Vehicle-Mounted Controller for Smartphone Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Long drives and traffic jams lead to driver distraction and increased risk of highway hypnosis, as current personal computing devices require drivers to divert attention from the road to interact with them, posing a safety hazard.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted controller with touch-sensitive sensors that allow drivers to interact with their personal computing devices, such as smartphones, without taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road, using tactile input that is transmitted wirelessly or via a direct electrical connection to the device, enabling control of applications and audio output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drivers use personal computing devices directly while driving, then they can access applications and interact with the device, but driver attention is diverted from the road causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the personal computing device into two separate components: a control interface mounted on the vehicle (containing buttons, dials, or touch-sensitive sensors) and the personal computing device itself (smartphone, tablet, or laptop). This segmentation allows the driver to interact with the vehicle-mounted controller while keeping the main device out of direct hand manipulation, thereby maintaining safety while preserving operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle-mounted controller acts as an intermediary device between the driver and the personal computing device. The controller receives tactile input from the driver through its interface elements and transmits corresponding signals to the personal computing device via wireless communication or direct electrical connection, enabling indirect interaction that eliminates the need for the driver to directly handle the device.
2Reliability
If drivers keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, then driving safety is maintained, but the ability to interact with personal computing devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle-mounted controller serves as a mediator that enables full interaction capability with the personal computing device while the driver maintains proper hand and eye position. The controller's interface elements (buttons, dials, touch-sensitive sensors) are positioned within easy reach and visual contact, allowing the driver to operate the device without removing hands from the wheel or eyes from the road.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions the interaction interface from the traditional handheld device dimension to a vehicle-mounted control dimension. By placing the control interface on the vehicle dashboard or steering wheel area, the system creates a new spatial dimension for interaction that is naturally integrated into the driving environment, making safety and operability compatible.
3Reliability
If a vehicle-mounted controller is implemented, then driver safety is enhanced through hands-free interaction, but device complexity increases due to additional hardware components
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle-mounted controller is designed with universal functionality that can interface with multiple types of personal computing devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) through wireless communication protocols and direct electrical connections. This multi-functionality allows a single controller design to serve various device types, reducing the need for device-specific hardware and thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical connection mechanisms with electronic and wireless communication interfaces. Instead of requiring physical adapters or mechanical mounting solutions for different device types, the controller uses standardized electrical connections and wireless protocols, significantly reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining compatibility across multiple device platforms.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for interacting with a personal computing device such as a smart phone using portable, self-contained hardware that is adapted for use in a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes a user interface designed to receive user input, including tactile user input, from the occupant of the motor vehicle, an electronic interface, electrically coupled to the user interface, removably connectable to the personal computing device, and configured to relay information about the user input to a software application running on the personal computing device, and one or more mounting structures, at least one of which is configured for containing the user interface, at least one of which is configured for containing the electronic interface, and all of which are removably attachable to a portion of the motor vehicle.