Vehicle meter display system and method for controlling the same

• US 8,013,723 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawachi, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox; Kaleria
• Application Number:
  US12/073,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20080224840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/461, 340/462, 348/148
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle

Abstract

A vehicle meter display system that displays vehicle information including important information includes: a steering wheel that has at least one opening formed between spokes; a meter display unit disposed at a position closer to the front of the vehicle than the steering wheel; a steering angle detection unit that detects the steering angle of the steering wheel; and a meter display control unit that changes the manner in which an important information display area is displayed based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit so that a diver is able to see the important information through the at least one opening.

Claims

1. A vehicle meter display system that displays vehicle information including important information, the vehicle meter display system comprising:

a steering wheel that includes a rim, a boss connected to a steering shaft, and multiple spokes which connect the rim to the boss, and that has at least one opening formed between the spokes;

a meter display unit disposed at a position closer to a front of the vehicle than the steering wheel;

a steering angle detection unit that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel; and

a meter display control unit that is configured to change a location on the meter display unit of an important information display area in which the important information is displayed based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit from a first position to a second position so that a driver of the vehicle is able to see the important information through the at least one opening.

2. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 1, wherein the meter display control unit changes an area of the important information display area based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit.

3. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 2, wherein the meter display control unit reduces the area of the important information display area continuously or in a stepwise manner as the steering angle is increased, and increases the area of the important information display area continuously or in a stepwise manner as the steering angle is decreased.

4. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 2, wherein the meter display control unit reduces the number of objects of the important information displayed on the meter display unit as the steering angle is increased.

5. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 1, wherein:

two or more openings are formed between the spokes; and

the important information is displayed in the important information display area in a manner selected based on the steering angle so that the important information is visible through one or more of the openings.

6. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 1, wherein the important information includes at least one of warning information issued to the driver and vehicle speed information.

7. The vehicle meter display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the meter display control unit controls the meter display unit to display a vehicle speed as the important information in an analog format when the steering angle is equal to or lower than a predetermined angle; and

the meter display control unit controls the meter display unit to display the vehicle speed as the important information in a digital format when the steering angle exceeds the predetermined angle.

8. A method for controlling a vehicle meter display system including:

a steering wheel that includes a rim, a boss connected to a steering shaft, and multiple spokes which connect the rim to the boss, and that has at least one opening formed between the spokes; and

a meter display unit disposed at a position closer to a front of the vehicle than the steering wheel, the method comprising;

detecting a steering angle of the steering wheel; and

changing location on the meter display unit of an important information display area in which important information is displayed based on the steering angle from a first position to a second position so that a driver of the vehicle is able to see the important information through the at least one opening.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the manner in which the important information display area is displayed is changed by calculating a target location for the important information display area, and moving the important information display area to the target location.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the manner in which the important information display area is displayed is changed by calculating a target area for the important information display area, and adjusting the area of the important information display area to the target area.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the manner in which the important information display area is displayed is changed by calculating a target area for the important information display area, and displaying the important information in the important information display area in a display format which is selected from among an analog format or a digital format based on the target area.