Vehicle Display System for Intention-Based Status Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Driver distraction remains a significant safety concern due to the increasing complexity of vehicle functions and the need for drivers to interact with various systems while driving, with existing solutions not effectively guiding drivers to control functions outside their field of view without requiring eye diversion.

Innovation Solution

A display-based vehicle arrangement that includes a control unit connected to a display and operational interfaces, capable of detecting the driver's intention to control vehicle functions, allowing for the display of function status without requiring eye movement, prioritizing relevant information based on operational priority and driver state, and suppressing non-essential data during complex driving situations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the operational interface is located outside the driver's field of view, then the display can provide comprehensive vehicle function control, but the driver must divert eyes from the road to control functions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle function control capabilityVSAvoiddriving safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a display as an intermediary element positioned in the driver's field of view that shows status information of vehicle functions controlled by interfaces outside the field of view. This mediator allows the driver to see the status without needing to look at the physical control interface, thus maintaining safety while enabling comprehensive control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides visual feedback on the display showing the status of vehicle functions in real-time or near real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the driver to understand what the operational interface is doing without having to look at the interface itself, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive control and driving safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple vehicle functions are provided, then the vehicle offers enhanced comfort and utility, but driver distraction increases due to the complexity of interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle function varietyVSAvoiddriver distraction

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the status information display from the physical operational interface and presents it separately on a display within the driver's field of view. This separation allows multiple vehicle functions to be controlled through interfaces outside the field of view while their status is monitored through the extracted visual representation on the display, reducing driver distraction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds a visual dimension to the control experience by displaying status information on a screen. This creates another dimension through which the driver can interact with and monitor vehicle functions without physically engaging with multiple controls, thereby reducing distraction while maintaining function variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of information

If the display shows detailed status information, then the driver receives comprehensive feedback, but the information overload may distract from road monitoring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle status informationVSAvoiddriver distraction

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by selectively displaying only the most relevant status information on the display based on the current operational context. Rather than showing all possible information simultaneously, it presents a curated subset that provides sufficient feedback without overwhelming the driver, thus balancing information completeness with distraction reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10179510B2Vehicle arrangement, method and computer program for controlling the vehicle arrangement

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 VOLVO TRUCK CORP

AI summary

A vehicle arrangement includes a display for providing an indication of a status of a first vehicle function, a first operational interface for controlling the first vehicle function, and a control unit connected to the display and the first operational interface, the control unit being adapted for selectively controlling the display for displaying the status of the first vehicle function. The vehicle arrangement further includes an arrangement for detecting an intention to control the first operational interface, and the control unit selectively controls the display for displaying the status of the first vehicle function at and for a predetermined time period following the detection of an intention to control the first operational interface.