Vehicle display device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle display device capable of displaying a reflection image with less distortion.SOLUTION: A vehicle display device 1 includes a display panel 11 in which a plurality of pixels P are arranged in a matrix shape. The vehicle display device 1 allows an occupant to visually recognize a display image displayed by the display panel 11 by causing the display image to be reflected on a windshield 22 of a vehicle 2. The pixel P includes linearly arrayed red, green, and blue sub pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb. The display panel 11 is arranged in the vehicle 2 such that the red, green, and blue sub pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb are arrayed in a vehicle travel direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A vehicle display device is known in which an image displayed on a display panel is reflected on the windshield of the vehicle so that it can be viewed by a passenger (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-308090 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, this type of vehicle display device reflects the displayed image on the windshield, which is tilted relative to the display panel and curved, so the reflected image may be distorted and visible to the passengers, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle display device that can display a reflected image with little distortion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect, the following solution is provided. A display device for a vehicle includes a display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix, and an image displayed on the display panel is reflected on a windshield of the vehicle so that the image is visible to a passenger, The pixel is composed of red, green, and blue sub-pixels arranged in a straight line, The display panel is characterized in that it is disposed on the vehicle so that the red, green, and blue sub-pixels are aligned in the vehicle's traveling direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle display device that can display a reflected image with little distortion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a main part of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a display device for a vehicle. [Figure 4] 1 is a view of the windshield as seen from the vehicle interior, showing the direction in which a reflected image on a vehicle display device is likely to be distorted; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Each embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a vehicle 2 equipped with a vehicle display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle display device 1 is mounted on an instrument panel 21 of a vehicle 2, projects a display image onto a windshield 22, and allows a passenger (driver) to view the reflected image as a virtual image.

[0011] The projection position (reflection position) on the windshield 22 may be a transparent transmission portion or a light-shielding portion. For example, the light-shielding portion formed on the lower end side of the windshield 22 is configured as a portion coated with black ceramic by baking. The vehicle display device 1 may also include an optical system including a concave mirror for magnifying the display, a mirror for projecting a virtual image at a distance, and the like. The vehicle display device 1 may also be a windshield display (WSD) using the light-shielding portion, or a head-up display (HUD) using the transmission portion.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle display device 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle display device 1 includes a display panel 11, a circuit board 12, and a housing 13 that covers them.

[0013] The display panel 11 is made up of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) type liquid crystal display panel (LCD) in which a plurality of pixels P (picture elements) are arranged in a matrix, and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

[0014] The display panel 11 has a pair of front and rear glass substrates that enclose a liquid crystal material. A transparent electrode made of, for example, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is formed on the liquid crystal layer side between the glass substrates. The display panel 11 has a pair of polarizing plates arranged on the front and rear surfaces to sandwich the glass substrates. The polarizing plates are well-known polarizing filter materials made of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) with polarization properties protected by TAC (triacetyl cellulose) or the like. That is, the polarizing plate has a very fine slit structure that transmits light waves in a direction parallel to the slits (polarization axis or transmission axis) and absorbs light waves in a direction perpendicular to the slits (absorption axis). The polarizing plates are arranged so that their polarization axes are approximately perpendicular to each other, and the display panel 11 is a normally black type liquid crystal display panel (black display when no voltage is applied).

[0015] A flexible printed circuit (FPC) which is a flexible wiring board is connected to one side of the display panel 11. This FPC is connected to a connector mounted on the circuit board 12, and electrically connects (conducts) the display panel 11 and the circuit board 12. The display panel 11 displays an image by controlling the orientation of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer of the display panel 11 based on an electrical signal from the circuit board 12, and changing the transmittance of each pixel of the display panel 11.

[0016] An illumination member (not shown) is disposed behind the display panel 11. The illumination member is composed of a well-known light guide, a light source, a reflective sheet, an optical sheet, and a housing made of a metal such as aluminum that houses these components. The illumination member illuminates the display panel 11 from behind, thereby projecting the image displayed on the display panel 11 onto the windshield 22.

[0017] The circuit board 12 is made of a rigid wiring board having a wiring pattern formed on a flat glass epoxy substrate such as FR-4 (Flame Retardant-4), and is disposed behind the lighting member. The circuit board 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and various circuit components such as a control means for outputting command signals (drive signals) for driving and controlling the display panel 11, resistors, capacitors, etc. are mounted on the circuit board 12.

[0018] The control means includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a power supply circuit that controls the power supply of the vehicle display device 1. The control means executes predetermined arithmetic processing in accordance with a program written in the ROM. For example, the control means acquires various information from an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of the vehicle 2 and controls the display image of the display panel 11 based on the acquired information.

[0019] The housing 13 includes a resin or metal case body 13a that houses the display panel 11 and the circuit board 12, and a light-transmitting cover 13b that covers an upper opening of the case body 13a. The image displayed on the display panel 11 is projected onto the windshield 22 through the light-transmitting cover 13b. Alternatively, the housing 13 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity to integrate a heat dissipation function.

[0020] The housing 13 has a substantially rectangular box shape in a plan view, and is disposed inside the instrument panel 21. In this case, the housing 13 and the display panel 11 housed in the housing 13 are disposed so that the short sides thereof are aligned with the vehicle traveling direction.

[0021] Next, a characteristic configuration of the vehicle display device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a view of the windshield 22 as seen from the vehicle interior, showing a direction C in which the reflected image B of the vehicle display device 1 is likely to be distorted. The windshield 22 is a glass that separates the interior and exterior of the vehicle 2, and is installed in front of the passenger (driver) as a single sheet of glass or a laminated glass made up of multiple pieces of glass. Because the windshield 22 is curved and tilted relative to the display panel 11, when the display image on the display panel 11 is reflected, the reflected image B may be distorted and visible to the passenger. In particular, when viewed from the passenger, the reflected image B is likely to be distorted in the direction C (up and down direction) shown in FIG. 4. The direction C in the reflected image B corresponds to the vehicle traveling direction on the display surface (display image) of the display panel 11.

[0023] 3, each pixel P of the display panel 11 is composed of red, green, and blue sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb arranged in a straight line. Normally, the sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb are arranged along the long side of the display panel 11. If the display panel 11 is disposed on the vehicle 2 with the short side aligned in the vehicle traveling direction, the sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb will be arranged along the vehicle width direction.

[0024] 3, the display panel 11 of this embodiment is disposed on the vehicle 2 so that the sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb are aligned in the direction of travel of the vehicle. With this configuration, the sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb are arranged along the direction in which the reflected image B is likely to be distorted, thereby improving the degree of freedom of the rendering process in the direction in which the reflected image B is likely to be distorted, and enabling smooth rendering process that does not make the distortion of the reflected image B noticeable. Note that the rendering process here refers to a process that virtually triples the resolution in the RGB arrangement direction.

[0025] Moreover, the sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb are arranged to line up in the direction of the short side of the display panel 11. With this configuration, the display panel 11 can be disposed in the instrument panel 21 so that the short side is aligned with the vehicle traveling direction, which enables a smooth rendering process that does not make distortion of the reflected image B noticeable, without impairing the mountability of the vehicular display device 1 in the vehicle 2.

[0026] Furthermore, it is desirable that the display panel 11 displays display content that has been subjected to subpixel rendering processing. Subpixel rendering processing is a rendering process that is executed by regarding the subpixels Pr, Pg, and Pb as one pixel P. In this way, more detailed rendering processing can be performed in the direction in which the reflected image B is likely to be distorted by the windshield 22, making it possible to display content without causing discomfort to the passengers.

[0027] Although each embodiment has been described in detail above, it is not limited to the specific embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims. It is also possible to combine all or a plurality of components of the above-described embodiments.

[0028] The present invention includes the following embodiments. [1] A vehicle display device having a display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix, and a display image displayed by the display panel is reflected on the windshield of the vehicle so that the image is visible to a passenger, The pixel is composed of red, green, and blue sub-pixels arranged in a straight line, The display panel is disposed on the vehicle so that the red, green, and blue sub-pixels are aligned in a direction in which the vehicle travels.

[0029] [2] The display panel is rectangular when viewed from the front, The vehicle display device according to [1], wherein the red, green, and blue sub-pixels are arranged in a line in the short side direction of the display panel.

[0030] [3] The vehicle display device according to [1] or [2], wherein the display panel displays display content that has undergone subpixel rendering processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1. Vehicle display device 11 Display panel 12 Circuit Board 13 Housing 13a Case body 13b Translucent cover 2 vehicles 21 Instrument panel 22 Windshield P pixel Pr, Pg, Pb subpixels

Claims

1. A display device for a vehicle includes a display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix, and an image displayed on the display panel is reflected on a windshield of the vehicle so that the image is visible to a passenger, The pixel is composed of red, green, and blue sub-pixels arranged in a straight line, The display panel is disposed on the vehicle so that the red, green, and blue sub-pixels are aligned in a direction in which the vehicle travels.

2. the display panel is rectangular when viewed from the front, The vehicle display device according to claim 1 , wherein the red, green, and blue sub-pixels are arranged in a line in a short-side direction of the display panel.

3. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display panel displays display content that has been subjected to sub-pixel rendering processing.

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