In-Vehicle Infotainment Control for Multi-Device Cabin Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current in-vehicle infotainment systems are limited in allowing simultaneous control of multiple vehicle functions by multiple personal devices, restricting users to control only a single function at a time and requiring pairing with a single device.
Innovation Solution
An in-vehicle infotainment system that includes an electronic control unit capable of receiving and managing requests from multiple mobile devices to control various vehicle components such as HVAC, doors, media centers, and windows, allowing multiple users to access and control multiple components simultaneously through a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single personal device is paired with the in-vehicle infotainment system, then the system can maintain simple connection management and application pairing, but only a single function can be controlled at a time and multiple users cannot simultaneously control vehicle functions
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments device connections by creating distinct connection types: primary device connection and secondary device connections. The primary device establishes a formal pairing with full access, while secondary devices connect without requiring formal pairing. This segmentation allows multiple devices to connect simultaneously with different privilege levels, resolving the contradiction between supporting multiple devices and maintaining simple connection management.
Solution Approach 2:
The infotainment system is enhanced to perform multiple functions simultaneously by allowing different devices to control different vehicle features at the same time. The system universally accepts control requests from multiple devices and routes them to appropriate vehicle functions, enabling multi-user simultaneous control while maintaining a unified connection management framework.
2Productivity
If multiple personal devices are allowed to connect simultaneously, then multiple users can control various vehicle functions concurrently, but the system complexity for managing multiple connections and applications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by granting different control privileges to different devices based on their connection type. The primary device receives full control privileges for all vehicle functions, while secondary devices receive limited privileges for specific functions only. This localized privilege assignment enables simultaneous multi-device control with differentiated access levels without requiring complex centralized management of all possible control scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a connection management module that sits between multiple devices and the vehicle control systems. This intermediary handles device authentication, privilege assignment, and request routing, allowing multiple devices to connect and control functions simultaneously while the intermediary manages the complexity of coordinating these multiple connections.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus for an infotainment system. The infotainment system includes a first mobile device and an in-vehicle infotainment platform. The in-vehicle infotainment platform includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to receive, from the first mobile device, a first request to control, adjust or manage a first vehicle component. The electronic control unit is configured to receive, from the first mobile device, a second request to control, adjust or manage a second vehicle component. The electronic control unit is configured to control, adjust or manage the first vehicle component based on the first request. The electronic control unit is configured to control, adjust or manage the second vehicle component based on the second request.