Modular Vehicle HMI With Tactile Widgets for Configurable Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicles often lack customizable tactile controls, failing to meet user preferences for physical interaction with electronic displays, despite the desire for both simplicity and personalization in user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A modular HMI system featuring programmable widgets with various tactile controls, such as buttons and knobs, that can be easily attached and configured to provide quick access to vehicle functions, integrated with a telematics control module for state changes and communication with a cloud service to manage function mappings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electronic displays are used for vehicle instrumentation, then configurability and digital readout capabilities are improved, but tactile control and physical interaction are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the HMI into separate functional modules: electronic display components for information presentation and physical widget components for tactile control. Each widget is an independent module that can be selectively attached to the display, allowing users to have both digital configurability and physical tactile control simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functions are integrated into the HMI system, then functionality and versatility are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs universal widget modules that can perform multiple functions. Each physical widget can be configured to control different vehicle functions through software mapping, allowing a single physical component to serve multiple purposes depending on the selected mode, thereby reducing the number of separate components needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic reconfiguration of widget functions through mode switching. The same physical widget can be reassigned to different control functions based on user selection, enabling the system to adapt its functionality without adding permanent hardware for each possible function.
3Ease of operation
If physical controls are added to provide tactile feedback, then user preference and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Physical controls are segmented into separate, attachable widget modules rather than being integrated into the main display structure. Users can attach only the physical controls they need, keeping the system simple when tactile feedback is not required and adding complexity only when and where it is desired.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to implement tactile control partially by selecting only specific widgets to attach to the display. Users are not forced to add all possible physical controls, but can choose exactly which functions require physical interaction, implementing tactile feedback to the extent actually needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A physical toggle button located in a cabin of a vehicle receives input indicating a change in state of the physical toggle button from a first mode in which a plurality of functions of smart home devices are set to a first state to a second mode in which the plurality of functions of the smart home devices are set to a second state. Using a telematics control module of the vehicle, a state change request is sent indicating the change in state to a cloud service maintaining a function mapping including information for setting the plurality of functions between the first state and the second state.