Graphic display apparatus

• US 8,803,676 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sitarski, Nicholas Scott, Gilling, Earnee Jones, Wippler, Erik Anthony, Rovik, Christopher Lee, Lambert, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US13/487,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/007 Circuits for displaying split screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/004 to give the appearance of moving signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation

Abstract

A graphic display apparatus within an automotive vehicle wherein the display apparatus includes at least two display units operable to display graphics and/or video, a wire connector connecting the at least two display units together, and a control system connected to the wire connector wherein the control system is operable to play video or graphics on the at least two display units. A method is provided to all the system to be universal for both audio and navigation systems wherein each system calls for a predetermined delay of the animation. The display units are in communication with one another providing for a coordinated or synchronized display of graphics. If, by way of example, a firework explodes on the main display screen, the remnants of that single firework will be exploded onto the secondary display screens.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of display screens within an automotive vehicle, a controller controlling a series of steps to generate a synchronized display on a plurality of display screens, the method of the controller comprising the steps of:

determining whether a display screen to be used for originating an animation is a navigation system or an audio system;

assigning a predetermined delay time before starting animation, the predetermined delay dependent upon whether system is the navigation system or the audio system;

starting animation originating on a first display screen for a first predetermined length of time;

moving the animation from the first display screen to a second display screen after a second predetermined length of time; and

coordinating the graphics on the plurality of display screens to generate an appearance of movement between a plurality of display screens of graphics displayed on the plurality of display screens.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the movement from the first display screen to the second display screen of the graphics is gradual.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first predetermined amount of time ranging between 0.25 seconds and 10 seconds.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second predetermined amount of time ranges between 0.25 seconds and 10 seconds.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined delay for the navigation system ranges between 1.0 and 3.5 seconds.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined delay for the audio system ranges between 0.1 and 3.5 seconds.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the animation is cancelled when a user puts the vehicle into Reverse.