In-Vehicle Voice Command Risk Confirmation for Function Execution

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems do not adequately address the risk of executing functions by in-vehicle devices that could pose danger, failing to seek user confirmation when the risk level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device acquires user speech to instruct a function, assesses the risk level, and outputs a notification seeking user permission before executing the function if the risk exceeds a predetermined level, ensuring safe operation by confirming with the user.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the system automatically executes functions based on user speech without risk assessment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety and reliability deteriorate due to potential dangerous operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary risk assessment before executing the function. The control unit evaluates the risk level associated with the requested operation in advance, and only proceeds with execution if the risk is below the threshold or user confirmation is obtained. This prevents dangerous operations before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the user about the risk level of the requested operation. When the risk exceeds the threshold, the system notifies the user and waits for confirmation or cancellation. This feedback loop ensures user awareness and informed consent before executing potentially dangerous functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system requests user confirmation for all high-risk operations, then the safety is improved, but the productivity decreases due to additional confirmation steps

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different processing qualities to different operations based on their risk levels. Low-risk operations are executed automatically without confirmation, while only high-risk operations trigger the confirmation workflow. This localized approach ensures safety where needed while maintaining efficiency for routine operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If the system executes functions without seeking user permission, then the productivity is improved, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to potential dangerous operations

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidharmful factors
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary anti-action by blocking automatic execution of high-risk operations until user confirmation is obtained. The control unit identifies operations that could cause harmful effects and prevents their automatic execution, requiring explicit user permission first. This counteracts potential harmful effects before they can manifest.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS12594940B2Information processing device, information processing method, and non-transitory computer reading storage medium providing notification when user instruction for in-vehicle device indicates a predetermined level of risk
Publication Date: 2026.04.07 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • US12594940B2 patent drawing
  • US12594940B2 patent drawing
  • US12594940B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An information processing device includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to acquire a speech of a user to instruct a predetermined device to execute a predetermined function, acquire a level of a risk expected to occur when the predetermined device executes the predetermined function, output a notification confirming with the user whether to permit the predetermined device to execute the predetermined function when the level of the risk is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, and cause the predetermined device to execute the predetermined function when the user permits the predetermined device to execute the predetermined function.