Hierarchical Path Segmentation for Vehicle Display Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing in-vehicle information display systems face challenges in providing intuitive and quick access to information while minimizing driver distraction, as they struggle to efficiently navigate complex hierarchical structures and support the operation of various vehicle devices.

Innovation Solution

A method that divides the path to an object into individual selectable path elements, allowing users to navigate through hierarchical levels quickly by selecting buttons, which can be marked for highlighting, and displays a subset of objects at each level, reflecting the user's navigation history, thereby simplifying the display and operation of devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the entire hierarchical structure is displayed in the form of a tree diagram, then the user can see all available information and navigation paths, but the display becomes complex and time-consuming to navigate, increasing driver distraction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of information displayVSAvoidtime to navigate hierarchical structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hierarchical structure is segmented into individual path elements representing different hierarchical levels. Instead of displaying the entire tree diagram at once, the system divides the navigation path into discrete, selectable buttons that represent specific levels in the hierarchy. This segmentation allows the user to navigate efficiently by selecting individual path elements rather than traversing through a complex tree structure, thereby reducing navigation time while maintaining access to all information levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional tree diagram navigation is used, then all hierarchical levels are accessible, but the operation becomes complex and requires extensive eye movement, reducing ease of operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to hierarchical levelsVSAvoidsimplicity of navigation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Path elements serve as intermediaries between the driver and the hierarchical information structure. These path elements are displayed as selectable buttons that mediate the navigation process by representing specific hierarchical levels. Instead of directly interacting with a complex tree diagram, the driver interacts with these simplified intermediary buttons, which translate complex hierarchical navigation into simple button selections, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining access to all hierarchical levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a freely programmable display is used to show diverse information, then information flexibility is improved, but the display complexity and navigation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation display flexibilityVSAvoidnavigation interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display dynamically adapts its content based on the current hierarchical level and user context. The path elements are dynamically generated and updated to reflect the current position in the hierarchical structure. This dynamic behavior allows the display to maintain flexibility in showing diverse information while automatically simplifying the navigation interface by only showing relevant path elements for the current context, thereby reducing perceived complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2424744B1Method for controlling the display of information on a display surface
Publication Date: 2018.06.20 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP2424744B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2424744B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP2424744B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for controlling the display of information on a display surface (5), the information being hierarchically structured in objects (7), according to which an object (7) and a path (8) leading to the object (7) in the hierarchical structure are displayed. The invention is characterised in that the path is divided into individual path elements (8-1, 8-2, 8-3) pertaining to different hierarchical planes of the path leading to the object (7), and the path elements (8-1, 8-2, 8-3) are selectable control surfaces. When a path element (8-1, 8-2, 8-3) is selected, the display of information springs into the hierarchical plane of the selected path element (8-1, 8-2, 8-3).