In-vehicle image display system

• US 20050138662A1
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Seto, Ohisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/75
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In an in-vehicle image display system, each of a car navigation device and a rear-seat display device includes an own image-drawing IC. The car navigation device interfaces with a TV tuner and a DVD player. When receiving a request signal from the rear-seat display device, the car navigation device forwards relevant image data to the rear-seat display device using a dedicated line. The rear-seat display device converts the forwarded image data to image signals using the own image-drawing IC to thereby display them. Thus, the car navigation device and the rear-seat display device can display different display window images with a simple system structure where no image-drawing IC used for the rear-seat display device is provided within the car navigation device.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle image display system comprising:

a single primary display device that includes a first display screen and a first image-drawing unit; and

at least one secondary display device that includes a second display screen and a second image-drawing unit,

wherein the primary display device obtains, from among image data outputted from a plurality of apparatuses provided in a vehicle, first image data that is to be displayed on the first display screen and second image data that is to be displayed on the second display screen in the secondary display device, and then transfers the obtained second image data to the second display device, and

wherein the first image-drawing unit performs drawing of the first image data on the first display screen, while the second image-drawing unit performs drawing of the second image data on the second display screen.

2. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a designating unit that designates the first image data and the second image data,

wherein the primary display device obtains, from among the image data outputted from the apparatuses, the first image data and the second image data designated by the designating unit.

3. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 2,

wherein the designating unit causes the first display screen and the second display screen to display a menu window relating to the image data outputted from the apparatuses.

4. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a dedicated line that interfaces with the primary display device and the secondary display device,

wherein the primary display device transfers the second image data to the second display device using the dedicated line.

5. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 4, further comprising:

a designating unit that designates the first image data and the second image data,

wherein the primary display device obtains, from among the image data outputted from the apparatuses, the first image data and the second image data designated by the designating unit, and

wherein the designating unit transmits image data of a menu window relating to the image data outputted from the apparatuses to the secondary display device using the dedicated line when the designating unit causes the second display screen to display the menu window.

6. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a manipulating unit that manipulates each of the apparatuses,

wherein the manipulating unit manipulates the each of the apparatuses via a local area network provided in the vehicle that interfaces with the apparatuses.

7. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1,

wherein the apparatuses include at least two of a vehicular navigation apparatus, a TV tuner, and a DVD player.

8. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1,

wherein the primary display device is assembled in a vehicular navigation apparatus included in the apparatuses.

9. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sound output unit that outputs a sound to the primary display device and the secondary display device,

wherein, when a certain apparatus included in the apparatuses outputs certain sound data in addition to certain image data, the primary display device obtains the certain sound data in addition to the certain image data from the certain apparatus and outputs the obtained certain sound data to the sound output unit relating to one of the primary display device and the secondary display device that displays the certain image data.

10. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 1,

wherein the primary display device is disposed in proximity to a front seat in the vehicle, while the secondary display device is disposed in proximity to a rear seat in the vehicle.

11. An in-vehicle image display system comprising:

a first display device that obtains, for displaying, image data outputted from each of a plurality of apparatuses provided in a vehicle and that includes

a first display unit,

a first storing unit that stores the obtained image data, and

a first display control unit that generates a display control signal to the first display unit, based on the image data stored in the first display unit;

a second display device that obtains, for displaying, image data outputted from each of the plurality of apparatuses and that includes

a second display unit,

a second storing unit that stores the obtained image data, and

a second display control unit that generates a display control signal to the second display unit, based on the image data stored in the second display unit; and

a dedicated line that interfaces with the first display device and the second display device to thereby dedicatedly communicate a signal relating to the image data.

12. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 11,

wherein the first display device includes a first selection circuit that receives image data from the apparatuses and then selects each of image data to be displayed in the first display device and image data to be displayed in the second display device to thereby output the selected image data to corresponding one of the first display device and the second display device, and

wherein the first selection circuit outputs the image data to be displayed in the second display device towards the dedicated line.

13. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second selection circuit that receives the image data outputted from the first selection circuit and a display control signal outputted from the first display control unit and designates one of the image data outputted from the first selection circuit and the display control signal outputted from the first display control unit to then output the designated one to the second display device via the dedicated line.

14. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 11,

wherein the first display device, the second display device, and the apparatuses interface with a local area network provided in the vehicle, and

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device outputs a manipulation signal to each of the apparatuses via the local area network.

15. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 14,

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device displays a menu window relating to image data outputted from the apparatuses, and

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device outputs the manipulation signal to a certain apparatus that provides image data selected on the menu window.

16. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 15,

wherein the first display device includes a window storing unit that stores the menu window and transmits the menu window to the second display device via the dedicated line.

17. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 11,

wherein the first display device, the second display device, and the apparatuses interface with a local area network provided in the vehicle, and

wherein the first display device and the second display device obtain image data from the apparatuses via the local area network, and

wherein, when the first display device and the second display device display given image data from a given apparatus within the apparatuses, one of the first display control unit and the second display control unit transmits a display control signal based on the given image data to the other of the first display control unit and the second display control unit, via the dedicated line.

18. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 17,

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device outputs a manipulation signal to each of the apparatuses via the local area network.

19. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 18,

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device displays a menu window relating to image data outputted from the apparatuses, and

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device outputs a manipulation signal to a certain apparatus that provides image data selected on the menu window.

20. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 19,

wherein the first display device includes a window storing unit that stores the menu window and transmits the menu window to the second display device via the dedicated line.

21. The in-vehicle image display system of claim 20,

wherein each of the first display device and the second display device includes a window storing device that stores the menu window.