What is STMCGateway Solution for Cell phone Safety Help keep eyes on road hands on wheel

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What is STMCGateway^TM? Download this Article

STMCGateway^TM stands for Safe Telematics Monitoring and Control Gateway^TM. STMCGateway^TM is Telematics deployment that is: Safe, Assures driver Intent, Simple, 100% Availability, Accessible, Universal, Portable, Security Enabled and Cost Effective. This is achieved via it is a three tiers approach to safety focused DrivingSystem^TM

Assessment
Hands on Wheel Interface^TM and other "Eyes On The Road Hands On The Wheel Interfaces"
IntelligentAssistant^TM

Assessment focuses on creating a programmable DrivingSystem™ . DrivingSystem™ is a system that consists of Man, Machine, Environment, History and Regulation that are balanced to each element limitations based on the DrivingApplication™ . DrivingApplication™ is the way the car is being used, e.g. a Ford Crown Victoria can be a Police cruiser, a Taxi or a family sedan. The Assessment process adjusts the DrivingSystem™ to account for the changes in the driving application and the associated driver skills, which result is a set of rules, limitations and allowances that we term KnowledgeWare^TM^. (This conclusion was inspired by our Quality Management and Line Assembly background that helped us articulate the issues we walked into with our first prototype in 1985.)

Hands on Wheel Interface^TM (HOWI^TM ) is a breakthrough concept that we turned to quickly after failing to achieve a reliable interface and control of the Car computers using speech recognition, but we did benefit from the experience by discovering the applicability of programmable retrieval of stored voice instructions under program control, "Text to Speech/Audible Menu".

The solution was easy and unique. Unlike the horn buttons and the cruise control buttons that were placed on the steering wheel hubs at the that time and since, HOWI^TM uses a single button that triggers a signal to the PC, which in turn drives a visual and/or an audible menu selection pointer. This means that a single button can in effect replaces a group of switches. to simplify the interaction, two switches are used on each side of the steering wheel to drive the menu left or right, but when both buttons are pressed simultaneously, the selection is made.

Further evolution of HOWI^TM introduced the concept of Hands Monitoring and simplified the Driver Physiology monitoring. With that evolution, and to distinguish our solution, we opted to use this feature to name this device "Hands on Wheel Interface^TM" and to further distinguished us from just all others' Hands Free features.

IntelligentAssistant^T^M is the heart of the system. While initially the computer in the car was the heart of the problem, with the IntelligentAssistant^T^M , it becomes the core of the solution. In this configuration, The computer Hardware and Software embody the KnowledgeWare^TM and uses it in conjunction with real time data to update the DrivingSystem™ . As a result, the Assessment process is programmable perpetual and constantly adjusts to the individual driver habits preferences and other real time changes to the DrivingSystem™ elements.

With this approach where a computer will monitor all aspect of the driving experience(DrivingSystem™), automatically deploys, enable and disable equipments and accessories, and enable the driver to operate a myriad of controls without taking hands off the wheels or eyes off the road, and disables unnecessary alarms at a poor timing, e.g. our infamous real life example about the windshield washer fluid light experience in '88 where the light on a test vehicle came on each time we changed lanes abruptly.

We now had the firm basis for a solution that is Safe, Assures driver Intent, Simple, 100% Availability, Accessible, Universal, Portable, Security Enabled and Cost Effective.

Safe:

Safety is provided by the computer ability to process information and take actions faster then human does.
Safety is provided by computer ability to remember complex conditions from previous experiences and to recall them in a timely manner
Safety is provided by the Hands On Wheel Interface, that enables drivers to control a myriad of equipment from the steering wheel using a screen or an audible menu, thus completely eliminating the need for the driver to reach out and look away.
Safety is achieved by providing the drivers with incentive or mandated placement of hands on steering wheel, thus reducing the reaction time associated with having to reach back to the steering wheel to handle emergencies.
Safety is achieved by reduction in the number of controls and locating them to one location literally at the drivers finger tips instead of reaching and looking away to activate functionalities.
Safety is achieved by testing of system components and confirming status with multiple data sources assures reliability
Safety is achieved by a dynamically changing menu so it creates short cuts to save menu navigating steps.

Assures driver Intent:

Assuring Driver intent is achieved by providing the driver with an HMI that relies on proven technology that can not be intercepted, distorted or duplicated by the environment.
Any subsequent Voice Commands are authenticated as those of the driver and not of any peripheral sounds or inputs.
Assuring Driver intent is automatic by the IntelligentAssistant™ that monitors and remembers drivers experiences and preferences and reduces the menu option to respond to real time events and enables, disables or adjust peripherals and accessories.

Simple, 100% Availability, Accessible, Universal:

Simplicity is achieved with digit gesture interpretation, namely thumb gesture, Thumbs up means YES, Thumbs down means NO. Other more sophisticated gestures are enabled based on DrivingSystem™ and DrivingApplication™
Mental workload caused by remembering Voice commands is fully eliminated, not to mention consequential frustration due to failed speech recognition
Does not require Special environment, so Open Windows, Crying baby, feuding kids, do not interfere with driver actuation
Any one who is able to drive can operate easily, so having a Sore throat, or having changed tone from being tired, etc. does not block a user from accessing various functionalities.
Does not require Vocal ability so it is Naturally inclusive to persons with speech impairment
No special changes among car manufacturers Just like a turn signal or a door handle, the shape will change, but the function is easily understood by new customers.

Portable:

Profile of each driver is available through various possibilities starting through the mobile phone and may be complimented with a web/wan access
Driver preferences and normal environment, e.g. alarm, settings, display, history, is not interrupted, thus decreasing the cognitive effort required by the driver.
Profile serves to identify the Driver to the vehicle

Security Enabled:

The systems is monitored by a Modular, Dynamic, State Machine logic, that adds, remove, prioritize, enable or block equipments and services by:
1. STMC safety categories and operation parameters
2. Frequency of use (as per each driver habit / pattern)
3. Real time Driving conditions and Vehicle safety status
4. Driver physiology feed back, Driver Habits, Driver environment
Having all this data stored in the driver phone, the system can now identify the driver and identify abnormal behavior which can be used to tell if the driver is falling ill, or if the driver is under unusual stress or fatigue-drowsiness and if this is not the original driver.

Cost Effective to Consumers:

One solution fits all - Benefit:
1. No need for various interface schemes across models and manufacturers
Not based on language - Benefit:
1. No need for separate development tracks for different markets with No concerns with Dialect and accents
2. No need for separate legal compliances and repeated Homologations certifications. Benefit: Simple standards
Simple and understood technology to implement reliably - Benefit:
1. Liability reduction and Development cost reduced and spread across countries
Allowing any off the shelf device existing, or to be developed to Dock with the system physically or wirelessly - Benefit:
1. Consumers can use with their own devices, so operating the device does not require additional cost which is an incentive and a factor in motivating consumer to use and purchase such a system.

Cost Effective to OEM:

For the cost of an ineffective voice based interface, an OEM can provide:

User Interface that is:
1. Simple, Robust, Reliable and Assures driver Intent
2. Universal (All models, All brands, All markets)
3. High Availability Accessible, Any driver can use it.
Driver Distraction counter measure that is:
1. Cost Effective
2. Safety oriented
3. Customizable by Driver/Fleet managers and responds to the driving environment
4. Portable so customers do not worry about investment
More Value that meets Market/Legal needs:
1. Not just a user interface
2. Will allow the addition of more Telematics Hardware safely
3. Will satisfy the emerging legal trends around the globe

In conclusion, if you are sold on this, give us a call and let us show you how you can make millions getting this device into the "hands" of the consumers. Call Mr. Naboulsi directly on 001 248/388-0211 or e-mail him on manaboulsi AT actplace DOT net.

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