ELECTRONIC MANUAL DISPLY DEVICE

• US 20110039236A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kurota, Hisashi, Asakura, Toshimasa
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/62
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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

Abstract

Provided is an electronic manual display device which helps the user understand the positions of and how to operate various switches that the user uses when driving a vehicle. The electronic manual display device is a program-controlled display device for displaying an electronic manual for operating a vehicle. When a button for requiring the explanation of the switches is selected from the menu screen of the electronic manual, the display device reads out a screen for explaining how to operate the switches, which is linked to the selected button, from a storage device, and displays the screen on a display unit. On the screen for explaining how to operate the switches, an illustration for explaining the operation positions of the switches and an illustration for showing the operating state of the vehicle obtained at the said operation positions of the switches are displayed side by side. The illustration for showing the operating state of the vehicle changes instantaneously corresponding to a change in the illustration for explaining the operation positions of the switches.

Claims

1. An electronic manual display device which is a program-controlled display device for displaying an electronic manual for operating a vehicle using an on-vehicle navigation system having a storage device and a display unit,

wherein when a button for requiring the explanation of the switches is selected from the menu screen of the electronic manual, the display device reads out a screen for explaining how to operate the switches from the storage device, and displays the screen on the display unit, wherein the screen is linked to the selected button,

wherein on the screen for explaining how to operate the switches, an illustration for explaining the operation positions of the switches and an illustration for showing the operating state of the vehicle obtained at the operation positions of the switches are displayed side by side, and the illustration for showing the operating state of the vehicle changes simultaneously to an illustration for showing the operating state of the vehicle obtained at the changed operation positions corresponding to a change in the illustration for explaining the operation positions of the switches.

2. The electronic manual display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for reading out an image in a visibility region in the vehicle seen from a driver'"'"'s seat, from the storage device, when a button for requiring the explanation of the switches is selected from the menu screen of the electronic manual and including the switches, and the means displaying the image and the operation buttons for showing the names of the switches on the display unit, the operation buttons being linked to the selected button,

wherein the image shows marks at the positions of the switches respectively,

wherein the operation buttons showing the names of the switches are aligned and arranged so as not to be overlapped with the image,

wherein when the mark or the operation button for showing the name of the switch is selected, after both of the selected mark and the operation button for showing the name of the switch corresponding to the mark are highlighted, a screen for explaining how to operate the switch is read out from the storage device and is displayed on the display unit, wherein the screen is linked to the selected mark or the operation button for showing the name of the switch.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein on the screen for explaining how to operate the switches, a plurality of operation positions of each of the switches are sequentially changed and displayed at predetermined time intervals.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein on the screen for explaining how to operate the switches, the continuous operation positions of each of the switches are continuously changed and displayed at short time intervals.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is a touch panel display unit, and the selection is performed by touching the screen of the display unit.