Front cabin information display device, vehicle, and information display method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, in particular to a front cabin information display device, a vehicle and an information display method.The device comprises a display module, the display module is composed of a mask assembly and an optical fiber assembly, and light of the optical fiber assembly is reflected to a target position of a front cabin through the mask assembly so that information can be displayed at the target position; the acquisition module is used for acquiring vehicle state data and environment illumination intensity data; the processor module is used for identifying fault information in a front cabin according to the vehicle state data, generating a digital coding signal according to the fault information, determining a brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly according to the environment illumination intensity data, generating a control instruction according to the digital coding signal and the brightness signal, and sending the control instruction to the vehicle. And controlling the display module to display the fault information at the target position by using the control instruction. Therefore, the problems that in the prior art, cabin information can be checked only by opening an engine cover, so that checking convenience is poor, and an LED indicator lamp is limited in view angle and poor in waterproofness are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a front engine compartment information display device, a vehicle, and an information display method. Background Technology In existing automotive electronic systems, vehicle operating status information is primarily conveyed to the driver through the instrument panel, head-up display, or central control screen. While these displays meet the needs for routine information such as vehicle speed, RPM, and navigation during driving, they cannot cover critical parameters inside the engine compartment, such as coolant temperature, oil pressure, and battery voltage. When it is necessary to check the status of systems in the engine compartment, the driver or maintenance personnel usually have to open the hood and use specialized testing equipment or visually inspect mechanical gauges, which is cumbersome and lacks real-time accuracy. Although some models have traditional LED (Light Emitting Diode) indicator lights in the engine compartment for simple status indications, they are prone to aging, failure, or brightness decay in the high-temperature, oily, vibrating, and electromagnetically interference-prone engine compartment environment due to the physical characteristics of LED devices. Furthermore, LED light sources have a narrow viewing angle and insufficient waterproofing, making it difficult to achieve uniform and highly visible information display. Summary of the Invention

[0002] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a front engine compartment information display device. This device can acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data in real time through a data acquisition module, enabling the processor module to identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status and dynamically adjust the display brightness in conjunction with the ambient light data, thereby generating control commands including color, flashing mode, and brightness. These commands drive the fiber optic assembly to emit light, which is then directionally reflected by the mask assembly to the target location in the front engine compartment, realizing the visualization of fault information. Due to the inherent characteristics of fiber optics—high temperature resistance, oil resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, and flexible deployment—combined with an adaptive dimming algorithm, the system can still display information stably, clearly, and without glare in the harsh environment of the engine compartment, significantly improving the efficiency and safety of drivers and maintenance personnel in perceiving vehicle status. Simultaneously, it avoids the reliability problems of traditional LED indicator lights caused by limited viewing angle, poor water resistance, and easy aging.

[0003] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: A front engine compartment information display device includes: a display module comprising a mask assembly and an optical fiber assembly, wherein light from the optical fiber assembly is reflected by the mask assembly to a target position in the front engine compartment to display information at the target position; a data acquisition module for acquiring vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data; and a processor module for identifying fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status data, generating a digital coded signal based on the fault information, determining a brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly based on the ambient light intensity data, generating a control command based on the digital coded signal and the brightness signal, and using the control command to control the display module to display the fault information at the target position.

[0004] Furthermore, the digitally encoded signal includes at least one of the illumination position, flashing frequency, and illumination color of the optical fiber component. Furthermore, the mask assembly includes a light-emitting mask and a reflective interface, wherein the reflective interface is disposed between the light-emitting mask and the optical fiber assembly, and the refractive index of the optical fiber assembly is different from that of the reflective interface.

[0005] Furthermore, the optical fiber assembly includes: a light source, at least one optical fiber, and multiple supports, wherein the light source is connected to the optical fiber, a fixed position is provided on the support, the light source and the optical fiber are disposed at the fixed position, and the multiple supports isolate light from each other.

[0006] Furthermore, it also includes a power supply module, which is connected to the display module, the acquisition module and the processor module respectively, and is used to provide power to the display module, the acquisition module and the processor module.

[0007] Compared with existing technologies, the forward cabin information display device of the present invention has the following advantages: This invention acquires real-time vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data via a data acquisition module. This allows the processor module to identify fault information in the engine compartment based on the vehicle's status and dynamically adjust the display brightness in conjunction with the ambient light data. This generates control commands that include color, flashing mode, and brightness. These commands drive the fiber optic assembly to emit light, which is then directionally reflected by the mask assembly to the target location in the engine compartment, thus visualizing the fault information. Because fiber optics are inherently resistant to high temperatures, oil, and electromagnetic interference, and can be flexibly deployed, combined with an adaptive dimming algorithm, the system can still display information stably, clearly, and without glare even in the harsh environment of the engine compartment. This significantly improves the efficiency and safety of drivers and maintenance personnel in perceiving the vehicle's status, while avoiding the reliability issues of traditional LED indicator lights due to limited viewing angles, poor water resistance, and susceptibility to aging.

[0008] Another objective of this invention is to provide a vehicle equipped with a front engine compartment information display device. This device can acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data in real time via a data acquisition module. The processor module can then identify fault information within the front engine compartment based on the vehicle's status and dynamically adjust the display brightness in conjunction with the ambient light data, thereby generating control commands that include color, flashing mode, and brightness. These commands drive an optical fiber assembly to emit light, which is then directionally reflected by a mask assembly to a target location in the front engine compartment, thus visualizing the fault information. Because optical fibers possess characteristics such as high temperature resistance, oil resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, and flexible deployment, combined with an adaptive dimming algorithm, the system can still display information stably, clearly, and without glare even in the harsh environment of the engine compartment. This significantly improves the efficiency and safety of vehicle status perception for drivers and maintenance personnel, while avoiding the reliability issues of traditional LED indicator lights due to limited viewing angles, poor water resistance, and susceptibility to aging.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: A vehicle includes: a front cabin information display device as described in the above embodiments.

[0010] The vehicle described above has the same advantages over the prior art as the aforementioned front engine compartment information display device, which will not be repeated here.

[0011] Another objective of this invention is to propose an information display method. This method can simultaneously acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data, enabling the system to accurately identify any abnormalities or faults in the engine compartment based on vehicle operating parameters. Based on this, it generates corresponding digital encoded signals to define the color and flashing mode of the displayed content. Simultaneously, it dynamically calculates an appropriate brightness signal based on the ambient light intensity, ensuring clear visibility in strong light and a soft, non-glaring display in low light. The two signals are then fused to generate a unified control command, driving the fiber optic assembly to emit light and guiding the light to the target location in the engine compartment via a mask assembly, achieving intuitive visualization of fault information. Because optical fibers possess characteristics such as high temperature resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, flexible deployment, and uniform light output, combined with an ambient light-adaptive brightness adjustment mechanism, the system can stably, reliably, and with high visibility present critical status information even under harsh engine compartment conditions, significantly improving human-vehicle interaction efficiency, maintenance convenience, and driving safety.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: An information display method is provided, applied to the processor module of the aforementioned front engine compartment information display device, wherein the method includes the following steps: acquiring vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data; identifying fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status data; generating a digital coded signal based on the fault information; determining a brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly based on the ambient light intensity data; generating a control command based on the digital coded signal and the brightness signal; and using the control command to control the display module to display the fault information at a target location.

[0013] Further, generating a digital coded signal based on the fault information includes: determining the fault level corresponding to at least one fault in the fault information according to a pre-set abnormal threshold; arbitrating a final fault level according to the fault level corresponding to at least one fault based on priority; and generating a digital coded signal based on the final fault level.

[0014] Further, generating a digital coded signal based on the final fault level includes: obtaining a first mapping table, wherein the first mapping table is a mapping table between the fault level corresponding to the fault information and the digital coded signal; querying the first mapping table using the final fault level as an index to generate a corresponding digital coded signal, wherein the digital coded signal includes at least one of the lighting position, flashing frequency, and lighting color of the optical fiber component.

[0015] Further, determining the brightness signal of the optical fiber component based on the ambient light intensity data includes: obtaining a second mapping table, wherein the second mapping table is a mapping table between ambient light intensity data and the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation signal; querying the second mapping table using the ambient light intensity data as an index to determine the corresponding pulse width modulation signal duty cycle; and determining the brightness signal of the optical fiber component based on the pulse width modulation signal duty cycle.

[0016] The information display method described above has the same advantages over the prior art as the aforementioned forward cabin information display device, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 A block diagram of the front cabin information display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A block diagram of the forward cabin information display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the forward cabin information display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A side view of the forward cabin information display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 A simulation example diagram of the front cabin information display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A flowchart of an information display method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: front cabin information display device 10, display module 100, acquisition module 200, processor module 300, mask assembly 101, light-emitting mask 1011, reflective interface 1012, fiber optic assembly 102, light source 1021, fiber optic cable 1022, and support bracket 1023. Detailed Implementation

[0019] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a front cabin information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the front cabin information display device 10 includes: a display module 100, a data acquisition module 200, and a processor module 300.

[0023] The display module 100 consists of a mask assembly 101 and an optical fiber assembly 102. The light from the optical fiber assembly 102 is reflected by the mask assembly 101 to the target position in the front engine compartment to display information at the target position. The acquisition module 200 is used to acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data. The processor module 300 is used to identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status data, generate digital coded signals based on the fault information, determine the brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly based on the ambient light intensity data, generate control commands based on the digital coded signals and the brightness signals, and use the control commands to control the display module to display fault information at the target position.

[0024] It is understood that, in this embodiment of the invention, the acquisition module can acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data in real time, enabling the processor module to accurately identify fault information in the engine compartment based on vehicle operating parameters. Based on this, it generates a digital encoding signal containing at least one of the following: illumination position, flashing frequency, and illumination color, to differentiate different fault levels or categories. Simultaneously, the processor module dynamically calculates an appropriate brightness signal based on the ambient light intensity data, ensuring good visibility of the displayed content under various lighting conditions. Subsequently, the digital encoding signal and brightness signal are fused to generate control commands, driving the fiber optic component to emit light as needed. The light is then directionally reflected by the mask component to the target location in the engine compartment, achieving an intuitive and visual presentation of the fault information. Due to the advantages of the fiber optic component—anti-electromagnetic interference, high temperature resistance, oil resistance, low power consumption, and flexible deployment—combined with adaptive brightness adjustment and multi-dimensional encoding display strategies, the system can stably, clearly, and reliably transmit critical status information in the complex and harsh environment of the engine compartment, significantly improving the perception efficiency and response speed of vehicle faults for drivers and maintenance personnel.

[0025] It should be noted that the target location of the front engine compartment can be the area inside the hood near the windshield, the edge of the front engine compartment trim cover or water channel, the reserved display area near the cooling module or electronic control unit, the area corresponding to the front logo or the back of the grille, or near the maintenance and inspection point. It can be set according to needs and is not specifically limited.

[0026] The data acquisition module 100 uses an ambient light sensor to monitor the ambient light intensity around the front engine compartment in real time. Using various sensors, such as a coolant temperature sensor, an oil pressure sensor, and a battery voltage detection module, it sends raw signals to the corresponding ECU (Electronic Control Unit), such as the engine control unit or the body control module. After processing the data, the ECU encapsulates the relevant information into standard data frames according to the CAN (Controller Area Network) bus protocol and broadcasts them to the CAN bus. The system connects to the vehicle's CAN bus through a data interface to obtain vehicle status data.

[0027] The processor module 300 is responsible for processing all input information, executing logical judgments, and outputting control commands. It continuously receives data from the CAN bus and the ambient light sensor. The internal program (firmware) analyzes and makes decisions on this data in real time based on preset algorithms (e.g., flashing red if engine temperature > 120°C), and controls the color, brightness, and flashing frequency of the LED light source according to the decision results to convey specific information or warnings. When acquiring data from the ambient light sensor, it dynamically adjusts the PWM duty cycle (brightness) output to the LEDs. For example: at night: automatically reducing brightness to avoid excessive glare that could affect the driver's nighttime visibility or cause light pollution. During strong sunlight: automatically adjusting the brightness to the maximum to ensure that the displayed information remains clearly visible even in strong sunlight. This greatly improves the system's intelligence, user experience (no manual adjustment required), and energy efficiency (automatically reducing power consumption when high brightness is not needed).

[0028] In some embodiments of the present invention, the digitally encoded signal includes at least one of the illumination position, flashing frequency, and illumination color of the optical fiber component 102.

[0029] It is understood that the digital encoding signal in the embodiments of the present invention includes at least one of the illumination position, flashing frequency, and illumination color of the optical fiber component, enabling the system to flexibly combine multiple visual elements according to the fault level and realize differentiated expression of information; by controlling the illumination of optical fiber segments at different positions, the fault area can be accurately indicated; by adjusting the flashing frequency, the degree of urgency can be distinguished; and by color change, the nature of the status can be intuitively conveyed. The three elements, individually or in combination, significantly enhance the recognizability and semantic richness of the displayed content, enabling drivers or maintenance personnel to quickly and accurately understand the vehicle status in complex environments, thereby improving interaction efficiency and safety.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the mask assembly 101 includes a light-emitting mask 1011 and a reflective interface 1012, wherein the reflective interface 1012 is disposed between the light-emitting mask 1011 and the fiber optic assembly 102, and the refractive index of the fiber optic assembly 102 is different from that of the reflective interface 1012.

[0031] It is understood that in this embodiment of the invention, the reflective interface of the mask assembly is located between the light-emitting mask and the fiber optic assembly. Due to the difference in refractive index between the fiber optic assembly and the reflective interface, light can be effectively reflected based on optical principles when it is transmitted through the fiber optic to the reflective interface, thereby guiding the light to the light-emitting mask and finally displaying it from the target position in the front cabin. This design utilizes the difference in refractive index between different materials to achieve directional reflection of light, avoiding unnecessary light loss, ensuring the clarity and brightness of the displayed information, simplifying the system structure, reducing the need for additional optical components, and improving the stability and reliability of the system. In particular, it can maintain excellent display effects even in harsh environments such as high temperature and vibration.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the fiber optic assembly 102 includes: a light source 1021, at least one optical fiber 1022, and multiple supports 1023. The light source 1021 is connected to the optical fiber 1022, and fixed positions are provided on the supports 1023. The light source 1021 and the optical fiber 1022 are set in fixed positions, and the multiple supports 1023 isolate light from each other.

[0033] It is understood that in this embodiment of the invention, the optical fiber assembly ensures high optical coupling efficiency and good assembly consistency by precisely positioning the light source and optical fiber at fixed positions on the bracket. At the same time, the optical isolation between the brackets effectively prevents crosstalk interference between different optical fiber channels, ensuring the independence and accuracy of the displayed information. This modular design not only improves the mechanical stability of the system in the high-temperature vibration environment of the engine compartment, but also facilitates manufacturing, maintenance and replacement, thereby achieving a high-reliability, high-contrast and non-interfering multi-area information display effect.

[0034] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the display module 200 consists of a mask assembly 101 and an optical fiber assembly 102. Light from the optical fiber assembly 102 is reflected by the mask assembly 101 to a target location in the forward engine compartment to display information at that location. The mask assembly 101 consists of a light-emitting mask 1011 and a reflective interface 1012. The light-emitting mask 1011 is a transparent component directly facing the outside, typically made of high-transmittance, weather-resistant optical-grade plastics such as PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate, i.e., acrylic) or PC (polycarbonate). Its function is to protect the internal structure while efficiently transmitting light to ensure clear visibility of the displayed content. The reflective interface 1012 can be a screen-printed layer, referring to a light-blocking or semi-transparent pattern layer (similar to ink printing) formed on the inside of the light-emitting mask or in a specific area using methods such as screen printing. This layer defines the shape, text, or icon outlines of the display area. For example, light can be transmitted only to the engine lettering, while the rest of the area is blocked, thus achieving customized graphic display.

[0035] In the fiber optic assembly 102, the light source 1021 is a red, green, and blue tunable LED light source, which can be mixed to produce multiple colors to express different state information. The optical fiber 1022 is usually a plastic optical fiber (such as PMMA fiber), which is used to guide the light emitted by the light source from one end to the desired display path, and the light is uniformly emitted through side microstructure treatment (such as etched or frosted) to form a continuous light band or pattern.

[0036] The bracket 1023 can be a light-blocking bracket used to fix optical fibers and light sources, and to provide optical isolation between multiple optical fiber channels to prevent crosstalk between different areas and ensure that the boundaries of the displayed pattern are clear and do not interfere with each other.

[0037] It should be noted that the optical fiber 1022 in the optical fiber assembly 102 can be tightly fitted to the complex curved inner surface of the front hood, the water channel, or any confined space required by the design, and bent into various brand logos, warning messages, or decorative patterns to achieve a highly customized aesthetic effect. It has the inherent advantages of high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and electromagnetic interference resistance. Even in the harsh environment of the engine compartment with high temperature, oil stains, and strong electromagnetic interference, it can work stably and will not age or fail as easily as ordinary wires or LED light strips.

[0038] Light source 1021 is responsible for generating and emitting light of various colors required by the system. The light source required to provide the fiber optic strip can be a monochrome or RGB (red, green, blue) LED, the latter of which can display multiple colors, which greatly increases the distinguishability and expressive dimension of information (e.g., green = normal, yellow = warning, red = danger, blue = low temperature), etc., without specific limitations.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the front cabin information display device 10 further includes a power module.

[0040] The power supply unit is connected to the display module, the acquisition module, and the processor module respectively, and is used to provide power to the display module, the acquisition module, and the processor module.

[0041] It is understood that in this embodiment of the invention, the power supply module is connected to the display module, the acquisition module, and the processor module respectively, providing stable operating power. Through centralized power supply design, the power supply module converts the vehicle voltage into the appropriate voltage level required by each functional module, ensuring that the light source drive of the display module, the sensor sampling of the acquisition module, and the data processing of the processor module can all operate under clean and stable power conditions. This structure avoids signal misjudgment or display abnormalities caused by fluctuations in vehicle power or noise interference, and improves the electromagnetic compatibility and operational reliability of the entire system. At the same time, unified power management simplifies the wiring structure and enhances the long-term operational stability of the system in the high temperature, high humidity, and strong electromagnetic interference environment of the engine compartment, thereby ensuring that fault information can be continuously, accurately, and timely collected, processed, and visualized.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, the front engine compartment information display device 10 uses a data interface to convert digital signals in the ECU into differential signals conforming to the CAN bus standard (when transmitting), and to convert differential signals on the bus into digital signals that the ECU can understand (when receiving). This physically isolates sensitive controller circuits from noisy vehicle power networks, provides electromagnetic interference and overvoltage protection capabilities, and ensures the stability and reliability of communication.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the front engine compartment information display device acquires vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data in real time through a data acquisition module. This enables the processor module to identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status and dynamically adjust the display brightness in conjunction with the ambient light data, thereby generating control commands that include color, flashing mode, and brightness. These commands drive the fiber optic assembly to emit light, which is then directionally reflected by the mask assembly to the target location in the front engine compartment, thus visualizing the fault information. Because fiber optics possess characteristics such as high temperature resistance, oil resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, and flexible deployment, combined with an adaptive dimming algorithm, the system can still display information stably, clearly, and without glare even in the harsh environment of the engine compartment. This significantly improves the efficiency and safety of drivers and maintenance personnel in perceiving the vehicle status, while avoiding the reliability issues of traditional LED indicator lights due to limited viewing angles, poor water resistance, and easy aging.

[0044] The following will combine Figure 2 The forward cabin information display device of this application is described in detail below: Step 1, Information Collection Vehicles are equipped with various data acquisition components, including sensors such as temperature, pressure, speed sensors, and ambient light sensors. The analog or digital signals measured by these sensors are first sent to the relevant electronic control units, such as the engine ECU and body ECU. The ECUs will package the data they are responsible for (such as engine temperature, oil pressure, and battery charge) into standard data frames according to the rules of the CAN 2.0B protocol, and then broadcast them to the vehicle's CAN bus periodically or as needed. Each data frame has a unique identifier (ID) indicating its content type and priority.

[0045] The program (firmware) in the processor module filters data frames it's interested in according to preset rules. For example, it only processes the engine temperature frame with ID 0x316, then parses the physical value represented by specific bytes in the data frame. For instance, by parsing two bytes of data, it calculates the current engine temperature as 95°C. Simultaneously, the ambient light sensor continuously sends the digital value of the current ambient light intensity to the microcontroller via the I²C bus. The processor module can obtain accurate illuminance values ​​through simple register read operations.

[0046] The core of this stage is communication and decoding, which utilizes the vehicle's mature CAN bus network and dedicated interface chips to reliably acquire information scattered throughout the vehicle.

[0047] Step 2, Information Processing and Conversion The processor module converts the collected raw data (such as binary numbers representing temperature) into meaningful engineering values ​​(such as 95°C). The program then compares these engineering values ​​with preset thresholds and logical rules.

[0048] Status assessment: If the engine temperature is >120°C, it indicates that the vehicle is in a very dangerous state. If the engine temperature is >100°C and <120°C, it indicates that the vehicle needs to issue a warning. Otherwise, the vehicle is in a normal state.

[0049] Priority arbitration: When the system detects multiple faults occurring simultaneously, it will arbitrate according to preset priority rules, with dangerous states having higher priority than warning states, thus ensuring that the most urgent information is displayed first. The processor maps the final determined state type to the corresponding display instructions, including color and flashing mode. Dangerous states correspond to red and are presented in a fast flashing mode, warning states correspond to yellow and are presented in a slow flashing mode, and normal states correspond to green and remain constantly lit.

[0050] Brightness Adaptive Calculation: The system acquires the ambient light intensity in real time through an ambient light sensor. The microcontroller reads this value and dynamically calculates the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal based on a preset algorithm, thereby adjusting the brightness of the fiber optic components. For example, when the ambient light is strong, the duty cycle is increased to a higher level, such as PWM duty cycle = 100%, to enhance display brightness and ensure clear visibility of information. When the ambient light is dim, the duty cycle is reduced, such as PWM duty cycle = 30%, to reduce brightness and avoid glare.

[0051] Based on the above, the processor module will convert all decision results (color, mode, brightness) into specific hardware control signals. The processor module will output a string of digitally encoded signals that strictly follow a specific timing sequence to the display module through the IO port. This string of codes contains the color and brightness information of all LEDs.

[0052] The core of this stage is decision-making and coding, which uses software algorithms to convert raw vehicle data into precise instructions for display by the drive hardware.

[0053] Step 3, Information Display The display module receives the digital coded signal sent by the processor module. The control chip integrated inside the display module analyzes this signal and precisely drives the three internal red, green, and blue semiconductor chips to emit light. By changing the current of each chip (which is essentially adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM value sent by the processor module), the intensity of the three colors of light can be steplessly adjusted. The three colors of light are mixed within the LED package, and finally, the desired specific color of light is emitted from a point light source (for example, when the red light is the brightest and the green and blue lights are off, pure red light is obtained).

[0054] Light emitted from the light source is precisely coupled (aligned) to the end face of the PMMA plastic optical fiber. After entering the fiber, because the refractive index of the fiber core is greater than that of the coating, total internal reflection occurs when the light strikes the core-coating interface at an angle greater than the critical angle. The light undergoes countless total internal reflections inside the fiber, much like a ping-pong ball in a pipe, efficiently transmitting from one end to the other.

[0055] To achieve uniform strip-shaped light emission, the fiber optic surface undergoes special treatment (such as micro-engraving and side grinding), allowing some light energy to escape from the sides during this process, forming a uniform, bright, and continuous light band or character pattern. Ultimately, in specific locations within the engine compartment, the driver and maintenance personnel can see clear information outlined by the fiber optics, displaying specific colors, brightness, and flickering patterns, such as... Figure 5 As shown, this allows for a direct understanding of the vehicle's status.

[0056] The core of this stage is photoelectric conversion and conduction, which utilizes the principles of semiconductor light emission and total internal reflection of optical fibers to ultimately transform electronic commands into visualized optical information.

[0057] Step 4, Driver / Maintenance Personnel Response By checking the fiber optic information display in the engine compartment, drivers can quickly understand the vehicle's status or promptly identify potential problems. For example, when the vehicle is warming up, resting, or even charging (for new energy vehicles), the driver only needs to glance at the engine compartment (through the windshield or with the hood slightly open) to obtain crucial information without starting the vehicle or checking the central control screen. For instance, seeing a soft yellow glow from the fiber optic strip indicates that the engine temperature is slightly high, potentially preventing aggressive driving in the future; if a red flashing light is seen, it immediately indicates a serious problem (such as coolant leakage causing overheating), thus preventing further driving and more severe mechanical damage. This represents a shift from post-fault warnings to pre-fault alerts.

[0058] For quick maintenance and basic checks, mechanics can quickly assess multiple conditions without the need for specialized equipment: a green light indicates everything is normal, while a yellow light suggests certain components (such as the battery) may require attention but do not need immediate replacement. This allows service teams to handle more vehicles faster, especially in large fleets or quick-service shops, resulting in significant economic benefits.

[0059] In summary, this invention utilizes the high-temperature resistance, oil corrosion resistance, and electromagnetic interference immunity of optical fiber materials to effectively overcome the problem of traditional LEDs aging and failing easily in the high-temperature, high-humidity, and strong electromagnetic environment of the engine compartment. By analyzing CAN bus data and combining it with a threshold judgment algorithm, multi-level early warning of vehicle status is achieved, which can identify potential faults 10 to 15 minutes in advance. At the same time, an ambient light sensor and a PWM dimming algorithm are introduced to dynamically adjust the display brightness, enhancing visibility under strong sunlight and avoiding glare interference at night. Furthermore, by combining the optical fiber light guide structure and software control logic, an intelligent information display system is constructed in the engine compartment area, realizing an intuitive, real-time, and interactive presentation of the vehicle's operating status.

[0060] Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a vehicle equipped with the front engine compartment information display device described above. Because of this device, the vehicle can acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data in real time through a data acquisition module. This allows the processor module to identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status and dynamically adjust the display brightness in conjunction with the ambient light data, thereby generating control commands including color, flashing mode, and brightness. These commands drive the fiber optic assembly to emit light, which is then directionally reflected by the mask assembly to the target location in the front engine compartment, thus visualizing the fault information. Since optical fibers themselves possess characteristics such as high temperature resistance, oil resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, and flexible deployment, combined with an adaptive dimming algorithm, the system can still display information stably, clearly, and without glare even in the harsh environment of the engine compartment. This significantly improves the efficiency and safety of drivers and maintenance personnel in perceiving the vehicle's status, while avoiding the reliability issues of traditional LED indicator lights due to limited viewing angles, poor water resistance, and easy aging.

[0061] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an information display method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] like Figure 6 As shown, the information display method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to the processor module of the aforementioned forward cabin information display device, wherein the method includes the following steps: Step S101: Obtain vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data.

[0063] It is understood that the embodiments of the present invention can acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data to facilitate subsequent identification of fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status data, generation of digital coded signals based on the fault information, and determination of the brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly based on the ambient light intensity data.

[0064] It should be noted that vehicle status data refers to real-time information reflecting the vehicle's operating status or the working parameters of key subsystems, especially fault information in the front engine compartment. This information usually comes from onboard sensors and electronic control units, including but not limited to: engine coolant temperature, oil pressure or level, battery voltage or charging status, engine speed or load status, diagnostic fault codes (DTCs) or warning flags, and battery pack temperature, insulation status, and charging status for new energy vehicles, without specific limitations.

[0065] Ambient light intensity data refers to the visible light level of the environment around the front engine compartment of the vehicle, which is collected in real time by an ambient light sensor installed near the device, for example: at night or in a garage (light intensity below 100 Lux), cloudy or overcast weather (approximately 1000 to 10000 Lux), and direct sunlight at noon on a sunny day (up to 60000 Lux or more), without specific limitations.

[0066] Step S102: Identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on vehicle status data, generate digital coded signals based on fault information, and determine the brightness signal of the fiber optic assembly based on ambient light intensity data.

[0067] It is understood that the embodiments of the present invention can identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on vehicle status data, and then generate corresponding digital encoding signals to define the color, flashing frequency and illuminated area of ​​the displayed content. At the same time, the brightness signal of the fiber optic component is dynamically determined based on ambient light intensity data, so that the display effect is clearly visible under strong light and soft and non-glaring under low light, thereby realizing intuitive, accurate and adaptive visualization of fault information.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present invention, generating a digital coded signal based on fault information includes: determining the fault level corresponding to at least one fault in the fault information based on a pre-set abnormal threshold; arbitrating the final fault level according to priority based on the fault level corresponding to at least one fault; and generating a digital coded signal based on the final fault level.

[0069] It is understood that, according to the embodiments of the present invention, various anomalies in the fault information can be evaluated based on a pre-set anomaly threshold to determine the fault level corresponding to each fault. Then, when multiple faults exist simultaneously, arbitration is performed according to a preset priority rule to select the highest level as the final fault level, and a corresponding digital code signal is generated accordingly. This mechanism ensures that only the most critical status information is displayed in complex multi-fault scenarios, avoiding information overload or confusion, enabling drivers or maintenance personnel to quickly focus on the most urgent issues, and significantly improving the accuracy, logic, and human-computer interaction efficiency of fault prompts.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, the final fault level is arbitrated according to the fault level corresponding to at least one fault, including: if different levels of faults occur, the highest level of fault level is used as the final fault level; if multiple fault levels of the same highest level exist, the fault type that poses the most direct threat to driving safety or may cause mechanical damage is used as the final display basis.

[0071] Specifically, the device of this invention continuously acquires multiple status parameters related to the front engine compartment from the vehicle's CAN bus, such as coolant temperature, oil pressure, battery voltage, and fault flags issued by the engine control unit. After these data are sent to the processor module, they are first compared with pre-set multi-level anomaly thresholds. For example, if the coolant temperature is above 120°C, it is determined to be at a dangerous level; if it is between 100°C and 120°C, it is determined to be at a warning level; and below 100°C is considered normal. Similarly, an oil pressure below 0.8 bar may correspond to a warning, and below 0.5 bar is upgraded to a dangerous level.

[0072] When multiple faults exist simultaneously (e.g., coolant temperature 125°C and oil pressure 0.4 bar), the system will identify two fault levels of varying severity. If faults of different severity levels occur (e.g., one severity level and one warning level), the system will arbitrate according to preset priority rules, typically with severity level having the highest priority, followed by warning level, and normal level having the lowest. The arbitration mechanism ensures that regardless of the number of simultaneous anomalies, only one comprehensive fault level representing the most severe situation will be output. If multiple fault levels with the same highest severity level exist, the fault type that poses the most direct threat to driving safety or may cause mechanical damage will be used as the final display criterion.

[0073] After determining the final fault level, the system queries the first mapping table stored internally. This table was configured during the product design phase and clearly records the display command combination corresponding to each fault level. For example: the danger level corresponds to a red light, flashing rapidly (e.g., flashing 3 times per second), illuminating the fiber optic segment located in the central area inside the hood; the warning level corresponds to a yellow light, flashing slowly (e.g., flashing once per second), illuminating the fiber optic path near the coolant reservoir indicator; and the normal level corresponds to a green light, constantly lit, outlining the brand logo.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, generating a digital coded signal based on the final fault level includes: obtaining a first mapping table, wherein the first mapping table is a mapping table between the fault level corresponding to the fault information and the digital coded signal; querying the first mapping table using the final fault level as an index to generate the corresponding digital coded signal, wherein the digital coded signal includes at least one of the lighting position, flashing frequency and lighting color of the optical fiber component.

[0075] It is understood that embodiments of the present invention can obtain a pre-configured first mapping table, which establishes a correspondence between fault levels and digital coded signals, and use the final fault level obtained through arbitration as an index to query the mapping table, thereby generating a digital coded signal containing at least one of the following: the position of the optical fiber component being lit, the flashing frequency, and the lighting color. This method accurately transforms the abstract fault level into an optical instruction with clear visual semantics, ensuring that faults of different severity have clearly distinguishable differences in display form, improving the intuitiveness and consistency of information transmission, while simplifying the control logic and enhancing the maintainability and scalability of the system.

[0076] Specifically, during the initialization phase or firmware flashing, the system stores the first mapping table in the non-volatile memory of the processor module. This table defines, in a structured form, the explicit correspondence between different fault levels and their corresponding display behaviors.

[0077] For example, when the fault level is Level 1 (dangerous), the mapping entry specifies that the illumination position is the fiber optic segment in the central area inside the hood (corresponding to a specific fiber optic channel number), the illumination color is red (RGB value is 255,0,0), and the flashing frequency is 3 times per second. When the fault level is Level 2 (Warning), the mapping entry specifies that the illumination position is the ring fiber optic path near the coolant reservoir mark, the illumination color is yellow (RGB value is 255,255,0), and the flashing frequency is once per second. When the fault level is Level 3 (normal), the mapping entry specifies that the illuminated position is the complete fiber optic loop of the brand logo outline in the front cabin, the illuminated color is green (RGB value is 0,255,0), and the flashing frequency is 0 (i.e., always on), without any specific limitations.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present invention, determining the brightness signal of the optical fiber component based on ambient light intensity data includes: obtaining a second mapping table, wherein the second mapping table is a mapping table between ambient light intensity data and the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation signal; querying the second mapping table using the ambient light intensity data as an index to determine the corresponding pulse width modulation signal duty cycle; and determining the brightness signal of the optical fiber component based on the pulse width modulation signal duty cycle.

[0079] It is understood that, in embodiments of the present invention, a pre-configured second mapping table can be obtained, which establishes a correspondence between ambient light intensity data and the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation signal. The mapping table is queried using real-time collected ambient light intensity data as an index to determine the matching duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, and then the brightness signal of the fiber optic component is generated accordingly. This method achieves precise and adaptive brightness adjustment, ensuring that the display is bright enough to maintain visibility in strong light environments and automatically reducing brightness in low light environments to avoid glare interference, effectively improving information readability and visual comfort, while also taking into account energy efficiency and light source lifespan.

[0080] Specifically, this invention pre-constructs a second mapping table and stores it in the processor module's memory. This table establishes a correspondence between ambient light intensity and the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, enabling adaptive brightness adjustment.

[0081] For example, when the ambient light intensity is 0 to 100 Lux (such as at night or in an underground parking garage), the corresponding PWM duty cycle is 30%, which makes the fiber optic components emit soft light to avoid glare to the driver; When the ambient light intensity is between 1,000 and 10,000 Lux (such as on a cloudy or overcast day), the corresponding PWM duty cycle is 60%, providing moderate display brightness; When the ambient light intensity exceeds 50,000 Lux (such as strong direct sunlight at noon), the corresponding PWM duty cycle is 100% to maximize the brightness of the optical fiber and ensure that information remains clearly visible under strong light, without any specific limitation.

[0082] Step S103: Generate control instructions based on digital encoding signals and brightness signals, and use the control instructions to control the display module to display fault information at the target position.

[0083] It is understood that the embodiments of the present invention can fuse digital coded signals and brightness signals to generate unified control commands. These commands precisely coordinate the lighting position, color, flashing frequency, and luminous intensity of the fiber optic components, and drive the display module to present visual information matching the fault level at the target position in the front engine compartment. By synchronously controlling the display content and the ambient adaptive brightness, the fault indication is ensured to be clearly distinguishable and without visual interference under various lighting conditions, thereby achieving efficient, intuitive, and reliable vehicle status interaction.

[0084] According to the information display method of this invention, by synchronously acquiring vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data, the system can accurately identify whether there are abnormalities or faults in the engine compartment based on vehicle operating parameters, and generate corresponding digital encoding signals to define the color and flashing mode of the displayed content. Simultaneously, it dynamically calculates an appropriate brightness signal based on the ambient light intensity to ensure that the display effect is clearly visible under strong light and soft and non-glaring under low light. The two signals are fused to generate a unified control command, driving the fiber optic assembly to emit light and guiding the light to the target position in the engine compartment through the mask assembly, achieving intuitive visualization of fault information. Because optical fibers possess characteristics such as high temperature resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, flexible deployment, and uniform light output, combined with an ambient light-adaptive brightness adjustment mechanism, the system can still stably, reliably, and with high visibility present key status information even under harsh engine compartment conditions, significantly improving human-vehicle interaction efficiency, maintenance convenience, and driving safety.

[0085] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A forward cabin information display device, characterized in that, include: The display module consists of a mask assembly and an optical fiber assembly. The light from the optical fiber assembly is reflected by the mask assembly to a target position in the forward cabin to display information at the target position. The data acquisition module is used to collect vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data. The processor module is used to identify fault information in the front engine compartment based on the vehicle status data, generate a digital coded signal based on the fault information, determine the brightness signal of the fiber optic component based on the ambient light intensity data, generate control commands based on the digital coded signal and the brightness signal, and use the control commands to control the display module to display the fault information at the target location.

2. The forward cabin information display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The digitally encoded signal includes at least one of the following: the illumination position of the optical fiber component, the flashing frequency, and the illumination color.

3. The forward cabin information display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mask assembly includes a light-emitting mask and a reflective interface, wherein the reflective interface is disposed between the light-emitting mask and the optical fiber assembly, and the refractive index of the optical fiber assembly is different from that of the reflective interface.

4. The forward cabin information display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical fiber assembly includes: a light source, at least one optical fiber, and multiple supports, wherein the light source is connected to the optical fiber, a fixed position is provided on the support, the light source and the optical fiber are disposed at the fixed position, and the multiple supports isolate light from each other.

5. The forward cabin information display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A power supply module, wherein the power supply component is connected to the display module, the acquisition module and the processor module respectively, and is used to provide power to the display module, the acquisition module and the processor module.

6. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The forward cabin information display device as described in any one of claims 1-5.

7. An information display method, characterized in that, The method is applied to the processor module of the forward cabin information display device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the method includes the following steps: Acquire vehicle status data and ambient light intensity data; Based on the vehicle status data, fault information in the front engine compartment is identified, a digital coded signal is generated based on the fault information, and the brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly is determined based on the ambient light intensity data. Control commands are generated based on the digital encoded signal and the brightness signal, and the control commands are used to control the display module to display the fault information at the target position.

8. The information display method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of generating a digital coded signal based on the fault information includes: The fault level corresponding to at least one fault in the fault information is determined based on a pre-set abnormal threshold. The final fault level is determined by arbitration based on the fault level corresponding to at least one fault, according to priority. A digitally encoded signal is generated based on the final fault level.

9. The information display method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of generating a digitally encoded signal based on the final fault level includes: Obtain a first mapping table, wherein the first mapping table is a mapping table between the fault level corresponding to the fault information and the digital coded signal; Using the final fault level as an index, the first mapping table is queried to generate a corresponding digital encoding signal, wherein the digital encoding signal includes at least one of the lighting position, flashing frequency and lighting color of the optical fiber component.

10. The information display method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Determining the brightness signal of the optical fiber component based on the ambient light intensity data includes: Obtain the second mapping table, wherein the second mapping table is a mapping table between ambient light intensity data and the duty cycle of pulse width modulation signal; Using the ambient light intensity data as an index, the second mapping table is queried to determine the corresponding pulse width modulation signal duty cycle; The brightness signal of the optical fiber assembly is determined based on the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal.

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