Vehicle Infotainment Widgets for Safer Multi-Function Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current vehicle infotainment systems lack the ability to efficiently manage multiple functions simultaneously, such as navigation and media playback, while maintaining user convenience and safety, as they often require users to switch between applications, leading to distractions and reduced safety during driving.

Innovation Solution

The infotainment apparatus and method implement a widget-based interface that allows for the simultaneous execution of foreground and background functions, displaying relevant information from background tasks as widgets on a persistent screen area, enabling easy access and minimizing visual distractions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users switch between applications to manage multiple functions, then all functions can be accessed, but driving safety and user convenience deteriorate due to distractions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-function executionVSAvoiddriving safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The interface is segmented into multiple regions: a first region for the foreground application and a second region for displaying widgets of background applications. This segmentation allows simultaneous visualization of multiple functions without requiring full application switching, thereby maintaining driving safety while enabling multi-function execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Widgets serve as intermediaries between background applications and the user. Instead of requiring users to switch to full background applications, widgets provide essential information and control functions as a middle layer, reducing distraction while maintaining access to multiple functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If background functions are executed simultaneously, then user convenience improves, but interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Essential elements of background applications are extracted and displayed as widgets in the second region. Only critical information and controls are taken out from the full applications, allowing users to access key functions without the complexity of full application interfaces while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of displaying complete background application interfaces, only partial functionality through widgets is provided. This partial action approach suffices for most user needs during driving, simplifying the interface while maintaining convenience for essential operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12139015B2Vehicle infotainment apparatus using widget and operation method thereof

Publication Date: 2024.11.12 THINKWARE

AI summary

Disclosed are a vehicle infotainment apparatus using a widget and a method of operating the same. According to various embodiments, some UIs of functions on execution in a background can be displayed as a background widget within an area that is always accessible in a screen of the infotainment device, thereby enabling to provide its user with simpler manipulation functions and necessary information.