Vehicle Door Trim with Camera-Linked Display Panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rear passengers in vehicles lack information about the external side and rear traffic environment when opening the door, increasing the risk of hitting obstacles due to blind spots and adverse weather conditions.

Innovation Solution

A door trim with a luminous display panel and camera system that provides real-time images of the side and rear road traffic, integrated into the door trim, allowing passengers to check for obstacles before opening, featuring a flexible OLED display, protective screen, and touch-sensitive interface for intuitive use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If rear passengers open doors without external visibility, then door opening speed is fast, but safety is compromised due to blind spots and inability to detect obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening safetyVSAvoidtime to check environment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The camera system captures images of the external environment before the door opening action occurs. The display panel shows these images to the passenger in advance, allowing them to detect obstacles and assess safety conditions before actually opening the door, thus preventing accidents without adding significant time delay to the overall door opening process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The camera and display panel act as an intermediary system between the passenger and the external environment. Instead of requiring the passenger to directly see outside through windows or mirrors, the intermediary camera system captures and transmits visual information about obstacles and traffic conditions, enabling safe door opening decisions without direct line-of-sight requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If conventional mirrors are used for side viewing, then device complexity is low, but measurement precision is insufficient due to blind spots and distortion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexternal environment visibility accuracyVSAvoidmirror system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical mirror system with an electronic camera-based imaging system. Instead of relying on optical reflections from mirrors that create blind spots and distorted views, the camera system directly captures accurate images of the external environment, including areas invisible to conventional mirrors, thereby improving measurement precision while accepting increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera system creates a visual copy of the external environment and displays it on the panel. This copy provides a complete and accurate representation of the surrounding area, including blind spots that cannot be seen with conventional mirrors, allowing passengers to assess safety conditions with superior precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If display panel is positioned away from door trim, then manufacturing is simpler, but ease of operation decreases as passengers must turn their heads to check

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay consultation convenienceVSAvoiddisplay integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display panel is merged with the door trim assembly, creating an integrated unit. This allows the display to be positioned exactly where the passenger naturally looks when reaching to open the door, eliminating the need to turn the head and making the safety check as convenient as the door opening action itself, while the integration is achieved through standard automotive assembly processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If flexible curved display is used, then ease of operation improves with natural viewing angle, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing angle ergonomicsVSAvoidcurved display assembly precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible display panel that can be curved to match the contours of the door trim. This curved configuration allows the display surface to be oriented perpendicular to the door opening direction, providing an optimal viewing angle for passengers without requiring them to turn their heads, while the flexibility of the display technology accommodates the curvature requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

Enables rear passengers to safely open doors without hazards by providing clear, real-time traffic information, improving safety and user experience through intuitive and ergonomic design.

Implementation Method 1

The flexible display medium suitable for the present invention makes it possible to transmit information by means of a display of the OLCD type (Organic Liquid Crystal Display or Display by organic liquid crystals) for example, or LCD Liquid Crystal Display), LED (Light -Emitting Diode), OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOrganic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED): Organic Light-emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3986752B1Side door trim of a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.07.05 NOVARES FRANCE
  • EP3986752B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3986752B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a trim (4) of a door of a motor vehicle (110), said trim (4) being designed to cover a door (3) located on a side of the vehicle and being characterized in that it comprises a lit display panel (6) connected to a camera (8) placed at the location of the lateral external rearview mirror of the vehicle (110) located on the same side of the vehicle as said door, said lit display panel (6) being capable of displaying the image captured by the camera (8). The invention also relates to a motor vehicle (110) comprising at least one door (3) equipped with such a door trim (4).