Vehicle display device

• US 8,830,049 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Gocho, Miyuki, Sakamoto, Syuiti
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US13/394,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 340/449, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340459-462, 340584-599, 165/287, 165/59, 165/64, 62/33
• US Class Current: 340/449
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/028 arrangements for numerical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2201/02 in vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle meter apparatus has a judging section that judges whether an automatic air conditioner purpose ambient temperature sensor is provided by comparing an input signal value inputted from an automatic air conditioner to an input section with a set threshold value and judges whether a display purpose ambient temperature sensor is provided by comparing the input signal value inputted from the display purpose ambient temperature sensor with the set threshold value when an internal power supply is supplied to input section and a display output section which displays an ambient temperature external to the vehicle on a second display section on a basis of a temperature detection signal from either of these sensors in a case where the judging section judges that the automatic air conditioner ambient temperature sensor is provided and in a case where the judging section judges that the display purpose ambient temperature is provided.

Claims

1. A display system universally adaptable to first and second types of vehicles, the first type of vehicle being equipped with an automatic air conditioner having an automatic air conditioner purpose ambient temperature sensor and the second type of vehicle being equipped with a manual air conditioner having a display purpose ambient temperature sensor, comprising:

a display section configured to display an ambient temperature external to a vehicle; and

a control section configured to perform a display control of the ambient temperature for the display section, the control section including a judging section configured to;

judge whether the vehicle is equipped with the automatic air conditioner on a basis of a first judgment of whether, with an internal power supply supplied to an input section of the control section turned off, a pull-up voltage is inputted to the input section of the control section from the automatic air conditioner,

after the first judgment, judge whether the automatic air conditioner purpose ambient temperature sensor is provided by comparing an input signal value inputted from the automatic air conditioner to the input section with a set threshold value, and

judge whether the display purpose ambient temperature sensor is provided by comparing the input signal value inputted from the display purpose ambient temperature sensor with the set threshold value when the internal power supply is supplied to the input section; and

a display output section configured to display the ambient temperature external to the vehicle on the display section on a basis of a temperature detection signal from the automatic air conditioner purpose ambient temperature sensor or the display purpose ambient temperature sensor in a case where the judging section judges that the automatic air conditioner ambient temperature sensor is provided and in a case where the judging section judges that the display purpose ambient temperature sensor is provided.

2. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a case where the judging section judges that the automatic air conditioner purpose ambient temperature sensor is not provided and judges that the display purpose ambient temperature sensor is not provided, the judging section judges that the vehicle is equipped with the manual air conditioner and is unequipped with the display purpose ambient temperature sensor.