JP2007153139A - Vehicular instrument changeable in design by changing file - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system capable of allowing a user himself to easily change the design of a vehicular instrument according to the taste or the visibility. <P>SOLUTION: The design of a vehicular instrument is subjected to modularization as the design file C2 described in XML (Extensible Markup Language) sentences or the like, and independent from a vehicular instrument body. A user can change the design of the vehicular instrument by changing the design file to be distributed from a manufacturer and a designer of a vehicle, or a third party. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicular instrument that displays a vehicle state such as a running speed of a vehicle or an engine speed in characters, pictures, or graphs. In particular, the vehicle state is indicated by a liquid crystal display (in this specification, a liquid crystal display). This is related to a vehicle instrument that can recognize a vehicle state such as a traveling speed by displaying the image using an "LCD" or the like.

  In a vehicle, in order to inform the driver of the driving state and the state of various devices, to prevent danger during driving, and to ensure safety and comfort, various instruments such as a speedometer, a tachometer, a clock, etc. A display device (meter device) is provided.

As this display format, a dial with a scale is arranged around the pointer that rotates in accordance with the vehicle state such as the traveling speed, and the speed or the like is displayed by the position of the pointer on the scale. The analog type is the most common. In addition to the analog type, a digital type that expresses a vehicle state as a numerical value or a graph display using a fluorescent display tube or an LCD is also adopted.

In recent years, with the upgrading and diversification of vehicles, the role of vehicular instruments is a device for recognizing the vehicle state such as the running speed, as well as the exterior color of the vehicle, the seat material, etc. It has a role as a part of vehicle design, and its design has become important.

However, in the case of a conventional vehicle instrument, the values of drawing attributes such as the size, position, color, and shape of characters and graphs indicating the vehicle state displayed thereon, that is, the design are determined at the design stage. Generally, it is not easy for the user to change the instrument design after purchasing the vehicle. Even if the instrument design is changed, it is necessary to replace the entire vehicle instrument device, which requires high technology and cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system in which a user can easily change the design of a vehicle instrument according to liking and visibility.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the design of the vehicle instrument is modularized as a design file described in XML text or the like, and is made independent of the vehicle instrument body. And the instrument for vehicles characterized by changing an instrument design by replacing this file.

The present invention has the following effects.

For vehicle manufacturers, the design can be changed by simply replacing the file, so the cost can be reduced. In addition, by providing vehicles with new added value such as “vehicle instrument-equipped vehicles that can be redesigned after purchase,” the vehicle's individuality and luxury can be improved, and the vehicle's commercial value can be improved.

For the user, the design of the vehicle instrument can be selected in accordance with the visibility and hobbies, so that a safer and more comfortable driving life can be sent. In particular, for a driver with a visual impairment such as color weakness, safer driving is possible by selecting a design using a color with good visibility.

In addition, by understanding language specifications such as XML text, it becomes possible to create a design file without being aware of the difference between vehicle manufacturers and vehicle types. As a result, not only vehicle manufacturers but also designers and third parties can create design files, and a new content industry will develop.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle instrument according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a vehicle instrument according to the present invention.

The system structure of the vehicle instrument shown in FIG. 1 is composed of three blocks: a content file block B1, a platform block B2, and a manufacturer block B3.

The system structure of the vehicle instrument will be described in detail in the order of the content file block B1, the platform block B2, and the manufacturer block B3.

First, the content file block B1 will be described.

The content file block B1 includes a design file (XML text) C2 provided by a manufacturer, a designer, or a third party, and a design file manager (XML text) C1 having a screen for managing it.

The design file (XML text) C2 is a file in which values of drawing attributes such as characters, graph sizes, positions, colors, and shapes indicating vehicle states displayed on the instrument are defined. The design file manager (XML text) C1 provides the user with a screen on which a design file (XML text) C2 can be added, deleted, and selected. By selecting a design file (XML text) C2 to be applied to a vehicle instrument from the list, the design of the vehicle instrument can be changed.

Next, the platform block B2 will be described.

The platform block B2 includes an XML analysis module P1, a system call P2, an operating system P3 software module, and a microcomputer H5 hardware.

The XML analysis module P1 has the analysis capability of the design file described in the XML text of the content file block B1. Further, it is related to the model absorption layer L1 of the manufacturer block B2 in terms of software, and the vehicle state such as traveling speed is acquired therefrom. The acquired vehicle state information is drawn based on the design that is the XML analysis result.

The system call P2 wraps the operating system P3 for controlling the software of the vehicle instrument system. The function of the operating system P3 is provided for the XML analysis module P1 and the model absorption layer L1 of the manufacturer block B3. It is responsible for managing requests to the operating system P3 and monitoring the status of the vehicle instrument system.

The operating system P3 is a software module for integrating and controlling the software of the vehicle instrument system. A general real-time OS with functions such as task control and memory management.

The microcomputer H5 is a general microcomputer. It is related to the hardware layer L3 of the manufacturer block B3 in terms of hardware and performs arithmetic processing.

Finally, the manufacturer block B3 will be described.

The manufacturer block B3 is composed of three layers, that is, a model absorption layer L1, a device driver layer L2, and a hardware layer L3, and is a block provided by the vehicle manufacturer.

The model absorption layer L1 provides an interface function to the XML analysis module P1. The function name, return value, number and type of arguments, and usage of this interface function do not change depending on the manufacturer or vehicle model. The manufacturer can absorb the difference in the vehicle model by programming the implementation of the interface function according to the vehicle model.

The model absorption layer L1 is divided into modules for each function, and includes a storage device API M1, an in-vehicle sensor API M2, a basic drawing API M3, and an external device API M4.

The storage device API M1 provides an access API to the storage device H1 that stores the design file manager (XML text) C1 and the design file (XML document) C2.

The in-vehicle sensor API M2 is a module that monitors a vehicle state such as a traveling speed, an engine speed, and a shift, and provides the information according to a request from a host module or a change in value.

The basic drawing API M3 is a module that manages drawing of characters, basic graphics, and images. A drawing request is made to the LCD H3 via the LCD driver D3.

The device driver layer L2 is a layer for absorbing a difference in hardware of the vehicle instrument. Each target device is modularized.

The device driver layer L2 includes a storage device driver D1, an in-vehicle sensor driver D2, an LCD driver D3, and an external interface device driver D4. The hardware of the storage device H1, the in-vehicle sensor H2, the LCD H3, and the external interface device H4, respectively. Control hardware and respond to requests from higher-level modules.

The hardware layer is hardware that constitutes a vehicle instrument. It comprises a storage device H1, an in-vehicle sensor H2, an LCD H3, and an external interface device H4.

The storage device H1 is a file system for storing design files.

The in-vehicle sensor H2 is a sensor for acquiring vehicle information such as a travel speed sensor and an engine speed sensor.

The LCD H3 is a liquid crystal display installed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and vehicle information is drawn in consideration of the design of the XML analysis result.

The external interface device H4 is a device that connects the vehicle instrument system and the outside. The main role is the installation of the design file (XML document) C2 into the vehicle instrument, and the method is one of wireless communication, wired communication, storage medium, or a combination of these.

An example of design change using this system is shown.

A design file (XML document) C2 in which the design of the vehicle instrument is described in XML text is prepared. It is stored in the storage device H1 of the vehicle meter via an external interface device H4 such as communication or a storage medium. Then, information from the in-vehicle sensor H2 such as speed is displayed on the LCD H3 of the vehicle meter based on the design information described in the design file (XML document) C2.

It is a system block diagram which comprises the instrument for vehicles by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

B1 Content file block
B2 platform block
B3 Maker block
C1 Design File Manager (XML text)
C2 design file (XML document)
P1 XML parsing module
P2 system call
P3 operating system
L1 model absorption layer
L2 device driver layer
L3 hardware layer
M1 storage API
M2 automotive sensor API
M3 basic drawing API
M4 external device API
D1 storage driver
D2 Automotive sensor driver
D3 LCD driver
D4 External interface device driver
H1 storage device
H2 vehicle sensor
H3 LCD
H4 External interface device
H5 microcomputer

Claims (2)

A vehicle instrument characterized by changing the design by replacing files. A vehicular instrument characterized by changing the design by replacing the file, and in particular the file is described in XML text.

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