Stretch-Fabric Vehicle Remote Control for Space-Saving Display Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote controls for automotive vehicle displays require physical space and connections, making them bulky and difficult to integrate seamlessly into the vehicle's interior design.
Innovation Solution
A remote control system featuring a 3-D shaped object connected to stretch sensors integrated into a stretchable fabric part of the vehicle's interior, allowing users to control the vehicle's display by interacting with the 3-D object, which collects information from the stretch sensors and sends it to the vehicle's control system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional buttons and switches are used for remote control, then the control function is achieved, but the device occupies space and requires complex connections and hard console integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control function from traditional rigid buttons and switches, separating it from the hard console structure. The control elements are integrated into a flexible fabric surface, allowing the remote control functionality to be distributed across a large, thin area rather than concentrated in a bulky form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible fabric surface as the substrate for the remote control interface. This thin film approach replaces traditional rigid button housings and switch enclosures, dramatically reducing the volume required for the remote control while maintaining tactile interaction capabilities through the flexible material.
2Ease of operation
If traditional buttons and switches are used for remote control, then the control function is achieved, but the integration into vehicle interior design becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible fabric substrate enables the remote control to conform to various vehicle interior surfaces and designs. The thin film nature allows integration into curved surfaces, armrests, door panels, and other interior components without requiring rigid mounting structures or complex mechanical integrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible fabric-based remote control can be integrated into multiple different vehicle interior components and locations. The same control interface can be adapted to work with various vehicle models and interior designs, providing universal applicability across different automotive applications.
3Volume of moving object
If stretch sensors are used instead of traditional buttons, then the remote control becomes compact and integrable, but the complexity of sensor integration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the flexible fabric substrate: the fabric serves as both the structural base and the sensing element through integrated stretch sensors. This merging eliminates the need for separate button mechanisms, switch housings, and individual sensor assemblies, reducing overall complexity despite the advanced sensing technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The stretch sensors detect user input by measuring changes in physical parameters (stretch, compression, bending) of the flexible fabric rather than detecting mechanical switch actuation. This parameter change approach simplifies the sensing mechanism by using the fabric's inherent physical properties as the sensing medium, reducing the complexity of mechanical linkages and contact points.
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
This solution provides a compact, space-efficient remote control that integrates seamlessly into the vehicle's interior, offering users a tangible interface for controlling the display while maintaining a sleek and modern design.
Implementation Method 1
stretch sensors connecting the 3-D shaped object to a structure of the vehicle and a control unit configured to collect information from the stretch sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A remote control an automotive vehicle, the remote control including a 3-D shaped object, stretch sensors connecting the 3-D shaped object to a structure of the vehicle and a control unit configured to collect information from the stretch sensors, the remote control being configured to control a display of the automotive vehicle, the remote control being configured to be integrated in a stretchable fabric part of an interior of the vehicle.