Light-Signaling User Terminal for Accessible Transportation Services

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional smartphones are not suitable for all users due to cost, complex operation, and visual accessibility issues, limiting their effectiveness in reducing traffic density and improving user comfort for shared transportation services.

Innovation Solution

A user terminal that can send for a transportation vehicle using actuation devices and wireless messages, eliminating the need for screens by employing light signals for communication, allowing users to identify approaching vehicles through color information, and integrating with servers for simplified operation and position determination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional smartphones are used for ordering transportation vehicles, then functionality and communication capabilities are improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidcomplexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential communication function from the smartphone and implements it through a dedicated simple user terminal with actuating devices. This terminal only needs to send requests and receive light signals, removing unnecessary complexity while maintaining the core functionality of ordering transportation vehicles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The user terminal is designed as a simple, low-cost device that can be easily replaced or updated. It uses basic components like actuating devices and light-receiving elements rather than expensive smartphone hardware, making it accessible to all users including those with cognitive or sensory limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Loss of information

If conventional smartphones are used for ordering transportation vehicles, then communication capabilities are improved, but ease of operation and accessibility for visually impaired users deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication capabilityVSAvoidaccessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the visual display interface of smartphones with an optical communication system using light signals. The user terminal sends requests via actuating devices and receives responses through light signals that can be detected by visually impaired users, substituting the mechanical/visual interface with an optical one that is more accessible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The transportation vehicle and user terminal use color-coded light signals to communicate status and identity. Different colors indicate different states or vehicle types, providing a simple visual cue that is easier to process than text or complex icons on a smartphone screen, and can be detected by visually impaired users through other sensory channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Loss of information

If conventional smartphones are used for ordering transportation vehicles, then information display capabilities are improved, but visual accessibility for visually impaired and elderly persons deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation displayVSAvoidvisual accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the small smartphone display with an optical communication system using light signals of various intensities and patterns. This substitution allows visually impaired and elderly users to detect information through light sensing rather than relying on small screens that are difficult to see, thereby eliminating the visual accessibility barrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If simple user terminals with actuating devices are used instead of smartphones, then ease of operation and accessibility are improved, but device functionality and communication capabilities may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesimplicityVSAvoidfunctionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The simple user terminal is designed to perform multiple functions through a unified actuating device interface. The same actuating device can initiate different types of requests (transportation vehicle ordering, position reporting, etc.), and the system handles different communication scenarios, providing universal functionality despite the simple hardware design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11578987B2User terminal, transportation vehicle, server, and method for sending for a transportation vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.02.14 VOLKSWAGEN AG

AI summary

A user terminal, a transportation vehicle, a server, a computer program product, a signal sequence and a method for sending for a first transportation vehicle. The method includes actuating an actuating device of a first user terminal; sending a wireless message from the user terminal to a server in response thereto; assigning a first transportation vehicle to the user terminal; assigning a first color information to the first user terminal and the assigned first transportation vehicle; and emitting a light by the first transportation vehicle and the first user terminal, the identical color of which is defined based on the first color information.