Meter panel unit and work vehicle

Abstract

To enable reprogramming even when reprogramming cannot be performed by a normal method.SOLUTION: There is disclosed a meter panel unit for a work vehicle. The meter panel unit includes: a controller including a nonvolatile memory that stores software for controlling operation of the meter panel unit; and an enforced-reprogramming switch. When operation of activating the meter panel unit is performed with the enforced-reprogramming switch turned on, the controller executes reprogramming for updating, with new software, the software stored in the nonvolatile memory.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a meter panel unit and a work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As next-generation agriculture, research and development of smart agriculture utilizing ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things) is underway. Research and development are also underway for the automation and unmanned operation of work vehicles such as tractors used in the field. 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 that displays the traveling speed, the load state of the engine, and the state of each part of the work vehicle and notifies the driver (operator).

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

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 work. Also, since such agricultural machinery performs various operations outdoors, it is necessary to display more information than a general passenger car. 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 obtain the necessary information.

[0007] Moreover, the increasing requirements for 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] The present disclosure provides a meter panel unit capable of solving such problems. In particular, the present disclosure provides an improved function related to reprogramming the software of the meter panel unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

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

[0010] [Item 1] A meter panel unit for a work vehicle, a controller having a non-volatile memory for storing software for controlling the operation of the meter panel unit, a forced reprogramming switch, comprising, when an operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned on, the controller executes reprogramming to update the software stored in the non-volatile memory with new software. Meter panel unit.

[0011] [Item 2] When the operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned off, the controller executes the software to start an application, and the meter panel unit according to Item 1.

[0012] [Item 3] During the execution of the application, when the controller responds to a reprogramming request from a computer connected to the meter panel unit, it executes the reprogramming, and the meter panel unit according to Item 2.

[0013] [Item 4] Even when the application does not operate normally, when the operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned on, the controller executes the reprogramming, and the meter panel unit according to Item 2 or 3.

[0014] [Item 5] The start operation is an operation to turn on the ignition switch of the work vehicle or an operation to give a start command from a computer communicating with the work vehicle to the meter panel unit, and the meter panel unit according to any one of Items 1 to 4.

[0015] [Item 6] A work vehicle including the meter panel unit according to any one of Items 1 to 5. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there are provided an information display system capable of visually displaying various information required during agricultural work with good visibility, a work vehicle including the information display system, and a display method for displaying an image. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0017]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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 of the size, material, shape, relative arrangement, etc. of the components are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those, but are intended to be illustrative. The size and positional relationship of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for ease of understanding.

[0020] <Schematic Configuration of Work Vehicle> FIG. 1A is a side view schematically showing an example of a work vehicle 200 according to the present embodiment. The illustrated work vehicle 200 is a tractor that pulls an implement (exchangeable work device) 300.

[0021] 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 an endless track instead of wheels with tires.

[0022] Inside the cabin 205, a meter panel unit 100, a driver's seat 207, a steering wheel 220, and a group of switches for operation according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are provided.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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 stage of the main transmission or the auxiliary transmission, switches for switching between forward and reverse, and switches for raising and lowering the implement, etc.

[0025] 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).

[0026] 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 sensors 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, a plurality of obstacle sensors 295 are provided at the front and rear of the cabin 205. The obstacle sensors 295 may also be arranged at other parts. 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.

[0027] 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 cab 205, but it may be provided at other positions.

[0028] 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 propulsion force and moving speed of the work vehicle 200 by shifting gears. The transmission 203 can also switch between the forward and reverse movements of the work vehicle 200.

[0029] A connection device 208 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 201. The connection device 208 includes, for example, a three-point support device (also called a "three-point link" or a "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 connection device 208. The connection device 208 can raise and lower the three-point link by, for example, a hydraulic device to 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 make the implement 300 perform a predetermined operation while pulling the implement 300. The connection 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.

[0030] The implement 300 shown in FIG. 1A is, for example, a sprayer that sprays chemicals 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.

[0031] 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 driving 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.

[0032] Note that the work vehicle 200 such as a tractor may be configured to travel manually, with automatic steering, or with automatic driving.

[0033] Another example of the implement in this embodiment is a loader that can attach and detach an attachment at the tip. Various attachments different according to 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.

[0034] FIG. 1C is a side view schematically showing an example of the work vehicle 200A in this 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 this embodiment is not limited to a front loader and may be a loader connected to the rear of the vehicle.

[0035] 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) that rotatably supports the boom 702 is referred to as the "boom fulcrum", and the fulcrum (or rotation axis) that rotatably supports the bucket 703 is referred to as the "bucket fulcrum".

[0036] 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 scoop operation and the dump operation of the bucket 703 become possible.

[0037] The operation switch group 801 (see FIG. 1B) provided inside the cabin 205 may include an operation lever for performing the dump operation and the squeegee operation of the bucket 703. An operation joystick for performing the dump operation, the squeegee operation, and the lifting and lowering operations of the bucket 703 may be provided inside the cabin 205. Further, the operation terminal 802 may display a setting screen of 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 a 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.

[0038] <Schematic Configuration of the 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.

[0039] 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 on 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, especially among various types of information, is not overlooked. Also, when the meter panel unit 100 is mounted on various types of work vehicles, it is desirable to have a structure that allows for easy installation. As described below, the meter panel unit 100 in the present embodiment has excellent visibility and is also easy to install.

[0040] 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. In these figures, for reference, X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other are shown (right-handed coordinate system). 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. Also, the positive direction of the Z-axis may be referred to as the front direction and the negative direction as the back direction.

[0041] The meter panel unit 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a meter unit 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 unit 10 that displays as shown in FIG. 2 may also be referred to as the display surface side of the meter unit 10.

[0042] 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 faces. 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 faces. 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 faces. 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 electrical 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.

[0043] 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, 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 images (still images or moving images) that the display element 13 displays in the display area. The display element 13 can, for example, also display an image that appears to resemble all or part of an analog meter having 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 by the display of, for example, the motor output, remaining battery amount, and battery temperature, respectively.

[0044] 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 may decrease when the outdoor light is strong during the day, while in the latter, such a possibility is relatively small. Considering these points, 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] The wall surface portion 20 surrounds the entire first analog meter 11, display element 13, and 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 have 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 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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 inclined forward. With such an inclination 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.

[0050] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the indicator area 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.

[0051] In the present embodiment, two indicator areas 14L and 14R divided into left and right are arranged below the display element 13, but one indicator area integrating the two indicator areas may be arranged.

[0052] 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 a number of indicators, it is preferable that an indicator (for example, an indicator indicating the lighting state of a lighting device, a direction indication, an alarm to the driver, etc.) that shows particularly important information (information with a high warning level) is 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 an engine abnormality or failure, the presence or absence of the headlights being lit has a high warning level.

[0053] In the present 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 an icon 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.

[0054] 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" indicating 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. In order to enhance visibility, various digital images can be shown in different colors respectively. Also, when it is particularly necessary to attract the operator's attention, at least one of the position, size, or color of the characters, numbers, figures, icons, symbols can be changed for an emphasized display. When such an emphasized display is performed, sound or voice may be emitted from an acoustic device such as a speaker.

[0055] <Communication Ring and Return Board> Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, the arc-shaped indicator (C-shaped communication ring) and the back plate will be described.

[0056] 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 pointer 2A, and a second arc-shaped indicator 40B (see FIG. 10) disposed around the movable regions of the pointers 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 portion with a gently or locally varying curvature, such as a part of an ellipse.

[0057] 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.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the meter panel unit 100 of the present embodiment includes a back plate 50 located outside the arc-shaped indicator 40. The back 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 back plate 50 has a generally arc-shaped shape when viewed from the front. The height of the upper end 50T of the back 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 back plate 50 is a curved wall rising from the meter portion 10.

[0059] 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.

[0060] By adopting such a configuration, while increasing the length of the indicating 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.

[0061] 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 perspective 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.

[0062] 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, 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 light-emitting areas 42 is one, one light-emitting area 42 has an arc shape.

[0063] 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 perspective of enhancing visibility, it is desirable to be a three-dimensional scale.

[0064] 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), but in this 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.

[0065] The plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of LEDs that emit light of different colors. In this 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, it is possible to selectively emit red light, green light, and blue light 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.

[0066] <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 cutout portions 17A arranged at predetermined intervals. This cutout portion 17A is a portion where the width of the three-dimensional scale 17 is locally reduced. The position of the cutout portion 17A coincides with the position of the scale indicated by the tip of the indicating needle 2A in the first analog meter 11. The presence of such a three-dimensional cutout portion 17A facilitates the operator's reading of the scale.

[0067] 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 align with the scale. For this reason, the notch portion 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 aligns with the arrangement of the scale.

[0068] 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.

[0069] Next, referring 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.

[0070] Inside the second arc-shaped indicator 40B, an arc-shaped convex portion 17X corresponding to the three-dimensional scale 17 is provided, but there is no notch portion in the 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.

[0071] Within the range surrounded by the second arc-shaped indicator 40B, the movable regions 13X of the second indicator needle 2B and the third indicator needle 2C are arranged. The rotation angle range 2BM of the second indicator needle 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third indicator needle 2C have mutually similar or congruent shapes as their outer shapes. In the example of FIG. 10, the rotation angle range 2BM of the second indicator needle 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third indicator 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 each other when one is translated in the vertical direction, for example.

[0072] By adopting such a configuration, it is intuitively possible to read the scale from the movements of the second indicator needle 2B and the third indicator needle 2C, and the reading error is less likely to occur.

[0073] <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) arranged inside the work vehicle. The information display system 500 may further include an acoustic device such as a buzzer or a speaker.

[0074] The information display system 500 is communicably connected via a bus B to an ECU group 610, a sensor group 620 provided in the work vehicle, and a 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, 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.

[0075] In FIG. 11, the illustration of wiring other than the wiring of the 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 an input device described later to 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.

[0076] One example of the control device 400 in the present 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.

[0077] The "processor" in the present 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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 plurality of aggregates may be a removable memory.

[0081] The RAM 436 provides a working area for temporarily expanding the program stored in the ROM 435 at the time of booting. The RAM 436 does not necessarily have to be a single recording medium and may be a collection of multiple recording media.

[0082] 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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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.

[0086] 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.

[0087] 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. Also, 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.

[0088] 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".

[0089] 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 (in this embodiment, two analog meters 12A and 12B), and the display MCU 440. The hardware indicator group 140 includes an arc-shaped 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 with 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.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 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.

[0092] <Information display by arc-shaped indicator and display element> In the information display system 500 according to the present embodiment, when the work vehicle is started, before various information is displayed on the display element 13, the control device 400 is configured to display the information by the arc indicator 40. 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 driving or work). Further, the control device 400 operates so as 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 emits blue light from the arc indicator 40, and when a problem occurs during driving, for example, it can operate to emit red light indicating an abnormality immediately after startup. Examples of cases where a problem occurs during driving include abnormal battery voltage, abnormal engine oil pressure, abnormal engine heating, abnormal brake system, etc. Note that the emission color is not limited to blue and red, and may be green.

[0093] 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 color of 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 color of 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 line 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 line portion connecting to the arc 13B. The straight line 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 14. 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") that appears to be 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 line shape as in the shaped object 13C. By including a straight line shape in the portion displayed on the display element 13, a sharp design can be achieved.

[0094] The control device 400 can cause the display element 13 to display various images in accordance with the light emitted from the light emission region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40, not limited to the examples of FIGS. 14A and 14B. Further, the control device 400 can cause the display element 13 to display various images in synchronization with the blinking of the light emission region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40. By emphasizing or linking the display of such an 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.

[0095] <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 an input device described later.

[0096] 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.

[0097] 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 brake, 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.

[0098] <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 with each other. Note that, for the sake of clarity, a part of the broken line, the dotted line, and the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 16 are shown overlapping.

[0099] The primary area 131 is an area for displaying an image at the frontmost (or in the foreground). The primary area 131 in the example shown in FIG. 16 is a rectangular area (or a panel-like 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").

[0100] The primary information indicated by the primary image thus displayed in the primary area 131 is displayed at the frontmost 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 transmit 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 information, is improved, and the overlooking of the primary information is reduced.

[0101] In the example shown in FIG. 16, the primary area 131 has a strip-like 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.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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 current settings of the main transmission and the sub-transmission are each 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.

[0104] The third region 131C displays vehicle speed information. The control device 400 switches and displays the vehicle speed information in kilometers or miles, for example, according to a command from the vehicle ECU.

[0105] 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 working of the work vehicle. For this reason, the fourth region 131D may be referred to as the "dynamic performance monitor region".

[0106] 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.

[0107] The performance monitor area 132A is the largest in size among the three areas included in the sub-area 132 and is located upper 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 function performance information. Examples of items that can be selected by the user include engine speed, engine speed upper limit setting value, engine speed memory value, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, travel distance, load factor, rotational speed of the PTO shaft, slip ratio, diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration, and information regarding the working area.

[0108] The screen of the selected items may be composed of a plurality of pages that can be scrolled forward or backward by the user operating an 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.

[0109] The dynamic performance monitor area 132B is located lower 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 function 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. As shown in FIG. 15, nothing may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B.

[0110] 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, there are a performance monitor region 132A and a dynamic performance monitor region 132B. 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 deposition amount of particulate matter (PM), and the remaining amount of tire air pressure.

[0111] 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, there can be displayed a camera image, an image for radio setting or audio setting, an image for front loader control, an image for cylinder flow control, an image for setting an operation member, an image for steering assist control, an image for automatic steering control, an image for attachment work implement control, or a launcher image for displaying a list of function items, etc. By integrating two or more regions and using them as one region in this way, images and contents can be displayed relatively large.

[0112] 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, an indicator that lights up when it is in a state where a warning such as a brake warning or a fuel remaining warning should be issued and goes out when that state is resolved can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As another example, an indicator that periodically lights up to prompt the user for maintenance such as DPF regeneration or engine oil change can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As a further example, an indicator for requesting an increase or decrease in the 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, for example, can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. Since the indicators can be highlighted and displayed on the black background, it is possible to make it easier for the operator or user to notice the occurrence of the LCD indicators.

[0113] 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 referred to as an "LED indicator", and the indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 is referred to as an "LCD indicator", and the two may be distinguished.

[0114] In the sub-region 132 shown in FIG. 16, for example, when an abnormality or a failure of an engine or an electrical component is detected, an image including a message for notifying the user of the content of the abnormality or the 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.

[0115] <Example of Configuration and Operation for Reprogramming of Meter Panel Unit> Next, an example of the configuration and operation for reprogramming the meter panel unit 100 will be described. Here, "reprogramming" is an operation of updating the software executed by the controller of the meter panel unit 100 (for example, the main MCU 420 and / or the display MCU 440 shown in FIG. 13). "Software" is a combination of one or more programs for realizing the functions of the controller and data referred to by the programs. The software may include, for example, an operating system (OS) and / or other application software (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as an "application").

[0116] FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a meter panel unit 100 including components for reprogramming. This meter panel unit 100 includes, similar to the example shown in FIG. 13, a display element 13 (digital display), a main MCU 420 (main controller) that controls the overall operation of the meter panel unit 100, and a display MCU 440 (display controller) that controls the display element 13. The main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 are connected to each other and can communicate with each other, for example, by SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication. The main MCU 420 realizes the display of various information on the display element 13 by controlling the display MCU 440. The meter panel unit 100 also includes one or more analog meters (a plurality of analog meters 11, 12A, 12B in the example of FIG. 17) and one or more indicators (hardware indicator group 140 in the example of FIG. 17). The main MCU 420 also controls these analog meters 11, 12A, 12B, and the hardware indicator group 140.

[0117] The meter panel unit 100 shown in FIG. 17 includes a port 155 for connecting a cable for communicating with in-vehicle devices such as the vehicle ECU 612, a port 156 for connecting an external PC (Personal Computer) 900 for diagnosis, and a port 157 for connecting an external storage medium 920. The port 155 can be, for example, a CAN port. The port 156 can be, for example, an OBD2 (On-Board Diagnostics II) port. The port 157 can be, for example, a USB port. Through these ports 155, 156, and 157, the meter panel unit 100 can transmit and receive data with the vehicle ECU 612, the external PC 900, and the external storage medium 920. The external PC 900 can be a portable computer such as a laptop PC or a tablet PC used by an operator who performs operations such as maintenance and fault diagnosis of a work vehicle. The external storage medium 920 can be, for example, a USB memory that stores an update program used for reprogramming the display MCU 440.

[0118] FIG. 17 also shows an ignition switch 811 provided on the vehicle body of the work vehicle. The ignition switch 811 is a switch (for example, a key switch) for switching the start and stop of the operation of the engine of the work vehicle and various electrical components including the meter panel unit 100. By switching the ignition switch 811 from off to on, power is supplied to the meter panel unit 100, and the meter panel unit 100 is activated.

[0119] The main MCU 420 includes a ROM 425 which is a non-volatile memory storing software for controlling the operation of the meter panel unit 100. The display MCU 440 includes a ROM 445 which is a non-volatile memory storing software for controlling the display element 13. The main MCU 420 controls the hardware indicator group 140, the analog meters 11, 12A, 12B, and the display MCU 440 by executing the software stored in the ROM 425. The display MCU 440 controls the display element 13 by executing the software stored in the ROM 445. These softwares are updated periodically or irregularly. The update is performed for various purposes such as addition of functions, correction of defects, or improvement of performance. When the manufacturer of the meter panel unit 100 publishes the updated software, reprogramming to overwrite the existing software stored in the ROM with the new software becomes executable. The reprogramming work can be performed by an operator of a vendor (e.g., a dealer) who performs maintenance work on the work vehicle.

[0120] Reprogramming of the main MCU 420 can be executed, for example, by connecting an external PC 900 storing the update program of the main MCU 420 to the meter panel unit 100 and performing the reprogramming operation. Reprogramming of the display MCU 440 can be executed, for example, by connecting an external storage medium 920 storing the update program to the meter panel unit 100 and performing a predetermined operation. Note that the reprogramming methods of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 are not limited to these methods. For example, reprogramming of the main MCU 420 may be performed using the external storage medium 920, or reprogramming of the display MCU 440 may be performed using the external PC 900.

[0121] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the operation of reprogramming the main MCU 420. The reprogramming of the main MCU 420 can be performed using, for example, software for reprogramming (hereinafter referred to as "service tool") installed in the PC 900. The reprogramming can be performed when the meter panel unit 100 and the PC 900 are connected by a cable (for example, an OBD2 cable) and the meter panel unit 100 is operating. Communication based on a communication protocol such as CAN is performed between the PC 900 and the meter panel unit 100, and commands and data related to reprogramming are exchanged.

[0122] The reprogramming of the main MCU 420 can be performed, for example, in the following flow. (S1) The user (for example, a dealer operator) operates the PC 900 to start the service tool and performs an operation to request reprogramming of the meter panel unit 100. (S2) The PC 900 sends a reprogramming request command to the meter panel unit 100. (S3) The meter panel unit 100 sends a reprogramming standby command to the PC 900. (S4) The meter panel unit 100 transitions to the reprogramming mode. (S5) The meter panel unit 100 sends a reprogramming acceptance command to the PC 900. (S6) The user operates the PC 900 to perform an operation to start reprogramming. (S7) The PC 900 sends a reprogramming start command to the meter panel unit 100. (S8) The PC 900 sends reprogramming data to the meter panel unit 100. The reprogramming data includes a program for updating the software of the main MCU 420. The reprogramming data can be downloaded from, for example, a server and pre-stored in the storage medium of the PC 900 before the reprogramming request operation (S1). (S9) The meter panel unit 100 executes reprogramming of the main MCU 420. Specifically, the main MCU 420 updates the old software stored in the ROM 425 with new software. (S10) The meter panel unit 100 sends a reprogramming end command to the PC 900.

[0123] Through the above operations, the reprogramming of the main MCU 420 of the meter panel unit 100 is completed. After the reprogramming is completed, the meter panel unit 100 can be restarted. Thereafter, the main MCU 420 executes the updated software to control the operation of the meter panel unit 100.

[0124] The above reprogramming operations can be executed when the meter panel unit 100 is operating normally. However, due to some malfunction, it is assumed that the meter panel unit 100 does not operate normally and the program for executing reprogramming does not work.

[0125] Even in such a case, in order to enable reprogramming, the meter panel unit 100 shown in FIG. 17 is provided with a forced reprogramming switch 153. The forced reprogramming switch 153 is a switch for forcibly transitioning to the reprogramming mode when the reprogramming of the main MCU 420 of the meter panel unit 100 cannot be executed in the normal method. The forced reprogramming switch 153 can be provided on the housing of the meter panel unit 100. The reprogramming switch 153 can be a switch that can be manually operated by an operator, such as a push button switch or a toggle switch. Not limited to this, the reprogramming switch 153 may be configured to perform switching in response to an electrical signal input from an external computer via wiring. Such an external computer may be a computer such as an external PC 900, a vehicle ECU 612, or a server or a mobile terminal that wirelessly communicates with the work vehicle.

[0126] In this embodiment, when the meter panel unit 100 is started with the forced reprogramming switch 153 turned on, the main MCU 420 executes reprogramming to update the software stored in the ROM 425 with new software. On the contrary, when the meter panel unit is started with the forced reprogramming switch 153 turned off, the main MCU 420 executes the existing software stored in the ROM 425 to start the application. The operation to start the meter panel unit 100 includes, for example, the operation of switching the ignition switch 811 from off to on. By such an operation, even when the meter panel unit 100 does not operate normally, reprogramming can be executed.

[0127] When the meter panel unit 100 does not operate normally and reprogramming cannot be executed in the normal method, the user who performs the reprogramming work can perform reprogramming, for example, according to the following procedure. First, the user turns off the ignition switch 811 to forcibly terminate the meter panel unit 100 once. Then, with the forced reprogramming switch 153 turned on, the ignition switch 811 is turned on. Then, the bootloader of the main MCU 420 forcibly transitions to the reprogramming mode and executes reprogramming. After the reprogramming is completed, the main MCU 420 restarts the system and can start operating normally by executing the updated software.

[0128] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the main MCU 420 in the meter panel unit 100. The operation shown in FIG. 19 is performed with an external PC 900 connected to the meter panel unit 100. When the ignition switch 811 is switched from the off state to the on state, the main MCU 420 executes the operations of steps S101 to S107 shown in FIG. 19.

[0129] First, the main MCU 420 starts the bootloader (step S101). The bootloader is a program for starting the software of the main MCU 420 (for example, an operating system and / or other application software). In this embodiment, the main MCU 420 executes the bootloader to determine whether the forced reprogramming switch 153 is on (step S102). If the forced reprogramming switch 153 is on (ON), the process proceeds to step S103, and forced reprogramming is performed. If the forced reprogramming switch 153 is off (OFF), the process proceeds to step S105, and the application is started.

[0130] In step S103, the main MCU 420 transitions to the reprogramming mode and executes reprogramming. The operation in step S103 is the same as the operations from step S4 to S10 shown in FIG. 18.

[0131] When the reprogramming is completed, the main MCU 420 restarts the system (step S104). After the restart, the process returns to step S101, and the main MCU 420 executes the bootloader and makes the determination in step S102. After the forced reprogramming is completed, the forced reprogramming switch 153 is normally turned off. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0132] In step S105, the main MCU 420 executes the updated software to start the application. Thereafter, the main MCU 420 controls the hardware indicator group 140, the analog meters 11, 12A, 12B, and the display MCU 440 based on the information indicating the state of the work vehicle acquired from the vehicle ECU 612.

[0133] During the execution of the application, the main MCU 420 determines whether there is a reprogramming request (step S106). Whether there is a reprogramming request is determined based on whether the reprogramming request command in step S2 shown in FIG. 18 is received. If a reprogramming request is received, the process proceeds to step S103, and the main MCU 420 executes reprogramming. If there is no reprogramming request, the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the main MCU 420 determines whether the ignition switch 811 has been turned off. If the ignition switch 811 has not been turned off (is ON), the process returns to step S106. If the ignition switch 811 has been turned off, the main MCU 420 terminates the operation of the meter panel unit 100.

[0134] As described above, in this embodiment, when the meter panel unit 100 is started with the forced reprogramming switch 153 turned on, the main MCU 420 executes reprogramming to update the software stored in the ROM 445 with new software. Conversely, when the meter panel unit 100 is started with the forced reprogramming switch turned off, the main MCU 420 executes the software stored in the ROM 445 to start the application. During the execution of the application, the main MCU 420 executes reprogramming in response to a reprogramming request from a computer such as an external PC 900 connected to the meter panel unit 100. Even if the application of the meter panel unit 100 does not operate normally, the main MCU 420 forcibly executes reprogramming when the meter panel unit 100 is started with the forced reprogramming switch 153 turned on.

[0135] With the above configuration and operation, even if the application of the meter panel unit 100 does not operate normally and reprogramming cannot be executed in the normal manner shown in FIG. 18, it becomes possible to forcibly execute reprogramming. As a result, for example, recovery is possible even when the program for reprogramming does not operate due to program destruction or runaway.

[0136] Note that the operation for starting the meter panel unit 100 is not limited to the operation of turning on the ignition switch 811 of the work vehicle, and other methods may be used. For example, an operation of giving a start command to the meter panel unit 100 from a computer that communicates with the work vehicle may be used. Such a computer may be, for example, a remote operation terminal that performs remote control of a work vehicle that performs automatic driving. When the work vehicle is remotely operated, the forced reprogramming switch 153 may be operated from the remote operation terminal via the ECU in the work vehicle.

[0137] In the present embodiment, when updating the software of the main MCU 420, the reprogramming operations shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 are performed. The reprogramming of the display MCU 440 can be executed by a user (for example, a dealer operator) connecting an external storage medium 920 (for example, a USB memory) storing an update program to the meter panel unit 100 and performing a predetermined operation on the meter panel unit 100 or an external PC 900. Not limited to such a method, the reprogramming of the display MCU 440 may also be executed in a method similar to the method illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19.

[0138] <Configuration for avoiding software version inconsistency between two MCUs> Next, a configuration example for avoiding software version inconsistency between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 will be described.

[0139] FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing an example of a more detailed configuration of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 in the meter panel unit 100. In this example, the ROM 425 of the main MCU 420 stores software 427 executed by the CPU 424, software version information 428, and communication version information 429. Similarly, the ROM 445 of the display MCU 440 stores software 447 executed by the CPU 444 and / or the GPU 443, software version information 448, and communication version information 449. The software version information 428, 448 indicates the versions of the software 427, 447, respectively. The communication version information 429, 449 is information indicating the version of communication between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440, and indicates values corresponding to the software version information 428, 448, respectively. The main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 can communicate with each other through an interface such as SPI, for example. The specification of the communication can be changed depending on the versions of the respective software of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440. Therefore, the communication version needs to be a value corresponding to the version of each software.

[0140] FIG. 21 is a table showing an example of the relationship among the software version of the main MCU 420, the software version of the display MCU 440, and the communication version. In this example, four software versions Ver. 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 of the main MCU 420 and two software versions Ver. 1.0 and 1.1 of the display MCU 440 correspond to the communication version Ver. 1. Also, five software versions Ver. 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 of the main MCU 420 and three software versions Ver. 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 of the display MCU 440 correspond to the communication version Ver. 2. Two software versions Ver. 3.0 and 3.1 of the main MCU 420 and one software version Ver. 3.0 of the display MCU 440 correspond to the communication version Ver. 3. Communication between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 is possible only when the communication versions associated with the software versions of both match. Note that the version representation and correspondence shown in FIG. 21 are only examples. The version representation and correspondence in an actual system may be different from the example shown in FIG. 21.

[0141] As described above, the communication version corresponds to one or more software versions of the main MCU 420 and one or more software versions of the display MCU 440. When the communication version stored in the ROM 425 of the main MCU 420 does not match the communication version stored in the ROM 445 of the display MCU 440 at startup, the main MCU 420 or the display MCU 440 is configured to output a warning. This can avoid the situation where the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 cannot communicate properly due to an inconsistency in the software versions of both.

[0142] The warning can be output in various ways, such as sound, light, image, or characters. Typically, a warning can be output by display on the display element 13 (i.e., a digital display). For example, when the meter panel unit 100 is activated, if the communication version of the main MCU 420 does not match the communication version of the display MCU 440, any of the following operations may be performed. (Example 1) The display MCU 440 causes the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the display MCU 440. (Example 2) The display MCU 440 causes the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the main MCU 420. (Example 3) The main MCU 420 controls a speaker (which may be a buzzer mounted on the work vehicle) or an indicator (e.g., one of the hardware indicator groups 140) to output a warning by sound or light.

[0143] More specifically, when the meter panel unit 100 is activated, if the communication version of the display MCU 440 is older than the communication version of the main MCU 420, the display MCU 440 may cause the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the display MCU 440. Also, when the meter panel unit 100 is activated, if the communication version of the main MCU 420 is older than the communication version of the display MCU 440, the display MCU 440 may cause the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the main MCU 420.

[0144] The operation of reprogramming the display MCU 440 may include connecting an external storage medium 920 storing the software update file of the display MCU 440 to the meter panel unit 100 as described above. The display MCU 440 may be configured to cause the display element 13 to display a warning including a message requesting to connect the external storage medium 920 to the meter panel unit 100 when the communication version of the main MCU 420 and the communication version of the display MCU 440 do not match. After the external storage medium 920 is connected to the meter panel unit 100, it may be configured to update the software of the display MCU 440 based on the update file stored in the external storage medium 920.

[0145] FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of outputting a warning when the communication versions of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 do not match. The operation shown in FIG. 22 starts when the ignition switch 811 is switched from off to on.

[0146] First, the main MCU 420 activates the bootloader (step S201). The main MCU 420 executes the bootloader to determine whether the communication versions between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 match (step S202). Specifically, the main MCU 420 obtains the communication version information 449 stored in the ROM 445 from the display MCU 440, compares the communication version information 449 with the communication version information 429 stored in the ROM 425 of the main MCU 420, and determines whether they match. If they match, the process proceeds to step S203, and the main MCU 420 executes the software 427 to start the application. At this time, the main MCU 420 causes the display MCU 440 to execute the software 447 to start the display control for the display element 13. As in the example shown in FIG. 19, after the application is started, reprogramming for updating the software 427 or 447 may be performed as necessary.

[0147] In step S202, if it is determined that the communication version of the main MCU 420 does not match the communication version of the display MCU 440, the process proceeds to step S204. In step S204, the main MCU 420 determines whether the communication version of the display MCU 440 is older than the communication version of the main MCU 420. If the communication version of the display MCU 440 is older than the communication version of the main MCU 420, the process proceeds to step S211. If the communication version of the main MCU 420 is older than the communication version of the display MCU 440, the process proceeds to step S221.

[0148] In step S211, the main MCU 420 controls the display MCU 440 to cause the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user (e.g., a dealer operator) to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the display MCU 440.

[0149] FIG. 23A is a diagram showing an example of a warning display displayed on the display element 13. In this example, the reprogramming of the display MCU 440 is performed by connecting a USB memory (external storage medium 920) in which a system update file is stored to the meter panel unit 100. For this reason, a message prompting the user to perform the operation is displayed on the display element 13. In addition to the message, other information such as a status number may be displayed. Note that the display shown in FIG. 23A is only an example, and the content of the message can be appropriately modified.

[0150] When the user connects the USB memory to the meter panel unit 100 and performs a predetermined operation (Yes in step S212), the display MCU 440 executes reprogramming based on the system update file stored in the USB memory (step S213). As a result, the software 447 stored in the ROM 445 of the display MCU 440 is updated, and the inconsistency with the software 427 of the main MCU 420 is eliminated.

[0151] If it is determined in step S204 that the communication version of the main MCU 420 is older than the communication version of the display MCU 440, the process proceeds to step S221. In step S221, the main MCU 420 causes the display element 13 to display a warning prompting the user to perform a reprogramming operation to update the software of the main MCU 420.

[0152] FIG. 23B is a diagram showing an example of a warning display shown on the display element 13. In this example, the reprogramming of the main MCU 420 is performed by connecting a computer (PC 900) in which the system update file is stored to the meter panel unit 100 and starting the service tool. For this reason, a message prompting the user to perform the operation is displayed on the display element 13. In addition to the message, other information such as a status number may be displayed. Note that the display shown in FIG. 23B is only an example, and the content of the message can be appropriately modified.

[0153] When the user performs a reprogramming operation according to the displayed instruction (Yes in step S222), the main MCU 420 executes reprogramming based on the system update file stored in the computer (step S223). As a result, the software 427 stored in the ROM 425 of the main MCU 420 is updated, and the inconsistency with the software 447 of the display MCU 440 is resolved.

[0154] When the reprogramming in step S213 and step S223 is completed, the system of the meter panel unit 100 is restarted. Thereafter, when it is determined that the communication versions between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 match in step S202, the application is started up normally (step S203). By such an operation, even when, for example, only one of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 is erroneously reprogrammed instead of both being reprogrammed as should be the case, and a communication version mismatch occurs, the mismatch state can be resolved quickly.

[0155] Note that the system update file for executing the reprogramming of the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 is not limited to the PC 900 and the external storage medium 920, and may be provided to the meter panel unit 100 by communication from a computer such as a server installed at a location away from the meter panel unit 100, for example.

[0156] In the present embodiment, an MCU is used as the main controller and the display controller, but a control circuit or a computing device other than the MCU may be used.

[0157] The meter panel unit 100 may be configured to perform both the operations shown in FIG. 19 and the operations shown in FIG. 22. For example, when it is determined as No in step S102 of FIG. 19, instead of proceeding to step S105, the processes after step S202 in FIG. 22 may be performed. In other words, after the bootloader is started, the main MCU 420 performs a process of determining whether the forced reprogramming switch 153 is ON (step S102), and when the switch 153 is OFF, the main MCU 420 may perform a process of determining whether the communication versions match between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 (step S202). With such a configuration, even when reprogramming cannot be executed by the normal method, forced reprogramming can be executed, and a mismatch in the communication version between the main MCU 420 and the display MCU 440 can be avoided.

[0158] The meter panel or the information display system in the above embodiments can also be attached later to a work vehicle that does not have those functions. Such a system can be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicle. A 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, stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program can also be provided by downloading via a telecommunication line (for example, the Internet).

Industrial Applicability

[0159] The technology of the present disclosure is widely applicable to various types of work vehicles used in, for example, smart agriculture.

Explanation of Signs

[0160] 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, 153 ··· Forced reprogramming switch, 140 ··· Hardware indicator group, 400 ··· Control device, 420 ··· Main MCU, 424 ··· CPU, 425 ··· ROM, 426 ··· RAM, 443 ··· GPU, 444 ··· CPU, 445 ··· ROM, 446 ··· RAM, 440 ··· Display MCU, 500 ··· Information display system, 612 ··· Vehicle ECU, 811 ··· Ignition switch, 900 ··· External PC, 920 ··· External storage medium

Claims

1. A meter panel unit for a work vehicle, a controller having a non-volatile memory storing software for controlling the operation of the meter panel unit, a forced reprogramming switch, comprising: when an operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned on, the controller executes reprogramming to update the software stored in the non-volatile memory with new software; a meter panel unit.

2. The meter panel unit according to claim 1, wherein when an operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned off, the controller executes the software to start an application.

3. The meter panel unit according to claim 2, wherein during execution of the application, the controller executes the reprogramming in response to a reprogramming request from a computer connected to the meter panel unit.

4. The meter panel unit according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the controller executes the reprogramming when an operation to start the meter panel unit is performed with the forced reprogramming switch turned on even when the application does not operate normally.

5. The meter panel unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the start operation is an operation of turning on an ignition switch of the work vehicle or an operation of giving a start command from a computer communicating with the work vehicle to the meter panel unit.

6. A work vehicle comprising the meter panel unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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