Telematics Unit Captures Third-Party Vehicle Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle owners often forget to update their subscription accounts with pertinent vehicle information, such as license plate numbers, leading to incomplete service subscriptions for services like in-vehicle security, navigation, and diagnostics.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where a vehicle's telematics unit captures images of nearby third-party vehicles using its camera modules and broadcasts vehicle identification information to a data center, allowing for the retrieval and updating of subscription accounts with missing information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicle owners manually update subscription accounts with vehicle information, then account accuracy can be maintained, but users may forget to update information leading to incomplete subscriptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing vehicles to automatically broadcast their identification information and images through telematics units. Other vehicles in proximity can automatically retrieve this information and update subscription accounts without human intervention, making the system serve itself rather than requiring manual user input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-broadcasting vehicle identification information and images through telematics units before any update is needed. When a vehicle enters proximity, the information is already available for immediate retrieval and account updating, eliminating the need for users to remember to update their information.
2Reliability
If a system automatically retrieves vehicle information from nearby vehicles, then subscription accounts can be kept updated, but additional systems and communication protocols are required
Solution Approach 1:
The telematics unit performs multiple functions: it serves as a communication device for broadcasting vehicle information, a storage device for holding identification data and images, and a retrieval interface for other vehicles. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary approach by allowing third-party vehicles to act as mediators in the information transfer process. A vehicle can broadcast its information, another vehicle can capture it, and both can update their respective accounts, eliminating the need for a centralized server for every interaction.
3Productivity
If vehicle identification information is continuously broadcasted, then information can be readily retrieved, but energy and communication resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous broadcasting, the system uses periodic action where the telematics unit broadcasts vehicle identification information and images at predetermined time intervals. This approach maintains information availability for retrieval while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
One general aspect includes a system to responsively send vehicle information to a data center, the system including: a memory configured to include one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, where the executable instructions enable the processor to carry out the steps of: receiving vehicle identification information; sending the vehicle identification information to the data center; capturing an image of one or more third-party-vehicle identifying features in response to a request from the data center; and sending the image to the data center.