Method and apparatus for re-configurable vehicle interior design and business transaction
First Claim
1. A method for selecting and placing modular components within the interior space of an unfinished motor vehicle by an individual retail buyer of the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing a plurality of vehicle interior space choices, each space choice having a plurality of possible discrete placement locations;
selecting one interior space from the plurality of stored space choices;
storing a plurality of modular component choices in an electronic database library;
selecting one component from the plurality of component choices in the library;
placing the selected component in the selected interior space in one discrete placement location;
simulating the interior space in a scaled depiction on a Graphic User Interface with the selected component positioned in the discrete placement location;
determining whether the placement of the selected component complies with a predetermined constraint; and
communicating non-compliance with the predetermined constraint directly to the buyer as feedback information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject methods and apparatus allow the buyer of an automobile to configure and design a personalized interior space prior to purchasing the automobile. The buyer selects modular interior components from a library of choices provided by the manufacturer, and designs his/her custom automobile by using an interactive design domain system that allows realistic visualization of the developing interior with the incorporation of the buyer'"'"'s anthropometric information. The method and apparatus guarantee conformance to applicable safety, geometric and functional constraints through the application of a rules-database. The produced automobile will fit exactly the customer'"'"'s taste, physical dimensions, and personal requirements. The apparatus includes a computer that hosts a decision-support and feedback system, a database of safety, geometric and functional rules, and a database of interior components. The apparatus also includes a device for realistic visualization of the designed vehicle interior as well as suitable devices to measure the body dimensions that are needed for the design. A business transaction is contemplated in which the buyer custom-designs the vehicle interior using modular components after the sale transaction but before the manufacturing step.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for selecting and placing modular components within the interior space of an unfinished motor vehicle by an individual retail buyer of the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of vehicle interior space choices, each space choice having a plurality of possible discrete placement locations;
selecting one interior space from the plurality of stored space choices;
storing a plurality of modular component choices in an electronic database library;
selecting one component from the plurality of component choices in the library;
placing the selected component in the selected interior space in one discrete placement location;
simulating the interior space in a scaled depiction on a Graphic User Interface with the selected component positioned in the discrete placement location;
determining whether the placement of the selected component complies with a predetermined constraint; and
communicating non-compliance with the predetermined constraint directly to the buyer as feedback information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for designing and personalizing the selection and placement of modular components within the interior space of an unfinished motor vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a retail motor vehicle buyer having at least one anthropometric characteristic;
measuring the buyer'"'"'s anthropometric characteristic;
providing a Graphic User Interface of the type capable of displaying a scaled graphical representations of physical objects;
storing a plurality of modular component choices in an electronic database library;
selecting one component from the plurality of component choices in the library;
positioning the selected component in the interior space in one discrete placement location;
displaying on the Graphic User Interface a dimensionally scaled graphical representation of the selected component in the discrete placement location in the interior space;
displaying on the Graphic User Interface a dimensionally scaled graphical representation of the buyer in a seated driving position in the interior space;
calculating the minimum distance between the buyer and the component based on the measured anthropometric characteristic;
displaying the calculated minimum distance on the Graphic User Interface;
and re-positioning the selected component within the interior space to another discrete placement location if the calculated minimum distance is deemed unsatisfactory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A business method for conducting a vehicle business transaction with an individual retail buyer of a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing the buyer with a vehicle interior space having a plurality of possible discrete placement locations;
providing the buyer with a plurality of modular component choices;
soliciting the buyer to select and place at least one component within the interior space of the motor vehicle prior to the vehicle being manufactured;
determining whether the buyer'"'"'s placement of the selected component complies with a predetermined constraint; and
communicating non-compliance with the predetermined constraint directly to the buyer as feedback information. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A business method for conducting a vehicle business transaction between a seller and an individual retail buyer to guarantee a unique motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing the buyer with a vehicle interior space having a plurality of possible discrete placement locations;
providing the buyer with a plurality of modular component choices;
soliciting the buyer to select and place at least one modular component in a discrete placement location within the interior space of the motor vehicle prior to the vehicle being manufactured;
completing the vehicle interior design;
making a record of the completed vehicle interior design;
and excluding the completed vehicle interior design from future vehicles offered by the seller to other buyers. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for selecting and placing modular components within the interior space of an unfinished motor vehicle by an individual retail buyer of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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a computer storage device for storing a plurality of vehicle interior space choices, each space choice having a plurality of possible discrete placement locations;
means for selecting one interior space from the plurality of stored space choices;
a computer storage device for storing a plurality of modular component choices in an electronic database library;
means for selecting one component from the plurality of component choices in the library;
means for placing the selected component in the selected interior space in one discrete placement location;
means for simulating the interior space in a scaled depiction on a Graphic User Interface with the selected component positioned in the discrete placement location;
means for determining whether the placement of the selected component complies with a predetermined constraint; and
feedback means for communicating non-compliance with the predetermined constraint directly to the buyer.
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Specification