In-vehicle display device

• US 8,049,609 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Takamatsu, Masahiro, Aoki, Kunimitsu, Takahashi, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell; Emily C
• Application Number:
  US12/320,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 340/435, 340/436, 345/7, 382/103, 359/443, 362/459
• US Class Current: 340/461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/338 Light strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/285 for improving awareness by directing driver's gaze direction or eye points
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• 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: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

An in-vehicle display device includes (a) a display unit provided on a surface of an instrument panel of a vehicle, opposed to a windshield of the vehicle, and configured to indicate a plurality of information dots V in a row or in a rectangular array on the windshield such that the necessary information dots are selectably displayed from among the plurality of the information dots and superposed upon a real image viewed through the windshield, (b) a target information acquisition unit that obtains target information of which a driver of the vehicle is to be notified, and (c) a display control unit that controls the display unit and makes the display unit indicate the predetermined information dots V that correspond to the target information that has been obtained by the target information acquisition unit.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle display device comprising:

an obstacle detecting unit configured to detect an obstacle in a traveling direction of the vehicle;

a display unit provided on a surface of an instrument panel of a vehicle, opposed to a windshield of the vehicle, and configured to selectably indicate a plurality of information dots in a row or in a rectangular array on the windshield such that the plurality of information dots are indicated near a real image of the obstacle or superposed on the real image of the obstacle on the windshield of the vehicle;

a target information acquisition unit configured to obtain target information that a driver of the vehicle is to be informed of, the target information being indicative of a size, distance, and position of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detecting unit; and

a display control unit configured to control the display unit and make the display unit selectably indicate at least one of the information dots that corresponds to the target information obtained by the target information acquisition unit, the number and position of the information dots indicated being determined in dependence upon size, distance, and position of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detecting unit.

2. The in-vehicle display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a plurality of point light sources arranged in a row or in a rectangular array over a range wider than a range of vision of the driver during driving, each point light source being configured to indicate one of the information dots, and the display control unit makes the point light sources indicate the information dot that corresponds to the target information unit.

3. The in-vehicle display device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an area-setting-information storage unit that stores area setting information used to enable or disable presentation of the information dot in a predetermined area of the windshield, wherein the display control unit specifies a display area in which the information dot is to be indicated and makes the display unit indicate the information dot in the specified display area in accordance with the area setting information stored in the area-setting-information storage unit.

4. The in-vehicle display device as set forth in claim 2 further comprising an area-setting-information storage unit that stores area setting information used to enable or disable presentation of the information dot in a predetermined area of the windshield, wherein the display control unit specifies a display area in which the information dot is to be indicated and makes the display unit indicate the information dot in the specified display area in accordance with the area setting information stored in the area-setting-information storage unit.