Vehicle image display apparatus and vehicle having the same

• US 7,222,019 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kido, Toru, Mizutani, Gen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude; Gertrude A.
• Application Number:
  US11/032,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/211, 701/212, 701/220, 701/224, 701/300, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 23/00 Other protectors specially adapted for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00

Abstract

A vehicle image display apparatus includes a traveling condition judging unit for repeatedly judging the traveling condition of a vehicle, an operating unit for generating a parameter for abstractly representing the traveling condition of the vehicle based on the previous traveling condition and the current traveling condition currently judged by the traveling condition judging unit, and a display unit for displaying an image which biologically represents the traveling condition of the vehicle based on the parameter generated by the operating unit. The parameter for abstractly representing the traveling condition of the vehicle includes, for example, a hard/easy parameter representing a hard/easy condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle image display apparatus comprising:

a traveling condition judging unit that is arranged to repeatedly judge a traveling condition of a vehicle;

an operating unit that is arranged to generate, based on a previous traveling condition of the vehicle and a current traveling condition corresponding to an adding/subtracting value currently judged by the traveling condition judging unit, a parameter for abstractly representing a traveling condition of the vehicle; and

a display unit that is arranged to display, based on the parameter generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the traveling condition of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a vehicle condition detecting unit that is arranged to detect a vehicle condition, and the traveling condition judging unit is arranged to judge the traveling condition of the vehicle based on the vehicle condition detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit.

3. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle condition detecting unit includes at least one of an accelerator sensor that is arranged to detect an operational state of an accelerator, a speed sensor that is arranged to detect a vehicle speed, an acceleration sensor that is arranged to detect a vehicle acceleration, and a seat sensor that is arranged to detect whether a crew member has taken his/her seat in the vehicle.

4. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a vehicle condition detecting unit that is arranged to repeatedly detect a vehicle condition;

the operating unit is arranged to generate, based on a previous vehicle condition and a current vehicle condition currently detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit, a parameter for abstractly representing the vehicle condition; and

the display unit is arranged to display, based on the traveling condition representing parameter and the vehicle condition representing parameter which have been generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the vehicle condition and traveling condition of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle condition representing parameter includes a comfort/anxiety parameter representing a comfort/anxiety condition,

the apparatus further comprises a comfort/anxiety parameter change amount setting unit that is arranged to set a comfort/anxiety parameter change amount corresponding to the vehicle condition detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit,

the operating unit is arranged to acquire, from the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount setting unit, the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount corresponding to the current vehicle condition detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit, and then use the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount thus acquired and a previous comfort/anxiety parameter to generate a comfort/anxiety parameter representing the current vehicle condition, and

the display unit is arranged to display a vehicle comfort/anxiety condition representing image based on the comfort/anxiety parameter generated by the operating unit.

6. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle condition detecting unit includes at least one of a touch sensor that is arranged to detect a contact with a vehicle at a predetermined portion thereof, a traveling record detecting unit that is arranged to detect a traveling record of the vehicle, a luminous intensity sensor that is arranged to detect a brightness around the vehicle, a fuel FULL detecting unit that is arranged to detect that a vehicle fuel tank is fully charged with fuel, a fuel SHORT detecting unit that is arranged to detect that a fuel residual quantity in the vehicle fuel tank is less than a predetermined amount, and a fall detecting unit that is arranged to detect that the vehicle has fallen.

7. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter for abstractly representing the traveling condition of the vehicle includes a hard/easy parameter representing a hard/easy condition,

the apparatus further comprises a hard/easy parameter change amount setting unit that is arranged to set a hard/easy parameter change amount corresponding to the traveling condition judged by the traveling condition judging unit,

the operating unit is arranged to acquire from the hard/easy parameter change amount setting unit the hard/easy parameter change amount corresponding to the current traveling condition judged by the traveling condition judging unit and the adding/subtracting value, and then use the hard/easy parameter change amount thus acquired and a previous hard/easy parameter to generate a hard/easy parameter representing the current traveling condition, and

the display unit is arranged to display a vehicle hard/easy condition representing image based on the hard/easy parameter generated by the operating unit.

8. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the traveling condition judged by the traveling condition judging unit includes at least one of a pushing and walking condition, a downward slope traveling condition, an upward slope traveling condition, and a legal maximum speed condition.

9. A vehicle image display apparatus comprising:

a vehicle condition detecting unit that is arranged to repeatedly detect a vehicle condition;

an operating unit that is arranged to generate, based on a previous vehicle condition and a current vehicle condition corresponding to an adding/subtracting value currently detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit, a parameter for abstractly representing the vehicle condition; and

a display unit that is arranged to display, based on the parameter generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the vehicle condition.

10. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle condition representing parameter includes a comfort/anxiety parameter representing a comfort/anxiety condition,

the apparatus further comprises a comfort/anxiety parameter change amount setting unit that is arranged to set a comfort/anxiety parameter change amount corresponding to the vehicle condition detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit,

the operating unit is arranged to acquire, from the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount setting unit, the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount corresponding to the current vehicle condition detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit and the adding/subtracting value, and then use the comfort/anxiety parameter change amount thus acquired and a previous comfort/anxiety parameter to generate a comfort/anxiety parameter representing the current vehicle condition, and

the display unit is arranged to display a vehicle comfort/anxiety condition representing image based on the comfort/anxiety parameter generated by the operating unit.

11. A vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle condition detecting unit includes at least one of a touch sensor that is arranged to detect a contact with a vehicle, a traveling record detecting unit that is arranged to detect a traveling record of the vehicle, a luminous intensity sensor that is arranged to detect a brightness around the vehicle, a fuel FULL detecting unit that is arranged to detect that a vehicle fuel tank is fully charged with fuel, a fuel SHORT detecting unit that is arranged to detect that the fuel residual quantity in the vehicle fuel tank is less than a predetermined amount, and a fall detecting unit that is arranged to detect that the vehicle has fallen.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a traveling wheel;

a drive source that is arranged to transmit a drive force to the traveling wheel;

a traveling condition judging unit that is arranged to repeatedly judge a traveling condition of the vehicle;

an operating unit that is arranged to generate, based on a previous traveling condition of the vehicle and a current traveling condition corresponding to an adding/subtracting value currently judged by the traveling condition judging unit, a parameter for abstractly representing the traveling condition of the vehicle; and

a display unit that is arranged to display, based on the parameter generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the traveling condition of the vehicle.

13. A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises a vehicle condition detecting unit that is arranged to repeatedly detect a vehicle condition;

the operating unit is arranged to generate, based on a previous vehicle condition and a current vehicle condition currently detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit, a parameter for abstractly representing the vehicle condition; and

the display unit is arranged to display, based on the traveling condition representing parameter and the vehicle condition representing parameter which have been generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the traveling condition and vehicle condition of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the drive source includes an electromotor.

15. A vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising:

a battery that is arranged to supply an electric power to the electromotor;

a generator that is connected to the battery and is arranged to charge the battery with electricity; and

an engine that is arranged to drive the generator.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a traveling wheel;

a drive source that is arranged to transmit a drive force to the traveling wheel;

a vehicle condition detecting unit that is arranged to repeatedly detect a vehicle condition;

an operating unit that is arranged to generate, based on a previous vehicle condition and a current vehicle condition corresponding to an adding/subtracting value currently detected by the vehicle condition detecting unit, a parameter for abstractly representing the vehicle condition; and

a display unit that is arranged to display, based on the parameter generated by the operating unit, an image which abstractly represents the vehicle condition.