In-vehicle systems and information processing devices

Abstract

To provide a user interface for vehicles that is less likely to cause discomfort to the user. [Solution] The display device includes a touch panel, a first display unit positioned in front of the steering wheel, a second display unit positioned at least one side of the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit and positioned further back than the first display unit, and a third display unit connecting the first and second display units and having a curved surface. The information processing device has a control unit configured to receive a request input to the touch panel for moving content displayed on one of the first and second display units to the other display unit, and to output information to the display device that modifies the content as it moves when the content is moved from one display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle system and an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A vehicle including a steering wheel, a center display unit provided in front of the steering wheel, and side display units provided on one or both sides in the vehicle width direction of the center display unit is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a user interface for a vehicle that is less likely to give a user a sense of discomfort.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is an in-vehicle system including a display device and an information processing apparatus that outputs information via the display device, wherein the display device includes a touch panel, a first display unit disposed in front of the steering wheel, a second display unit disposed on at least one side in the vehicle width direction of the first display unit and behind the first display unit, a third display unit that connects the first display unit and the second display unit and has a curved surface, and the information processing apparatus has a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the control unit Receiving signals from the aforementioned touch panel, The system determines, according to the information stored in the storage unit, whether the signal received from the touch panel is a signal to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit. The position of the content in the next frame is determined according to the information stored in the storage unit, In response to determining that the signal is to move the content displayed on one of the display units to the other display unit via the third display unit, the shape of the content to be changed in accordance with the position of the content is identified according to the information stored in the storage unit. To generate the next frame which displays the shape of the content at the position of the content, A command to display the generated next frame is transmitted to the display device, Configured to perform, It is an in-vehicle system.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure is, An in-vehicle system including a display device and an information processing device that outputs information via the display device, The aforementioned display device is Touch panel and The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit is positioned at least on one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. A third display unit having a curved surface connects the first display unit and the second display unit, Includes, The aforementioned information processing device is A request to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit, and the acceptance of the request input to the touch panel, When the content is moved from one display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit in response to the acceptance of the aforementioned request, and the content passes through the third display unit, information is output to the display device to move the content while deforming it. A control unit configured to perform the following actions It is an in-vehicle system.

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure is, An information processing device that outputs information via a display device, The aforementioned display device is Touch panel and The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit is positioned at least on one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. A third display unit having a curved surface connects the first display unit and the second display unit, Includes, The aforementioned information processing device is A request to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit, and the acceptance of the request input to the touch panel, When the content is moved from one display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit in response to the acceptance of the aforementioned request, and the content passes through the third display unit, information is output to the display device to move the content while deforming it. A control unit configured to perform the following actions It is an information processing device.

[0008] Other aspects of this disclosure include a vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned in-vehicle system, an information processing method performed by the above-mentioned information processing device, a program for causing a computer to perform the information processing method, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a user interface for a vehicle that is unlikely to give a user a sense of discomfort can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing the interior of a vehicle. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a display device and its surroundings. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a meter display, an inner display, and an inner connection display. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a mode of deformation of content when the content is reduced and enlarged on an inner connection display. [Figure 5] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of a hardware configuration of a vehicle. [Figure 6] It is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an ECU. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart of processing in an ECU when moving content according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of a mode of deformation of content when the content according to the second embodiment moves to an inner connection display. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of a mode of deformation of content when the content according to the third embodiment moves to an inner connection display. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of a mode of deformation of content when the content according to the fourth embodiment moves to an inner connection display.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] In recent years, with the increasing sophistication of automobiles, displays used to provide information are becoming larger. For example, it is conceivable to install large, curved displays to face the driver. Furthermore, to make the most of large displays, it is conceivable to configure the content displayed on the display to be movable. However, when content moves across a curved surface, it may become distorted, potentially causing discomfort to the user.

[0012] In contrast, an in-vehicle system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an in-vehicle system including a display device and an information processing device that outputs information via the display device, wherein the display device includes a touch panel, a first display unit positioned in front of the steering wheel, a second display unit positioned at least one side in the vehicle width direction from the first display unit and positioned rearward from the first display unit, and a third display unit connecting the first display unit and the second display unit and having a curved surface, and the information processing device has a control unit that receives a request input to the touch panel for moving content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit, and that, in response to receiving the request, when moving the content from the first display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit, outputs information to the display device that deforms the content as it passes through the third display unit.

[0013] The display device has a first display unit, a second display unit, and a third display unit. The first display unit is a display positioned in front of the steering wheel and is positioned in front of the driver. The second display unit is positioned to the right or left of the vehicle than the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. The second display unit may also be a pair of displays positioned on both sides of the steering wheel. The second display unit is configured to allow touch operation via a touch panel. The first and third display units may also be configured to allow touch operation via a touch panel.

[0014] The second display unit is positioned closer to the driver than the first display unit. By placing the second display unit in this position, it becomes possible to position the touch panel near the part of the steering wheel that is gripped by the driver. In other words, when operating the system, the driver This allows for minimizing the time spent with hands off the steering wheel. Furthermore, the steering wheel does not necessarily need to be circular; it simply has a grip and is rotated to perform steering operations.

[0015] The third display section is positioned to connect the first and second display sections. The third display section also has a curved surface. This curved surface may be formed at the connection points between the first and third display sections, and between the second and third display sections. Alternatively, the entire third display section may be composed of a curved surface. Furthermore, the first and second display sections may also have curved surfaces. In this case, the curvature of each display section may be determined so that the curvature of the curved surface related to the third display section is maximized. The first, second, and third display sections may be formed as a single unit.

[0016] The first, second, and third display units display content. This content includes content related to vehicle control or content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants. Content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants may include content for providing entertainment to the occupants or content related to occupant comfort. Content related to occupant suitability and convenience may include, for example, interfaces for operating audio, navigation, air conditioning, telephone, clock, or voice assistants, and the presentation of information regarding the operating status of these devices. Furthermore, content related to vehicle control may include information regarding the vehicle's operation. Content related to vehicle control may include, for example, headlights, wipers, side mirrors, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), drive modes, vehicle height, steering wheel position, etc. Alternatively, this may include an interface for controlling the position of the seat, or the display of information regarding the operating status of these devices.

[0017] The control unit performs animation display so that the content moves from the first display unit to the second display unit via the third display unit. The control unit also performs animation display so that the content moves from the second display unit to the first display unit via the third display unit. This animation display is performed in response to user input. User input is provided via the touch panel. For example, when a flick or swipe is performed on the displayed content, a signal is sent from the touch panel to the control unit. This allows the control unit to receive a request to move the content in the direction of the flick or swipe.

[0018] When the control unit receives a request to move content, it generates information to deform the content so that it deforms as it passes through the third display unit. It then transmits this generated information to the display device. In this way, an animation is displayed where the content deforms as it passes through the third display unit. By actively deforming the content in this manner, the sense of discomfort experienced by the user when the content passes over a curved surface can be reduced.

[0019] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, and this disclosure is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments. Furthermore, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0020] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 shows the interior of vehicle 1. The interior of vehicle 1 is equipped with a driver's seat 2 and a passenger seat 3. In this embodiment, vehicle 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle, and the driver's seat 2 is located on the right side in the direction of travel of vehicle 1. A steering wheel 4 is positioned in front of the driver's seat 2. The steering wheel 4 may be circular or U-shaped (a so-called irregularly shaped steering wheel). The steering wheel 4 is connected to the steering system of vehicle 1 via a steering column. The steering column is It is covered by a column cover.

[0021] The passenger seat 3 is located to the left of the driver's seat 2, and a center display 26 is positioned midway between the driver's seat 2 and the passenger seat 3, towards the front of the vehicle. The center display 26 displays, for example, supplementary information such as car navigation, or entertainment content such as audio and television.

[0022] A display device 20 is provided on the front side of the steering wheel 4. The display device 20 includes a meter display 21 located in front of the driver's seat 2, an inner display 22 located behind the meter display 21 and inside the vehicle 1, an outer display 23 located behind the meter display 21 and outside the vehicle 1, an inner connection display 24 connecting the meter display 21 and the inner display 22, and an outer connection display 25 connecting the meter display 21 and the outer display 23. The meter display 21 is an example of a first display unit, the inner display 22 and outer display 23 are examples of second display units, and the inner connection display 24 and outer connection display 25 are examples of third display units.

[0023] The outside of vehicle 1 refers to the side closer to the outside of vehicle 1 as viewed from the driver's seat 2, and is the door side of the driver's seat 2. The inside of vehicle 1 refers to the side of the passenger seat 3 as viewed from the driver's seat 2, and is the door side of the passenger seat 3. For example, in vehicle 1 where the steering wheel is located on the right side of vehicle 1, the outside of vehicle 1 refers to the right side of vehicle 1, and the inside of vehicle 1 refers to the left side of vehicle 1. Also, for example, in vehicle 1 where the steering wheel 4 is located on the left side of vehicle 1, the outside of vehicle 1 refers to the left side of vehicle 1, and the inside of vehicle 1 refers to the right side of vehicle 1. In vehicle 1 where the steering wheel is located in the center of the passenger compartment, the outside and inside of vehicle 1 may be determined arbitrarily, for example.

[0024] The meter display 21, inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, and outer connection display 25 are all displays with touch panels. Note that at least the inner display 22 and outer display 23 need to have touch panels. The touch panels can include, for example, pressure-sensitive panels that detect the pressure applied by the user, and capacitive panels that detect changes in capacitance when the user presses the panel. The displays are, for example, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or EL (Electroluminescence) panels. Note that in the following, when a user touches the screen, This means that the user touches the touch panel. The meter display 21, inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, and outer connection display 25 may be formed by modifying a single touchscreen, or by combining individual touchscreens.

[0025] Figure 2 shows a schematic configuration of the display device 20 and its surroundings. The display device 20 is fixed to the instrument panel 5. The meter display 21 is a horizontal display, while the inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, and outer connection display 25 are vertical displays. The meter display 21 is positioned so that its screen faces the rear of the vehicle and is arranged parallel to the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle 1. The meter display 21 may also be positioned at a slight upward tilt.

[0026] An inner connection display 24 is connected to the vehicle-side end of the meter display 21. The inner connection display 24 is a display that extends from the inner connection display 24 towards the rear and inside of the vehicle 1. The inner connection display 22 is connected to the inner end of the inner connection display 24 towards the rear and inside of the vehicle 1. The angle of the inner connection display 22 relative to the meter display 21 is smaller than the angle of the inner connection display 24 relative to the meter display 21. The inner connection display 24 is curved and connected to the meter display 21 and the inner connection display 22. The inner connection display 24 has a curved surface that is recessed towards the front of the vehicle at the connection point with the meter display 21, and a curved surface that is convex towards the rear of the vehicle at the connection point with the inner connection display 22. The meter display 21 and the inner connection display 22 may also have curved surfaces.

[0027] An outer connection display 25 is connected to the outer end of the meter display 21. The outer connection display 25 is a display that extends from the outer end of the meter display 21 to the rear and outside of the vehicle 1. An outer display 23 is connected to the outer end of the outer connection display 25. The outer display 23 is a display that extends from the outer end of the outer connection display 25 to the rear and outside of the vehicle 1. The angle of the outer display 23 relative to the meter display 21 is smaller than the angle of the outer connection display 25 relative to the meter display 21. The outer connection display 25 is curved and connected to the meter display 21 and the outer display 23. The outer connection display 25 has a curved surface that is recessed towards the front of the vehicle at the connection point with the meter display 21, and a curved surface that is convex towards the rear of the vehicle at the connection point with the outer display 23. The meter display 21 and the outer display 23 may also have curved surfaces.

[0028] Thus, the display device 20 extends from the top of the steering column in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction), bends towards the steering wheel 4, and is further bent in a way that reduces the angle of the steering wheel 4 with respect to the left-right direction. In this way, the inner display 22 and the outer display 23 can be positioned near the gripping portion of the steering wheel 4.

[0029] Furthermore, the inner display 22 and the outer display 23 are angled with respect to the left-right direction of the steering wheel 4, and are positioned so as to tilt toward the steering wheel 4. That is, the inner display 22 protrudes further to the rear of the vehicle 1 the closer it is to the inside of the vehicle 1, and the outer display 23 protrudes further to the rear of the vehicle 1 the closer it is to the outside of the vehicle 1. In this way, the inner display 22 and the outer display 23 are positioned so as to face the driver.

[0030] The meter display 21 displays information necessary for the operation of vehicle 1, such as the vehicle's speed, engine rotation speed (if vehicle 1 has an engine), charge / discharge status (if vehicle 1 has a drive battery), mileage, and ADAS status.

[0031] The inner display 22 displays, for example, content related to the convenience of the occupants of vehicle 1. Information related to the convenience of the occupants of vehicle 1 includes information to provide entertainment to the occupants of vehicle 1. Information related to the convenience of the occupants of vehicle 1 may also include information related to the comfort of the occupants. Information related to the suitability and convenience of the occupants includes, for example, information about switches and buttons for operating the audio system, navigation system, air conditioner, telephone, clock, voice assistant, etc., and information about the operating status of these devices.

[0032] The outer display 23 displays, for example, information related to the control of vehicle 1 as content. The information related to the control of vehicle 1 includes information related to the driving of vehicle 1. The information related to the control of vehicle 1 includes information related to switches, buttons, etc., for operating the headlights, wipers, side mirrors, ADAS, drive modes, vehicle height, steering wheel position, and seat position, as well as information related to the operating status of these devices.

[0033] The information displayed on the inner display 22 and outer display 23 is not limited to the above. The inner display 22 may display information related to the control of the vehicle 1, and the outer display 23 may display information related to the convenience of the occupants of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the information displayed on the inner display 22 and outer display 23 can be arbitrarily determined.

[0034] The inner connection display 24 displays an image corresponding to the content when, for example, content is moved between the meter display 21 and the inner display 22. The outer connection display 25 displays an image corresponding to the content when content is moved between the meter display 21 and the outer display 23. The inner connection display 24 and the outer connection display 25 may display some information or not display anything at times other than when content is being moved.

[0035] Figure 3 shows an example of the screens displayed on the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24. Figure 3 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. In Figure 3, the arrows indicate the direction of movement of the content 201. Figure 3 also shows the configuration when the content 201 is positioned on the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24, respectively. The following description will focus on the movement of content from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21. The same applies to the movement of content from the meter display 21 to the inner display 22, and the movement of content between the meter display 21 and the outer display 23. The content 201 shown in Figure 3 is content related to the navigation device, displaying a map, the vehicle's position, and the route.

[0036] Content 201 can be moved from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21. For example, when a user swipes or flicks an image displayed on the inner display 22 towards the meter display 21, an animation is performed so that the content moves from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21 via the inner connected display 24. Then, as content 201 passes through the inner connected display 24, an animation is performed so that the content 201 deforms. In the example shown in Figure 3, content 201 is scaled down and enlarged on the inner connected display 24.

[0037] Figure 4 shows an example of how the content 201 is transformed when it is reduced or enlarged on the inner connection display 24. Figure 4 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. The content 201 moves sequentially from reference numeral 51 to reference numeral 61. Reference numeral 51 indicates the state in which the content 201 is normally displayed on the inner display 22. C1 indicates the center of the content 201, C2 indicates the center of the top edge of the content 201, and C3 indicates the center of the bottom edge of the content 201. The dashed lines show the trajectories of the center C2 on the top edge and the center C3 on the bottom edge of content 201. Furthermore, the size of content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 before movement is the same as the size of content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 after movement. Also, the center C1 of content 201 moves horizontally.

[0038] As shown in reference numeral 52, when the center C1 of the content 201 is located in the inner display 22, the content 201 moves toward the meter display 21 while maintaining its size. The size of the portion of the content 201 that is contained within the inner connected display 24 is the same as in the case of reference numeral 51. From reference numeral 53 to 56, the content 201 is gradually reduced in size. On the other hand, from reference numeral 56 to 59, the content 201 is gradually increased in size.

[0039] As shown by reference numerals 53 to 59, when the center C1 of the content 201 is located on the inner connection display 24, the content 201 is deformed according to the position of the center C1 of the content 201. This deformation is carried out so that the content 201 changes in a similar manner. Reference numeral 56 indicates that the content 201 is located at the horizontal center of the inner connection display 24 and the content 201 is at its smallest size. Note that the deformation of the content 201 when the content passes through the inner connection display 24 is not limited to the reduction and expansion of the content shown in Figures 3 and 4. For example, if the size of the content displayed on the meter display 21 is larger than the size of the content displayed on the inner display 22, the size of the content may be gradually increased when the content moves from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 has an ECU 10, a display device 20, a center display 26, a sensor group 31, and an electrical equipment group 32. The ECU 10 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary memory (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary memory stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions (software modules) that match a predetermined purpose, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs. The display device 20, the center display 26, the sensor group 31, and the electrical equipment group 32 are connected to the ECU 10. The ECU 10 is an example of an information processing device.

[0041] The display device 20 includes a meter display 21, an inner display 22, an outer display 23, an inner connection display 24, an outer connection display 25, and a touch panel 27. The touch panel 27 is a unit for detecting touch operations performed on the meter display 21, inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, and outer connection display 25. Each of the meter display 21, inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, and outer connection display 25 is equipped with a touch panel 27, enabling operation by touch. The meter display 21, inner display 22, outer display 23, inner connection display 24, outer connection display 25, and touch panel 27 may be modified versions of a single touchscreen.

[0042] The sensor group 31 is a multiple sensor group for acquiring sensor data used during the driving of vehicle 1. This is a collection of sensors. The sensors may acquire physical quantities or image data, etc. Sensor group 31 includes, for example, sensors for detecting the state of vehicle 1 and sensors for detecting the driver's movements. Sensor group 31 includes, for example, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, an accelerator position sensor for detecting the position of the accelerator pedal, a brake sensor for detecting the position of the brake pedal, a steering wheel angle sensor for detecting the angle of the steering wheel, an engine rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the engine, a yaw rate sensor, a turn signal switch sensor (a sensor for detecting the state of the turn signal switch), a shift position sensor, a sensor for detecting location information (GPS sensor), a sensor for detecting the temperature inside the vehicle, a sensor for detecting the temperature outside the vehicle, and a radar for measuring the distance to an object.

[0043] The electrical equipment group 32 is a collection of electrical equipment used in vehicle 1. The electrical equipment group 32 includes, for example, an air conditioner, a navigation system, an audio system, a telephone, wipers, headlights, side mirrors, power seats, and a voice assistant.

[0044] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the ECU 10. The ECU 10 comprises a control unit 100 and a storage unit 110 as functional components. The control unit 100 is a functional component provided, for example, by the processor executing various programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit. The control unit 100 includes an input determination unit 101, a content identification unit 102, a content modification unit 103, and an output unit 104. The storage unit 110 is a means for storing information and is composed of a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit.

[0045] The input determination unit 101 receives signals from the touch panel 27 and determines the user's input operation via the touch panel 27. The input determination unit 101 identifies the location where the user touched the touch panel. Furthermore, if the user touches the touch panel 27 and performs a finger movement associated with a flick or swipe, the input determination unit 101 determines that a flick or swipe operation has been performed. In addition to flicks and swipes, the input determination unit 101 may also be able to determine other input operations such as taps, pinches, double taps, long taps, and multi-taps. The relationship between the user's finger movement and the user's input operation is stored in the storage unit 110. The input determination unit 101 may also calculate the movement speed of the content 201 according to, for example, the direction and speed of a swipe operation. This calculation formula may be stored in the storage unit 110. Furthermore, the relationship between the finger speed or acceleration and the movement speed of the content 201 may also be stored in the storage unit 110. Furthermore, the speed at which the content 201 moves between the inner connected display 24 and the outer connected display 25 may be adjusted according to this movement speed. The movement speed of the content 201 may also be increased according to, for example, the speed or acceleration of the user's finger when swiping or flicking, or it may be a constant value.

[0046] The content identification unit 102 identifies the position of the moving content 201. The position of the content 201 may be identified by the coordinates of the center point of the content 201, the coordinates of the center point of the top edge of the content 201, the coordinates of the center point of the bottom edge of the content 201, the coordinates of the four corners of the content 201, or the coordinates of one or more specific points on the content 201. The content identification unit 102 identifies the content 201 that the user is trying to move in response to the user's input operation (for example, the position of the finger touching the display unit). Based on the current position of the content 201, the movement speed of the content 201, and the frame rate, the content identification unit 102 calculates the position of the content 201 in the next frame.

[0047] The content deformation unit 103 deforms the content 201 according to its position while it is moving. For example, the relationship between the center position of the content 201 and the shape of the content 201 is stored in the storage unit 110 as deformation information 111.

[0048] The output unit 104 issues a command to the display device 20 to display the content 201. The output unit 104 generates an image corresponding to the content 201 for each frame, generates a signal for displaying the image for each frame, and transmits this signal to the display device 20.

[0049] Furthermore, the output unit 104 performs animation display so that the content 201 moves in the direction the user flicks or swipes. The output unit 104 generates an image for each frame and outputs it to the display device 20. The animation display in this embodiment is performed by continuously switching the frames (i.e., still images) to be displayed on the display device 20 at predetermined display switching timings. At each display timing, the output unit 104 generates information about the next frame, which is the frame to be displayed after the currently displayed frame, through calculations. The information about the next frame includes information about the position (which may be coordinates) of the content. The output unit 104 performs animation display by switching to the next frame at each display switching timing.

[0050] Next, we will describe the processing in the ECU 10 when moving content 201. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the processing in the ECU 10 when moving content 201 according to the first embodiment. The processing shown in Figure 7 is repeatedly executed in the ECU 10 at predetermined time intervals.

[0051] In step S101, the input determination unit 101 determines whether or not there has been input from the user on the touch panel 27. For example, if the input determination unit 101 detects that the user has touched the screen based on the signal from the touch panel 27, it determines that there has been input from the user. If the input determination unit 101 makes a positive determination in step S101, the process proceeds to step S102; if it makes a negative determination, this routine terminates.

[0052] In step S102, the input determination unit 101 identifies what kind of operation the user input is. For example, the input determination unit 101 identifies whether the user input is a flick, swipe, tap, pinch, double tap, long tap, or multi-tap. The memory unit 110 stores information corresponding to each operation, such as the position on the screen where the user is touching the screen, the direction in which the finger is moving on the screen, and the speed or acceleration of the finger moving on the screen. Based on the user input to the touch panel 27 and the information stored in the memory unit 110, the input determination unit 101 determines which operation the user input corresponds to.

[0053] In step S103, the input determination unit 101 determines whether the user input is a flick or swipe to move the content 201. That is, the input determination unit 101 determines whether there was a request to move the content 201. If the input determination unit 101 determines it to be positive in step S103, the process proceeds to step S105; if it determines it to be negative, the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the control unit 100 executes processing corresponding to operations other than flicks or swipes.

[0054] In step S105, the content identification unit 102 identifies the position of content 201 in the next frame, which is the next frame to be displayed. Based on the current position of content 201, the movement speed of content 201, and the frame rate, the content identification unit 102 calculates the position of content 201 in the next frame. For example, in step S109 or step S112, which will be described later, the output unit 104 may store the current position of content 201 in the storage unit 110. The content identification unit 102 may then read the current position of content 201 from the storage unit 110. The position of content 201 may also be the center position of content 201.

[0055] In step S106, the content identification unit 102 determines whether the location of the content 201 identified by the content identification unit 102 in step S105 is within the range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25. The range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25 is stored in the storage unit 110. The content identification unit 102 determines whether the location of the content 201 is within the range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25 by comparing the location of the content 201 identified in step S105 with the range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25 stored in the storage unit 110. If the content identification unit 102 makes a positive determination in step S106, the process proceeds to step S107; if it makes a negative determination, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0056] In step S107, the content transformation unit 103 determines the size of the content 201 according to the position of the content 201 identified in step S105. The size of the content 201 corresponding to the position of the content 201 is stored in the storage unit 110. The content transformation unit 103 determines the size of the content 201 in the next frame according to the position of the content 201 and the transformation information 111 stored in the storage unit 110. Then, the content transformation unit 103 transforms (enlarges or reduces) the content 201 according to the size of the content 201. At this time, known techniques for enlarging or reducing an image can be used. For example, the content transformation unit 103 may reduce the content 201 by downsampling pixels at a predetermined rate, or enlarge the content 201 by duplicating pixels at a predetermined rate.

[0057] In step S108, the output unit 104 generates the next frame. The output unit 104 generates the next frame so that it displays the content 201, which was identified in step S105, at the location of the content 201, with the size calculated in step S107. The output unit 104 also generates an image corresponding to the display time of the next frame for content that has not moved, and generates the next frame so that the image is displayed in the corresponding display area. The output unit 104 may also generate the next frame so that other content is displayed on the inner display 22 or outer display 23 from which the content 201 was moved, or it may generate the next frame so that nothing is displayed in the location where the content 201 was originally.

[0058] In step S109, the output unit 104 outputs information about the next frame to the display device 20. This information may include a command to display the next frame on the display device 20. As a result, the next frame is displayed on the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25. That is, the output unit 104 automatically outputs an image that moves the content 201 in real time for each frame. In this way, the output unit 104 moves the content 201 while deforming it on the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25. By changing the size of the content 201 frame by frame, the output unit 104 enables continuous animation display.

[0059] Furthermore, in step S110, the content transformation unit 103 fixes the size of the content 201. At this time, the content transformation unit 103 identifies the size of the content 201 to be displayed on the meter display 21, the inner display 22, or the outer display 23, and fixes it to this size. The relationship between the position of the content 201 and the size of the content 201 is stored in the storage unit 110. The size of the content 201 stored in the storage unit 110 may be different for the meter display 21, the inner display 22, or the outer display 23, or it may be the same for each.

[0060] In step S111, the output unit 104 generates the next frame. The output unit 104 generates the next frame so as to display the content 201, which was fixed in size in step S110, at the position of the content 201 identified in step S105.

[0061] In step S112, the output unit 104 outputs information regarding the next frame to the display device 20. This information may include a command to display the next frame on the display device 20. In this way, the output unit 104 moves the content 201 on the meter display 21, inner display 22, or outer display 23 without altering it. Furthermore, by moving the content 201 frame by frame, the output unit 104 enables continuous animation display.

[0062] Then, in step S113, the output unit 104 determines whether the movement of content 201 is complete. The output unit 104 determines whether the movement of content 201 is complete by determining whether the position of content 201 in the next frame, which was determined in step S105, is the position at the time the movement was completed. The position of content 201 at the time the movement was completed is stored in the storage unit 110. If the output unit 104 makes a positive determination in step S113, this routine ends; if it makes a negative determination, the process returns to step S105.

[0063] In the above description, the content 201 is scaled down or enlarged when its center is located on the inner-connected display 24. However, the system is not limited to this; for example, the content 201 may be scaled down or enlarged when at least a portion of it is located on the inner-connected display 24. In this case, the entire content 201 may begin to shrink when the right edge of the content 201 moves from the inner-connected display 22 into the inner-connected display 24. Conversely, the enlargement of the content 201 may end when the left edge of the content 201 moves from the inner-connected display 24 into the meter display 21.

[0064] Furthermore, for example, when the entire content 201 is positioned on the inner-connected display 24, the content 201 may be reduced or enlarged. In this case, the entire content 201 may begin to reduce when the left edge of the content 201 moves from the inner-connected display 22 into the inner-connected display 24. Conversely, the enlargement of the content 201 may end when the right edge of the content 201 moves from the inner-connected display 24 into the meter display 21.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above description, the content 201 is reduced in size and then enlarged when it moves from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21. However, the content transformation unit 103 may enlarge the content 201 and then reduce it. Also, the reduction and enlargement may be repeated multiple times.

[0066] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the content 201 passes through a curved section, which is a section where the user may feel uncomfortable, the user's discomfort can be suppressed by actively deforming the content 201.

[0067] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, the manner of deformation differs from that of the first embodiment. Figure 8 shows an example of the manner of deformation of content 201 when content 201 moves across the inner connection display 24 according to the second embodiment. Figure 8 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. The content 201 moves sequentially from reference numeral 62 to reference numeral 72. Reference numeral 62 indicates the state in which content 201 is normally displayed on the inner display 22. In Figure 8, The trajectories of the top and bottom edges of content 201 are shown by dashed lines. Furthermore, the size of content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 before movement is the same as the size of content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 after movement. Also, the center of content 201 moves horizontally.

[0068] As shown by reference numeral 63, even when the center of the content 201 is located on the inner display 22, the portion of the content 201 that enters the inner connected display 24 is reduced in size. This causes the content 201 to be distorted. Furthermore, the portion of the content 201 that enters the inner connected display 24 is gradually reduced in size, with the reduction rate increasing towards the side closer to the center of the inner connected display 24.

[0069] In reference numeral 64, the right edge of the content 201 reaches the center of the inner connection display 24. Even at this point, a portion of the content 201 located on the inner display 22 is not reduced in size. Furthermore, in reference numeral 65, the right edge of the content 201 is located to the right of the center of the inner connection display 24. On the meter display 21 side of the center of the inner display 22, the content 201 is gradually enlarged such that the magnification increases as it moves closer to the meter display 21, i.e., as it moves further away from the center of the inner connection display 24.

[0070] From reference numeral 66 to 68, the entire content 201 is located on the inner connection display 24. In this case, the content 201 is deformed so that it becomes larger as it approaches the inner display 22 side and the meter display 21 side from the center of the inner connection display 24.

[0071] From reference numeral 69 to reference numeral 71, the rightmost edge of the content 201 is positioned on the meter display 21. A portion of the content 201 positioned on the meter display 21 is displayed at its original size. Then, at reference numeral 72, the movement of the content 201 is completed.

[0072] In the second embodiment as well, the content deformation unit 103 may deform the content 201, for example, according to the position of the center of the content 201. The relationship between the position of the center of the content 201 and the shape of the content 201 is stored in the storage unit 110 as deformation information 111.

[0073] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, in step S106 of the routine shown in Figure 7, the content identification unit 102 determines whether at least a portion of the content 201 is located within the range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25. In step S107, the content deformation unit 103 determines the shape of the content 201 according to the position of the content identified in step S105. The content deformation unit 103 determines the shape of the content 201 in the next frame according to the position of the center of the content 201 and the deformation information 111. Then, the content deformation unit 103 deforms the content 201 according to the determined shape of the content 201. At this time, known techniques for deforming images can be used.

[0074] In the above explanation, content 201 is shown shrinking and then expanding when it moves from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21, but it is not limited to this; content 201 may expand and then shrink. Also, content 201 may repeat the shrinking and expanding process multiple times.

[0075] As explained above, this embodiment also makes it possible to suppress the user from feeling uncomfortable by actively deforming the content 201 when it passes through areas where the user might feel uncomfortable during the movement of the content 201, namely curved areas.

[0076] <Third Embodiment> In the first and second embodiments, the size of the content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 and the inner display 22 was the same. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the content 201 is displayed larger on the meter display 21 than on the inner display 22. Here, since the meter display 21 is larger than the inner display 22, it can display more information. Therefore, the control unit 100 can enlarge the content 201 that was displayed on the inner display 22 and display it on the meter display 21, making the content 201 easier to see and displaying more information.

[0077] Figure 9 shows an example of the deformation of content 201 when it moves across the inner connection display 24 according to the third embodiment. Figure 9 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. The content 201 moves sequentially from reference numeral 73 to reference numeral 77. Reference numeral 73 indicates the state in which content 201 is normally displayed on the inner display 22. In Figure 9, the trajectories of the top and bottom edges of content 201 are shown by dashed lines. Also, the size of content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 after movement is larger than the size of content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 before movement. In addition, the center of content 201 moves in the horizontal direction.

[0078] As indicated by reference numeral 74, the portion of content 201 that enters the inner connection display 24 is magnified. As a result, content 201 is distorted. Furthermore, the portion of content 201 that enters the inner connection display 24 is gradually magnified such that the magnification increases towards the side closer to the meter display 21.

[0079] In reference numeral 75, the entire content 201 is located on the inner connection display 24. In this case, the content 201 is deformed so that it becomes larger as it approaches the meter display 21.

[0080] In reference numeral 76, the rightmost edge of content 201 is positioned on the meter display 21. A portion of content 201 positioned on the meter display 21 is displayed at its original size. Then, in reference numeral 77, the movement of content 201 is completed.

[0081] In the third embodiment, the content deformation unit 103 may also deform the content 201, for example, according to the position of the center of the content 201. The relationship between the position of the center of the content 201 and the shape of the content 201 is stored in the storage unit 110 as deformation information 111.

[0082] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, in step S106 of the routine shown in Figure 7, the content identification unit 102 determines whether at least a portion of the content 201 is located within the range of the inner connected display 24 or the outer connected display 25. Also, in step S107, the content deformation unit 103 determines the shape of the content 201 according to the position of the content identified in step S105. The content deformation unit 103 determines the shape of the content 201 in the next frame according to the position of the center of the content 201 and the deformation information 111. Then, the content deformation unit 103 determines the shape of the content 201 in the next frame. The content 201 is deformed according to the shape of the content 201. In this case, known techniques for deforming images can be used.

[0083] In the above explanation, the content 201 is shown to gradually enlarge when it moves from the inner display 22 to the meter display 21, but it is not limited to this; it may also be reduced first and then enlarged. Furthermore, the reduction and enlargement may be repeated multiple times.

[0084] As described above, this embodiment gives the user the impression that the content 201 is naturally transforming as it moves, thus suppressing any sense of unease the user may experience.

[0085] <Fourth Embodiment> In the first to third embodiments, when the content 201 is moved, the center of the content 201 moves horizontally. On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, the direction of movement of the content 201 is changed. For example, in the fourth embodiment, the center of the content 201 is also moved vertically.

[0086] Figure 10 shows an example of how content 201 deforms when it moves across the inner connection display 24 according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 10 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. Reference numeral 78 indicates how the center of content 201 moves upward and then downward. In reference numeral 78, the trajectories of the center of the upper edge and the center of the lower edge of content 201 are shown by dashed lines. Also, the size of content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 after movement is larger than the size of content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 before movement. In reference numeral 78, as content 201 passes through the inner connection display 24, content 201 expands and moves in the vertical direction. The content deformation unit 103 may deform content 201 so that it becomes similar in shape, or it may deform content 201 so that the magnification increases as it approaches the meter display 21.

[0087] Reference numeral 79 indicates a mode in which the center of the content 201 moves multiple times in the vertical direction. In reference numeral 79, the trajectories of the center of the upper edge and the center of the lower edge of the content 201 are shown by dashed lines. Also, the size of the content 201 displayed on the meter display 21 after the movement is larger than the size of the content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 before the movement. In reference numeral 79, as the content 201 passes through the inner connected display 24, the content 201 expands and moves multiple times in the vertical direction. The content deformation unit 103 may deform the content 201 so that it becomes similar in shape, or it may deform the content 201 so that the expansion ratio increases as it approaches the meter display 21.

[0088] Even in this way, when the content 201 passes through areas where the user might feel uncomfortable during its movement, namely curved sections, the content 201 is actively deformed, and by combining multiple movements, the user's discomfort can be suppressed.

[0089] <Other Embodiments> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. The processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented, provided that no technical inconsistencies arise. Furthermore, processes described as being performed by a single device may be divided and performed by multiple devices. Alternatively, processes described as being performed by different devices may be performed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration used to implement each function can be flexibly changed.

[0090] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the ECU 10 of the vehicle 1 functions as an information processing device. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, a user's mobile terminal may function as an information processing device, or an external server may function as an information processing device.

[0091] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage mediums include, for example, any type of disk such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1 vehicle 2. Driver's seat 4 Steering Wheel 5. Instrument Panel 10 ECU 20 Display devices 21 Meter display 22 Inner display 23 Outer display 24 In-line connected display 25 External connection display 27 Touch panel 100 Control Unit 101 Input determination unit 102 Content Identification Department 103 Content Transformation Section 104 Output section 110 Storage section 111 Transformation Information 201 Contents

Claims

1. An in-vehicle system including a display device and an information processing device that outputs information via the display device, The aforementioned display device is Touch panel and The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit is positioned at least on one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. A third display unit having a curved surface connects the first display unit and the second display unit, Includes, The information processing device has a control unit and a storage unit, The control unit, Receiving signals from the aforementioned touch panel, The system determines, according to the information stored in the storage unit, whether the signal received from the touch panel is a signal to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit. The position of the content in the next frame is determined according to the information stored in the storage unit, In response to determining that the signal is to move the content displayed on one of the display units to the other display unit via the third display unit, the shape of the content to be changed in accordance with the position of the content is identified according to the information stored in the storage unit. To generate the next frame which displays the shape of the content at the position of the content, A command to display the generated next frame is transmitted to the display device, Configured to perform, In-vehicle systems.

2. An in-vehicle system including a display device and an information processing device that outputs information via the display device, The aforementioned display device is Touch panel and The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit is positioned at least on one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. A third display unit having a curved surface connects the first display unit and the second display unit, Includes, The aforementioned information processing device is A request to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit, and the acceptance of the request input to the touch panel, When the content is moved from one display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit in response to the acceptance of the aforementioned request, and the content passes through the third display unit, information is output to the display device to move the content while deforming it. A control unit configured to perform the following actions In-vehicle systems.

3. The control unit, when the content passes through the third display unit, gradually changes the content from a shape corresponding to one of the display units to a shape corresponding to the other display unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

4. The control unit deforms the content by shrinking and enlarging it, or by distorting it, as the content passes through the third display unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

5. The control unit changes the direction of movement of the content multiple times when the content passes through the third display unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

6. The information processing device further includes a storage unit that stores the relationship between the location of the content and the shape of the content. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

7. The control unit acquires the request in response to the user flicking or swiping the touch panel of one of the display units toward the other display unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

8. The aforementioned content includes content related to vehicle control or content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

9. An information processing device that outputs information via a display device, The aforementioned display device is Touch panel and The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit is positioned at least on one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the first display unit, and is positioned further rearward than the first display unit. A third display unit having a curved surface connects the first display unit and the second display unit, Includes, The aforementioned information processing device is A request to move the content displayed on one of the first display unit and the second display unit to the other display unit, and the acceptance of the request input to the touch panel, When the content is moved from one display unit to the other display unit via the third display unit in response to the acceptance of the aforementioned request, and the content passes through the third display unit, information is output to the display device to move the content while deforming it. A control unit configured to perform the following actions Information processing device.

10. The control unit, when the content passes through the third display unit, gradually changes the content from a shape corresponding to one of the display units to a shape corresponding to the other display unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The control unit deforms the content by shrinking and enlarging it, or by distorting it, as the content passes through the third display unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

12. The control unit changes the direction of movement of the content multiple times when the content passes through the third display unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

13. The system further includes a storage unit that stores the relationship between the location of the content and the shape of the content. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

14. The control unit acquires the request in response to the user flicking or swiping the touch panel of one of the display units toward the other display unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

15. The aforementioned content includes content related to vehicle control or content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

Images