters (layout, element positioning, information placement) based on detected eye position and calculated visible area. By dynamically adjusting these parameters according to individual driver characteristics, the system optimizes information visibility without requiring physical adjustments to the steering wheel or seat position.
2Loss of information
If the seat or steering wheel position is adjusted to make the cluster screen visible, then the visible area increases, but the driver's posture changes causing fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of physically adjusting the steering wheel or seat position, the system creates a virtual model (copy) of the driver's visible area based on eye position detection. This digital replica allows the UI design to be adapted to match the visible area without requiring any physical changes to the driver's posture or vehicle configuration, thereby avoiding fatigue.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a variety of cluster designs are arbitrarily applied to suit driver taste, then design preference is satisfied, but important information may be placed in the invisible area
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamics by making the UI design selection adaptive rather than static. Instead of arbitrarily applying fixed designs, the system dynamically determines the appropriate UI layout based on real-time eye position detection and visible area calculation. This ensures that design variety is provided within the constraints of keeping important information visible for each specific driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using eye position detection to inform UI design selection. The detection unit continuously monitors driver eye position, and this feedback is used to determine the visible area and select or generate an appropriate UI design that places important information within the visible region, creating a closed-loop adaptive system.
4Quantity of substance
If the cluster screen is fully utilized to display information, then information quantity increases, but the visible portion decreases due to steering wheel obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cluster screen into visible and invisible portions based on the driver's eye position and steering wheel geometry. This segmentation allows the system to strategically place different types of information in appropriate zones, ensuring that critical information is concentrated in the visible area while less important information can be placed in the invisible area to be displayed when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures that critical information is positioned in the driver's visible area, reducing fatigue and improving visibility by recommending UI designs tailored to the driver's field of view, enhancing safety and usability.
Implementation Method 1
an eye position detection unit to detect an eye position of a driver from an image captured through a camera in a vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to an apparatus for recommending a cluster user interface (UI) design using a distribution of design elements including an eye position detection unit to detect an eye position of a driver from an image captured through a camera in a vehicle, a visible area determination unit to determine a visible area in a cluster based on the detected eye position, a position of the cluster in the vehicle and a position of a steering wheel, a cluster UI design search unit to search for a cluster UI design related to a shape of the determined visible area in a database, and a cluster management unit to recommend the found cluster UI designs to the driver and apply a cluster UI design selected by the driver from the recommended cluster UI designs to the cluster in the vehicle.