Vehicle Caller Image Display Using Preloaded Contact Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing telephone calls in vehicles face delays in displaying caller information due to high-resolution contact picture transfers over Bluetooth, and may divert the driver's attention with slow processing times, especially when the communication event and spatial state conditions are not met.
Innovation Solution
A system with an instrument cluster connected to a personal digital assistant, featuring a memory unit that stores contact numbers and images of frequently contacted callers, and a control unit that identifies incoming calls by comparing them to a prioritized contact list, allowing for quick retrieval and display of caller images without processor load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If high resolution contact picture is transferred via Bluetooth during incoming call, then caller information display completeness is improved, but processor load increases and display delay occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads and stores contact information including high-resolution pictures into the instrument cluster memory before calls occur. This preliminary action ensures that when a call comes in, the information is already available locally for immediate display without requiring real-time Bluetooth transfer, thus eliminating display delay while maintaining information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary storage mechanism (instrument cluster memory) between the smartphone and the display system. Contact information is first transferred to this intermediary storage, which then serves as a local buffer for rapid retrieval and display, decoupling the display speed from Bluetooth transfer speed and resolving the contradiction between information completeness and display timing.
2Loss of information
If contact information is transferred via Bluetooth, then caller data is obtained, but data transfer speed is slow compared to USB
Solution Approach 1:
Contact information including pictures is pre-transferred and stored in the instrument cluster memory before the actual call event. This preliminary data preparation eliminates the need for slow Bluetooth transfer during the call, as all data is already available in the vehicle's local memory system for immediate access and display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a local copy of contact information in the instrument cluster memory. Instead of relying on real-time Bluetooth connection for data retrieval, the patent makes duplicate copies of frequently accessed contact data available locally, enabling fast access speeds independent of Bluetooth transfer limitations.
3Loss of information
If all caller information is displayed during incoming call, then information completeness is improved, but processor load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy processing task of contact information management from the main vehicle processor and relocates it to a dedicated memory unit in the instrument cluster. By separating the storage and retrieval functions from the main processing unit, the system reduces processor load while maintaining complete caller information display capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument cluster memory unit autonomously stores and retrieves contact information without requiring continuous processor intervention. The system implements self-service functionality where the local memory handles data management tasks independently, freeing the main processor from these operations and reducing its load during call events.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing telephone calls in a vehicle includes instrument cluster and memory unit which is configured to save data indicative of contact number and image of caller. The system further includes control unit which is configured to identify if there is an incoming call from caller, compare contact number of incoming call with recently contacted numbers of callers and/or prioritized contact list from saved data in memory unit, determine if present caller is one of callers from recently contacted callers and/or from prioritized contact list, obtain image of present caller from memory unit, and display image of present caller onto a display unit of instrument cluster if present caller is determined to be one of the callers from recently contacted caller and/or from prioritized contact list.