Vehicle Infotainment Feature Activation for Multi-Trim Assembly Simplification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of vehicle infotainment systems across different levels of vehicle models increases manufacturing costs and assembly complexity due to unique installation procedures, storage requirements, and limited customer flexibility in selecting features and pricing.
Innovation Solution
A scalable infotainment content management system that selectively activates hardware components and software modules via remote servers, allowing for customizable performance levels and feature sets, reducing the need for multiple system architectures and components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple unique infotainment systems are provided for different vehicle levels, then customer functionality and pricing options are improved, but vehicle assembly complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal infotainment system architecture that serves multiple vehicle levels (base, non-branded premium, branded premium) through a single platform. This single system design provides multi-functionality by supporting different feature sets and pricing tiers without requiring separate unique systems for each vehicle level, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining customer options.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes parameter changes to differentiate infotainment levels within a universal architecture. By adjusting software activation parameters, feature availability, and pricing configurations rather than creating hardware-differentiated unique systems, the patent enables multiple customer options from a single system design, reducing manufacturing and assembly complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple unique infotainment systems are provided for different vehicle levels, then customer functionality and pricing options are improved, but storage space requirements for manufacturers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal infotainment system architecture allows a single system design to serve multiple vehicle levels and customer preferences. By providing one versatile platform that can be configured for different pricing and functionality tiers, manufacturers eliminate the need to maintain separate storage facilities for multiple unique system variants, thereby reducing storage space requirements while preserving customer options.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple unique infotainment systems are provided for different vehicle levels, then customer functionality and pricing options are improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal infotainment system that reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need to produce, store, and install multiple unique system variants. The single system architecture with configurable parameters enables different pricing and functionality levels, allowing manufacturers to achieve cost economies of scale while maintaining adaptability to customer needs.
Solution Approach 2:
By differentiating vehicle levels through software parameter changes rather than hardware variations, the system reduces manufacturing complexity and costs. Manufacturers can produce a single infotainment system at scale and then configure it for different pricing tiers through parameter adjustments, eliminating the need for costly multi-variant production lines and reducing overall manufacturing expenses.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for managing content of a vehicle infotainment system are presented. In one example, one or more servers may activate and deactivate hardware components and software modules for vehicle infotainment systems to scale functionality and performance of the vehicle infotainment systems. The servers may receive upgrade and downgrade requests via a plurality of sources.