Smart legibility adjustment for vehicular display

• US 20090243819A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Arms, Chris, Pala, Silviu
• Granted Patent: US 7,936,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.500
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles

Abstract

A display system for a vehicle system includes at least one light sensor that detects a light condition, and a display member that displays an information message. The information message includes a background and an object that is displayed adjacent the background. The display system further includes a controller that changes legibility of the information message by changing each of the background and the object based on the light condition detected by the light sensor. A method of controlling the display system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A display system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one light sensor that detects a light condition;

a display member that displays an information message, the information message including a background and an object that is displayed adjacent the background; and

a controller that changes legibility of the information message by changing each of the background and the object based on the light condition detected by the at least one light sensor.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the controller changes legibility of the information message by at least one of increasing a luminance of the object, decreasing a luminance of the background, increasing a color contrast between the object and the background, increasing a size of the object, and adding a special effect for the object.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein the special effect for the object causes the object to blink.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display member defines a surface from which the information message is displayed, and wherein the at least one light sensor includes a display surface light sensor that detects ambient illuminance on the surface of the display member.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light sensor includes a light noise sensor that detects a light noise condition within an area corresponding approximately to a field of vision of the occupant.

6. The display system of claim 5, wherein the light noise sensor distinguishes between a light noise condition within a first area corresponding approximately to a first field of vision of the occupant and a second area corresponding approximately to a second field of vision of the occupant, and wherein the controller changes legibility of the information message based on which of the first and second areas in which the light noise condition is detected.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display member includes at least one of a liquid crystal display and an emissive display.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display member includes a manual control member with which a manually input legibility command is input, and wherein the controller accounts for the manual input legibility command when changing the legibility of the information message.

9. The display system of claim 8, wherein the manual control member is a manual dimming control member with which a manually input dimming level of the information message is input, and wherein the controller accounts for the manually input dimming level of the information message when changing the legibility of the information message.

10. A method of operating a display system of a vehicle comprising:

detecting a light condition relative to an occupant of the vehicle;

displaying an information message from a display member, the information message including a background and an object that is displayed adjacent the background; and

changing legibility of the information message by changing each of the background and the object based on the detected light condition.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising changing legibility of the information message comprises by at least one of increasing a luminance of the object, decreasing a luminance of the background, increasing a color contrast between the object and the background, increasing a size of the object, and adding a special effect for the object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein adding a special effect of the information message comprises causing the object to blink.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting an ambient illuminance on a surface of the display member.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting a light noise condition within an area corresponding approximately to a field of vision of the occupant.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising distinguishing between a light noise condition within a first area corresponding approximately to a first field of vision of the occupant and a second area corresponding approximately to a second field of vision of the occupant, and changing legibility of the information message based on which of the first and second areas in which the light noise condition is detected.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising accounting for a manually input legibility command when changing legibility of the information message based on the detected light condition.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising accounting for a manually input dimming level of the information message when changing legibility of the information message based on the detected light condition.

18. A display system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one light sensor that detects a light condition relative to an occupant of the vehicle;

a display member that displays an information message, the information message including a background and an object that is displayed adjacent the background; and

a controller that changes legibility of the information message based on the light condition detected by the at least one light sensor by at least one of changing a relative luminance of the object and the background, increasing a color contrast between the object and the background, increasing a size of the object, and adding a special effect for the object.

19. A method of operating a display system of a vehicle comprising:

detecting a light condition relative to an occupant of the vehicle;

displaying an information message from a display member, the information message including a background and an object that is displayed adjacent the background; and

changing legibility of the information message based on the detected light condition by at least one of changing a relative luminance of the object and the background, increasing a color contrast between the object and the background, increasing a size of the object, and adding a special effect for the object.