Rideshare Seat Control Panel for Independent Passenger Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

In rideshare environments, passengers with physically or mentally disabled companions, or children, face challenges in adjusting seat and comfort settings, leading to inconvenience, safety issues, and delays, as they need to manually access controls, which is burdensome and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A system using computers and mobile devices to configure and control rideshare experience features, such as seat preferences and vehicle access, through a processor, enabling designated seat controls via a control panel, allowing passengers to manage settings remotely and restrict access to safety features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a passenger manually adjusts seat and comfort settings for a disabled friend/family member, then the friend/family member's comfort is improved, but the passenger experiences physical burden and discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort adjustmentVSAvoidpassenger burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables disabled passengers to control seat and comfort settings independently through accessible control interfaces, eliminating the need for other passengers to physically assist them while maintaining comfort adjustment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If children are given access to vehicle controls, then they can adjust their own settings, but they may mistakenly access safety controls or annoy other passengers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol accessibilityVSAvoidsafety control security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments vehicle controls into different zones or levels of access, allowing children to independently adjust non-critical settings while restricting access to safety-critical controls through parental authorization mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms that monitor control access patterns and provide alerts or restrictions when children attempt to access inappropriate controls, ensuring safety while maintaining accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If a passenger manually adjusts seat and comfort settings during pickup, then the friend/family member's comfort is optimized, but the vehicle is delayed at stops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort adjustmentVSAvoidvehicle delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows seat and comfort settings to be pre-configured and automatically applied when passengers board, eliminating the need for manual adjustments during pickup and reducing vehicle delay at stops

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11094027B2System and method to establish primary and secondary control of rideshare experience features

Publication Date: 2021.08.17 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

One general aspect includes a method to establish control of one or more rideshare experience features, the method including: receiving, via a processor, seat preference settings; based on the seat preference settings, via the processor, designating one vehicle seat of a plurality of vehicle seats; and enabling, via the processor, control of one or more rideshare experience features associated with the designated seat through at least one control panel located at the designated seat.