A recreational vehicle user interface

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Recreational vehicles have increasingly complex systems with numerous control devices for various functions, leading to user complexity and clumsiness in managing multiple controls.

Innovation Solution

A Recreational Vehicle User Interface (RVUI) featuring a touchscreen with a circular-shaped user input element that detects movement to control selected functions, providing tactile feedback and transmitting control signals wirelessly or via a wired connection, allowing for intuitive control of functions like climate, lighting, and security without excessive complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple dedicated control devices are provided for each function in a recreational vehicle, then each function can be controlled independently and reliably, but the number of control devices increases excessively, making the system complex and cumbersome for users

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunction control reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of control devices
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a single touchscreen interface that can control multiple different functions (climate control, lighting, entertainment, etc.) through a unified control system. The touchscreen displays various control options and allows users to select and adjust different functions through the same device, eliminating the need for separate dedicated control devices for each function while maintaining reliable control capability.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple dedicated control devices are provided for each function, then each function has its own specialized control, but the user interface becomes cumbersome and difficult to operate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunction control capabilityVSAvoiduser interface usability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple control functions into a single touchscreen interface. Instead of having separate physical controls for climate, lighting, entertainment, and other functions, the system combines all these controls into one unified touchscreen display that presents a user-friendly interface for managing multiple functions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical control devices (physical buttons, knobs, switches) with a touchscreen interface. This substitution allows for a more flexible and adaptable user interface that can display various control options visually and respond to touch inputs, improving ease of operation while maintaining full control capability over all vehicle functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If a single unified interface is used to control multiple functions, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the ability to provide specialized control for each function may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interface simplicityVSAvoidspecialized function control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The touchscreen interface is designed to be universal, capable of controlling multiple specialized functions through a single device. The interface can display and control climate settings, lighting options, entertainment systems, and other vehicle functions, providing specialized control capabilities within a unified, easy-to-operate framework.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3971691A1A recreational vehicle user interface
Publication Date: 2022.03.23 DOMETIC APPLIANCES
  • EP3971691A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3971691A1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1C
  • EP3971691A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The present disclosure generally relates to a method implemented in a Recreational Vehicle User Interface, RVUI, and a corresponding RVUI for controlling one or several functions of a recreational vehicle, RV. A circular-shaped user input element is displayed at a touchscreen of the RVUI. Furthermore, a user input (722) is detected at the touchscreen of the RVUI. This user input (722) comprises a movement along the displayed circular-shaped user input element (720). The movement is indicative of a request to control a user-selected function of the recreational vehicle. Responsive to detecting this user input, control of the user-selected function is initiated, or otherwise triggered.