Information display system, information display method, computer program, and work vehicle

Abstract

To improve the convenience of an operator with information displayed on a meter panel of a work vehicle.SOLUTION: An information display system for a work vehicle includes a meter panel unit that has a digital display and a control device that controls the operation of the meter panel unit. The work vehicle is equipped with a DPF and a sensor used to detect the accumulation quantity of PM (particulate matter) in the DPF. The control device calculates the PM accumulation quantity in the DPF on the basis of an output signal from the sensor, calculates a change amount in the PM accumulation quantity in a predetermined period in which the work vehicle operates, and calculates the time until the PM accumulation quantity reaches a predetermined accumulation quantity from the current accumulation quantity on the basis of the calculated PM accumulation quantity and the change amount. The control device displays the calculated time on the digital display.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information display system, an information display method, a computer program, and a work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As next-generation agriculture, research and development of smart agriculture using ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things) has been promoted. Research and development for the automation and unmanned operation of work vehicles such as tractors used in fields has also been advanced. For example, work vehicles that travel with automatic steering using a positioning system such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) capable of precise positioning have been put into practical use.

[0003] In front of the driver's seat of an agricultural work vehicle such as a tractor, a meter panel unit is provided to display the traveling speed, the load state of the engine, and the states of each part of the work vehicle and notify the driver (operator).

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a meter unit for a general passenger car.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] On the meter panel installed in agricultural machinery such as tractors, it is required to accurately notify the operator of various information regarding the vehicle during travel or operation. Also, since such agricultural machinery performs various operations outdoors, it is necessary to display more information compared to ordinary passenger cars. When agricultural machinery is used for smart agriculture, it becomes necessary to display even more information. However, as the amount of information displayed on the meter panel increases, visibility decreases, making it difficult for the driver to acquire the necessary information.

[0007] Moreover, the increasing demands placed on such a meter panel are the same not only for agricultural machinery but also for construction machinery used in construction sites. Hereinafter, mobile agricultural machinery and construction machinery will be collectively referred to as "work vehicles".

[0008] It is required to improve the convenience of the operator based on the information displayed on the meter panel of the work vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0009] The present disclosure provides the solution means described in the following items.

[0010] [Item 1] An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising: A meter panel unit having a digital display; A control device for controlling the operation of the meter panel unit; The work vehicle is provided with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used for detecting the deposition amount of PM (Particulate Matter) in the DPF. The control device: Calculates the PM deposition amount in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor; Calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period when the work vehicle operates; Calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period when the work vehicle operates; Based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount, calculate the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount, An information display system that causes the digital display to display the calculated time.

[0011] When DPF regeneration is required during the operation of the work vehicle, the work content will be changed or the work will be interrupted. In addition, when the timing of DPF regeneration is unknown, there is a problem that it is difficult to make a work plan.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount, and causes the digital display of the meter panel unit to display that time. The user can easily predict the timing of DPF regeneration by looking at the meter panel unit, and it becomes easier to make a work plan.

[0013] In addition, the user can adjust the timing of DPF parking regeneration by looking at the time displayed on the meter panel unit and performing automatic regeneration of the DPF earlier.

[0014] [Item 2] The information display system according to item 1, wherein the predetermined deposition amount is a deposition amount at which execution of DPF regeneration is recommended or a deposition amount at which execution of DPF regeneration is necessary.

[0015] [Item 3] The information display system according to item 1 or 2, further comprising a storage device that stores information indicating the predetermined deposition amount and information indicating the calculated PM deposition amount.

[0016] [Item 4] The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined period is a period from a first predetermined time before the present to the present.

[0017] [Item 5] The information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined period is a period between a first point in time and a second point in time in the past.

[0018] [Item 6] The information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein the control device causes the digital display to display the calculated time when the calculated time is equal to or less than a second predetermined time.

[0019] [Item 7] The information display system according to Item 6, wherein the control device does not cause the digital display to display the calculated time when the calculated time is greater than the second predetermined time.

[0020] [Item 8] The information display system according to Item 6 or 7, wherein the magnitude of the second predetermined time is configurable by the user.

[0021] [Item 9] The control device periodically calculates and updates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches the predetermined deposition amount, and causes the digital display to display the updated time. The information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 8.

[0022] [Item 10] A work vehicle including the information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 9.

[0023] [Item 11] The work vehicle according to Item 10, wherein the work vehicle is a mobile agricultural machine.

[0024] [Item 12] The work vehicle according to Item 10, wherein the work vehicle is a tractor.

[0025] [Item 13] An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, The work vehicle is provided with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used for detecting the deposition amount of PM (Particulate Matter) in the DPF. The information display method calculates the PM deposition amount in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor. calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle operates. calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount. displays the calculated time on the digital display. An information display method including the above.

[0026] [Item 14] A computer program that causes one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, The work vehicle is provided with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used for detecting the deposition amount of PM (Particulate Matter) in the DPF. The computer program calculates the PM deposition amount in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor. calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle operates. calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount. displays the calculated time on the digital display. A computer program that causes the one or more computers to execute the above.

[0027] The comprehensive or specific aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented by an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium may include a volatile storage medium or a non-volatile storage medium. The apparatus may be composed of a plurality of devices. When the apparatus is composed of two or more devices, the two or more devices may be arranged within one device or may be separately arranged within two or more separate devices.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] When DPF regeneration is required during the operation of the work vehicle, the work content will be changed or the work will be interrupted. In addition, when the timing of DPF regeneration is unknown, there is a problem that it is difficult to make a work plan.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount and displays the time on the digital display of the meter panel unit. The user can easily predict the timing of DPF regeneration by looking at the meter panel unit, making it easier to make a work plan.

[0030] In addition, the user can adjust the timing of DPF parking regeneration by viewing the time displayed on the meter panel unit and performing automatic regeneration of the DPF earlier.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

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Figure 14A

Figure 14B

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Figure 16

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Figure 23

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0032] Hereinafter, a meter panel unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that parts denoted by the same reference numerals appearing in a plurality of drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts.

[0033] The following embodiments are examples for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Descriptions such as the size, material, shape, relative arrangement, etc. of the components are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only thereto, but are intended to be illustrative. The sizes and positional relationships of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for ease of understanding.

[0034] <Schematic Configuration of Work Vehicle> FIG. 1A is a side view schematically showing an example of a work vehicle 200 in the present embodiment. The illustrated work vehicle 200 is a tractor that pulls an implement (replaceable working device) 300.

[0035] The work vehicle 200 shown in FIG. 1A includes a vehicle body 201, a prime mover (engine) 202, and a transmission 203. The vehicle body 201 is provided with a traveling device including wheels 204 with tires and a cabin 205. The traveling device includes four wheels 204, axles for rotating the four wheels, and a braking device (brake) for braking each axle. The wheels 204 in this example include a pair of front wheels 204F and a pair of rear wheels 204R. One or both of the front wheels 204F and the rear wheels 204R may be replaced with a plurality of wheels (crawlers) equipped with endless tracks instead of wheels with tires.

[0036] Inside the cabin 205, a meter panel unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a driver's seat 207, a steering wheel 220, and a group of switches for operation are provided.

[0037] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of an operation switch group 801 and an operation terminal 802 provided inside the cabin 205 included in the work vehicle 200.

[0038] Inside the cabin, an operation switch group 801 including a plurality of switches operable by the user is arranged. The operation switch group 801 includes, for example, switches for selecting the gear position of the main transmission or the auxiliary transmission, switches for switching between forward and reverse, switches for switching between four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive, switches for releasing the connection of the left and right brakes, and switches for raising and lowering the implement, etc.

[0039] The operation terminal 802 is a terminal for the user to perform operations related to the running of the work vehicle and the operation of the implement, and is also referred to as a virtual terminal (VT). The operation terminal 802 may include a touch screen type display device and / or one or more buttons. The display device may be a display such as a liquid crystal or an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

[0040] Refer to FIG. 1A again. The work vehicle 200 in FIG. 1A includes a plurality of external sensors that sense the surroundings of the work vehicle 200. The external sensors may include various sensors such as a plurality of cameras 270, a plurality of obstacle sensors 295, and a plurality of LiDAR sensors 290. The cameras 270 may be provided, for example, on the front, rear, left, and right of the work vehicle 200. The cameras 270 capture the environment around the work vehicle 200 and generate image data. The images acquired by the cameras 270 may be transmitted to, for example, a terminal device for remote monitoring. The cameras 270 are provided as needed, and the number thereof is arbitrary. The LiDAR sensor 290 is an example of an external sensor that outputs sensor data indicating the distribution of objects located in the surrounding environment of the work vehicle 200. In the example of FIG. 1A, two LiDAR sensors 290 are arranged at the front and rear on the cabin 205. The LiDAR sensor 290 may be provided at other positions (for example, the lower front part of the vehicle body 201, etc.). Each LiDAR sensor 290 repeatedly outputs sensor data indicating the distance and direction to each measurement point of an object existing in the surrounding environment or the three-dimensional coordinate values of each measurement point while the work vehicle 200 is traveling. The number of LiDAR sensors 290 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. In the example of FIG. 1A, the plurality of obstacle sensors 295 are provided at the front and rear of the cabin 205. The obstacle sensors 295 may be arranged at other parts as well. The obstacle sensors 295 may include, for example, a laser scanner or an ultrasonic sonar. The LiDAR sensors 290 and the obstacle sensors 295 may be activated, for example, when the work vehicle 200 is traveling in the autonomous driving mode. The LiDAR sensors 290 and the obstacle sensors 295 are provided as needed, and the number of each is arbitrary. Only one of the LiDAR sensors 290 and the obstacle sensors 295 may be provided on the work vehicle 200. When they are not necessary, such as when the work vehicle 200 does not have an autonomous driving function, the work vehicle 200 may not be equipped with the LiDAR sensors 290 and the obstacle sensors 295.

[0041] The work vehicle 200 further includes a GNSS unit 260. GNSS is a general term for satellite positioning systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, such as Michibiki), GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. The GNSS unit 260 receives satellite signals (also referred to as GNSS signals) transmitted from a plurality of GNSS satellites and performs positioning based on the satellite signals. The GNSS unit 260 is provided on the upper part of the cabin 205, but it may be provided at other positions.

[0042] The prime mover 202 can be, for example, a diesel engine. An electric motor may be used instead of the diesel engine. The transmission 203 can change the driving force and moving speed of the work vehicle 200 by shifting gears. The transmission 203 can also switch between the forward and reverse of the work vehicle 200.

[0043] A coupling device 208 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 201. The coupling device 208 includes, for example, a three-point support device (also called "three-point link" or "three-point hitch"), a PTO (Power Take Off) shaft, a universal joint, and a communication cable. The implement 300 can be attached to and detached from the work vehicle 200 by the coupling device 208. The coupling device 208 can raise and lower the three-point link by, for example, a hydraulic device, and change the position or posture of the implement 300. Also, power can be transmitted from the work vehicle 200 to the implement 300 via the universal joint. The work vehicle 200 can cause the implement 300 to perform a predetermined operation while pulling the implement 300. The coupling device may be provided in front of the vehicle body 201. In that case, an implement can be connected in front of the work vehicle 200.

[0044] The implement 300 shown in FIG. 1A is, for example, a sprayer that sprays a chemical on crops, but the implement 300 is not limited to a sprayer. For example, any implement 300 such as a mower, a seeder, a spreader, a rake, a baler, a harvester, a plow, a cultivator, or a rotary can be connected to the work vehicle 200 and used.

[0045] Thus, the work vehicle 200 used in smart agriculture is equipped with various sensors and performs various operations together with various implements 300. In the process of such operations, it is necessary to provide the driver (user or operator) with various information regarding the running state and the working state. For this reason, the information to be displayed on the meter panel unit 100 can vary diversely according to the content and stage of the operation.

[0046] Note that the work vehicle 200 such as a tractor may be configured to run by manual driving, automatic steering, or automatic driving.

[0047] Another example of the implement in the present embodiment is a loader that can attach and detach an attachment at the tip. Various attachments different depending on the work content are attached to the tip of the loader. The attachment is, for example, a grab such as a bale grab or a silage grab, a fork such as a roll fork or a super pallet fork, or a bucket.

[0048] FIG. 1C is a side view schematically showing an example of the work vehicle 200A in the present embodiment. The illustrated work vehicle 200A is a tractor with a front loader (hereinafter simply referred to as "loader") 700 connected to the front of the vehicle. A bucket 703 is attached as an attachment to the tip of the loader 700. Note that the loader in the present embodiment is not limited to a front loader and may be a loader connected to the rear of the vehicle.

[0049] The loader 700 illustrated in FIG. 1C includes a support frame 701, a boom 702, a bucket 703, a bucket cylinder 704, and a boom cylinder 705. The loader 700 further includes a microcontroller 710 (see FIG. 11) that controls the operation of the loader. The support frame 701 is fixed to the frame of the vehicle body 201. The boom 702 has an arm-like structure and is rotatably supported by the support frame 701 so as to extend forward and upward of the vehicle. The bucket 703 is rotatably supported by the end of the boom 702. In the present embodiment, the fulcrum (or rotation axis) for rotatably supporting the boom 702 is referred to as the "boom fulcrum", and the fulcrum (or rotation axis) for rotatably supporting the bucket 703 is referred to as the "bucket fulcrum".

[0050] The loader 700 in the present embodiment is connected to the vehicle body 201 via a hydraulic coupler and a power connector. The loader 700 includes a hydraulic system having a hydraulic valve and operates under hydraulic control. Specifically, by hydraulically extending and retracting the boom cylinder 705, the boom 702 can be rotated around the rotation axis located at the boom fulcrum. Thereby, it becomes possible to raise and lower the loader 700 (or the bucket 703). Also, by hydraulically extending and retracting the bucket cylinder 704, the bucket 703 can be rotated around the rotation axis located at the bucket fulcrum. Thereby, the scraping operation and the dumping operation of the bucket 703 become possible.

[0051] The operation switch group 801 (see FIG. 1B) provided inside the cabin 205 may include operation levers for performing dump operations and squeegee operations on the bucket 703. An operation joystick for performing dump operations, squeegee operations, and lifting and lowering operations on the bucket 703 may be provided inside the cabin 205. Further, the operation terminal 802 may display a setting screen for the hydraulic control valve of the loader, including button displays for adjusting the flow rate of the hydraulic pressure. The operation lever, the joystick, and the operation terminal 802 are electrically connected to the microcontroller of the loader. The user can perform desired work while operating the boom 702 and the bucket 703 by operating the operation lever, the joystick, and the setting screen of the operation terminal 802.

[0052] <Schematic Configuration of Meter Panel Unit> FIG. 1D is a front view schematically showing a meter panel unit 100 attached to a tractor, which is one of the work vehicles, in an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the meter panel unit 100 is arranged on the front side of the driver's seat of the tractor. Specifically, the meter panel unit 100 is fitted into the opening of the meter cover 240 above the handle stay 230 that rotatably supports the steering wheel (handle) 220. The steering wheel 220 in this example has a central hub (horn cover) 221, three spokes 222A, 222B, 222C extending radially from the horn cover 221, and a rim 223 supported by the spokes 222A, 222B, 222C. The meter panel unit 100 is provided at a position visible to the driver sitting in the driver's seat. In the example of FIG. 1D, various information displayed on the meter panel unit 100 is visible through the opening between the spoke 222A and the spoke 222B.

[0053] The meter panel unit 100 is required to have excellent visibility. Particularly in a mobile work vehicle capable of automatic steering or automatic driving, various types of information that are not displayed in a general passenger car are required to be displayed during the execution of various agricultural operations. For such a meter panel unit 100, it is desirable that its visibility be enhanced so that important information with a particularly high degree of importance among various types of information is not overlooked. Further, when the meter panel unit 100 is mounted on various types of work vehicles, it is desirable that it has a structure that allows for easy installation. As will be described below, the meter panel unit 100 in the present embodiment has excellent visibility and is also easy to install.

[0054] Hereinafter, the schematic configuration of the meter panel unit 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the arrangement of main components of the meter panel unit 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a wall surface portion of the meter panel unit 100 described later. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a transparent cover of the meter panel unit 100 described later. These figures show the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis orthogonal to each other (right-handed coordinate system) for reference. In this specification, the positive direction of the Y-axis may be referred to as upward and the negative direction as downward, the positive direction of the X-axis may be referred to as rightward and the negative direction as leftward, and the positive direction of the Z-axis may be referred to as the front direction and the negative direction as the rear direction.

[0055] The meter panel unit 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a meter section 10 having a first analog meter 11, a second analog meter 12, and a display element 13 provided between the first and second analog meters 11 and 12. In this specification, the portion of the meter section 10 that displays as shown in FIG. 2 may also be referred to as the display surface side of the meter section 10.

[0056] The first analog meter 11 has an indicating needle 2A, and the second analog meter 12 has indicating needles 2B and 2C. The indicating needle 2A is rotatably supported around a rotation axis located near the center of the first analog meter 11. The indicating needle 2A indicates, for example, the engine speed depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2A points. Here, the "engine speed" means the number of rotations of the engine per unit time (for example, one minute). The indicating needles 2B and 2C are rotatably supported around two rotation axes located at different positions of the second analog meter 12, respectively. The indicating needle 2B indicates, for example, the remaining fuel amount depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2B points. Also, the indicating needle 2C indicates, for example, the temperature of the engine cooling water (water temperature) depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2C points. The indicating needles 2A, 2B, and 2C are driven by a drive unit (movement) provided in the meter unit 10. The drive unit can receive an electric signal indicating a sensor output such as the engine speed, the remaining fuel amount, or the water temperature, and convert it into a mechanical movement that changes the directions of the indicating needles 2A, 2B, and 2C. Each drive unit of the indicating needles 2A, 2B, and 2C has an actuator such as a stepping motor.

[0057] The display element 13 is a digital meter, not an analog meter. The display element 13 is, for example, an active matrix display such as a liquid crystal display panel or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). In the following description, as an example, it is assumed that the display element 13 is a liquid crystal display (LCD). The display element 13 has a large number of pixels two-dimensionally arranged in the display area, and a display visible to the human eye is realized by the light emitted from the large number of pixels. In the display element 13 in the present embodiment, each pixel includes RGB sub-pixels and can display a color image. Different from an analog meter, the display element 13 can display numbers, characters, figures, icons, symbols, still images, or moving images of any size at any position within the display area. Strictly speaking, numbers, characters, figures, icons, and symbols are also part of the image (still image or moving image) that the display element 13 displays in the display area. The display element 13 can also display, for example, an image that appears to resemble all or part of an analog meter with an indicator needle. When the display element 13 displays an image of an "analog meter", it is also possible to rotate the "indicator needle" within the image in any direction as part of a moving image by changing the image in frame units. Note that when the work vehicle is an electric vehicle driven by a battery, the display of the engine speed, remaining fuel amount, and water temperature can be replaced, for example, with the display of the motor output, remaining battery amount, and battery temperature, respectively.

[0058] The difference between the image of the "analog meter" displayed by a display device such as the display element 13 and the first analog meter 11 and the second analog meter 12 is that the former is planar, while the latter is three-dimensional. Also, the former can change the shape, color, and size of the indicator needle and memory of the analog meter, while it is difficult to change them in the latter. Furthermore, in the former, since the visibility depends on the contrast of the image, there is a possibility that the visibility will decrease when the external light is strong during the day, while in the latter, such a possibility is relatively small. Considering these factors, in the present embodiment, for a part of the information displayed on the meter unit 10, particularly information that is highly important and requires strong visibility, it is displayed by an analog meter having a three-dimensional structure.

[0059] When the meter unit 10 is viewed from the front on the display surface side, the outer shape of the meter unit 10 is a closed curve similar to an ellipse, but the outer shape of the meter unit 10 is not limited to such an example. When the meter unit 10 is viewed from the front, the outer shape of the meter unit 10 may be generally rectangular, or may be a figure combined with a straight line and a curve.

[0060] The meter panel unit 100 further includes a wall surface portion 20 fixed to the display surface side of the meter unit 10 and a transparent cover 30 facing the display surface of the meter unit 10.

[0061] The wall surface portion 20 surrounds the entire first analog meter 11, the display element 13, and the second analog meter 12 along the periphery of the meter unit 10. The wall surface portion 20 can be formed of, for example, plastic (synthetic resin). The wall surface portion 20 protrudes in the vertical direction (the positive direction of the Z-axis) from the display surface of the meter unit 10. The wall surface portion 20 does not need to be perpendicular to the display surface of the meter unit 10 and may be inclined from the Z-axis. The distance from the display surface of the meter unit 10 to the front side end of the wall surface portion 20 (also referred to as "height") is not constant along the periphery of the meter unit 10 and can change according to the position on the periphery.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 4, the transparent cover 30 has a front portion 30A including a concave surface 32 and a side portion 30B extending from the periphery of the front portion 30A along the outside of the wall portion 20. The side portion 30B of the transparent cover 30 can cover the outside of the wall portion 20 over the entire circumference. The transparent cover 30 can be formed of, for example, colorless and transparent plastic (e.g., acrylic) or glass. The front portion 30A and the side portion 30B of the transparent cover 30 in the present embodiment are integral parts.

[0063] When the transparent cover 30 is viewed from the normal direction of the meter unit 10 in a state where the meter panel unit 100 is attached to the work vehicle, it is preferable that the front portion 30A of the transparent cover 30 is tilted forward. With such a forward tilt of the front portion 30A, when the operator views the meter unit 10 through the transparent cover 30, the face of the operator and the background of the operator are less likely to be reflected in the transparent cover 30.

[0064] Next, referring to FIG. 5, the indicator areas of the meter unit 10 will be described. In the example of FIG. 5, the meter unit 10 has an indicator area 14T provided above the display element 13 and indicator areas 14L and 14R provided below the display element 13. Various indicators are provided in each of the indicator areas 14T, 14L, and 14R. Each indicator presents predetermined information such as a warning when a light emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) behind it is lit.

[0065] In the present embodiment, two indicator areas 14L and 14R divided into left and right are arranged below the display element 13, but one integrated indicator area may be arranged instead of the two indicator areas.

[0066] The indicator area 14T located above the display element 13 is less likely to be obstructed from view by the spokes 222A, 222B, and 222C of the steering wheel 220 compared to the other indicator areas 14L and 14R. For this reason, among the numerous indicators, it is preferable that indicators showing particularly important information (information with a high warning level), such as indicators showing the lighting state of the lighting device, direction indication, and warnings to the driver, be selected and arranged in the indicator area 14T. The "warning level" of the information displayed by the indicator can be defined, for example, in the operating instructions of the work vehicle. For example, information such as engine abnormalities or malfunctions, and the presence or absence of the headlights being lit has a high warning level.

[0067] In this embodiment, each individual indicator arranged in the indicator area is composed of a light-transmitting area having a shape that defines a characteristic figure (including icons and / or characters), and a light-emitting element arranged behind it. The lighting / extinguishing of the indicator can be executed by the lighting / extinguishing of the light-emitting element behind it. For example, one or two light-emitting elements are arranged behind each individual indicator.

[0068] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a display example of the display element 13 will be described. In the example of FIG. 6, the display area of the display element 13 is divided into several areas as will be described later. "Images" showing information such as gear stage, vehicle speed, various function performance displays, and an hour meter are displayed in each area. This image includes various types of information represented by characters, numbers, figures, icons, symbols, etc. Diverse digital images can be shown in different colors to enhance visibility. Also, when it is particularly necessary to draw the operator's attention, at least one of the position, size, or color of the characters, numbers, figures, icons, and symbols can be changed for an emphasized display. When such an emphasized display is made, sound or voice may be emitted from an acoustic device such as a speaker.

[0069] <Communication Ring and Return Plate> Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, the arc-shaped indicator (C-shaped communication ring) and the return plate will be described.

[0070] The meter panel unit 100 of the present embodiment includes a first arc-shaped indicator (communication ring) 40A disposed around the movable region 11X of the indicating needle 2A, and a second arc-shaped indicator 40B (see FIG. 10) disposed around the movable regions of the indicating needles 2B and 2C. In the present disclosure, the "arc" means a part of a circle (circumference), but this circle is not limited to a "true circle" and may include a part with a gently changing or locally changing curvature like a part of an ellipse.

[0071] Since the first arc-shaped indicator 40A and the second arc-shaped indicator 40B have a symmetric structure, they are collectively referred to as the arc-shaped indicator 40. Hereinafter, for simplicity, the first arc-shaped indicator (communication ring) 40A will be taken as an example to describe the arc-shaped indicator 40.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, the meter panel unit 100 of the present embodiment includes a return plate 50 located outside the arc-shaped indicator 40. The return plate 50 is formed of the same material (plastic) as the material of the wall surface portion 20 and is a component integrated with the wall surface portion 20 as shown in FIG. 3. The return plate 50 has a substantially arc-shaped shape when viewed from the front. The height of the upper end 50T of the return plate 50 (i.e., the distance from the display surface of the meter portion 10) continuously changes between the upper end 50A and the lower end 50B and is maximum at the middle position. The return plate 50 is a curved wall rising from the meter portion 10.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a front view showing the arrangement relationship among the first analog meter 11, the arc-shaped indicator 40, and the back plate 50. FIG. 9 is a front view mainly showing a configuration example of the arc-shaped indicator 40. The first analog meter 11, the arc-shaped indicator 40, and the back plate 50 all do not extend to the right (the positive direction of the X-axis) of the E-E broken line shown in FIG. 8. A display element 13 is arranged to the right (the positive direction of the X-axis) of the E-E broken line.

[0074] By adopting such a configuration, while increasing the length of the indicator needle 2A, that is, the radius of the first analog meter 11, it becomes possible to suppress the expansion of the lateral (X-axis direction) size of the first analog meter 11. The same applies to the second analog meter 12. Note that expanding the lateral size of the meter unit 10 increases the possibility that the spokes 222A and 222B of the steering wheel 220 obstruct the visibility of the first and second analog meters 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 1D. Therefore, it is not preferable to expand the lateral size of the meter unit 10. In the present embodiment, by housing the analog meter inside the shape surrounded by the E-E broken line and the arc instead of a circle, the visibility of the first and second analog meters 11 and 12 can be enhanced while enabling the expansion of the lateral (X-axis direction) size of the display element 13 in the meter unit 10 having a limited lateral size. Also, by separating the boundary between the first and second analog meters 11 and 12 and the display element 13 by a straight line, the display areas of the analog information and the digital information can be clearly separated, and the visibility of both the analog information and the digital information can be enhanced.

[0075] In order to obtain the above effects, it is preferable that the central angle of the "arc" of the arc-shaped indicator 40 (40A) arranged so as to surround the first analog meter 11 is larger than 180° and smaller than 270°. If the central angle of the "arc" is 180° or less, the visibility of the first analog meter 11 will decrease. If the central angle of the "arc" is 270° or more, the reduction effect in the lateral direction (X-axis direction) of the first analog meter 11 will be insufficient. The same applies to the arc-shaped indicator 40 (40B) surrounding the second analog meter 12. From the viewpoint of design, it is preferable that the left and right arc-shaped indicators 40A and 40B are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical line passing through the center of the display element 13.

[0076] The arc-shaped indicator 40 has at least one light-emitting area 42 arranged between the movable area 11X of the indicating needle 2A and the back plate 50. In the example shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of light-emitting areas 42 are provided. In this example, each light-emitting area 42 has a thin and arc-shaped curved shape. And the plurality of light-emitting areas 42 are arranged so as to form a row of arcs to form the arc-shaped indicator 40. When the number of the light-emitting areas 42 is one, one light-emitting area 42 has an arc shape.

[0077] In the example shown in the figure, the first analog meter 11 has an arc-shaped scale 17 between the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the movable area 11X of the indicating needle 2A. This scale 17 is a memory (three-dimensional scale) having a three-dimensional shape protruding from the display surface, and is integrally formed from plastic together with the wall surface portion 20 and the back plate 50. Note that the scale 17 does not necessarily have to have a three-dimensional shape, but from the viewpoint of enhancing visibility, it is desirable to be a three-dimensional scale.

[0078] The plurality of light-emitting regions 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 may each be formed from an element that emits light (e.g., an LED or an OLED). However, in the present embodiment, it is composed of a plurality of light-transmitting regions provided on the display surface of the meter unit 10 (i.e., the surface on the front side of the housing of the meter unit 10), and one or more light-emitting elements arranged behind them.

[0079] The plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of LEDs that emit light of different colors. In the present embodiment, the plurality of light-emitting elements include an LED that emits red light, an LED that emits green light, and an LED that emits blue light. By selectively emitting light from these LEDs, the arc-shaped indicator 40 can function to notify the operator of information with various colors of light. For example, red light, green light, and blue light can be selectively emitted from all of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 shown in FIG. 9. Also, by assigning a light-emitting element to each of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 and emitting light independently from the plurality of light-emitting elements, it is also possible to emit light sequentially from the plurality of light-emitting regions 42.

[0080] <Three-dimensional scale> Next, the three-dimensional scale 17 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the three-dimensional scale 17 extends in an arc shape inside the arc-shaped indicator 40 so as to schematically form the letter C. Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the three-dimensional scale 17 has a plurality of notch portions 17A arranged at predetermined intervals. This notch portion 17A is a portion where the width of the three-dimensional scale 17 is locally reduced. The position of the notch portion 17A is aligned with the scale position indicated by the tip of the indicating needle 2A in the first analog meter 11. The presence of such a three-dimensional notch portion 17A facilitates the operator's reading of the scale.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 7, the scale plate 50 has a plurality of protrusions 52 that project toward the movable region 11X of the indicating needle 2A. The plurality of protrusions 52 are provided at the positions of the notches of the three-dimensional scale 17, in other words, at positions that match the scale. For this reason, the notch 17A of the three-dimensional scale 17 is recognized as a figure integral with the protrusion 52, and the visibility of the scale is improved. Each of the plurality of protrusions 52 straddles between the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 in the arc-shaped indicator 40. Therefore, the arrangement of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 also matches the arrangement of the scale.

[0082] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the plurality of protrusions 52 connect the three-dimensional scale 17 and the scale plate 50 as a bridge. Also, the scale plate 50 is connected to the wall surface portion 20. In the present embodiment, the wall surface portion 20, the scale plate 50, and the three-dimensional scale 17 are integrally formed from resin. And the plurality of protrusions 52 extending from the scale plate 50 define the boundary portions of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 in the arc-shaped indicator 40.

[0083] Next, with reference to FIG. 10, the second analog meter 12 and the second arc-shaped indicator 40B will be described. The second arc-shaped indicator 40B is in a left-right symmetric relationship with the first arc-shaped indicator 40A, and its basic configuration is the same. A scale plate (right scale plate) 50 is provided outside the second arc-shaped indicator 40B. The left scale plate 50 is in a left-right symmetric relationship with the scale plate (left scale plate) 50 described above.

[0084] An arc-shaped convex portion 17X corresponding to the three-dimensional scale 17 is provided inside the second arc-shaped indicator 40B, but there is no notch in this arc-shaped convex portion 17X. Between the arc-shaped convex portion 17X and the right scale plate 50, protrusions (bridges) 52 are arranged at equal intervals so as to define the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 of the second arc-shaped indicator 40B.

[0085] The movable areas 13X of the second indicating needle 2B and the third indicating needle 2C are arranged within the range surrounded by the second arc-shaped indicator 40B. The rotation angle range 2BM of the second indicating needle 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third indicating needle 2C have similar or congruent shapes as their outer outlines. In the example of FIG. 10, the rotation angle range 2BM of the second indicating needle 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third indicating needle 2C are vertically symmetric, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The rotation angle range 2BM and the rotation angle range 2CM may have shapes and sizes such that they overlap with each other when one is translated in the vertical direction, for example.

[0086] By adopting such a configuration, it is intuitively possible to read the scale from the movements of the second indicating needle 2B and the third indicating needle 2C, and it becomes less likely to cause reading errors.

[0087] <Information display system> Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14B, the information display system 500 in the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration example of the information display system 500 in the embodiment of the present disclosure. The information display system 500 includes the above-described meter panel unit 100 and a control device 400 that controls the meter panel unit 100. The control device 400 may include an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed within the work vehicle. The information display system 500 may further include an acoustic device such as a buzzer or a speaker.

[0088] The information display system 500 is communicably connected via bus B to the ECU group 610, the sensor group 620 provided in the work vehicle, and the microcontroller 710 of the loader. The ECU group 610 may be collectively referred to as a "vehicle control device". In this specification, various ECUs provided in the work vehicle are called "vehicle ECUs", and the ECU in the control device 400 provided in the information display system 500 is called a "meter ECU" to distinguish between the two. The various vehicle ECUs and the meter ECU can communicate with each other according to a vehicle bus standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network). For example, one vehicle ECU among the ECU group 610 provided in the work vehicle receives signals from other vehicle ECUs and sensor data output from each sensor included in the sensor group 620, and according to the state of the work vehicle, it instructs the meter ECU to display a warning message as described later, or to turn on, turn off, or blink an indicator. The meter ECU receives an instruction from the vehicle ECU and causes a warning message to be displayed in the display area, or turns on, turns off, or blinks an indicator.

[0089] In FIG. 11, the illustration of wiring other than the wiring of bus B is simplified. However, for example, there may be wiring for directly transmitting a signal from one or more sensors included in the sensor group 620 provided in the work vehicle to the control device 400, or wiring for connecting the input device described later and the control device 400. Also, there is power supply wiring for supplying power from the battery to each of the meter panel unit 100, the control device 400, the ECU group 610 of the work vehicle, and the sensor group 620.

[0090] One example of the control device 400 in this embodiment is a computing device including at least one processor and at least one memory storing a computer program (code) that defines a control process executed by the processor. Another example of the control device 400 is a computing device including a hardware accelerator such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product), or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) configured to execute the control process.

[0091] The "processor" in this embodiment is a hardware electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ISP (Image Signal Processor), or an NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit). The "memory" is a hardware electronic circuit such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). A part of the memory may be a storage medium connected to the processor by wiring or a network. These hardware electronic circuits can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). Each functional unit or block within the electronic circuit, and related components, may be manufactured individually as separate integrated circuit chips, or some or all of these functional units or blocks may be combined and manufactured as a single integrated circuit chip.

[0092] The program that defines the operation of the processor is designed such that the processor executes one or more functions, operations, steps, or processes in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0093] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 400. The control device 400 includes a processor 434, a ROM 435, a RAM 436, an external I / F 437, and a communication I / F 438. These components are interconnected via a bus 439.

[0094] The ROM 435 is, for example, a writable memory (e.g., PROM), a rewritable memory (e.g., flash memory), or a read-only memory. The ROM 435 stores a program for controlling the operation of the processor. The ROM 435 does not necessarily have to be a single recording medium and may be a collection of multiple recording media. A part of the multiple aggregates may be a removable memory.

[0095] The RAM 436 provides a work area for temporarily expanding the program stored in the ROM 435 at boot time. The RAM 436 does not necessarily have to be a single recording medium and may be a collection of multiple recording media.

[0096] The external I / F 437 is an interface for connecting the meter panel unit 100 to an external device. Examples of the external I / F 437 include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface and a digital or analog video interface.

[0097] The communication I / F 438 is an interface for performing communication between the control device 400 and other electronic components or ECUs. For example, the communication I / F 438 can perform wired communication compliant with various protocols such as CAN or Ethernet (registered trademark). The communication I / F 438 may perform wireless communication compliant with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard and / or the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard. Any of these standards includes a wireless communication standard using a frequency in the 2.4 GHz band.

[0098] The control device 400 may further include a storage device. The storage device can be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, or a combination thereof.

[0099] The ECU group 610 included in the work vehicle includes, for example, an ECU for speed control, an ECU for steering control, and an ECU for implement control. When the work vehicle (for example, a tractor) is configured to travel in autonomous driving, the ECU group 610 may further include an ECU for autonomous driving control. The ECU for autonomous driving control performs calculations and controls for realizing autonomous driving based on data output from various sensors mounted on the vehicle body.

[0100] The sensor group 620 may include, for example, a temperature sensor, an illuminance sensor, a fuel sensor, a water temperature sensor, an oil level gauge, an engine rotation sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a battery voltage sensor, a shuttle sensor, a hand throttle sensor, an accelerator pedal sensor, a main shift lever sensor, a sub-shift lever sensor, a seat belt sensor, a PM sensor, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), a geomagnetic sensor, an imaging device, a LiDAR sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an obstacle contact sensor, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver.

[0101] The control device 400 of the information display system 500 may be an integrated circuit device mounted on a substrate inside the meter panel unit 100, or may be an external integrated circuit device externally attached to the meter panel unit 100. Further, part or all of the functions of the control device 400 may be realized by one or more vehicle ECUs. Alternatively, part or all of the functions of the control device 400 may be realized by one or more servers (computers) connected via the communication I / F 438 by a communication network. Thus, one or more vehicle ECUs and / or one or more servers can cooperate with the control device 400 to realize various functions required for the information display system 500. In this case, the vehicle ECU and / or the server function as part of the information display system 500.

[0102] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example in which the control device 400 is implemented inside the meter panel unit 100. In this example, the control device 400 includes two microcontroller units (MCUs). The two MCUs are the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440. The main MCU 420 is a controller that controls the overall operation of the meter panel unit 100. The main MCU 420 may also be referred to as the "main controller". The display MCU 440 is a controller that controls the drawing of a display element 13 such as an LCD (i.e., a digital display). The display MCU 440 may also be referred to as the "display controller" or the "LCU MCU".

[0103] The main MCU 420 includes components such as a CPU 424, a ROM 425, and a RAM 426. The main MCU 420 controls the hardware indicator group 140, the first analog meter 11, the second analog meter 12 (two analog meters 12A and 12B in this embodiment), and the display MCU 440. The hardware indicator group 140 includes an arc indicator 40 and a plurality of light-emitting elements such as LEDs behind the indicator regions 14T, 14L, and 14R shown in FIG. 5. The ROM 425 is a non-volatile memory that stores software (programs and various data used for processing) executed by the CPU 424. The main MCU 420 controls the overall operation of the meter panel unit 100 by the CPU 424 executing the software. The main MCU 420 may include an interface for communicating with one or more vehicle ECUs connected to the meter panel unit 100 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN. The main MCU 420 may also include an external interface that enables input and output of digital signals between the main MCU 420 and devices directly connected to the meter panel unit 100. The main MCU 420 may further include an analog interface to which an analog signal such as the voltage of an external battery is input.

[0104] The display MCU 440 includes components such as a CPU 444, a GPU 443, a ROM 445, and a RAM 446. The ROM 445 is a non-volatile memory that stores software executed by the CPU 444 and the GPU 443. The display MCU 440 controls the drawing to the display element 13 (i.e., the digital display) when the CPU 444 and the GPU 443 execute the software.

[0105] In the example shown in FIG. 13, the display MCU 440 specialized for image processing is provided separately from the main MCU 420. This is to realize relatively high-load drawing such as color camera video and 3D display on a display element 13 such as a relatively large (e.g., 10 inches or more) and high-definition LCU. Different from this embodiment, when the display element 13 is small or a monochrome liquid crystal display and not much advanced image processing is required, the display MCU 440 may not be provided and one controller (i.e., the main MCU 420) may perform all controls including drawing.

[0106] <Information display by arc-shaped indicator and display element> In the information display system 500 according to this embodiment, the control device 400 is configured to display information by the arc-shaped indicator 40 before displaying various information on the display element 13 when the work vehicle is started. This makes it possible to preferentially convey information that the operator should know first at startup. Such information has content indicating the state of the work vehicle (a state classified as abnormal for traveling or working). Further, the control device 400 operates to change the color of the emitted light according to the content of the information. For example, when there is no abnormality at startup, the control device 400 can emit blue light from the arc-shaped indicator 40, and when a problem occurs during traveling, for example, it can operate to emit red light indicating an abnormality immediately after startup. Examples of cases where a problem occurs during traveling include abnormal battery voltage, abnormal engine oil pressure, abnormal engine heating, and abnormal brake system. Note that the emission color is not limited to blue and red, and may be green.

[0107] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the control device 400 is configured to cause the display element 13 to display a curved image located on the extension line of the arc. FIG. 14A is a front view schematically showing an example in which an arc 13A of the same color as the light emitted from the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 is displayed. In FIG. 14A, as an example, an arc 13A concentric with the arc of the arc-shaped indicator 40 is displayed. FIG. 14B is a front view schematically showing an example in which an arc 13B of the same color as the light emitted from the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 and another shaped object 13C including an arc of the same color are displayed. The other shaped object 13C in the example shown in FIG. 14B is a straight portion. The control device 400 causes the display element 13 to display an arc 13B concentric with the arc of the light-emitting region 42 and a straight portion connecting to the arc 13B. The straight portion extends parallel to a straight line (corresponding to the dashed line E-E shown in FIG. 14B) that defines the boundary between the first analog meter 11 and the display element 13. By performing such a display, among the circles surrounding the first analog meter 11, the portion cut off by the dashed line E-E is visually recognized by the operator as a part of the first analog meter 11, so that the first analog meter 11 can be felt to be larger. Also, an image (hereinafter referred to as a "ring complementary image") displayed as if it were a part of the first analog meter 11 may be partially made invisible by information such as numerical values or characters displayed on the display element 13. The arc 13B portion may include a straight shape similar to the shaped object 13C. By including a straight shape in the portion displayed on the display element 13, a sharp design can be achieved.

[0108] The control device 400 can display various images on the display element 13 in accordance with the light emitted from the light emission region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40, not limited to the examples in FIGS. 14A and 14B. Further, the control device 400 can display various images on the display element 13 in synchronization with the blinking of the light emission region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40. By emphasizing or linking such display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the display of the display element 13, the display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 can be more easily conveyed to the operator.

[0109] <Examples of Display and Operation of Display Element> After the meter panel unit 100 is activated, a home screen is displayed in the display area of the display element 13. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the home screen. Starting from the home screen, the user can perform operations such as changing the display of the content on the display area and selecting various setting items by using the input device described later.

[0110] In the example shown in FIG. 15, an input device 170 that enables interactive operations by the user is connected to the meter panel unit 100 via a communication cable. The input device 170 has a selector switch 171 and an operation switch 172 such as a jog dial, for example. The input device 170 can be connected to the meter panel unit 100 wirelessly or by wire. As the input device 170, any device that receives the user's operations can be used. The input device 170 may be, for example, a rotary switch, a slide switch, a push button switch, a touch screen, a joystick, or a combination of two or more of them.

[0111] The display element 13 has a display area where various images indicating information related to the work vehicle are displayed. The information related to the work vehicle includes, for example, information related to the internal combustion engine (engine), the vehicle body, the PTO shaft, the hydraulic / three-point hitch, and the electrical components provided in the vehicle body. These information are the information indicating the internal state of the vehicle system. The information related to the vehicle body includes, for example, information related to the traveling direction of the vehicle, the clutch, the transmission, the brakes, the ground engaging control, and the cruise control. Further, various contents such as a camera image, a radio setting screen, and an audio setting screen can be displayed in the display area of the display element 13.

[0112] <Segmentation of the display area> Next, referring to FIG. 16, the segmentation of the display area will be described. FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the segmentation of the display area. The display area of the display element 13 is divided into a plurality of blocks. In other words, the display area of the display element 13 has a plurality of areas. The plurality of areas in the example shown in FIG. 16 include a primary area 131, a sub area 132, and an LCD indicator area 133. The primary area 131 in FIG. 16 is the area surrounded by the dotted line in the display area of the display element 13. The sub area 132 is the area surrounded by the broken line in the display area of the display element 13. The LCD indicator area 133 is the area surrounded by the dashed-dotted line in the display area of the display element 13. These three areas do not overlap each other. Note that, in FIG. 16, the broken line, the dotted line, and the dashed-dotted line are partially overlapped for clarity.

[0113] The primary area 131 is an area for displaying an image at the forefront (or in the front). The primary area 131 in the example shown in FIG. 16 is a rectangular area (or a panel-shaped area). However, the outer shape of the primary area 131 may be, for example, an ellipse or a figure combined with a straight line and a curve. A primary image indicating more important information (hereinafter referred to as "primary information") among the information related to the work vehicle is displayed in the primary area 131. The primary information is information that the user should know preferentially, and includes, for example, information indicating the traveling direction of the work vehicle, the transmission state, and the vehicle speed (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle speed").

[0114] The primary information indicated by the primary image thus displayed in the primary area 131 is displayed at the forefront of the display area. As shown in FIG. 15, the primary image is displayed in front of the ring complementary image. In this way, the primary image can appropriately convey the primary information to the user without being hidden by other images or contents. Therefore, the visibility of the primary information, which is particularly important among various types of information, is improved, and the oversight of the primary information is reduced.

[0115] In the example shown in FIG. 16, the primary area 131 has a strip-shaped shape extending in the horizontal direction. A plurality of types of information related to the running state of the work vehicle are displayed in the primary area 131. The primary area 131 is divided into a plurality of areas. In the example of FIG. 16, the primary area 131 is divided into a first area 131A, a second area 131B, a third area 131C, and a fourth area 131D arranged horizontally.

[0116] The first area 131A located at the left end displays the state of the shuttle lever of the work vehicle, that is, the traveling direction. The first area 131A displays information indicating, for example, whether the shuttle lever is in the forward (F), neutral (N), or reverse (R) state.

[0117] The second region 131B located second from the left displays information regarding the transmission state, for example, the setting of the gear stage of a work vehicle. In the example of FIG. 16, in the second region 131B, the respective settings of the current main transmission and sub-transmission are displayed by the symbol "B3". "B" indicates the setting stage of the sub-transmission, and "3" indicates the setting stage of the main transmission. As shown in FIG. 16, the second region 131B may display an icon 131B1 indicating that it is in the automatic transmission mode, and a range 131B2 of gear stages in the automatic transmission mode.

[0118] The third region 131C displays vehicle speed information. The control device 400 switches and displays the vehicle speed information in units of kilometers or miles, for example, according to a command from the vehicle ECU.

[0119] The fourth region 131D at the right end displays information other than the traveling direction, transmission state, and vehicle speed. In the example of FIG. 16, in the fourth region 131D, the measured value of the hour meter, that is, the operating time of the work vehicle so far, is displayed. In the fourth region 131D, not only the measured value of the hour meter but also other information may be displayed. For example, various information such as the upper limit set value of the engine speed or the target value of the engine speed recorded in the memory may be displayed in the fourth region 131D. The control device 400 may be configured to dynamically change the display in the fourth region 131D, for example, according to a command from the vehicle ECU. The fourth region 131D, together with the region 132B described later, dynamically displays the performance of the traveling and work of the work vehicle. For this reason, the fourth region 131D may be called the "dynamic performance monitor region".

[0120] The sub-region 132 is located below the primary region 131. Various contents are displayed in the sub-region 132. The sub-region 132 in the example shown in FIG. 16 is a rectangular region and is further divided into three types of regions. The sub-region 132 includes a performance monitor region 132A, a dynamic performance monitor region 132B, and two gauge regions 132C.

[0121] The performance monitor area 132A is the largest in size among the three areas included in the sub-area 132 and is located towards the upper side within the sub-area 132. The performance monitor area 132A may be referred to as the "upper area" in the sub-area 132. The performance monitor area 132A mainly displays one or more items (hereinafter referred to as "selected items") selected by the user from various items indicating various functional performance information. Examples of items that can be selected by the user include engine speed, engine speed upper limit setting value, value of the engine speed memory, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, travel distance, load factor, rotation speed of the PTO shaft, slip ratio, diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration, and information regarding the working area.

[0122] The screen of the selected items can be composed of a plurality of pages that can be scrolled forward or backward by the user operating the input device. FIG. 16 shows an example of a plurality of selected items displayed on one of the plurality of pages. In the example shown in FIG. 16, four selected items are displayed on one page. However, the number of selected items displayed on one page is not limited to four, and may be, for example, two, three, or five or more.

[0123] The dynamic performance monitor area 132B is located towards the lower side within the sub-area 132. The dynamic performance monitor area 132B may be referred to as the "lower area" in the sub-area 132. Various items indicating the above-described various functional performance information may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B. The display of the information displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B may be controlled, for example, by a control device 400 (e.g., a meter ECU) that has received a command from the vehicle ECU. The control device 400 may be configured to change the display of the dynamic performance monitor area 132B in response to a command from the vehicle ECU. As shown in FIG. 16, for example, two items may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B. However, the number of items is not limited to two. There may be no display in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B as shown in FIG. 15.

[0124] The gauge regions 132C are located on the right and left sides in the sub-region 132. Between the two gauge regions 132C on the left and right, a performance monitor region 132A and a dynamic performance monitor region 132B are located. Gauge images including icons and scales can be displayed in each of the right and left gauge regions 132C. Examples of the gauge images include information regarding the remaining amount of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), the deposited amount of particulate matter (PM), and the remaining amount of tire air pressure.

[0125] The images displayed in the performance monitor region 132A and the dynamic performance monitor region 132B can be changed according to the user's operation using the input device. For example, in the region corresponding to the entirety of the performance monitor region 132A and the dynamic performance monitor region 132B, a camera image, an image for performing radio settings or audio settings, an image for performing front loader control, an image for performing cylinder flow control, an image for setting operation members, an image for performing steering assist control, an image for performing automatic steering control, an image for performing attachment work implement control, or a launcher image for displaying a list of function items, etc. can be displayed. By integrating two or more regions in this way and using them as one region, images and content can be displayed relatively large.

[0126] The LCD indicator area 133 is located above the primary area 131. The LCD indicator area 133 in the example shown in FIG. 16 is a rectangular area similar to the primary area 131 and the sub - area 132. The LCD indicator area 133 functions as an area for displaying information indicating the state of the work vehicle, warning information, maintenance - related information, etc. For example, indicators that light up when in a state where warnings such as brake warnings and fuel - level warnings should be issued and turn off when the state is resolved can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As another example, indicators that regularly light up to prompt the user for maintenance such as DPF regeneration and engine oil change can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As a further example, indicators for requesting an increase or decrease in engine speed can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. Normally, no indicators are displayed in the LCD indicator area 133, and a black background is displayed. When it is in a state where warning or maintenance information should be displayed, the indicator corresponding to that warning or maintenance information lights up. Up to about 10 indicators can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. Since the indicators can be highlighted and displayed on a black background, it is possible to make it easier for the operator or user to notice the occurrence of the LCD indicators.

[0127] The LCD indicator area 133 is located below the indicator area 14T shown in FIG. 5. The indicators arranged in the indicator area 14T are hardware indicators that are lit by light - emitting elements such as LEDs. In contrast, the indicators displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 are lit by drawing processing on the LCD. In this specification, the hardware indicator using an LED is called an "LED indicator", and the indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 is called an "LCD indicator", and the two may be distinguished.

[0128] In the sub-region 132 shown in FIG. 16, for example, when an abnormality or failure of an engine or electrical components is detected, an image including a message for notifying the user of the content of the abnormality or failure, or a message for warning the internal state of the vehicle system (hereinafter, may be referred to as a "pop-up image") may also be displayed. Further, a pop-up image including a message indicating maintenance information may also be displayed in the sub-region 132.

[0129] <Display operation related to DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) regeneration> Next, the display operation related to DPF regeneration of the work vehicle 200 will be described.

[0130] FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a part of the components of the work vehicle 200. As described above, the prime mover 202 provided in the work vehicle 200 is, for example, a diesel engine. The work vehicle 200 includes an exhaust device 212 that discharges the exhaust gas of the diesel engine 202 to the outside. The exhaust device 212 is provided with a DPF 212a that collects particulate matter (PM: Particulate Matter) in the exhaust gas. When the amount of particulate matter collected in the DPF 212a reaches a specified amount or more, "DPF regeneration" is executed to reduce the particulate matter in the DPF 212a and restore the collection ability of the DPF 212a. For example, by heating the exhaust gas of the engine 202 to a high temperature or mixing fuel with the exhaust gas, the particulate matter in the DPF 212a can be reduced. Since DPF and DPF regeneration are well-known, detailed descriptions thereof are omitted here.

[0131] As types of DPF regeneration, there are "DPF parking regeneration" performed in a state where the work vehicle 200 is parked and "DPF automatic regeneration" that can be performed while the work vehicle 200 is running. "Parking" in the present embodiment includes a state where the work vehicle 200 is stopped with a person on board. During the execution of DPF regeneration, the engine 202 is operating. The display operation of the present embodiment is applicable to both "DPF parking regeneration" and "DPF automatic regeneration".

[0132] As shown in FIG. 17, the work vehicle 200 includes a control device 600. The control device 600 can be a control unit including a control device 400 and an ECU 610a. The ECU 610a is one of the ECUs included in the ECU group 610 (FIG. 11). The ECU 610a may be a unit combining two or more of the ECUs included in the ECU group 610. The information display system 500 of the present embodiment includes the control device 600.

[0133] The ECU 610a includes a processor 611a and a memory 612a. The memory 612a includes a ROM and a RAM. The operation of the ECU 610a can be realized by the processor 611a sequentially executing a computer program stored in the memory 612a.

[0134] The input device 170 includes a DPF regeneration switch 172a. The DPF regeneration switch 172a is provided at an arbitrary position of the work vehicle 200. The DPF regeneration switch 172a is a switch that receives an instruction from the user to execute DPF regeneration.

[0135] The sensor group 620 (FIG. 11) includes a sensor 620a. The sensor 620a is provided in the exhaust device 212 and detects the deposition amount of particulate matter in the DPF 212a. The sensor 620a is, for example, a differential pressure sensor. The sensor 620a detects the differential pressure between the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the DPF 212a. The greater the deposition amount of particulate matter in the DPF 212a, the greater the differential pressure, and the smaller the deposition amount of particulate matter, the smaller the differential pressure. By detecting the differential pressure, the deposition amount of particulate matter can be detected. Hereinafter, the "deposition amount of particulate matter" may be expressed as "PM deposition amount".

[0136] The sensor 620a outputs a signal corresponding to the detected differential pressure to the ECU 610a. The processor 611a of the ECU 610a calculates the PM deposition amount in the DPF 212a based on the output signal of the sensor 620a.

[0137] For example, the memory 612a stores in advance table information indicating the relationship between the output value of the sensor 620a and the PM deposition amount. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the table information 150. When the PM deposition amount in the DPF 212a is small, the differential pressure detected by the sensor 620a is small. As the PM deposition amount in the DPF 212a increases, the differential pressure detected by the sensor 620a gradually increases. The processor 611a can calculate the PM deposition amount based on the output value of the sensor 620a and the table information 150.

[0138] The PM deposition amount P illustrated in FIG. 18 α represents the PM deposition amount at which DPF automatic regeneration is required. The PM deposition amount P β represents the PM deposition amount at which DPF parked regeneration is required. The PM deposition amount P α and P β The information indicating is stored in advance in the memory 612a together with the table information 150.

[0139] In this embodiment, the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount is calculated, and the display element 13 displays that time. The user can easily predict the timing of DPF regeneration by looking at the display element 13, making it easier to make a work plan.

[0140] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation related to DPF regeneration in this embodiment.

[0141] During the operation of the work vehicle 200, the processor 611a counts the operation time of the work vehicle 200. Also, the processor 611a periodically calculates the PM deposition amount. The processor 611a stores log information indicating the operation time and the PM deposition amount of the work vehicle 200 in the memory 612a. The processor 611a can acquire information on the PM deposition amount at any point in time based on the log information.

[0142] The processor 611a calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle 200 operates (step S101). Then, based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the calculated change amount of the PM deposition amount, the processor 611a calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount (step S102). Here, the predetermined deposition amount is the deposition amount at which execution of DPF regeneration is recommended or the deposition amount at which execution of DPF regeneration is necessary. The predetermined deposition amount is, for example, the deposition amount P α or P β is.

[0143] FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for calculating the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount.

[0144] The processor 611a calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle 200 operates. The predetermined period is, for example, the period from a first predetermined time before the present to the present. The first predetermined time is, for example, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or the like. As the first predetermined time, an arbitrary time is set according to the model of the work vehicle 200 and / or the work content of the work vehicle 200. As an example, here, the predetermined period is 30 minutes. Note that the predetermined period may be a period between a certain past time point and another certain time point. That is, the predetermined period does not have to be the most recent period.

[0145] The PM deposition amount P shown in FIG. 20 γ indicates the current PM deposition amount. The processor 611a acquires information on the PM deposition amount P θ at a time point 30 minutes before the present during the operation time of the work vehicle 200 based on the log information. The processor 611a can calculate the change amount ΔP1 of the PM deposition amount during the period from 30 minutes ago to the present from the difference between the PM deposition amount P γ and the PM deposition amount P θ .

[0146] Next, the processor 611a determines the PM deposition amount P α and the current PM deposition amount P γCalculate the difference ΔP2 from it. The processor 611a calculates, based on the change amount ΔP1 of the PM deposition amount in the past 30 minutes and the difference ΔP2, the time until the PM deposition amount reaches the current deposition amount P γ from the deposition amount P α to the deposition amount P γ from the current deposition amount P α to the deposition amount P

[0147] Also, the processor 611a calculates the difference ΔP3 between the PM deposition amount P β and the current PM deposition amount P γ The processor 611a calculates, based on the change amount ΔP1 of the PM deposition amount in the past 30 minutes and the difference ΔP3, the time until the PM deposition amount reaches the current deposition amount P γ from the deposition amount P β to the deposition amount P γ from the current deposition amount P β to the deposition amount P

[0148] The processor 611a causes the calculated time to be displayed on the display element 13 (step S103). The control of the display of the display element 13 by the processor 611a of the ECU 610a is performed via the control device 400. The control device 400 performs data communication with the ECU 610a and causes various information to be displayed on the display element 13. "The control of the display of the display element 13 by the processor 611a of the ECU 610a" can be performed in cooperation between the ECU 610a and the control device 400.

[0149] FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 are diagrams showing an example of the information 160 indicating the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount, which is displayed on the display element 13. In the example shown in FIG. 21, the information 160 indicates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches the deposition amount P γ from the current deposition amount P α to the deposition amount Pγ to the deposition amount P β shows the time until it reaches. In the examples shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the time until DPF regeneration is required is shown in text together with its explanatory text.

[0150] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing another example of the information 160 indicating the time until the PM deposition amount displayed by the display element 13 reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount. In the example shown in FIG. 23, only the time until DPF regeneration is required is displayed.

[0151] When DPF regeneration becomes necessary while the work vehicle 200 is performing work, the work content will be changed or the work will be interrupted. Also, when the timing of DPF regeneration is unknown, there is a problem that it is difficult to make a work plan.

[0152] According to the present embodiment, the control device 600 calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount, and causes the display element 13 to display that time. The user can easily predict the timing of performing DPF regeneration by looking at the display element 13, and it becomes easier to make a work plan. Also, the user can adjust the timing of performing DPF in-vehicle regeneration by looking at the time displayed on the meter panel unit 100 and performing DPF automatic regeneration earlier.

[0153] The processor 611a periodically calculates and updates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount. The processor 611a moves to the processing from step S104 to step S101. The processor 611a may move to the processing from step S104 to step S102. By periodically calculating and updating the time, the accuracy of the time displayed by the display element 13 can be improved. Also, even when the PM deposition amount changes rapidly, the time reflecting the rapid change can be displayed on the display element 13.

[0154] When the calculated time is greater than the second predetermined time, the processor 611a may not display the calculated time on the display element 13, and may display the calculated time on the display element 13 after the calculated time becomes equal to or less than the second predetermined time. The second predetermined time is, for example, 30 minutes to 1 hour, but is not limited thereto. If there is a margin until the timing of performing DPF regeneration, the display of the time until DPF regeneration is required may not be performed. The magnitude of the second predetermined time may be settable by the user. Thereby, the display of the time until DPF regeneration is required can be started at the timing preferred by the user.

[0155] The various processes executed by the above-described ECU 610a may be performed by the control device 400, or may be performed in cooperation with the ECU 610a and the control device 400.

[0156] The information display system in the above embodiments can also be retrofitted to a work vehicle that does not have those functions. Such a system can be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicle. The computer program used in such a system can also be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicle. The computer program can be provided, for example, by being stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program can also be provided by downloading via a telecommunication line (e.g., the Internet).

Industrial Applicability

[0157] The technology of the present disclosure is widely applicable to various types of work vehicles used in, for example, smart agriculture.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0158] 10... Meter section, 11... First analog meter, 12... Second analog meter, 13... Display element, 14T... Indicator area, 14L... Indicator area, 14R... Indicator area, 17... Three-dimensional scale, 20... Wall surface part, 30... Transparent cover, 30A... Front part of the transparent cover, 30B... Side part of the transparent cover, 40... Arc-shaped indicator, 50... Reflective plate, 100... Meter panel unit, 400... Control device, 500... Information display system

Claims

1. An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising: a meter panel unit having a digital display; a control device that controls the operation of the meter panel unit; The work vehicle includes a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used to detect the amount of PM (Particulate Matter) deposited in the DPF. The control device: calculates the amount of PM deposited in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor; calculates the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle has operated; calculates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount; An information display system that causes the digital display to display the calculated time.

2. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined deposition amount is an amount at which DPF regeneration is recommended or an amount at which DPF regeneration is necessary.

3. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a storage device that stores information indicating the predetermined deposition amount and information indicating the calculated PM deposition amount.

4. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined period is a period from a first predetermined time before the present to the present.

5. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined period is a period between a first time point and a second time point in the past.

6. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device causes the digital display to display the calculated time when the calculated time is equal to or less than a second predetermined time.

7. The information display system according to claim 6, wherein the control device does not cause the digital display to display the calculated time when the calculated time is greater than the second predetermined time.

8. The information display system according to claim 6, wherein the magnitude of the second predetermined time is user - settable.

9. The control device: periodically calculates and updates the time until the PM deposition amount reaches the predetermined deposition amount; causes the digital display to display the updated time. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2.

10. A work vehicle equipped with the information display system according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The work vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the work vehicle is a mobile agricultural machine.

12. The work vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the work vehicle is a tractor.

13. An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, wherein the work vehicle includes a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used for detecting the deposition amount of PM (Particulate Matter) in the DPF, and the information display method includes: calculating the PM deposition amount in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor; calculating the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle operates; calculating the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount; causing the calculated time to be displayed on the digital display. An information display method comprising the above.

14. A computer program for causing one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, wherein the work vehicle includes a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and a sensor used for detecting the deposition amount of PM (Particulate Matter) in the DPF, and the computer program causes the one or more computers to: calculate the PM deposition amount in the DPF based on the output signal of the sensor; calculate the change amount of the PM deposition amount during a predetermined period in which the work vehicle operates; calculate the time until the PM deposition amount reaches a predetermined deposition amount from the current deposition amount based on the calculated PM deposition amount and the change amount; cause the calculated time to be displayed on the digital display. A computer program.

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