Vehicle Concentrated Control System with Rotating Menu Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle control systems, particularly those with a combination of a dial knob and buttons, face challenges in efficiently navigating and selecting menus while driving, leading to driver distractions and reduced safety due to complexity and instability.
Innovation Solution
A concentrated control system with a cube structure featuring a menu portion that rotates to display menu modes, including a touchpad-type scroll button or trackball, and a lattice structure layout that adapts based on menu modes, allowing for intuitive control of in-vehicle devices with reduced button count and minimal hand movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple input buttons are arranged to control diverse vehicle functions, then the control capability is improved, but the device complexity and UI arrangement difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concentrated control system employs a universal control interface where a limited set of physical buttons and a rotary dial can access multiple functions across different menu modes (audio, navigation, climate control, etc.). The same physical controls adapt their function based on the currently active menu mode, eliminating the need for dedicated buttons for each function while maintaining full control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically reconfigures the control interface based on the active menu mode. The display screen shows context-relevant options and the control buttons' functions are dynamically assigned based on which menu category is currently selected, allowing the same physical hardware to efficiently control diverse vehicle functions without requiring a fixed, complex button layout.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more menu options and input buttons are added to handle diverse vehicle operations, then the functionality is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the diverse vehicle functions into distinct menu modes (audio, navigation, climate control, vehicle settings, etc.). Each menu mode presents a simplified, context-specific set of options on the display screen, while the physical controls remain consistent. This segmentation allows drivers to access comprehensive functionality while dealing with simplified, organized interfaces for each specific task.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary dial and display screen act as intermediaries between the driver and the complex vehicle control systems. The rotary dial provides intuitive directional control for navigating menu options, while the display screen visually presents the current menu context and available options, reducing the cognitive load and physical complexity the driver must manage directly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If text input and data entry functions are added to the control system, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation worsens due to the complexity of data input
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical text input methods (physical keyboards) with electronic input methods displayed on the screen. Text input is achieved through on-screen virtual keyboards, handwriting recognition, or voice input, allowing data entry functions to be added without increasing physical control complexity. The same rotary dial and button interface continues to navigate these electronic input methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A concentrated control system for a vehicle includes: a menu portion that, when rotated, provides menu modes associated with devices in the vehicle; and a first menu providing portion that scrolls menu buttons, included in an enabled menu and used to control functions of an in-vehicle device, in a first direction so that the scrolled menu buttons are displayed within the menu portion.