Infotainment System Data Conversion and Playback Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing infotainment systems in motor vehicles require high-performance control units for playback, leading to increased costs and complexity, as they often need to decompress and process data, which is inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

An infotainment system comprising a processing unit that converts infotainment data into an uncompressed format, reducing the need for high-performance control units by allowing the control unit to focus solely on playback, with the processing unit handling data conversion and providing it in an uncompressed format to the control unit for playback units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the control unit decompresses and processes infotainment data, then playback functionality is achieved, but system cost and complexity increase due to requiring high-performance control units

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem costVSAvoidcontrol unit performance requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the infotainment processing function into two separate units: a processing unit that handles data compression and formatting, and a control unit that handles playback control. This segmentation allows the control unit to be simpler and less expensive while the processing unit handles the computationally intensive tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The processing unit acts as an intermediary between the data source and the control unit. It converts compressed infotainment data into a standardized uncompressed format and provides it to the control unit, thereby shielding the control unit from the complexity of data compression and allowing it to focus solely on playback control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the control unit processes compressed infotainment data, then playback is enabled, but processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata processing efficiencyVSAvoiddecompression and processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The processing unit performs data decompression and formatting in advance, before the control unit needs to play back the data. By preparing the uncompressed data ahead of time and making it available to the control unit, the system eliminates real-time processing delays and improves overall playback efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple control units are used for different infotainment functions, then system functionality is enhanced, but data transmission complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfotainment functionalityVSAvoiddata transmission architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing unit provides a universal interface that outputs standardized uncompressed infotainment data in a common format. This universal output format can be used by multiple different control units for various infotainment functions (radio, TV, navigation, etc.), simplifying the data transmission architecture despite the diversity of functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2651686B1Infotainment system
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP2651686B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to an infotainment system (S), comprising a control unit (CTRL) and a processing unit (HU). The processing unit (HU) and the control unit (CTRL) are coupled to each other by means of a data connection (CHT). The processing unit (HU) is designed to convert predetermined infotainment data, which are present in a first data format, at least partially into a second, uncompressed data format. The processing unit (HU) is further designed to make the converted infotainment data in the second, uncompressed data format available to the control unit (CTRL) by means of the data connection (CHT). The control unit (CTRL) is designed to receive the infotainment data in the second, uncompressed data format and to combine same with additional predetermined infotainment data, which are present in the second predetermined data format, and to provide the combined infotainment data at least partially for display on at least one display unit (DSP1) associated with the control unit (CTRL).