VEHICLE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND VEHICLE DISPLAY CONTROL UNIT

• US 20140111540A1
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kawashima, Takeshi, Morimoto, Hiroshi, Takikawa, Hiroya
• Granted Patent: US 9,269,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/176 Camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/176 Camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/52 Control of displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

A vehicle display apparatus includes a display panel to be placed at a position where a driver visually recognizes the display panel and to display information related to vehicle traveling status. The display panel includes a first display area for displaying a first information and a second display area for displaying second information. The vehicle display apparatus further includes a first display control portion for obtaining the first information, and a second display control portion for obtaining the second information and displaying the second information. A vehicle display apparatus includes the display panel which has a third display area for displaying third information and a fourth display area for displaying fourth information. The vehicle display apparatus further includes a third display control portion and a fourth display control portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle display apparatus comprising,

a display panel that is placed at a position where a driver visually recognizes the display panel, and that displays information related to a vehicle traveling status, wherein

the display panel includes:

a first display area for constantly displaying a first information, which is provided by a numerical value; and

a second display area for displaying a second information, which is different from the first information, the second information having a display content that changes according to a display request when a vehicle travels, and the second display area being arranged to be partially overlapped with the first display area,

the vehicle display apparatus further comprises;

a first display control portion for obtaining the first information, controlling the first display area to fixedly display the first information at a predetermined position in a predetermined size by a numerical display image indicative of the numerical value, and controlling the first display area to subsidiary display a drawing image at a position which is adjacent to the numerical display image and is an outer peripheral portion of the first display area; and

a second display control portion for obtaining the second information and displaying the second information at the second display area,

the second display control portion determines whether a display range of the second display area includes an overlapped portion which overlaps with the first display area,

the second display control portion displays the second information within the display range of the second display area, and

the first display control portion, in a case where the display range of the second display area includes the overlapped portion, shrinks and displays the drawing image in the first display area so that the drawing image in the first display area does not overlap with the display range of the second display area which includes the overlapped portion.

2. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first display area includes a first area and a second area, the first area displaying the numerical display image, and the second area displaying the drawing image at a position which surrounds the first area,

the drawing image is a belt-shaped image whose display mode changes according to the numerical value of the first information, and

the first display control portion shrinks and displays the drawing image so that the drawing image does not overlap with the second information by changing a width of the belt-shaped image.

3. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the second area includes an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side,

the outer peripheral side surrounds the inner peripheral side, and

in a case where the width of the belt-shaped image changes, the width of the belt-shaped image becomes narrower from the outer peripheral side more than from the inner peripheral side.

4. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a traveling state detection portion for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, wherein

the traveling state detection portion detects the traveling state of the vehicle, and

the second display control portion, based on the traveling state of the vehicle, determines whether the display range of the second display area includes the overlapped portion.

5. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second information includes a plurality of information items whose contents are different from each other, and

according to a content of one of the plurality of information items to be displayed, the second display control portion determines whether the display range of the second display area includes the overlapped portion.

6. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first information is a vehicle speed information.

7. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the second information includes a night-vision image in front of the vehicle, and

the second display control portion, in a case where the night-vision image is displayed as the second information, displays the second information within the display range of the second display area that includes the overlapped portion.

8. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second information includes a night-vision image in front of the vehicle,

in a case where an obstacle exists in front of the vehicle and the obstacle is detected in the night-vision image, the second display control portion enlarges and displays the night-vision image so that the display range of the second information includes the overlapped portion, and

according to a size of the night-vision image, the first display control portion controls a size of the drawing image so that the drawing image does not overlap with the night-vision image.

9. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

according to the numerical value displayed as the numerical display image, the first display control portion changes color or brightness of the drawing image.

10. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in a case where the second information is displayed within the display range of the second display area that includes the overlapped portion, the first display control portion

shrinks and displays the drawing image so that the drawing image does not overlap with the overlapped portion, and

changes color or brightness of the drawing image according to an extent of shrinkage of the drawing image.

11. A vehicle display apparatus comprising,

a display panel that is placed at a position where a driver visually recognizes the display panel and that displays information related to a vehicle traveling status, wherein

the display panel includes

a third display area for displaying a third information, and

a fourth display area for displaying a fourth information which is different from the third information, the third display area and the fourth display area being arranged adjacently,

the third information and the fourth information are displayed by a numerical value,

the fourth information includes a plurality of information items whose contents are different from each other,

at least one of the plurality of information items is displayed within the fourth display area,

the third information is represented within a first display range of the third display area,

the fourth information is represented within a second display range of the fourth display area

the vehicle display apparatus further comprises:

a third display control portion for obtaining the third information, controlling the third display area to display a first numerical display image indicative of a numerical value of the third information, and controlling the third display area to display a first drawing image whose display mode changes according to the numerical value of the third information;

a fourth display control portion for obtaining the at least one of the plurality of information items displayed within the fourth display area, controlling the fourth display area to display a second numerical display image indicative of a numerical value of the fourth information, and controlling the fourth display area to display a second drawing image whose display mode changes according to the numerical value of the fourth information; and

a differentiation portion for differentiating a size of the first display range, where the first drawing image is displayed, and a size of the second display range, where the second drawing image is displayed, according to a combination of the third information and the fourth information.

12. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the differentiation portion does not change a size and a position of the first numerical display image in the third display area,

the differentiation portion does not change a size and a position of the second numerical display image in the fourth display area, and

the differentiation portion differentiates the size of the first display range for the first drawing image and the size of the second display range for the second drawing image.

13. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising

a traveling state determination portion for determining a traveling state of a vehicle, wherein

the differentiation portion, based on the traveling state of the vehicle, differentiates the size of the first display range and the size of the second display range.

14. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the differentiation portion, in a case where the size of the first display range and the size of the second display range are differentiated, changes size ratios of the size of the first display range and the size of the second display range.

15. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

a traveling mode of a vehicle includes a normal mode and a fuel-efficiency mode,

in the fuel-efficiency mode, a fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved compared with the normal mode,

the fourth information includes about fuel efficiency information, and

the differentiation portion, in a case where the fourth information represents the fuel efficiency information and the vehicle is in the fuel-efficiency mode, enlarges the second display range of the fourth display area than the first display range of the third display area.

16. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the display panel further includes a fifth display area for displaying a fifth information which is different from the third information and the fourth information,

the fifth display area is arranged to be partially overlapped with the third display area,

the fifth display area is arranged to be partially overlapped with the fourth display area,

the vehicle display apparatus further comprises

a fifth display control portion for obtaining the fifth information according to a display request and controlling the fifth display area to display the fifth information,

the fifth display control portion determines according to the display request whether the fifth information is displayed,

the third display control portion, in a case where the fifth information is displayed within the fifth display area, shrink the first display range of the third display area, so that a third drawing image of the fifth information displayed within an overlapped portion which overlaps with the third display area does not overlap with the first display range of the third display area, and

the fourth display control portion, in a case where the fifth information is displayed within the fifth display area, shrink the second display range of the fourth display area, so that the third drawing image of the fifth information displayed within another overlapped portion which overlaps with the fourth display area does not overlap with the second display range of the fourth display area.

17. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

in a case where the fifth information is displayed within the fifth display area, the differentiation portion adjusts the size of the first display range of the third display area to be an initial size of the first display range of the third display area, and

the differentiation portion adjusts the size of the second display range of the fourth display area to be an initial size of the second display range of the fourth display area.

18. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the third information includes vehicle speed information, and

the fourth information includes an engine speed information and a fuel efficiency information.

19. A vehicle display control unit for a display panel that is placed at a position where a driver visually recognizes the display panel, and that displays information related to a vehicle traveling status, the vehicle display control unit comprising:

means for setting a first display area on the display panel displaying a first information, which is provided by a numerical value;

means for setting a second display area on the display displaying a second information, which is different from the first information, the second information having a display content that changes according to a display request when a vehicle travels, and the second display area being arranged to be partially overlapped with the first display area;

a first display control portion for obtaining the first information, controlling the first display area to fixedly display the first information at a predetermined position in a predetermined size by a numerical display image indicative of the numerical value, and controlling the first display area to subsidiary display a drawing image at a position which is adjacent to the numerical display image and is an outer peripheral portion of the first display area; and

a second display control portion for obtaining the second information and displaying the second information at the second display area, wherein

the second display control portion determines whether a display range of the second display area includes an overlapped portion which overlaps with the first display area,

the second display control portion displays the second information within the display range of the second display area, and

the first display control portion, in a case where the display range of the second display area includes the overlapped portion, shrinks and displays the drawing image in the first display area so that the drawing image in the first display area does not overlap with the display range of the second display area which includes the overlapped portion.

20. The vehicle display control unit according to claim 19, wherein

the first display area includes a first area and a second area, the first area displaying the numerical display image, and the second area displaying the drawing image at a position which surrounds the first area,

the drawing image is a belt-shaped image whose display mode changes according to the numerical value of the first information, and

the first display control portion shrinks and displays the drawing image so that the drawing image does not overlap with the second information by changing a width of the belt-shaped image.

21. The vehicle display control unit according to claim 20, wherein

the second area includes an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side,

the outer peripheral side surrounds the inner peripheral side, and

in a case where the width of the belt-shaped image changes, the width of the belt-shaped image becomes narrower from the outer peripheral side more than from the inner peripheral side.