JP2010128411A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device for vehicle, which changes display as desired by means of a liquid crystal display element and a backlight in a wide temperature range. <P>SOLUTION: The display device for vehicle comprises: the liquid crystal display element 1 which displays vehicle information; a backlight means 2 which comprises a plurality of light sources 21, 22 having different illumination colors and performs transmissive illumination of the liquid crystal display element 1; a control means 3 which outputs a display control signal for switching a display content to the liquid crystal display element 1 and outputs an illumination color control signal to the backlight means 2 for selectively turning on/off the light sources 21, 22 and to change illumination color; and a temperature-detecting means 4 which outputs a signal in accordance with the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 to the control means 3. The control means 3 presets a delay time d based on the signal from the temperature-detecting means 4 when switching the display content of the liquid crystal display element 1 and the illumination color, outputs an illumination color control signal with delay by the delay time d min later than the display control signal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle, and is particularly suitable for a display device for a vehicle that performs liquid crystal display with a desired illumination color using a different color light source as a backlight unit.

Conventionally, as a display device for a vehicle using this type of liquid crystal display element, there is one that uses a liquid crystal display element that performs TFT type color display and a backlight, and is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. These vehicle display devices are accompanied by a loss of light quantity due to color filters, etc., so if a brighter display is required, prepare multiple light sources with different illumination colors as the backlight and link them to the display contents. There is one that realizes a desired display color with high luminance by switching on / off of the light source.
JP-A-7-290992

  However, when both the display content of the liquid crystal display element and a plurality of light sources having different illumination colors are switched to change the illumination color, the illumination color is earlier than the display content depending on the response of the liquid crystal display element. There is a problem that the desired display cannot be performed because of switching. In particular, when the liquid crystal display element is at a low temperature due to the environment of the vehicle, it takes a longer time until the display content is switched, which may cause discomfort to the viewer of the vehicle display device. .

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle display device capable of desired display switching by a liquid crystal display element and a backlight in a wide temperature range, paying attention to the above-described problems.

  The vehicle display device according to the present invention includes a liquid crystal display element that displays vehicle information and a backlight unit that transmits and illuminates the liquid crystal display element by providing a plurality of light sources having different illumination colors. A display control signal that prompts the display content to be switched to the liquid crystal display element, and an illumination color control signal that prompts the light source to selectively turn on / off to switch the illumination color. Control means for outputting to the light means, and temperature detecting means for outputting a signal corresponding to the temperature of the liquid crystal display element to the control means, wherein the control means displays the display contents by the liquid crystal display element, and the illumination color. When switching between, the delay time is set based on the signal from the temperature detection means, and the illumination color control signal is output with the delay time delayed from the display control signal. Vehicle display device which is characterized in that.

  Further, as described in claim 2, in the vehicular display device according to claim 1, the control means, based on a signal from the temperature detection means, as the temperature of the liquid crystal display element becomes lower, The delay time is set to be long.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display device according to the first aspect, the backlight means includes a red light source that illuminates red and a normal illumination color light source having a color different from the red light source. When the vehicle enters an alarm state, the control means outputs to the liquid crystal display element the display control signal that prompts the display content to be switched from a normal display to an alarm display. The illumination color control signal for urging to switch from the normal illumination color to the red illumination color with a delay is output to the backlight means.

  The present invention enables a desired display switching by a liquid crystal display element and a backlight in a wide temperature range for a vehicle display device that performs liquid crystal display with a desired illumination color using a different color light source as a backlight means.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment to which the vehicle display device of the present invention is applied, and includes a liquid crystal display element 1, a backlight means 2, a control means 3, and a temperature detection means 4.

  As the liquid crystal display element 1, for example, a monochrome liquid crystal display panel that forms a desired display image by partially switching between transmission and non-transmission can be applied. The liquid crystal display element 1 is controlled such that display contents such as vehicle information and alarm information are displayed by a desired display image formed based on a display control signal from the control means 3.

  The backlight unit 2 includes a plurality of light sources 21 and 22 having different illumination colors, and is provided so as to transmit and illuminate the liquid crystal display element 1. The backlight unit 2 can apply a light emitting diode as a light source. In this case, a light source (red light source) 21 that emits red light and a light source (normal illumination color light source) 22 that emits white light are prepared. Based on the illumination color control signal, it is controlled whether only the white light source 22 is turned on or only the red light source 21 is turned on.

  For example, a microcomputer can be applied as the control means 3, such as a signal from the temperature detection means 4, an ECU separately mounted on the vehicle via a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication cable, and a travel speed, fuel consumption, etc. It is connected so that various information can be input. In addition, the control means 3 performs arithmetic processing using a program stored in advance based on various input information, and controls the liquid crystal display element 1 so that vehicle information such as a travel distance is displayed, for example. The white light source 22 is controlled to be turned on as a normal illumination color. The control unit 3 controls the liquid crystal display element 1 via a drive driver (not shown) that selectively applies a drive current to the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal display element 1 in accordance with a signal from the control unit 3. Further, the control means 3 outputs a signal for switching on / off to each of the red light source 21 and the white light source 22 in accordance with the illumination color control signal.

  Further, the control unit 3 is provided with a storage unit, and stores table data that associates the input value of the signal from the temperature detection unit 4 with the set value of the delay time, the program, and the like. The table data stored in the storage unit has a delay time determined by the temperature characteristics of the liquid crystal display element 1, and as shown in FIG. 2, after the display control signal is input, the liquid crystal has a desired angle. As the delay time d is set as the delay time d, and the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 becomes lower based on the signal from the temperature detection means 4, the delay is delayed. It is set in association with the signal from the temperature detecting means 4 so that the time d becomes longer.

  The temperature detection unit 4 is a sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 to the control unit 3. The temperature detecting means 4 is mounted on the surface of the liquid crystal display element 4 together with the driving driver.

  With the configuration described above, the control unit 3 can perform display control based on the signal from the temperature detection unit 4. For example, when the vehicle information changes from a non-alarm state to an alarm state, desired display contents and A display control signal that prompts the display content of the liquid crystal display element 1 to switch from the display of normal vehicle information to a display including an alarm is given to the liquid crystal display element 1 so that information is notified to the viewer by the illumination color. Output. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the display contents are switched by interrupting the normal display process and performing the alarm display process. The control means 3 waits for the delay time d set on the basis of the signal from the temperature detection means by using the table data after the display control signal for displaying the alarm is output, and then the illumination The white light source 22 used as the normal illumination color is turned off by the color control signal, and the red light source 21 different from the normal illumination color is turned on in order to easily show the alarm state.

  The control means 3 also delays the output of the display control signal that stops the alarm display and prompts the normal display even when the vehicle state changes from the alarm state to the non-alarm state and cancels the alarm display and returns to the normal display. After waiting for the time d, control processing is performed so as to output an illumination color control signal that prompts the illumination from only the red light source 21 to the illumination by only the white light source 22 having the normal illumination color.

  By the above processing of the control means 3, the delay time d based on the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 (signal from the temperature detection means 4) is set, and the delay time d is set to be longer than the output of the display control signal for switching display contents. By outputting an illumination color control signal for switching the illumination color with a delay, the illumination color can be switched in anticipation of when the display content of the liquid crystal display element 1 is actually switched. Further, since a different delay time d is set based on the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1, the output timing of the illumination color control signal corresponding to the response time r of the liquid crystal that changes depending on the temperature is set.

  Such a vehicle display device includes a liquid crystal display element 1 that displays vehicle information, a backlight unit 2 that is provided with a plurality of light sources 21 and 22 having different illumination colors, and transmits and illuminates the liquid crystal display element 1. A display control signal that prompts the user to switch is output to the liquid crystal display element 1, and an illumination color control signal that prompts the light sources 21 and 22 to selectively turn on / off to switch the illumination color is output to the backlight unit 2. And a temperature detection means 4 for outputting a signal corresponding to the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 to the control means 3, and the control means 3 switches display contents and illumination color by the liquid crystal display element 1. At this time, the delay time d is set based on the signal from the temperature detecting means 4, and the illumination color control signal is output with the delay time d delayed from the display control signal.

  Further, the control means 3 is set based on the signal from the temperature detection means 4 such that the delay time d becomes longer as the temperature of the liquid crystal display element 1 becomes lower.

  Accordingly, even when the liquid crystal display element 1 is at a high temperature or a low temperature depending on the vehicle environment, the display color (illumination color) can be switched in accordance with the timing at which the display content on the liquid crystal display element 1 is actually switched. Therefore, it is possible to perform desired display switching by the liquid crystal display element and the backlight in a wide temperature range without giving a sense of incongruity to the viewer of the vehicle display device.

  The backlight unit 2 includes a red light source 21 that illuminates red, and a normal illumination color light source 22 having a color different from that of the red light source 21, and the control unit 3 is provided when the vehicle enters an alarm state. The display control signal that prompts the display content to be switched from the normal display to the alarm display is output to the liquid crystal display element 1, and the illumination color control signal that prompts the switch from the normal illumination color to the red illumination color by delaying the delay time d. Is output to the backlight means 2.

  Therefore, the liquid crystal display element 1 and the red light source 22 can switch the display of high-luminance alarm display without a sense of incongruity, and can effectively alert the viewer. In order to perform multi-color display, it is not a configuration with a TFT liquid crystal display panel using a color filter and a monochromatic light source, but by using a plurality of light sources of different colors from a monochrome liquid crystal display panel, Therefore, the display device for a vehicle with higher luminance can be obtained.

  The vehicle display device of the present invention has been described by way of example in the configuration of the embodiment described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the gist of the present invention is also achieved in other configurations. It goes without saying that various improvements and design changes can be made without departing from the scope. For example, although an example in which the white light source 22 is used as the normal illumination color has been described, other illumination colors such as green and blue can be applied and combined. Further, for example, the present invention can be applied even when the display content and the illumination color are changed according to the driving state such as the traveling speed and the fuel consumption state.

The figure which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the timing of the signal output by the control means of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Liquid crystal display element 2 Backlight means 21 Red light source (light source)
22 White light source
3 Control means 4 Temperature detection means

Claims (3)

A liquid crystal display element for displaying vehicle information;
Backlight means for providing a plurality of light sources having different illumination colors and transmitting and illuminating the liquid crystal display element;
A display control signal for prompting the display content to be switched is output to the liquid crystal display element,
Control means for outputting to the backlight means an illumination color control signal that prompts the light source to selectively turn on / off so that the illumination color is switched;
Temperature detecting means for outputting a signal corresponding to the temperature of the liquid crystal display element to the control means,
The control means, when switching the display content and illumination color by the liquid crystal display element,
A vehicle display device characterized in that a delay time is set based on a signal from the temperature detecting means, and the illumination color control signal is output with a delay by the delay time from the display control signal.   2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets the delay time to be longer as the temperature of the liquid crystal display element becomes lower, based on a signal from the temperature detection unit. Display device. The backlight means includes a red light source that illuminates red, and a normal illumination color light source having a different color from the red light source,
When the vehicle is in an alarm state, the control means outputs the display control signal that prompts the display content to be switched from the normal display to the alarm display to the liquid crystal display element, and delays the delay time for the normal state. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination color control signal that prompts the user to switch from the illumination color to the red illumination color is output to the backlight unit.

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