Vehicle display device

• US 8,909,423 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ozawa, Yuuki, Hokura, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berns, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/700,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20130079986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 340/438, 340/441, 340/815.4, 340/815.44
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/171 Vehicle or relevant part thereof displayed
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/332 Light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/34 Backlit symbols
• 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: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/403 between front and rear axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/406 between left and right wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 : Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18118 : Hill holding
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle display device includes a vehicle instrument panel, upper-side and lower-side segment displays and a display controller. Each of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays has at least three number-displaying elements that are arranged in a line in a lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments. The display controller is configured to combine the number-displaying elements in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays and to display vehicle information.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device comprising:

a vehicle instrument panel;

an upper-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements arranged in a line in a lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the upper-side segment display being disposed in the vehicle instrument panel;

a lower-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements in a line in the lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the lower-side segment display being disposed below the upper-side segment display in the vehicle instrument panel; and

a display controller configured to combine the number-displaying elements in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays and to display vehicle information, the display controller being further configured to display a vehicle body using the two upper and lower number-displaying elements near the lateral center in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays, and to display a state of drive force distribution between wheels using left and right number-displaying elements of the upper and lower number-displaying elements that show the vehicle body, the controller being further configured to change a number of the segments of at least one of the upper and lower-side segment displays to be illuminated to indicate a change in magnitude of a total drive force of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein

the display controller is further configured to display the state of drive force distribution between main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels and the state of drive force distribution between left and right wheels as the state of drive force distribution between the wheels.

3. The vehicle display device according to claim 2, wherein

the display controller is further configured to divide the state of drive force distribution between the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels into a plurality of regions in accordance with the drive force distribution of the auxiliary drive wheels with respect to the main drive wheels and the difference in the drive force distribution between the left and right wheels, and to cause the segment display pattern of the number-displaying elements for displaying the state of drive force distribution between the wheels to be different in each of the regions.

4. The vehicle display device according to claim 3, wherein

the display controller is further configured to divide the state of drive force distribution between the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels into a plurality of drive force regions in accordance with a total drive force distribution of a vehicle, and to divide the drive force regions into a plurality of regions in accordance with the drive force distribution to the auxiliary drive wheels with respect to the main drive wheels and the difference in the drive force distribution of the left and right wheels.

5. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein

the display controller is further configured to divide the state of drive force distribution between the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels into a plurality of regions in accordance with the drive force distribution of the auxiliary drive wheels with respect to the main drive wheels and the difference in the drive force distribution between the left and right wheels, and to cause the segment display pattern of the number-displaying elements for displaying the state of drive force distribution between the wheels to be different in each of the regions.

6. The vehicle display device according to claim 5, wherein

the display controller is further configured to divide the state of drive force distribution between the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels into a plurality of drive force regions in accordance with a total drive force distribution of a vehicle, and to divide the drive force regions into a plurality of regions in accordance with the drive force distribution to the auxiliary drive wheels with respect to the main drive wheels and the difference in the drive force distribution of the left and right wheels.

7. A vehicle display device comprising:

a vehicle instrument panel;

an upper-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements arranged in a line in a lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the upper-side segment display being disposed in the vehicle instrument panel;

a lower-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements in a line in the lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the lower-side segment display being disposed below the upper-side segment display in the vehicle instrument panel,

the upper-side and lower-side segment displays being displays for displaying one or more vehicle states, and being sequentially switched between display of the one or more vehicle states and display of the drive force distribution state each time a manual display selector switch is operated; and

a display controller configured to combine the number-displaying elements in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays and to display vehicle information, the display controller being further configured to display a vehicle body using the two upper and lower number-displaying elements near the lateral center in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays, and to display a state of drive force distribution between wheels using left and right number-displaying elements of the upper and lower number-displaying elements that show the vehicle body.

8. The vehicle display device according to claim 7, wherein

the display controller is further configured to control one of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays as an odometer for displaying a cumulative travel distance as predetermined vehicle information, and the display controller is further configured to control the other of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays as a trip meter for displaying an interval travel distance as predetermined vehicle information.

9. The vehicle display device according to claim 7, wherein

the display controller is further configured to display the state of drive force distribution between main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels and the state of drive force distribution between left and right wheels as the state of drive force distribution between the wheels.

10. The vehicle display device according to claim 9, wherein

the display controller is further configured to control one of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays as an odometer for displaying a cumulative travel distance as predetermined vehicle information, and the display controller is further configured to control the other of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays as a trip meter for displaying an interval travel distance as predetermined vehicle information.

11. A vehicle display device comprising:

a vehicle instrument panel;

an upper-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements arranged in a line in a lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the upper-side segment display being disposed in the vehicle instrument panel, the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display being a seven-segment LED;

a lower-side segment display comprising at least three number-displaying elements in a line in the lateral direction for displaying numerical values using a plurality of segments, the lower-side segment display being disposed below the upper-side segment display in the vehicle instrument panel, the number-displaying elements of the lower-side segment display being a seven-segment LED;

a display controller configured to combine the number-displaying elements in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays and to display vehicle information, the display controller being further configured to display a vehicle body using the two upper and lower number-displaying elements near the lateral center in the upper-side and lower-side segment displays, to display a state of drive force distribution between wheels using left and right number-displaying elements of the upper and lower number-displaying elements that show the vehicle body, and the display controller being further configured to illuminate one of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display and one of the number-displaying elements of the lower-side segment display, which are located near a lateral center of the upper-side and lower-side segment displays, in an “

H”

-shape to display the vehicle body.

12. The vehicle display device according to claim 11, wherein

the display controller is further configured to illuminate two of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that are laterally adjacent the one of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that is illuminated in the “

H”

-shape to display left and right front wheels; and

the display controller is further configured to illuminate two of the number-displaying elements of the lower-side segment display that are laterally adjacent the one of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that is in the “

H”

-shape to display left and right rear wheels.

13. The vehicle display device according to claim 11, wherein

the display controller is further configured to display the state of drive force distribution between main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels and the state of drive force distribution between left and right wheels as the state of drive force distribution between the wheels.

14. The vehicle display device according to claim 13, wherein

the display controller is further configured to illuminate two of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that are laterally adjacent the one of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that is illuminated in the “

H”

-shape to display-left and right front wheels; and

the display controller is further configured to illuminate two of the number-displaying elements of the lower-side segment display that are laterally adjacent the one of the number-displaying elements of the upper-side segment display that is in the “

H”

-shape to display left and right rear wheels.