DISPLAY CONTROLLER, IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM, DISPLAY SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20110057951A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Bogavac, Davor, Bogenberger, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 9,061,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/12 Test circuits or failure detection circuits included in a display system, as permanent part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/026 Control of mixing and/or overlay of colours in general G09G5/022 and G09G5/024 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A display controller includes a controller input connectable to receive first image data representing a non-safety relevant part of an image to be displayed on a display and to receive second image data representing a safety relevant part of the image. A merging unit is connected to the controller input, for composing the image from the first image data and second image data. A controller output is connectable to the display, for outputting display data representing the image. An image monitor is connected to the controller output, for comparing a part of the image corresponding to the safety relevant part with an reference for the part.

Claims

1. A display controller, comprising:

a controller input connectable to receive first image data representing a non-safety relevant part of an image to be displayed on a display and to receive second image data representing a safety relevant part of said image;

a merging unit connected to the controller input, for composing said image from the first image data and second image data;

a controller output connectable to said display, for outputting display data representing the image; and

an image monitor connected to the controller output, for comparing a part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part with an reference for said part.

2. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a first controller input connectable to receive first layer data representing a first layer of said image, said non-safety relevant part including said first layer; and

a second controller input connectable to receive second layer data representing a second layer of said image, said second layer including said safety relevant part; and

wherein said merging unit is connected to the first controller input and the second controller input, for merging said first layer and said second layer into said image and generating said display data.

3. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said merging unit supports a safety mode in which said safety relevant part in said second layer is protected from being obscured.

4. A display controller as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

a first image generating path connecting said first controller input to said merging unit;

a second image generating path connecting said second controller input to said merging unit output,

each of said processing paths including at least one image processing unit for generating respective layer data.

5. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display data includes marking data indicating a part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part and wherein said image monitor includes a filter for filtering display data representing said part of said image using said marking data.

6. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display data includes sets of graphical object data, each set defining at least one parameter of a graphical object of said image, and wherein said marking data includes a marking field in sets of graphical object data corresponding to said safety relevant part.

7. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image monitor comprising:

a calculator for calculating a signature from display data representing a part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part, said calculator being connected to said controller output for receiving at least the display data representing said part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part; and

a signature comparator connected to said calculator, for comparing a difference between the signature and a reference value with a criterion and outputting information about said comparison.

8. A display controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein the calculator is arranged to calculate a first signature based on at least one first aspect of the safety relevant part and a second signature based on at least one second aspect of the safety relevant part.

9. A display controller as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first signature is derived from a location and/or a shape of the safety relevant part and the second signature is derived from a content of the safety relevant part.

10. A display controller as claimed in claim 1, arranged to output a sequence of images at said display.

11. An image generating system, comprising:

a source of not-safety relevant data;

a source of safety relevant data;

an image processing unit connected to said first source and said second source, said image processing unit generates first image data from the not-safety relevant data, said first image data representing a non-safety relevant part of an image to be displayed on a display and generates second image data from said safety relevant data, said second image data representing a safety relevant part of said image; and

an output connected to said image processing unit, for outputting said first image data and said second image data display to a controller as claimed in claim 1.

12. An image generating system as claimed in claim 11, comprises a calculator connected to said image processing unit for calculating a reference for said safety relevant part.

13. An image generating system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first source and/or said second source includes one or more of:

a sensor, a multimedia system, a communication network.

14. A display system, comprising;

a display for outputting an image in a for humans perceptible form; and

a display controller as claimed in claim 1 connected with the controller output to the display.

17. A display controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein said merging unit supports a safety mode in which said safety relevant part in said second layer is protected from being obscured.

18. A display controller as claimed in claim 3, comprising:

a first image generating path connecting said first controller input to said merging unit;

a second image generating path connecting said second controller input to said merging unit output,

each of said processing paths including at least one image processing unit for generating respective layer data.

19. A display controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein said display data includes marking data indicating a part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part and wherein said image monitor includes a filter for filtering display data representing said part of said image using said marking data.

20. A display controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display data includes marking data indicating a part of said image corresponding to said safety relevant part and wherein said image monitor includes a filter for filtering display data representing said part of said image using said marking data.

21. A display controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein said display data includes sets of graphical object data, each set defining at least one parameter of a graphical object of said image, and wherein said marking data includes a marking field in sets of graphical object data corresponding to said safety relevant part.

22. A display controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display data includes sets of graphical object data, each set defining at least one parameter of a graphical object of said image, and wherein said marking data includes a marking field in sets of graphical object data corresponding to said safety relevant part.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)