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

Abstract

To improve convenience of an operator by information displayed in a meter panel of a work vehicle.SOLUTION: An information display system for a work vehicle according to an embodiment includes: a meter panel unit having a digital display; and a control device that controls operation of the meter panel unit. When a user performs operation of a switch of turning on a mode of temporarily increasing a rotation speed of a motor of the work vehicle to a second rotation speed higher than a first rotation speed under a setting of maintaining the rotation speed of the motor to the first rotation speed, the control device causes the digital display to display information indicating that the rotation speed of the motor is increased to the second rotation speed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As next-generation agriculture, research and development of smart agriculture utilizing 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 the field 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 that displays the traveling speed, the load state of the engine, and the state of each part of the work vehicle and notifies the driver (operator).

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

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] On the meter panel installed in agricultural machinery such as tractors, it is required to accurately notify the operator of various information regarding the vehicle during travel or work. Also, since such agricultural machinery performs various operations outdoors, it is necessary to display more information than 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] In addition, the increasing demands 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] It is required to improve the convenience of the operator by the information displayed on the meter panel of the work vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problem

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

[0010] [Item 1] An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising a meter panel unit having a digital display, and a control device that controls the operation of the meter panel unit, and when the user operates a switch to turn on a mode in which, under the setting of maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover of the work vehicle at a first rotational speed, the rotational speed of the prime mover is temporarily increased to a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed, the control device causes the digital display to display information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed.

[0011] ​When the user performs a switch operation to turn on a mode that temporarily increases the rotational speed of the prime mover, it may be difficult for the user to tell whether that mode has been set in the work vehicle.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the user performs a switch operation to turn on a mode that temporarily increases the rotational speed of the prime mover to a second rotational speed, the control device causes a digital display to display information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is to be increased to the second rotational speed. The user can easily confirm that the above mode has been set by looking at the meter panel unit.

[0013] [Item 2] The control device causes the digital display to display the value of the second rotational speed as the information, in the information display system according to Item 1.

[0014] [Item 3] The value of the second rotational speed is the value of the target rotational speed, in the information display system according to Item 2.

[0015] [Item 4] The meter panel unit has a tachometer that indicates the rotational speed of the prime mover, The display position of the information on the meter panel unit is different from that of the tachometer, in the information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 3.

[0016] [Item 5] The control device, while the user continues to operate the switch, controls the rotational speed of the prime mover with the second rotational speed as the target rotational speed, when the user stops operating the switch, performs control to end the display of the information and maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, in the information display system according to any one of Items 1 to 4.

[0017] [Item 6] The switch is a push button switch that the user presses with a finger, The control device controls the rotational speed of the prime mover with the second rotational speed as the target rotational speed while the user continues to press the push button switch, and when the user stops pressing the push button switch, performs control to end the display of the information and maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed. The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 5.

[0018] [Item 7] The work vehicle has a throttle lever for setting the rotational speed of the prime mover, and the control device when the user moves the throttle lever to the first position, performs control to maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, and when the user operates the switch while the throttle lever is maintained at the first position, causes the information to be displayed on the digital display. The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 6.

[0019] [Item 8] A loader can be attached to the work vehicle, and the switch is provided on an operation lever that the user operates to move the loader. The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 7.

[0020] [Item 9] The control device displays a plurality of options for setting the operation mode of the work vehicle on the digital display, and when the user selects an operation mode in which the rotational speed of the prime mover can be increased to the second rotational speed in response to the user's operation of the switch, displays an image for changing the set value of the second rotational speed on the digital display. The information display system according to any one of items 1 to 8.

[0021] [Item 10] The control device is the information display system according to item 9, which changes the set value of the second rotational speed in response to an operation of a switch different from the switch of the user.

[0022] [Item 11] The control device is the information display system according to item 10, which ends the display of an image for changing the set value of the second rotational speed when there is no operation of the other switch of the user for a predetermined time.

[0023] [Item 12] A work vehicle equipped with the information display system according to any one of items 1 to 11.

[0024] [Item 13] The work vehicle according to item 12, which is a mobile agricultural machine.

[0025] [Item 14] The work vehicle according to item 12, which is a tractor.

[0026] [Item 15] An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, When the user performs an operation of a switch to turn on a mode of temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover to a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed under a setting for maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover of the work vehicle at the first rotational speed, Causing the digital display of the meter panel unit to display information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed, An information display method including the above.

[0027] [Item 16] A computer program for causing one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, The computer program is When the user operates a switch to turn on a mode for temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover of the work vehicle to a second rotational speed that is higher than the first rotational speed under a setting for maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, causing information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed to be displayed on the digital display of the meter panel unit, A computer program that causes the one or more computers to execute.

[0028] The comprehensive or specific aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented by an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable non-transitory 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 separately arranged in two or more separate devices.

Advantages of the Invention

[0029] When the user operates a switch to turn on a mode for temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover, it may be difficult for the user to determine whether the mode is set in the work vehicle.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the user operates a switch to turn on a mode for temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover to the second rotational speed, the control device causes information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed to be displayed on the digital display. The user can easily confirm that the above mode is set by looking at the meter panel unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

Figure 1A

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

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

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

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

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

[0036] 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.

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

[0038] Inside the cabin, an operation switch group 801 including a plurality of switches operable by the user is arranged. The operation switch group 801 includes, for example, a switch for selecting a gear position of main 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 the left and right brakes, and a switch for raising and lowering the implement, etc.

[0039] The operation terminal 802 is a terminal for the user to perform operations related to the running of the work vehicle and the operation of the implement, and is also referred to as a virtual terminal (VT). The operation terminal 802 may 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), for example.

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

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

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

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

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

[0045] Thus, the work vehicle 200 used in smart agriculture is equipped with various sensors and performs various operations together with various implements 300. In the process of such operations, it is necessary to provide the driver (user or operator) with various information regarding the driving 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 work.

[0046] Note that the work vehicle 200 such as a tractor may be configured to travel manually, with automatic steering, or with automatic driving.

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

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

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

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

[0051] 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 and lowering 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 work while operating the boom 702 and the bucket 703 by operating the setting screens of the operation lever, the joystick, and the operation terminal 802.

[0052] <Schematic Configuration of Meter Panel Unit> FIG. 1D is a front view schematically showing a meter panel unit 100 attached to a tractor, which is one of the work vehicles, in an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the meter panel unit 100 is 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 on 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.

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

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

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

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

[0057] The display element 13 is a digital meter, not an analog meter. The display element 13 is, for example, an active matrix display such as a liquid crystal display panel, 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, for example, also display an image that appears to resemble all or part of an analog meter with an indicator needle. When the display element 13 displays an image of an "analog meter", it is also possible to rotate the "indicator needle" within the image in any direction as part of a moving image by changing the image in frame units. Incidentally, 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 by, for example, the display of the motor output, the remaining battery amount, and the battery temperature, respectively.

[0058] The difference between the image of the "analog meter" displayed by a display device such as the display element 13 and the first analog meter 11 and the second analog meter 12 is that the former is planar while the latter is three-dimensional. Also, the former can change the shape, color, and size of the indicator needle and memory of the analog meter, while it is difficult to change them in the latter. Furthermore, in the former, since the visibility depends on the contrast of the image, there is a possibility that the visibility 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.

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

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

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

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

[0063] When the transparent cover 30 is viewed from the normal direction of the meter unit 10 in a state where the meter panel unit 100 is attached to the work vehicle, it is preferable that the front portion 30A of the transparent cover 30 is 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.

[0064] 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.

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

[0066] The indicator area 14T located above the display element 13 is less likely to be obstructed from view by the spokes 222A, 222B, and 222C of the steering wheel 220 compared to the other indicator areas 14L and 14R. For this reason, among a number of indicators, it is preferable that an indicator (for example, an indicator indicating the lighting state of a lighting device, a direction indication, an alarm to the driver, etc.) indicating 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 an engine abnormality or failure, the presence or absence of the headlights being lit has a high warning level.

[0067] In the present embodiment, each 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 indicator.

[0068] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a display example of the display element 13 will be described. In the example of FIG. 6, the display area of the display element 13 is divided into several areas as will be described later. "Images" indicating information such as gear position, 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, 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.

[0069] <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.

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

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

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, the meter panel unit 100 of the present embodiment includes a 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 portion 10) continuously changes between the upper end 50A and the lower end 50B and is maximum at the middle position. The back plate 50 is a curved wall rising from the meter portion 10.

[0073] 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) beyond the E-E broken line shown in FIG. 8. A display element 13 is arranged to the right (the positive direction of the X-axis) of the E-E broken line.

[0074] By adopting such a configuration, it becomes 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 meters inside the shape surrounded by the E-E broken line and the arc instead of a circle, the visibility of the first and second analog meters 11 and 12 can be enhanced while enabling the expansion of the lateral (X-axis direction) size of the display element 13 in the meter unit 10 having a limited lateral size. Also, by separating the boundary between the first and second analog meters 11 and 12 and the display element 13 by a straight line, the display areas of the analog information and the digital information can be clearly separated, and the visibility of both the analog information and the digital information can be enhanced.

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

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

[0077] In the example shown in the figure, the first analog meter 11 has an arc-shaped scale 17 between the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the movable region 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 that it is a three-dimensional scale.

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

[0079] The plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of LEDs that emit light of different colors. In this embodiment, the plurality of light-emitting elements include an LED that emits red light, an LED that emits green light, and an LED that emits blue light. By selectively emitting light from these LEDs, the arc-shaped indicator 40 can function to notify the operator of information with 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.

[0080] <Three-dimensional scale> Next, the three-dimensional scale 17 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the three-dimensional scale 17 extends in an arc shape inside the arc-shaped indicator 40 so as to roughly 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 coincides with the position of the scale indicated by the tip of the indicating needle 2A in the first analog meter 11. The presence of such a three-dimensional notch portion 17A facilitates the operator's reading of the scale.

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

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

[0083] Next, 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.

[0084] 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 this arc-shaped convex portion 17X. Between the arc-shaped convex portion 17X and the right scale plate 50, protrusions (bridges) 52 are arranged at equal intervals so as to define the plurality of light-emitting regions 42 that the second arc-shaped indicator 40B has.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0106] <Information display by arc-shaped indicator and display element> In the information display system 500 according to this embodiment, the control device 400 is configured to display information by the arc-shaped indicator 40 before causing the display element 13 to display various information 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 so as to change the color of the emitted light according to the content of the information. For example, when there is no abnormality at startup, the control device 400 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.

[0107] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the control device 400 is configured to cause the display element 13 to display a curved image located on the extension line of the arc. FIG. 14A is a front view schematically showing an example in which an arc 13A of the same color as the light emitted from the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 is displayed. In FIG. 14A, as an example, an arc 13A concentric with the arc of the arc-shaped indicator 40 is displayed. FIG. 14B is a front view schematically showing an example in which an arc 13B of the same color as the light emitted from the light-emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40 and another shaped object 13C including an arc of the same color are displayed. The other shaped object 13C in the example shown in FIG. 14B is a straight portion. The control device 400 causes the display element 13 to display an arc 13B concentric with the arc of the light-emitting region 42 and a straight portion connecting to the arc 13B. The straight portion extends parallel to a straight line (corresponding to the 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 shape as well as the shaped object 13C. By including a straight shape in the portion displayed on the display element 13, a sharp design can be achieved.

[0108] The control device 400 can display various images that are not limited to the examples in FIGS. 14A and 14B on the display element 13 in accordance with the light emitted from the light emitting region 42 of the arc-shaped indicator 40. 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 display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 and the display of the display element 13, the display of the arc-shaped indicator 40 can be more easily conveyed to the operator.

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

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

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

[0112] <Segmentation of the display area> Next, with reference 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 a dotted line among the display areas of the display element 13. The sub area 132 is the area surrounded by a broken line among the display areas of the display element 13. The LCD indicator area 133 is the area surrounded by a dashed-dotted line among the display areas of the display element 13. These three areas do not overlap with each other. Note that, in FIG. 16, the broken line, the dotted line, and the dashed-dotted line are shown with some overlapping for easy understanding.

[0113] The primary area 131 is an area for displaying an image at the forefront (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").

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

[0115] 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.

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

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

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

[0119] 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 set value of the engine speed or the target value of the engine speed recorded in the memory may be displayed in the fourth region 131D. The control device 400 may be configured to dynamically change the display in the fourth region 131D, for example, according to a command from the vehicle ECU. The fourth region 131D, together with the region 132B described later, dynamically displays the performance of the traveling and working of the work vehicle. For this reason, the fourth region 131D may be referred to as the "dynamic performance monitor region".

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

[0121] The performance monitor area 132A is the largest-sized area among the three areas included in the sub-area 132, and is located upper in 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, engine speed memory value, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, travel distance, load factor, rotation speed of the PTO shaft, slip ratio, diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration, and information regarding the working area.

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

[0123] The dynamic performance monitor area 132B is located lower in 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 (for example, 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.

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

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

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

[0127] The LCD indicator area 133 is located below the indicator area 14T shown in FIG. 5. The indicators arranged in the indicator area 14T are hardware indicators that are lit by a light - emitting element such as an LED. 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 an LED is called an "LED indicator", and the indicator displayed in the LCD indicator area 133 is called an "LCD indicator", and the two may be distinguished.

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

[0129] <Display operation regarding the rotational speed of the prime mover> Next, a display operation regarding the rotational speed (i.e., engine rotational speed) of the prime mover 202 of the work vehicle 200 will be described.

[0130] FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a part of the components of the work vehicle 200. The work vehicle 200 includes a control device 600. The control device 600 may be a control unit including a control device 400 and an ECU 610a. The ECU 610a is one of the ECUs included in the ECU group 610 (FIG. 11). The ECU 610a may be a unit combining two or more of the ECUs included in the ECU group 610. The information display system 500 of the present embodiment includes the control device 600.

[0131] The ECU 610a includes a processor 611a and a memory 612a. The memory 612a includes a ROM and a RAM. The operation of the ECU 610a can be realized by the processor 611a sequentially executing a computer program stored in the memory 612a.

[0132] The sensor group 620 (FIG. 11) includes a sensor 620a. The sensor 620a is a rotation sensor that detects the engine rotational speed of the prime mover (engine) 202. The rotation sensor 620a outputs a signal corresponding to the detected engine rotational speed to the ECU 610a. The processor 611a of the ECU 610a can acquire the value of the engine rotational speed based on the output signal of the rotation sensor 620a.

[0133] The above-described operation switch group 801 (FIG. 1B) includes a throttle lever 801a and an operation lever 801b. The throttle lever 801a is a lever that a user operates to set the engine speed. The operation lever 801b is a lever that a user operates to operate a working machine connected to the work vehicle 200. The operation lever 801b is, for example, a joystick. The working machine is, for example, the loader 700 described above. By operating the operation lever 801b, the user can perform a dump operation, a squeeze operation, a lifting operation, etc. of the loader 700. Hereinafter, an example in which the working machine is the loader 700 will be described, but the working machine is not limited to the loader 700.

[0134] The operation lever 801b is provided with a switch 811 for temporarily increasing the engine speed. The switch 811 is, for example, a push-button switch that a user presses with a finger. When the user presses the push-button switch 811, the processor 611a of the ECU 610a performs control to increase the engine speed. For example, when the user is performing work using the loader 700, the user may feel that "more power is desired". In that case, the user can temporarily increase the engine speed by pressing the push-button switch 811. In the present embodiment, a mode in which the user presses the push-button switch 811 to temporarily increase the engine speed is called an "increase mode".

[0135] When a user who feels that "more power is desired" presses the push-button switch 811, it may be difficult for the user to know whether the increase mode is correctly set in the work vehicle 200. In the present embodiment, when the user performs an operation of pressing the push-button switch 811, the processor 611a causes the display element 13 to display information indicating that the engine speed is increased. The user can easily confirm that the increase mode is set by looking at the meter panel unit 100.

[0136] The control of the display of the display element 13 of the processor 611a is performed via the control device 400. The control device 400 performs data communication with the ECU 610a and causes various information to be displayed on the display element 13. "The control of the display of the display element 13 by the processor 611a of the ECU 610a" can be performed in cooperation between the ECU 610a and the control device 400.

[0137] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of displaying information regarding the engine speed in the present embodiment.

[0138] The processor 611a of the ECU 610a controls the rotation of the engine 202 so that the engine speed corresponding to the position of the throttle lever 801a is maintained. The throttle lever 801a can change the setting of the engine speed discretely or continuously.

[0139] When the user moves the throttle lever 801a to a certain first position, the processor 611a performs control to maintain the engine speed at the first engine speed (step S101).

[0140] When the user presses the push button switch 811 to turn on the increase mode while the throttle lever 801a is maintained at the first position and the engine speed is maintained at the first engine speed, the processor 611a causes the display element 13 to display information indicating that the engine speed is to be increased to the second engine speed, and performs control to increase the engine speed to the second engine speed (steps S102, S103, S104). Here, the second engine speed is greater than the first engine speed.

[0141] FIGS. 19 and 20 are diagrams for explaining an example of information indicating that the engine speed is to be increased to the second engine speed, which is displayed on the display element 13. FIG. 19 shows an example of the display content of the display element 13 before the user presses the push button switch 811. FIG. 20 shows an example of the display element 13 that displays information 151 indicating that the engine speed is to be increased to the second engine speed.

[0142] In the example shown in FIG. 20, the value of the second rotational speed is interruptedly displayed on the display element 13 as the information 151. The displayed value of the second rotational speed is the target rotational speed in the increasing mode. By looking at the information 151 displayed on the display element 13, the user can easily confirm that the increasing mode is set. Also, by looking at the current engine rotational speed shown on the first analog meter (tachometer) 11 or the display element 13, the user can confirm that the engine rotational speed is increasing.

[0143] While the user continues to press the push button switch 811, the processor 611a controls the engine rotational speed with the second rotational speed as the target rotational speed. When the user stops pressing the push button switch 811, the processor 611a turns off the increasing mode. The processor 611a ends the display of the information 151 and returns to the control of maintaining the engine rotational speed at the first rotational speed (steps S105, S106, S107). The display element 13 returns to the display state as shown in FIG. 19.

[0144] Also, the transmission 203 may include a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission (HST). The HST can change the responsiveness of the rotation of the output shaft of the HST with respect to the rotation input to the input shaft of the HST. Here, a high responsiveness of the HST means that the rotational speed of the output shaft changes quickly with respect to a change in the rotational speed of the input shaft. The higher the responsiveness, the faster the rotational speed of the wheels changes with respect to a change in the rotational speed of the engine 202. When the setting is changed from a mode with a low responsiveness of the HST to a high mode (Fast mode), information indicating that the Fast mode of the HST is set may be displayed on the display element 13. For example, when the HST is set to the Fast mode when the user presses the push button switch 811, by displaying information indicating that the Fast mode of the HST is set on the display element 13, the user can easily recognize that the Fast mode of the HST is set.

[0145] The value of the second rotational speed in the above-described rising mode may be changeable by the user. By making the value of the second rotational speed changeable, the convenience for the user can be enhanced.

[0146] FIGS. 21, 22, and 23 are diagrams for explaining an example of an operation of changing the set value of the second rotational speed. The work vehicle 200 can operate in an operation mode selected from a plurality of operation modes. When setting the operation mode of the work vehicle 200, the processor 434 of the control device 400 causes the display element 13 to display a plurality of options for setting the operation mode of the work vehicle 200 as shown in FIG. 21. The user can set the operation mode by operating, for example, the input device 170 (FIG. 15).

[0147] When the user selects an operation mode in which the engine rotational speed can be increased to the second rotational speed in response to pressing of the push button switch 811, the processor 434 causes the display element 13 to display an image for changing the set value of the second rotational speed. FIG. 22 shows the display element 13 that displays an image 165 for changing the set value of the second rotational speed. In the example shown in FIG. 22, an image 165 imitating a selector switch 171 (FIG. 15) such as a jog dial is displayed on the display element 13. The user can easily change the set value of the second rotational speed by rotating the selector switch 171 while viewing the displayed image. The processor 611a of the ECU 610a causes the memory 612a to store the set value of the second rotational speed set by the user. When the operation of the user's selector switch 171 has not been performed for a predetermined time, the processor 434 ends the display of the image 165 for changing the set value of the second rotational speed and returns to the normal image display as shown in FIG. 23.

[0148] The various processes executed by the above-described ECU 610a may be performed by the control device 400 or may be performed in cooperation between the ECU 610a and the control device 400. Further, the various processes executed by the above-described control device 400 may be performed by the ECU 610a or may be performed in cooperation between the control device 400 and the ECU 610a.

[0149] The information display system in the above embodiments can also be retrofitted to a work vehicle that does not have those functions. Such a system can be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicle. The computer program used in such a system can also be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicle. The computer program can be provided, for example, stored in a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium. The computer program can also be provided by downloading via a telecommunication line (e.g., the Internet).

Industrial Applicability

[0150] The technology of the present disclosure is widely applicable to various types of work vehicles used in, for example, smart agriculture.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0151] 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 ··· Reflecting plate, 100 ··· Meter panel unit, 400 ··· Control device, 500 ··· Information display system

Claims

1. An information display system for a work vehicle, comprising: a meter panel unit having a digital display; a control device for controlling the operation of the meter panel unit; The control device, when the user operates a switch to turn on a mode of temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover to a second rotational speed higher than the first rotational speed under the setting of maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, causes the digital display to display information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed. An information display system.

2. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the control device causes the digital display to display the value of the second rotational speed as the information.

3. The information display system according to claim 2, wherein the value of the second rotational speed is the value of the target rotational speed.

4. The meter panel unit has a tachometer indicating the rotational speed of the prime mover, and the display position of the information on the meter panel unit is different from that of the tachometer.

5. The control device, while the user continues to operate the switch, controls the rotational speed of the prime mover with the second rotational speed as the target rotational speed, and when the user stops operating the switch, ends the display of the information and controls to maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed.

6. The switch is a push button switch pressed by the user's finger. The control device, while the user continues to press the push button switch, controls the rotational speed of the prime mover with the second rotational speed as the target rotational speed, and when the user stops pressing the push button switch, ends the display of the information and controls to maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed.

7. The work vehicle has a throttle lever for setting the rotational speed of the prime mover. The control device, when the user moves the throttle lever to the first position, controls to maintain the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the user operates the switch with the throttle lever maintained in the first position, the information is displayed on the digital display.

8. A loader can be attached to the work vehicle, The information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switch is provided on an operation lever that the user operates to move the loader.

9. The control device, displays a plurality of options for setting the operation mode of the work vehicle on the digital display, When the user selects an operation mode in which the rotational speed of the prime mover can be increased to the second rotational speed in response to the user's operation of the switch, an image for changing the set value of the second rotational speed is displayed on the digital display. The information display system according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The information display system according to claim 9, wherein the control device changes the set value of the second rotational speed in response to an operation of a switch different from the switch of the user.

11. The information display system according to claim 10, wherein when there is no operation of the other switch of the user for a predetermined time, the display of the image for changing the set value of the second rotational speed is terminated.

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

13. The work vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the work vehicle is a mobile agricultural machine.

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

15. An information display method for displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, comprising: When the user operates a switch to turn on a mode in which the rotational speed of the prime mover of the work vehicle is temporarily increased to a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed under a setting for maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, displaying information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed on a digital display of the meter panel unit; An information display method including the above.

16. A computer program for causing one or more computers to execute a process of displaying information on a meter panel unit for a work vehicle, wherein the computer program, When the user performs an operation of a switch that turns on a mode for temporarily increasing the rotational speed of the prime mover of the work vehicle to a second rotational speed that is higher than the first rotational speed under a setting for maintaining the rotational speed of the prime mover at the first rotational speed, causing information indicating that the rotational speed of the prime mover is increased to the second rotational speed to be displayed on the digital display of the meter panel unit, A computer program that causes the one or more computers to execute.

Images