Display unit and method for displaying image

• US 7,821,387 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Okumura, Tomohiro, Nishikawa, Ryouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/078,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 340/438, 340/441, 345/87, 345/555
• US Class Current: 340/461
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

A display unit includes: a display panel for displaying an information image; a memory for storing a compressed image data element corresponding to the information image; an image memory for storing the compressed image data element transferred from the memory; and a controller for decompressing the compressed image data element stored in the image memory and for controlling the display panel to display the information image based on a decompressed image data element.

Claims

1. A display unit comprising:

a display panel for displaying an information image;

a memory for storing a compressed image data element corresponding to the information image;

an image memory for storing the compressed image data element transferred from the memory; and

a controller for decompressing the compressed image data element stored in the image memory and for controlling the display panel to display the information image based on a decompressed image data element, wherein

the controller transfers the compressed image data element from the memory to the image memory in a direct memory access manner so that the compressed image data element is directly written in the image memory.

2. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein

the display panel is capable of displaying a plurality of information images,

the memory is capable of storing a plurality of compressed image data elements corresponding to the information images,

the image memory is capable of storing the compressed image data elements transferred from the memory,

the controller is capable of decompressing the compressed image data elements stored in the image memory, and

the controller is capable of controlling the display panel to display the information images based on decompressed image data elements.

3. The display unit according to claim 2, wherein

the controller controls the display panel to display all of the information images at the same time.

4. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein

the information image includes a physical quantity information image, which represents physical quantity information,

the physical quantity information image includes a scale image for providing a scale and a pointer image for providing a pointer, and

the controller controls the display panel to display the physical quantity information image in such a manner that the pointer image is capable of moving along with the scale image according to the physical quantity information.

5. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein

the display unit is mounted on a vehicle, and

the information image represents at least one of information about vehicle speed and information about the number of revolution of an engine.

6. A display unit comprising:

a display panel for displaying a plurality of information images;

a first memory for storing a plurality of compressed image data elements, which corresponds to the plurality of information images;

a second memory for storing the plurality of compressed image data elements transferred from the first memory, wherein the second memory provides an image memory; and

a controller for decompressing all of the compressed image data elements stored in the second memory and for controlling the display panel to display all of the information images based on decompressed image data elements, wherein

the controller transfers all of the compressed image data elements from the first memory to the second memory in a direct memory access manner so that all of the compressed image data elements are directly written in the second memory,

the display unit is mounted on a vehicle, and

the information images provide at least one of information about vehicle speed and information about the number of revolution of an engine.

7. A method for displaying a plurality of information images comprising:

storing a plurality of compressed image data elements in a first memory, wherein the plurality of compressed image data elements corresponds to the plurality of information images;

transferring all of the compressed image data elements from the first memory to a second memory in a direct memory access manner so that all of the compressed image data elements are directly written in the second memory, wherein the second memory provides an image memory;

storing the plurality of compressed image data elements in the second memory, the compressed image data elements transferred from the first memory;

decompressing all of the compressed image data elements stored in the second memory; and

controlling a display panel to display all of the information images based on decompressed image data elements, wherein

the display unit is mounted on a vehicle, and

the information images provide at least one of information about vehicle speed and information about the number of revolution of an engine.

8. A display unit comprising:

a display panel for displaying an information image;

a memory for storing a compressed image data element corresponding to the information image;

an image memory for storing the compressed image data element transferred from the memory; and

a controller for decompressing the compressed image data element stored in the image memory and for controlling the display panel to display the information image based on a decompressed image data element, wherein

the information image includes a physical quantity information image, which represents physical quantity information,

the physical quantity information image includes a scale image for providing a scale and a pointer image for providing a pointer, and

the controller controls the display panel to display the physical quantity information image in such a manner that the pointer image is capable of moving along with the scale image according to the physical quantity information.

9. The display unit according to claim 8, wherein

the display panel is capable of displaying a plurality of information images,

the memory is capable of storing a plurality of compressed image data elements corresponding to the information images,

the image memory is capable of storing the compressed image data elements transferred from the memory,

the controller is capable of decompressing the compressed image data elements stored in the image memory, and

the controller is capable of controlling the display panel to display the information images based on decompressed image data elements.

10. The display unit according to claim 9, wherein

the controller controls the display panel to display all of the information images at the same time.

11. The display unit according to claim 8, wherein

the display unit is mounted on a vehicle, and

the information image represents at least one of information about vehicle speed and information about the number of revolution of an engine.