Indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle

• US 20050119799A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Stoschek, Arne, Strohband, Sven, Dupont, Cedric
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/28 for instruments which are not visible when inactive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/693 Cover plate features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/28 for instruments which are not visible when inactive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/693 Cover plate features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• 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 37/02 Arrangement of instruments arrangement of lighting devices for dashboards B60Q3/10

Abstract

A motor vehicle and an indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle, includes a display for optical depiction of information concerning the motor vehicle by the emission of light, and having a decorative layer positioned on the display.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a display device configured to optically depict information relating to the motor vehicle by emission of light; and

a passive decorative layer arranged on the display, the passive decorative layer substantially non-transparent at a position in accordance with a non-emission of light at the position by the display and substantially transparent at the position in accordance with emission of light at the position by the display.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a control system configured to activate the display to depict at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo by the passive decorative layer before an engine of the motor vehicle is started.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passive decorative layer substantially completely covers the display.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a control system configured to activate the display to depict at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo by the passive decorative layer before an engine of the motor vehicle is started.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as a part of an analog indicator.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as a border of an analog indicator.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising a control system configured to activate the display to depict a pointer of the analog indicator.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display to depict a scale of the analog indicator.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a control system including at least one of (a) a navigation system, (b) a telephone and (c) a music system, the display configured to depict information outputted by the at least one of (a) the navigation system, (b) the telephone and (c) the music system.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of (a) a navigation system, (b) a telephone and (c) a music system, the display configured to depict information outputted by the at least one of (a) the navigation system, (b) the telephone and (c) the music system.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a control system configured to bring the display into a driving state and an information state, in the driving state, the display configured to depict an analog indicator to indicate a speed of the motor vehicle, and, in the information state, the display configured to depict a digital indicator to indicate the speed of the motor vehicle and the display configured to indicate additional information.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as a border of the analog indicator.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display so that the passive decorative layer corresponds to a border of the analog indicator.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the additional information includes an output of a navigation system.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display is arranged behind a steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

17. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein an operating element configured to operate the display is arranged on the steering wheel.

18. An indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display configured to optically depict information relating to the motor vehicle by emission of light;

a passive decorative layer arranged on the display, the passive decorative layer substantially non-transparent at a position in accordance with a non-emission of light at the position by the display and substantially transparent at the position in accordance with emission of light at the position by the display; and

a control system configured to bring the display into a driving state and an information state, in the driving state, the display configured to indicate a speed of the motor vehicle by an analog indicator depicted on the display, in the information state, the display configured to indicate additional information.

19. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein in the information state, the display is configured to depict a digital indicator to indicate the speed of the motor vehicle.

20. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as at least one of (a) a pictorial representation and (b) a company logo.

21. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display to depict at least one of (a) a symbol, (b) a pictorial representation and (c) a company logo by the passive decorative layer.

22. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as a border of the analog indicator.

23. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display so that the passive decorative layer corresponds to a border of the analog indicator.

24. The indicating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the additional information includes an output of a navigation system.

25. An indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display configured to optically depict information relating to a motor vehicle;

an active decorative layer arranged on the display, the active decorative layer having a substantially transparent state and a substantially non-transparent state; and

a control system configured to activate the active decorative layer, the active decorative layer one of (a) substantially transparent and (b) substantially non-transparent as a function of a control signal of the control system.

26. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the active decorative layer is substantially transparent in an energyless state.

27. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo.

28. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as at least one of (a) a part of an analog indicator and (b) a border of an analog indicator.

29. The indicating apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the control system is configured to depict on the display at least one of (a) a pointer of the analog indicator and (b) a scale of the analog indicator.

30. The indicating apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the control system includes at least one of (a) a navigation system, (b) a telephone and (c) a music system, the display configured to depict information outputted by the at least one of (a) the navigation system, (b) the telephone and (c) the music system.

31. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising at least one of (a) a navigation system, (b) a telephone and (c) a music system, the display configured to depict information outputted by the at least one of (a) the navigation system, (b) the telephone and (c) the music system.

32. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the control system is configured to bring the display into a driving state and an information state, in the driving state, the display configured to depict an analog indicator to indicate a speed of the motor vehicle, in the information state, the display configured to depict a digital indicator to indicate a speed of the motor vehicle and the display configured to indicate additional information.

33. The indicating apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the additional information includes an output of a navigation system.

34. The indicating apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the control system is configured to control the display so that the active decorative layer corresponds to a border of the analog indicator.

35. The indicating apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the active decorative layer includes a REM layer.

36. The indicating apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the active decorative layer includes a REM layer.

37. An indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display configured to optically depict information relating to the motor vehicle by emission of light;

a passive decorative layer arranged on the display, the passive decorative layer substantially non-transparent at a position in accordance with a non-emission of light by the display at the position, the passive decorative layer substantially transparent at the position in accordance with an emission of light by the display at the position; and

an active decorative layer arranged on the passive decorative layer, the active decorative layer including a substantially transparent state and a substantially non-transparent state.

38. The indicating apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a control system configured to activate the active decorative layer to be one of (a) substantially transparent and (b) substantially non-transparent as a function of a control signal of the control system.

39. The indicating apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the passive decorative layer is arranged as at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo.

40. The indicating apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the passive decorative layer substantially completely covers the display.

41. The indicating apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the passive decorative layer is configured to depict at least one of (a) a symbol and (b) a company logo.

42. The indicating apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as a part of an analog indicator.

43. The indicating apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as a border of an analog indicator.

44. The indicating apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display to depict a pointer of the analog indicator.

45. The indicating apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the control system is configured to activate the display to depict a scale of the analog indicator.

46. The indicating apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as a part of an analog indicator.

47. The indicating apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the active decorative layer is arranged as a border of an analog indicator.

48. The indicating apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the active decorative layer includes a REM layer.

49. The indicating apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the active decorative layer includes a REM layer.

50. The indicating apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the passive decorative layer includes a REM layer.

51. An indicating apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display configured to optically represent information relating to the motor vehicle; and

a first REM layer arranged on the display.

52. The indicating apparatus according to claim 51, further comprising at least one second REM layer.

53. The indicating apparatus according to claim 52, wherein the at least one second REM layer is arranged next to the first REM layer.