Display device for construction machine

• US 7,161,605 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimazu, Mitsuhiro, Iwamoto, Yuuichi, Kooriyama, Kenji, Ueda, Masamichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMINI, JAVID A
• Application Number:
  US09/912,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 345589-605, 345/207, 345/7, 345/619, 349 29- 30, 382/173, 348/586
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/04 for presentation of a single character by selection from a plurality of characters, or by composing the character by combination of individual elements, e.g. segments using a combination of such display devices for composing words, rows or the like, in a frame with fixed character positions

Abstract

A display device that has a display screen is disclosed that has the ability to prevent reflections of the display screen from appearing on glass, without lowering the visibility of a display portion of the display screen. The brightness of the display color of either the background portion 31 on a display screen 30 or the background portion 31 of such one of display portions 32 and 33 as occupies the larger area of the lit portion of the display screen 30 is changed according to the control of a control switch 23. If the brightness of the display color of the background portion 31 is lowered (from the “thin light blue” to the “thick light blue”, for example) at the nighttime, its reflection on the glass around a cabin 40 can be reduced without lowering the luminance of the display screen 30. Alternatively, the saturation or hue of the display color can be changed to obtain a similar effect.

Claims

1. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine, which comprises:

a display screen with a background portion and a display portion, the display portion displaying a current status of the construction machine, the display device displaying at least one color in the background portion thereof and at least one image in the display portion thereof, said at least one color displayed in said background portion and said at least one image displayed in said display portion respectively having a brightness, saturation and hue; and

change means for changing, without user intervention, at least one of the respective brightness, saturation and hue of said at least one color displayed in said background portion relative to the respective brightness, saturation and hue of said at least one image displayed in said display portion.

2. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said change means changes one of the following:

(1) the brightness, saturation or hue of said color displayed in said background portion, and

(2) the brightness, saturation or hue of one of said color displayed in said background portion and said image displayed in said display portion which occupies a larger area on said display screen.

3. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said change means changes the brightness, saturation or hue of said color displayed in said background portion.

4. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

an illumination switch for turning an illumination on and off,

wherein in response to the ON/OFF of said illumination switch, said change means changes one of the following;

(1) the brightness, saturation or hue of said color displayed in the said background portion,

(2) the brightness, saturation or hue of said image displayed in said display portion, and

(3) the brightness, saturation or hue of one of said color displayed in said background portion and said image displayed in said display portion which occupies a larger area on said display screen.

5. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said change means changes the brightness, saturation or hue of said color displayed in said background portion and said image displayed in said display portion at the same time.

6. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine, which comprises:

a display screen with a background portion and a display portion, the display portion displaying a current status of the construction machine, the display device displaying at least one color in the background portion thereof and at least one image in the display portion thereof, said at least one color displayed in said background portion and said at least one image displayed in said display portion respectively having a brightness, saturation and hue;

illuminance detecting means for detecting illuminance inside or outside of the cabin; and

change means for changing, without user intervention, at least one of the respective brightness, saturation and hue of said at least one color displayed in said background portion relative to the respective brightness, saturation and hue of said at least one image displayed in said display portion, depending on whether the illuminance detected by said illuminance detecting means is higher or lower than a predetermined threshold value.

7. A display device disposed in a cabin of a construction machine according to claim 6, wherein said change means changes the brightness, saturation or hue of said color displayed in said background portion and said image displayed in said display portion at the same time.