Drive controller and control method

• US 7,002,548 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Murata, Toshiyuki, Sato, Hitoshi, Kubota, Hidetsugu, Yamashita, Rie, Mizumura, Yukari, Yamaguchi, Takamasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US10/328,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 345/108, 345/110, 345/158, 345/204, 701/200, 701/211, 340/980, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 345/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/739 the user being the passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/003 characterised by occupant or pedestian

Abstract

A drive controller for controlling to change the orientation of a display surface of a display in accordance with the seating position of occupants aboard a vehicle. A display unit is rotatably mounted on a vehicle. A controller automatically rotates the display unit to a first position where the display surface is oriented toward a driver seat, when an occupant is seated solely in the driver seat. The controller rotates the display unit to a third position where the display surface is oriented toward a front passenger seat, when an occupant is seated solely in the front passenger seat. The controller rotates the display unit to a second position where the display surface is oriented toward the middle point between the driver seat and the front passenger seat, on detecting both of the occupants are seated respectively in the driver seat and the front passenger seat.

Claims

1. A drive controller, comprising:

a display, mounted on a vehicle, having a display surface;

a drive device being capable of driving the display to a first position, a second position and a third position to change the orientation of the display surface;

a seating position detector for detecting seating position of one or more occupants aboard the vehicle; and

a controller for controlling the drive device so as to orient the display surface toward one of the first, second and third positions in accordance with the seating position of the one or more occupants, the first position where the display surface is oriented toward a first occupant, the second position where the display surface is oriented toward a plurality of occupants, the third position where the display surface is oriented toward a second occupant seated at a different position from the first occupant.

2. The drive controller according to claim 1, wherein

the drive device is capable of driving the display to the first position, the second position and the third position, the first position where the display surface is oriented toward the occupant seated in the driver seat, the second position where the display surface is oriented toward both of the occupants seated in the driver seat and a front passenger seat, the third position where the display surface is oriented toward the occupant seated in the front passenger seat.

3. The drive controller according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the drive device to drive the display to the first position when the seating position detector detects seating of the occupant in the driver seat and does not detect seating of the occupant in the front passenger seat;

the controller controls the drive device to drive the display to the second position when the seating position detector detects seating of the occupants both in the driver seat and in the front passenger seat; and

the controller controls the drive device to drive the display to the third position when seating position detector detects seating of the occupant in the front passenger seat and does not detect seating of the occupant in the driver seat.

4. A control method for controlling an orientation of a display surface of a display, comprising:

detecting the seating position of one or more occupants aboard the vehicle; and

controlling the orientation of a display surface of a display so as to orient the display surface towards one occupant when only one seating position is detected during the detecting and towards a plurality of occupants when a plurality of seating positions are detected during the detecting.