Vehicle Notification Sound Arbitration Using Priority Identifiers

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicles equipped with multiple external devices that output notification information, there is a challenge in appropriately controlling which information is preferentially notified when notification timings overlap, especially when new applications are added or updated.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device with a processor configured to acquire a reference result from a table recording sounds defined by identifiers based on priority levels and sound types, and arbitrate which sound to emit based on these priority levels, ensuring that emitting instructions from applications, including those added or updated, can be recognized and prioritized appropriately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple external devices output notification information simultaneously, then the notification system provides comprehensive information coverage, but the arbitration control becomes complex and difficult to manage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification information coverageVSAvoidarbitration control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent assigns different priority levels (parameters) to various notification sounds and uses these parameters to automatically determine arbitration results. When multiple notifications occur simultaneously, the system compares their priority levels and emits the sound with the highest priority, transforming a complex control problem into a simple parameter comparison task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system is segmented into independent notification modules, each with its own identifier and priority level. This allows the system to handle multiple notifications independently by comparing their individual priority parameters, rather than managing complex interactions between all notifications simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If new applications are added or updated from exterior, then the system functionality is enhanced, but the recognition and arbitration of emitting instructions becomes unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication update capabilityVSAvoidemitting instruction recognition

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-assigns unique identifiers and priority levels to all possible notification sounds before applications are added or updated. When a new application is installed, it can immediately use these pre-defined identifiers and priorities for its emitting instructions, ensuring reliable recognition and arbitration from the moment of installation without requiring complex registration or validation processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250136139A1Information processing device, information processing method, and non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

An information processing device includes a reference section that refers to a table in which a list of sounds defined by identifiers determined according to priority levels and sound types is recorded, and an arbitration section that, with respect to emitting instructions from one or more applications that are configured to be capable of being added or updated from an exterior and that cause a sound to be emitted, arbitrates a sound that is to be caused to be emitted, based on the priority levels, and outputs an identifier corresponding to a sound resulting from the arbitration.