Vehicular meter unit and display device

• US 7,963,656 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kuno, Masahiro, Matsuno, Nagako
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling; William C
• Application Number:
  US12/926,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20110090074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• Field of Search: 353 11- 14, 340/995.1, 340/441, 340/438, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462
• US Class Current: 353/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1515 Reconfigurable dials
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1515 Reconfigurable dials
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision

Abstract

In a first display mode, a common image function component is displayed to occupy at least a part of a display region of a second specific image function component. In a second display mode, the common image function component is continuously displayed outside the second specific image function component to avoid the overlap therebetween (i.e., such that an exclusive positional relationship is made therebetween). When the display mode is switched, a final transition of the display mode to a display state in the second display mode is made while or after a moving image showing a transition process, in which the common image function component is moved from a display position in the first display mode to a display position in the second display mode, is displayed as a mode transition animation.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel in which a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix shape; and

a control means for switching a display of the display panel among a first display image indicating first information, a contraction image indicating the first information in a size contracted from the first display image and in a form different from the first display image, and an intermediate image indicating the first information in the same size as the first display image and in a form that is the same as or similar to the contraction image, wherein

when the display is switched between the first display image and the contraction image, the display is switched to the intermediate image in the course of the switching of the display.

2. The display device as in claim 1, wherein

the display is switched from the intermediate image to the contraction image by gradually contracting the intermediate image to the size of the contraction image.

3. The display device as in claim 1, wherein

the display is switched from the contraction image to the intermediate image by gradually enlarging the contraction image to the size of the intermediate image.

4. The display device as in claim 1, wherein

when the display is switched to the contraction image, a second display image indicating second information is displayed by using a region obtained by subtracting a region where the contraction image is displayed from a region where the first display image was displayed.