Display control device and method

• US 6,268,837 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Iwasa, Eiichi, Kobayashi, Kazutomo, Tomita, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/225,217
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/200, 702/209, 342/357.1, 348/118, 348/113, 348/116, 455/509
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3661 Guidance output on an external device, e.g. car radio
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A display control device comprises a navigation unit for generating route guidance data; a small-sized display unit for displaying information concerning audio-system; and a main unit connected via an interface to the navigation unit and the small-sized display unit with a communication cable, said main unit including: recognizing means for recognizing the connection of the small-sized display unit; and control means for sending out a request for route guidance display to the navigation unit when the recognizing means recognizes the connection of the small-sized display unit, and causing the received route guidance data to be displayed through interruption on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data generated by the navigation unit is received via the communication cable and the interface.

Claims

1. A display control device comprising:

a small-sized display unit, operatively coupled to a navigation unit, for generating route guidance data, for displaying information concerning an audio-system; and

a main unit connected via an interface to the navigation unit and the small-sized display unit with a communication cable,

said main unit including;

recognizing means for recognizing a state of the small-sized display unit; and

control means which judges whether route guidance data is received from said navigation unit if the recognizing means recognizes said small-sized display unit is able to display, and interrupts a display of audio information by the small-sized display unit and displays route guidance information based on the received route guidance data on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data is received.

2. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main unit comprises audio/visual equipment.

3. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the small-sized display unit is incorporated in the main unit.

4. The display control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the small-sized display unit is incorporated in the main unit.

5. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a large-sized display unit for displaying route guidance information based on said route guidance data, said large display unit being connectible with the main unit through a communication cable,

wherein said recognizing means recognizes a state of the large-sized display unit, and

wherein said control means judges whether route guidance data is received from said navigation unit if the recognizing means recognizes that said large-sized display unit is unable to display, and interrupts display of the small-sized display unit and displays route guidance information based on the received route guidance data on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data is received.

6. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio information is displayed upon termination of said display of said received route guidance data.

7. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

one of a large-sized display unit and a combined display unit formed by combining a large-sized display and said small-sized display, said one of the large-sized display unit and the combined display unit being connected via a communication cable to the main unit.

8. The display control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control means controls the recognizing means to monitor a non-displayable state of said one of the large-sized display unit and the combined display unit.

9. The display control device according to claim 8, wherein when one of the large-sized display unit and the large-sized display of the combined display unit is recognized to be in the off state, controls the route guidance data generated by the navigation unit to be displayed through interruption on the small-sized display of the combined display unit.

10. The display control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display of audio information and said display of route guidance information are other than simultaneously displayed on a same display unit.

11. A display control device comprising:

a small-sized display unit, operatively coupled to a navigation unit, for displaying information concerning an audio-system;

a main unit connected via an interface to the navigation unit and the small-sized display unit with a communication cable,

said main unit including;

recognizing means for recognizing a state of the small-sized display unit; and

control means which judges if a large-sized display unit is unable to display the route guidance information and displays route guidance information based on the received route guidance data on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data is received; and

one of a large-sized display unit and a combined display unit formed by combining a large-sized display and said small-sized display, said one of the large-sized display unit and the combined display unit being connected via a communication cable to the main unit,

wherein the control means controls the recognizing means to monitor the on/off state of one of the large-sized display unit and the combined display unit, and when one of the large-sized display unit and the large-sized display of the combined display unit is recognized to be in the off state, causes the route guidance data generated by the navigation unit to be displayed through interruption on the small-sized display of the combined display unit.

12. A display control method of a display control device having a small-sized display unit, operatively coupled to a navigation unit for generating route guidance data, for displaying information concerning an audio-system, and a main unit connected via an interface to the navigation unit and the small-sized display unit with a communication cable, the method comprising:

recognizing the connection of the small-sized display unit;

sending out a request for route guidance display to the navigation unit when the connection of the small-sized display unit is recognized; and

causing the received route guidance data to be displayed through interruption on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data generated by the navigation unit is received via the communication cable and the interface,

wherein said causing the received route guidance data to be displayed terminates the display of audio information.

13. The display control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the audio information is displayed upon termination of said display of said received route guidance data.

14. The display control device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said display of audio information and said display of route guidance information are other than simultaneously displayed on a same display unit.

15. A display control system comprising:

a navigation unit for generating route guidance data;

a small-sized display unit, operatively coupled to said navigation unit, for displaying information concerning an audio-system;

a large-sized display unit for displaying navigation information; and

a main unit connected via an interface to the navigation unit, the small-sized display unit and the large-sized display unit with a communication cable,

said main unit including;

recognizing means which recognizes states of the small-sized display unit and the large-sized display unit; and

control means which judges whether the route guidance data is received from said navigation unit when the recognizing means recognizes a state of said large-sized display unit is unable to display, and interrupts to display route guidance information based on the route guidance data on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data is received, in place of the audio information being displayed.

16. The display control system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the audio information is displayed upon termination of said display of said received route guidance data.

17. The display control device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said display of audio information and said display of route guidance information are other than simultaneously displayed on a same display unit.

18. A display control system comprising:

a navigation unit for generating route guidance data;

a main unit connectable to a small-sized display unit for displaying information concerning an audio-system and a large-sized display unit for displaying route guidance information, which are connected to said navigation unit through an interface by a communication cable,

said main unit including;

recognizing means which recognizes a state of a display unit; and

control means which judges whether the route guidance data is received from said navigation unit when the recognizing means recognizes a state of the large-sized display unit is unable to display, and interrupts to display route guidance information based on the route guidance data on the small-sized display unit when the route guidance data is received, in place of the audio information being displayed.

19. The display control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the audio information is displayed upon termination of said display of said received route guidance data.

20. The display control device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said display of audio information and said display of route guidance information are other than simultaneously displayed on a same display unit.