JP2015085752A - Vehicular instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular instrument capable of reducing probabilities of users failure to notice warning information.SOLUTION: A vehicular instrument comprises: indication means 1 to indicate measured values for a vehicle; a back light to illuminate the indication means 1; warning means 31 to supplement the indication means 1 to indicate a warning status of the vehicle; light emission means to switch ON/OFF lights in the warning means 31 to indicate the warning status; and control means to control the indication means 1, the back light, and the light emission means according to an input for vehicle information. When a vehicle status changes from an ordinary status to the warning status based on the vehicle information, the control means controls the light emission means to turn on the lights, and simultaneously to lower an output brightness of the back light.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle instrument having an illumination structure, and is suitable for, for example, a composite instrument that displays various types of vehicle information.

  As a conventional vehicle instrument, there is, for example, Patent Document 1. The vehicle instrument described in this document is composed of a display device such as a speedometer for displaying the operating state of the vehicle, for example, the traveling speed of the vehicle, and a dark-colored translucent composite so as to cover the display board of the display device. A translucent colored member made of resin. Therefore, when the vehicle start switch (ignition switch) is off, the display board of the speedometer is not visible even in a bright daytime use environment, but it is placed behind the display board by operating the start switch. The illuminated light source is turned on, and the indicator portion of the display board that is formed so as to be transmissive is transmitted and illuminated.

JP 2004-257881 A

  However, as the lighting structure of the vehicle instrument described above, there are those provided with a normal display unit such as a speedometer and a tachometer and a warning display unit such as a battery check, a seat belt reminder, an auxiliary restraint device state such as an airbag, etc. If this warning indicator is simply lit / flashed, the steering wheel may not be visible due to the driver's posture and line of sight. Moreover, it may become a blind spot at the time of steering operation, or it may become difficult to see the display of the vehicle instrument due to external light.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle meter that can reduce oversight of warning information by paying attention to the above-described problems.

  The vehicle meter according to the present invention includes a display means for displaying a measured value of a vehicle, an illumination means for illuminating the display means, a warning means for indicating a warning state of the vehicle, and the warning display. Light-emitting means that switches on / off the lighting of the unit to indicate a warning state, and the control means for controlling the display means, the illumination means, and the light-emitting means based on the input of vehicle information, the control means, When the vehicle shifts from a normal state to a warning state based on the vehicle information, the light emitting unit is controlled to be turned on from a light-off state, and the output luminance of the lighting unit is controlled to be dimmed. To do.

  In addition, when the vehicle is in a warning state, the control unit outputs a warning process for outputting the output luminance of the lighting unit at the dimmed luminance and a normal luminance before the warning state is reached. Control is performed such that the normal process is switched periodically.

  The present invention relates to a vehicle instrument having an illumination structure, and can reduce oversight of warning information.

The block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the example of a display of the display panel in embodiment same as the above. The figure which shows the example of an illumination pattern at the time of the low fuel warning in embodiment same as the above.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a vehicle instrument of the present invention is mounted on an automobile will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration according to the present invention. A vehicle meter A includes a display unit 1, a backlight (illuminating unit) 2, a light emitting unit 3, an input unit 4, a control unit 5, and the like. It has. These components are electrically connected via a circuit board, wiring, etc., held in a common case made of synthetic resin, etc., so that the vehicle user can easily check while driving. Provided on the panel.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the display means 1 is a liquid crystal display panel that forms a display image by switching between transmission and non-transmission, and a pointer-type display that indicates an index portion such as a scale or a numerical value by rotation of a motor as a driving source. Although not shown when the vehicle is powered on, such as during normal driving, the measured values such as vehicle speed, engine speed, remaining fuel, accumulated travel distance, outside air temperature, and status values such as gear position are not shown. This is output means for displaying each vehicle information shown based on a control signal from the control means 5.

  The backlight 2 can be a light source such as a light emitting diode and is provided on the opposite side of the display surface of the display means 1. In this case, the backlight 2 can be applied with an LED chip element provided on the circuit board, and is configured so that the output luminance can be changed according to a control signal from the control means 5. Note that the backlight 2 may be an edge light system using a light guide, instead of the transmitted illumination. In addition, it is possible to irradiate the display unit 1 with illumination light from the backlight 2 without any spots by interposing a diffusion plate or the like on the back side of the display unit 1.

  Similarly to the backlight 2, the light emitting means 3 can be applied with a light source using a light emitting diode that can be switched on / off in the light transmission part of the vehicle instrument A by a control signal of the control means 5. In this case, Mounted on a circuit board. The light emitting means 3 illuminates and transmits a warning display section (warning means) 31 formed of a transmissive display section formed on a common display panel with the display means 1.

  The warning display unit 31 is printed so that the shape of the symbol mark can be transmitted by illumination of the light emitting means 3, and a symbol mark indicating a battery check, an engine check, a seat belt reminder, a low fuel warning, and the like is printed. When the light emitting means 3 provided opposite to the symbol mark is turned on, a warning state can be displayed so as to emerge.

  The input means 4 can apply a trip switch for switching and displaying the accumulated travel distance, the section travel distance, or the like, or a dimming switch for setting the illumination brightness of the vehicle meter A including the display means 1. Further, the input means 4 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the pressing operation of the vehicle user to the control means 5.

  The control means 5 is provided with a storage unit such as a ROM or a RAM (not shown) used for storing a predetermined program and various data, a storage area at the time of calculation, a CPU for performing arithmetic processing according to the predetermined program, an input / output interface, and the like. An operation signal from the input means 4 and vehicle information based on various sensors of the vehicle are input via a dedicated communication cable (multiplex communication line), and the display means 1 or A control signal for controlling the backlight 2 and the light emitting means 3 is generated and output. In this case, it is provided so as to be communicable with another ECU (electronic control unit) mounted on the vehicle via the communication cable.

  The control means 5 can determine whether or not the vehicle is in a warning state by using various in-vehicle sensors or vehicle information transmitted from other ECUs. A control signal for prompting the display unit 31 to be lit is output to the light emitting means 3.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the fuel consumed by driving the vehicle, the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is determined based on the liquid level sensor provided in the fuel tank and the fuel consumption information from the fuel injection device. The light emitting means 3 at the corresponding position is turned on so that a low fuel warning is displayed as a warning state when the measurement is performed and the threshold value is less than a preset threshold value (for example, 5 liters).

  Note that the control means 5 has a normal brightness determined based on a set value based on the operation of the illuminance sensor provided separately or the input means 4 and the day / night determination based on the operation state of the headlamps at the normal time when the warning state is not reached. The backlight 2 is driven and controlled so as to be output (normal processing). However, when the warning state such as the low fuel state is reached, the control means outputs a control signal for urging the backlight 2 illuminating the display means 1 with normal luminance to be dimmed to a predetermined luminance. Perform the dimming process.

  In this case, the control means 5 performs control so that the dimming process is performed after a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) after determining that the warning state is reached. Accordingly, the vehicle user can be prompted to check the vehicle instrument A not only at the timing when the warning display unit 31 is turned on but also when the illumination unit changes the display means 1 provided with a time difference. Reduce oversight of information. Note that the predetermined luminance of the backlight 2 during the dimming process is set to a value that allows the vehicle user to visually recognize the display unit 1, and is reduced to, for example, 80% of the normal luminance.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3, when the warning state continues, the control means 5 performs control so that the dimming process and the normal process are repeated periodically. Therefore, by changing the illumination of the display means 1 larger than the area of the warning display unit 3, the vehicle user can see the vehicle meter A, thereby preventing the warning state from being overlooked. Moreover, the troublesomeness by the display change given to a vehicle user can be reduced by setting the switching cycle T of the dimming process and the normal process longer (for example, 60 seconds or more).

  In return from the warning state, the control means 5 controls the backlight 2 so that the dimming state is automatically canceled by refueling or the like and the normal brightness is obtained in the above-described warning state with low fuel. However, it can also be manually released based on the operation of the input means 1 by the vehicle user or the operation of a separately provided steering switch, although the vehicle user has recognized the warning state, It is possible to prevent the lighting from changing. It is also conceivable to display a description of warning contents and necessary operations on the liquid crystal display panel of the display means 1 as a guide.

  Such a vehicle meter includes a display unit 1 for displaying a measured value of the vehicle, a backlight 2 for illuminating the display unit 1, a warning unit 31 for indicating a warning state of the vehicle, A light-emitting means 3 that switches on / off the illumination of the warning display unit 31 to indicate a warning state, and a control means 5 that controls the display means 1, the backlight 2, and the light-emitting means 3 based on the input of vehicle information; Based on the vehicle information, the control means 5 controls the lighting means 3 to be turned on from the extinguished state and the output luminance of the backlight 2 is dimmed when the vehicle shifts from the normal state to the warning state. To do.

  Therefore, by reducing the illumination brightness of the display means 1 having a display area larger than that of the warning display unit 31, it is possible to make the display of the warning display unit 31 stand out and to reduce the oversight of the warning information.

  The control means 5 also outputs a warning process for outputting the output luminance of the backlight 2 at the dimmed luminance when the vehicle is in a warning state, and a normal luminance before the warning state is reached. By performing control so as to periodically switch between the normal processing and the vehicle user, the vehicle user can visually recognize the vehicle instrument A, thereby preventing the warning state from being overlooked. Moreover, when a warning state continues for a long time, it acts as a remind function and is advantageous.

  Although the vehicular instrument of the present invention has been described as an example in the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and other configurations depart from the gist of the present invention. It goes without saying that various improvements and design changes can be made without departing from the scope.

  The vehicle meter according to the present invention can be applied as a meter for a moving body such as an automobile or a motorcycle, and is particularly suitable as a composite meter that displays a plurality of items.

1 Display means 2 Backlight (lighting means)
3 Light emitting means 31 Warning display section 4 Input means 5 Control means A Vehicle meter

Claims (2)

Display means for displaying the measured value of the vehicle;
Illumination means for illuminating the display means;
Apart from the display means, warning means for indicating a warning state of the vehicle;
A light-emitting means for switching on / off the illumination of the warning display unit to indicate a warning state;
Control means for controlling the display means, the illumination means, and the light emitting means based on the input of vehicle information,
The control means controls the light emitting means to be turned on from a light-off state and the output luminance of the lighting means is dimmed when the vehicle shifts from a normal state to a warning state based on the vehicle information. A vehicular instrument characterized by that. The control means, when the vehicle is in a warning state,
The output luminance of the illumination means is
The vehicular instrument according to claim 1, wherein control is performed so as to periodically switch between the warning process for outputting at the dimmed luminance and the normal process for outputting at the normal luminance before reaching the warning state. .

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