Display device and vehicle

• US 20020080018A1
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Granted Patent: US 7,176,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning

Abstract

A vehicle has a display device which widens the field of view (visible area) reflected by a side mirror or a back mirror mounted on the vehicle. To enable a driver driving the vehicle to confirm safety even when it is difficult for the driver to visually recognize some of objects surrounding the vehicle, a liquid crystal display device or an EL display device is provided in the side mirror (door mirror), the back mirror (room mirror) or in an interior portion of the vehicle. A camera is mounted on the vehicle and an image from the camera is displayed on the display device. Further, information read from a sensor (distance measuring sensor) having the function of measuring the distance to another vehicle, and a sensor (impact sensor) having the function of sensing an externally applied impact force larger than a predetermined value is displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. A display device mounted on a vehicle,

wherein the vehicle has a side mirror,

wherein the display device is mounted in the side mirror.

18. A vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

19. A vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

20. A vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

2. A display device mounted on a vehicle,

wherein the vehicle has a back mirror,

wherein the display device is mounted in the back mirror.

21. A vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

22. A vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

23. A vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

3. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a camera;

a display device mounted in the side mirror,

wherein the display device displays information read from the camera.

17. A vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the camera comprises a CCD camera.

24. A vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

25. A vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

26. A vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

4. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a camera;

a display device mounted in the back mirror,

wherein the display device displays information read from the camera.

27. A vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the camera comprises a CCD camera.

28. A vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

29. A vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

30. A vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

5. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a camera;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit, said video signal processing section being supplied with information read by the camera;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

31. A vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the camera comprises a CCD camera.

32. A vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

33. A vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

34. A vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a camera;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit, said video signal processing section being supplied with information read by the camera;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

35. A vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the camera comprises a CCD camera.

36. A vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

37. A vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

38. A vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

7. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a sensor for measuring a distance to another vehicle; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device displaying information read from the sensor.

39. A vehicle according to claim 7,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

40. A vehicle according to claim 7,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

41. A vehicle according to claim 7,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a sensor for measuring a distance to another vehicle; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device displaying information read from the sensor.

42. A vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

43. A vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

44. A vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a sensor for measuring a distance to another vehicle;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit said video signal processing section being supplied with information read from the sensor;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

45. A vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

46. A vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

47. A vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a sensor for measuring a distance to another vehicle;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit, said video signal processing section being supplied with information read from the sensor;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

48. A vehicle according to claim 10,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

49. A vehicle according to claim 10,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

50. A vehicle according to claim 10,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a sensor for sensing an impact; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device displaying information read from the sensor.

51. A vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

52. A vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

53. A vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

54. A vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

55. A vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

56. A vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

57. A vehicle according to claim 13,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

58. A vehicle according to claim 13,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

59. A vehicle according to claim 13,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

60. A vehicle according to claim 14,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

61. A vehicle according to claim 14,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

62. A vehicle according to claim 14,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

63. A vehicle according to claim 15,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the side mirror.

64. A vehicle according to claim 15,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

65. A vehicle according to claim 15,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

66. A vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein a half mirror is provided in the back mirror.

67. A vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

68. A vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the display device is an electroluminescent (EL) display device.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a sensor for sensing an impact; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device displaying information read from the sensor.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

a sensor for sensing an impact;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit, said video signal processing section being supplied with information read from the sensor;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

a sensor for sensing an impact;

a central processing unit;

a video signal processing section in the central processing unit, said video signal processing section being supplied with information read from the sensor;

a control circuit being supplied with a video signal from the central processing unit; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device being supplied with the video signal and a timing signal from the control circuit.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a side mirror;

an impact sensor for sensing an impact;

an audio device having a speaker and a microphone;

an alarm device having an audio processing circuit and a control circuit;

a central processing unit supplied with an impact signal when the impact sensor senses an impact;

wherein the audio processing circuit and the control circuit are supplied with the impact signal from the central processing unit;

a microphone for warning of a danger given from a signal supplied from the audio processing circuit; and

a display device mounted in the side mirror, said display device displaying a warning based on a signal supplied from the control circuit.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a back mirror;

an impact sensor for sensing an impact;

an audio device having a speaker and a microphone;

an alarm device having an audio processing circuit and a control circuit;

a central processing unit supplied with an impact signal when the impact sensor senses an impact;

wherein the audio processing circuit and the control circuit are supplied with the impact signal from the central processing unit;

a microphone for warning of a danger given from a signal supplied from the audio processing circuit; and

a display device mounted in the back mirror, said display device displaying a warning based on a signal supplied from the control circuit.