Personal Mobility Vehicle Integrated Reminder System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional personal mobility vehicles, such as wheelchairs, lack integrated reminder systems for users to manage scheduled events and maintenance, requiring users to rely on external diaries or others for reminders.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an automated reminder function into the vehicle's control system, utilizing a data processor and user interface to provide pop-up alerts and notifications for both user and maintenance reminders, triggered by time, distance, or other events, allowing users to input and manage reminders directly through the vehicle's display and acoustic transducer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users rely on external diaries or other persons for reminders, then reminder functionality is provided, but user independence and convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidreminder information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the reminder function with the wheelchair control system by integrating a data processor, memory, and user interface into the vehicle itself. This merging eliminates the need for external diaries or assistants, allowing users to manage reminders independently through the integrated system's display and input devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to program and manage their own reminders through the integrated user interface. The data processor automatically retrieves stored reminder data and presents it through the display device, allowing users to independently manage their scheduling needs without external assistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional separate reminder devices are used, then reminder functionality is achieved, but device complexity and integration deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem integrationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wheelchair control system is designed to perform multiple functions: vehicle control, data processing, and reminder management. By making the control system universal, the patent eliminates the need for separate reminder devices, reducing overall system complexity while improving adaptability and integration.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the reminder subsystem with the existing vehicle control system by sharing common components such as the data processor, memory, and user interface. This consolidation reduces the total number of separate devices and interfaces, simplifying the overall system while enhancing integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If integrated reminder system is implemented, then user convenience and maintenance ensurement improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance assuranceVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system includes a maintenance reminder function that monitors vehicle usage and automatically generates reminders when maintenance is due. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable maintenance scheduling by continuously monitoring system parameters and notifying users through the integrated display, improving reliability without requiring complex external monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2044917B1Personal mobility vehicle
Publication Date: 2012.08.29 CURTIS INSTRUMENTS INC
  • EP2044917B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2044917B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2044917B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A personal mobility vehicle, such as a wheelchair system, includes a user interface having a user input and a display for displaying information to the user and a control unit that includes a data processor and a memory. The data processor is responsive to the user entering information into the personal mobility vehicle, where the information is indicative of a reminder to be generated upon the occurrence of a triggering event, to store the information and to present the reminder, upon an occurrence of the triggering event, to the user on the user interface of the personal mobility vehicle. The information can include a message text, and the triggering event may be one of the elapsing of a specified interval of time or an occurrence of a specified time of day. The reminder may be presented by generating at least one of text, an image, a pictogram, an animation and sound.