Instrument cluster for motor vehicles with variable-color display

• US 6,693,523 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2000
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Noll, Heinrich, Abel, Heinz-Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/648,177
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.42, 340/815.43, 340/815.47, 340/815.53, 340/815.65, 340/815.78, 340/461, 340/462, 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/457, 116/284, 116/288
• US Class Current: 340/461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/188 Displaying information using colour changes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/188 Displaying information using colour changes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10

Abstract

In an instrument cluster for motor vehicles with a variable-color display, with which at least two different measured variables and/or operating states of the motor vehicle can be represented in analog and/or digital form, when a value of a measured variable is overshot or a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, the color and/or brightness of representation of more than one measured value displayed and/or operating state displayed are changed.

Claims

1. An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle, comprising a variable-color display having at least two different indicators of unique vehicular operational variables or operating states, each variable or state measured by distinct measuring means and wherein operating states of the motor vehicle are representable in at least one of analog and digital form, wherein, when a value of a measured variable presented by one of said indicators is overshot or undershot or a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of color and brightness of representation of measured unique vehicular operational variables or operating states of a plurality of the indicators are changed.

2. A method for indicating at least two different ones of operating states and measured variables, in an instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

by use of at least two different indicators, representing in a variable-color display at least two of different unique vehicular operational variables and operating states of the motor vehicle, each variable and state measured by distinct measuring means in at least one of analog and digital form, and

in a plurality of said indicators, changing, when a value of a measured variable is overshot or undershot or a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of color and brightness of representation of more than one of the at least two displayed indicators of unique vehicular operational variables and operating states.

3. An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle, comprising a variable-color display wherein at least two different ones of unique vehicular operational variables and operating states of the motor vehicle, each variable and state measured by distinct measuring means, are representable in at least one of analog and digital form, wherein, when a value of a measured variable is overshot or undershot or a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of color and brightness of representation of more than one of at least two displayed unique vehicular operational variables and operating states are changed.

4. The instrument cluster of claim 3, wherein one of the at least two displayed measured values and operating states which are changed in at least one of color and brightness displays the overshot or undershot measured variable or entered operating state.

5. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 4, wherein display of the overshot or undershot measured variable or entered operating state is represented by at least one of a constantly changing color and brightness.

6. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when a value of the measured variable is overshot or undershot or if a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of the color and brightness of representation of the entire instrument panel are changed.

7. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when there is a change in color, brightness of the changed color is adapted in dependency on perceptibility.

8. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 3, further comprising one or more color displays for representing at least one of digital values, symbols and analog display instruments.

9. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 8, wherein the one or more color displays are color LC displays.

10. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one analog display instrument with a measuring mechanism (20), pointer (18) and dial (24), wherein the pointer and dial (24) are illuminable in different colors.

11. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 10, wherein the dial (24) is a color LC display.

12. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 11, wherein different dials are selectable by a driver of the vehicle.

13. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pointer (18) is illuminable with a variable-color light source (21), said light source launches its light through a light-conducting pointer spindle (19) into the pointer (18).

14. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 10, wherein basic colors of dials and pointers are settable by a driver of the vehicle.

15. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 10, wherein color transitions in response to changing measured values to be displayed are freely settable.

16. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 3, wherein, with a speed display, an unauthorized speed range is representable by being highlighted in color, and wherein cruise control marks (10) cannot be set in an unauthorized speed range.

17. An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle, comprising a variable-color display including at least two different subdisplays, each of said at least two subdisplays representing respective unique vehicular operational variables and operating states of the motor vehicle, each variable and state measured by distinct measuring means, in at least one of analog and digital form, wherein, when a value of a measured variable is overshot or undershot or a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of color and brightness of representation of at least two of the subdisplays are changed, the at least two subdisplays displaying unique vehicular operational variables or operating states.

18. The instrument cluster of claim 17, wherein at least one of the subdisplays which are changed in at least one of color and brightness displays the overshot or undershot measured variable or entered operating state.

19. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, wherein, when a value of the measured variable is overshot or undershot or if a certain operating state of the motor vehicle is entered, at least one of the color and brightness of representation of the entire instrument panel are changed.

20. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, wherein the measured variables, the value of the latter which has been overshot or undershot or the particular operating state of the motor vehicle is represented by at least one of a constantly changing color and brightness.

21. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, wherein, when there is a change in color, brightness of the changed color is adapted in dependency on perceptibility.

22. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, further comprising one or more color subdisplays for representing at least one of digital values, symbols and analog display instruments.

23. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 22, wherein the one or more color subdisplays are color LC displays.

24. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one subdisplay is an analog display instrument with a measuring mechanism (20), pointer (18) and dial (24), wherein the pointer and dial (24) are illuminable in different colors.

25. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 24, wherein the dial (24) is a color LC display.

26. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 24, wherein different dials are selectable by a driver of the vehicle.

27. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 24, wherein the pointer (18) is illuminable with a variable-color light source (21), said light source launches its light through a light-conducting pointer spindle (19) into the pointer (18).

28. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 24, wherein basic colors of dials and pointers are settable by a driver of the vehicle.

29. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 28, wherein color transitions in response to changing measured values to be displayed are freely settable.

30. The instrument cluster as claimed in claim 17, wherein, with subdisplay measuring a speed, an unauthorized speed range is representable by being highlighted in color, and wherein cruise control marks (10) cannot be set in an unauthorized speed range.