Automotive Head Unit Device Locator for Forgotten Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often forget their consumer electronics devices, such as smartphones, in vehicles, leading to inconvenience and time-consuming retrieval efforts when they realize their devices are left behind.
Innovation Solution
A system integrated into the vehicle's onboard computer system, utilizing a wireless communication interface and a device locator module to establish a connection with pre-paired consumer electronics devices, providing notifications and location information when the device is outside the vehicle, and displaying its location on a navigation map if requested by the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vehicle starts without detecting the consumer electronics device, then the vehicle can depart, but the user may leave their device behind leading to inconvenience and time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the consumer electronics device before the vehicle departs by checking wireless connections (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) and comparing device presence against a pre-stored list of authorized devices. This preliminary action allows the system to alert the user before departure, preventing the problem of forgetting devices while maintaining efficient vehicle operation.
2Reliability
If the system continuously monitors for device presence, then forgotten devices can be detected, but system complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system implements periodic detection at specific trigger events such as vehicle startup, door closure, or before scheduled departures. The device locator module is activated only at these intervals to check wireless connections and determine device presence. This periodic approach maintains reliable detection while significantly reducing system complexity and power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
3Ease of operation
If the system provides detailed location information of the device, then the user can easily retrieve it, but additional processing and communication resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing wireless communication interface (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) as an intermediary to obtain location information from the consumer electronics device. Instead of implementing a complex tracking system, the vehicle's onboard computer requests location data through the already-established wireless connection, and the device's operating system provides the location information. This intermediary approach enables easy device retrieval while avoiding the need for complex dedicated tracking hardware and processing systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer-implemented methods, systems and apparatus are disclosed for providing notification at an automotive head unit (AHU) of a vehicle that a pre-paired consumer electronics device (CED), such as a wireless communication device, is outside a vehicle. When it is determined that the pre-paired CED is not connected to a wireless communication interface of the AHU, a notification can be provided to the AHU indicating that the pre-paired CED is not connected. Positional data from a location message, provided from the pre-paired CED, can then be processed to generate location data and provide the location data to the AHU.