Gesture Control Vehicle Entertainment System
Solution Overview
Problem
In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems face difficulties in control due to the distance of touch-screen interfaces from passengers, making them inconvenient to use, especially in premium and business class seating, and challenging in coach class seating when seats are reclined.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle entertainment system utilizing a Smart Video Display Unit (SVDU) with gesture recognition technology, incorporating a pair of gesture control cameras and a processor to identify and respond to passenger gestures, allowing control of entertainment systems and other components within the vehicle, while compensating for turbulence and adjusting to passenger alertness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If touch-screen interfaces are positioned within convenient reach of passengers, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and maintenance costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical touch-screen interfaces with gesture recognition technology using cameras and image processing. Passengers control the entertainment system through hand gestures captured by cameras, eliminating the need for physical contact with control surfaces. This substitution reduces wear and maintenance while keeping the interface within easy visual and gestural reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces gesture recognition technology as an intermediary between the passenger and the entertainment system. Instead of direct physical interaction with touchscreens, the system mediates control through camera-based gesture detection and image processing algorithms, allowing contactless operation that reduces wear on physical components.
2Ease of operation
If physical interfaces are placed within reach of passengers, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical touch-screen interfaces with optical gesture recognition systems. Cameras capture hand gestures and the image processing system translates these into control commands, eliminating physical contact components that are subject to wear, degradation, and damage from vandalism.
Solution Approach 2:
The gesture recognition system provides a contactless interface that does not require physical interaction with control surfaces. The cameras continuously monitor the gesture space and automatically interpret hand movements, providing a maintenance-free control mechanism that improves reliability.
3Ease of operation
If gesture recognition is implemented in public settings, then ease of operation is improved, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to hygiene issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical touch interfaces with optical gesture recognition. Cameras detect hand movements in the gesture space without requiring contact with any surfaces, eliminating the transmission of germs and viruses that occurs with shared physical controls in public transportation settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses camera-based gesture detection as an intermediary that requires no physical contact. The gesture recognition technology mediates between the passenger and the entertainment system through optical fields rather than physical contact, preventing the spread of contaminants.
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 convenient and accurate control of vehicle entertainment systems using gestures, improving user experience by eliminating reach limitations and reducing maintenance costs associated with physical interfaces, while enhancing passenger comfort and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The gesture control camera generates a camera signal responsive to light reflected from at least one object within a field of view of the at least one gesture control camera
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle entertainment system is controlled responsive to gestures that are formed by a passenger of the vehicle. The vehicle entertainment system includes a display device, at least one gesture control camera, and a processor. The gesture control camera generates a camera signal responsive to light reflected from at least one object within a field of view of the at least one gesture control camera. The processor analyzes the camera signal to identify a gesture made by a passenger moving the at least one object, and controls at least one operation of the vehicle entertainment system responsive to the identified gesture.