JP2008267880A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device capable of ensuring display region of information image; when an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale is contracted and displayed. <P>SOLUTION: A display device 1 comprises a display panel 2 capable of displaying an instrument image 8, having at least a pointer and a scale and an information image 94 arranged combined with the instrument image 8; control means 4, 5 contracting the instrument image 8 and controlling the display conditions of the display panel 2 to be displayable the shrunk instrument image 8b. When the contracted instrument image 8b is displayed, an information image 94b is overlapped the part of a scale image 82b, constituting the scale, so as to conceal the part. According to this, the display region of the information image can be secured, when an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale is contracted and displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device capable of reducing and displaying an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale.

There has been disclosed a display device that includes a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel in which a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix, and can reduce and display an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale on the display panel (Patent Document 1). See).
JP-A-9-123848

  Although not clearly described in Patent Document 1, for example, when displaying an information image informing a message or the like inside an instrument image surrounded by an arc-shaped scale image, when the instrument image is reduced and displayed, The arc-shaped scale image is also reduced. For this reason, the inner area is also reduced, and in the reduced instrument image, it is difficult to secure a display area for the information image.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a display device capable of securing a display area of an information image when displaying a reduced instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means.

  The display device according to claim 1 is capable of displaying an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale and an information image arranged in combination with the instrument image, and can reduce the instrument image to display a reduced instrument image. Control means for controlling the display state of the display panel, the reduced instrument image is displayed with a region in which the outline of the scale image constituting the scale is partially omitted, and the information image is displayed. The scale image is displayed in a region where the outline is omitted.

  In this configuration, the information image is displayed in an area where the outline of the scale image is partially omitted in the reduced instrument image. Thereby, when the instrument image is reduced and displayed, a display area for the information image can be secured.

  The display device according to claim 2 is capable of displaying an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale and an information image arranged in combination with the instrument image, and can reduce the instrument image to display a reduced instrument image. Control means for controlling the display state of the display panel, and when displaying a reduced instrument image, the information image is displayed so as to be partially hidden behind a part of the scale image constituting the scale. It is characterized by doing.

  In this configuration, in the reduced instrument image, the information image is displayed so as to be hidden on a part of the scale image. Thereby, when the instrument image is reduced and displayed, a display area for the information image can be secured.

  The display device according to claim 3 is characterized in that the scale image is displayed with a lightness lower than the lightness of the information image in a region where the information image and the scale image are displayed in an overlapping manner. Thereby, the visibility of an information image is securable, obtaining the above-mentioned effect.

  The display device according to claim 4 is a display device mounted on an automobile, wherein the reduced instrument image is configured to display the speed of the automobile, and a numeric image representing the speed is brought close to the scale image. It is characterized by that. As a result, the reduced instrument image can display the speed of the vehicle while obtaining the above-described effects.

  The display device according to claim 5 is characterized in that the scale image has a substantially arc shape or an elliptical arc shape, and the numerical image is provided inside the scale image. As a result, the reduced instrument image can display the speed of the vehicle while obtaining the above-described effects.

  In the display device according to claim 6, the control unit performs an intermediate instrument image having the same size as the instrument image and having the same or similar form as the reduced instrument image during display switching between the instrument image and the reduced instrument image. It is characterized by being displayed.

  In this configuration, the intermediate instrument image is the same size as the instrument image and has the same or similar form as the reduced instrument image. Therefore, when switching the display between the instrument image and the reduced instrument image, the display changes between the instrument image and the reduced instrument image by switching the display to the intermediate instrument image between the display switching. Can be relaxed. That is, the change of the image is changed into a change in the image form due to the display switching between the instrument image and the intermediate instrument image, and a change in the image size due to the display change between the reduced instrument image and the intermediate instrument image. Can be divided. For this reason, the change of the image by the display switching between an instrument image and a reduction | restoration instrument image can be relieve | moderated, obtaining the above-mentioned effect.

  The display device according to claim 7 is characterized in that the control means performs display switching between the intermediate instrument image and the reduced instrument image by gradually changing the size of the image. As a result, the change in the image size due to the display switching between the intermediate instrument image and the reduced instrument image can be mitigated. Therefore, the change in the image due to the display switching between the instrument image and the reduced instrument image can be further relaxed while obtaining the above-mentioned effect it can.

  Hereinafter, a display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A display device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used, for example, as an in-vehicle display device, and includes a liquid crystal panel 2 that is a display panel, a light emitting diode 3, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 4 that is a control means, and a drawing IC. (Integrated circuit) 5, ROM (read only memory) 41, and image memory 51 capable of rewriting stored data.

  The liquid crystal panel 2 in which a plurality of pixels 21 are formed in a matrix is an active matrix type liquid crystal panel of a type driven by a thin film transistor (TFT) (not shown). Each pixel 21 includes a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel, and controls the voltage applied to the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel in each pixel 21 by applying a voltage to the gate of the TFT. Thus, in each pixel 21, the light transmittance of each of the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel is controlled. The light emitting diode 3 that emits white light is a light source that is disposed behind the liquid crystal panel 2 to illuminate the liquid crystal panel 2 and is turned on by the CPU 4. The light emitting diode 3 transmits and illuminates each pixel 21 in which the light transmittance of each of the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel is controlled, thereby causing the liquid crystal panel 2 to perform full color display.

  The CPU 4 captures a signal from the speed sensor 61 or the like that detects the speed of the vehicle, inputs the signal to the drawing IC 5, and an indicator for notifying an operating state of a device provided in the vehicle or an indicator for warning for warning the abnormality of the vehicle / The signal from the warning sensor 62 or the like is captured and input to the drawing IC 5. The ROM 41 includes a rotation meter image 7 shown in FIG. 2, a reduced image 7b obtained by reducing the rotation meter image 7, a speed meter image 8 that is an instrument image, a reduced instrument image 8b obtained by reducing the image, and indicator / warning images 91-93b. Each image data of an indicator / warning image 94-94b which is an information image is stored.

  In response to an instruction from the CPU 4, image data is transferred from the ROM 41 to the image memory 51, and the drawing IC 5 determines the red pixel in each pixel 21 based on the image data in the image memory 51 and the input measurement amount and indicator / warning information. The voltage applied to the green pixel and the blue pixel is controlled, and each display state of the plurality of pixels 21 is controlled. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, the rotation meter image 7, the reduced image 7b obtained by reducing the rotation meter image 7, the speed meter image 8, the reduced instrument image 8b obtained by reducing the image, the indicator / warning images 91-94b, and the like. It is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2.

  When the night vision switch 11 is turned on, the CPU 4 receives an on signal of the night vision switch 11 via a night vision ECU (electronic control unit) 10 and is a night image that is second information captured by the infrared camera 12. Is input to the drawing IC 5 via the night vision ECU 10. The infrared camera 12 captures a night image by reflection of infrared rays irradiated from the front portion of the automobile. In response to an instruction from the CPU 4, the drawing IC 5 controls the voltage applied to the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel in each pixel 21 based on the night video signal, and controls each display state of the plurality of pixels 21. . Thereby, the night vision image 13 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2 as shown in FIG.

  When the night vision switch 11 is turned off, the night vision image 13 is not displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2 as shown in FIG.

  The tachometer image 7 is an image representing a tachometer indicating the engine speed of the automobile, and is a pointer image 71 representing a pointer that moves (turns) according to increase / decrease of the engine speed, and a scale that the pointer points to. Are provided with a scale image 72 representing a scale arranged along the direction of rotation of the character and a character image 73 representing a character indicated by the pointer. The pointer image 71 rotates around a rotation center (not shown) according to increase / decrease of the engine speed of the automobile, and the scale image 72 is arranged in a substantially arc shape along the rotation of the pointer image 71.

  The speed meter image 8 is an image representing a speed meter that displays the speed of the automobile, and, similar to the rotation meter image 7, a pointer image 81 representing a pointer that moves (turns) according to increase / decrease of the speed of the automobile, A scale image 82 representing a scale pointed by the pointer and arranged along the direction in which the pointer rotates is provided, and a character image 83 representing a character pointed to by the pointer. The pointer image 81 rotates around the rotation center 81 c according to the increase or decrease of the speed of the automobile, and the scale image 82 is arranged in a substantially arc shape along the rotation of the pointer image 81. The indicator / warning image 91-94a is an image representing an indicator including a message and a warning.

  Hereinafter, the display switching of the speedometer image 8 which is a feature of the present invention will be mainly described with reference to FIG.

  When the night vision switch 11 is turned off, the speed meter image 8 shown in FIG. 2A is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2, and when the night vision switch 11 is turned on, the speed meter image 8 is changed to FIG. The display is switched to the intermediate instrument image 8a shown in FIG. While a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed since the night vision switch 11 was turned on, the intermediate instrument image 8a is gradually reduced to the size of the reduced instrument image 8b shown in FIG. The display is switched from 8a to the reduced instrument image 8b.

  The reduced instrument image 8 b is an image representing the same vehicle speed as the speed meter image 8, but is an image that is reduced from the speed meter image 8 and has a different form from the speed meter image 8. Specifically, the reduced instrument image 8b is a numeric image 81b representing the speed of the car and a reduced scale image 82b obtained by reducing the scale image 82 instead of the pointer image 81, the scale image 82, and the character image 83. And a scale image 82b arranged along a shape (arc shape in FIG. 2 (c)) obtained by reducing the array shape of the image 82 (arc shape in FIG. 2 (a)) in a substantially similar manner. The number image 81b is provided on the inner side surrounded by the scale image 82b.

  When the display is switched from the speed meter image 8 to the reduced instrument image 8b, the indicator / warning image 94 arranged in combination with the speed meter image 8 is displayed as an indicator / warning image 94b in a part of the scale image 82b. Overlapping display to hide the part. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed in the overlapping display area, and the scale image 82b is not displayed in the overlapping display area.

  Thereby, when the speedometer image 8 is reduced and displayed, a display area of the indicator / warning image 94 arranged in combination with the speedometer image 8 can be secured.

  When the indicator / warning image 94b in FIG. 2C is not displayed, the scale image 82b is displayed in this overlapping display area. Further, the indicator / warning image 93 in FIG. 2A is changed to the indicator / warning image 93b in FIG. 2C in accordance with the display switching from the speed meter image 8 to the reduced instrument image 8b.

  The intermediate instrument image 8a is the same image representing the speed of the vehicle as the speedometer image 8, and is the same size as the speedometer image 8, but is different in form from the speedometer image 8, and is a reduced instrument image 8b. It is an image of the same form. Specifically, the intermediate instrument image 8 a includes a scale image 82 a that is the same as the scale image 82, and a numeric image 81 a that is the same as the numeric image 81 b instead of the pointer image 81 and the character image 83.

  Further, the relative arrangement relationship between the intermediate instrument image 8a and the indicator / warning images 93a and 94a is made the same as the relative arrangement relationship between the reduced instrument image 8b and the indicator / warning images 93b and 94b. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94a is displayed so as to be partially hidden on a part of the scale image 82a. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94a is displayed in the overlapping display area, and the scale image 82a is not displayed in the overlapping display area.

  In addition, when not displaying the indicator / warning image 94a in FIG.2 (b), the scale image 82a is displayed in the area | region displayed in an overlapping manner.

  Since the intermediate instrument image 8a is the same size as the speed meter image 8 and has the same form as the reduced instrument image 8b, when the display is switched between the speed meter image 8 and the reduced instrument image 8b, the display switching is performed. The change of the image can be reduced. That is, by switching the display to the intermediate instrument image 8a during this display switching, both the form and size of the image due to the display switching between the speedometer image 8 and the reduced instrument image 8b are changed. 8 and the intermediate instrument image 8a can be divided into a change in the image form due to the display switching, and a change in the image size due to the display switching between the reduced instrument image 8b and the intermediate instrument image 8a. For this reason, the change of the image by the display switching between the speedometer image 8 and the reduced instrument image 8b can be relieved.

  Further, since the intermediate instrument image 8a is gradually reduced to the size of the reduced instrument image 8b, the change in the size due to the display switching from the intermediate instrument image 8a to the reduced instrument image 8b can be reduced. The change in the image due to the display switching to the reduced instrument image 8b can be more relaxed.

  On the other hand, in the rotation meter image 7 as well as the speed meter image 8, when the night vision switch 11 is turned off, the rotation meter image 7 shown in FIG. When 11 is turned on, the display is switched from the rotation meter image 7 to the intermediate image 7a shown in FIG. While the predetermined time elapses after the night vision switch 11 is turned on, the intermediate image 7a is gradually reduced to the size of the reduced image 7b shown in FIG. 2C, and the intermediate image 7a is changed to the reduced image 7b. Switch the display.

  The reduced image 7 b is an image representing the same engine rotational speed of the automobile as the rotation meter image 7, but is an image that is reduced from the rotation meter image 7 and is different from the rotation meter image 7. The reduced image 7b is an image having a different form from the reduced instrument image 8b. Specifically, instead of the pointer image 71, the scale image 72, and the character image 73, the pointer image 71b reduced from the pointer image 71 and the scale image 72 Is a scale image 72b reduced in size and arranged along a shape (arc shape in FIG. 2 (c)) obtained by reducing the array shape of the scale image 72 (arc shape in FIG. 2 (a)) in a substantially similar manner. 72b. With the display switching from the rotation meter image 7 to the reduced image 7b, the indicator / warning images 91 and 92 in FIG. 2A are rearranged to the indicator / warning images 91b and 92b in FIG. .

  The intermediate image 7a is an image having the same size as the rotation meter image 7, but is different in form from the rotation meter image 7 and has the same form as the reduced image 7b. Further, the relative arrangement relationship between the intermediate image 7a and the indicator / warning images 91a, 92a is made the same as the relative arrangement relationship between the rotation meter image 7 and the indicator / warning images 91, 92.

  In this way, by switching the display between the reduced image 7b and the reduced instrument image 8b, as shown in FIG. 2C, the reduced image 7b and the reduced image 7b are reduced from the area where the rotation meter image 7 and the speed meter image 8 are displayed. The night vision image 13 is displayed using an area obtained by subtracting the area where the instrument image 8b is displayed. That is, an area generated by switching to the reduced image 7b and the reduced instrument image 8b can be used effectively, and therefore, a large amount of information can be displayed in a limited space.

  As described above, the display device 1 according to the present embodiment can display the speedometer image 8 that is an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale, and the indicator / warning image 94 that is an information image arranged in combination with the speedometer image 8. A reduction instrument is provided with a liquid crystal panel 2 that is a display panel, a CPU 4 that is a control means for controlling the display state of the liquid crystal panel 2 so as to display the reduced instrument image 8b by reducing the speed meter image 8, and a drawing IC 5. When the image 8b is displayed, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed so as to be partially hidden behind a part of the scale image 82b constituting the scale.

  Thereby, when the instrument image having at least the pointer and the scale is reduced and displayed, the display area of the information image can be secured.

(Modification)
In the above-described example, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed so as to be partially hidden by a part of the scale image 82b. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed and the scale image 82b is not displayed in the overlapping display area, but the present invention is not limited to this. In this overlapping display area, the scale image 82b can be displayed with a lightness lower than that of the indicator / warning image 94b.

  Thereby, the visibility of the indicator / warning image 94b can be secured while obtaining the above-described effects.

  In the above-described example, the scale images 82 are arranged in an arc shape, but may be arranged in an elliptic arc shape.

  In the above-described example, the pointer image 81 is rotated according to the increase / decrease of the speed of the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the speedometer image 80, the pointer image 810 moves so that the pointer image 810 moves in the horizontal direction (left and right in FIG. 3A) in accordance with the increase and decrease of the speed of the vehicle. It is also possible to display a scale image 820, a character image 830, or the like.

  In this case, the reduced instrument image 80 b is an image representing the same vehicle speed as the speedometer image 80, but is an image that is reduced from the speedometer image 80 and has a different form from the speedometer image 80. Specifically, the reduced instrument image 80b is a numeric image 810b representing the speed of the car and a scale image 820b obtained by reducing the scale image 820, instead of the pointer image 810, the scale image 820, and the character image 830. And a scale image 820b arranged on a reduced line (a straight line in the horizontal direction in FIG. 3C) obtained by reducing the shape of 82 array lines (a straight line in the horizontal direction in FIG. 3A) in a substantially similar manner. . Also, the numeric image 810b is provided close to the scale image 820b.

  When the display is switched from the speed meter image 80 to the reduced instrument image 80b, the indicator / warning image 94 arranged in combination with the speed meter image 80 is used as this indicator / warning image 94b, and a part of the reduced scale image 820b. This is displayed in a layered manner so as to conceal this part. Specifically, in this overlapping display area, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed and the scale image 820b is not displayed.

  Thereby, when the speedometer image 80 is reduced and displayed, the display area of the indicator / warning image 94 arranged in combination with the speedometer image 80 can be secured. In addition, the indicator / warning image 93 in FIG. 3A is changed to the indicator / warning image 93b in FIG. 3C in accordance with the display switching from the speed meter image 80 to the reduced instrument image 80b.

  The intermediate instrument image 80a is an image representing the same vehicle speed as the speedometer image 80, and is an image having the same size as the speedometer image 80. However, the intermediate instrument image 80a is different in form from the speedometer image 80 and has a reduced instrument image 80b. It is an image of the same form. Specifically, the intermediate instrument image 80a includes a scale image 820a that is the same as the scale image 820, and a number image 810a that is the same as the number image 810b instead of the pointer image 810 and the character image 830.

  Further, the relative arrangement relationship between the intermediate instrument image 80a and the indicator / warning images 93a and 94a is made the same as the relative arrangement relationship between the reduced instrument image 80b and the indicator / warning images 93b and 94b. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94a is displayed so as to be partially hidden on a part of the scale image 820a. Specifically, the indicator / warning image 94a is displayed and the scale image 82a is not displayed in this overlapping display area.

  When the indicator / warning image 94a in FIG. 2B is not displayed, the scale image 820a is displayed in this overlapping display area.

  In the above example, the indicator / warning image 94b is displayed so as to be concealed in part of the scale images 82b and 820b. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 4A, the reduced instrument image 800b can be displayed with a region 850b in which the outline of the scale image 821b is partially omitted. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, an indicator / warning image 94b is displayed in the area 850b.

  In the above-described example, when the indicator / warning image 94b is not displayed, the scale images 82b and 820b are displayed in the overlapping display area. On the other hand, in this modification, the scale image 851b is not displayed in the region 850b even when the indicator / warning image 94b is not displayed. This also makes it possible to secure a display area for an information image when an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale is displayed in a reduced size.

  In the above example, the case where the night vision switch 11 is turned on has been described as an example, but the same applies to the case where the night vision switch 11 is turned off. In this case, after switching the display from the reduced instrument image 8b to the intermediate instrument image 8a, the display is switched to the speed meter image 8.

  The liquid crystal panel 2 can be a monochrome liquid crystal panel that does not perform full color display.

  Further, instead of the liquid crystal panel 2 which is a light receiving type (non-light emitting type) display panel, an EL (electroluminescence) display panel which is a light emitting type display panel may be used.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples, and combinations thereof and other various modifications are conceivable.

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of a display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a front view of the liquid crystal panel 2 shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a) is a front view of the liquid crystal panel 2 displaying the speedometer image 8, and FIG. 2 (b) is an intermediate view. FIG. 2C is a front view of the liquid crystal panel 2 displaying the instrument image 8a, and FIG. 2C is a front view of the liquid crystal panel 2 displaying the reduced instrument image 8b. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view showing a modification of the speed meter image 8, the intermediate instrument image 8a, and the reduced instrument image 8b in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing a modification of the reduced instrument image 8b in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display apparatus, 2 Liquid crystal panel (display panel), 21 pixels, 3 Light emitting diode 4 CPU (control means), 41 ROM, 5 Drawing IC (control means), 51 Image memory 61 Speed sensor, 62 Indicator / warning sensor, 7 Rotation meter image 7a Intermediate image, 7b Reduced image, 71, 71a, 71b Pointer image 72, 72a, 72b Scale image, 73 Character image 8, 80 Speedometer image (instrument image), 8a, 80a Intermediate instrument image 8b, 80b, 800b Reduction instrument image, 81,810 Pointer image 81a, 81b, 810a, 810b Numerical image, 81c Center of rotation 82, 82a, 82b, 820, 820a, 820b, 821b Scale image 83,830 Character image, 850b area 91-93b indicator / Warning image 94-94b Over data / warning image (information image)
10 Night vision ECU, 11 Night vision switch, 12 Infrared camera, 13 Night vision image

Claims (7)

A display panel capable of displaying an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale and an information image arranged in combination with the instrument image;
Control means for controlling the display state of the display panel so that the instrument image can be reduced and the reduced instrument image can be displayed;
The reduced instrument image is displayed with an area in which the outline of the scale image constituting the scale is partially omitted, and the information image is displayed in an area in which the outline of the scale image is omitted. A display device characterized by that. A display panel capable of displaying an instrument image having at least a pointer and a scale and an information image arranged in combination with the instrument image;
Control means for controlling the display state of the display panel so that the instrument image can be reduced and the reduced instrument image can be displayed;
When displaying the reduced instrument image, the display device is characterized in that the information image is displayed so as to be hidden on a part of the scale image constituting the scale.   The display device according to claim 2, wherein the scale image is displayed with a lightness lower than the lightness of the information image in a region where the information image and the scale image are displayed in an overlapping manner. A display device mounted on an automobile,
The reduced instrument image is configured to display the speed of the vehicle;
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a numeric image representing the speed is brought close to the scale image. The scale image is substantially arc-shaped or elliptical arc-shaped,
The display device according to claim 4, wherein the numeric image is provided on an inner side surrounded by the scale image.   The control means displays an intermediate instrument image having the same size as the instrument image and having the same or similar form as the reduced instrument image during display switching between the instrument image and the reduced instrument image. 6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is characterized.   The display device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit performs display switching between the intermediate instrument image and the reduced instrument image by gradually changing the size of the image.

Images