Vehicle Agent Personalization for Occupant-Specific Function Guidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle agent processing devices provide uniform voice guidance for introducing vehicle functions to occupants, without distinguishing between different occupants, potentially leading to unnecessary introductions.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle agent device that includes an identification unit to recognize occupants, a specification unit to specify attributes such as driving skills and function awareness, and a control unit to output personalized introduction information for vehicle functions via an on-board unit, adjusting playback time and content as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If uniform voice guidance is provided to all occupants, then the system is simple to operate, but the information provided is not tailored to individual needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalization of introduction informationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments occupants into different categories (e.g., familiar with vehicle functions, unfamiliar with vehicle functions) based on their attributes, and provides different introduction information to each segment. This is achieved through the identification unit that identifies occupant attributes and the control unit that selectively outputs introduction information based on these attributes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by providing different types of introduction information to different occupants based on their specific attributes. Instead of uniform information, each occupant receives personalized introduction content tailored to their familiarity level with vehicle functions, driving skills, and other individual characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of time

If introduction information is provided during vehicle operation, then occupants can learn functions in real-time, but driving safety may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for function introductionVSAvoiddriving safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing introduction information before the occupant needs to use the functions, such as when the vehicle is stopped or during idle periods. The control unit determines appropriate timing based on vehicle state, ensuring introductions occur when they will not interfere with active driving operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses periodic action by providing introduction information at intervals during vehicle operation, such as during stops, traffic lights, or between driving tasks. This allows occupants to learn functions progressively without continuous distraction from the road.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12252133B2Vehicle agent device, vehicle agent system, and computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle agent device receives a captured image and vehicle information from an on-board unit, identifies an occupant from the captured image, specifies attributes of the occupant it identified, searches for vehicle functions corresponding to the attributes it specified, and sends, as description information to an on-board unit, a moving image that introduces the vehicle functions.