Portable Device Mediator for Vehicle Infotainment Touch Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle infotainment systems often lack touch-sensitive displays, particularly capacitive touch functionality, and may not be easily retrofitted with necessary sensors, limiting driver interaction and functionality.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses a remote, hand-held capacitive touch device, such as a smartphone, to control vehicle-mounted infotainment systems via a communications interface, allowing for capacitive touch input and sensor functionality through Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 communications, enabling control of vehicle components and multimedia systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a dashboard-mounted display is used in existing vehicles, then the infotainment system can be implemented, but the display cannot provide capacitive touch functionality and is out of reach for driver interaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver interaction capabilityVSAvoidtouch screen input device

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a portable device as an intermediary between the driver and the infotainment system. The portable device with its capacitive touch screen serves as a mediator that the driver can easily interact with, while it wirelessly communicates with the vehicle's infotainment system to control dashboard displays and other vehicle functions, thus resolving the reachability and touch functionality limitations without modifying the dashboard display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the need for a physical capacitive touch screen on the dashboard with a wireless communication system. Instead of mechanically integrating a touch screen into the dashboard display, the system uses wireless communication protocols to transmit touch input data from the portable device to the infotainment system, substituting a mechanical integration approach with a wireless communication approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If sensors and capacitive touch functionality are added to existing vehicles, then application functionality is improved, but the retrofit cost and complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidretrofit cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the portable device serve multiple functions: it acts as a capacitive touch input device, a sensor array, a remote control, and a communication interface all in one. This universal approach allows existing vehicles to gain advanced application functionality without adding multiple separate components, thereby reducing retrofit cost and complexity while achieving sensor and touch control capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent effectively copies the sensor and touch screen functionality from modern portable devices into the vehicle's infotainment system. Instead of physically installing sensors and touch screens in the dashboard, the system replicates their functionality through wireless communication by having the portable device act as a remote sensor and input device, thereby achieving the same functional outcome without the physical retrofit cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If a non-touch sensitive display is used, then the infotainment system can be implemented in existing vehicles, but driver interaction is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction capabilityVSAvoidtouch sensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The portable device serves as an intermediary that provides capacitive touch functionality to the infotainment system. The driver interacts with the portable device's touch screen, which then transmits the interaction data wirelessly to the infotainment system, effectively adding touch sensitivity to a system that originally had none without modifying the dashboard display itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables easy integration of advanced touch control and sensor functionality into existing vehicles, enhancing user interaction and system control without the need for costly retrofits, by using existing portable devices to communicate and control vehicle systems.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS8818275B2Enhancing vehicle infotainment systems by adding remote sensors from a portable device

Publication Date: 2014.08.26 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A vehicle display device is provided with a communications interface, which couples the vehicle display device to portable input devices inside the vehicle. The portable input devices are thus provided with the ability to control the display device and what is displayed thereon. The communications interface also enables the portable input device to control vehicle subsystems such as a climate control system, entertainment system and the like. Portable input devices equipped with sensors have sensor-generated information displayed on the vehicle display device.