Display apparatus

• US 7,508,381 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumura, Kazuyuki, Ota, Takashi, Shibata, Minoru, Sakakibara, Yasuhiro, Asada, Hiroyuki, Konuma, Takeshi, Ozawa, Etsuo, Nagano, Akiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TAMMY T
• Application Number:
  US10/677,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 345/148
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

In an on-board display apparatus, a transmission type display device is provided in front, displays a touch switch display when necessary, and operates as a touch panel. The transmission type display device can be turned to be transparent, and an image display device is provided rearward of the transparent portion. Since the display screen of the image display device toward the back, the visual range is long, and visibility can be improved. Since the display screen of the image display device and the display screen of the transmission type display device are not on the same plane, even if the touch switch display is touched by a finger, an image can be seen, and a pointer can be displayed on the display screen of the image display device in a position corresponding to the touched position.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounted display apparatus comprising:

a transmission type display portion that is operable to transmit light there through and display images thereon, said transmission type display portion having a touch panel function, and said transmission type display portion being mounted at a first location in a vehicle;

a rearward display portion operable to display images that are different from the images displayed on said transmission type display portion, said rearward display portion being mounted at a second location in the vehicle rearwardly of said transmission type display portion, said rearward display portion being mounted such that a gap is formed between said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion and such that the images displayed on said rearward display portion can be seen through said transmission type display portion by a viewer in the vehicle; and

a control portion for controlling said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion in response to finger approach toward or finger touch of said transmission type display portion.

2. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion comprises a surface with a touch panel element thereon.

3. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion comprises an internal touch panel element.

4. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion includes a touch panel such that a display of said rearward display portion is changed depending on a touched position on said touch panel.

5. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 4, wherein said touched position is in the form of a button.

6. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 5, wherein said button is displayed in a position which does not prevent view of said rearward display portion through said transmission type display apparatus.

7. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion includes a touch panel and said control portion is operable to control said rearward display portion such that a pointer is displayed by said rearward display portion in accordance with operation of said touch panel.

8. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an approach detecting portion operable to detect approach of an operation object, wherein said control portion is operable to change an image displayed on at least one of said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion when said approach detecting portion detects the approach of the operation object.

9. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 8, wherein said approach detecting portion can detect an approach direction of the operation object.

10. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 8, wherein said approach detecting portion is operable to detect whether the operation object approaches from a direction from a passenger'"'"'s seat or a direction from a driver'"'"'s seat.

11. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion has a curved surface.

12. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion covers said rearward display portion such that said rearward display portion is visible.

13. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle mounted display apparatus is located in a middle portion between a passenger'"'"'s seat and a driver'"'"'s seat.

14. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control portion is operable to selectively display an operation switch on said transmission type display portion.

15. The vehicle mounted display portion of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion has a curved plate shape and an inclination angle, with respect to a floor surface of the vehicle, that is larger at a lower portion of said transmission type display portion than at an upper portion of said transmission type display portion.

16. The vehicle mounted display portion of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion has a curved plate shape and said rearward display portion has a flat plate shape.

17. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion comprises an organic electro luminescent layer and said rearward display portion comprises a liquid crystal display apparatus.

18. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a display area of said transmission type display portion is larger than that of said rearward display portion.

19. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of said transmission type display portion is transparent so that said rearward display portion can be seen there through.

20. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control portion is operable to control said transmission type display portion to cause operation switches to appear or disappear gradually on said transmission type display portion.

21. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control portion is operable to control said transmission type display portion to be selectively opaque so that said rearward display portion cannot be seen.

22. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission type display portion has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle as a supporting point therefor.

23. A vehicle mounted display apparatus comprising:

a transmission type display portion operable to transmit light there through and display images thereon, said transmission type display portion having a touch panel function and a transparent surface on which the images can be displayed, and which is mounted at a first location in a vehicle;

a rearward display portion operable to display images that are different from the images displayed on said transmission type display portion, said rearward display portion being positioned at a second location in the vehicle so as to be spaced rearwardly of said transmission type display portion, said rearward display portion being mounted such that a gap is formed between said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion and such that a display of said rearward display portion can be provided to a rearward part of said transmission type display portion such that the images displayed on said rearward display portion can be seen through said transmission type display portion; and

a control portion for controlling displayed content of said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion in response to finger approach toward or finger touch of said transmission type display portion.

24. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 23, wherein said transmission type display portion includes a touch panel such that a display of said rearward display portion is changed depending on a touched position on said touch panel.

25. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 24, wherein said touched position is in the form of a button.

26. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 25, wherein said button is displayed in a position which does not prevent view of said rearward display portion through said transmission type display portion.

27. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 23, wherein said transmission type display portion includes a touch panel and said control portion is operable to control said rearward display portion such that a pointer is displayed by said rearward display portion in accordance with operation of said touch panel.

28. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 23, further comprising an approach detecting portion operable to detect approach of an operation object, wherein said control portion is operable to change an image displayed on at least one of said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion when said approach detecting portion detects the approach of the operation object.

29. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 28, wherein said approach detecting portion can detect an approach direction of the operation object.

30. The vehicle mounted display apparatus of claim 28, wherein said approach detecting portion is operable to detect whether the operation object approaches from a direction from a passenger'"'"'s seat or a direction from a driver'"'"'s seat.

31. An on-board display apparatus mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

a transmission type display portion mounted at a forward position in the vehicle and operable to display images thereon;

a rearward display portion mounted at a rearward position of the vehicle which is rearward of said transmission type display portion and spaced apart from said transmission type display portion, said rearward display portion being mounted such that a gap is formed between said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion, and said rearward display portion being operable to form a display of images that are different from the images displayed on said transmission type display portion such that the images displayed on said rearward display portion can be seen through said transmission type display portion;

a display control portion operable to display a switch operation guide in said transmission type display portion;

a touch detecting portion provided in said transmission type display portion for detecting a position touched by an operator; and

an operation signal output portion for outputting an operation signal indicating an operation content based on a display state of said display control portion and a touch detection output from said touch detecting portion;

wherein said transmission type display portion is operable, in response to finger approach toward or finger touch of said transmission type display portion, to function as a touch panel and cover said rearward display portion such that an image of said rearward display portion is visible.

32. The on-board display apparatus of claim 31, wherein said display control portion is operable to control said rearward display portion to display a pointer so that the pointer is in a position corresponding to the touched position when said touch detecting portion detects a position touched by the operator.

33. The on-board display apparatus of claim 31, further comprising an approach detecting portion for detecting approach of an operation object, wherein said display control portion is operable to display the switch operation guide in said transmission type display portion when said approach detecting portion detects the approach of the operation object.

34. The on-board display apparatus of claim 33, wherein said approach detecting portion is operable to detect a direction of approach of the operation object, and said display control portion is operable to switch images to be displayed in at least one of said transmission type display portion and said rearward display portion based on the direction of approach of the operation object detected by said approach detecting portion.