Information display apparatus for vehicles

• US 5,764,139 A
• Filed: 10/22/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanagisawa, Takashi, Nojima, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/735,111
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/449, 340/450, 340/451, 340/453, 340/459, 340/461, 340/577, 340/523, 340/525, 364/424.034, 364/423.098
• US Class Current: 340/461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

An information display apparatus for vehicles for securely providing the driver with only information corresponding to the running condition, the information display apparatus comprising an information processor for receiving information detected by various sensors and monitors and for detecting the running condition of the vehicle, memory containing information on respective running conditions for display and degree of information importance being, and a display unit for displaying information in a display area or in an amount according to the degree of importance. The memory of the information display apparatus is used to read information corresponding to the detected running condition and the degree of information importance. The display area of speed information is increased when the vehicle is running straight and the display area of information about conditions behind the vehicle is increased when the vehicle is traveling in reverse.

Claims

1. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting running conditions of said vehicle, said detection means detecting at least a straight running condition, a reverse running condition and a running condition before an intersection;

memory means for storing information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and a degree of importance corresponding to said information stored;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to said degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said control means controls said display means to display speed information in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is running straight, information about the condition behind said vehicle in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is going in reverse, and information for intersection guide in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is approaching an intersection.

2. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing items of information to display corresponding to said running condition detected and degrees of importance corresponding to said items of information stored;

display means for displaying information;

control means for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said item of display information stored in said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display an amount of said display information according to said degree of importance corresponding to said item of display,

wherein said control means controls said display means to display a larger amount of speed information than other information when the vehicle is running straight, a larger amount of information about conditions behind the vehicle than other information when the vehicle is going in reverse, and a larger amount of intersection guide than other information when the vehicle is approaching an intersection.

3. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting running conditions of said vehicle, said detector detecting at least a straight running condition, a reverse running condition and a running condition before an intersection;

a storage device for storing information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and a degree of importance corresponding to said information stored;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to said degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said controller controls said display to display speed information in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is running straight, information about the condition behind said vehicle in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is going in reverse, and information for intersection guide in a larger proportion than other items of information when said vehicle is approaching an intersection.

4. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing items of information to display corresponding to said running condition detected and degrees of importance corresponding to said items of information stored;

a display for displaying information;

a controller for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said item of display information stored in said storage device, and for controlling said display to display an amount of said display information according to said degree of importance corresponding to said item of display,

wherein said controller controls said display to display a larger amount of speed information than other information when the vehicle is running straight, a larger amount of information about conditions behind the vehicle than other information when the vehicle is going in reverse, and a larger amount of intersection guide than other information when the vehicle is approaching an intersection.

5. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing display information corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance corresponding to said display information from said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a straight running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display speed information in a larger portion than other items of display information when said vehicle is moving straight.

6. An information display apparatus for vehicles comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing information to display corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance of said display information from said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding said display information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a reverse running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display information concerning a condition behind said vehicle in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving in reverse.

7. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing display information corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance corresponding to said display information from said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a running condition of said vehicle before an intersection, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display information for intersection guidance in a larger portion than other items of display information when said vehicle is moving straight.

8. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a straight running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display speed information in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving straight.

9. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a reverse running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display information concerning a condition behind said vehicle in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving in reverse.

10. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting a running condition;

memory means for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

display means for displaying information; and

control means for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said memory means, and for controlling said display means to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance of said information,

wherein said detection means detects at least a running condition of said vehicle before an intersection, and

wherein said control means controls said display means to display information for intersection guidance in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving straight.

11. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing display information corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance corresponding to said display information from said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detector detects at least a straight running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display speed information in a larger portion than other items of display information when said vehicle is moving straight.

12. An information display apparatus for vehicles comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing information to display corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance of said display information from said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding said display information,

wherein said detector detects at least a reverse running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display information concerning a condition behind said vehicle in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving in reverse.

13. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing display information corresponding to respective running conditions and degrees of importance corresponding to said information;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading display information corresponding to a detected running condition and a degree of importance corresponding to said display information from said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detector detects at least a running condition of said vehicle before an intersection, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display information for intersection guidance in a larger portion than other items of display information when said vehicle is moving straight.

14. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detector detects at least a straight running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display speed information in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving straight.

15. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance corresponding to said display information,

wherein said detector detects at least a reverse running condition of said vehicle, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display information concerning a condition behind said vehicle in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving in reverse.

16. An information display apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a detector for detecting a running condition;

a storage device for storing items of information to display corresponding to running conditions detected and degrees of importance of said items of information stored;

a display for displaying information; and

a controller for reading an item of display information corresponding to said detected running condition and a degree of importance related to said display information stored in said storage device, and for controlling said display to display said display information in a display area according to the degree of importance of said information,

wherein said detector detects at least a running condition of said vehicle before an intersection, and

wherein said controller controls said display to display information for intersection guidance in a larger portion than other items of information when said vehicle is moving straight.