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

Abstract

To display various information necessary in farm work with preferable visibility.SOLUTION: An information display system includes: a first control device that controls operation of a meter panel unit; a second control device that controls display operation of a digital display that displays a predetermined image; and a drive circuit that causes a light emitter to emit light. The light emitter emits light for lighting display of a predetermined indicator. When blink display of the predetermined indicator and blink display of the predetermined image are performed in parallel in the same cycle, the first control device causes a timing, at which a first control signal of turning display of the predetermined indicator on from off is output to the drive circuit, to be delayed by a predetermined time to be later than a timing at which the second control signal of turning display of the predetermined image on from off is output to the second control device, and causes a timing, at which the first control signal of turning display of the predetermined indicator off from on to the drive circuit by a predetermined time to be later than a timing at which the second control signal of turning display of the predetermined image off from on is output to the second control device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

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

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

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

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

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

[0007] Moreover, the increasing requirements for such meter panels 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 an information display system capable of solving such problems, a work vehicle equipped with the information display system, and a display method for displaying images.

Means for Solving the Problems

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

[0010] [Item 1] An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising: a meter panel unit; a first control device that controls the operation of the meter panel unit; and the meter panel unit includes: a digital display; a light-emitting element that emits light for lighting a predetermined indicator disposed at a position different from the digital display; a second control device that controls the display operation of the digital display; a drive circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light; and the first control device Output a first control signal to the drive circuit to cause the light-emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator, and Output a second control signal to the second control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image, When the first control device performs the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image at the same period as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator in parallel, The timing at which the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator is output to the drive circuit is delayed by a predetermined time from the timing at which the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image is output to the second control device, and The timing at which the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator is output to the drive circuit is delayed by the predetermined time from the timing at which the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image is output to the second control device, an information display system.

[0011] [Item 2] Comprising a storage device for storing time information indicating the predetermined time, The first control device controls the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image based on the time information read from the storage device, the information display system according to item 1.

[0012] [Item 3] The predetermined time is 50 milliseconds or more and 200 milliseconds or less, the information display system according to item 1 or 2.

[0013] [Item 4] Each of the first control signal and the second control signal includes a rectangular wave signal, The first control device, The rising timing of the first control signal is delayed by the predetermined time from the rising timing of the second control signal, and The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein a falling edge timing of the first control signal is delayed by the predetermined time from a falling edge timing of the second control signal.

[0014] [Item 5] The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined indicator represents a warning lamp or an indicator lamp.

[0015] [Item 6] The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the predetermined image represents a warning lamp or an indicator lamp.

[0016] [Item 7] The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the digital display is a dot matrix display.

[0017] [Item 8] The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the light emitting element is a light emitting diode.

[0018] [Item 9] A work vehicle equipped with the information display system according to any one of items 1 to 8.

[0019] [Item 10] The work vehicle according to item 9, wherein the work vehicle is a mobile agricultural machine.

[0020] [Item 11] The work vehicle according to item 9, wherein the work vehicle is a tractor.

[0021] [Item 12] An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, which is executed by one or more computers, wherein the meter panel unit includes a digital display, and A light-emitting element that emits light for lighting a predetermined indicator disposed at a position different from the digital display, A control device that controls the display operation of the digital display, A drive circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light, and includes, The information display method is, Output a first control signal to the drive circuit to cause the light-emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator, Output a second control signal to the control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image, including, The information display method is, When performing the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image at the same period as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator in parallel, The timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator from off to on to the drive circuit is delayed by a predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image from off to on to the control device, The timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator from on to off to the drive circuit is delayed by the predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image from on to off to the control device, including, an information display method.

[0022] [Item 13] A computer program that causes one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, The meter panel unit includes a digital display, a light-emitting element that emits light for lighting a predetermined indicator disposed at a position different from the digital display, a control device that controls the display operation of the digital display, A drive circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light, and the computer program causes the drive circuit to output a first control signal to cause the light-emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator, output a second control signal to the control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image, to be executed by the one or more computers, the computer program when the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image at the same period as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator are performed in parallel, delay the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator to the drive circuit by a predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image to the control device, delay the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator to the drive circuit by the predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image to the control device, and cause the one or more computers to execute, a computer program.

[0023] The comprehensive or specific aspects of the present disclosure can be realized by an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium may include a volatile storage medium or a non-volatile storage medium. The apparatus may be composed of a plurality of apparatuses. When the apparatus is composed of two or more apparatuses, the two or more apparatuses may be arranged in one device or may be divided and arranged in two or more separate devices.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] 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, a work vehicle including the information display system, and a display method for displaying an image.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14A

Figure 14B

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] Hereinafter, a meter panel unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that portions denoted by the same reference numerals in a plurality of drawings indicate the same or equivalent portions.

[0027] 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 them, but are intended to be illustrative. The sizes and positional relationships of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for ease of understanding.

[0028] <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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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, a switch for selecting a gear position of main shifting or sub-shifting, a switch for switching between forward and reverse, a switch for switching between four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive, a switch for releasing the connection of left and right brakes, and a switch for raising and lowering an implement, etc.

[0033] 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 be provided with 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).

[0034] Refer to FIG. 1A again. The work vehicle 200 in FIG. 1A is equipped with a plurality of external sensors that sense the surroundings of the work vehicle 200. The external sensors may include various sensors such as a plurality of cameras 270, a plurality of obstacle sensors 295, and a plurality of LiDAR sensors 290. The cameras 270 may be provided, for example, on the front, rear, left, and right of the work vehicle 200. The cameras 270 capture the environment around the work vehicle 200 and generate image data. The images acquired by the cameras 270 may be transmitted to, for example, a terminal device for remote monitoring. The cameras 270 are provided as needed, and the number thereof is arbitrary. The LiDAR sensor 290 is an example of an external sensor that outputs sensor data indicating the distribution of objects located in the surrounding environment of the work vehicle 200. In the example of FIG. 1A, two LiDAR sensors 290 are arranged at the front and rear on the cabin 205. The LiDAR sensor 290 may be provided at other positions (for example, the lower front part of the vehicle body 201, etc.). Each LiDAR sensor 290 repeatedly outputs sensor data indicating the distance and direction to each measurement point of an object existing in the surrounding environment or the three-dimensional coordinate values of each measurement point while the work vehicle 200 is traveling. The number of LiDAR sensors 290 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. In the example of FIG. 1A, 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 sensor 290 and the obstacle sensors 295 may be activated, for example, when the work vehicle 200 is traveling in the automatic driving mode. The LiDAR sensor 290 and the obstacle sensors 295 are provided as needed, and the number of each is arbitrary. Only one of the LiDAR sensor 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 automatic driving function, the work vehicle 200 may not be equipped with the LiDAR sensor 290 and the obstacle sensors 295.

[0035] 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.

[0036] The prime mover 202 can be, for example, a diesel engine. An electric motor may be used instead of the diesel engine. The transmission 203 can change the driving force and moving speed of the work vehicle 200 by shifting gears. The transmission 203 can also switch between forward and reverse of the work vehicle 200.

[0037] A coupling device 208 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 201. The coupling device 208 includes, for example, a three-point support device (also referred to as a "three-point link" or "three-point hitch"), a PTO (Power Take Off) shaft, a universal joint, and a communication cable. The implement 300 can be attached to and detached from the work vehicle 200 by the coupling device 208. The coupling device 208 can raise and lower the three-point link, for example, by a hydraulic device, and change the position or posture of the implement 300. Also, power can be transmitted from the work vehicle 200 to the implement 300 via the universal joint. The work vehicle 200 can make the implement 300 perform a predetermined operation while towing the implement 300. The coupling device may be provided in front of the vehicle body 201. In that case, an implement can be connected in front of the work vehicle 200.

[0038] The implement 300 shown in FIG. 1A is, for example, a sprayer that sprays a chemical on crops, but the implement 300 is not limited to a sprayer. For example, any implement 300 such as a mower, a seeder, a spreader, a rake, a baler, a harvester, a plow, a cultivator, or a rotary can be connected to the work vehicle 200 and used.

[0039] Thus, the work vehicle 200 used in smart agriculture is equipped with various sensors and performs various operations together with various implements 300. In the process of such operations, it is necessary to provide the driver (user or operator) with various information regarding the running state and the working state. Therefore, the information to be displayed on the meter panel unit 100 can vary diversely according to the content and stage of the operation.

[0040] Note that the work vehicle 200 such as a tractor may be configured to run manually, automatically steered, or automatically driven.

[0041] Another example of the implement in this embodiment is a loader that can attach and detach an attachment at its tip. Various attachments different depending on the work content are attached to the tip of the loader. The attachment is, for example, a grab such as a bale grab or a silage grab, a fork such as a roll fork or a super pallet fork, or a bucket.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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".

[0044] 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, the loader 700 (or the bucket 703) can be raised and lowered. Also, by hydraulically extending and retracting the bucket cylinder 704, the bucket 703 can be rotated around the rotation axis located at the bucket fulcrum. Thereby, the scraping operation and the dumping operation of the bucket 703 become possible.

[0045] The operation switch group 801 (see FIG. 1B) provided inside the cabin 205 may include an operation lever for performing a dump operation and a squeegee operation of the bucket 703. An operation joystick for performing a dump operation, a squeegee operation, and a lifting operation of the bucket 703 may be provided inside the cabin 205. Further, the operation terminal 802 may display a setting screen of a 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 a microcontroller of the loader. The user can perform a desired operation 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.

[0046] <Schematic Configuration of Meter Panel Unit> FIG. 1D is a front view schematically showing a meter panel unit 100 attached to a tractor, which is one of the work vehicles, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the meter panel unit 100 is disposed on the front side of the driver's seat of the tractor. Specifically, the meter panel unit 100 is fitted into an opening of a meter cover 240 above a handle stay 230 that rotatably supports a 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 an opening between the spoke 222A and the spoke 222B.

[0047] The meter panel unit 100 is required to have excellent visibility. Particularly in a mobile work vehicle capable of automatic steering or automatic driving, various types of information that are not displayed in a general passenger car need to be displayed during the execution of various agricultural operations. For such a meter panel unit 100, it is desirable that its visibility is enhanced so that important information with a particularly high degree of importance 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 will be described below, the meter panel unit 100 in the present embodiment has excellent visibility and is easy to install.

[0048] 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 the 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 to be described later. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a transparent cover of the meter panel unit 100 to be described later. In these figures, for reference, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis 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 rear direction.

[0049] The meter panel unit 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a meter section 10 having a first analog meter 11, a second analog meter 12, and a display element 13 provided between the first and second analog meters 11 and 12. In this specification, the portion of the meter section 10 that displays as shown in FIG. 2 may also be referred to as the display surface side of the meter section 10.

[0050] The first analog meter 11 has an indicating needle 2A, and the second analog meter 12 has indicating needles 2B and 2C. The indicating needle 2A is rotatably supported around a rotation axis located near the center of the first analog meter 11. The indicating needle 2A indicates, for example, the engine speed depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2A points. Here, the "engine speed" means the number of rotations of the engine per unit time (for example, one minute). The indicating needles 2B and 2C are rotatably supported around two rotation axes located at different positions of the second analog meter 12, respectively. The indicating needle 2B indicates, for example, the remaining fuel amount depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2B points. Also, the indicating needle 2C indicates, for example, the temperature of the engine cooling water (water temperature) depending on the direction in which the tip of the indicating needle 2C points. The indicating needles 2A, 2B, and 2C are driven by a drive unit (movement) provided in the meter unit 10. The drive unit can receive an 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.

[0051] 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 image (still image or moving image) that the display element 13 displays in the display area. The display element 13 can also display, for example, an image that appears to resemble all or part of an analog meter 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. When the work vehicle is an electric vehicle driven by a battery, the display of the engine speed, the remaining fuel amount, and the water temperature can be replaced, for example, by the display of the motor output, the remaining battery amount, and the battery temperature, respectively.

[0052] 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 external 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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 need to be perpendicular to the display surface of the meter unit 10 and may be inclined from the Z-axis. The distance from the display surface of the meter unit 10 to the front side end of the wall surface portion 20 (also referred to as "height") is not constant along the periphery of the meter unit 10 and can change according to the position on the periphery.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] Next, referring 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] The indicator area 14T located above the display element 13 is less likely to be obstructed from view by the spokes 222A, 222B, and 222C of the steering wheel 220 compared to the other indicator areas 14L and 14R. For this reason, among the numerous indicators, it is preferable that an indicator (for example, an indicator indicating the lighting state of the lighting device, direction indication, warning 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 operation manual of the work vehicle. For example, information such as engine abnormalities or malfunctions, and the presence or absence of headlight lighting has a high warning level.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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 performances, 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 draw the operator's attention, at least one of the position, size, or color of the characters, numbers, figures, icons, and symbols can be changed for an emphasized display. When such an emphasized display is performed, sound or voice may be emitted from an acoustic device such as a speaker.

[0063] <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.

[0064] 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 part with a gently or locally changing curvature like a part of an ellipse.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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 substantially 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 unit 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 unit 10.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a front view showing the arrangement relationship of 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.

[0068] By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the expansion of the lateral (X-axis direction) size of the first analog meter 11 while increasing the length of the indicator needle 2A, that is, the radius 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. For this reason, 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. Further, 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.

[0069] In order to obtain the above effects, it is preferable that the central angle of the "arc" of the arc-shaped indicator 40 (40A) arranged so as to surround the first analog meter 11 is larger than 180° and smaller than 270°. If the central angle of the "arc" is 180° or less, the visibility of the first analog meter 11 will decrease. If the central angle of the "arc" is 270° or more, the reduction effect in the lateral direction (X-axis direction) of the first analog meter 11 will be insufficient. The same applies to the arc-shaped indicator 40 (40B) surrounding the second analog meter 12. From the viewpoint of design, it is preferable that the left and right arc-shaped indicators 40A and 40B are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical line passing through the center of the display element 13.

[0070] The arc-shaped indicator 40 has at least one light-emitting area 42 arranged between the movable area 11X of the indicating needle 2A and the back plate 50. In the example shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of light-emitting areas 42 are provided. In this example, each light-emitting area 42 has a thin and arc-shaped curved shape. And the plurality of light-emitting areas 42 are arranged to form a row of arcs to form the arc-shaped indicator 40. When the number of the light-emitting areas 42 is one, one light-emitting area 42 has an arc shape.

[0071] In the example shown in the figure, the first analog meter 11 has an arc-shaped scale 17 between the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the movable area 11X of the indicating needle 2A. This scale 17 is a memory (three-dimensional scale) having a three-dimensional shape protruding from the display surface, and is integrally formed from plastic together with the wall surface portion 20 and the back plate 50. Note that the scale 17 does not necessarily have to have a three-dimensional shape, but from the viewpoint of enhancing visibility, it is desirable to be a three-dimensional scale.

[0072] Each of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 may be formed from an element that emits light (e.g., an LED or an OLED). However, in the present embodiment, it is constituted by 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 a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed behind them.

[0073] The plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of LEDs that emit light of different colors. In the present embodiment, the plurality of light-emitting elements include an LED that emits red light, an LED that emits green light, and an LED that emits blue light. By selectively emitting light from these LEDs, the arc-shaped indicator 40 can function to notify the operator of information with light of various colors. 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.

[0074] <Three-dimensional scale> Next, the three-dimensional scale 17 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the three-dimensional scale 17 extends in an arc shape inside the arc-shaped indicator 40 so as to schematically form the letter C. Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the three-dimensional scale 17 has a plurality of notch portions 17A arranged at a predetermined interval. This notch portion 17A is a portion where the width of the three-dimensional scale 17 is locally reduced. The position of the notch portion 17A is aligned with the 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 notch portion 17A facilitates reading of the scale by the operator.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 7, the scale plate 50 has a plurality of protrusions 52 that project toward the movable region 11X of the indicating needle 2A. The plurality of protrusions 52 are provided at the positions of the notches of the three-dimensional scale 17, in other words, at positions that match the scale. For this reason, the notch 17A of the three-dimensional scale 17 is recognized as a figure integral with the protrusion 52, and the visibility of the scale is improved. Each of the plurality of protrusions 52 straddles between the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 in the arc-shaped indicator 40. Therefore, the arrangement of the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 also matches the arrangement of the scale.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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 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.

[0079] Within the range surrounded by the second arc-shaped indicator 40B, the movable regions 13X of the second pointer 2B and the third pointer 2C are arranged. The rotation angle range 2BM of the second pointer 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third pointer 2C have similar or congruent shapes as their outer shapes. In the example of FIG. 10, the rotation angle range 2BM of the second pointer 2B and the rotation angle range 2CM of the third pointer 2C are vertically symmetric, but it 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 parallel to the vertical direction, for example.

[0080] By adopting such a configuration, it is intuitively possible to read the scale from the movements of the second pointer 2B and the third pointer 2C, and it is less likely to cause reading errors.

[0081] <Information display system> Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14B, the information display system 500 in the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration example of the information display system 500 in the embodiment of the present disclosure. The information display system 500 includes the above-described meter panel unit 100 and a control device 400 that controls the meter panel unit 100. The control device 400 may include an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed inside the work vehicle. The information display system 500 may further include an acoustic device such as a buzzer or a speaker.

[0082] 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 the two. The various vehicle ECUs and the meter ECU can communicate with each other according to a vehicle bus standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network). For example, one vehicle ECU among the ECU group 610 provided in the work vehicle receives signals from other vehicle ECUs and sensor data output from each sensor included in the sensor group 620, and according to the state of the work vehicle, it instructs the meter ECU to display a warning message as described later, or to turn on, turn off, or blink an indicator. The meter ECU receives an instruction from the vehicle ECU and causes a warning message to be displayed in the display area, or causes the indicator to turn on, turn off, or blink.

[0083] 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 and the control device 400. Also, there is a 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.

[0084] One example of the control device 400 in this embodiment is a computing device including at least one processor and at least one memory storing a computer program (code) that defines a control process executed by the processor. Another example of the control device 400 is a computing device including a hardware accelerator such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product), or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) configured to execute the control process.

[0085] The "processor" in this embodiment is a hardware electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ISP (Image Signal Processor), or an NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit). The "memory" is a hardware electronic circuit such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). A part of the memory may be a storage medium connected to the processor by wiring or a network. These hardware electronic circuits can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). Each functional unit or block within the electronic circuit, and related components, may be manufactured individually as separate integrated circuit chips, or some or all of these functional units or blocks may be combined and manufactured as a single integrated circuit chip.

[0086] 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.

[0087] 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.

[0088] 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 can be a collection of multiple recording media. A part of the plurality of aggregates may be a removable memory.

[0089] 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 can be a collection of multiple recording media.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 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.

[0092] 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.

[0093] 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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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 network through the communication I / F 438. 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.

[0096] 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, for example, a dot matrix display). The display MCU 440 may also be referred to as the "display controller" or "LCU MCU".

[0097] 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 areas 14T, 14L, and 14R shown in FIG. 5. The ROM 425 is a non-volatile memory that stores software (programs and various data used for processing) executed by the CPU 424. The main MCU 420 controls the overall operation of the meter panel unit 100 by the CPU 424 executing the software. The main MCU 420 may include an interface for communicating with one or more vehicle ECUs connected to the meter panel unit 100 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN. The main MCU 420 may also include an external interface that enables input and output of digital signals between the main MCU 420 and devices directly connected to the meter panel unit 100. The main MCU 420 may further include an analog interface to which an analog signal such as the voltage of an external battery is input.

[0098] 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.

[0099] 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.

[0100] <Information display by arc-shaped indicator and display element> In the information display system 500 according to the present embodiment, the control device 400 is configured to display information by the arc-shaped indicator 40 before displaying various information on the display element 13 when the work vehicle is started. This makes it possible to preferentially convey information that the operator should know first at startup. Such information has content indicating the state of the work vehicle (a state classified as abnormal for driving or work). Further, the control device 400 operates to change the color of the emitted light according to the content of the information. For example, when there is no abnormality at startup, the control device 400 can operate to emit blue light from the arc-shaped indicator 40, and when a problem occurs in driving, for example, it can operate to emit red light indicating an abnormality immediately after startup. Examples of cases where a problem occurs in 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.

[0101] 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 radiated 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 radiated 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 broken line E-E shown in FIG. 14B) that defines the boundary between the first analog meter 11 and the display element 13. By performing such a display, among the circles surrounding the first analog meter 11, the portion cut off by the broken line E-E is visually recognized by the operator as a part of the first analog meter 11, so that the first analog meter 11 can be felt to be larger. Also, an image (hereinafter referred to as a "ring complementary image") displayed as if it were a part of the first analog meter 11 may be partially made invisible by information such as numerical values or characters displayed on the display element 13. The arc 13B portion may include a straight line shape as with 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.

[0102] The control device 400 can display various images on the display element 13 in accordance with the light emitted from the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40, not limited to the examples of FIGS. 14A and 14B. Further, the control device 400 can display various images on the display element 13 in synchronization with the blinking of the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40. By emphasizing or linking such a display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the display of the display element 13, the display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 can be more easily conveyed to the operator.

[0103] <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 using the input device described later.

[0104] 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 wiredly. Any device that accepts the user's operation can be used as the input device 170. 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.

[0105] 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.

[0106] <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 clarity, the broken line, the dotted line, and the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 16 are shown with some overlap.

[0107] 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").

[0108] 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 convey the primary information to the user without being hidden by other images or contents. Therefore, the visibility of the primary information, which is particularly important among various information, is improved, and the oversight of the primary information is reduced.

[0109] 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 traveling 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.

[0110] 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.

[0111] The second region 131B located second from the left displays information regarding the transmission state, for example, the setting of the gear stage of the 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 the gear stages in the automatic transmission mode.

[0112] The third region 131C displays the 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.

[0113] The fourth region 131D at the right end displays information other than the traveling direction, the transmission state, and the 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 setting 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".

[0114] 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.

[0115] The performance monitor area 132A is the largest-sized area among the three areas included in the sub-area 132 and is located upperward 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 among various items indicating various functional performance information. Examples of items that can be selected by the user include engine speed, engine speed upper limit setting value, value of the engine speed memory, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, travel distance, load factor, rotational speed of the PTO shaft, slip ratio, diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration, and information regarding the working area.

[0116] 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.

[0117] The dynamic performance monitor area 132B is located lowerward within the sub-area 132. The dynamic performance monitor area 132B may be referred to as the "lower area" in the sub-area 132. Various items indicating the above-described various functional performance information may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B. The display of the information displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B may be controlled, for example, by a control device 400 (e.g., a meter ECU) that has received a command from the vehicle ECU. The control device 400 may be configured to change the display of the dynamic performance monitor area 132B in response to a command from the vehicle ECU. As shown in FIG. 16, for example, two items may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B. However, the number of items is not limited to two. As shown in FIG. 15, nothing may be displayed in the dynamic performance monitor area 132B.

[0118] 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, the performance monitor region 132A and the dynamic performance monitor region 132B are located. Gauge images including icons and scales can be displayed in each of the right and left gauge regions 132C. Examples of the gauge images include information regarding the remaining amount of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), the deposited amount of particulate matter (PM), and the remaining amount of tire air pressure.

[0119] 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 entire performance monitor region 132A and the dynamic performance monitor region 132B, 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 operation members, 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 can be displayed. By integrating two or more regions and using them as one region in this way, images and contents can be displayed relatively large.

[0120] The LCD indicator area 133 is located above the primary area 131. The LCD indicator area 133 in the example shown in FIG. 16 is a rectangular area similar to the primary area 131 and the sub - area 132. The LCD indicator area 133 functions as an area for displaying information indicating the state of the work vehicle, warning information, maintenance - related information, etc. For example, indicators that light up when in a state where warnings such as brake warnings and fuel - level warnings should be issued and turn off when that state is resolved can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As another example, indicators that regularly light up to prompt the user for maintenance such as DPF regeneration and engine oil change can be displayed in the LCD indicator area 133. As a further example, indicators for requesting increasing or decreasing 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 shown. When 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 against a black background, it is easier for the operator or user to notice the occurrence of the LCD indicators.

[0121] 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 by LED is called an "LED indicator", and the indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 is called an "LCD indicator", and the two may be distinguished.

[0122] In the sub-region 132 shown in FIG. 16, for example, when an abnormality or failure of an engine or electrical components is detected, an image including a message for notifying the user of the content of the abnormality or failure, or a message for warning the internal state of the vehicle system (hereinafter sometimes 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.

[0123] <Synchronization of Blinking of LED Indicator and LCD Indicator> Depending on the vehicle state of the work vehicle, both the LCD indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 (see FIG. 16) of the display element 13 and the LED indicators displayed in the indicator areas 14T, 14L, 14R (see FIG. 5) provided above or below the display element 13 may blink and be displayed. When both the LCD indicator and the LED indicator blink and are displayed, even if the blinking period is the same, the timing at which the lighting (display on) and the extinguishing (display off) are switched may be shifted. Such a display may cause discomfort to the driver (user or operator), so the visibility of the information may be reduced. As described below, according to the information display system 500 according to the present embodiment, the occurrence of such a problem can be suppressed.

[0124] With reference to FIG. 17, an example of a meter panel unit 100 having the information display system according to the present embodiment will be described. In the example of FIG. 17, the control device is built in the meter panel unit, but the information display system according to the present embodiment is not limited to the example mounted on the meter panel unit. In the block diagram of FIG. 17, descriptions of matters common to FIG. 13 may be omitted.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 17, the information display system according to this embodiment includes a meter panel unit 100 and a first control device (in this example, the main MCU 420 (main controller)) that controls the operation of the meter panel unit 100. The meter panel unit 100 includes a display element (digital display) 13, a light-emitting element (e.g., LED, light-emitting diode) 15 that emits light for lighting and displaying a predetermined indicator 18 disposed at a position different from the display element 13, a second control device (in this example, the display MCU 440 (display controller)) that controls the display operation of the display element 13, and a drive circuit 16 that causes the light-emitting element 15 to emit light. The predetermined indicator 18 is, for example, an LED indicator displayed in an indicator area 14T (see FIG. 5) provided above the display element 13, or indicator areas 14L, 14R (see FIG. 5) provided below the display element 13. The predetermined indicator 18 may be an indicator that presents arbitrary information, for example, an indicator representing a warning light or an indicator light.

[0126] The first control device (main MCU 420) can output a first control signal to the drive circuit 16 to cause the light-emitting element 15 to perform a blinking display that repeatedly turns on and off the display of the predetermined indicator 18. The first control device (main MCU 420) can further output a second control signal to the second control device (display MCU 440) to cause the display element 13 to perform a blinking display that repeatedly turns on and off the display of a predetermined image 13p. The predetermined image 13p is, for example, an LCD indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 (see FIG. 16) of the display element 13, but is not limited to the image displayed in the LCD indicator area 133, and may be any image displayed in the display area of the display element 13. The predetermined image 13p can be an image that displays arbitrary information. The predetermined image 13p may be, for example, an image representing a warning light or an indicator light.

[0127] In this way, the predetermined indicator 18 and the predetermined image 13p can each perform a blinking display by the first control signal and the second control signal. Both the first control signal and the second control signal are control signals output from the first control device (main MCU 420), but the second control signal is a signal for causing the display element 13 to perform a blinking display of the predetermined image 13p via the second control device (display MCU 440). Therefore, even if the timings for switching from display on to display off and from display off to display on are synchronized between the first control signal and the second control signal, a time lag may occur before it is reflected in the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p on the display element 13. Such a time lag does not occur in the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 (or, even if a time lag occurs, it is smaller than the time lag in the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p). In such a case, therefore, the timings at which display on and display off are switched between the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p are shifted. Such a display may cause discomfort to the driver (user or operator), and the visibility of the information may be reduced.

[0128] On the other hand, in the information display system according to the present embodiment, since the first control device (main MCU 420) performs the following control, the occurrence of the above problems can be suppressed. When the first control device (main MCU 420) performs the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p at the same cycle as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 in parallel, the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image 13p from off is output to the second control device (display MCU 440). The timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator 18 from off to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing, and the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image 13p from on is output to the second control device (display MCU 440). The timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator 18 from on to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing. According to the information display system according to the present embodiment, since the timing at which the display on and the display off are switched is suppressed from shifting between the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p, it is possible to provide a display that is easy to see and has a sense of unity for the driver (user or operator). Since the visibility of the information is improved, it becomes possible to more accurately notify the driver (user or operator) of the information. The information presented by the predetermined indicator 18 and the information displayed by the predetermined image 13p may be related to each other, for example, may notify the user of the same type of warning. However, the relevance between the information presented by the predetermined indicator 18 and the information displayed by the predetermined image 13p is not essential. Even in the case where there is no relevance, as described above, since the timing at which these display on and display off are switched is suppressed from shifting, the visibility of the information is improved and the effect of being able to more accurately notify the information can be obtained.

[0129] FIG. 18 schematically shows examples of a first control signal and a second control signal. In the example of FIG. 18, the first control signal Sa and the second control signal Sb are rectangular wave signals having the same period (period length Hp). The horizontal axis represents time t. When the first control signal Sa changes from the low level Vl1 to the high level Vh1, the light emitting element 15 switches from the off state (extinguished) to the on state (lit), and thereby the display of the predetermined indicator 18 switches from off to on. When the first control signal Sa changes from the high level Vh1 to the low level Vl1, the light emitting element 15 switches from the on state (lit) to the off state (extinguished), and thereby the display of the predetermined indicator 18 switches from on to off. When the second control signal Sb changes from the low level Vl2 to the high level Vh2, the display of the predetermined image 13p switches from on to off, and when the second control signal Sb changes from the high level Vh2 to the low level Vl2, the display of the predetermined image 13p switches from off to on (lit).

[0130] When the first control device (main MCU 420) performs the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p in parallel at the same period, the rising timing of the first control signal Sa is delayed by a predetermined time ΔH from the rising timing of the second control signal Sb, and the falling timing of the first control signal Sa is delayed by a predetermined time ΔH from the falling timing of the second control signal Sb. The rising timing of the first control signal Sa is the timing at which the first control signal Sa switches from the low level Vl1 to the high level Vh1, and the falling timing of the first control signal Sa is the timing at which the first control signal Sa switches from the high level Vh1 to the low level Vl1. Similarly, the rising timing of the second control signal Sb is the timing at which the second control signal Sb switches from the low level Vl2 to the high level Vh2, and the falling timing of the second control signal Sb is the timing at which the second control signal Sb switches from the high level Vh2 to the low level Vl2.

[0131] The length ΔH of the predetermined time can be arbitrarily set. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the case where the timings at which the display is switched between on and off between the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p are exactly the same (synchronized). Even if there is a time difference in the timings at which the display is switched between on and off between the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p, it is preferable that the time difference is suppressed to such an extent that an average driver (operator or user) cannot visually recognize it, or that even if it is recognized, it is suppressed to such an extent that it does not cause a sense of discomfort.

[0132] The length of the predetermined time (ΔH in the example of FIG. 18), for example, is set in advance. The length of the predetermined time is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 50 milliseconds or more and 200 milliseconds or less. The time information indicating the length of the predetermined time may be stored in the storage device. The first control device (main MCU 420) can control the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 and the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p based on the time information read from the storage device.

[0133] With reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, an example of the processing performed by the first control device (main MCU 420) included in the information display system according to the present embodiment will be described. FIGS. 19 and 20 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing performed by the first control device (main MCU 420) included in the information display system according to the present embodiment.

[0134] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed when the first control device (main MCU 420) receives a signal including an instruction to blink-display the predetermined indicator 18.

[0135] In step S10, the first control device (main MCU 420) receives a signal including an instruction to blink-display the predetermined indicator 18. The signal includes, for example, information specifying the predetermined indicator 18 to be blink-displayed, information on the cycle of the blink-display, and the like.

[0136] In response to the signal in step S10, in step S12, the first control device (main MCU 420) determines whether the blinking display of the designated predetermined indicator 18 is performed in parallel with the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p at the same period as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18. For example, if the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p is already being performed at the same period as the designated period, that is, when the first control device (main MCU 420) is transmitting the second control signal to the second control device (display MCU 440), the process proceeds to step S14. Even if the signal received in step S10 further includes an instruction to blink-display the predetermined image 13p at the same period, the process also proceeds to step S14. If the result in step S12 is "No", the process proceeds to step S16.

[0137] In step S14, the first control device (main MCU 420) transmits the first control signal to the drive circuit 16 and transmits the second control signal to the second control device (display MCU 440). At this time, the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator 18 to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image 13p to the second control device (display MCU 440), and the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator 18 to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image 13p to the second control device (display MCU 440), and the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted.

[0138] In step S16, the first control device (main MCU 420) transmits the first control signal to the drive circuit 16. In step S16, since the transmission of the second control signal is not involved, the control for adjusting the timing of the first and second control signals does not need to be performed.

[0139] The first control device (main MCU 420) repeats the processes of steps S12, S14, and S16 until it receives a command to end the blinking display of the predetermined indicator 18 (step S18).

[0140] FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the process performed when the first control device (main MCU 420) receives a signal including an instruction to blink-display the predetermined image 13p.

[0141] In step S20, the first control device (main MCU 420) receives a signal including an instruction to blink-display the predetermined image 13p. The signal includes, for example, information specifying the predetermined image 13p to be blink-displayed, information on the period of the blink-display, and the like.

[0142] In response to the signal in step S20, in step S22, the first control device (main MCU 420) determines whether the blink-display of the instructed predetermined image 13p is to be performed in parallel with the blink-display of the predetermined indicator 18 at the same period as the blink-display of the predetermined image 13p. For example, if the blink-display of the predetermined indicator 18 is already being performed at the same period as the instructed period, that is, when the first control device (main MCU 420) is transmitting the first control signal to the drive circuit 16, the process proceeds to step S24. If the signal received in step S20 further includes an instruction to blink-display the predetermined indicator 18 at the same period, the process also proceeds to step S24. If the answer in step S22 is "No", the process proceeds to step S26.

[0143] In step S24, the first control device (main MCU 420) transmits a first control signal to the drive circuit 16 and transmits a second control signal to the second control device (display MCU 440). At this time, the timing at which the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator 18 from off to on is output to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing at which the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image 13p from off to on is output to the second control device (display MCU 440), and the timing at which the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator 18 from on to off is output to the drive circuit 16 is delayed by a predetermined time compared to the timing at which the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image 13p from on to off is output to the second control device (display MCU 440), and the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted.

[0144] In step S26, the first control device (main MCU 420) transmits a second control signal to the second control device (display MCU 440). In step S26, since the transmission of the first control signal is not accompanied, the control for adjusting the timings of the first and second control signals does not need to be performed.

[0145] The first control device (main MCU 420) repeats the processes of steps S22, S24, and S26 until it receives a command to end the blinking display of the predetermined image 13p (step S28).

[0146] The information display system in the above embodiment 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

[0147] The technology of the present disclosure is widely applicable to various types of work vehicles used in smart agriculture.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0148] 10 ··· Meter unit, 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 ··· Mirror plate, 100 ··· Meter panel unit, 400 ··· Control device, 500 ··· Information display system

Claims

1. An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising: a meter panel unit; a first control device that controls the operation of the meter panel unit; The meter panel unit includes: a digital display; a light-emitting element that emits light for lighting a predetermined indicator disposed at a position different from the digital display; a second control device that controls the display operation of the digital display; a drive circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light; The first control device is configured to: output a first control signal to the drive circuit to cause the light-emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator, and output a second control signal to the second control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image. When the first control device performs the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image at the same period in parallel, the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator from off to on to the drive circuit is delayed by a predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image from off to on to the second control device, and the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator from on to off to the drive circuit is delayed by the predetermined time from the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image from on to off to the second control device.

2. The information display system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device that stores time information indicating the predetermined time, wherein the first control device controls the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image based on the time information read from the storage device.

3. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined time is 50 milliseconds or more and 200 milliseconds or less.

4. Each of the first control signal and the second control signal includes a rectangular wave signal, and the first control device delays the rising timing of the first control signal by the predetermined time from the rising timing of the second control signal. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a falling edge timing of the first control signal is delayed by the predetermined time from a falling edge timing of the second control signal.

5. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined indicator represents a warning lamp or an indicator lamp.

6. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined image represents a warning lamp or an indicator lamp.

7. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital display is a dot matrix display.

8. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light emitting element is a light emitting diode.

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

10. The work vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the work vehicle is a mobile agricultural machine.

11. The work vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the work vehicle is a tractor.

12. An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, which is executed by one or more computers, comprising: the meter panel unit includes: a digital display; a light emitting element that emits light for lighting and displaying a predetermined indicator disposed at a position different from the digital display; a control device that controls a display operation of the digital display; a drive circuit that causes the light emitting element to emit light; and the information display method includes: outputting a first control signal to the drive circuit to cause the light emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator; outputting a second control signal to the control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image; and when the information display method performs in parallel a blinking display of the predetermined indicator and a blinking display of the predetermined image at the same period as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator, a timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator to the drive circuit is delayed by a predetermined time from a timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image to the control device. ​ Delaying the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator to the driving circuit by the predetermined time, compared to the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image to the control device. An information display method including this.

13. A computer program that causes one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, The meter panel unit includes: A digital display, A light-emitting element that emits light for lighting and displaying a predetermined indicator arranged at a position different from the digital display, A control device that controls the display operation of the digital display, A driving circuit that causes the light-emitting element to emit light, And is provided with The computer program Outputs a first control signal to the driving circuit to cause the light-emitting element to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of the predetermined indicator, Outputs a second control signal to the control device to cause the digital display to perform a blinking display that repeats turning on and off the display of a predetermined image, To be executed by the one or more computers, The computer program When performing the blinking display of the predetermined indicator and the blinking display of the predetermined image at the same cycle as the blinking display of the predetermined indicator in parallel, Delaying the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined indicator to the driving circuit by a predetermined time, compared to the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn on the display of the predetermined image to the control device. Delaying the timing of outputting the first control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined indicator to the driving circuit by the predetermined time, compared to the timing of outputting the second control signal indicating an instruction to turn off the display of the predetermined image to the control device. A computer program that causes the one or more computers to execute.

Images