JPH10288528A - Vehicular information displaying method and its device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make one image commonable through individual displays, and also capacitate any displaying information to be limited to that for a driver alone, in a vehicle mounted with two displays for the driver and an occupant respectively. SOLUTION: At the time of displaying the same display information, obtained from an information source 10, on both displays 12 and 14 installed each in a driver's seat and a rear seat, a video signal Vb of a base image generated out of the display information is distributed by a video distribution circuit 32, and the signal on one side is outputted to the rear seat display 14, making this display 14 display the whole information. During the running of a vehicle, a mask image is stored in a video random access memory 26, whereby a video signal Vs composed with both base and mask images by a video composite circuit 34 is generated there, and this signal is outputted to the front seat display 12, making it display a part of information. During the stoppage of the vehicle, the mask image is erased from the video random access memory 26, whereby the whole information is displayed on the front seat display 12. In consequence, during the vehicle running, the display information of the front seat display 12 is limited, and thus safety is improvable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle information display method and apparatus suitable for displaying information from the same information source on a display for a driver and a display for a passenger other than the driver.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a car displays navigation information such as a road map and a scheduled route,
In order to display information obtained by M character multiplex broadcasting, C
A device equipped with a display such as an RT or LCD is known.

[0003] Such a display is usually arranged near the driver's seat so that the driver can read information directly. In some limousine-type luxury cars and wagon-type cars, a display is provided in the rear seat so that passengers other than the driver can view information.

[0004]

By the way, the conventional information display device comprises a display for displaying information, a receiver and a C / C.
A control device that acquires desired information from an information source such as a D-ROM, generates an image for display, and displays the image on a display is configured integrally or as a pair.

For this reason, for example, if a display is arranged in each of a driver's seat and a rear seat and information is to be displayed on each display, a control device must be arranged for each display. There was a problem that it could not be realized at low cost.

On the other hand, this problem can be solved by distributing the image generated by the control device to each display. However, in this case, if one image is directly distributed to the driver and the passenger, information disturbing driving may be displayed on the display for the driver, which is not preferable.

For example, in the case of displaying text information obtained by FM teletext broadcasting, the program information sent one after another as the program progresses must be watched at the video in order to eliminate any missed reading. It is not preferable to display this program information while the vehicle is running. In addition, for example, when displaying facility information of a restaurant or the like, it is not preferable to display detailed information such as a telephone number included in the information, because the amount of information becomes too large.

In order to solve such a problem, it is conceivable to limit the information that can be displayed while the vehicle is running. However, when the information is limited, the display of information on the display for passengers is also limited. So, the passenger
It is not possible to see desired information while the vehicle is running.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and in a vehicle equipped with a plurality of displays for a driver and a passenger, one image can be shared by each display. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle information display method and apparatus capable of restricting display information only for a driver display during traveling.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for displaying information for a vehicle, wherein the display means for a driver and the display means for a fellow passenger are obtained from the same information source. In displaying the information, first, a base image for displaying information is generated from information obtained from an information source, and the base image is distributed to a driver and a passenger. Then, by outputting the distributed base image for the fellow passenger to the fellow passenger display means, the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the fellow passenger display means.

On the other hand, the information display on the driver display means determines whether the vehicle is running or stopped and, if the vehicle is stopped, outputs a base image for the driver to the driver display means. When the vehicle is running, the driving is performed by synthesizing the driver's base image and the mask image covering a part of the base image, and outputting the synthesized image to the driver display means.

As a result, according to the method of the present invention, the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means when the vehicle is stopped, and the information obtained from the information source is obtained when the vehicle is running. Part of the information will be displayed. Therefore, according to the method of the present invention, by setting a mask image in advance in correspondence with the information display portion in the base image that is displayed when the vehicle is running and hinders driving, the driving display means is displayed on the driver display means. This makes it possible to restrict the display of disturbing information, thereby improving safety.

In the method of the present invention, the display of information on the display means for the driver is limited only while the vehicle is running, and the information obtained from the information source is displayed for the driver while the vehicle is stopped. Since the information is displayed on the means, the driver can see the detailed information while the vehicle is stopped, and the usability does not deteriorate.

Further, the information obtained from the information source is always displayed on the passenger display means irrespective of the running state of the vehicle. Therefore, a seat provided with the passenger display means (for example, a rear seat) The passenger sitting at the can view the desired information at any time. Therefore, it is possible to provide an information display device having a high use value for a passenger.

Further, in the method of the present invention, since the base image is shared by each display means, there is no need to provide a base image generation device for each display means, and a plurality of conventional information display devices are mounted on a vehicle. It can be realized at a lower cost than in the case of performing In generating a composite image in which the base image and the mask image are combined, for example, each display unit receives digital data (image data) for drawing an image such as bitmap data and displays the image on a display screen. If it is formed, the composite image data may be generated by combining the image data for drawing the base image and the image data for drawing the mask image. If a signal is received and an image is formed on a display screen, a video signal for displaying a composite image is generated by combining a video signal for displaying a base image and a video signal for displaying a mask image. What should I do? That is, since the synthesis of the base image and the mask image can be performed using either digital data or an analog video signal, the respective images may be synthesized by a method suitable for a system to which the method of the present invention is applied.

On the other hand, the invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
The present invention relates to a vehicle information display device that realizes the invention method described in (1). And in this information display device,
The base image generation / distribution means generates a base image for information display from the information obtained from the information source, distributes the base image for the driver and the passenger, and distributes the distributed base image for the passenger. The base image is output to the passenger display means. Therefore, the information obtained from the information source is always displayed on the passenger display means.

In the information display device, the determining means determines whether the vehicle is running or stopped, and the display control means for the driver determines that the vehicle is stopped by the determining means. In this case, the base image for the driver distributed by the base image generation / distribution unit is output to the display unit for the driver, and when the determination unit determines that the vehicle is running, the base image is output. The base image for the driver distributed by the image generation / distribution unit is combined with the mask image covering part of the base image, and the combined image is output to the display unit for the driver.

As a result, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means when the vehicle is stopped, and the information obtained from the information source is obtained when the vehicle is running. A part of the information will be displayed, and the same effect as described above can be obtained by implementing the method of the present invention.

Next, in the information display device for a vehicle according to the third aspect, the combined image generating means combines the mask image stored in the mask image storing means with the base image, and combines the combined image. The display is output to the driver display means, and the display switching between the display of the base image and the display of the composite image on the display means for the driver can be performed by writing a mask image in the mask image storage means or by masking the mask image from the mask image storage means. This is done by switching whether to erase the image.

Then, while the vehicle is running, the mask image is written in the mask image storage means by the mask image writing means, so that the synthetic image generating means generates a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing the base image and the mask image. Since the mask image stored in the mask image storage unit is deleted by the mask image deletion unit while the vehicle is stopped, the base image is output from the composite image generation unit. become.

Therefore, in the device of the present invention (claim 3), the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means when the vehicle is stopped, and the information is obtained when the vehicle is running. A part of the information obtained from the source will be displayed, and the same effect as described above can be obtained by implementing the method of the present invention.

On the other hand, in the vehicle information display device according to the present invention, the combined image generating means always generates a combined image obtained by combining the mask image and the base image. The display switching between the display of the base image and the display of the composite image is performed using image switching means.

While the vehicle is running, the image switching means is switched to the composite image selecting side by the image switching control means, and the composite image is output to the driver display means. The image switching means is switched to the base image selecting side by the image switching control means, and the base image is output to the driver display means.

Therefore, also in the device of the present invention (claim 4), the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means when the vehicle is stopped, and the information is obtained when the vehicle is running. A part of the information obtained from the source will be displayed, and the same effect as described above can be obtained by implementing the method of the present invention.

In the apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the switching of the image output to the driver display means is performed by using the image switching means. A circuit is required, and the configuration is slightly more complicated than the device according to claim 3. However, as in the device according to claim 3, the mask image storage means corresponds to a change in the running state of the vehicle. Since there is no need to write a mask image into the image or to erase the mask image, the displayed image can be quickly switched.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the present invention (specifically, claims 1 to 1).
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information display device according to a first embodiment to which the invention of claim 3 is applied.

The information display apparatus of this embodiment is mounted on a luxury limousine-type car or a wagon-type car, etc., and transmits the same information obtained from the information source 10 to a drive provided near the driver's seat of the vehicle. For displaying on a passenger display device (hereinafter referred to as a front seat display device) 12 and a passenger display device (hereinafter referred to as a rear seat display device) 14 provided near a rear seat of the vehicle, respectively. It is. In the present embodiment, each of the display devices 12 and 14 is of a type that receives an analog video signal and displays a video corresponding to the video signal, and includes a display unit such as a CRT and an LCD. And an operation unit composed of a touch panel arranged on the display screen of (1).

The information display device according to the present embodiment includes a traveling state including a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, a brake switch for detecting an operating state of a parking brake, and the like, for detecting whether the vehicle is stopped or traveling. A detection unit 16 is provided. Also, as an information source 10 for obtaining information to be displayed on each of the display devices 12 and 14, an FM multiplex receiver 2, which receives FM text multiplex broadcast and decodes text information superimposed on the broadcast signal, such as a restaurant Where facility information such as the location, business hours, and telephone number of various facilities is stored
CD-RO for reading desired information from D-ROM
M player 4, etc. are provided.

The display control unit 20, which obtains information from the information source 10 and actually displays the information on each of the display devices 12, 14, includes the display devices 12, 14 (specifically, an operation unit provided as a touch panel). ), The information specified by the vehicle occupant is taken from the information source 10 in accordance with the display switching signal from the information source 10, and a base image for displaying information and a mask image for covering a part of the base image are generated.
A microcomputer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a CPU) 22 including a U, a ROM, a RAM, and the like is provided.

The base image and mask image drawing image data (base image data Db and mask image data Dm) generated by the CPU 22 are written into corresponding video RAMs (VRAMs) 24 and 26, respectively. . The base image data Db and the mask image data Dm stored in the VRAMs 24 and 26 are respectively
Each of the display devices 12,
14 are converted into display video signals (base video signal Vb, mask video signal Vm). The video signal is composed of, for example, a signal of each of R, G, and B color components and a synchronization signal.

Then, the base video signal Vb from the output circuit 28 is input to the video distribution circuit 32 and is divided into two by the video distribution circuit 32. Then, one of the base video signals Vb is output to the rear seat display device 14 as it is as a video signal for a passenger. Therefore, the rear seat display device 1
4 always displays the base image generated by the CPU 22.

On the other hand, the other of the two base video signals Vb distributed by the video distribution circuit 32 is output to the video composition circuit 34 as a driver video signal. Video composition circuit 3
4 synthesizes a mask video signal Vm from the output circuit 30 and a base video signal Vb from the video distribution circuit 32, thereby forming a composite image obtained by masking a part of the base image with the mask image. To generate a composite video signal Vs to be displayed on the screen. Then, the composite video signal Vs from the video composition circuit 34 is output to the front seat display device 12 as it is. Therefore, the front seat display device 14 always has the CPU
A synthesized image obtained by synthesizing the base image and the mask image generated in 22 is displayed.

To generate the composite video signal Vs, for example, the video signals Vb and Vm are synchronized, and the mask video signal Vm is generated in the mask image drawing area in the mask video signal Vm.
In the other area (that is, the area where the base image is drawn as it is), a base image signal Vb is output, and an image synthesis technique generally used in the related art may be used.

Next, a base image and a mask image are generated in accordance with the information switching command from the display devices 12 and 14 as described above, and the image data Db and Dm are stored in each VRAM 24,
The operation of the CPU 22, which is written into the file 26, will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 2 shows an information display control process that is repeatedly executed as a main routine in the CPU 22 after the power is turned on.

As shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 22 first executes S1
At 10 (S represents a step), the display devices 12, 14
Information source 10 in response to an information switching command input from the
, Information (display information) to be displayed on each of the display devices 12 and 14 is read. Immediately after the power of the apparatus is turned on, preset information or information displayed when the power was last turned off is read.

When the display information is read in S110, the process proceeds to S120, and the information is displayed on the display device 1.
Then, a base image to be displayed on each of the image data 2 and 14 is generated, and the image data Db is written into the VRAM 24. For example, when displaying program information of FM multiplex broadcast on the display devices 12 and 14, in S120, type information indicating the type of display information "FM multiplex" is displayed as illustrated in FIG. At the top of the screen, operation guidance information such as "menu", "previous page", and "next page" for the vehicle occupant to switch the display content by operating the touch panel is displayed. At the bottom, the content of the received program information is displayed. At the center, a base image to be displayed is generated, and its image data D
b is written to the VRAM 24.

Further, for example, CDs are displayed on the display devices 12 and 14.
When displaying the facility information read from the ROM, S1
At 20, as illustrated in FIG. 3 (b-1), the type information representing the type of the display information “facility information” is displayed at the top of the display screen, and the “map display” for the occupant to switch the display content by operating the touch panel. , A base image for displaying operation guide information such as "previous page" and "next page" at the bottom of the display screen, and information of a specific facility such as a restaurant read from the CD-ROM at the center of the display screen. Then, the image data Db is written into the VRAM 24.

Then, the base image data Db
Is written into the VRAM 24, the output circuit 28 outputs a base video signal Vb for displaying the generated base image, and the video distribution circuit 32 distributes the base video signal Vb into two. 14, S1
At 20, the base image generated this time is displayed.

In this embodiment, the processing of S120 for generating the base image data Db and the VRAM 24, the output circuit 28, and the image distribution for generating and distributing the base video signal Vb from the base image are described. The circuit 32 realizes the base image generation / distribution unit according to the second aspect.

Next, when the base image data Db is written in the VRAM 24 in this manner, the process proceeds to S130, where the vehicle is controlled based on signals from a vehicle speed sensor, a brake switch, and the like constituting the running state detecting section 16. It is determined whether the vehicle is running or stopped. Note that the process in S130 functions as a determination unit described in claim 2.

If it is determined in step S130 that the vehicle is running, the process proceeds to step S140, and the process is set in advance in accordance with the base image (in other words, the type of display information) generated in step S120. The mask image is stored in the ROM in the CPU 22.
(Or a storage medium (not shown) separately connected to the CPU 22) and the corresponding mask image data D
Write m to the VRAM 26.

In S140, the mask image to be written in the VRAM 26 as the mask image data Dm is, for example, if the base image is an image for displaying FM character multiplex broadcast program information shown in FIG. 3 (a-1). As illustrated in FIG. 3A-2, the program information area at the center of the image is covered and
In the area, an image displaying a message such as "Please stop and see" is displayed. For example, if the base image is the image for displaying facility information shown in FIG. As illustrated in (b-2), this is an image that covers a display area for detailed information such as a telephone number and a recommended menu in a facility information display area in the center of the screen.

When the mask image data Dm is written to the VRAM 26 by the processing of S140, the mask video signal Vm corresponding to the mask image is output from the output circuit 30, and the base image is output from the video synthesis circuit 34. A composite video signal Vs for displaying a composite image obtained by combining the image and the mask image on the front seat display device 12 is output,
As illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3 and 3B-3, the front seat display device 12 displays a composite image in which a part of the base image is covered by the mask image.

In this embodiment, the VRAM 26 for storing the base image data Dm functions as the mask image storage means according to the third aspect, and the processing of S140 for storing the mask image data Dm in the VRAM 26 is performed. Functioning as the mask image storage means according to claim 3,
The output circuit 30 and the video compositing circuit 34 for generating the composite video signal Vs using the mask image data Dm stored in the AM 26 function as a composite image generating unit according to a third aspect.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S130 that the vehicle is not running (that is, the vehicle is stopped), the process proceeds to S1.
The flow shifts to 50, where the mask image data Dm stored in the VRAM 26 is erased. As a result, the output circuit 30 outputs a mask video signal Vm in which no mask image exists (in other words, transmits the entire base image), and
The base video signal Vb is output as it is from the video synthesizing circuit 34 as the synthesized video signal Vs.
The base images exemplified in (a-1) and (b-1) are displayed as they are. In this embodiment, S15
The process of 0 functions as the mask image erasing means according to the third aspect.

As described above, in S140 or S150, V
When writing or erasing of the mask image in the RAM 26 is performed, the process proceeds to S160, and the traveling state detecting unit 1
It is determined based on the signal from 6 whether or not the running state of the vehicle has changed from running to stopping or from stopping to running.
Note that the processing of S160 is also the same as S130.
Function as the determination means described in (1).

If the running state of the vehicle has changed, it is determined in S170 whether the change is a change from running to stopping. If the change is from running to stopping, the flow proceeds to S180. In the same manner as in S150, the VRAM2
By executing the processing as mask image erasing means, the front image display device 12 displays the base image by erasing the mask image data Dm stored in 6.

Conversely, if it is determined in S170 that the change in the running state of the vehicle is a change from stopping to running, the process proceeds to S190, and the same as in S140,
The processing as mask image storage means for writing the mask image data Dm into the VRAM 26 and displaying the composite image on the front seat display means 12 is executed.

Then, as described above, S180 or S190
If the mask image is written or erased in the VRAM 26 at S160, or if it is determined in S160 that the running state of the vehicle has not changed, the process proceeds to S200.
An information switching command is input from the front seat display device 12 or the rear seat display device 14 by operating the touch panel, and it is determined whether display information should be changed.

If the information switching command has not been input and there is no need to change the display information, the process returns to S1.
60, and thereafter, the processes of S160 to S200 are repeatedly executed. Conversely, if it is determined in S200 that an information switching command is input and it is determined that display information needs to be changed, the process proceeds to S110. , The display information corresponding to the information switching instruction is read from the information source 10, and the process returns to S120.
Execute the following processing.

As described above, in the information display device of this embodiment, the FM display is provided on the front seat display device 12 and the rear seat display device 14 provided at the driver's seat and the rear seat, respectively.
In displaying information obtained from teletext broadcasting and one piece of information obtained from a CD-ROM at the same time, first, the base image data Db generated from the display information is converted into a base video signal Vb for display to be used for a driver. And one for passengers, one of which is output to the rear-seat display device 14 as it is, so that all information is displayed on the rear-seat display device 14.

While the vehicle is running, the VRAM 26 stores the mask image data Dm for covering a part of the base image.
To cause the video compositing circuit 34 to generate a composite video signal Vs for displaying a composite image in which the base image and the mask image are combined, and output the composite video signal Vs to the front seat display device 12. The front seat display device 1
2 displays a part of the information.

On the other hand, while the vehicle is stopped, the mask image data Dm stored in the VRAM 26 is deleted,
The video synthesizing circuit 34 causes the front seat display device 12 to output the base video signal Vb as the synthesized video signal Vs, and causes the front seat display device 12 to display all information.

Therefore, according to the information display device of the present embodiment, when the vehicle is stopped, all the information obtained from the FM text multiplex broadcast or the CD-ROM is displayed on each of the display devices 12 and 14, and the vehicle is running. , A part of the information displayed on the front seat display device 12 is restricted. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent information that hinders driving from being displayed on the front seat display device 12 while the vehicle is running, and to improve safety.

Further, all information is always displayed on the rear seat display device 14, and when the vehicle is stopped, the front seat display device 1 is displayed.
Since all the information is also displayed in 2, the passenger sitting in the back seat can see the information he wants to see at any time, and the driver can see the detailed information if the vehicle is stopped. Can be. Therefore, according to the information display device of the present embodiment, not only can the safety at the time of running the vehicle be improved,
The function as the information display device can be sufficiently satisfied, and the device can be of high use value.

In displaying the same information on each of the display devices 12 and 14, the information display device of this embodiment does not generate a base image for each of the display devices 12 and 14, but one base image. Is shared by the display devices 12 and 14, the configuration of the display control unit 20 can be simplified and realized at low cost.

Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, an information display device to which the first, second, and fourth aspects of the present invention are applied will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the information display device of the second embodiment is different from the information display device of the first embodiment shown in FIG. A video switching circuit 36 is provided in the output path of the video signal, and the video distribution circuit 32 is changed to a circuit that distributes the base video signal Vb into three, and the base video signal V divided into three.
The configuration is such that one of b is input to the video switching circuit 36, and the other configuration is the same as the information display device of the first embodiment.

The video switching circuit 36 selects one of the composite video signal Vs from the video composition circuit 34 and the base video signal Vb from the video distribution circuit 32 and outputs the selected video signal to the front seat display device 12. The switching of the video signal Vs / Vb to be selected and output is performed by a front seat video switching signal from the CPU 22. That is, in this embodiment, the CP
A part of the information display control process executed in U22 is different from the first embodiment.

Then, the information display control processing executed by the CPU 22 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
2, first, in S210, display information is read from the information source 10, and in S220, a base image is generated from the display information, and the base image data Db is written in the VRAM 24. The corresponding mask image is read, and the mask image data Dm is stored in the VRAM.
Write to 26. Note that S210, S220, S23
0 are performed in steps S110 and S110 of the first embodiment (FIG. 2), respectively.
120 and S140.

Next, in S240, it is determined whether the vehicle is traveling or stopped based on the signal from the traveling state detection unit 16. If the vehicle is running, S25
0, and outputs a front-seat video switching signal to the video switching circuit 36 to select the composite video signal Vs and output the composite video signal Vs to the front-seat display device 12. Switch to If the vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to S260, and outputs a front-seat video switching signal to the video switching circuit 36 to select the base video signal Vb and output it to the front-seat display device 12. The image on the front seat display device 12 is switched to the base image.

When the image of the front seat display device 12 is set to the composite image or the base image in S250 or S260, the process proceeds to S270, and the traveling state detecting unit 1
It is determined based on the signal from 6 whether or not the running state of the vehicle has changed. Then, when the running state of the vehicle changes, it is determined in S280 whether the change is a change from running to stopping, and if the change is from running to stopping, in S290, As in S260, the image on the front seat display device 12 is switched to the base image. On the other hand, if the running state of the vehicle changes from stopping to running, S3
Then, the process proceeds to 00, and the video on the front seat display device 12 is switched to the composite image as in S250.

Then, in S290 or S300, when the image on the front seat display device 12 is switched, or in S270, it is determined that the running state of the vehicle has not changed.
The flow shifts to S310, where an information switching command is input from the front seat display device 12 or the rear seat display device 14 by operating the touch panel, and it is determined whether display information should be changed. If the information switching command has not been input and there is no need to change the display information, the process returns to S270 again, and
Thereafter, the processes of S270 to S310 are repeatedly executed. Conversely, if an information switching command is input in S310 and it is determined that display information needs to be changed, the process proceeds to S210, and the information switching command is transmitted to S210. Source information corresponding to display information 10
, And the processing after S220 is executed again.

As described above, in the information display device of the present embodiment, the video signal output from the CPU 22 to the front display device 12 by the video switching circuit 36 is converted into the composite video signal Vs And the base video signal Vb, so that the image displayed on the front seat display device 12 is switched between the composite image and the base image.

Therefore, in the information display device of this embodiment, the information displayed on the front seat display device 12 is changed from the detailed information to the partial information or the partial information in accordance with the running state of the vehicle (running / stopped). To the detailed information, and the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the present embodiment, the image of the front seat display device 12 is switched by using the image switching circuit 36. Therefore, the image switching circuit 36 is added to the device of the first embodiment. And the configuration of the display control unit 20 is slightly complicated, but it is not necessary to rewrite the contents of the VRAM 26 for video switching as in the first embodiment.
When the vehicle changes from running to stopping or from stopping to running, the image on the front seat display device 12 can be quickly switched.

In this embodiment, the video synthesizing circuit 3
4 functions as a composite image generating unit according to claim 4,
The video switching circuit 36 functions as the image switching means according to claim 4, and the processing of S240 and S270 functions as the determination means according to claim 2, and S250, 260, and S29.
The processing of S300 functions as the image switching control means.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.
Various embodiments can be adopted. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a device dedicated to information display in which the same information obtained from the information source 10 is displayed on a pair of display devices 12 and 14 provided in the driver's seat and the rear seat of the vehicle, respectively. For example, the information display function of the present invention can be applied to a system combined with various information display devices such as an in-vehicle navigation device and a television receiving system, or a car phone. Further, even in a system capable of displaying different information on each of the display devices 12 and 14, if the display control system used to display the same information is configured in the same manner as in each of the above-described embodiments, the same as above can be achieved. The effect of can be obtained. Further, the present invention can be applied to a display system in which a large number of display devices for passengers are provided in each of a passenger seat and a rear seat.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information display device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an information display control process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a base image, a mask image, and a composite image.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information display device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an information display control process according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Information source 12 ... Front seat display device 14 ... Rear seat display device 16 ... Running state detection part 20 ... Display control part 24,
26 VRAM 22 CPU (microcomputer) 28, 30
... Output circuit 32 ... Video distribution circuit 34 ... Video synthesis circuit 36 ...
Video switching circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. Information obtained from the same information source is displayed on a display means for a driver arranged near a driver's seat and a display means for a fellow passenger arranged near a seat other than the driver's seat, respectively. An information display method for a vehicle, comprising: generating a base image for displaying information from information obtained from the information source; distributing the base image for a driver and for a passenger; A base image for a passenger is output to the passenger display means, the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the passenger display means, and it is determined whether the vehicle is running or stopped. If the vehicle is stopped, the distributed base image for the driver is output to the driver display means, and the information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means. If so, the distributed base image for the driver and a part of the base image There synthesizes the mask image to hide, and outputs the composite image for display unit the driver,
A vehicle information display method, wherein a part of information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means. 2. A display device for a driver arranged near a driver's seat of a vehicle, and a display unit for a fellow passenger arranged near a seat other than the driver's seat, wherein each of the display units has the same information. A vehicle information display device for displaying information obtained from a source, wherein a base image for displaying the information is generated from the information obtained from the information source, and the base images are used for a driver and a passenger. Base image generation / distribution means for distributing; determination means for determining whether the vehicle is running or stopped; and when the determination means determines that the vehicle is stopped, the base image generation / distribution means Outputting the base image for the driver distributed by the means to the display means for the driver,
The information obtained from the information source is displayed on the driver display means, and when the determination means determines that the vehicle is running, the driving distributed by the base image generation / distribution means is performed. A base image for the driver and a mask image covering a part of the base image, and outputting the synthesized image to the display unit for the driver, and obtaining the display image for the driver from the information source. A display control means for the driver, which displays a part of the information, and the display means for the passenger outputs the base image for the passenger distributed by the base image generation / distribution means. And a display device for displaying information obtained from the information source. 3. The driver display control means includes: a mask image storage means for storing a mask image for synthesis corresponding to the base image generated by the base image generation / distribution means; A composite image generation unit that combines the mask image stored in the mask image storage unit with the base image to generate the composite image, and outputs the composite image to the driver display unit; When it is determined that the vehicle is running, the mask image is written in the mask image storage means, and the composite image generation means outputs a composite image obtained by combining the base image and the mask image. Means for erasing the mask image stored in the mask image storage means when the determination means determines that the vehicle is stopped. The vehicle information display apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that and a mask image erasing means for outputting the base image as the synthesized image from. 4. A display control means for the driver, comprising: a synthetic image generating means for generating the synthetic image by synthesizing the base image and the mask image; and a synthetic image generated by the synthetic image generating means. An image switching unit that captures each of the base images, selects one of the base images, and outputs the selected one to the driver display unit, if the determination unit determines that the vehicle is stopped, Switching the image switching means to the base image selecting side, causing the display means for the driver to output the base image, and when the determining means determines that the vehicle is running, the image switching means 3. An image switching control unit that switches the combination image selection side to the combination image selection side, and causes the display unit for the driver to output a combination image of the base image and the mask image. For vehicles Broadcast display device.