JPH10267695A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a display device commonly regardless of the difference in a vehicle attribute and to reduce a control man-hour by selecting at least a plurality of different display items and displaying them on a display panel based on each vehicle attribute information being stored in advance. SOLUTION: When a power switch is turned on, a control part is operated. In this case, general display items 22-25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 34, 35, and 39-41 that can be displayed regardless of a destination and a vehicle type are controlled based on a signal that is obtained through an interface. On the other hand, a speedometer 21 and a distance meter 32 select either km or mile display based on destination information within a vehicle attribute information storage means and speed information or distance information being given from a display control means is calculated as a proper unit value and then is displayed on a display panel. Even if, for example, the display items differ depending on the difference in the destination and the vehicle type, only a single type of panel P can cope with all situations, thus reducing a total stock.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device disposed on the front of a vehicle interior for displaying information necessary for driving such as vehicle speed and various warnings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG.
1 shows an example of a typical vehicle display device as a background art of the present invention. This display device is arranged in front of a vehicle interior and displays information necessary for driving such as vehicle speed and various warning displays. Generally, an analog display is provided on one display panel P. Type speedometer (speedometer)
1. Analog display tachometer (engine tachometer) 2, fuel gauge (fuel gauge) 3, temperature gauge (water temperature gauge) 4, etc., various meters and gauges, and charge warning lamp (charge warning light) 5, various types of brake warning lamps (brake warning lamps) 6, fuel warning lamps (fuel warning lamps) 7, oil pressure warning lamps (hydraulic warning lamps) 8, and exhaust gas temperature warning lamps (exhaust temperature warning lamps) 9 Warning lamps, distance meters such as an odometer (total odometer) 10 and a trip meter (odometer) 11, an ABS-on display lamp 12 indicating that an anti-lock brake system (ABS) is in operation, SRS lamp indicating that the airbag (SRS) is being equipped A control system lamp of not shown) or the like are disposed.

[0003] Of these displays, speedometer 1,
The odometer 10 and the trip meter 11 include distance information as a parameter, but the unit of indication for this distance differs depending on the country of use. For example, in Japan and Germany, kilometers (km) are displayed, while in the United States, miles are used, for example.

[0004] Some ABSs and SRSs are not attached to the vehicle body depending on the vehicle grade (grade) of the vehicle and the circumstances of the destination, and the sign itself is also different depending on the country. Since a different lamp may be used, the necessity of displaying a control lamp such as the ABS on display lamp 12 changes correspondingly.

[0005] These variations may be based on differences in laws and regulations, for example, or may be designed and designed in response to functional or aesthetic requirements.

Therefore, conventionally, many types of display panels P are designed and designed in accordance with the destination and the vehicle type, and assembled while selecting them. For example, FIG.
7B shows the speedometer 1 (1a, 1b) in the display panel P, and FIG.
7B is displayed in kilometers, whereas the speedometer 1b in FIG. 7B is displayed in miles. Further, considering a combination of variations of various warning lamps and control lamps, it is necessary to prepare considerably different types of display panels P and their driving mechanisms (not shown). As a result, the overall inventory management amount of the display panel P as an intermediate product has increased, and the complexity of managing the display panel P for each product type has also become enormous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device for a vehicle that can perform consistent management even when destinations and vehicle types are different.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems,
The present invention relates to a display device arranged on a front surface of a vehicle interior to display information necessary for driving such as a vehicle speed and various warning displays on a display panel. Or vehicle information storage means for storing information on individual vehicle attributes such as vehicle type, and selection means for selecting at least two or more different display items based on the information in the vehicle information storage means and displaying the same on the display panel. Things. As a result, one display panel can be used in common regardless of differences in individual vehicle attributes such as country, vehicle type or vehicle type.

In this case, by using a non-volatile memory as the vehicle information storage means, as compared with a case where a huge number of vehicle attribute types are all written in a software program, for example, data different from the software program is used. Data management can be performed easily.

[0010] More preferably, the vehicle attribute information can be input to the vehicle information storage means from an external input means through an external input terminal.

Here, when it is desired to reduce the number of the wire cables of the pipe with the external input means, the information of the vehicle attribute is received by a small number (for example, one) of the wire cables by multiplex communication.

[0012] Further, in the case where there is a difference in the buzzing sound due to the difference in the vehicle attribute with respect to the predetermined voice alarm, at least two or more different buzzing sounds are corresponded to the difference in the vehicle attribute based on the information in the vehicle information storage means. The sound is selected by the selection means, and the selected sound is sounded by the sounding device.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a display panel (instrument panel) of a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. The display panel P displays, for example, various types of information described later using a liquid crystal display panel, a fluorescent display tube (VFD), an electroluminescence (EL), or the like as a display medium, and as shown in FIG. In the case where different indications need to be made due to different situations such as vehicle classification and the like, all of these different items are included.

That is, in this display device, a digital display type speedometer (speedometer) 21, a linear gauge display type tachometer (engine speedometer) 22, and a fuel gauge (fuel gauge) are provided on one display panel P. ) 23 and various gauges such as a temperature gauge 24, a charge warning lamp (charge warning light) 25, a brake warning lamp (brake warning light) 26a, 26b, and a seat belt warning lamp (seat belt warning). Light) 27, oil pressure warning lamp (hydraulic warning lamp) 28, temperature warning lamp (temperature warning lamp) for exhaust temperature, engine cooling temperature, etc. 2
9a, 29b, various warning lamps such as a fuel warning lamp (fuel warning lamp) 30 and a hazard warning lamp 31, a odometer (total odometer) and a odometer 32 also serving as a trip meter (odometer); Lock brake system (ABS)
ABS-indicating lamp 33 indicating that is operating
a, 33b, an engine ECU display lamp 34, a cruise control display lamp 35, a DRL display lamp 36 indicating that the light is turned on during the daytime in the United States, Canada and Northern Europe, an airbag (SRS) display lamp 37, and when skidding. Control lamps such as a traction control system (TCS) display lamp 38 for controlling the driving force and a beam lighting display lamp 39 related to the headlight, a shift range display section 40 of the mission, and a mode display section 41 showing various operations of the audio apparatus. And a digital clock 42 are provided.

Among these, the speedometer 21 and the distance meter 32 are indicated in kilometers (km / h) in Japan and Germany, whereas they are displayed in miles (mile or mph) in the United States. However, in order to make the display panel P correspond to all destinations, a kilometer display 21 is used as an instruction unit display.
a and 32a and the mileage indications 21b and 32b are both written vertically.

The display operation of the display panel P is performed based on a control instruction from the control unit 50 as shown in FIG.
As the control unit 50, a general microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like is used, and its functional operation is executed by software stored in the ROM or the like in advance by the CPU. And display control means 52 for displaying and controlling various meters and gauges 22 to 24, various warning lamps 25 to 31 and a distance meter 32 based on various signals input through the external terminal 51. A vehicle attribute information storage means 53 for storing various vehicle attribute information such as destination information and vehicle type information using the vehicle attribute information, and a destination and vehicle type based on the various vehicle attribute information in the vehicle attribute information storage means 53. Selection means 54 for selecting and switching to display according to
To 63.

Here, the destination information stored in the vehicle attribute information storage means 53 means that the place of use of the vehicle is a first-class country such as Japan or Germany that displays kilometers, or miles such as the United States. The first flag data indicating whether the vehicle is a second type country to be displayed, and whether the mark indicating the function of each vehicle according to laws and regulations is a special mark display stipulated country is required. This indicates the second flag data shown. The vehicle classification information refers to third flag data indicating the grade number when the vehicle is classified into a plurality of groups in terms of vehicle design in terms of whether or not various control systems are provided. These flag data are written in advance in a software program that governs the operation of the CPU as the control unit 50.

The first and second selecting means 54 and 55 select whether to display kilometers or miles based on the first flag data (destination information) given from the vehicle attribute information storage means 53. Speedometer 21 and distance meter 3
2 for calculating the display value at 1.00 with respect to the speed information or the distance information given from the display control means 52.
Conversion calculation is performed mutually as 0 miles ≒ 1.609 kilometers.

The third and fourth selection means 56 and 57 are provided for indicating units arranged near the speedometer 21 and the distance meter 32 based on the first flag data provided from the vehicle attribute information storage means 53. Display in kilometers 21
a, 32a and mileage indications 21b, 32b.

The fifth to seventh selection means 58 to 60 are designed such that display marks such as the brake warning lamps 26a and 26b and the ABS on display lamps 33a (Japan and Europe) and 33b (US and Australia) are designed according to the laws and regulations of each country. Is selected in accordance with a signal from the display control means 52, based on the second flag data (destination information) provided from the vehicle attribute information storage means 53, Is displayed in a typical manner.

The eighth to tenth selection means 61 to 63
RL indicator lamp 36, SRS indicator lamp 37 and TCS
The function lamps mounted on a specific country such as the display lamp 38 are switched on and off based on the second flag data (destination information).

In the above description of the configuration, the control unit 50
Although various meters / gauges, various warning lamps, etc. are described as being directly controlled by the control unit 50, in actuality, display drivers (each) are provided between the various meters / gauges, various warning lamps, etc. and the control unit 50. (Not shown)
The display driver drives a predetermined display medium such as a liquid crystal display panel, a fluorescent display tube (VFD), or an electroluminescence (EL). However, these display drivers are omitted in this specification for the sake of simplicity in understanding FIG. In general, a predetermined interface is interposed between the external terminal 51 and the display control means 52, but this interface is omitted in this specification for convenience of explanation and illustration.

The operation of the vehicle display device having the above configuration will be described. Here, the vehicle attribute information storage unit 53 is set in advance for each vehicle.
It is assumed that destination information and vehicle classification information are stored in the storage area. When a power switch (not shown) of the vehicle is turned on, the control unit 50 starts operating.

Here, general display items (22 to 25, 27, 28, 30, 3) that can be displayed regardless of the destination and the vehicle type
1, 34, 35, 39 to 41), the display control means 52 performs appropriate control based on various signals obtained from the external terminal 51 through an interface (not shown).

On the other hand, a speedometer 21 and a distance meter 32
Is displayed on the basis of the first flag data (destination information) in the vehicle attribute information storage means 53, the first and second selection means 54 and 55 select either kilometer display or mile display, and the display control means 52 Is calculated on the display panel P after calculating the speed information or the distance information given by the unit as a value of an appropriate unit. Speedometer 21
And indication unit display 21 arranged near distance meter 32
a, 21b, 32a, and 32b,
After the display of kilometers or miles is selected by the fourth selection means 56 and 57, an appropriate instruction unit is displayed on the display panel P.

The brake warning lamp 26
a, 26b, temperature warning lamps 29a, 29b, and ABS-on display lamps 33a, 33b, based on the second flag data (destination information) in the vehicle attribute information storage means 53, the fifth to seventh selection means. After selecting a display mark suitable for laws and regulations of the destination by 58 to 60, the display panel P is displayed in accordance with an instruction from the display control means 52.
Switch on / off of the above.

Further, with respect to the DRL display lamp 36, the SRS display lamp 37, and the TCS display lamp 38, the eighth to tenth selection means 61 to 63 switch on / off based on the second flag data (destination information). Then, the lighting operation is performed according to the instruction from the display control means 52 only at the time of the ON setting.

As described above, even if the display items and the like differ depending on the destination and the vehicle classification, one type of display panel P
Therefore, it is only necessary to manage one type of display panel P as an intermediate product, and it is possible to eliminate the complexity of managing the display panel P for each type as in the related art, and to reduce the total inventory. The amount can be reduced.

Also, since the destination information and the vehicle classification information are written in a software program operated by the CPU,
Even if an integrated circuit corresponding to each type of automobile is not used, the use can be easily determined, and there is no need to stock and prepare separate integrated circuits.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a vehicle display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In the figure, elements having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a plurality of selecting means 54 to 6 are selected.
3 is abbreviated as a selecting means group 71, and a plurality of various meters / gauges and various warning lamps are abbreviated as a display element group 72. As shown in FIG.
In the vehicle display device of this embodiment, a rewritable nonvolatile memory 53a such as an EPROM, an EEPROM, or a flash memory is used as the vehicle attribute information storage means 53. Writing of destination information and vehicle classification information is performed by an external device. This is performed using an external information writing device 75 through the input terminals 73 and 74. In this case, when changing the destination information and the vehicle classification information, after inputting a reset signal from the information writing device 75 to clear the storage content of the nonvolatile memory 53a, predetermined data is input as writing information. . And
The display control unit 52 and the selection unit group 71 of the control unit 50 are operated by the CPU according to a predetermined software program while using the data in the nonvolatile memory 53a.

In this way, the capacity of the software program can be reduced as compared with the case where all information is written in the software program operated by the CPU, and the memory (RAM) used as a work area of the CPU is correspondingly reduced.
Capacity can be reduced.

In FIG. 3, in order to receive the write information from the information writing device 75 through the external input terminal 74, a wire harness for the write information is required. In order to suppress an increase in the number of wire harnesses, one external terminal 51 is also used as an external input terminal as shown in FIG.
By multiplexing and transmitting signals from the engine ECU 76 with a function of transmitting a reset signal and write information, the number of wire harnesses can be reduced to one.

Third Embodiment FIG. 5 is a view showing a vehicle display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the same reference numerals are given to elements having the same functions as those in the second embodiment.

As an example, as for an alarm to forget to turn off the light, in Japan, a continuous sound such as "Pe" continues to sound without interruption until the light is extinguished, whereas in the United States, for example, an intermittent sound such as "Beep, beep, beep" is produced. There is such a practice. This is not always specified by laws and regulations, but is determined arbitrarily by the manufacturer as the merchantability of the vehicle, but is an important factor in not impairing the demand for the merchandise.

The display device for a vehicle according to this embodiment can be used as shown in FIG. 5 when the warning sound such as an alarm or a buzzer needs to be different in tone depending on the destination or the like. Based on the destination information and the like in the storage means 53, the selection means group 71a may switch the sound driver 77 to change the sound frequency, tone, etc. of the sounding device 78 such as an alarm device or a buzzer device and make it sound.

In this case, the basic control of the sound emission may be performed by a predetermined sound control means 79 in the same manner as the display control means 52 operates on the display element group 72.

<Modification> In FIG. 5, the audio driver 77 is shown as an element separately separated from the display element group 72 for the sake of convenience of understanding the function. It goes without saying that a part integrated with the meter 21 or the like may be used.

In the above-described example, the display and the warning are changed only for the destination and the vehicle classification. However, the display and the like may be changed depending on other attributes. For example, the "shift position indicator" is necessary for an automatic (AT) vehicle, but can be omitted for a manual (MT) vehicle. Therefore, an automatic (AT) vehicle and a manual (MT) vehicle can be omitted.
Fourth flag data indicating the difference between vehicles may be included in the above-described vehicle attribute information.

[0039]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a difference occurs in a display item due to a difference in individual vehicle attributes,
At least two or more different display items are selected and displayed on the display panel based on the information on the individual vehicle attributes stored in advance, so that one display panel can be used for each individual item such as country, vehicle type, and vehicle type. It can be used in common regardless of the difference in vehicle attributes, and the number of management steps can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the non-volatile memory is used as the vehicle information storage means, compared with the case where all kinds of huge vehicle attributes are written in a software program, for example, Data management can be easily performed as data separate from the software program.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, if information on vehicle attributes can be input to the vehicle information storage means from an external input means through an external input terminal, the same hardware component can be used. While using parts,
It is possible to cope with changes in the country, vehicle type and vehicle type only by changing the vehicle attribute information input from the outside.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when it is desired to reduce the number of wire cables of the pipe with the external input means, the information of the vehicle attribute is reduced to a small number (for example, 1
Book) wire cable.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the case where a difference occurs in the sound of a given voice alarm due to the difference in the vehicle attributes, at least two or more different sounds are generated in accordance with the difference in the vehicle attributes. The sound can be selected by the selection means, and the selected sound can be sounded by the sounding device. In this alarm field, the number of varieties can be reduced as in the case of the display panel.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the contents of a control unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit, an information writing device, and a display element group according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control unit, an engine ECU, and a display element group in another example of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit, a display element group, a voice driver, and a sound generating device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an external perspective view showing a conventional vehicle display device.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a conventional speedometer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Speedometer 21a Kilometer display 21b Mileage display 22 Tachometer 23 Fuel gauge 24 Temperature gauge 25 Charge warning lamp 26a, 26b Brake warning lamp 27 Seat belt warning lamp 28 Oil pressure warning lamp 29a, 29b Temperature warning lamp 30 Fuel warning lamp 31 Hazard warning lamp 32 Rangefinder 32a Kilometer display 32b Mile display 33a, 33b ABS on display lamp 34 Engine ECU display lamp 35 Cruise control display lamp 36 DRL display lamp 37 Display lamp 38 TCS display lamp 39 Beam lighting display lamp 40 Shift range display 41 Mode display section 42 Digital clock 50 Control unit 51 External terminal 52 Display control unit 53 Attribute information storage unit 53a Non-volatile memory 54 to 63 Selection unit 71 Selection unit group 71a Selection unit group 72 Display element group 73, 74 External input terminal 75 Information writing device 75a Information writing Means 76 Engine ECU 77 Voice driver 78 Sound generator 79 Voice control means P Display panel

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A display device which is arranged in front of a vehicle interior and displays information necessary for driving such as vehicle speed and various warning displays on a display panel, wherein the display panel, laws and regulations of each country, and a vehicle Vehicle information storage means for storing information on individual vehicle attributes such as case or vehicle type; and selection means for selecting at least two or more different display items based on the information in the vehicle information storage means and displaying them on the display panel. A display device for a vehicle, comprising: 2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle information storage means is a nonvolatile memory. 3. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein an external input terminal for inputting the vehicle attribute information to the vehicle information storage unit from an external input unit is provided. A display device for a vehicle, wherein the display device is formed. 4. The vehicle display device according to claim 3, wherein the display device receives the information on the vehicle attribute from the external input means by multiplex communication. 5. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects at least two or more different sounds based on information in the vehicle information storage unit. A sound generating device for sounding the sound of the sound selected by the selection means as a sound alarm.