JP2009075024A - Vehicular meter unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular meter unit excellent in presentation effects for realistically knowing a travel behavior or the like of a vehicle by varying a display format of an auxiliary figure of an analog meter in conjunction with the analog meter. <P>SOLUTION: An auxiliary image 50 is displayed to overlap a rotation center O position of an indicator 502 of an image of the analog meter 504A, and a decorative inverted shade image 50M of the inverted image 50 is displayed under the image 50. The decorative inverted shade image 50M is displayed depending on the position on the trajectory of the indicator 502, that is, while horizontally tilting and deforming with different gradients depending on the reading of the analog meter 504A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle meter unit.

JP 2004-157434 A JP-A-11-51686 JP-A-2005-304889

  Meters for displaying vehicle speed, engine speed, and the like are arranged in the cockpit for vehicles (particularly for automobiles). As such a meter, an analog mechanical pointer type meter is classic, but as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a meter unit is configured with an image display device such as a liquid crystal panel. Instead of a conventional analog mechanical meter, a meter that displays a color image (so-called soft meter) of the meter is also widespread. For example, if the vehicle speed meter or tachometer is configured with a pointer-type meter, the vehicle speed and the engine speed can be directly read from the pointer position, which is advantageous for intuitively grasping the current meter indication value. However, the pointer-type meter is inferior to the digital meter that directly displays the indicated value as a number in terms of reading accuracy of the indicated value. In view of this, a device has been devised in which a digital meter is combined with a pointer-type meter to complement the defects.

  However, in recent years, the diversity and design of cockpit meter units have been further demanded, and a simple combination of a pointer-type meter and a digital meter has a difficulty in producing effects. In addition, there is a drawback that it is difficult to grasp the running behavior of the vehicle while driving as an actual feeling (or experience) only with the meter indication value. Patent Document 3 discloses a digital meter that adds a shadow image that expands and contracts according to acceleration to a digitally displayed speed numerical value figure so as to produce an acceleration feeling. There is no mention of developmental productions that have been taken into account.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle meter unit that is excellent in production effect in grasping actual feeling of vehicle running behavior and the like by changing the display form of auxiliary figures for the analog meter in conjunction with the analog meter. is there.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

The present invention is a vehicle meter unit that is disposed opposite to a driver's seat of a vehicle such as an automobile.
A display for displaying meter images;
An analog for displaying an image of a rotary pointer type analog meter having a pointer movable along an arc-shaped instruction locus and a scale figure formed along the instruction locus as a meter image on a display screen Meter display means;
Auxiliary image display means for displaying an auxiliary image in a region including the center of rotation of the pointer inside the instruction locus on the screen;
A decoration that displays a decorative inverted shadow image obtained by inverting the auxiliary image upside down on the screen while being inclined and deformed in a horizontal direction at a different inclination according to the position of the pointer on the locus. And an inverted shadow image display means.

  According to the present invention, the auxiliary image is displayed in a form superimposed on the rotation center position of the pointer of the analog meter image, and the decorative inverted shadow image obtained by inverting the inverted image is displayed below the auxiliary image. It is possible to produce a stereoscopic effect in the screen depth direction of the image. Then, the decorative inverted shadow image is displayed while being deformed in the horizontal direction at a different inclination according to the position of the pointer on the locus, that is, according to the indication value of the analog meter. That is, the indication value of the analog meter reflecting the operation state of the vehicle is reflected in the inclination deformation degree of the decorative inverted shadow image provided as the shadow of the auxiliary image, and the inclination angle is the needle angle of the analog meter. Because it changes correspondingly, the feeling of interlocking between the analog meter and the display form of the inverted inverted shadow image is enhanced, and a novel presentation effect is achieved in grasping the actual driving behavior reflected in the analog meter. can do.

  Next, in the vehicular meter unit of the present invention, when the area where the pointer rotation radius from the rotation center to the tip of the pointer sweeps on the screen is the pointer rotation radius sweep area, the auxiliary image display area is The analog meter display means is set so as to be included inside the pointer rotation radius sweep region, and the analog meter display means displays the pointer image only in a region extending radially outside the auxiliary image display region of the pointer rotation radius sweep region. Can be configured to display. In this way, the image of the pointer does not overlap with the auxiliary image, and the visibility of the auxiliary image can be improved.

  The auxiliary image display means can be a digital meter display means for displaying a digital meter that digitally designates the indicated value of the pointer numerically as an auxiliary image, and the decorative inverted shadow image display means is below the number of the digital meter. On the side, an image obtained by inverting the numbers upside down can be displayed as a decorative inverted shadow image. In this way, a digital meter number that directly reflects the analog meter instruction value is displayed as an auxiliary image, and an ornamental inverted shadow image is displayed with an inclination that uniquely corresponds to the number. The effect of cooperation between the analog meter and the digital meter is greatly enhanced through the tilt deformation of the inverted shadow image. In particular, when the analog meter and the digital meter are applied to a speedometer, the speed indicated by the analog meter is reflected in the inclination of the decorative inverted shadow image, so that the sense of speed of the traveling vehicle can be effectively produced. In addition, since the inclination of the decorative inverted shadow image gradually increases or decreases during acceleration / deceleration, it is possible to produce an acceleration feeling like a moving image.

  In many vehicle meter units, the upper limit instruction end and the lower limit instruction end of the indication locus of the pointer are set so as to be distributed to the left and right with respect to the center of rotation of the pointer on the screen (especially a speedometer). The decorative inverted shadow image display means is configured such that the inclination increases toward the lower limit indicating end as the pointer approaches the upper limit indicating end, and similarly, the inclination increases toward the upper limit indicating end as approaching the lower limit indicating end. Further, the decorative inverted shadow image can be displayed while being tilted and deformed. As a result, the decorative inverted shadow image is inclined toward the opposite extension with respect to the rotation center of the inclined pointer, so that it is possible to enhance the interlocking operation feeling between the pointer and the decorative inverted shadow image.

  In this case, the decorative inverted shadow image display means considers an angle reference line vertically downward from the center of rotation on the screen, and an inclination angle obtained by extending the pointer rotational radius with respect to the center of rotation to the side opposite to the position of the pointer tip. If the angle formed by the reference line and the angle reference line is defined as the inclination deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image, the inclination direction and angle of the decorative inverted shadow image can be determined by a simple algorithm. However, with this configuration, when the direction of the pointer approaches horizontal, there is a problem that the inclination of the decorative inverted shadow image becomes extremely large and the image becomes flat and difficult to see.

  In addition, when the indication trajectory is extended below the horizontal position, if the pointer indicates the lower side than the horizontal position, the decorative inverted shadow image is above the lower edge of the auxiliary image, That is, it is displayed in a form overlapping with the auxiliary image, and this leads to a similar obstruction of the decorative inverted shadow image. Therefore, the decorative inverted shadow image display means includes a remaining angle area below the rotation center excluding a sweep angle area of the pointer rotation radius from the lower limit instruction end to the upper limit instruction end among all angle areas around the rotation center. If it is configured to determine the inclination deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image so that the decorative inverted shadow image fits within, the inclined inverted shadow image is inclined and deformed at such a large angle as to deviate from the remaining angle region. In addition, the problem that the decorative inverted shadow image appears on the side overlapping the auxiliary image is prevented, and the visibility can be ensured.

  In this case, in order to prevent the decorative inverted shadow image from deviating from the remaining angle area, a limit is set for the sweep range of the pointer indicating angle for performing the inclination deformation of the decorative inverted shadow image, and the pointer is set outside the limited sweep range. When the image is about to move, the inclined inverted shadow image for decoration may not be further inclined. However, with this configuration, even if the pointer moves outside the limit sweep range, the tilting deformation operation of the decorative inverted shadow image stops, which may give the user a sense of discomfort.

  For example, when the upper limit instruction end and the lower limit instruction end of the pointer indication trajectory are set to be distributed to the left and right with respect to the rotation center of the pointer on the screen, the sweep angle region of the pointer rotation radius exceeds 180 °. When the angle is set to less than 360 °, a state in which the pointer points below the horizontal position specifically occurs. Therefore, the decorative inverted shadow image display means determines the display angle region of the decorative inverted shadow image within a certain angle range of less than 180 ° within the remaining angle region, and sets the indication angle from the lower limit indication end to the pointer indication position. , Reduction conversion is performed by the relative ratio of the entire angle range of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle area to the entire angle range of the sweep angle area, and the limit position on the upper limit instruction end side of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle area is used as a reference Then, an inclination angle reference line is set at the reduced angle position, and an angle reference line set vertically downward from the center of rotation is considered, and an angle formed by the inclination angle reference line and the angle reference line is set to the decorative inverted shadow image. It can comprise so that it may determine as an inclination deformation angle. That is, the ornamental inverted shadow image display angle in a small angle range of less than 180 ° within the remaining angle region generated as a complementary angle region below the sweep angle region of the pointer rotation radius set to be greater than 180 ° and less than 360 °. Set the area. The sweep angle region of the pointer rotation radius and the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region do not coincide as the range of the absolute angle value, but by introducing the concept of the relative angular position based on the angle full scale, The pointer instruction angle and the inclination angle reference line indicating the inclination direction of the decorative inverted shadow image can be uniquely associated. Then, the pointer instruction angle is reduced and converted by the relative ratio of the entire angle range of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region to the entire angle range of the sweep angle region, so that the inclination angle is displayed on the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region. The reference line can be defined without contradiction. As a result, it is possible to carry out the tilt deformation processing of the inverted inverted shadow image for decoration continuously over the entire sweep angle area of the pointer rotation radius without deviating from the remaining angle area, and for decoration in a specific pointer angle range. It is possible to prevent a sense of incongruity that the tilt deformation operation of the inverted shadow image stops.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1A shows a screen display example of the vehicle meter unit of the present invention in a bitmap image, and FIG. 1B schematically shows this. The vehicle meter unit 1 is arranged to face a driver's seat of an automobile (vehicle), and is configured to collectively display a plurality of meter images on the display 210 in a form in which the meter images are gathered in a predetermined layout. . As shown in FIG. 2, the display 210 is a well-known display having a color liquid crystal panel 108 backlight module 309. Specifically, a gear position meter 503, speedometers 504A and 504D, a power meter 501, an average fuel consumption meter 506, a fuel remaining amount meter 507, and a water temperature meter 509 are displayed as the total power and regenerative state of the hybrid vehicle. ing.

  The speedometers 504A and 504D include a rotation pointer type analog meter 504A having a pointer 502 movable along an arc-shaped instruction locus, and a scale figure 40 formed along the instruction locus, and a screen SCR. A digital meter 504D for digitally indicating the indicated value of the pointer 502 numerically in a region including the rotation center O of the pointer 502 inside the indicated locus. A number 50 displayed on the digital meter 504D constitutes an auxiliary image (hereinafter also referred to as an auxiliary image 504D). A decorative inverted shadow image 504S obtained by inverting the auxiliary image 504D is displayed below the auxiliary image 504D.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the vehicle meter unit 1.
The main part of the configuration is a meter ECU 200 that performs main control of meter display. The main part of the meter ECU 200 includes a microcomputer in which a CPU 281, a ROM 282, a RAM 283, a drawing LSI, and an input / output unit 280 are connected via an internal bus. The ROM 282 contains meter drawing software, graphic data necessary for drawing each of the meters 503, 504A, 504D, 501, 506, 507, and 509, and font data of numbers (auxiliary images) for speed display on the digital meter 504D. Stored. The display image data of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S is created using this font data.

  The meter ECU 200 is network-connected to another ECU such as the body system ECU 300 via the serial communication bus 127 via the communication interface 126, and also functions as an operation state parameter acquisition unit. That is, the body system ECU 300 is connected to a sensor group for acquiring basic operation state information to be displayed on the meter. Specifically, a vehicle speed sensor 301, a vehicle output detection unit 302, a coolant temperature sensor 303, a fuel remaining amount sensor 304, an average fuel consumption calculation unit 305, a gear position detection unit 306, and the like.

  The meter ECU 200 acquires the detection information from the sensor groups 301 to 307 via the communication bus 127, and indicates the indicated value on a master image (for example, stored in the ROM 282) of each corresponding meter. Is reflected to create drawing data for each meter (hereinafter referred to as meter drawing data). Specifically, in FIG. 2, the detection value of the gear position detection unit 306 is the gear position meter 503, the detection value of the vehicle speed sensor 301 is the speed meters 504A and 504D, and the detection value of the vehicle output detection unit 302 is the power meter 501. In addition, the fuel consumption calculation value 4 of the average fuel consumption calculation unit 305 is reflected in the average fuel consumption meter 506, the detection value of the remaining fuel sensor 304 is reflected in the remaining fuel meter 507, and the detection value of the water temperature sensor 303 is reflected in the water temperature meter 509. The The drawing LSI 106 receives the above-described drawing data, synthesizes an image on the graphic memory 107, and outputs it to the liquid crystal panel 108 (in cooperation with the meter ECU 200 that executes meter drawing software, an analog meter display unit, an auxiliary image display unit, and a decoration) Function of the inverted shadow image display means).

  The outline of the flow of the meter operation processing related to the speedometers 504A and 504D by the meter drawing software is as follows. First, when the engine is started, the detection value of the vehicle speed acquired from the body system ECU 300 is acquired, and meter operation processing corresponding to the acquired vehicle speed is performed. This processing routine is repeatedly executed until the engine is stopped. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, the pointer 502 of the analog meter 504A is drawn so as to move to the scale position corresponding to the acquired vehicle speed, and the numerical value indicating the vehicle speed is expressed using the font data described above. Display on the digital meter 504D. Along with the repetition of the above processing routine, the drawing position of the pointer 502 and the display value of the digital meter 504D change following the fluctuation of the acquired engine speed.

  Further, the decorative inverted shadow image 504S obtained by inverting the auxiliary image 504D is inclined and deformed in the horizontal direction at different inclinations depending on the position of the pointer 502 on the locus, as shown in FIGS. Is displayed. This will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 3, with respect to the horizontal reference line HK along the lower edge of the display area of the auxiliary image 504D on the screen of the display 210, as shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal reference line in the depth direction of the screen SCR. When the virtual projection plane HP including HK is set and it is considered that the virtual illumination light VL is projected from the upper front side of the screen SCR where the user viewpoint UI exists on the auxiliary image 504D, the virtual illumination of the auxiliary image 504D The decorative inverted shadow image 504S is displayed in 3D in a form simulating a reflected projection image onto the virtual projection plane HP by the light VL (see also FIG. 1B). In the inverted inverted shadow image 504S of this form, when the auxiliary image 504D is regarded as an object in the upright form on the screen SCR, a reflection projection image by illumination light from the upper front side of the screen SCR is as if the object It is expressed as if the water surface (or mirror surface) exists below, and an exhilarating and spacious space can be produced on the limited display screen SCR of the meter.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the decorative inverted shadow image 504S simulating a reflection projection image has a gradation in which the brightness gradually decreases toward the lower side of the auxiliary image 504D on the virtual projection plane HP as the distance from the lower edge of the auxiliary image 504D increases. It is displayed as an image. Thereby, the brightness of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S decreases toward the front side of the screen SCR where the projected reflected light amount decreases, and the reality as a reflected projection image is enhanced. Further, behind the meter image on the screen SCR, a decorative surface image DP along the virtual projection plane HP is displayed in a form that causes a focus in the depth direction of the screen SCR by perspective. By positively displaying such a decorative surface image DP, the presence of the virtual projection surface HP at a position corresponding to the decorative surface image DP can be made more obvious, and the decorative inverted shadow image 504S can be displayed to the user. It is possible to make it more intuitive as a reflection projection image. Note that the decorative surface image DP is displayed as a gradation image in which the brightness gradually decreases as the distance from the meter image on the virtual projection plane HP is further away from the meter image or from the center of the screen SCR in the horizontal direction. The perspective when the presence of the light source LS of the virtual illumination light VL is assumed in front of the front can be more realistically produced (see also FIG. 5). In FIG. 1B, on the decorative surface image DP, a large number of decorative stripes that converge toward the focal point in the depth direction of the screen are formed. The decorative surface image DP disappears before the focal point due to the decrease in brightness (fade out). ) Designed to enhance the 3D depth.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an outline of a process for creating the drawing data of the decorative inverted shadow image 50M accompanying the numeral (auxiliary image) 50 based on the font data of the numeral 50 as an example. In the case of an outline font, the font data of numeral 50 is a set of coordinate data of handling points that define a font outline, and in the case of a bitmap font, a set of coordinate data of each pixel constituting a rasterized font image. As given. The process of reversing the mirror image in the inverted direction and further inclining and deforming in the horizontal direction as the decorative inverted shadow image 50M can be defined as the primary conversion process of each coordinate data. Specifically, if the coordinates of the representative point on the font are represented by P (x1, y1), the vertical direction visually recognized when the font image inverted on the virtual projection plane HP is viewed from the front side. If the contraction rate is α, the coordinate P ′ after mirror image inversion can be expressed by (x1, −α · y1). In this state, when the length of each side of the font display frame is not changed, and this is inclined and deformed in a horizontal link manner in parallel links, the inclination angle of the deformation is θ (however, each coordinate point P ′ before the inclined deformation) The angle of the tilt deformation angle as viewed from the vertical reference line through the tilt rotation center, with the foot of the perpendicular line extending from the horizontal to the horizontal reference line HK as the tilt rotation center: The sign of the angle relates to the tilt rotation center If the clockwise direction is positive and the counterclockwise direction is negative), the coordinate point P ″ after the tilt deformation is
(X1 + α · y1 · sinθ, −α · y1 · cosθ)
Therefore, the font data after the inclination deformation can be obtained by sequentially performing the conversion calculation process on each coordinate point constituting the font data. The font data after the slant deformation is processed as it is when bitmap font data is used, and after rasterization processing when outline font is used, the final decoration is performed by performing necessary processing such as color setting and gradation processing. Drawing data of the inverted inverted shadow image 50M is obtained.

  The drawing data creation process for the decorative inverted shadow image 50M as described above may be executed each time the display of the numeral 50 is switched, but it is created in advance as drawing data for each number type. If the stored data is stored in the memory and is read and displayed as needed, the display process can be speeded up.

  Next, in the vehicle meter unit 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, as shown in FIG. 3, the pointer rotation radius IR from the rotation center O to the tip of the pointer 502 is swept on the screen SCR. When the rotational radius sweep region 601 is set, the auxiliary image display region, that is, the display region of the digital meter 504D is set so as to be included inside the pointer rotational radius sweep region 601. An image of the pointer 502 is displayed only in a region extending outward in the radial direction of the auxiliary image display region 504D of the pointer rotational radius sweep region 601. It is clear that the image of the pointer 502 does not overlap with the auxiliary image 504D and the visibility is improved.

  Further, specifically, the upper limit instruction end Umax and the lower limit instruction end Umin of the instruction locus of the pointer 502 (or the scale figure 40) are distributed to the left and right with respect to the rotation center O of the pointer 502 on the screen. It is set symmetrically. As shown in FIG. 3, the inclination deformation angle θ of the decorative inverted shadow image 50M is set so as to increase toward the lower limit instruction end Umin as the pointer 502 approaches the upper limit instruction end Umax. Thus, the needle 502 is set to increase toward the upper limit instruction end Umax as it approaches the lower limit instruction end Umin. As shown in FIG. 3, the left end of the instruction locus forms a low speed instruction end (0 km / h) that forms a lower limit instruction end Umin, and the right end similarly forms a high speed side instruction end (180 km / h) that forms an upper limit instruction end Umax. Form. Then, the tilt deformation direction and the deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S are such that the degree of inclination of the pointer 502 increases to the right side as it swings toward the high speed side, and the degree of inclination increases to the left side as it swings similarly to the low speed side. Changes.

3 and 4, the angle reference line VL is considered vertically downward from the rotation center O on the screen R, and the pointer rotation radius IR with respect to the rotation center O is extended to the opposite side from where the tip of the pointer 502 is located. The angle formed by the tilt angle reference line IR ′ and the angle reference line VL is defined as the tilt deformation angle θ of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S. The sweep angle region Λ of the pointer from the lower limit indicating end Umin to the upper limit indicating end Umax is set to exceed 180 ° (specifically, left and right 120
Total 240 °). FIG. 3 shows a case where the speed instruction value is 60 km / h, and FIG. 4 shows a case where the speed instruction value is 120 km / h. When considering a horizontal line SL passing through the center of rotation O on the screen, the pointers 502 are all positioned above the horizontal line SL, and there is no sense of incongruity in the display form of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S.

  However, the drawing algorithm based on the above principle has a problem that when the position of the pointer 502 approaches the horizontal line SL, the inclination of the inverted inverted shadow image 504S becomes extremely large and the image becomes flat and difficult to see. Further, in a predetermined low speed region or high speed region, as shown in FIG. 7, a state in which the pointer 502 indicates below the horizontal line SL specifically occurs. When the pointer 502 is positioned below the horizontal line SL, the decorative inverted shadow image 504S appears above the lower edge of the auxiliary image 504D and is displayed so as to overlap the number (auxiliary image) 50. The visual recognition of the shadow image 504S is similarly hindered.

In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 8, the sweep angle region Λ of the pointer rotation radius IR from the lower limit indicating end Umin to the upper limit indicating end Umax is excluded from all the angle regions around the rotation center O. The inclination deformation angle θ of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S may be determined so as to be within the remaining angle region Φ below the rotation center O. In FIG. 8, the remaining angle region Φ (approximately 60 ° left and right) is defined as the display angle region of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S. The instruction angle λ of the pointer 502 from the lower limit instruction end Umin to the pointer instruction position is reduced by the relative ratio Φ / Λ of the entire angle range of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region Φ to the entire angle range of the sweep angle region Λ. Converted. Then, with reference to the limit position on the upper limit instruction end Umax side of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region Φ, an inclination angle reference line IR ′ is defined at the reduced angle position φ. When the angle reference line VL set vertically downward from the rotation center O of the pointer 502 is considered, the angle formed by the inclination angle reference line IR ′ and the angle reference line VL, that is, the decorative inverted shadow image 504S to be obtained. The inclination deformation angle θ can be calculated as follows. That is,
θ = (Φ / 2) −Φ (1)
Since this is reduced to λ by the relative ratio Φ / Λ,
φ / λ = Φ / Λ (2)
From (1), (2)
θ = {(1/2) − (λ / Λ)} × Φ (3)
It becomes.

  In FIG. 8, the sweep angle area Λ of the pointer rotation radius IR and the ornamental inverted shadow image display angle area Φ do not coincide with each other as the range of the absolute value of the angle, but each of the relative angular positions with reference to the angle full scale. By introducing this concept, the pointer 502 instruction angle λ can be uniquely associated with the tilt angle reference line IR ′ indicating the tilt direction of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S. The pointer 502 instruction angle λ is reduced and converted by a relative ratio Φ / Λ of the entire angle range of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle region Φ to the entire angle range of the sweep angle region Λ, so that the decorative inverted shadow image is displayed. The tilt angle reference line IR ′ can be defined on the display angle region Φ without contradiction. Thereby, the inclination deformation process of the decorative inverted shadow image 504S can be continuously performed over the entire sweep angle region Λ of the pointer rotation radius IR without deviating from the remaining angle region Φ.

The front view which shows the example of a screen display which concerns on one Embodiment of the meter unit for vehicles of this invention. FIG. 1B is a front view schematically showing FIG. 1A. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the meter unit for vehicles of FIG. 1B. The front view which shows the 1st display form of the speedometer in the vehicle meter unit of FIG. 1B. The front view which similarly shows a 2nd display form. The conceptual diagram of the inverted inverted shadow image for decoration. The figure which shows an example of the method of creating the drawing data of the decoration inverted shadow image. The front view which shows the 3rd display form of the speedometer in the vehicle meter unit of FIG. 1B. The front view which similarly shows a 4th display form.

Explanation of symbols

1 Vehicle meter unit 40 Scale board figure 50 Number (auxiliary image)
50M Inverted Shadow Image for Decoration 106 Drawing LSI (Analog Meter Display Unit, Auxiliary Image Display Unit, and Inverted Shadow Image Display Unit for Decoration)
200 meter ECU (analog meter display means, auxiliary image display means and decorative inverted shadow image display means)
210 Display 502 Pointer 504A Rotation pointer type analog meter 504D Digital meter

Claims (8)

A display for displaying meter images;
An image of a rotary pointer type analog meter having a pointer that can move along an arc-shaped instruction locus and a scale figure formed along the instruction locus is displayed on the display screen as the meter image. Analog meter display means for causing;
An auxiliary image display means for displaying an auxiliary image in a region including the rotation center of the pointer on the screen inside the instruction locus;
A decorative inverted shadow image obtained by inverting the auxiliary image on the screen below the auxiliary image is horizontally deformed with a different inclination depending on the position of the pointer on the locus. An ornamental inverted shadow image display means for displaying while
A vehicle meter unit comprising:   An area where the pointer rotation radius from the rotation center to the tip of the pointer sweeps on the screen is defined as a pointer rotation radius sweep area, and the auxiliary image display area is included inside the pointer rotation radius sweep area. The analog meter display means displays the image of the pointer only in a region extending radially outward of the auxiliary image display region of the pointer rotational radius sweep region. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 1. The auxiliary image display means is a digital meter display means for displaying, as the auxiliary image, a digital meter that digitally designates the indicated value of the pointer numerically.
3. The ornamental inverted shadow image display means displays an image obtained by inverting the number upside down as the decoration inverted shadow image below the number of the digital meter. Vehicle meter unit.   4. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 3, wherein the analog meter and the digital meter constitute a speedometer. An upper limit instruction end and a lower limit instruction end of the instruction locus of the pointer are set so as to be distributed to the left and right with respect to the rotation center of the pointer on the screen,
The decorative inverted shadow image display means is configured such that the inclination increases as the pointer approaches the lower limit instruction end side so that the inclination increases toward the lower limit instruction end side as the pointer approaches the upper limit instruction end side. 5. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 3, wherein the decorative inverted shadow image is displayed while being inclined and deformed so as to become larger toward the upper limit instruction end side.   The ornamental inverted shadow image display means considers an angle reference line vertically downward from the rotation center on the screen, and extends the pointer rotation radius with respect to the rotation center to the side opposite to the position where the pointer tip is located. 6. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 5, wherein an angle formed by an inclination angle reference line with the angle reference line is determined as an inclination deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image.   The decorative inverted shadow image display means excludes a sweep angle region of the pointer rotation radius from the lower limit indicating end to the upper limit indicating end in all angle regions around the rotation center, and below the rotation center. 6. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 5, wherein an inclination deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image is determined so that the decorative inverted shadow image is contained in a remaining angle region.   The sweep angle region of the pointer rotation radius is set to be greater than 180 ° and less than 360 °, and the decorative inverted shadow image display means is configured to display the decorative inverted shadow within a certain angle range of less than 180 ° within the residual angle region. The display angle area of the image is determined, and the instruction angle from the lower limit instruction end to the pointer instruction position is reduced by the relative ratio of the entire angle range of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle area to the entire angle range of the sweep angle area. Converted, an inclination angle reference line is set at the reduced angular position with reference to the limit position on the upper limit indicating end side of the decorative inverted shadow image display angle area, and set vertically downward from the rotation center. 8. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 7, wherein an angle reference line is considered and an angle formed by the inclination angle reference line and the angle reference line is determined as an inclination deformation angle of the decorative inverted shadow image.