JP2003262542A - Meter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To moderate the congruity given to an observer by preventing many needles from being seen at once. <P>SOLUTION: A meter has a pointer 41b turnable for indication on a graphic display 41. It shows a shadow 41c of the pointer 41b on the opposite side to its turning side while the turning speed of the pointer 41b exceeds a specified value. Thus the shadow 41c hides a needle 41z always seen as a residual image in the conventional meter, so that many pointers 41b, 41z are not seen at once to thereby moderate the congruity given to an observer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument for rotating and displaying a pointer on a graphics display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an instrument for displaying a moving image in which a pointer is rotated on a graphics display, when the rotating speed of the pointer is high, it is not visible to human eyes. As an afterimage, many pointers can be seen at one time, giving the viewer a feeling of strangeness.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to make many pointers invisible at one time so as to alleviate the viewer's discomfort.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is an instrument for rotating and displaying a pointer (41b) on a graphics display (41). While the rotation speed of 4) exceeds the predetermined value, the rotation is stopped at the rotation position immediately before exceeding the predetermined value, and the pointer (41b) is displayed.

Thus, if the predetermined value is set in consideration of the spatial and temporal resolution of the human eye, it is possible to prevent many pointers from being seen as an afterimage at one time, and to alleviate the discomfort felt by the viewer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an instrument for rotating and displaying the pointer (41b) on the graphics display (41), the pointer being rotated while the rotating speed of the pointer exceeds a predetermined value. It is characterized in that a shadow (41c) of the pointer (41b) is displayed on the side opposite to the rotating side of (41b).

As a result, the pointer that appears as an afterimage in the conventional instrument is the shadow (41c) according to claim 2.
As a result, many pointers cannot be seen at a time as an afterimage, and the sense of discomfort given to the viewer can be alleviated.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the afterimage of the pointer (41b) can be made invisible, but since the rotation of the pointer (41b) is once stopped, the pointer (41b) is temporarily stopped. ) Looks like it flew. On the other hand, according to the invention described in claim 2, the pointer (41
Since the afterimage of the pointer (41b) can be made invisible without stopping the rotation of b), the pointer (41b) can be visually recognized as a linear analog image.

Here, in the conventional instrument, the pointer (41
The faster the rotation speed in b), the wider the range that can be seen as an afterimage. On the other hand, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the larger the rotation speed of the pointer (41b) is, the larger the shadow (41c) is displayed. Therefore, the size of the shadow (41c) is minimized. It is possible and preferable.

By the way, since the engine speed of the vehicle has a large change per unit time and the rotating speed of the pointer (41b) is fast, when the engine speed is displayed on the conventional instrument, an afterimage is displayed at once. The problem that many guidelines were visible was particularly noticeable. Therefore, as in the invention according to claim 4, the instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is adopted as the instrument mounted on the vehicle and displaying the engine speed of the vehicle by the pointer (41b). Is suitable.

The reference numerals in parentheses of the above-mentioned means are examples showing the correspondence with the concrete means described in the embodiments described later.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) This embodiment shows an example in which the instrument of the present invention is applied to a passenger car instrument, and this instrument functions as a tachometer for indicating and displaying the number of revolutions of the engine of the passenger car. It is a thing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the instrument.
This instrument includes, for example, a rotation speed detecting device 10 including an encoder, a signal processing circuit 20 including a CPU, an image drawing circuit 30 including a graphics IC, and a graphics display including a graphic display such as a liquid crystal panel. And device 40.

The rotation speed detection device 10 detects the rotation speed of the engine of the passenger car, generates a rotation pulse signal P at a frequency proportional to this rotation speed, and outputs this rotation pulse signal P to the signal processing circuit 20. .

The signal processing circuit 20 is operated by being supplied with power from the battery B via the ignition switch IG of the passenger car, and executes a computer program according to the flow charts of FIGS. 3 and 4 which will be described later in detail. The computer program is stored in the ROM of the signal processing circuit 20 in advance.

Then, during the execution of the above computer program, the rotation pulse signal P of the rotation speed detection device 10 is generated.
Is counted to calculate the rotation speed N. Then, the image data R to be an instruction display according to the rotation speed N is calculated, and the image data R is output to the image drawing circuit 30. In implementing the present invention, it goes without saying that the image data R may be data expressed as a vector image or data expressed as a bitmap image.

The image drawing circuit 30 converts the image data R into a video signal S and outputs the video signal S to the graphics display device 40. In implementing the present invention, it goes without saying that the video signal S may be an analog video signal S or a digital video signal.

The graphics display device 40 is
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal panel 41 displays a graduation plate 41a, a pointer 41b, and a shadow 41c of a pointer 41b, which will be described later, based on the input video signal S.

The graduation plate 41a is formed by arranging the graduation part 41e along the outer periphery of the substantially circular graduation plate part 41d in an arc shape with each graduation corresponding to each engine speed. Further, the pointer 41b is displayed so as to be visually recognized as follows. That is, the scale portion 41e
800 × from the scale (hereinafter referred to as the minimum scale) showing the rotation speed 0 × 10 (r / min) along the arc direction of
It rotates about a scale representing 10 (r / min) (hereinafter referred to as maximum value scale) to instruct each scale portion 41e.

Incidentally, the liquid crystal panel 41 is arranged on an instrument panel provided in the passenger compartment of the passenger car. In implementing the present invention, instead of the liquid crystal panel 41, an EL panel or a so-called CRT may be adopted.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, when the ignition switch IG is turned on, the signal processing circuit 20 starts executing the computer program according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Then, in step S10 of FIG.
Initialization processing is performed. In this initialization processing, the preceding rotation speed Np described below is set to 0, and the subsequent rotation speed Nf described below is set to 0.
And a change amount ΔN described later is set to 0.

In such a state, when the engine of the passenger car is started by turning on the ignition switch IG, the rotation speed detecting device 10 outputs the rotation pulse signal P as described above. Then, when the computer program proceeds from step S100 to step S20 as described later, in this step S20, the rotation speed N of the engine is calculated by counting the rotation pulse signals P sequentially generated from the rotation speed detection device 10. It

Then, in step S30, the rotational speed N is updated to the subsequent rotational speed Nf. However, this update is performed after the determination of YES in step S90 after the update processing in step S80 as described later.

After the processing in step S30, step S4
At 0, the preceding rotation speed Np (see step S80) is subtracted from the following rotation speed Nf to calculate the change amount ΔN of the rotation speed N.

Next, in step S50, the shadow 41c
The processing of the routine for calculating the size of is performed. In this step S50, it is determined whether or not the rotation speed of the pointer 41b exceeds a predetermined value.
The shadow 41c of the pointer 41b illustrated in FIG. 2 is set to be displayed on the side of 1b opposite to the rotating side. further,
When displaying the shadow 41c, the shadow 41c is set to be displayed larger as the rotation speed of the pointer 41b is higher.

More specifically, in step S50, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4, the change amount ΔN calculated in step S40 is ΔN> 300 r. p. m. If YES, it is determined to be YES in step S51, and step S5
In 2, the process of setting the number of shadow areas Sa partitioned by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2 to “3” is performed. The size of the shadow 41c shown in the shaded area in FIG. 2 is specified by the number of shadow areas Sa. Incidentally, FIG. 2 shows the size of the shadow 41c when the number of shadow areas Sa is set to "3".

Further, when the change amount ΔN is 300 r. p. m. Below 200 r. p. m. When it is larger than the above, after the determination of NO in step S51, the determination of YES is made in step S53. Accordingly, step S54
In, the process of setting the number of shadow areas Sa to "2" is performed.

Further, when the change amount ΔN is 200 r. p. m. Below 100 r. p. m. If it is larger than the above, it is determined to be YES in step S55 after the determinations in steps S51 and S53 are NO. Accordingly, in step S56, a process of setting the number of shadow areas Sa to "1" is performed. Further, the change amount ΔN is 100 r. p.
m. In the following cases, based on the determination of NO in step S55, a process of setting the number of shadow areas Sa to "0" is performed in step S57. That is, the shadow 41
c will not be displayed.

After the processing of the shadow size calculation routine S50,
In step S70, the signal processing circuit 20 calculates the rotation position of the pointer 41b according to the rotation speed Nf, and causes the image drawing circuit 30 to draw the pointer 41b based on the calculation result. Further, in step S71, the image drawing circuit 30 is caused to draw the shadows 41c having a size corresponding to the number of shadow areas Sa.

When the processes of these steps S70 and S71 are performed, the video signal S output from the image drawing circuit 30 becomes a signal having the drawn pointer 41b and shadow 41c, and the graphics signal S causes the graphics The image illustrated in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display device 40.

Next, when the processing in step S70 is completed as described above, in step S80, the subsequent rotation speed N
f is updated as the preceding rotation speed Np. After this update, if 20 ms has elapsed after the processing in step S20, the determination in step S90 becomes YES. Here, 20 ms, which is the determination criterion in step S90, specifies the time interval between the subsequent rotation speed Nf and the preceding rotation speed Np required to calculate the variation amount ΔN described above.

The change amount ΔN per 20 ms, which is the criterion, corresponds to the predetermined value described in the claims,
In this embodiment, the predetermined value is 100 r. p. m. / 20m
s.

When the rotation pulse signal P is input from the rotation speed detecting device 10 to the signal processing circuit 20 in accordance with the determination of YES in step S90, the determination of step S100 becomes YES and the computer program executes step S20. Then, the process proceeds to the process of calculating the rotation speed N again.

Incidentally, in the instrument of the present embodiment, the display on the graduation board 41a operates so as to be always displayed when the ignition switch IG is turned on, regardless of whether or not the rotation pulse signal P is input. Then, as long as the rotation pulse signal P continues to be input to the signal processing circuit 20, step S20
To S100 are repeatedly processed. From the above,
When the rotation speed Nf changes, the pointer 41b moves the scale 41a.
It is displayed on the graphic display device 40 as a moving image that rotates upward.

By the way, when the change amount ΔN is 100 r. p.
m. If the shadow 41c is set not to be displayed contrary to step S50 even if it is larger,
As indicated by the chain double-dashed line 41z, many pointers 41b and 41z are visible to the human eye at a time as an afterimage, which gives the viewer a feeling of strangeness.

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, as described above, the change amount ΔN is 100 r.s. p. m. When it is larger, the shadow 41c is displayed on the side of the pointer 41b opposite to the rotating side, so that the pointer 41z as an afterimage is hidden by the shadow 41c. Therefore, it is possible to prevent many pointers 41b and 41z from being visible as afterimages at one time, and it is possible to reduce a sense of discomfort given to the viewer. Moreover, the pointer 41b can be visually recognized as a linear analog image without appearing to fly.

Further, according to this embodiment, the change amount ΔN
The larger the value, the larger the size of the shadow 41c is displayed.
The size of the shadow 41c can be minimized and the shadow 4c
1c can be visually recognized as a radar image that changes according to the rotation speed of the pointer 41b.

(Second Embodiment) The instrument of the present embodiment has the same hardware configuration as the hardware configuration of the first embodiment, and the signal processing circuit 20 of the present embodiment executes a computer program according to the flowchart of FIG. Run. This program determines whether or not the rotation speed of the pointer 41b exceeds a predetermined value, and if it exceeds, the rotation is stopped at the rotation position immediately before the rotation speed exceeds the predetermined value and the pointer 41b is displayed. It operates the instrument as if to do.

More specifically, in the present embodiment, step S6 is replaced with step S50 of the first embodiment.
1 to S64. Then, steps S10 to S
40, S70 to S100, the same process as in the first embodiment is performed, and after the process of step S40 is performed, the change amount ΔN calculated in step S40 is ΔN> 50r.
p. m. In this case, NO is determined in step S61, and the timer is counted in step S62. Next, in step S63, it is determined whether or not the timer count has ended.

If the timer count has not ended, the process proceeds to step S80 without performing the pointer drawing process in step S70. If the timer count has ended, the timer is reset in step S64. rear,
In step S70, the pointer drawing process is performed. In step S61, ΔN ≦ 50r. p. m. In case of, after resetting the timer in step S64,
At 70, processing for drawing a pointer is performed.

From the above, the change amount ΔN per 20 ms
Is a predetermined value of 50 r. p. m. If it exceeds, the pointer 41b continues to indicate the rotational speed immediately before exceeding the predetermined value from the time when it exceeds the time until counting up.

For example, as shown in FIG.
p. m. The rotation speed of 8000 r.s. p. m. 6A, the display shown in FIG. 6A is continued for a predetermined time by the timer, and after the predetermined time elapses, as shown in FIG. p. m. To be displayed.

The set time of the timer, the number of revolutions which is the judgment reference value in step S61, and the time which is the judgment reference in step S90 are the afterimages in view of the space of human eyes and the resolution of time. It is set to a value such that many pointers 41b cannot be seen at one time. Incidentally, the timer setting time of this embodiment is set to 200 ms.

As described above, also according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent many pointers 41b from being seen as an afterimage at one time.
It is possible to alleviate the discomfort felt by the viewer.

(Other Embodiments) In carrying out the present invention,
The present invention may be applied to not only passenger car measuring instruments but also passenger car and other vehicle measuring instruments. Further, the instrument is not limited to the instrument as a tachometer, and may be an instrument as a speedometer or other meters.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram showing an image displayed on the graphic display device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the signal processing circuit of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart showing a shadow size calculation routine of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the signal processing circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image displayed on a graphic display device in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

41 ... Graphics display, 41b ... Pointer, shadow ... 41c.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An instrument for rotating and displaying a pointer (41b) on a graphics display (41), wherein the predetermined value is maintained while the rotation speed of the pointer (41b) exceeds a predetermined value. An instrument characterized by displaying the pointer (41b) by stopping the rotation at a rotation position immediately before it exceeds. 2. An instrument for rotating and displaying a pointer (41b) on a graphics display (41), wherein the pointer (41b) is rotated while the rotation speed of the pointer (41b) exceeds a predetermined value. ), The shadow (41c) of the pointer (41b) is displayed on the side opposite to the rotating side. 3. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein the shadow (41c) is displayed larger as the rotation speed of the pointer (41b) is higher. 4. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the instrument is mounted on a vehicle and displays the engine speed of the vehicle by the pointer (41b).