In-vehicle systems and information processing devices

Abstract

Effectively utilize displays with curved surfaces. [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 in 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, and the information processing device has a control unit configured to output a command to the display device to display a screen indicating the existence of multiple pages on the third display unit when multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is known 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 (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 effectively utilize a display having a curved surface.

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 device that outputs information via the display device, wherein the display device includes a touch panel, a first display unit disposed in front of a 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, and a third display unit having a curved surface and connecting the first display unit and the second display unit, and the information processing device has a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the control unit The second display unit determines whether or not multiple pages exist on the screen displayed in the storage unit, and In response to determining that the multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit, a command is generated to display a screen indicating the existence of the multiple pages on the third display unit. 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 When multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit, a command is output to the display device to display a screen indicating the existence of multiple pages on the third display unit. 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. Connect the first display unit and the second display unit, and a third display unit having a curved surface; including; The information processing apparatus; When there are a plurality of pages on the screen displayed on the second display unit, output a command to the display device to cause the third display unit to display a screen indicating the presence of the plurality of pages; having a control unit configured to execute; an information processing apparatus.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle equipped with the above vehicle-mounted system, an information processing method executed by the above information processing apparatus, a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method, or a computer-readable storage medium storing the program non-temporarily.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a display having a curved surface can be effectively utilized.

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 periphery. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining transitions of a plurality of types of screens output to an inner display. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a home screen.<000—092> [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of a menu screen. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of screens displayed on a meter display, an inner display, and an inner connection display. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing another example of screens displayed on a meter display, an inner display, and an inner connection display. [Figure 8]This diagram schematically shows an example of a vehicle's hardware configuration. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the functional configuration of an ECU. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of the processing performed by the ECU when displaying content. [Figure 11] This diagram shows an example where only the left half of the second page of content is displayed on the internally connected display. [Figure 12] This diagram shows an example where text indicating that the next page of content exists is displayed on an internal connected display. [Figure 13] This diagram shows an example where only a portion of the next page's content is displayed on an internally connected display. [Figure 14] This diagram shows an example of displaying an arrow on an internal connected display to indicate that the next page of the content exists. [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, a large, curved display could be positioned to face the driver. However, curved surfaces can be unsuitable for displaying information or for user operation due to the risk of distortion and uneven brightness.

[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 behind 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 configured to output a command to the display device to display a screen indicating the existence of multiple pages on the third display unit when multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second 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, it becomes possible to minimize the time the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel during operation. Note that the steering wheel does not necessarily have to be circular, as long as it has a gripping part and steering is performed by rotating it.

[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, for example. 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 includes, 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... The contents may include information related to the vehicle's operation. Content related to vehicle control may include, for example, headlights, wipers, side mirrors, and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance). System: Advanced driver assistance system, drive mode, ride height, steering wheel position This includes interfaces for operating the device, such as setting up or positioning the seat, and the display of information regarding the operating status of these devices.

[0017] The control unit outputs a command to the display device to display a screen on the third display unit indicating the existence of multiple pages when the screen displayed on the second display unit contains multiple pages. This allows the user viewing the third display unit to realize that the content displayed on the second display unit contains multiple pages. Furthermore, although the third display unit has a curved surface and therefore the image may be distorted, since it only needs to display the information that multiple pages exist, the distortion will have a relatively small impact on the occupants. In this way, the third display unit can be effectively utilized.

[0018] Furthermore, the control unit may output a command to the display device to display at least a portion of the display items of the next page after the page displayed on the second display unit on the third display unit, as a screen indicating that multiple pages exist. In this way, by displaying at least a portion of the next page on the third display unit, the user can easily know that the next page exists. The user can also know what will be displayed on the next page.

[0019] The control unit may output a command to the display device to display characters or graphics on the third display unit indicating that there is a page following the page displayed on the second display unit, as a screen indicating that multiple pages exist. By displaying information indicating the existence of the next page on the third display unit in this way, the user can easily know that the next page exists.

[0020] 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.

[0021] <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 covered by a column cover.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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, and an inner display that connects the meter display 21 and the inner display 22. It has an inner connection display 24 and an outer connection display 25 that connects 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 a second display unit, and the inner connection display 24 and outer connection display 25 are examples of a third display unit.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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 vehicle-side end of the meter display 21 to the rear and inside of the vehicle 1. An inner display 22 is connected to the vehicle-side end of the inner connection display 24. The inner display 22 is a display that extends from the vehicle-side end of the inner connection display 24 to the rear and inside of the vehicle 1. The angle of the inner 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 display 22. The inner connection display 24 has a curved surface 241 that is recessed toward the front of the vehicle at the connection point with the meter display 21, and a curved surface 242 that is convex toward the rear of the vehicle at the connection point with the inner display 22. The meter display 21 and the inner display 22 may also have curved surfaces.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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. It can also be decided arbitrarily.

[0035] Figure 3 illustrates the transitions between multiple types of screens output to the inner display 22. As shown, multiple screens, centered around the home screen 801, are output to the inner display 22. The home screen 801 is the screen normally displayed on the inner display while driving. Figure 4 shows an example of the home screen 801. The content displayed on the home screen 801 can be customized by the user. As shown in Figure 3, from the home screen 801, the user can switch screens in the following order, for example, by swiping or flicking: navigation screen 802, audio screen 803, telephone screen 804, and air conditioner screen 805.

[0036] Navigation screen 802 is a screen related to the car navigation system. Audio screen 803 is a screen related to the audio functions of vehicle 1. Telephone screen 804 is a screen for making hands-free calls by wirelessly connecting with a user terminal. Air conditioner screen 805 is a screen for controlling the car air conditioner of vehicle 1.

[0037] Figure 5 shows an example of the menu screen 806. The menu screen 806 can be accessed, for example, by performing a predetermined operation (for example, swiping upwards from the bottom of the screen) on any screen, including the home screen 801. The menu screen 806 is a screen that displays GUI components 8061 in the shape of buttons. The GUI components 8061 display the name and icon of the corresponding content 201. The relationship between the position of each GUI component 8061 and the content 201 corresponding to that GUI component 8061 is stored in the storage unit 110.

[0038] The inner connection display 24 displays a screen indicating that multiple pages exist when the screen displayed on the inner display 22 contains multiple pages. At this time, the inner connection display 24 may also display information to inform the user that it is possible to switch to the next page. Similarly, the outer connection display 25 displays a screen indicating that multiple pages exist when the screen displayed on the outer display 23 contains multiple pages. At this time, the outer connection display 25 may also display information to inform the user that it is possible to switch to the next page. Note that the inner connection display 24 and the outer connection display 25 do not need to display anything when there are no corresponding multiple pages.

[0039] Figure 6 shows an example of the screens displayed on the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24. Figure 6 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. Note that the information displayed on the meter display 21 is omitted in Figure 6. The same principles can be applied to the outer display 23 and the outer connection display 25.

[0040] In Figure 6, the content 201 displayed on the inner display 22 is navigation-related content (hereinafter also referred to as navigation content). That is, the inner display 22 displays the navigation screen 802. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the navigation screen 802 may be displayed after transitioning from the home screen 801. As another example, the navigation content may be displayed as the initial screen when the display device 20 is started up. However, the initial screen is not limited to navigation content and may contain other content. For example, the content displayed on the last screen of the previous session, or content specified by the user, may be displayed as the initial screen. As shown in Figure 3, the user can switch to the audio screen 803 by touching and swiping or flicking the navigation screen 802 displayed on the inner display 22. In other words, the inner display 22 displays a screen with multiple pages. In the example shown in Figure 6, audio-related content (hereinafter also referred to as audio content) is displayed on the inner connected display 24 as the content 202 of the next page. In other words, the audio screen 803 is displayed on the inner connected display 24. In this way, when it is possible to switch the content 201 displayed on the inner display 22, the user can easily notice that there is a next page by displaying the content 202 of the next page on the inner connected display 24.

[0041] Furthermore, a single content item 201 may have multiple pages. For example, the first page could display the status and overview of the electrical equipment group 32, which will be described later, and the second page could display the operation screen for the electrical equipment group 32.

[0042] Figure 7 shows another example of the screens displayed on the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24. Figure 7 shows the meter display 21, the inner display 22, and the inner connection display 24 on the same plane. Note that the information displayed on the meter display 21 is omitted in Figure 7. The same can be applied to the outer display 23 and the outer connection display 25. The content 201 shown in Figure 7 is audio content.

[0043] In the case of audio content, the first page displays an image corresponding to the song, the song title, and the artist name. The first page is the audio screen 803 shown in Figure 3. The first page also displays an ellipsis 211, which is a GUI for moving to the second page. The second page screen 8032 of the audio content displays an image corresponding to the song or artist, the song title, and the artist name, as well as GUIs for pausing playback and skipping songs. An "X" mark is also displayed in the upper right corner of the second page screen 8032. When the user taps this "X" mark, they return to the first page of the audio content.

[0044] Here, if the user overlooks the ellipsis, there is a risk that they will not realize that there is a next page in content 201. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the screen 8032 of the second page of content 201 is displayed on the internal connected display 24. In other words, the next page of content 201 displayed on the internal connected display 22 is displayed on the internal connected display 24. By displaying the next page on the internal connected display 24, the user can easily realize that there is a next page.

[0045] To display the next page shown on the inner connected display 24 on the inner display 22, the display may be switched by tapping the ellipsis 211, or the next page may move to the inner display 22 with an animation in response to swiping or flicking the screen of the inner display 22. If there is a third page in content 201, the screen of the third page will be displayed on the inner connected display 24 while the screen of the second page 8032 is displayed on the inner display 22.

[0046] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of Vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 includes an ECU 10, a display device 20, a center display 26, a sensor group 31, and electrical equipment. The ECU 10 has a group of components 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. A display device 20, a center display 26, a group of sensors 31, and a group of electrical equipment 32 are connected to the ECU 10. The ECU 10 is an example of an information processing device.

[0047] 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 a single touchscreen.

[0048] Sensor group 31 is a collection of multiple sensors for acquiring sensor data used in the operation of vehicle 1. 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Figure 9 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 screen identification unit 102, a screen generation 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.

[0051] 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, when the user touches the touch panel 27 and performs finger movements associated with flicking, swiping, tapping, pinching, double-tapping, long-tapping, and multi-tapping, the input determination unit 101 determines whether it is a flick, swipe, tapping, pinching, double-tapping, or long-tapping. The system determines that a tap and / or multi-tap operation has been performed. The relationship between the user's finger movements and the user's input operations is stored in the memory unit 110.

[0052] The screen identification unit 102 identifies the screen displayed on the inner display 22. The screen identification unit 102 can identify the screen currently displayed on the inner display 22 and screens that will be displayed on the inner display 22 in the future. For example, the screen identification unit 102 identifies the screen corresponding to the button tapped by the user from among the buttons displayed on the home screen 801 or the menu screen 806. The screen identification unit 102 may also identify the content 201 displayed on the inner display 22.

[0053] The screen generation unit 103 generates screens to be displayed on the inner display 22 and the inner connected display 24 for each frame, according to the screen identified by the screen identification unit 102. The relationship between the screen identified by the screen identification unit 102, the screen to be displayed on the inner display 22, and the screen to be displayed on the inner connected display 24 is stored in the storage unit 110 as page information 111.

[0054] The output unit 104 outputs a command to the display device 20 to display the screen. The output unit 104 generates a signal to display the screen for each frame and transmits this signal to the display device 20. In addition, when the user performs an operation to display the next page on the inner display 22 or outer display 23, the output unit 104 outputs a command to the display device 20 so that the next page is displayed on the inner display 22 or outer display 23.

[0055] Next, the processing in the ECU 10 when displaying content 201 will be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart of the processing in the ECU 10 when displaying content 201. The processing shown in Figure 10 is repeatedly executed in the ECU 10 at predetermined intervals. The ECU 10 may also execute the routine shown in Figure 10 triggered by the startup of the vehicle 1 or the startup of the display device 20. As another example, the ECU 10 may also execute the routine shown in Figure 10 triggered by user input on the touch panel 27.

[0056] In step S101, the screen identification unit 102 identifies the screen to be displayed on the inner display 22. For example, the screen identification unit 102 identifies which screen in Figure 3 will be displayed. For example, when the user swipes or flicks the inner display 22, the screen identification unit 102 identifies the next screen to be displayed, according to the currently displayed screen and the display order of the screens shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, for example, the screen identification unit 102 may identify the content 201 selected by the user, according to the position tapped by the user and the current arrangement of the GUI components 8061 shown in Figure 5. Then, according to the content 201 selected by the user, it may identify the screen to be displayed on the inner display 22. The current arrangement of the GUI components 8061 is stored in the storage unit 110.

[0057] In step S102, the screen identification unit 102 determines whether or not there are multiple pages in the screen identified in step S101. The screen identification unit 102 determines whether or not there are multiple pages in the identified screen by comparing the screen identified in step S101 with the page information 111 stored in the storage unit 110. If the screen identification unit 102 makes a positive determination in step S102, the process proceeds to step S103; if it makes a negative determination, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0058] In step S103, the screen generation unit 103 is identified in step S101. The screen generation unit 103 generates a screen to be displayed on the inner display 22 according to the screen displayed. The screen to be displayed on the inner display 22 is stored in the storage unit 110. The screen generation unit 103 generates the screen for the first page corresponding to the content 201.

[0059] In step S104, the screen generation unit 103 generates a screen to be displayed on the internal connected display 24 according to the screen identified in step S101. The screen to be displayed on the internal connected display 24 is stored in the storage unit 110. The screen generation unit 103 generates the screen for the content of the next page in the order shown in Figure 3 (see content 202 for the next page in Figure 6), or the screen for the second page corresponding to content 201 (see screen 8032 for the second page in Figure 7).

[0060] Furthermore, in step S105, the screen generation unit 103 generates a screen to be displayed on the inner display 22 according to the screen identified in step S101. The screen to be displayed on the inner display 22 is stored in the storage unit 110.

[0061] In step S106, the output unit 104 outputs a command to the display device 20 to display the screen generated in steps S103 to S105. At this time, the output unit 104 generates a command to display the screen generated in steps S103 and S105 on the inner display 22, and a command to display the screen generated in step S104 on the inner connected display 24, and outputs these commands to the display device 20.

[0062] As described above, according to this embodiment, when there are multiple pages on the screen displayed on the inner display 22 or outer display 23, the user can become aware of the existence of the next page by displaying the screen corresponding to the next page on the inner connected display 24 or outer connected display 25. This improves usability. Furthermore, the inner connected display 24 and outer connected display 25 can be used effectively.

[0063] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, another example of how to indicate on the inner connected display 24 or outer connected display 25 that the next page exists on the screen displayed on the inner display 22 or outer display 23 will be described. In the following, an example of generating the screen for the second page corresponding to content 201 (see screen 8032 of the second page in Figure 7) will be described, but the same can be applied when generating the screen for the content of the next page in the order shown in Figure 3 (see content 202 of the next page in Figure 6).

[0064] Figure 11 shows an example where only the left half of the second page screen 8032 of content 201 is displayed on the inner connected display 24. Note that while Figure 11 shows only the left half of the second page screen 8032 of content 201, it is not limited to this; displaying at least a portion is sufficient. Furthermore, when displaying a portion of the next page of content 201 on the outer connected display 25, only the right half is displayed. In this way, even by displaying only a portion of content 201, the user can become aware of the existence of the next page.

[0065] Figure 12 shows an example where the internal connected display 24 displays text indicating that there is a next page of content 201. As indicated by reference numeral 203, the text "Next Page" is displayed to inform the user that there is a next page of content 201. In this way, displaying text also informs the user that there is a next page. You can become aware of its existence.

[0066] Figure 13 shows an example where only a portion of the frame of the next page of content 201 is displayed on the internal connected display 24. As indicated by reference numeral 204, by displaying a portion of the frame of the next page, the user is informed that there is a next page in content 201. In this way, even by displaying only a portion of the frame, the user can become aware of the existence of the next page.

[0067] Figure 14 shows an example where an arrow indicating the existence of the next page of content 201 is displayed on the internal connected display 24. By displaying the arrow, as indicated by reference numeral 205, the user is informed that the next page of content 201 exists. In this way, the user can also become aware of the existence of the next page by displaying a graphic.

[0068] <Other Embodiments> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from its essence. The processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. Furthermore, processes described as being performed by one device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, processes described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration used to implement each function can be flexibly changed.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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]

[0071] 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 Screen identification part 103 Screen generation section 104 Output section 110 Storage section Page 111 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, The second display unit determines whether or not multiple pages exist on the screen displayed in the storage unit, and In response to determining that the multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit, a command is generated to display a screen indicating the existence of the multiple pages on the third display unit. Outputting the generated command 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 When multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit, a command is output to the display device to display a screen indicating the existence of multiple pages on the third display unit. A control unit configured to perform the following actions In-vehicle systems.

3. The control unit outputs a command to the display device to display at least a portion of the display items of the page following the page displayed on the second display unit on the third display unit, as a screen indicating that the multiple pages exist. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

4. The control unit outputs a command to the display device to display characters or figures on the third display unit indicating that there is a page following the page displayed on the second display unit, as a screen indicating that the multiple pages exist. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

5. The information processing device further includes a storage unit that stores the relationship between the screen displayed on the second display unit and the screen to be displayed on the third display unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

6. The screens displayed on the second display unit and the third display unit include a screen that displays content related to vehicle control, or a screen that displays content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants. The in-vehicle system according to claim 2.

7. 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 When multiple pages exist on the screen displayed on the second display unit, a command is output to the display device to display a screen indicating the existence of multiple pages on the third display unit. A control unit configured to perform the following actions Information processing device.

8. The control unit outputs a command to the display device to display at least a portion of the display items of the page following the page displayed on the second display unit on the third display unit, as a screen indicating that the multiple pages exist. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The control unit outputs a command to the display device to display characters or figures on the third display unit indicating that there is a page following the page displayed on the second display unit, as a screen indicating that the multiple pages exist. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7.

10. The system further includes a storage unit that stores the relationship between the screen displayed on the second display unit and the screen to be displayed on the third display unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7.

11. The screens displayed on the second display unit and the third display unit include a screen that displays content related to vehicle control, or a screen that displays content related to the convenience of the vehicle's occupants. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7.

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