Vehicle information display systems

• US 9,919,600 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hall, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martello, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/055,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 752 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/344 for additionally illuminating mechanical elements, e.g. pointers or control knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• 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 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• 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: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle information display system and an instrument panel assembly configured to project vehicle information onto the windshield or on a meter panel is provided. The information display system and the instrument panel assembly utilizes a single electronic display to either display vehicle information on the meter panel or to project vehicle information onto the windshield so as to reduce the number of components needed to perform both functions, and thus reduce packaging space. The electronic display and a first panel are rotatably mounted to the first display opening so as to alternatively cover the first display opening, wherein in a first mode of operation the electronic display is disposed within the first display opening and in a second mode of operation the first panel is disposed within the opening and the vehicle information is projected onto the windshield.

Claims

1. A vehicle information display system configured to generate a heads up display on a windshield and provide a vehicle information on a meter panel of an instrument panel assembly, the meter panel having a first opening, the vehicle information display system comprising:

a single electronic display having a display surface opposite a non-display surface, the single electronic display configured to visually display the vehicle information, the single electronic display rotatably mounted to the first opening;

a first panel, the first panel mounted to the first opening;

a first drive, the first drive configured to position the single electronic display and the first panel; and

a heads up display unit, the heads up display unit configured to project a visual display of the vehicle information displayed on the display surface of the single electronic display onto the windshield, wherein in a first mode of operation, the first drive positions the single electronic display so as to cover the first opening wherein the display surface displays vehicle information on the meter panel and positions the first panel so as to be behind the single electronic display, and in a second mode of operation, the first drive positions the first panel so as to cover the first opening and the single electronic display is removed from the first opening and positioned in communication with the heads up display unit so as to display on the display surface the vehicle information onto the windshield.

2. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the first panel includes an outer surface, and a fixed indicia is disposed on the outer surface.

3. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the first drive includes a first panel drive and an electronic display drive.

4. The vehicle information display system of claim 3, wherein the first panel drive is a servo motor configured to rotate the first panel between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the first panel covers the first opening and in the second position the first panel is clear of the first opening.

5. The vehicle information display system of claim 4, wherein the electronic display drive is a servo motor configured to rotate the single electronic display between a third position and a fourth position, wherein in the third position the single electronic display covers the first opening and in the fourth position the single electronic display is clear of the first opening.

6. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the heads up display unit includes a first mirror and a second mirror.

7. The vehicle information display system of claim 6, wherein the single electronic display is positioned beneath the first mirror, the first mirror is positioned so as to reflect an image from the single electronic display onto the second mirror, and the second mirror is configured to project the image from the first mirror onto the windshield.

8. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the heads up display unit is configured to enlarge the vehicle information.

9. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the single electronic display has a first peripheral edge and the first panel has a second peripheral edge, the first peripheral edge has the same dimension as the second peripheral edge.

10. The vehicle information display system of claim 6, wherein the second mirror is a magnifying mirror, the magnifying mirror enlarging the vehicle information displayed on the windshield, relative to the vehicle information displayed on the single electronic display.

11. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, wherein the single electronic display is a liquid crystal display.

12. The vehicle information display system of claim 6, wherein the heads up display unit further includes a light source, the light source configured to project the vehicle information displayed on the single electronic display onto the first mirror, the first mirror reflecting the vehicle information onto the second mirror and the second mirror reflecting the vehicle information onto the windshield.

13. The vehicle information display system of claim 6, wherein the first mirror and the second mirror are configured to reflect light having a wavelength between 400-700 nanometers.

14. The vehicle information display system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the heads up display unit further includes a lens configured to receive a reflection from the second mirror and project the reflection on to the windshield.

15. The vehicle information display system of claim 14, wherein the lens is configured to invert the reflection from the second mirror.

16. The vehicle information display system of claim 1, further including an image processor, the image processor configured to invert the vehicle information displayed on the single electronic display unit.

17. The vehicle information display system of claim 16, further including a controller, the controller actuating the first drive so as to move the first panel and the single electronic display between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, wherein in the second mode of operation the vehicle information displayed on the single electronic display is inverted.

18. An instrument panel assembly configured to generate a heads up display on a windshield, the instrument panel assembly comprising:

a panel housing having an first opening;

a single electronic display having a display surface opposite a non-display surface, the single electronic display configured to visually display vehicle information, the display rotatably mounted to the first opening;

a first panel, the first panel mounted to the first opening;

a first drive, the first drive configured to position the single electronic display and the first panel; and

a heads up display unit, the heads up display unit configured to project a visual display of the vehicle information displayed by the single electronic display onto the windshield, the heads up display unit includes a first mirror, a second mirror, a lens and a light source, wherein the light source is configured to project the vehicle information onto the first mirror, and the second mirror is configured to receive a reflection form the first mirror and project the reflection on to the lens, the lens projecting and enlarging the vehicle information onto the windshield, wherein in a first mode of operation, the first drive positions the single electronic display so as to cover the first opening, wherein the display surface displays vehicle information on the meter panel and positions the first panel so as to be behind the single electronic display, and in a second mode of operation, the first drive positions the first panel so as to cover the first opening and the single electronic display is removed from the first opening and positioned in communication with the heads up display unit so as to display the vehicle information onto the windshield.

19. The instrument panel assembly of claim 18, wherein the instrument panel assembly further includes a second opening, the lens mounted to the second opening.

20. The instrument panel assembly of claim 18, further including an image processor, and a controller, the image processor configured to invert the vehicle information displayed on the electronic display unit, the controller actuating the first drive so as to move the first panel and the single electronic display between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, wherein in the second mode of operation the vehicle information displayed on the single electronic display is inverted.