The Mobile Productivity Center: Starting the Portable, Voice Enabled Future of Mobile Information and Productivity

The use of portable information devices is rapidly becoming commonplace. Millions of cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are sold each year and users are becoming dependent upon them for information storage and retrieval, and for increasing connectivity and productivity. However, the use of such devices while driving motor vehicles can be distracting due to the required visual and tactile interface. For example, to read one's schedule or other information in a PDA requires navigating to the information via a stylus or jog dial, and then reading a small screen of text. Similarly, most cellular phones require numerous touch inputs to place a call or retrieve a phone number stored in the device.

Delphi's Mobile Productivity Center (MPC) addresses these concerns by providing a single button activation and a speaker-independent voice interface. The MPC enables motor vehicle drivers to be productive while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The user interface scenarios are described, as is the electrical and software architecture. Also mentioned are future generations of the MPC that will support wireless delivery of user-specified content controlled by a voice interface.