JP5870841B2 - Vehicle display device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle display device.

  An operation screen that displays icons (operation images) corresponding to the functions of various in-vehicle devices on the screen and executes the functions (control) associated with the icons by performing an operation of selecting the icons. Is displayed (Patent Document 1). In this case, the icon often displays a graphic that abstracts the symbol of each function that is executed when it is selected, that is, a graphic that can be used to guess the function. The device function to be executed when the icon is selected is determined.

JP-A-6-214738

  When a display device that displays such an operation screen is applied to a vehicle, the number of icons is reduced when all of these operation functions are converted into icons since the devices and functions of vehicles installed in recent years have increased dramatically compared to the past. Will be very much. Among these many operation functions, those that are difficult to abstract and cannot be converted into icons, and those that can be abstracted but that cannot be intuitively recognized have started to appear. There are a growing number of icons whose functions cannot be identified by just looking at them. In other words, an icon that has been abstracted and simplified by removing unnecessary display information that is not directly connected to the operation function must be able to recognize the operation function by using only a small amount of information that remains without being removed. In spite of this, the number of icons whose operation functions cannot be recognized from the remaining information has increased in recent years.

  In particular, in the case of a vehicle display device, it is possible to assume a scene in which an operation screen on which a large number of such icons are arranged is displayed, and the driver performs an operation of selecting one of the many icons. However, since the screen of the vehicle display device is often not within the driver's driving field of view, the driver can select the icon of the function he wants to use on the screen by instantly looking at his eyes from the driving field of view. You have to find it and select it, but as mentioned above, there are more icons that can not be identified just by looking at them, so it is difficult to execute the desired function. I feel.

  The subject of this invention is providing the display apparatus for vehicles which enabled it to discriminate | determine the function and control corresponding to an icon (operation image) quicker than before.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle display device according to the present invention includes:
On the screen (20) of the display means (2) and the display means (2), a plurality of operation images (5I) that can be alternatively selected by a user selecting operation on the operation means (3) are arranged. Display control means (10 ) for displaying the selection operation page ( 5 ) , and a vehicle display device (1) comprising:
Display control means (10: S1 to S7), upon displaying a selection operation page (5) on the screen (20), as the operation image displayed on the selection operation page (5) (5I), respectively The concrete image (5IB) unrelated to the operation content associated with the operation image (5I) is displayed, and the operation image being selected as the background image (5B) displayed in the background of the operation image (5I) While the concrete image (5BB) having the same content as (5I) is displayed, when the selected operation image (5I) is switched to another operation image (5I), the background image (5B) is switched. The operation image (5IB) corresponding to the selected operation image (5I) is switched to the concrete image (5IB) having the same content as the operation image (5I) being selected later, and the operation image (5I) is selected. Displayed The auxiliary character image (5BA) corresponding to the remaining operation image (5I) is displayed on the background image (5B) .

  When the human brain looks at an operation image (icon) with the eyes and recognizes the operation content, the human brain uses the correspondence between the operation image and the operation content that is built in advance in the brain. In addition, when the human brain views an operation image with the eyes and recognizes the image, it captures the characteristic elements of the image drawn in the operation image, and these characteristic elements (hereinafter referred to as image feature parts). ) Is said to recognize the entire operation image. Accordingly, the correspondence between the operation image and the operation content constructed in the brain can be said to be the correspondence between the combination of the image feature portion in the operation image and the operation content. Therefore, the image having a large number of image feature portions. It can be said that the connection with the operation content is strong. For this reason, it can be considered that the operation content can be recognized quickly and easily as the number of image feature portions increases. Therefore, the present invention adopts a concrete image having a large number of image features in the image instead of the conventional abstracted / simplified image as the operation image. To make it easier to recognize.

  Further, the conventional operation image employs a graphic image obtained by abstracting and simplifying the image related to the operation content as shown in FIG. 15, and the operation content is estimated from the visually observed graphic image. The content of the operation is recognized through the procedure of performing. For this reason, if it takes time to guess, it may take time to recognize the operation content. In the present invention, by adopting a concrete image irrelevant to the operation content as the operation image, such an estimation element is completely removed from the operation image. For this reason, since the operation content can be simply recognized from the correspondence between the operation image (combination of image feature parts) and the operation content without going through a guessing procedure, it is possible to quickly perform the process from the icon visual recognition to the operation content recognition. .

  By the way, the concrete image in the present invention is an image having a certain number or more of parts recognized by the human brain as the graphic feature (image feature part), that is, when the human visually recognizes, a certain number or more of the active regions appear in the brain. An actual image such as a landscape or an object existing in the natural world or an imaginary object that does not exist in the natural world can be an image that is realistically expressed or an image that is imitated. An image expressed not abstractly but abstractly may be included. In other words, the concrete image in the present invention may take an abstract expression as a whole, but a portion expressing the texture of an object (such as a portion expressed realistically) in the image (texture) Any element may be used. For example, a typical image is a landscape image or a real image of a real thing, or a photographed image of the drawing object, or a computer graphic (CG) created by imitating the image or drawing object. These created images include many texture elements in the expressed ones. On the other hand, a pattern image composed of simple patterns (monochrome, fixed pattern repetition, gradation, etc.) is not included in the concrete image. For example, an image representing a brick wall surface, and a simple pattern image obtained by regularly arranging rectangular shapes filled with individual colors by sandwiching joints is not included in the concrete image of the present invention. If a realistic brick texture (for example, a feeling of deterioration such as chipping or fading) is expressed in the image or joint, it can be said that the portion is a texture element, and thus can be a concrete image of the present invention.

The block diagram which showed simply the structure of the display apparatus for vehicles which is one Embodiment of this invention. The vehicle interior view which shows arrangement | positioning of an operation part. The figure which showed the operation part of FIG. 2 simply. The flowchart which shows the flow of a cursor movement process. The flowchart which shows the flow of operation control. The figure which showed the correspondence of an icon, a background image, and an auxiliary character image. The first display example of the selection operation page. The 2nd example of a selection operation page. First display example of icon. Second display example of icon. A first display example of a background image. The second display example of a background image. The flowchart which shows the flow of an image replacement process. The example of a display of an image replacement process page. 9A is a first display example of icons different from those in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The 2nd example of a display of an icon different from Drawing 9A and Drawing 9B. 10 is a first display example of a background image different from FIGS. 10A and 10B. 10 is a second display example of a background image different from FIGS. 10A and 10B. The figure which shows the conventional icon. The figure which showed the brain surface simply. The article which the brain of Drawing 16A recognizes. The figure which showed the brain surface simply. The article which the brain of Drawing 17A recognizes. Explanatory drawing explaining the boundary of the image contained in the concrete image of this invention, and the image which is not contained. Explanatory drawing explaining an example of the image which is not contained in the concrete image of this invention.

  Hereinafter, one embodiment of a display device for vehicles of the present invention is described with reference to drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle display device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a display unit (display unit) 2, an operation unit (operation unit) 3, and a control unit (display control unit) 10. Composed. In addition, since it has the operation part 3, it can also be called an operating device for vehicles.

  The display unit 2 is a display device having a screen 20 for display, such as a liquid crystal display.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation unit 3 selectively selects a plurality of selected images (hereinafter referred to as icons) 5I displayed on the screen 20, and the selected icon 5I. This is an operating device in which both the determination operation and the determination operation are possible. The operation unit 3 of the present embodiment is a remote operation unit that gives direction instructions in a plurality of directions corresponding to the respective directions on the screen 20 according to the operation direction of the operation knob 30 provided at a location different from the screen 20.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the remote operation unit 2 of the present embodiment has a single operation knob 30 that can be moved in a plurality of predetermined directions or arbitrary directions around a predetermined reference position. It is comprised. Here, the remote control unit 2 is configured to be capable of performing an operation of moving at least the operation knob 30 in a direction (XY plane direction) perpendicular to the reference axis line z. The moving operation may be a tilting operation for tilting the operation knob 30 with respect to the reference axis line z, or a moving operation for moving the control knob 30 in a direction perpendicular to the reference axis line z.

  By the moving operation, the icons 5I arranged and displayed on the screen 20 can be selected. More specifically, the cursor 5C (see FIGS. 7 and 8) that is selected in the form of designating the icon 5I on the screen 20 by the above moving operation is displayed on the icon 5I adjacent to the side corresponding to the operation direction of the operation. Can be moved to. Thereby, the icon 5I can be selected.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the remote operation unit 3 of the present embodiment can perform an operation different from the above-described movement operation, and the operation is performed by the icon 5I being selected by the cursor 5C (see FIGS. 7 and 8). It is considered as a decision operation. By the determination operation, the operation content (control content) corresponding to the currently selected icon 5I is executed. The determination operation here is a pressing operation (push operation) for pressing the operation knob 30 downward in the axial direction (Z direction) of the reference axis line z, but may be other operations.

  Note that the operation unit 3 according to the present embodiment is operated by the user more than a main operation unit such as a touch panel (not shown) provided on the screen 20 or a mechanical switch (not shown) of the display device 3 disposed in the vicinity thereof. The remote saddle portion is located closer to the driver's seat 9D and the passenger seat 9P than the driver seat 9P so as to reduce the burden. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, both users (passengers) sitting in the driver's seat 9D and the passenger seat 9P can operate while sitting on the backrests of the seats 9D and 9P. Is provided. Specifically, it is provided in a region (here, a center console) 9C sandwiched between the driver's seat 9D and the passenger seat 9P.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the screen 20 of the display unit 2 faces the rear of the vehicle so as to be visible from a user sitting on both seats 9D and 9P on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the remote control unit 2. Is arranged in. However, the screen 20 of the present embodiment can be visually recognized by the user sitting on the seat 9D, that is, the driver, but does not fall within the driving field of view during driving.

  The control unit 10 is a control unit configured as a normal computer including a known CPU, ROM, and RAM, and is connected to the display unit 2, the operation unit 3, the storage unit 4, and the like as shown in FIG. . The storage unit 4 is configured as a storage device 4 such as a hard disk drive or a flash memory, and the control unit 10 performs various controls based on programs and data stored in the storage device 4 or the ROM.

  The control unit 10 here can execute the programs (page display program and image replacement program in FIG. 1) 44 and 45. The program 44 is a selection operation page 5 in which a plurality of icons 5I that can be alternatively selected by a user's selection operation to the operation unit 3 are arranged on the background image 5B on the screen 20 of the display unit 2 (FIGS. 7 and FIG. 8). The program 45 is a program for replacing the icon 5I and the background image 5B with another image by an image replacement operation on the operation unit 3 by the user.

  The storage unit (concrete image storage unit) 4 stores these programs 44 and 45, and the image file group 41 of the icons 5I displayed on the selection operation page 5 and the image size larger than those icons 5I. Are stored in the image file group 42 of the background image 5B having the same display content (drawing content). In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the storage unit 4 stores a correspondence relationship between the icon 5I and the background image 5B having the same display content (drawing content). Further, in the storage unit 4, an auxiliary character image 5 IA (described later) displayed at a predetermined position on each icon 5 I during selection of each icon 5 I and a predetermined on each background image 5 B during display of each background image 5 B. An auxiliary image such as the auxiliary character image 5BA displayed at the position is also stored in a form associated with the icon 5I and the background image 5B.

  The selection operation page 5 is displayed by using the icon 5I and the image file groups 41 and 42 of the background image 5B when the control unit 10 executes the program 44. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the selection operation page 5 of the present embodiment is a page in which a plurality of icons 5I are arranged and displayed on a background image 5B as a background.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, each icon 5I is irrelevant to the operation content associated therewith (that is, the operation content (control content) executed when a selection / determination operation is performed). The concrete image 5IB is displayed on the entire image area of each icon 5I.

  Further, a background image 5B as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B is displayed in the background of these icons 5I. However, the background image 5B actually displayed on the selection operation page 5 has the same contents as the currently selected icon 5I in the concrete image 5BB corresponding to each icon 5I, as shown in FIGS. A concrete image 5BB is adopted.

  Further, in the selection operation page 5 of the present embodiment, the operation content (control) of each icon 5I is displayed in the area corresponding to each icon 5I on the background image 5B (here, the area immediately below each icon 5I in FIGS. 7 and 8). A supplementary character image 5BA composed of a character string indicating (content) is displayed. However, for the currently selected icon 5I, the auxiliary character image 5BA is not displayed in the area corresponding to the icon 5I on the background image 5B, and the operation content of the icon 5I is displayed in the icon 5I (on the concrete image 5IB). An auxiliary character image 5IA composed of a character string indicating (control content) is displayed. As a result, the selected icon 5I is emphasized with respect to the remaining icons 5I also by this auxiliary character image 5IA.

  Here, the movement process (display control means) of the cursor 5C on the selection operation page 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The cursor movement process is a part of the program 44 and is executed during the execution of the program 44. The cursor movement process is not limited to the movement of the cursor 5C, and changes other display contents.

  When the display start operation for displaying the selection operation page 5 is performed on the operation unit 3 and the display of the selection operation page 5 is determined, the control unit 10 first displays the selection operation page 5 according to the default setting (S1). That is, the selection operation page 5 is displayed with the position of the cursor 5C as a predetermined icon 5I (here, the upper left icon 5I) (see FIG. 7). In addition, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the selection operation (cursor movement operation) has been performed on the operation unit 3 (S2). If the operation has been performed (S2: Yes), the icon 5I is being selected. In order to move the cursor 5C to be moved to another icon 5I according to the operation, first, the movement destination is specified (S3).

  When one of the icons 5I is selected, the control unit 10 causes the cursor 5C to indicate the selected icon 5I to be in a display state that is more emphasized than the remaining icons 5I. In the present embodiment, the single-color frame image on the outer periphery of the icon 5I is the highlighted portion and forms the cursor 5C.

  Next, the control unit 10 determines the display state of the icon 5I newly selected by the moved cursor 5C and the remaining icon 5I (S4). That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a concrete image 5IB unrelated to the corresponding operation content (control content) is displayed on the icon 5I in the present embodiment, and among them, the icon 5I is selected by the cursor 5C. For the icon 5I in the middle, a character string is superimposed on the concrete image 5IB as an auxiliary character image 5IA indicating the corresponding operation content (control content). In the present embodiment, the control unit 10 reads the concrete image 5IB of each icon 5I to be displayed from the image file group 41 of the storage unit 4. Further, the control unit 10 reads the auxiliary character image 5IA corresponding to the selected icon 5I from the auxiliary character images 5IA and 5BA from the image file group 43 of the storage unit 4.

  Next, the control part 10 determines the display state of the background image 5B newly displayed by the movement of the cursor 5C (S5). That is, the background image 5B in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, includes the concrete image 5BB having the same drawing content as the concrete image 5IB of the icon 5I being selected by the cursor 5C, and each icon 5I arranged. A character string is displayed as an auxiliary character image 5BA indicating the operation content (control content) corresponding to each icon 5I in an area corresponding to the arrangement area. However, such an auxiliary character image 5BA is not displayed in the area corresponding to the arrangement area of the icon 5I being selected by the cursor 5C. In the present embodiment, the control unit 10 reads the concrete image 5BB having the same drawing content as the concrete image 5IB of the currently selected icon 5I from the image file group 42 of the storage unit 4 as the background image 5B. Further, the control unit 10 displays an auxiliary character image 5BA (FIGS. 7 and 8) corresponding to each icon 5I displayed in an area indicating each icon 5I (excluding the currently selected icon 5I) on the background image 5B. And a supplementary image 5BT such as a necessary page title is read out from the image file group 43 of the storage unit 4.

  Next, the control unit 10 displays the selection operation page 5 in a state where the cursor 5C has moved according to the determined display state of each icon 5I and the background image 5B (S6). That is, the control unit 10 displays the selection operation page 5 on the screen 20 by arranging the read images 5IB, 5IA, 5BB, 5BA, and 5BT in a predetermined arrangement area on the page. . The auxiliary character images 5BA and 5BT on the selection operation page 5 are displayed at positions common to the background images 5B.

  Subsequently, the control unit 10 determines whether or not there is a display end operation on the operation unit 3 for ending the display of the selection operation page 5 (S7). If there is no display end operation, the process ends. The process proceeds to the determination process (S2) of whether or not there is an operation.

  According to this processing, the selection operation page 5 has a background image 5B having a concrete image 5BB having the same content as the concrete image 5IB of the icon 5I that is being selected after switching as the currently selected icon 5I is switched. And switch. Since the background image 5B is visually recognized by the user in such a manner that the arrangement area of each icon 5I is cut out by each icon 5I, when the selected icon 5I is switched to another icon 5I, the remaining area that has not been cut out The concrete image 5BB that is the background image 5B can be visually recognized. For example, in the selection operation page 5 of FIG. 7, the cursor 5C selects the icon 5I on the upper left side. When the cursor 5C moves from the upper left icon 5I to the adjacent right icon 5I, the background image 5B is also switched to the concrete image 5BB having the same contents as the right icon 5I as shown in FIG. Specifically, in the concrete image 5IB of the icon 5I adjacent to the right side of the upper left side of FIG. 7, an image of an old window frame is visually recognized on the upper right side, and this icon 5I is selected by the cursor 5C. Then, the display is switched as shown in FIG. In the background image 5B of FIG. 8, a concrete image 5BB having the same drawing content as the currently selected icon 5I is displayed. The window frame image drawn on the icon 5I is an auxiliary character image “Eco”. It can be seen that the image is enlarged in the vicinity of the icon 5I corresponding to 5BA and its auxiliary character image 5BA. That is, the background image 5B is displayed as an image obtained by enlarging the selected icon 5I.

  While the selection operation page 5 is being displayed, a process (operation control means) is executed in which the determination operation is received for the icon 5I selected by the cursor 5C and the corresponding operation content (control content) is executed. Yes. This process is a part of the program 44 and is executed during the execution of the program 44.

  Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when the control unit 10 receives the determination operation to the operation unit 3 (S21: Yes), the control unit 10 corresponds to the icon 5I selected by the cursor 5C at that time. The operation content (control content) is specified (S22), and the control command is output to the controlled object to execute the specified operation content (control content) (S23). This process is repeatedly executed if the display of the selection operation page 5 is not ended (S24: No), and ends when the display end is determined (S24: Yes).

  Note that the screen 20 of the present embodiment has a quadrangular shape (horizontally long rectangular shape), and the icons 5I have the same shape (rectangular shape), which are arranged side by side vertically and regularly at regular intervals. It is arranged.

  In the present embodiment, the icons 5I and the concrete images 5IB and 5BB constituting the background image 5B corresponding to the icons 5I can be replaced by a predetermined image change operation on the operation unit 3 by the user. Here, in addition to the selection operation page 5, an image change page 6 as shown in FIG. 12 can be displayed. Therefore, when the control unit 10 displays this page 6, each icon 5 I and those from the page 6 are displayed. The concrete image forming the background image 5B corresponding to can be changed.

  Here, the change process (concrete image replacement means) of the icon 5I and the background image 5B on the image change page 6 will be described with reference to FIG. This process is executed by the program 45.

  First, when the image change page 6 is displayed on the screen 20 of the display unit 2, the control unit 10 performs an operation of designating the change target icon 5 </ b> I as a predetermined user operation (a concrete image change operation) to the operation unit 3. Then, an upload operation for designating a concrete image to be replaced with the concrete images of those designated images 5I and 5B is accepted (S41: operation accepting means). The designation / selection of the icon 5I also means that the background image 5B corresponding to the icon 5I is designated / selected.

  Specifically, here, the image change page 6 of FIG. 12 is displayed, and on this page 6, icons 5I to be changed by operating the change icon selection unit (pull-down) 6A are selected from a list (pull-down list). On the other hand, the image file of the concrete image to be replaced with the icon 5I to be changed by the operation to the new icon selection unit 6B is designated and selected, and after the selection, the replacement is determined by the operation to the determination operation unit 6C. The image selected by operating the change icon selection unit 6A and the new icon selection unit 6B is displayed in the selected image display frame 6I on the page 6.

  Next, the control unit 10 extracts the icon 5I to be changed designated in the received operation and the concrete images 5IB and 5BB of the background image 5B corresponding to the icon 5I from the image file groups 41 and 42 in the storage unit 4. Delete (S42). Then, the modified concrete images designated in the received operation are created separately as the concrete images 5IB and 5BB of the size for the icon 5I and the background image 5B with the same drawing contents (S43). The image data is stored in the image file groups 41 and 42 of the storage unit 4 in the form of replacement with the deleted concrete images 5IB and 5BB (S44: image replacement means).

  Thereby, the user can use his / her favorite image as an image for the icon 5I and the background image 5B.

  Note that the concrete image in the present embodiment and the present invention is an image having a certain number or more of parts recognized by the human brain as the graphic feature (image feature part), that is, when the human visually recognizes the active region in the brain. An image that appears more than a certain number, and that is a realistic representation of an actual thing such as a landscape or object that exists in the natural world or an imaginary object that does not exist in the natural world. Can do. An image expressed not abstractly but abstractly may be included. In other words, the concrete image in the present invention may take an abstract expression as a whole, but a portion expressing the texture of an object (such as a portion expressed realistically) in the image (texture) Any element may be used. For example, a typical image is a landscape image, a real image of a real thing, a photographed image obtained by photographing the drawing target, or a created image such as a CG created by imitating the image or the drawing target. These include many texture elements in the expression. On the other hand, a pattern image composed of simple patterns (monochrome, fixed pattern repetition, gradation, etc.) is not included in the concrete image. For example, an image representing a brick wall surface, and a simple pattern image obtained by regularly arranging rectangular shapes filled with individual colors by sandwiching joints is not included in the concrete image of the present invention. If a realistic brick texture (for example, a feeling of deterioration such as chipping or fading) is expressed in the image or joint, it can be said that the portion is a texture element, and thus can be a concrete image of the present invention.

  Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 18, an image 180 having a concrete level (the higher the number of image feature portions, the higher the level) is “+5”. The level is high, and even if there is no background depiction, it is assumed that it is included in the concrete image in this embodiment. Further, the images 181 and 182 of the concrete levels “+4” and “+3” are also included in the concrete image in the present embodiment because the realistic brick texture is expressed in the expression of each brick and joint. Shall. On the other hand, the images 183 to 185 of the concrete levels “+2” to “0” are photographs of actual bricks, but each of the bricks and the joints look relatively uniform. It is not included in the image. On the other hand, the images 186 to 190 of the concrete levels “−1” to “−5” are brick images made of CG (computer graphics), but each brick and joints are repeatedly expressed as simple patterns. Therefore, the concrete level is very low and is not included in the concrete image in the present embodiment. By the way, in the images 186 and 187 of the concrete levels “−1” and “−2”, it is difficult to understand from the figure, but only the image 186 of “−1” has a simple dot that expresses the deterioration of the brick. Many are drawn. Further, FIG. 19 shows realistic wall surface photographs 191 and 192. Since the texture information is uniform in both cases, the concrete level is low, and it is not included in the concrete image in this embodiment.

  In the above description, it can be determined that the images 180 to 182 that are supposed to be included in the concrete image and images having a concrete level similar to these are included in the concrete image in the present invention. Further, in the above description, it is possible to determine that an image having a concrete level comparable to the images 183 to 192 that are not included in the concrete image is not included in the concrete image of the present invention. However, although the images 180 to 182 that are concrete images in FIGS. 18 and 19 are all photographs, the concrete images of the present invention are not necessarily photographs, and may be expressed so that the concrete levels are equivalent. It may be an image drawn or created by a person such as CG or painting.

  Here, a conventional icon (operation image) will be described. For the conventional icon, an image obtained by abstracting and simplifying the operation content (control content) executed by selecting and determining has been used. For example, it is an image on which a graphic showing each operation content as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed. The background of these figures is set to a more inconspicuous image, for example, a monochrome solid state, so that attention can easily be paid to such figures. As described above, since the conventional icons are better as the graphic in the image can recognize the operation content more intuitively and quickly, the operation content is more easily recognized as such a graphic. In addition, abstracted and simplified figures are adopted by removing unnecessary image features as much as possible. On the other hand, as the background of the graphic, an image that is less conspicuous has been adopted to make the graphic more prominent.

  On the other hand, the icon 5I of the present embodiment is completely opposite to the prior art, and has a concrete image such as a real image having rather many image features as a background. The concrete image is completely independent of the operation content (control content).

  The inventors focused on the fact that a concrete image such as a landscape picture recognizes more image features in the image than an abstracted / simplified image. There is a theory that the human brain reacts by decomposing video information into characteristic factors, and according to this theory, characteristic factors that become the individuality of images, that is, images with many image feature parts, I thought that it would be easy to link the operation contents. In other words, since the icon is linked to the operation content by the number of image feature parts, the connection between the operation image and the operation content becomes stronger as the number of the link is increased, and as a result, the number of image feature parts is reduced. The more concrete images, the easier it is to recognize the operation content just by looking at it. On the contrary, the smaller the number of image feature parts, the weaker the connection with the operation content becomes, and it becomes difficult to recognize the operation content. Based on such considerations, the present inventors considered that a concrete image with many image feature parts is more suitable for recognizing the corresponding operation content than an abstract image with few image feature parts. In addition, since there is a limit to the abstraction of operation contents with the recent increase in icons, it is advantageous in that respect also to use a concrete image unrelated to the operation contents as an icon.

  Here, a theory of object image recognition by the brain will be described. When an object enters the field of view, the object image is expressed in the brain. The object image expressed in the brain is said to be expressed by a combination of graphic features of the objects in the field of view, and the activity of neurons in the area corresponding to those graphic features (only active ones) Also, those that are not active at all are included in the activity). These active areas are said to exist in the brain in a form associated with various graphic features. It is said that the number of active areas increases as a complex object with many graphic features increases, and the number of active areas is lost if the graphic features are reduced and simplified. FIG. 16A is an example showing a part of the brain surface in a simplified manner, and shows the active region 100 when the article 201 of FIG. 16B is viewed. FIG. 17A is also a simplified illustration of a portion of the brain surface similar to FIG. 16A, which shows the active region 100 of the brain when viewing the article 202 of FIG. 17B. As described above, when the visual recognition target is simplified to a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, the number of brain active regions 100 decreases, and when the outer shape of the PET bottle is more realistically expressed, the brain active region The number of 100 increases. The reason why a person can recognize an object is that the brain has empirically / learned the association between the pattern composed of the active area and the inactive area of the brain and the association with the object. That is, it can be said that a person recognizes an object by a combination of graphic features of the object. Therefore, if the brain empirically / learns to build up correspondences between combinations of graphic features and objects and concepts, images that have more graphic features (that is, the above image features) have more specific objects and Since there are many graphic features that serve as clues for recognizing a concept, it should be possible to recognize a specific object or concept (that is, the operation content here) more quickly when it is viewed. Conversely, an image with few graphic features has few clues to recognize a specific object or concept, so it is difficult to recognize a specific object or concept (that is, the operation content here) when looking at it. I can expect. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the concrete image 5IB is used as the icon 5I. Therefore, the more frequently used and used, the more intuitively the corresponding operation content can be recognized and the usability is improved.

  When the oxygen consumption increases with the activation of nerve cells in the brain, hemoglobin in the blood loses oxygen and light absorption increases, so that when it is irradiated with light, it is absorbed and reflected light decreases. By capturing the reflected light with a camera, the active region 100 is actually projected as a dark region, and thus the position and number can be specified. 16A and 17A, the double line indicated by reference numeral 100 is an instruction image showing the region and position of the active region 100. However, FIGS. 16A and 17A are drawn so that the existence of the active region 100 in the brain can be easily understood, and a partial region of the brain when the article of FIGS. 16B and 17B is actually visually recognized. It does not indicate.

  Moreover, since the display apparatus for vehicles has a comparatively small screen, when a large number of icons are displayed in a list on the screen, the amount of information of the icons decreases because each icon becomes small. According to the above embodiment, when the icon 5I is selected, the concrete image 5BB having the same contents as the concrete image 5IB of the selected icon 5I is displayed large in the background, so that a larger amount of information of the concrete image is secured. can do. In other words, the concrete image is enlarged and displayed, so that more image feature parts can be recognized more clearly. As a result, the operation content corresponding to the currently selected icon 5I can be recognized more quickly and clearly.

  In the embodiment described above, the selected icon 5I is displayed with the auxiliary character image 5IA suggesting the operation content (control content) superimposed on the background of the concrete image 5IB (may be combined display). If the auxiliary character image 5IA forming a character string is attached to the concrete image 5IB as in the above-described embodiment, the concrete image 5IB is strongly associated with the auxiliary character image 5IA, and the user can select the characters of the auxiliary character image 5IA. Even if the column cannot be visually recognized, the character string of the auxiliary character image 5IA can be easily recognized from the concrete image 5IB of the background, and the function to be used (target function) can be recognized instantaneously and clearly. Even if the supplementary character image 5IA is small because the display screen is small or instantaneously viewed, the icon 5I corresponding to the function that the user wants to use can be recognized and selected more quickly and accurately. .

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this is only an illustration to the last, and this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, when displaying a selection operation page on the screen, each operation image displayed on the selection operation page is a concrete image irrelevant to the operation content executed by the selection / determination operation for each operation image. The display device for a vehicle is characterized in that it is possible to display various components based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, such as omitting some of the configuration requirements and adding other configuration requirements in the above embodiment. It can be changed.

  As for the display / non-display of the auxiliary character image 5IA for each icon 5I, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the auxiliary character image 5IA is not drawn with the icon 5I (FIGS. 13A and 13B) already drawn. Both the icon 5I (FIGS. 9A and 9B) are stored in advance in the storage unit 4 as the image file group 41, and the control unit 10 selects them as the selection target of the icon 5I is switched by the cursor 5C. You may do it by using properly.

  As for the display / non-display of the auxiliary character image 5BA in each background image 5B, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the auxiliary character image 5BA is drawn in the area corresponding to the icon 5I having the concrete image 5IB having the same content. The concrete image 5BB in which the auxiliary character image 5BA has already been drawn in the area corresponding to the remaining icon 5I is stored in the storage unit 4 in advance as the image file group 42, and the icon 5I is selected by the cursor 5C. It may be performed by the control unit 10 using them properly according to the switching.

  Also, the auxiliary image 5BT may be already drawn on the background image 5B, as with other auxiliary character images 5BA, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B.

  Further, the concrete images 5IB and 5BB need not have the concrete drawing content drawn in the entire image area, and may be the one in which the concrete drawing content is drawn, for example, in the center.

  In addition, the configuration in which the background image 5B when one icon 5I is selected is displayed as an image having the same drawing content as that of the currently selected icon 5I may be omitted. For example, the background image 5B may be a completely different image from the icon, and may be a single color image in which the concrete image 5IB of the icon 5I is more emphasized.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display apparatus for vehicles 10 Control part (display control means)
2 Display section (display means)
20 screen 3 operation part (operation means)
30 Operation knob 4 Storage section 5 Selection operation page 5I Icon (operation image)
5B Background image 5IA, 5BA Supplementary character image 5IB, 5BB Concrete image

Claims (3)

On the display means (2) and on the screen (20) of the display means (2), a plurality of operation images (5I) that can be alternatively selected by a user selecting operation on the operation means (3) are arranged. Display control means (S1 to S7) for displaying the selected operation page ( 5 ) , and a vehicle display device (1) comprising:
The display control means (S1 to S7), upon said displaying a selection operation page (5) on the screen (20) on, as each of the operation image displayed on the selection operation page (5) (5I) The concrete image (5IB) unrelated to the operation content executed by the selection / determination operation for each operation image (5I) is displayed, and the background image (5B) displayed in the background of the operation image (5I) ), When the selected operation image (5I) is displayed, while the selected operation image (5I) is switched to another operation image (5I). Switches the background image (5B) to the concrete image (5IB) having the same content as the selected operation image (5I) after switching, and corresponds to the selected operation image (5I). The auxiliary character image (5IA) is displayed in the operation image (5I), and the auxiliary character image (5BA) corresponding to the remaining operation image (5I) is displayed on the background image (5B). A vehicle display device (1). The display control means (S1 to S7) emphasizes the selected operation image (5I) over the remaining operation image (5I) when one of the operation images (5I) is selected. The vehicular display device (1) according to claim 1 , wherein the display state is set to be a display state. A concrete image storage unit (4) for storing each of the concrete images (5IB, 5BB) is provided, and the display control means (S1 to S7) includes the concrete images (5IB, 5IB) stored in the concrete image storage unit (4). 5BB) is read out and displayed on the selection operation page ( 5 ) ,
The user accepts a predetermined concrete image changing operation by the user, which is performed in a form of designating the concrete image (5IB, 5BB) to be changed and the concrete image (5IB, 5BB) after the change, and the received concrete image In the concrete image changing operation, the concrete image (5IB, 5BB) to be changed designated in the changing operation is deleted from the concrete image storage unit (4) and replaced with the deleted concrete image (5IB, 5BB). Concrete image replacement means (S41 to S44) for storing the specified modified concrete image (5IB, 5BB) in the concrete image storage unit (4),
A vehicle display device (1) according to claim 1 or 2 , comprising: