In-Vehicle Infotainment Communication Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle systems fail to effectively manage user device interactions within vehicles, leading to driver and passenger distractions that compromise safety, as they do not adequately route communications based on drive characteristics and user preferences.

Innovation Solution

An in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system that identifies occupants and determines drive characteristics using sensors, and routes communications based on user profiles and activities, rerouting calls to minimize distractions during critical driving situations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users can freely use their personal devices in the vehicle, then user convenience and accessibility are improved, but driver distraction and safety risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoiddriver distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle's audio system acts as an intermediary between the user device and the driver's attention. Communications are routed through the vehicle's speakers and microphones, allowing users to interact with their devices without directly viewing screens or holding phones, thereby reducing visual and manual distraction while maintaining accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments communication handling by routing different types of communications to different outputs based on drive characteristics. For example, non-urgent communications may be routed to passenger devices or delayed, while urgent communications are delivered through the vehicle audio system, separating the management of different communication priorities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the system routes all communications to the driver's device, then communication accessibility is improved, but driver cognitive load and distraction increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication accessibilityVSAvoidcognitive load
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication routing system dynamically adjusts based on real-time drive characteristics such as vehicle speed, acceleration, and traffic conditions. During critical driving situations, the system automatically modifies communication delivery methods, routing to passive audio output or delaying non-urgent communications, thereby adapting communication accessibility to current driving demands without increasing cognitive load

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the system monitors drive characteristics and user activities to route communications, then safety and distraction reduction are improved, but system complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system leverages existing multi-functional vehicle components for communication routing. The audio system, already designed for entertainment and information delivery, is extended to handle communication routing based on drive characteristics. This universal use of existing infrastructure reduces the need for dedicated complex hardware while maintaining safety improvements

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

Data Source

PatentEP2932394B1Systems and methods for user device interaction
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 INTEL CORP
  • EP2932394B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2932394B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2932394B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods for receiving a communication on one or more user devices within a vehicle and redirecting the communications based at least in part on one or more user profiles associated with occupants of the vehicle is disclosed. The redirection of the communication may further be based at least in part on one or more sensor signals or a drive characteristic associated with the vehicle.