Control system for a head-up display for automotive vehicles
First Claim
1. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
- vehicular operating parameter sensor means for sensing a magnitude of a vehicular operating parameter and for outputting a signal indicative thereof;
first and second display units;
display control means, responsive to said vehicular operating parameter sensor means, for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images;
illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of said images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and
noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of electromagnetic noise on images produced by said second display unit, said noise attenuation means being interposed between said illumination control means and said second display unit and being included in a second of first and second serially connected interface circuits which provide an operative connection between said second display unit and said illumination control means and between said second display unit and said display control means, said first and second interface circuits being connected such that data is bussed therebetween.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A noise suppressing arrangement in the form of an interface is provided between a data transfer circuit and a driver associated with a display unit vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) tube. The driver and power supply circuits associated with the display unit feature improved arrangements which attenuate surges and spikes. The voltage appearing on the grid of the VFD is controlled by a circuit which is responsive to a signal produced by a microcomputer which controls the illumination and which induces changes in the voltages applied across the filament of the VFD. The level of illumination can be automatically controlled by light sensor and illumination levels above default values which are automatically reset to optimal values each time the system is initially energized.
34 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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vehicular operating parameter sensor means for sensing a magnitude of a vehicular operating parameter and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; first and second display units; display control means, responsive to said vehicular operating parameter sensor means, for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images; illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of said images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of electromagnetic noise on images produced by said second display unit, said noise attenuation means being interposed between said illumination control means and said second display unit and being included in a second of first and second serially connected interface circuits which provide an operative connection between said second display unit and said illumination control means and between said second display unit and said display control means, said first and second interface circuits being connected such that data is bussed therebetween.
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2. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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vehicular operating parameter sensor means for sensing a magnitude of a vehicular operating parameter and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; first and second display units; display control means, responsive to said vehicular operating parameter sensor means, for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images; illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of said images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of electromagnetic noise on images produced by said second display unit, said noise attenuation means being interposed between said illumination control means and said second display unit and included in a second of first and second serially connected interface circuits which provide an operative connection between said second display unit and said illumination control means and between said second display unit and said display control means said first and second interface circuits being connected such that data is bussed therebetween, wherein said display control means includes first and second data transmission circuits transmitting data to said first and second display units, respectively, said first and second data transmission circuits being operatively connected to said vehicular operating parameter sensing means such that a magnitude of a parameter sensed by said vehicular operating parameter sensor means is encoded before being supplied to said first and second data transmission circuits; and first and second driver circuits operatively interposed between said first and second data transmission circuits and said first and second display units, respectively; and wherein said illumination control means includes an illumination level control device which produces a required illumination indicative signal; a third interface circuit receiving signals produced by said illumination control device; and an illumination level control circuit, said illumination level control circuit being operatively connected to said first and second driver circuits.
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3. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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first and second display units; display control means for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images; illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of noise on images produced by said second display unit;
wherein said display control means includesfirst and second data transmission circuits transmitting data to said first and second display units, respectively; a parameter sensor, said parameter sensor being operatively connected to said data transmission circuits in a manner wherein the magnitude of a parameter sensed by said parameter sensor is encoded before being supplied to said first and second data transmission circuits; and first and second driver circuits operatively interposed between said first and second data transmission circuits and said first and second display units, respectively; and wherein said illumination control means includes a manually operable illumination level control device which produces a required illumination indicative signal; a light control switch which is closed when an ambient illumination level is low; a first interface circuit receiving signals produced by said manually operable illumination control device and said light control switch; an illumination level control circuit, said illumination level control circuit being operatively connected to said first and second driver circuits, and wherein said noise attenuation means includes a second interface circuit operatively interposed between said second data transmission circuit and said second driver circuit, said second interface circuit being arranged to receive an illumination level control signal from said illumination level control circuit; and a third interface circuit, said third interface circuit being interposed between said second driver circuit and said second interface circuit and connected to said second interface circuit by a data bus, said third interface circuit including a filter which includes said noise attenuation means.
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4. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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first and second display units; display control means for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images; illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of noise on images produced by said second display unit; and
wherein said display control means includesfirst and second data transmission circuits transmitting data to said first and second display units, respectively; a parameter sensor, said parameter sensor being operatively connected to said data transmission circuits in a manner wherein the magnitude of a parameter sensed by said parameter sensor is encoded before being supplied to said first and second data transmission circuits; and first and second driver circuits operatively interposed between said first and second data transmission circuits and said first and second display units, respectively; and wherein said illumination control means includes a manually operable illumination level control device which produces a required illumination indicative signal; a light control switch which is closed when an ambient illumination level is low; a first interface circuit receiving signals produced by said manually operable illumination control device and said light control switch; and an illumination level control circuit, said illumination level control circuit being operatively connected to said first and second driver circuits;
said display arrangement further includinga power supply switch, said power supply switch being closed when said vehicle is being operated, said power supply switch being operatively connected to said first interface; and a memory circuit, said memory circuit being included in said illumination control means and arranged to be responsive to said manually operable illumination level control device in a manner to store a count indicative of a currently selected level, said memory circuit being responsive to said power supply switch in a manner wherein when said power supply switch is moved from an open condition to a closed condition, said memory circuit resets counts indicative of illumination levels more intense than a predetermined optimal level, to a default value which corresponds to said predetermined optimal illumination level. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A display arrangement for use in an automotive vehicle comprising:
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first and second display units; display control means for generating signals which are supplied to said first and second display units and for inducing said first and second display units to selectively produce images; illumination control means for controlling a degree of illumination of images produced by said first and second display units, said illumination control means being arranged to be responsive to an input indicative of a level of external illumination in a manner to induce selective use of first and second illumination control schedules; and noise attenuation means for attenuating the effect of noise on images produced by said second display unit; and
wherein said display control means includesfirst and second data transmission circuits for transmitting data to said first and second display units, respectively; a parameter sensor, said parameter sensor being operatively connected to said data transmission circuits in a manner wherein the magnitude of a parameter sensed by said parameter sensor is encoded before being supplied to said first and second data transmission circuits; and first and second driver circuits operatively interposed between said first and second data transmission circuits and said first and second display units, respectively; and wherein said illumination control means includes a manually operable illumination level control device which produces a required illumination indicative signal; a light control switch which is closed when an ambient illumination level is low; a first interface circuit receiving signals produced by said manually operable illumination control device and said light control switch; and an illumination level control circuit, said illumination level control circuit being operatively connected to said first and second driver circuits; and
wherein said manually operable illumination level control device includesfirst and second level control switches, said first level control switch being arranged to be closed when an increase in illumination of images produced by said first and second display units is desired and said second level control switch being arranged to be closed when reduction of illumination of images produced by said first and second display units is desired; a source of clock pulses; first and second counters, said first and second counters each having an up count terminal and a down count terminal; a relay, said relay being responsive to said light control switch in a manner wherein when said light control switch is open said relay connects said first and second level control switches to said first counter and when said light control switch is closed, said relay connects said first and second level control switches to said second counter; and a first gate, said first gate being operatively interposed between said first and second level control switches, said source of clock pulses and said relay, said first gate being arranged to supply a train of pulses to said relay when one of said first and second level control switches is closed. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A display arrangement comprising:
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a head up display associated with a windshield, said head up display including means for generating an image and for projecting said image onto said windshield; a light sensor, said light sensor being arranged to sense light which is approaching said windshield and which will pass through a location on said windshield where said image is projected and a location where a corresponding virtual image appears, said light sensor outputting a light indicative signal; a manually operable level control unit to produce a signal indicative of a preferred illumination level; and a wave generation circuit, coupled to said head up display, which receives said light indicative signal from said light sensor and said signal indicative of said preferred illumination level and produces a PWM signal, said wave generation circuit including means for producing a semi-automatic mode wherein a basic level of illumination is set in response to said preferred illumination level and a level of illumination is automatically adjusted within predetermined limits with respect to said basic level in response to said light indicative signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A display arrangement comprising:
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a head up display associated with a windshield, said head up display including means for generating an image and for projecting said image onto said windshield; a manually operable level control to produce a signal indicative of a preferred illumination level; a wave generation circuit, coupled to said head up display, which receives said signal indicative of said preferred illumination level and produces a PWM signal; a memory which is operatively associated with said wave generation circuit, said memory recording a level of illumination indicated by said signal indicative of said preferred illumination level and regaining a recorded value when said head up display is not in use; and means for comparing a recorded level with a default value and for setting an illumination level to the lower of said recorded level and said default value each time said head up display is started. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A display arrangement comprising:
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a head up display associated with a windshield, said head up display including means for generating an image and for projecting said image onto said windshield; a light sensor, said light sensor being arranged to sense light which is approaching said windshield and which will pass through a location on said windshield where said image is projected and a location where a corresponding virtual image appears, said light sensor outputting a light indicative signal; a manually operable level control unit to produce a signal indicative of a preferred illumination level; and a wave generation circuit, coupled to said head up display, which receives said light indicative signal from said light sensor and said signal indicative of said preferred illumination level and produces a PWM signal, said wave generation circuit including means for producing a fully automatic mode wherein a basic level of illumination is set in response to said preferred illumination level and a level of illumination is fully corrected with respect to said basic level in response to said light indicative signal. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification