Vehicle display device

• US 6,667,726 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Inventors: Dosio, Norberto, Damiani, Sergio, Deregibus, Enrica
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/234,137
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 340/815.41, 340/980, 340/995.1, 701/1, 701/117, 701/208, 455/158.4, 364/443, 345/87, 345/1.1, 345/634, 345/635, 345/637
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• 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 35/213 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 35/654 the user being the driver

Abstract

The display device has a pair of liquid crystal, colour display units fitted to the dashboard of the vehicle to display information; a memory; a “track-ball” data selection unit adjacent to the gear lever; and a processing unit cooperating with the memory and the data selection unit, and controlling the display units. In particular, by means of the “track-ball” data selection unit, the driver of the vehicle may change and freely adapt to his own requirements information display parameters such as type, size, colour and style of representation, by selecting from a number of items in a menu shown on the display units and memorized in the memory.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device comprising:

display means, which can be fitted to an instrument panel of a vehicle, for displaying information, and modifiable with regard to information display parameters said information displayed on said display means including a first display set relating to vehicle operation and including optical indicators and gauges, a second display set which is a subset of the first display set and a third display set which is a subset of the second display set and comprises functional items including radio and air-conditioning controls;

control means for controlling said display means and modifying at least one of said display parameters;

said control means comprising first enabling means for enabling a modification of the first set of said information display parameters by driver performable operation when the vehicle is stationary, second enabling means for enabling a modification of said second set of information display parameters by driver-performable operations when speed of the vehicle is above zero and below a threshold speed, and third enabling means for enabling a modification only of said third set of information display parameters by driver performable operations when vehicle speed exceeds said threshold value, said driver-performable operations being performed by selecting respective items or icons displayed on said display means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means comprises screen display means.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said display means comprises color display means.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said display means comprises liquid crystal display means.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises memorizing means for memorizing a number of predetermined representations of said information;

selecting means for selecting said representations and generating at a respective output a number of selection signals indicating the selections made; and

processing means for cooperating with said memorizing means and with said selecting means, and for controlling said display means to display selected representations.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said selecting means comprises a “

mouse”

.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said “

mouse”

is a “

track-ball”

type.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said selecting means comprises a “

joystick”

.

9. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said selecting means is constructed to be fitted to a portion of said vehicle, adjacent to a gearshift lever of the vehicle.

10. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said selecting means is constructed to be fitted to a steering wheel of the vehicle.

11. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said selecting means is constructed to be fitted to the instrument panel of the vehicle.

12. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said processing means comprises:

first acquisition means for acquiring a first of said selection signals;

first reading means controlled by said first acquisition means and for reading in said memorizing means a first set of information associated with said first selection signal;

first control means receiving said first set of information and for generating first control signals for controlling said display means to display said first set of information;

second acquisition means for acquiring a second of said selection signals indicating information selected from said first set of information;

second reading means controlled by said second acquisition means and for reading in said memorizing means a second set of information associated with said second selection signal;

second control means receiving said second set of information and for generating second control signals for controlling said display means to display said second set of information;

third acquisition means for acquiring at least a third of said selection signals indicating information selected from said second set of information; and

third control means receiving said selected information and for generating third control signals for controlling said display means on the basis of said selected information.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising generating means for generating a moving-vehicle signal;

said enabling means having an input connected to said generating means, and an output connected to said first, second and third acquisition means, to said first and second reading means, and to said first, second and third control means to generate a selective enabling signal in the presence of said moving-vehicle signal.

14. A display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said different sets of driver performable operations which are enabled by said second enabling means comprises said second and third sets which are enabled depending on whether or not the speed of the vehicle has reached the threshold value.

15. A display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first set of information display parameters corresponds to a plurality of displays of said display means, said second set being enabled at vehicle speeds below said threshold value and corresponding to a reduced number of said display parameters of said first set and said third set being enabled at vehicle speeds above said threshold value and being a reduced number of display parameters of said second set.

16. A display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control means for said second and third sets includes control elements at the steering wheel of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle display device comprising:

a display screen for providing a visual display of information related to vehicle use;

said information displayed on said display means including a first display set relating to vehicle operation and including optical indicators and gauges, a second display set which is a subset of the first display set and a third display set which is a subset of the second display set and comprises functional items including radio and air-conditioning controls;

control means for altering appearance of the visual display on said screen;

a sensor to produce a signal indicative of vehicle speed; and

processing means for blocking the altering of said appearance of the visual display of said first display set on said screen when the vehicle speed is above zero but below a given threshold value while enabling alteration of said second and third display sets on said screen while the vehicle speed is less than the threshold value, and for blocking the altering of said appearance of the visual display of both said first and said second display sets while enabling operation only of said third display set when vehicle speed exceeds said threshold value.

18. The vehicle display device of claim 17, wherein said visual display of vehicle operation comprises gauges and optical indicators.

19. The vehicle display device of claim 17, wherein said control means comprises operator controlled means and a memory.

20. The vehicle display device of claim 19, wherein a plurality of display screens are provided, each for a respective visual display related to vehicle use.

21. The vehicle display device of claim 20, wherein said memory stores a plurality of different appearances for said visual display, said operator controlled means being operative to select the desired appearance of said visual display.

22. The vehicle display device of claim 21, comprising a data selection unit from which selection can be made by said operator controlled means of a particular display screen and the particular appearance of the display thereon, said data selection unit provides information related to said further units on the vehicle which can be regulated by said operator control means.

23. A vehicle display device comprising:

display means, which can be fitted to an instrument panel of a vehicle, for displaying information, and modifiable with regard to information display parameters;

control means for controlling said display means and modifying at least one of said display parameters;

said control means comprising memorizing means for memorizing a number of predetermined representations of said information;

selecting means for selecting said representations and generating at a respective output a number of selection signals indicating the selections made; and

processing means for cooperating with said memorizing means and with said selecting means, and for controlling said display means to display selected representations;

said processing means comprising first acquisition means for acquiring a first of said selection signals;

first reading means controlled by said first acquisition means and for reading in said memorizing means a first set of information associated with said first selection signal;

first control means receiving said first set of information and for generating first control signals for controlling said display means to display said first set of information;

second acquisition means for acquiring a second of said selection signals indicating information selected from said first set of information;

second reading means controlled by said second acquisition means and for reading in said memorizing means a second set of information associated with said second selection signal;

second control means receiving said second set of information and for generating second control signals for controlling said display means to display said second set of information;

third acquisition means for acquiring at least a third of said selection signals indicating information selected from said second set of information; and

third control means receiving said selected information and for generating third control signals for controlling said display means on the basis of said selected informations;

generating means for generating a moving-vehicle signal; and

enabling means having an input connected to said generating means, and an output connected to said first, second and third acquisition means, to said first and second reading means, and to said first, second and third control means to generate a selective enabling signal as a function of said moving-vehicle signal, and wherein said selective enabling signal is generated for said first, second and third control means when the moving-vehicle signal indicates the vehicle is stationary, said enabling signal is generated only for said second and third control means when the moving-vehicle signal indicates the vehicle is traveling at a speed below a threshold value whereby change of the display by said first control means is blocked, said enabling signal being generated only for said third control means when the moving-vehicle signal indicates the vehicle is traveling at a speed above the threshold value whereby change of the display by said first and second control means is blocked and only the third control means can change the display.

24. A vehicle display device comprising:

display means for displaying gauges and optical indicators related to the vehicle and its operation;

means for changing display of said gauges and optical indicators including a memory for storing different appearances of the displays on the display means;

an operator controlled means for selecting from said memory changes of the display on the display means;

a sensor of vehicle speed;

a plurality of functional units operated by said operator controlled means for changing operating characteristics of said functional units without display on said display means; and

means for blocking change of display of the gauges and optical indicators when vehicle speed is above a threshold value while enabling changes of the operating characteristics of said functional units.

25. The vehicle display device of claim 24, wherein said operator-controlled means includes a first control element for said gauges and optical indicators and a separate control element for said functional units.

26. The vehicle display device of claim 24, wherein the threshold speed is zero for said gauges and optical indicators and a given vehicle speed for said functional units.

27. The vehicle display device of claim 24, wherein said gauges and optical indicators relate to vehicle operation.

28. The vehicle display device of claim 24, wherein said memory provides a first menu on a display unit for selecting one of said gauge and optical indicators and a second menu for selecting change in the selected gauge and optical indicators, said operator controlled means being operative to select from said first and second menus.

29. The vehicle display device of claim 28, wherein said means for changing display includes a processing unit responsive to items selected from said first and second menus to control the display on said display means.

30. The vehicle display device of claim 24, wherein said display means comprises a plurality of display screens for said gauges and optical indicators.

31. A vehicle display device comprising:

display means, which can be fitted to an instrument panel of a vehicle, for displaying information, and modifiable with regard to information display parameters;

control means for controlling said display means and modifying at least one of said display parameters;

said control means comprising first enabling means for enabling a modification of a first set of said information display parameters by driver performable operation when the vehicle is stationary, and second enabling means for enabling a modification of different subsets of the information display parameters by driver performable operations according to the speed of the vehicle, said driver-performable operations being performed by selecting respective items or icons displayed on said display means such that when said first enabling means is operative the first set of said information display parameters can be modified by said control means and when said second enabling means is operative only said different subets of the of information display parameters can be modified, all of said sets of information display parameters being displayed regardless of the vehicle speed but only selected sets of information display parameters being modifiable depending on vehicle speed.

32. A device as claimed in claim 31, wherein all of said display sets are being related to vehicle operation and include gauges, optical indicators and functional units.

33. A device as claimed in claim 32, wherein said different subsets of display parameters are selectively disabled from being modified as a function of vehicle speed while still remaining displayed on said screen.