Automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device

• US 10,071,631 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Aizawa, Hiroshi, Ono, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US15/671,282
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 340461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/34 Backlit symbols
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

An automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device is such that, while warning information is being displayed in a second display region, a CPU changes a background color gradation of the second display region to a first gradation (for example, white) for a first setting period t1, gradually increases backlight luminosity to reach a maximum value (100%) in a third setting period t3 that is shorter than the first setting period t1, and maintains the backlight luminosity at the maximum value (t1=t3+t4) for a fourth setting period t4. Subsequently, the CPU changes the background color gradation of the second display region to a second gradation (for example, black) for a second setting period t2, and adjusts the backlight luminosity to a luminosity the same as that in a normal mode (for example, 20%).

Claims

1. An automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device, comprising:

an indicator including a display region and a backlight that irradiates the display region with light, the display region including a first display region in which vehicle information is displayed and a second display region in which vehicle warning information is displayed; and

a processor to adjust a luminosity of the backlight based on a brightness of external light detected by an illuminance sensor, adjust a gradation and a brightness of a background color of the display region of the indicator, acquire the vehicle warning information, and display the vehicle warning information in the second display region, wherein

the processor, while the vehicle warning information is being displayed in the second display region, causes a background of the second display region, other than an image of the vehicle warning information in the second display region, to flash by repeatedly adjusting a gradation of a background color of the second display region to a first gradation that differs from a gradation of a background color of the first display region for a first setting period, and subsequently adjusting the gradation of the background color of the second display region to a second gradation that differs from the first gradation for a second setting period.

2. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the first gradation and second gradation include gradations of each of colors red, green, and blue, and the background color of the second display region is determined in accordance with each gradation.

3. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 2, wherein the first gradation is set so that the background color of the second display region becomes white, and the second gradation is set so that the background color of the second display region becomes black.

4. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the first setting period is set to a length equal to or greater than that of the second setting period.

5. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the processor, while the vehicle warning information is being displayed in the second display region, gradually increases the luminosity of the backlight in a third setting period that is shorter than the first setting period, and after the luminosity of the backlight reaches a predetermined maximum value, maintains the luminosity of the backlight at the predetermined maximum value for a fourth setting period that is a difference between the first setting period and the third setting period, and adjusts the luminosity of the backlight to another luminosity based on the brightness of the external light for the second setting period.

6. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 5, wherein the processor, while the vehicle warning information is being displayed in the second display region, gradually increases the brightness of the background color of the second display region in the third setting period, and after the brightness of the background color reaches a predetermined maximum value, maintains the brightness of the background color of the second display region at the predetermined maximum value for the fourth setting period, and adjusts the brightness of the background color of the second display region to a predetermined minimum value for the second setting period.

7. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 1, comprising a switch to stop the second display region from flashing according to a user input, wherein the processor adjusts the gradation of the background color of the second display region to be the same as the gradation of the background color of the first display region when the second display region stops flashing.

8. The automatic two-wheeled vehicle display device according to claim 5, comprising a switch to stop the second display region from flashing according to a user input, wherein the processor adjusts the gradation of the background color of the second display region to be the same as the gradation of the background color of the first display region, and adjusts the luminosity of the backlight to a luminosity based on the brightness of external light, when the second display region stops flashing.