Display system for a motor vehicle

• US 9,085,235 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Pollmann, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez Borrero, Luis A
• Application Number:
  US13/921,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/22, 701/2, 701/70, 701/41, 701/23, 701/29.2, 701/1, 701/36, 701/400, 701/45, 701/103, 701/33.4, 340/435, 340/461, 340/905, 340/933
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/325 on or for running boards or steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045

Abstract

A display system is provided for a motor vehicle including a display and a control unit for controlling the display. The control unit is adapted to receive vehicle data via an interface and to represent the vehicle data on the display. The display is attached in an outer region of the vehicle body of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having an outer area;

a display system for the motor vehicle, the display system comprising;

a display mounted on the outer area of the vehicle body;

a control unit coupled with the display and being operatively configured to control the display, the control unit receiving vehicle data via an interface and controlling the display to represent the vehicle data on the display in the outer area of the vehicle body;

a switch operatively configured to turn on and turn off the display system, wherein

the switch is configured to turn off the display system in a locking position of at least one of a vehicle closing mechanism or a closed position of the movable body element,

the switch is further configured to turn on the display system in a release position of the vehicle closing mechanism or in an open position of the movable body element, and

the display is arranged in a lockable access outer area of the vehicle body, in which the lockable access outer area is covered by a movable body element in a closed state and is visible from outside the vehicle body in an open state.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to receive vehicle status data and to control the display to display the vehicle status data.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle status data are indicative of a state of closure of vehicle body apertures.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle status data are indicative of a range of the motor vehicle, a filling level of operating fluids of the motor vehicle, a level of charge in a battery of the motor vehicle, and/or a load of the motor vehicle.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lockable access outer area is an entrance area of an opened motor vehicle door.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lockable access outer area is a loading area of an opened loading hatch.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lockable access outer area is a machinery compartment of the motor vehicle located behind a machinery flap.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display system is individually programmable.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display system is operatively configured as a touch panel display.