In-Vehicle Wireless Interface Protocol Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile computing devices often face limitations in maintaining simultaneous connectivity via multiple wireless interfaces, such as WIFI and WIFI direct, due to hardware capabilities, leading to connection refusals without clear user notification or manual intervention.

Innovation Solution

An in-vehicle computing system with a wireless communication interface that includes a soft access point/group owner, a processor, and storage instructions to manage connections by switching from one wireless protocol to another, allowing seamless switching between WIFI and WIFI direct connections while maintaining connectivity with other devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a mobile device attempts to connect to an access point via both WIFI and WIFI direct simultaneously, then the device can potentially access multiple networks, but the hardware capabilities prohibit simultaneous connectivity causing connection refusal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability to connect to multiple wireless networksVSAvoidconnection establishment success
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches the wireless interface mode between WIFI access point mode and WIFI direct mode based on connection requests. When a connection request arrives, the system determines whether to accept it in the current mode or switch to an appropriate mode, enabling flexible adaptation to different connection scenarios while maintaining reliable connectivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the wireless interface by switching between different modes (WIFI access point mode and WIFI direct mode). This parameter change allows the single wireless interface to function in multiple capacities, resolving the contradiction between versatility and reliability by adapting the interface behavior to match connection requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the wireless interface switches between WIFI and WIFI direct modes, then connectivity can be maintained with different devices, but existing connections may be disrupted during the switch

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to connect via different wireless protocolsVSAvoidcontinuity of existing wireless connections
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a queue of connection requests and evaluating them before mode switching. When a mode switch is needed, the system processes pending requests in advance and establishes new connections before terminating old ones, ensuring that connectivity transitions are smooth and existing connections are only disrupted when absolutely necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining an ordered queue of connection requests and processing them sequentially. During mode transitions, the system preserves the ability to service new connection requests while managing the termination of old connections, ensuring that the overall connectivity function continues without interruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If the system maintains an ordered queue of connection requests, then connection management becomes systematic, but the processing time for new requests increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystematic connection managementVSAvoidtime to process connection requests
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies skipping by allowing high-priority connection requests to bypass parts of the standard queue processing. When certain connection requests are identified as urgent or high-priority, the system can process them ahead of lower-priority requests in the queue, reducing the overall processing time while maintaining systematic management through the queue structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentEP3314919B1Wireless connection management
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 HARMAN INT IND INC
  • EP3314919B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3314919B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3314919B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments are disclosed for managing wireless communication requests in a communication system. An example in-vehicle computing system comprises a wireless communication interface including a soft wireless access point/group owner coupled to a physical network interface to provide access to a network, a processor, and a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to receive a first request from a first device to initiate communication via a first wireless client of the first device, during communication via the first wireless client, receive a second request to initiate communication via a second wireless client, and identify a unique identifier of the second wireless client. The instructions are further executable to disconnect a connection to one or more devices via one or more associated wireless clients including the first wireless client, initiate communication via the second wireless client, and selectively re-establish communication via the one or more associated wireless clients.