Display arrangement for a vehicle

• US 7,382,237 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Stoschek, Arne, Strohband, Sven, Chen, Pao, Pai, Derek, Dupont, Cedric
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/323,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/27 using semi-transparent optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/693 Cover plate features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• 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

A display arrangement for a vehicle has, in particular, a multipurpose instrument or is configured as a multipurpose instrument. The display arrangement includes a first display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle, a glass with adjustable transparency arranged in front of the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement, and a second display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle or additional information concerning operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A display arrangement for a vehicle, the display arrangement comprising:

a first display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle;

a glass with adjustable transparency arranged in front of the first display device in a viewing direction of the display device; and

a second display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle or additional information concerning operation of the vehicle, wherein the information concerning operation of the vehicle or the additional information concerning operation of the vehicle can be displayed or projected by means of the second display device on the glass with adjustable transparency.

2. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning operation of the vehicle or the additional information concerning operation of the vehicle can be projected, by means of the second display device, onto a side of the glass with adjustable transparency facing away from the viewing direction.

3. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glass with adjustable transparency covers at least an essential part of the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement.

4. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glass with adjustable transparency covers the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement, essentially forward.

5. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glass with adjustable transparency comprises at least two independently controllable segments.

6. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glass with adjustable transparency comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer (PDLC).

7. A display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first display device comprises an analog pointer instrument.

8. A display arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the pointer instrument is a mechanical pointer instrument.

9. A vehicle with a display arrangement, the display arrangement comprising:

a first display device to display information concerning operating of the vehicle;

a glass with adjustable transparency arranged in front of the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement; and

a second display device to display information concerning operating of the vehicle or additional information concerning operation of the vehicle, especially on the glass with adjustable transparency, wherein the information concerning operation of the vehicle or the additional information concerning operation of the vehicle can be displayed or projected by means of the second display device on the glass with adjustable transparency.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, the vehicle further comprising:

a navigation system, in which information output by the navigation system can be displayed by means of the second display device,

a telephone, in which information output by a telephone can be displayed by the second display device,

a music system, in which information output by the music system can be displayed by the second display device,

an air conditioner, in which information output by the air conditioner can be displayed by the second display device, or

an infotainment system, in which an information output by the infotainment system can be displayed by the second display device.

11. A vehicle according to claim 9, the vehicle further comprising:

a camera, in which a picture recorded by the camera can be displayed by means of the second display device.

12. A display arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the information concerning operation of the vehicle or the additional information concerning operation of the vehicle can be projected, by means of the second display device, onto a side of the glass with adjustable transparency facing away from the viewing direction.

13. A display arrangement for a vehicle, the display arrangement comprising:

a first display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle;

a glass with adjustable transparency comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer (PDLC) and comprising at least two independently controllable segments arranged in front of the first display device in a viewing direction of the display device covering at least an essential part of the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement; and

a second display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle or additional information concerning operation of the vehicle.

14. A display arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the glass with adjustable transparency covers the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement, essentially forward.

15. A display arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the first display device comprises an analog pointer instrument.

16. A display arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the pointer instrument is a mechanical pointer instrument.