Navigation system having a plurality of displays

• US 6,351,705 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/366,653
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/208, 701/211, 701/212, 340/438, 340/439, 340/461, 340/463, 340/990, 340/995, 345/1.1
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed

Abstract

A navigation system having a plurality of displays for displaying, for example, output images of a navigation system, output images of a television system, and output texts of a multiplex FM character broadcasting. Such a navigation system in the prior art has drawbacks that a large amount of calculations is required for detecting whether the vehicle is moving or not and for imposing restrictions on the sort of data to be displayed in the second display, installed at a position where the driver can see it. This problem is solved by a navigation system comprising: a first display 2 installed at a position where the driver cannot see it, a second display 3 installed at a position where the driver can see it, a VRAM 10 for storing data to be displayed in each of the displays, a blank signal generating circuit 12 disposed between the VRAM and the second display, and a control device 4 for calculating data to be displayed in the displays on the basis of the data from data input means and for storing the result into the VRAM, wherein the control device 4 detects whether the vehicle is moving or not, and when the vehicle is moving, the control device 4 controls the blank signal generating circuit so as to impose restrictions on the sort of the data to be displayed in the second display.

Claims

1. A navigation system having a plurality of displays comprising:

a first display installed at a position where the driver cannot see it,

a second display installed at a position where the driver can see it,

a single VRAM for storing data to be displayed in each of the displays,

a blank signal generating circuit disposed between the VRAM and the second display, and

a control device for calculating data to be displayed in the displays, on the basis of the data from data input means and for storing the result of the calculation into the VRAM, wherein

the control device detects whether the vehicle is moving or not, and when the vehicle is moving, the control device controls the blank signal generating circuit so as to impose restrictions on the sort of the data to be displayed in the second display.

2. A navigation system having a plurality of displays according to claim 1, wherein command indications can be displayed at a part in the screen of the first and second displays, and the blank signal generating circuit suppresses the display of the command indications in the second display, while the vehicle is moving.

3. A navigation system having a plurality of displays according to claim 2, wherein the navigation system further comprises an output buffer disposed between the blank signal generating circuit and the second display, and when the vehicle is moving, the blank signal generating circuit generates a constant HIGH level output signal, while RGB signals to display the command indication in the second display are provided, the logical sum of the output of the blank signal generating circuit and the RGB signals is sent to the buffer.

4. A navigation system having a plurality of displays according to claim 2, wherein the navigation system further comprises an output buffer disposed between the blank signal generating circuit and the second display, and when the vehicle is moving, the blank signal generating circuit generates a constant LOW level output signal, while RGB signals to display the command indication in the second display are provided, the logical product of the output of the blank signal generating circuit and the RGB signals is sent to the buffer.

5. A navigation system having a plurality of displays according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and second displays comprise an operation input means at an area of the command indication.

6. A navigation system having a plurality of displays according to claim 5, wherein the operation input means of the second display is inactivated, while the vehicle is moving.