Vehicle User Input Control by Occupant Identification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicles face challenges in providing user input controls that are usable by multiple users from different positions while ensuring that adjustments do not affect other occupants, particularly in shared control scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for controlling a user input device that detects which user is manipulating the device from a specific position, allowing selection of a control mode tailored to that user, enabling personalized adjustments without affecting others, using data processing and user monitoring technologies like cameras, lidar, and radar to differentiate user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If shared controls are provided to allow adjustment of multiple functionalities, then the number of controls is reduced and structural simplicity is improved, but usability deteriorates because it becomes difficult to prevent one user from affecting another user's settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces user identification data as an intermediary between the control input and the functionality adjustment. The control device determines which user is manipulating the control and uses this identification to select appropriate control modes, thereby preventing one user from inadvertently affecting another user's settings while maintaining shared control hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The control characteristics are made dynamic and adaptive based on the identified user. The control device changes its behavior and available functionalities in real-time according to who is using it, allowing the same physical control to provide different functions or restrictions depending on the user context
2Ease of operation
If one control per functionality is provided, then usability is improved because each control is dedicated to a specific function, but device complexity increases due to the high number of functionalities requiring multiple controls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single control device universal by enabling it to perform multiple functions based on user identification. The control can adjust different functionalities depending on which user is operating it, eliminating the need for separate dedicated controls for each function while maintaining clear, intuitive operation for each user
3Device complexity
If a single user input device is shared between multiple users, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates because settings may be changed by users other than the intended target user
Solution Approach 1:
User identification data serves as a mediator that ensures settings changes are reliably attributed to the correct user. The control device determines which user is manipulating the control and restricts or directs the functionality adjustments accordingly, preventing unauthorized or unintended modifications while maintaining a single shared input device
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the control device about which user is currently using the vehicle or approaching it. This feedback loop enables the control device to adapt its behavior and ensure that settings changes are made only by the authenticated user, thereby maintaining reliability
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for controlling a user input device (14) for a vehicle (10), wherein the user input device (14) is usable by a plurality of users (16) and/or from a plurality of user positions (18). The method comprises obtaining first data indicative of a manipulation of the user input device (14). Additionally, the method comprises obtaining second data indicative of one user (16) out of the plurality of users (16) and/or indicative of one user position (18) out of the plurality of user positions (18), wherein the one user (16) is manipulating the user input device (14) and/or wherein the user input device (14) is manipulated from the one user position (18). Furthermore, the method comprises selecting a control mode of the user input device (14) out of a plurality of control modes of the user input device (14) based on the second data (78). Additionally, the method comprises triggering an output based on the selected control mode and based on the first data (76). Moreover, a data processing device (64) is explained. Additionally, a user input system (12) for a vehicle (10) is presented. Further, a computer program (72) and a computer-readable storage medium (70) are presented. Additionally, a vehicle (10) comprising said data processing device (64) is explained.