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WO2008108844A1 - Système d'affichage de véhicule dynamique - Google Patents

Système d'affichage de véhicule dynamique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008108844A1
WO2008108844A1 PCT/US2007/063129 US2007063129W WO2008108844A1 WO 2008108844 A1 WO2008108844 A1 WO 2008108844A1 US 2007063129 W US2007063129 W US 2007063129W WO 2008108844 A1 WO2008108844 A1 WO 2008108844A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
display
vehicle
display system
characteristic
addressable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2007/063129
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Richard C. Cope
John W. Wilson, Jr.
Adrian Kitai
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nanolumens Acquisition Inc
Original Assignee
Nanolumens Acquisition Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nanolumens Acquisition Inc filed Critical Nanolumens Acquisition Inc
Priority to PCT/US2007/063129 priority Critical patent/WO2008108844A1/fr
Publication of WO2008108844A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008108844A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/10—Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/21—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
    • B60K35/213—Virtual instruments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/21—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
    • B60K35/215—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/21—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
    • B60K35/22—Display screens
    • B60K35/223—Flexible displays
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/29—Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/60—Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/65—Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
    • B60K35/654—Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive the user being the driver
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K37/00—Dashboards
    • B60K37/10—Arrangements for attaching the dashboard to the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K37/00—Dashboards
    • B60K37/20—Dashboard panels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/151—Instrument output devices for configurable output
    • B60K2360/1515—Reconfigurable dials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/18—Information management
    • B60K2360/186—Displaying information according to relevancy
    • B60K2360/1868—Displaying information according to relevancy according to driving situations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/20—Optical features of instruments
    • B60K2360/33—Illumination features
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/50—Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to vehicle display systems and instrument panels, and more particularly, to a vehicle display system that is customizable and dynamic, and easily adaptable for installation in a variety of vehicles and to a variety of vehicle surfaces
  • FIG 1 shows a prior art automobile instrument panel 100 that includes a speedometer 102, tachometer 104, temperature gauge 106, gear indicator 108, fuel gauge 110, pressure gauge 112, voltmeter 114, and odometer 116
  • These gauges are traditionally mechanical devices having housings 118 mounted in receiving slots 120 of a base panel 122
  • the gauge housings 118 are inserted into the base panel 122 through the receiving slots 120 so that each gauge is provided in a fixed location of the instrument panel 100
  • a tachometer gauge 104 is shown in a fixed location at a right portion of the instrument panel 100 in a first receiving slot 120A and a speedometer gauge 102
  • a further disadvantage of prior art instrument panels is the limited display characteristics
  • the mechanical gauges employed in the prior art instrument panel 100 of FIG 1 are fixed in location, shape, size, and color
  • the prior art base panel 122 has partitions 140 located between the gauges which decreases the available area that may be used for display purposes This fixed arrangement of prior art gauges often results in unused space
  • portions of the instrument panel may be reserved for optional gauges which some users may elect not to purchase These reserved areas are then left blank, taking up space in the instrument panel that could otherwise be used for displays ⁇ 006]
  • addressable displays such as Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)
  • prior art addressable displays have several drawbacks which have limited their use in vehicles First, addressable displays tend to be expensive, and many are of insufficient quality or brightness for use as an instrument panel In addition, addressable displays, such as LCDs, tend to be
  • Both the display and the substrate are transparent so that when the display is not activated an operator can see the surface of the vehicle to which the display and the rigid substrate are attached. Tubidis has the disadvantage of using an additional rigid substrate for mounting the display on a vehicle surface.
  • Another challenge facing vehicle instrument panel designers and manufacturers is providing an increasing amount of available data to a vehicle operator in an efficient and user-friendly way in the limited space of a vehicle. For example, automobiles are now provided with tire pressure monitoring systems, hybrid power systems, telecommunications equipment, and other systems and equipment that were not available just a few years ago. It would be desirable to provide this information to an operator in an easily viewable manner, such as in an area near the operator's line of sight when operating the vehicle.
  • Controllable Color Lighting in a Vehicle Instrument Cluster discloses a user controllable lighting system for a vehicle instrument cluster that includes a selection apparatus to select a color scheme for individual gauge area components, an illumination apparatus to illuminate the individual gauge area components in accordance with selections made by the selection apparatus, and control apparatus connected to the selection apparatus and to the illumination apparatus to receive the selections made by the selection apparatus and to furnish instructions to the illumination apparatus [014] While fit for their intended purposes, these prior art displays generally only offer customization of the color or brightness of the gauges They do not address other display characteristics such as the size, shape, or location of the gauges or the instrument panel itself Thus, what is needed is an instrument panel that is customizable by a vehicle operator fO15] Another disadvantage of the prior art instrument panel is its inability to change display characteristics dynamically in response to an event such as the vehicle's operation As mentioned above, the gauges of the prior art instrument pane!
  • That patent discloses an intelligent Sighting device that can receive signals and change illumination conditions, such as the hue, saturation, and brightness, as a result of the received signals It discloses illuminating the dashboard of a vehicle with an LED device with color changing ability that may change colors as the result of an input (Coi 20 lines 56-67) For example, a green LED and a red LED may be provided to a gauge that could display a different color depending on the engine speed
  • the Lys device teaches changing the color and perhaps brightness of light associated with a gauge, it does not teach or disclose changing other characteristics of an instrument panel such as changing the size, location, shape, and the additional attributes of a gauge [017] What is needed is an instrument panel than can be easily incorporated into a vehicle and modified for use in a plurality of different vehicle designs What is also needed is a vehicle instrument panel that can be easily updated or modified by a manufacturer or retailer of the instrument panel or vehicle What is also needed is a vehicle instrument panel that is customizable by a
  • the present invention provides a vehicle display system that is easily adaptable for installation tn a variety of vehicles
  • the vehicle display of the present invention includes a flexible display that can be easily coupled to a variety of vehicle surfaces including planar and non-planar surfaces
  • the present invention also provides a customizable vehicle display system that may include one or more addressable display panels, in which the characteristics of the displayed images are customizable by a user
  • the dynamic display system is provided with a plurality of operational modes which can be selected by a user
  • the various operational modes can be stored in a display module and retrieved for use by a user
  • the present invention also provides a dynamic vehicle display system which can automatically change attributes of the displayed images in accordance with predetermined rules
  • rules for changing the characteristics of a display are developed so that when a specified parameter is met characteristics of the display are changed
  • the characteristics are changed based upon the operation of the vehicle or in response to the occurrence of a particular event
  • the vehicle display system takes the form of an instrument panel having a flexible and addressable display panel that is adapted to provide images of one or more vehicle gauges
  • the flexible display may be shaped to conform to a non-planar or curved surface of a vehicle dashboard and thus is easily adapted for installation on a wide variety of vehicles without the constraints of the prior art rigid panel and mechanical gauge systems
  • the instrument panel may further comprise a display module that is coupled to the flexible addressable display and adapted to receive data signals from a vehicle or an external source and provide control signals to the addressable display to generate a desired gauge image
  • the flexible display may be an addressable electroluminescent display having row and column drivers for illuminating various pixels to generate a desired image
  • the characteristics of the images displayed by the instrument panel can be easily updated or modified by changing the control signals sent to the display
  • the display module may be provided with a variety of operational modes which may be selected by a user This allows the instrument panel to be customized for a particular vehicle or a particular market in which the instrument panel will be
  • the vehicle display system of the present invention may comprise one or more display panels of various sizes and shapes.
  • a single display panel is provided which is adapted to provide images of a plurality of gauges thereon and to serve as a vehicle instrument panel.
  • the potential viewing area of the instrument panel is increased as partitions between the gauges are eliminated.
  • a plurality of addressable and flexible display panels may be provided.
  • the flexibility and addressability of the display panels allows the display panels to be provided in a variety of different locations of the vehicle including non-planar and curved surfaces.
  • the display panels may be used in areas of the vehicle other than the main instrument panel, such as by way of example and not limitation, in a headrest, sun visor, rear view mirror, side mirror, seat back, body panels, etc.
  • the vehicle display system may form an instrument panel having one or more display panels extending along the base of the windshield across the width of the vehicle interior, such as from a driver's side window to a passenger's side window in an automobile [026]
  • a user-customizable instrument panel is provided in one exemplary embodiment, the customizable instrument panel comprises an addressable display adapted to provide an image of one or more gauges, a user input device adapted to receive instructions from a user, and a display module adapted to receive input from the user input device and generate a desired image on the addressable display in response to the user input
  • An exemplary method of the invention comprises receiving an input from a user and changing the characteristics of an instrument panel in response to the user input The characteristics that may be changed include, by way of example and not limitation, the size, color, brightness, shape, and arrangement of displayed images
  • a dynamic instrument panel is provided that is adapted to change the characteristics of one or more gauges of the instrument panel in response to the occurrence of an event, such as an event related to the operation of a vehicle or input from an external device
  • the dynamic instrument panel comprises an addressable display and a display module adapted to receive data from the vehicle and effect a change in a display characteristic in response to the data signal
  • An exemplary method of the invention comprises receiving a data signal from a vehicle, determining from the data signai whether to change a characteristic of the display, and, if so, modifying a characteristic of the display.
  • the display system establishes communication with an external device such as a digital music player, video player, telecommunications device, etc. and displays data associated with the external device.
  • the display system comprises an interface for interfacing with an externa! device, a display module adapted to receive data from the external device, and a display coupled to the display module adapted to display images associated with the external device.
  • FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art automobile instrument panel
  • FIG 2A shows a perspective view of an instrument panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention
  • FlG 2B shows an enlarged view of the instrument pane! of FlG
  • FiG 2C shows a side view of the pixel of FIG 2B
  • FIGS 3A-3C show exemplary embodiments of flexible displays that may be used in conjunction with the present invention
  • FIG 4 shows an exemplary method of the invention
  • FlG 5 shows a block diagram of a vehicle display system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention
  • FIG 6 shows an image provided by an instrument panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention
  • FIG 7 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method of the invention
  • FIG 8 shows a block diagram of a customizable instrument panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention
  • FIGS 9A-9E show arrangements of gauges of a vehicle display system in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention
  • FIG 10 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method of the invention [041]
  • FIG 11 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method of the invention [042]
  • FiGS. 12A-12B show images of a speedometer provided by an instrument panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 13 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method of the invention.
  • FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of a customizable instrument panel system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • FiG. 15 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method of the invention.
  • FIG. 16 shows an instrument panel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 17 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention empioying a plurality of display paneis.
  • FIG. 2A shows an exemplary embodiment of an improved instrument panel 200 comprising a display 202.
  • the display 202 is preferably addressable and adapted to display images, such as images representing the gauges of a vehicle.
  • the display 202 may include a plurality of addressable pixels 240 (FlG. 2B) which can be manipulated to generate a desired image.
  • the display 202 is adapted to display images related to vehicle status, operation and performance, such as images of a tachometer 204, speedometer, 206, gear indicator 208, fuel indicator 210, etc., which define vehicle gauges.
  • the arrangement of these gauges is similar to that of the prior art instrument panel 100 shown in FIG. 1 but the display 202 could include other gauges.
  • gauges may be provided that display information associated with other variables, such as data associated with ambient conditions, location, heading, etc. or information associated with other devices, such as telecommunications devices, audio devices, video devices, etc.
  • an instrument panel 200 incorporating the flexible display 202 may be adapted to conform to the non-planar surface 246 of a vehicle, such as a surface of a dashboard 244.
  • the addressable display As shown in cross section in FlG. 2C, the addressable display
  • the 202 may be in the form of a flexible electroluminescent display that generally comprises a first electrode layer 262, a first dielectric layer 264, a phosphor layer 266, a second dielectric layer 268, a second electrode layer 270, and a flexible substrate 272.
  • the first 262 and second 270 electrode layers may be arranged in orthogonal columns and rows respectively to form a matrix- addressed array.
  • the cross over of the first 262 and second 270 electrodes defines an addressable pixel 240 which may be driven to emit light having the required characteristics to generate a desired image.
  • a drive unit 502 (FIG. 5) may be provided to supply the appropriate voltages so that the phosphor layer 266 generates light in a desired color and pattern.
  • the pixels 240 may include a variety of different phosphors that may be arranged to form an emissive color display and additional charge injection layers may be added.
  • the flexible display panel 202 may be in the form of a Sphere Supported Thin Film Electroluminescent (SSTFEL) device 300 as shown in FiG. 3A and described in WlPO Publication No. WO 2005/024951 entitled "Sphere Supported Thin Film Phosphor EL Devices", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
  • SSTFEL Thin Film Electroluminescent
  • the SSTFEL device 300 may comprise: a flexible, electrically insulated substrate 272 having opposed surfaces 306; 308; an array of generally spherical dielectric particles 304 embedded in the flexible, electrically insulated substrate 272 with each of the spherical dielectric particles 304 having a first portion protruding through one of the opposed surfaces 306 and a second portion protruding through the other of said opposed surfaces 308; an electroluminescent phosphor layer 266 deposited on the first portion of each spherical dielectric particles 304; a continuous electrically conductive, substantially transparent electrode layer 270 located on the top surfaces of the electroluminescent phosphor layer 266 and areas of the flexible electrically insulating substrate 272 located between the top surfaces of the electroluminescent phosphor layer 266; and a continuous electrically conductive electrode layer 262 coated on the second portion of the spherical dielectric particles 304 and areas of the flexible, electrically insulated substrate 272 located between the second portions of the spherical dielectric
  • a phosphor layer 266 is deposited onto the top surface of BaTiC> 3 spheres 304.
  • a thin SrTi ⁇ 3 layer (not shown) may be deposited onto the phosphor layer 266 for effective charge injection into the phosphor layer 266.
  • the BaTiO 3 spheres 304 may be embedded within the polymer layer 272 with the top and bottom areas of the BaTiO 3 spheres 304 exposed.
  • the top area of the BaTiO 3 spheres 304 and the surrounding polymer 272 may be coated with a transparent electrically conducting electrode 270, such as ITO; the bottom area of the BaTiOs spheres 304 and surrounding polymer 272 may be coated with another electrically conducting electrode 262, which may be opaque.
  • any EL phosphor material may be used including, but not limited to, metal oxide or sulfide based EL materials.
  • the sulfide phosphor may be any one of ZnS;Mn or BaAIaS 4 Eu, or BaAI 4 S 7 : Eu.
  • the oxide phosphors may preferably be any one of Zn2sSiOo .5 Geo .5 Gy.Mn, Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn, or Ga2 ⁇ 3 :Eu andCaAl 2 O 4 :Eu.
  • a flexible display 330 may be in the form of a nixel-based device as shown in FIGS. 3B-C and disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 11/526,661 entitled "EL Apparatus and Display Incorporating Same" which is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
  • a nixei 350 is an individually sized and shaped EL apparatus that may be used to form an EL display.
  • Nixels 350 may be manufactured independently and combined with other nixels 350 to form a pixel, a subpixel or a plurality of pixels or subpixels for a display. Nixels can be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit a variety of display applications. As shown in FIG.
  • a nixei of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a ceramic substrate 340, a first charge injection layer 342 on an upper surface of the ceramic substrate 340, a phosphor layer 266 on top of the first charge injection layer 342, a second charge injection layer 344 on top of the phosphor layer 266, an upper electrode 270 on the upper surface of the second charge injection layer 344 and a lower electrode 262 on the lower surface of the ceramic substrate 340.
  • a plurality of nixels 350 can be attached to a flexible substrate 272 by various means such as by a conductive adhesive and the nixels electrically coupled to provide row and column electrodes and form a flexible EL display.
  • FIG. 4 shows an exemplary method 400 of incorporating an instrument panel 200 into a vehicle.
  • an addressable and flexible display panel 202 is provided.
  • the flexible display panel 202 is manipulated to a desired shape for installation at a surface of a vehicle.
  • the display panel 202 may be flexed to conform to a non-planar surface 244 of a receiving area 250 of a vehicle dashboard 244, At block
  • the display panel 202 is installed in the vehicle.
  • the display panel 202 may be installed in a dashboard receiving area using various means such as using fasteners, acihesives, mounting brackets, etc.
  • the flexibility and robustness of the display panel 202 allows it to be directly attached to a variety of different vehicle surfaces including planar and non- planar surfaces to which it can conform.
  • the instrument panel may also be coupled to the electronic system of the vehicle as discussed in more detail below.
  • the flexibility and thinness of the display panel allows for a variety of different installation surfaces and removes the need for large base panels and generally planar surfaces in the vehicle.
  • the display panel may also be incorporated into other areas of a vehicle.
  • FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle display system 500 in accordance with the present invention that includes an addressable display panel 202 and a drive unit 502.
  • the drive unit 502 is adapted to provide appropriate signals to the display panel 202 so that a desired image is generated on the display panel 202
  • the drive unit is a voltage driver adapted for use with a SSTFEL display that provides appropriate drive voltages to the display
  • the image generated by the display panel 202 may be a representation of one or more gauges associated with a vehicle, such as a tachometer, speedometer, gear indicator, etc , as discussed above, or other images as discussed in more detail below [059J
  • the drive unit 502 may include a processor and drive circuitry (not shown) coupled to the row 262 and column electrodes 272 of the display panel 202 (FIG 3) Elements commonly provided in displays such as a power source are not shown so as to not obscure novel aspects of the invention
  • the drive unit 502 is adapted to control the light emitted from
  • the vehicle display system 500 may also include a display module 504 that is coupled to the drive unit 502 and the electronic system 506 of a vehicle
  • the display module 504 is adapted to receive data from the vehicle's electronic system 506 and generate control signals to the drive unit 502 to generate an appropriate image on the display pane!
  • the display module 504 may be hardware, software, and/or firmware In the exemplary embodiment shown m FIG 5, the display module 504 comprises a processor 510 coupled to a memory 512 [061]
  • the processor 510 may be adapted to receive data signals from the vehicle's electronic system 506 and generate corresponding control signals to the drive unit 502
  • the memory 512 may store the necessary programs to operate the processor 510 As discussed in more detail below, a variety of display schemes or modes may be stored in memory 512 These display schemes may be retrieved and used by the processor 510 to govern the characteristics of the images displayed in accordance with the particular operational mode The different modes may be selected by a user or automatically based upon predetermined criteria such as the occurrence of a particular event during operation of the vehicle
  • the memory 512 may be read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) or some other type memory as the design requires
  • the vehicle electronics system 506 may include a variety of controllers that monitor the vehicle, send and receive related data, and perform various actions
  • controllers may include sensors, monitors, processors and other components known in the art that monitor the vehicle and send related data signals
  • the vehicle electronic system 506 includes an engine control unit (ECU) 542 which monitors the vehicle's engine, a transmission controller 544 that monitors the vehicle's transmission, an anti-lock brake/traction control
  • ABS/TC ABS/TC module 546 that monitors braking and traction variables
  • FM fault module
  • controllers may send and receive data over a data bus 520
  • the ABS/TC controller 546 may detect slippage of a wheel and send data along the data bus 520 that may be retrieved by the ECU 542, which may adjust fuel injection, ignition timing, or other engine parameters, and/or the transmission controller 544 which may change the power applied to a particular wheel
  • an interface unit 514 may also be provided that is adapted to interface with the vehicle display system 500
  • the interface unit 514 may receive data signals from the electronic system controllers in a first format and provide this data to the display module 504 in a second format compatible with the display module 504
  • the display module 504 may thus be coupled to the interface unit 514 and receive appropriate data signals that provide information regarding the vehicle's operation
  • the interface unit 514 may be a processor that receives data signals from vehicle sensors and provides thts data to the vehicle display system 500 in a readable form
  • the interface unit 514 may receive data from sensors 518 as to the operation of the vehicle, such as, by way of example and not limitation, the revolutions of the engine, the pressure in the vehicle's tires, the amount of fuel and oxygen being provided to the engine, the gear the transmission is in, etc
  • other devices not shown in the figures may supply information to the interface unit 514 through the communications bus 520
  • the interface unit 514 may include a variety of electronic components such as analog to digital converters, etc known in the art that allow the interface unit 514 to receive data from the vehicle's sensors and monitoring systems and provide this data in a readable form to the display module 504
  • the interface unit 514 may be adapted to provide this data to the display module 504 via a data signal.
  • the interface unit 514 may receive data from the transmission controller 544 regarding the present revolutions of the engine.
  • the interface module 514 can then format this data into a data signal that is understandable by the display module 504 and send the data signal to the display module 504.
  • the interface module 514 may send a data signal having a header identifying the parameter the data relates to and a body that indicates the parameter's value.
  • the display module 504 is adapted to receive the data signal from the interface module 514 and generate an associated control signal.
  • the control signal may be sent to the drive unit 502 which generates drive signals to generate a desired image on the display panel 202 in response to the control signal.
  • the processor 510 may be adapted to receive a data signal from the interface module 514 and generate a desired control signal that can be understood by the drive unit 502.
  • the drive unit 502 may then send appropriate drive signals to generate the voltages required to cause pixels in the display panel 202 to emit light and generate a desired image.
  • the particular control signal sent by the display module 504 may depend upon the current operational mode of the display module 504.
  • the memory 512 may be provided with a variety of different schemes for generating control signals to provide different images on the display 202.
  • the control signal may change one or more characteristics of the display. For example, if the data signal from the interface unit 514 indicates that the vehicle is operating at 1 ,000 rpm. then the display module 504 may receive and process the data signal and send a control signal to the drive unit 502 instructing the drive unit 502 to manipulate the display panel 202 to generate an image of a tachometer indicating 1000 rpm as shown in FIG.
  • the display module 504 may also be adapted to change other characteristics of the display image in accordance with the operation of the vehicle or the occurrence of a particular event For example, if the data signal indicates that the rpms are beyond a predetermined threshold, a different image may be displayed, such as an enlarged tachometer shown in red color
  • FIG. 7 shows an exemplary method 700 of the invention for displaying images of an instrument panel.
  • a data signal is received.
  • a data signal sent from an interface unit 514 of a vehicle or from another source may be received by a display module 504
  • the characteristics of the display to be generated is determined
  • the processor 510 determines what image is to be displayed on the display panel.
  • a plurality of different modes or schemes can be stored in memory and the characteristics of the desired image to be displayed may vary depending upon which scheme or mode is employed
  • the data signal may include data that triggers a change in the scheme or mode used by the processor in determining the characteristics of the desired image
  • a control signal is generated in accordance with those desired characteristics
  • the processor 510 of the display module 504 may have received and decoded a data signal indicating the speed of the vehicle and the desired image is of a speedometer indicating that speed A corresponding control signal indicating these parameters is sent to a drive unit 502
  • a drive signal may be generated in response to the control signal and the drive signal and sent to the display pane!
  • the drive unit 502 may receive control signals from the display module 504 and generate corresponding drive signals that are sent to the display panel 202 to generate a desired image on the display panel 202 [072]
  • a desired image is generated on the display panel in response to the drive signals
  • the driver circuitry may provide voltages to the display panel 202 so that the appropriate pixels are illuminated in the display panel 202 to generate the desired image [073]
  • the addressable vehicle instrument panel of the present invention allows for the display characteristics of the instrument pane! to be easily modified by providing different operational modes that are adapted to generate images having different characteristics.
  • some display characteristics that can be modified include the size, orientation, location, color, brightness, scale, and shape of the gauges.
  • the methods and apparatus of the invention allow a manufacturer to customize display attributes of the instrument panel to the particular vehicle in which it will be installed.
  • a vehicle display system of the present invention may be programmed to display images based upon the particular market in which the vehicle will be sold, such as selecting between a first mode that displays speeds in miles per hour and a second mode that displays speeds in kilometers per hour.
  • Various other modes may be selected depending upon what options and features are available on a vehicle. This customizability allows the instrument panel to be used in a wide variety of vehicles that may be provided with various optional gauges.
  • a user customizable vehicle display system in the form of a vehicle instrument panel.
  • Figure 8 shows a user customizable block diagram 800 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes an addressable display panel 202, a drive unit 502, a display module 504, and a user input device 802.
  • the display panel 202, drive unit 502, and display module 504 have been discussed above in connection with FlG. 4 and will not be discussed in detail again here.
  • the display 202 is preferably addressable so that the characteristics of the images shown on the instrument panel 202 can be customized by changing the control and drive signals sent to the display panel 202.
  • a user input device 802 is provided to receive input from a user, such as the selection of a preferred operational mode of the display module 504 so that a desired gauge arrangement is provided on the display pane! 202.
  • the user input device 802 is in the form of a mode selector switch 804 coupled to the display module 504.
  • Other input devices known in the art may be used such as a scroll wheel, keypad, voice activation system, etc.
  • the user input device 802 allows a user to select between various pre-programmed operational modes that provide different display characteristics.
  • a mode selector switch 804 may be provided which aliows a user to select from a list of modes, such as sport, highway, economy and normal mode for an automobile. The selection of different modes results in the display of images having different characteristics.
  • Figures 9A-9E show examples of the different images generated by various operation modes of the instrument panel 900.
  • the instrument panel 900 may be capable of providing images of a variety of gauges such as a speedometer 920, tachometer 922, headlight indicator 924, oil pressure gauge 926, fuel gauge 928, temperature gauge 930, voltmeter 932, turn signal indicator 934, cruise control indicator 936, fuel economy indicator 938, and a navigation indicator 940 among others.
  • gauges may change, and gauges may be added or removed, depending upon the particular mode in which the instrument panel is operating. For example, in a default mode a display panel 900 may display image 902 as shown in FIG. 9A with the gauges in a default size and location.
  • the display panel 900 may display image 904 shown in FIG. 98 which has an enlarged tachometer 922, In a highway mode shown in FlG. 9C the displayed image 906 may have an enlarged cruise control gauge 936 and an enlarged portion of the speedometer 920 in the range of typical highway speeds.
  • the display panel 900 In an economy mode (FlG. 9D) the display panel 900 may generate an enlarged image 908 of a fuel economy indicator 938 and a fuel gauge 928.
  • a trip mode FfG. 9E
  • the display panel 900 may generate an image 910 that more conspicuously displays a navigation system 940 and a range indicator 942.
  • the different operational modes may be stored in memory 512 of the display module 504 as various instruction sets that may be used by the processor 510 of the display module 504 to generate appropriate control signals.
  • the display module 504 is adapted to receive a user selection signa! from the user input device 802 indicating a desired operational mode. For example, if a user moves the switch 804 of the switch selector 802 to highway mode, then a signal is sent to the display module 504 indicating that highway mode has been selected.
  • the processor 510 retrieves the associated instruction set for the selected mode from memory 512 and proceeds to process data signals and generate control signals in accordance with the selected mode.
  • the generated display will look similar to FlG 9C, whereas if the economy mode is selected, the generated display may look like FIG 9D
  • FIG 10 shows an exemplary method 1000 of the invention
  • a user input is received This input may be provided by a variety of means
  • a user selects a mode on the mode selector device 802 so that a selection signal is sent to the display module 504
  • the operational mode is updated to the mode selected by the user
  • the processor 510 of the display module 504 may retrieve the instructions associated with the selected mode from memory 512 and generate an updated control signal to the drive unit 502
  • the display generates images in accordance with the selected operational mode [0811
  • the user may create a personalized mode that can be activated when the user operates the vehicle For example, an operator may be prompted to enter his or her preferences on an input device, such as desired colors, brightness levels, gauges, etc This mode could then be saved in memory and associated with the operator For example, the user could be assigned a user identification which could be associated with his selected
  • the display module 504 may check to see if a selection signal has been received If no selection signal is detected then the instrument panel may operate in a default mode at block 1106 or the mode employed when the vehicle was last operated If a user selection signal is received, then a determination is made at block 1108 as to what mode was selected and at block 1 1 10 the selected mode is activated
  • a processor 510 of a display module 504 may retrieve instructions associated with the selected mode from memory 512 and generate control signals in accordance with the instructions that are sent to the drive unit 502 The drive unit 502 may then generate appropriate drive voltages to produce a display image in accordance with the selected mode
  • biock 11 12 the system operates in the seiected mode until a different mode is selected [085J
  • the characteristics of the images displayed on the display panel may be changed automatically if certain criteria are met For example, a particular operational mode may be selected or a characteristic of a displayed image may be changed in response to the occurrence of a particular event
  • the characteristics of the displayed image may change in response to an action by a user For example, if a user turns on the cruise control of an automobile, then a cruise control gauge may be enlarged and re-located on the display panel while other gauges are relocated or resized
  • tf a user operates a navigation system a navigation gauge may be displayed on the display panel
  • Other triggering events may also be used such as events associated with the performance of the vehicle For example, if the rpms of the vehicle exceed a predetermined value, then the coior and size of the tachometer may be changed, tf a vehicle is low on fuel the displayed image of the fuel gauge may be enlarged and relocated to the center of the instrument panel If the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed, then the speedometer may
  • the instrument panel of the present invention as shown in FIG 12B can be adapted to recognize that a user is traveling at a low rate of speed for more than a predetermined amount of time, and in response, enlarge the speedometer indicia 1212 on the speedometer 1202 in proximtty to the vehicle's speed as shown in FIG 12B, which allows a user to more accurately determine vehicle speed
  • FIG 13 shows an exemplary method 1300 for providing a dynamic display
  • a data signal is received and decoded These data signals may be received from a variety of sources, such as from a vehicle electronic system 506 as shown m FIG 5
  • the data signals may be received by a display module 504 that may include various devices, such as codecs, filters, analog to digital converters, processors, etc , to decode and process the received signal
  • a determination is made whether the data retrieved from the data signal meets predetermined criteria For example, a plurality of different vehicle performance variables may be assigned triggering criteria so that when a measured value meets specified criteria it triggers an adjustment to the display characteristics
  • the necessary parameter(s) is met then the characteristics of the image displayed on the display panel are updated at block 1306
  • the vehicle may be continuously monitored and the characteristics of the displayed images dynamically updated This feature allows the instrument panel to intelligently provide data to the limited space available in the instrument panel by resizing and relocating different gauges dynamically
  • a gauge that is rarely used may be provided in an inconspicuous portion of the display in small size most of the time
  • characteristics of that gauge can be changed such as the location, color, size, and shape of the gauge
  • the gauge may be flashed or otherwise modified
  • a tire pressure gauge may be shown off center of the display in a small size when the tire pressure is within an acceptable range and then increased in size and moved to the center of the instrument panel if the tire pressure falls out of an acceptable range
  • the system may be programmed to identify when a user leaves a turn signal on for an extended period of time and accordingly enlarge, change the color or brightness, or otherwise change the characteristics of the turn signal indicator on the display panel to alert the operator
  • data signals are received from a navigation system to determine the location of the vehicle Characteristics of the display panel may then be changed in response to the vehicle location For example, if the location is determined to be in the United States, then the speedometer may indicate speeds in miles per hour, whereas if the location is determined to be in Canada, then the speedometer may indicate speeds in kilometers per hour Likewise, if it is determined that the vehicle is on a particular road having a particular speed limit, then the characteristics of the speedometer may be changed to indicate the speed limit
  • a vehicle display system 1400 may include one or more interfaces 1402 adapted to interface with one or more external devices 1404
  • a display module 504 may be adapted to receive input signals from an external device 1404 and provide control signals to display images on the display panel 202 This a ⁇ ows the external device 1404 to send data through the interface 1402 to the display module 504
  • Two-way communication between the display system and the external device may also be established
  • a diagnostic device such as a vehicle computer code reader may be coupled to the display module 504 to show vehicle diagnostic information on the display panel 202
  • the interface 1402 is preferably adapted to establish communications with a variety of external device devices 1404
  • the display system 1400 may be provided wtth a universal se ⁇ al bus (USB) interface port and adapted to exchange data in accordance with the USB protocol
  • Other wired ports and interfaces such as FireWireTM, and wireless interfaces, such as IR, RF, ZtgBeeTM and BluetoothTM may also be provided
  • the display module 504 may be provided with various instructions and rules for governing the use of the external devices 1404 For example, when the display panel 202 is provided as part of an instrument panel, various rules and priorities may be established for determining what is shown on the display panel 202 For example, to prevent distraction of the operator while operating a vehicle, rules may be established which require that the vehicle be in a predetermined state, such as in park, before allowing
  • the display system operates in a first mode, which may be a default mode or some other mode, which provides images on a display panel according to particular rules
  • the display system determines whether there is an external device
  • the external device may be physically connected to an interface using a connector or may be coupled in some other way such as by RF or IR Presence activation systems may be used where telecommunication signals are sent from the external device to the display system to alert the display system of the presence of the external device
  • the external device is identified
  • the external device may be identified through a handshaking process of the communication protocol used such as the USB protocol
  • the communication protocol used such as the USB protocol
  • a video player is connected to the interface 1406, then a signal including information identifying the external device as a video player is received at the display system 1400 If a presence activation systems is used as discussed above then an identification signal may be sent identifying the device [097]
  • a determination is made whether the necessary criteria is met for displaying data associated with the external device on the display system
  • one criterion for displaying data associated with a video device may be that the transmission is in park
  • a variety of different rules may be used depending upon the external device and may include a variety of conditions such as the status of the vehicle or other factors
  • the display system continues to operate in its present mode and a determination is made at block 1510 whether the external device is still coupled to the display system If the device is still coupled, then another check is made whether the criteria for the external device is met
  • the display system operates in an external device mode in which it receives data from the external device at block 1514 and displays images associated with the external device on the display panel 202 at block 1516
  • FIG 16 shows an exemplary embodiment of an instrument panel in which one or more flexible displays 1602 extend along the base of a vehicle windshield 1604 across the width of the vehicle interior, such as from the driver's side window to the passenger's side window in an automobile This configuration may be achieved by lowering the dashboard 1606 so that the base of the windshield 1604 ts visible and placing an addressable and flexible instrument panel along the bottom portion of the windshield This raises the viewing level of the instrument panel to be more in line with viewing level of the path Gauges of importance to the driver, such as speed
  • a display system of the present invention may incorporate a plurality of display panels which may be provided at a variety of locations of a vehicle As shown in FIG 16, display panels may be provided throughout the vehicle such as in a visor, head rest, seat back, side mirror, door panel, etc as shown in FIG 16 [0103]
  • Figure 17 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle display system 1700 of the invention comprising a plurality of vehicle display subsystems 1702A-N Each display subsystem may comprise a display module 504, a drive unit 502, and a display panel 202, as discussed above, and be adapted to generate images on a display panel [0104]
  • the display modules 504 of a particular display subsystems 1702 may be coupled to an interface unit 514 of a vehicle (FiG. 5) and/or another data source to receive data signals and
  • a first display subsystem 1702A is coupled to an interface unit 514 of a vehicle and a plurality of cameras 1706A-C.
  • the cameras 1706A-C may be coupled to a data bus 520 of the vehicle and/or to one or more display modules 504,
  • the cameras 1706A-C may send data signals associated with images captured by the camera to a display module 504A either over the data bus 520 and through the vehicle interface 514 or directly to the display module 504A through a display interface 1402.
  • the cameras 1706A-C may be mounted at various locations of the vehicles to capture images of desired areas, such as various areas, commonly referred to as "blind spots", which are difficult for an operator to see.
  • cameras may be mounted on a vehicle's side mirrors to provide images of the areas to the side of the vehicle, at the rear of the vehicle to provide images of the area behind the vehicle, on the front of the vehicle to provide images of the area in front of the vehicle, on top of the vehicle, etc.
  • Cameras 1706A-C may also be provided with additional sensing technology such as infrared, night vision, rangefinders, etc. to provide additional data signals.
  • the display subsystems 1702A-N may thus be coupled to a variety of different data sources, such as the cameras 1706A-C, and be adapted to select a particular data source from which to receive a data signal and generate a desired image on the display.
  • a display module 504A may operate in a default mode and provide images using data signals from a first data source and upon the occurrence of a triggering event change modes to receive data signals from a second data source to provide a different image
  • a subsystem may generate images, such as a map, using data signals from a navigation device 1720 If an operator activates a ieft turn signal then the display module 504A may then switch modes to receive data signals from a side mirror camera 1706A and generate images on the display panel of the blind spot on the d ⁇ ver's side
  • the display module 504A may switch modes to receive data from a passenger side mounted camera 1706B to generate images of the passenger side blind spot
  • the display module may switch modes to rece/ve data from a rear mounted camera 1706C and generate images of an area behind the vehicle
  • the display modules may be provided with a variety of different schemes for changing modes and switching data
  • the vehicle interface 514 may provide data signals to the display modules 504A-N to indicate the occurrence of these triggering events It is also contemplated that the vehicles electronic system may be adapted to activate and deactivate particular devices upon the occurrence of such triggering events such as activating and deactivating various cameras 1706A-C
  • display panels 202A-D may be located throughout the vehicle, both instde and exterior of the vehicle cabin
  • a first display 202A may be located on a side mirror 1602
  • a second display 202B may be located on a sun visor 1604
  • a third display 202C may be located on a dashboard 1606
  • a fourth display 202D may be located on a head rest 1608
  • a fifth display 202E may be located on a rearview mirror 1610
  • a sixth display 202F may be located on a seatback 1612
  • a seventh display may be located at a rear window 1614 of the vehicle
  • what is displayed on these display panels 202A-E at any particular time may be determined by the various schemes stored in the various display modules 202
  • the display module 202B located in the sun visor 1604 may be deactivated when the visor 1604 is in a stowed position and activated to show an image

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
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  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Instrument Panels (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'affichage de véhicule dynamique et personnalisable qui peut comprendre un panneau d'affichage souple et adressable (202) qui peut se conformer à une surface de véhicule non plane (246), ou être fixé sur celle-ci. Un module d'affichage (504) peut recevoir des signaux de données provenant d'un véhicule, et envoyer un signal de contrôle pour générer des images souhaitées sur l'affichage adressable (202). L'affichage peut fonctionner dans une pluralité de modes, et peut commuter entre des modes lors de l'apparition d'un événement particulier. Le dispositif d'entrée d'utilisateur (802) peut être fourni pour personnaliser les caractéristiques des images affichées, et le module d'affichage (134) peut être programmé pour modifier de manière dynamique des caractéristiques d'images en réponse à l'apparition d'événements particuliers.
PCT/US2007/063129 2007-03-02 2007-03-02 Système d'affichage de véhicule dynamique Ceased WO2008108844A1 (fr)

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