Information display apparatus, information display method and information recording medium for information display apparatus

• US 7,714,800 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Afroza Y
• Application Number:
  US10/817,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 345/7, 345/8, 345/173, 345 11- 13
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/67 Foldable or movable displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable

Abstract

An information display apparatus is provided with: a display screen; a movable panel member; and a control device which controls such that the functions of a control member and/or display member that are completely or partially hidden due to said movement of said movable panel member are realized on said display screen, wherein the control device displays an image on the display screen that has an outward appearance identical to or that resembles the outward appearance of the control member or said display member.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen configured for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the display screen at least partially covers a control switch when the display screen is in the second position; and

a control device configured to display an image of a selection button corresponding to the control switch on the display screen being in the second position, and to offer functionality of the control switch on the display screen in the second position based on the user'"'"'s touching the selection button, the operation of the control switch being unavailable based on the display screen being in the second position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device displays on the display screen an image that has an appearance identical to or that resembles the appearance of the control switch.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control device displays an image on said display screen that changes the surface dimensions of said control switch.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position-detection device which detects the position of said display screen, wherein said control device offers functionality of the control switch on the display screen based on the position detected by the position-detection device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch-display-instruction-receiving device which receives a switch-display instruction from a user for switching a display on the display screen;

wherein said control device offers functionality of the control switch on the display screen based on the instruction received by the switch-display-instruction-receiving device.

6. The apparatus of according to claim 1, further comprising:

a movement-control device which controls the movement of said display screen.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display screen is associated with a panel member that is a storage-type panel member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display screen is associated with a panel member is a rotation-type panel member.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation of the control switch is available by a user'"'"'s press.

9. A method comprising:

moving a display screen from a first position to a second position, wherein the display screen at least partially covers a control switch and/or a display unit when the display screen is in the second position; and

displaying an image of a selection button corresponding to the control switch on the display screen being in the second position, and offering functionality of the control switch on the display screen in the second position based on the user'"'"'s touching the selection button, the operation of the control switch being unavailable based on the display screen being in the second position.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein an operation of the control switch is available by a user'"'"'s press.

10. A recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program executable by the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

activating a movement control device to move a display screen from a first position to a second position, wherein the display screen at least partially covers a control switch when the display screen is in the second position; and

displaying an image of a selection button corresponding to the control switch on the display screen being in the second position, and offering functionality of the control switch on the display screen in the second position based on the user'"'"'s touching the selection button, the operation of the control switch being unavailable based on the display screen being in the second position.

13. The recording medium readable by a computer according to claim 10, wherein an operation of the control switch is available by a user'"'"'s press.