Projected Display in Control Dial

• US 20170052399A1
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: GUZMAN, Christopher, LEVAY, Christopher, YAMAUCHI, Shunji, WEBB, Gareth, ARCEO, Marc, LOZANO, Michael, HORVATH, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 10,437,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133391 Constructional arrangement for sub-divided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1336 Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133626 providing two modes of illumination, e.g. day-night
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A display assembly including a first display surface in a first plane and a second display surface in a second plane. The second plane overlaps and is vertically offset from the first plane. A control device is mounted over the first display surface and includes the second display surface. The display assembly is configured to simultaneously project images onto both the first display surface and the second display surface.

Claims

1. A display assembly comprising:

a first display surface in a first plane;

a second display surface in a second plane overlapping and vertically offset from the first plane; and

a control device mounted over the first display surface and including the second display surface;

wherein the display assembly is configured to simultaneously display images on both the first display surface and the second display surface.

2. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising a touch panel over the first display surface.

3. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the display assembly includes a backlight.

4. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the control device is a dial, knob, button, or switch.

5. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a primary light source configured to illuminate the first display surface; and

a secondary light source configured to illuminate the second display surface, the secondary light source is aligned with the second display surface, the primary light source is between the secondary light source and the primary display surface.

6. The display assembly of claim 5, further comprising a housing including the primary light source;

wherein the secondary light source is outside of the housing, aligned with an opening defined by the housing, and aligned with the secondary display surface.

7. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising a backlight diffuser and light guide configured to illuminate both the primary display surface and the secondary display surface;

wherein the backlight diffuser and light guide is shaped to direct light of a first intensity to the primary display surface and direct light of a second intensity, which is greater than the first intensity, to the secondary display surface; and

wherein the display assembly includes only a single light source.

8. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the control device includes a fiber optic light guide and a polarizer configured to direct light to the secondary display surface.

9. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a backlight diffuser and light guide;

a primary light source configured to illuminate the backlight diffuser and light guide;

a horizontal polarizer;

a thin-film-transistor display matrix;

color filter glass;

a red, green, blue color filter;

a vertical polarizer; and

a touch panel.

10. A display assembly comprising:

a first display surface in a first plane;

a second display surface in a second plane overlapping and vertically offset from the first plane; and

a control dial mounted over the first display surface, the control dial including the second display surface, a light guide, and a polarizer; and

a primary light source configured to illuminate both the first display surface and the second display surface;

wherein the display assembly is configured to simultaneously display images on both the first display surface and the second display surface.

11. The display assembly of claim 10, further comprising a secondary light source configured to increase illumination of the second display surface.

12. The display assembly of claim 11, wherein the secondary light source is aligned with the second display surface, and the secondary light source is spaced apart from a housing including the primary light source.

13. The display assembly of claim 10, further comprising a combined backlight diffuser and light guide configured to focus the primary light source on the second display surface to provide increased illumination of the second display surface.

14. The display assembly of claim 10, wherein the display assembly is a thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display assembly.

15. A display assembly comprising:

a combined thin-film-transistor (TFT) backlight diffuser and light guide;

a TFT backlight configured to illuminate the combined TFT backlight diffuser and light guide;

a first display surface in a first plane configured to be illuminated by the combined TFT backlight diffuser and light guide;

a TFT display matrix including liquid crystals and electrodes, the TFT display matrix arranged between the first display surface and the combined TFT backlight diffuser and light guide;

a color filter between the TFT display matrix and the first display surface;

horizontal and vertical polarizers on opposite sides of the TFT display matrix; and

a control dial mounted over the first display surface and configured to be illuminated by the combined TFT backlight diffuser and light guide, the control dial including the second display surface, a light guide, and a polarizer;

wherein the display assembly is configured to simultaneously display images generated in part by the TFT display matrix on both the first display surface and the second display surface.

16. The display assembly of claim 15, further comprising an additional light source configured to increase illumination of the second display surface.

17. The display assembly of claim 16, wherein the additional light source is aligned with the second display surface, and the additional light source is spaced apart from a housing including the primary light source and the TFT display matrix.

18. The display assembly of claim 15, wherein the combined backlight diffuser and light guide is configured to focus the TFT backlight onto the second display surface to provide increased illumination of the second display surface as compared to illumination of the first display surface.

19. The display assembly of claim 15, wherein the combined backlight diffuser and light guide includes a lens configured to focus the TFT backlight onto the second display surface to provide increased illumination of the second display surface as compared to illumination of the first display surface

20. The display assembly of claim 15, wherein the control dial is a rotary dial.