Display device for audio system including radio tuner

• US 6,118,441 A
• Filed: 10/20/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Iwasa, Eiichi, Tomita, Masaru, Kobayashi, Kazutomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/175,772
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/302, 345/326, 345/339, 345/333, 345/334, 345/970, 701/36, 434/29
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0016 Indicating arrangements digital indication of tuning in general H03J1/048

Abstract

A display device is provided with a center unit 10 having a center display unit 12, a slave unit 20 having a slave display unit 21 and a communication line for communicatively connecting the center unit 10 and the slave unit 20. When the center control microcomputer 15 of the center unit 10 detects a predetermined operation through a key operating unit 14, the center control microcomputer 15 and the slave control microcomputer 24 make two of the center display unit 12 and the slave display unit 21 provide a linking display as if these display units operate as one display unit.

Claims

1. A display device for an audio system including a radio tuner, comprising:

a center unit having a first display unit;

a slave unit having a second display unit; and

a communication line for communicatively connecting the center unit and the slave unit;

said center unit comprising;

display message transmitting means for preparing a display message containing regular image data indicating a form of displaying the linkage between the display images of the first display and second display units corresponding to a predetermined operation on detecting the predetermined operation and for transmitting the display message to the slave unit;

center variable display detection means for detecting variable display data including variable image data indicating an operating condition from the communication line; and

center control means for displaying a regular image linked with the second display unit in the first display unit according to the regular image data contained in the display message when the display message is transmitted by the display message transmitting means and simultaneously causing the regular image together with a variable image linked with the second display unit to be displayed in the first display unit according to the variable image data included in the variable display data and the regular image data when the variable display data is detected by the center variable display detection means, and

said slave unit comprising;

display message receiving means for receiving the display message from the center unit;

slave variable display detection means for detecting the variable display data including the variable image data indicating the operating condition from the communication line; and

slave control means for displaying the regular image linked with the first display unit in the second display unit according to the regular image data contained in the display message when the display message is received by the display message receiving means and simultaneously causing the regular image together with the variable image linked with the first display unit to be displayed in the second display unit according to the variable image data included in the variable display data and the regular image data when the variable display data is detected by the slave variable display detection means.

2. A display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center unit further includes a first operating means, a radio tuner, and a main microcomputer for controlling said first display unit and said radio tuner, and for executing each operation according to operation of the first operating means,

said slave unit further includes a second operating means, a and a slave microcomputer for controlling said second display, and for executing each operation according to operation of the second operating means, and

wherein said main microcomputer and said slave microcomputer are connected by said communication line.

3. A display device for an audio system having a radio tuner, comprising:

a main device having a first display unit;

a sub-device connected with said main device and having a second display unit; and

a communication line for communicatively connecting said main device and said sub-device, wherein said main device comprises;

message data generating means which monitors a predetermined key operation, upon acknowledging the predetermined key operation, generates a first identification code responsive to a static image corresponding to the key operation and display image data representing a type of image, and transmits the message data to said sub-device;

first display execution means which monitors a second identification code with dynamic image data corresponding to a dynamic image to be output to said communication line, generates display image on the basis of said dynamic image data and the display image information corresponding to the key, and outputs display data to said first display unit;

wherein said sub-device comprises;

second display execution means which monitors the message data output into the communication line and said second identification code with dynamic image data corresponding to a dynamic image, generates a display image in response to these information, and outputs a display image data to the second display unit.

4. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said message data generation means comprises a main device control microcomputer for controlling whole operation of the main device, and said first display execution means comprises a main display microcomputer for controlling said first display unit.

5. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second display execution means comprises a sub-device display control microcomputer for controlling whole operation of the sub-device, and a sub-device display microcomputer for controlling the second display unit.

6. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said communication line is connected to the other external equipments.

7. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a spectrum analyzer indication is displayed on said first and second display units.

8. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a list of title name of disks contained in a disk player is displayed on said first and second display units.

9. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of first and second display units are used to assist key input operation.

10. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said message data consists of said first identification code representing kind of a linking display and said display image data.

11. A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second identification code and dynamic image data corresponding to a dynamic image are sequentially sent out as a combination.