Vehicles and display devices

Abstract

This technology provides effective ways to improve the usability of vehicle user interfaces. [Solution] The vehicle includes a first display unit positioned in front of the steering wheel, and a second display unit having a touch panel, positioned behind the first display unit in at least one of the vehicle width directions. The back of the second display unit is provided with a guide unit configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to operate the touch panel and which are placed on the back of the second display unit.

Description

Technical Field

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[0005] ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle and a display 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). Further, Patent Document 2 discloses providing a concave touch sensor for indicating a finger placement position on the back surface of a tablet terminal having a touch panel. Patent Document 3 discloses providing a recess serving as a reference for a grasping position on the side surface of a tablet terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an effective technique for improving the operability of a vehicle user interface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle. In that case, the vehicle, as an example, a first display unit disposed in front of a steering wheel, and a second display unit having a touch panel and disposed behind the first display unit on at least one side of the first display unit in the vehicle width direction. A guide portion provided on the back of the second display unit, configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to operate the touch panel and which are placed on the back of the second display unit; It may be provided.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure is a display device mounted on a vehicle. In this case, the display device is, for example, The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit having a touch panel is located at least one of the first display units in the vehicle width direction, positioned rearward of the vehicle than the first display unit, A guide portion is provided on the back of the second display unit and is configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to operate the touch panel and which are placed on the back of the second display unit. It may be provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] This disclosure provides a technology that is effective in improving the operability of vehicle user interfaces. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an example of the interior layout of a vehicle. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a schematic configuration of a display device and its surroundings. [Figure 3] This is a rear view showing an example of the shapes of the inner display and outer display in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows a cross-section of the inner display at line A-A' in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a rear view showing another example of the shape of the inner display in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is the first diagram illustrating how to position your fingers when touching the inner display in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a second figure for explaining how to place a finger when touching the inner display in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a third figure for explaining how to place a finger when touching the inner display in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a fourth figure for explaining how to place a finger when touching the inner display in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a figure showing an example of the cross-sectional shape of the inner guide portion in Modification 1 of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] In Modification 1 of the first embodiment, it is a figure for explaining how to place a finger when touching the inner display. [Figure 12] It is a rear view showing an example of the shape of the inner display in Modification 2 of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a figure showing the cross-section B-B' of FIG. 12 of the inner display. [Figure 14] It is a figure showing another example of the cross-sectional shape of the inner guide portion. [Figure 15] In Modification 2 of the first embodiment, it is a figure for explaining how to place a finger when touching the inner display. [Figure 16] It is a rear view showing another example of the shape of the inner display in Modification 2 of the first embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a figure schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of a vehicle in the second embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the inner display in the second embodiment. [Figure 19] In the second embodiment, it is a flowchart showing an example of a processing routine executed by the ECU triggered by detecting a touch operation on the inner display (or outer display).

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The vehicle according to this disclosure comprises a first display unit positioned in front of the steering wheel, and a second display unit positioned at least on one side of the first display unit in the vehicle width direction (vehicle left-right direction) and positioned behind the first display unit. In such a vehicle, the second display unit may be configured as a touch panel. This allows the driver of the vehicle to operate various devices mounted on the vehicle or change the display items of the first display unit by touching the touch panel of the second display unit. Furthermore, because the second display unit is positioned near the steering wheel, the driver of the vehicle can quickly move their hands between the steering wheel and the second display unit without significantly changing their posture.

[0010] By the way, in order to accurately touch the target location on the touch panel of the second display unit, it is recommended to place at least one finger other than the thumb on the back of the second display unit and touch the target location with the thumb. However, if the position of the finger placed on the back of the second display unit is not stable, the position of the thumb will also be unstable, which may make it difficult to accurately touch the target location. Therefore, to facilitate accurate touch operation of the target location... A user interface that allows for this is desired.

[0011] In response to the above-mentioned requirements, in a vehicle according to one aspect of this disclosure, a guide portion is provided on the back of the second display unit. The guide portion is configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to touch the touch panel of the second display unit and which are placed on the back of the second display unit. In such a vehicle, when the driver of the vehicle touches the touch panel of the second display unit, they only need to place one or more second fingers on the guide portion on the back of the second display unit. This positions the second fingers and stabilizes their position. As a result, the position of the hand, including the second fingers, can be stabilized. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily and accurately operate the target location operated by the first finger.

[0012] Here, the guide portion in a vehicle, which is one of the present disclosures, may, in one example, include a recess provided on the back of the second display portion. In this case, the driver of the vehicle can stabilize the position of the second finger by placing one or more second fingers in the recess. The predetermined wall surface in the recess may be formed as an inclined surface that bends so that the angle of inclination increases in stages as it approaches the bottom surface of the recess. The predetermined wall surface may be the wall surface surrounding the recess that is located on the base side of the second finger when the second finger is placed in the recess. With such a configuration, the second finger placed in the recess can be bent along the predetermined wall surface. This allows the driver of the vehicle to grip the predetermined wall surface with the second finger or hook the second finger onto the predetermined wall surface. This makes it possible to more reliably stabilize the position of the second finger.

[0013] In one example of this disclosure, the guide portion in a vehicle may include two or more grooves provided on the back of the second display portion and extending in the vehicle width direction (the width direction of the second display portion). In this case, the position of each of the two or more second fingers is determined by the vehicle driver placing two or more second fingers in the two or more grooves. This stabilizes the position of the hand, including the second fingers.

[0014] One of the guides in the vehicle, as disclosed herein, may be formed to extend continuously or intermittently in the vertical direction of the vehicle (the vertical direction of the second display unit). This allows the position of the second finger to be positioned even if the position where the second finger is placed changes depending on whether the touch operation is performed on the upper position in the vertical direction of the vehicle on the touch panel of the second display unit or on the lower position in the vertical direction of the vehicle on the touch panel of the second display unit.

[0015] Furthermore, one of the vehicles described in this disclosure may be configured to include a determination unit that determines whether the first finger operating the second display unit is a thumb, and an output unit that, in response to the determination unit determining that the first finger is not a thumb, outputs a message prompting the driver to operate the second display unit with their thumb. This allows the driver of the vehicle to be prompted to perform an operation to accurately touch the target position of the second display unit.

[0016] Here, the determination unit may, in one example, include a camera that photographs the interior of the vehicle and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). In that case, the ECU performs image analysis on the image captured by the camera. This allows us to determine whether the first finger is the thumb or not.

[0017] In another example, the determination unit may include a touch sensor and an ECU provided on the guide unit. In that case, the ECU determines, via the touch sensor, whether a second finger is placed on the guide unit. If a second finger is placed on the guide unit, the ECU determines that the first finger is a thumb, as it is unlikely that the first finger operating the second display unit is a thumb. If a second finger is not placed on the guide unit, although it is possible that the first finger is a thumb, it is not recommended to operate the second display unit without placing a second finger on the guide unit, so the ECU determines that the first finger is a thumb.

[0018] Furthermore, in a vehicle, which is one aspect of this disclosure, the second display unit may be configured to display GUI components for operating the game content displayed on the first display unit. That is, the second display unit may be configured to function as a controller for operating the game content displayed on the first display unit. In this case, the driver of the vehicle can accurately operate the game content by placing their second finger on the guide portion on the back of the second display unit and touching the touch panel of the second display unit with their first finger. Note that the display and operation of the game content may only be permitted when the vehicle is stopped.

[0019] Furthermore, this disclosure can also be considered as a display device. In that case, the display device should be configured to include the first display unit, the second display unit, and the guide unit described above. In such a display device, when the vehicle driver touches the second display unit, they should place one or more second fingers on the guide unit on the back of the second display unit. This positions the second fingers, thereby stabilizing the position of the hand including the second fingers, i.e., the position of the thumb. As a result, it becomes possible to easily and accurately operate the target location with the first finger.

[0020] The 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 the embodiments. Furthermore, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0021] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 shows an example of the interior layout of vehicle 1. The interior of vehicle 1 is equipped with a driver's seat 2 and a passenger seat 3. In the first 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 U-shaped (a so-called irregularly shaped steering wheel) or circular. The steering wheel 4 is connected to the steering system of vehicle 1 via a steering column 5. The steering column 5 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 in the front of the vehicle, midway between the driver's seat 2 and the passenger seat 3. 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, an inner bracket 24 for fixing the inner display 22 to the steering column 5, and an outer bracket 25 for fixing the outer display 23 to the steering column 5. In the first embodiment, the meter display 21 corresponds to the "first display unit" according to this disclosure, and the inner display 22 and outer display 23 correspond to the "second display unit" according to this disclosure.

[0024] Note that 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. Conversely, 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, 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 a vehicle 1 where the steering wheel is located in the center of the passenger compartment, for example, the outside and inside of the vehicle 1 may be arbitrarily determined.

[0025] In the first embodiment, the meter display 21, inner display 22, and outer display 23 are all displays having a touch panel (touch panel display). Note that it is sufficient for at least the inner display 22 and outer display 23 to have a touch panel. As the touch panel, for example, a pressure-sensitive type that detects the pressure applied by the user to the panel, and a capacitive type that detects the change in capacitance when the user presses the panel, can be used. The display can be, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an EL (Electroluminescence) panel. These are examples of the above.

[0026] (Display device) Figure 2 shows an example of a schematic configuration of the display device 20 and its surroundings. The display device 20 is fixed to the steering column 5. The display device 20 may also be fixed to the instrument panel. The meter display 21 is a horizontally oriented display and is mounted on the top of the steering column 5. In this case, the meter display 21 is mounted on the top of the steering column 5 so that the screen faces the rear of the vehicle and is parallel to the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle 1. The meter display 21 may also be positioned tilted in the front-rear direction of the vehicle so that the screen faces slightly upward.

[0027] An inner bracket 24 is attached to the inner side of the steering column 5 (left side in Figure 3). The inner bracket 24 is a support member that extends from the inner side of the steering column 5 toward the rear and inward of the vehicle. An inner display 22 is supported at the tip of the inner bracket 24 (the end that is toward the rear and inward of the vehicle). The inner display 22 is a vertically elongated display that extends from the tip of the inner bracket 24 toward the rear and inward of the vehicle 1. The inner bracket 24 is configured to bend or curve inward as it moves from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0028] An outer bracket 25 is attached to the outer side of the steering column 5 (right side in Figure 3). The outer bracket 25 is a member that extends from the outer side of the steering column 5 toward the rear and outward of the vehicle. An outer display 23 is supported at the tip of the outer bracket 25 (the end that is toward the rear and outward of the vehicle). The outer display 23 is a vertically elongated display that extends from the tip of the outer bracket 25 toward the rear and outward of the vehicle. The outer bracket 25 is configured to bend or curve outward from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0029] As described above, the inner bracket 24 and outer bracket 25 extend from the side of the steering column 5 toward the rear of the vehicle, and are bent or curved along the way so as to widen in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction of the vehicle). This allows the inner display 22 and outer display 23 to be positioned near the gripping portion of the steering wheel 4.

[0030] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the inner bracket 24 and outer bracket 25 are configured such that, as shown in Figure 2, the inner display 22 and outer display 23 each have an angle with respect to the left-right direction of the steering wheel 4 and are tilted toward the steering wheel 4. As a result, the inner display 22 is positioned as far inside the vehicle 1 as possible. The inner display 22 and the outer display 23 are positioned to protrude to the rear of the vehicle 1, with the outer display 23 protruding further to the rear of the vehicle 1. As a result, the screens of the inner display 22 and the outer display 23 can be positioned to face the driver's seat 2 (driver of the vehicle 1) of the vehicle 1.

[0031] The meter display 21, in one example, 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] In one example, the inner display 22 displays content related to the convenience of the occupants of the vehicle 1. Information related to occupant convenience may include information to provide entertainment to the occupants and / or information related to occupant comfort. In one example, the content related to occupant convenience may include GUI components (e.g., GUI components such as switches and buttons for operating the devices to be operated) for operating the audio system, navigation system, air conditioner, telephone, clock, and voice assistant, and the operating status of the devices to be operated.

[0033] In one example, the outer display 23 displays information related to the control of vehicle 1 as content. The information related to the control of vehicle 1 may also include information related to the driving of vehicle 1. In one example, the content of the information related to the control of vehicle 1 may include GUI components (for example, GUI components such as switches and buttons for operating the devices to be operated) for operating the headlights, wipers, side mirrors, ADAS, drive modes, vehicle height, steering wheel position, and seat position, as well as the operating status of the devices to be operated.

[0034] The information displayed on the inner display 22 and outer display 23 is not limited to the above. Furthermore, 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 vehicle 1's occupants. The information displayed on the inner display 22 and outer display 23 can also be arbitrarily determined.

[0035] (Inner display, outer display) Here, the configuration of the inner display 22 and outer display 23 in the first embodiment will be described. Figure 3 is a rear view showing an example of the shape of the inner display 22 and outer display 23.

[0036] In the first embodiment, an inner guide portion 220 and an outer guide portion 230 are provided on the back of the inner display 22 and the back of the outer display 23, respectively. The inner guide portion 220 and the outer guide portion 230 are for the driver of the vehicle 1 to place at least one of their fingers other than the thumb (index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger) when touching the inner display 22 and the outer display 23, and are for positioning the finger that is placed on them.

[0037] The inner guide section 220 and the outer guide section 230 will be described in detail below. Note that the configurations of the inner guide section 220 and the outer guide section 230 are the same except that their arrangement in the vehicle width direction is reversed (left-right inversion). Therefore, the configuration of the inner guide section 220 will be described here, and the description of the outer guide section 230 will be omitted.

[0038] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the inner display 22 along line A-A' in Figure 3. In the first embodiment, the inner guide portion 220 is as shown in Figure 4 of the inner display 22 It is formed by a recess created in a part of the back surface. In one example, such an inner guide portion 220 is formed as a roughly rectangular shape with a vertical length in the vehicle's vertical direction (vertical direction in Figure 3) being longer than the vehicle's width direction (horizontal direction in Figure 3) in a plan view, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, the length of the inner guide portion 220 in the vehicle's vertical direction may be as long as possible. However, the inner guide portion 220 is not limited to a rectangle as long as it has a vertical shape.

[0039] Furthermore, in the inner guide portion 220 of the first embodiment, the inner wall surface 2201 of the vehicle is composed of an inclined surface that protrudes outward from the vehicle as it approaches the bottom surface 2202, as shown in Figure 4. That is, the inner wall surface 2201 of the vehicle is formed such that the angle of the corner portion 2203 that connects the wall surface 2201 to the back of the inner display 22 (the angle formed between the wall surface 2201 and the back of the inner display 22) is obtuse. In this case, the inclination angle of the inner wall surface 2201 (the angle of the corner portion 2203) may be appropriately changed according to the ease of placing fingers and the stability of the position of the placed fingers.

[0040] In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner guide portion 220 is composed of a single recess that extends continuously in the vertical direction of the vehicle. However, as shown in Figure 5, the inner guide portion 220 may be composed of multiple recesses that extend intermittently in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0041] (Operation and effects of the first embodiment) In the vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, when the driver touches the screen of the inner display 22, as shown in Figure 6, the driver places at least one of the fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 of the left hand in the inner guide portion 220 (in the recess) and touches the screen of the inner display 22 with the thumb F1 of the left hand. In this case, the thumb F1 of the left hand corresponds to the "first finger" according to this disclosure, and the finger F2 other than the thumb F1 of the left hand that is placed in the recess of the inner guide portion 220 corresponds to the "second finger" according to this disclosure. As a result, the position of the finger F2 placed on the back of the inner display 22 is positioned by the inner guide portion 220.

[0042] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the inner guide portion 220 has an inclined surface on the inner wall 2201 of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 4. This allows the driver to bend their finger F2, placed on the back of the inner display 22, to align with the corner 2203, as shown in Figure 7. As a result, the position of the left hand remains stable even when the driver moves their left thumb F1.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the inner guide portion 220 in this embodiment is composed of a vertically elongated recess extending in the vehicle's vertical direction. This allows the driver to stabilize the position of their left hand by placing fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 on the upper part of the inner guide portion 220 when touching the upper part of the inner display 22's screen in the vehicle's vertical direction, as shown in Figure 8. Also, when the driver touches the lower part of the inner display 22's screen in the vehicle's vertical direction, as shown in Figure 9, the driver can stabilize the position of their left hand by placing fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 on the lower part of the inner guide portion 220.

[0044] Therefore, the driver can accurately touch the target location on the inner display 22 screen with their left thumb F1.

[0045] Furthermore, in the display device 20 of the first embodiment, when the driver of the vehicle 1 touches the screen of the outer display 23, the driver of the vehicle 1 places at least one of the fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 of the right hand on the outer guide portion 230, and touches the outer with the thumb F1. The screen of the display 23 can be operated by touch. In this case, the thumb F1 of the right hand corresponds to the "first finger" according to this disclosure, and the other finger F2 of the right hand that is placed in the recess of the outer guide portion 230 corresponds to the "second finger" according to this disclosure. As a result, the position of the finger F2 placed on the back of the outer display 23 is positioned by the outer guide portion 230.

[0046] Furthermore, the outer wall surface of the outer guide portion 230 in the first embodiment is formed as an inclined surface, similar to the inner wall surface 2201 of the inner guide portion 220. This allows the driver to bend their finger F2, placed on the back of the outer display 23, to align with the corner where the wall surface connects to the back of the outer display 23. As a result, the position of the driver's right hand remains stable even when the driver moves their right thumb F1.

[0047] Furthermore, the outer guide portion 230 in the first embodiment is composed of a vertically elongated recess extending in the vehicle's vertical direction, similar to the inner guide portion 220. This allows the driver to stabilize the position of their right hand when touching the upper part of the outer display 23 screen in the vehicle's vertical direction, and when the driver touches the lower part of the outer display 23 screen in the vehicle's vertical direction.

[0048] Therefore, the driver can accurately touch the target location on the outer display 23 screen with their right thumb F1.

[0049] Therefore, according to the first embodiment, a user interface can be provided that allows for easy and accurate touch operation of the target location on the screens of the inner display 22 and the outer display 23.

[0050] (Modification 1 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, an example was given in which the inner wall surface 2201 of the inner guide portion 220 is formed as a planar inclined surface. However, the inner wall surface 2201 of the inner vehicle may also be formed as a curved inclined surface.

[0051] Figure 10 shows an example of the cross-sectional shape of the inner guide portion 220 in Modification 1 of the first embodiment. The cross-section shown in Figure 10 is the same as that in Figure 4 (corresponding to A-A' in Figure 3). In the inner guide portion 220 in this modification, the inner wall surface 2201 on the vehicle side is formed as an inclined surface that bends so that the inclination angle increases in stages as it approaches the bottom surface 2202. In other words, the inner wall surface 2201 on the vehicle side of the inner guide portion 220 is formed as an inclined surface that bends so that the inclination angle increases in stages from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. In the example shown in Figure 10, the inner wall surface 2201 on the vehicle side is composed of three inclined surfaces 2201A-2201C. In the following description, the inclined surface 2201A located on the back side of the inner display 22 (the position furthest from the bottom surface 2202) will be referred to as the first inclined surface 2201A, the inclined surface 2201C located on the front side of the inner display 22 (the position closest to the bottom surface 2202) will be referred to as the third inclined surface 2201C, and the inclined surface 2201B between the first inclined surface 2201A and the third inclined surface 2201C will be referred to as the second inclined surface 2201B.

[0052] Here, if we define the inclination angle of the first inclined surface 2201A as α, the inclination angle of the second inclined surface 2201B as β, and the inclination angle of the third inclined surface 2201C as γ, then the following inequality (1) holds between the three inclined surfaces 2201A-2201c. α < β < γ ···(1)

[0053] Furthermore, the first inclined surface 2201A, the second inclined surface 2201B, and the third inclined surface 2201C The inclination angles and dimensions of each surface may be appropriately changed depending on the embodiment, as long as the above-mentioned inequality (1) is satisfied. For example, the inclination angles and dimensions of the first inclined surface 2201A, the second inclined surface 2201B, and the third inclined surface 2201C may be determined according to the length of an adult's finger (length of a specific finger among the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger) collected statistically. In this case, the inclination angles and dimensions of the first inclined surface 2201A, the second inclined surface 2201B, and the third inclined surface 2201C may be determined according to the average value of the adult's finger length collected statistically. Alternatively, the inclination angles and dimensions of the first inclined surface 2201A, the second inclined surface 2201B, and the third inclined surface 2201C may be determined according to the minimum value of the adult's finger length collected statistically.

[0054] In this modified example, the inner guide portion 220 allows the driver to bend the first joint of the finger F2 placed on the inner guide portion 220 to align with the corner of the joint between the second inclined surface 2201B and the third inclined surface 2201C, as shown in Figure 11, and also bend the second joint to align with the corner of the joint between the second inclined surface 2201B and the first inclined surface 2201A, and also bend the third joint to align with the corner of the joint between the first inclined surface 2201A and the back of the inner display 22. This allows the driver to grip the wall surface 2201 with the finger F2 placed on the inner guide portion 220, or to hook the finger F2 placed on the inner guide portion 220 onto the wall surface 2201, when touching the screen of the inner display 22. As a result, the position of the left hand can be made even more stable.

[0055] In this modified example, the configuration of the outer guide portion 230 may be the same as that of the inner guide portion 220 shown in Figure 10. That is, the outer wall surface of the outer guide portion 230 should be formed as an inclined surface that bends in a gradual manner, increasing in inclination angle as it approaches the bottom surface. In other words, the outer wall surface of the outer guide portion 230 should be formed as an inclined surface that bends in a gradual manner, increasing in inclination angle from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. This allows the driver to grip the outer wall surface of the outer guide portion 230 with their finger F2 when touching the screen of the outer display 23, or to hook their finger F2 onto the outer wall surface of the outer guide portion 230. As a result, the position of the right hand can be made even more stable.

[0056] (Modification 2 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, an example was given in which the inner guide portion 220 is composed of a single recess, but the inner guide portion 220 may be composed of multiple grooves.

[0057] Figure 12 is a rear view showing an example of the shape of the inner display 22 in a modified example 2 of the first embodiment. Figure 13 is a diagram showing the cross-section of the inner display 22 along line B-B' in Figure 12. Figure 14 is a diagram showing another example of the cross-sectional shape of the inner guide portion. The cross-section shown in Figure 14 is the same as that of Figure 4 (corresponding to line A-A' in Figure 3).

[0058] In this modified example, a portion of the back of the inner display 22 is composed of multiple grooves 2204 extending in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction of the inner display 22). The depth of each groove 2204 may be uniform in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, or it may gradually deepen from the inside to the outside of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 14. The width of the grooves 2204 in the vehicle vertical direction may, in one example, be determined according to the thickness of an adult's finger (thickness of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger) collected statistically. In this case, the width of the grooves 2204 in the vehicle vertical direction may be determined according to the average value of the adult's finger thickness collected statistically. Alternatively, the width of the grooves 2204 in the vehicle vertical direction may be determined according to the maximum value of the adult's finger thickness collected statistically. The width may be determined so that it is the same for multiple grooves 2204, or it may be determined so that it is different for multiple grooves 2204.

[0059] As described above, when the inner guide portion 220 is configured, when the driver touches the screen of the inner display 22, as shown in Figure 15, the driver can individually place at least two fingers F2 of the left hand (excluding the thumb F1) in two or more grooves 2204 of the inner guide portion 220. In this case, the position of each of the two or more fingers F2 placed on the inner guide portion 220 is individually positioned, thus stabilizing the position of the left hand. In particular, the position of the left hand in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be stabilized.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, if the depth of the groove 2204 is configured to gradually increase from the inside to the outside of the vehicle, each finger F2 placed on the inner guide portion 220 can grip the groove 2204 of the inner guide portion 220 or hook each finger F2 into the groove 2204 of the inner guide portion 220. This allows for a more secure and stable position of the left hand.

[0061] In this modified example, the configuration of the outer guide section 230 may be the same as that of the inner guide section 220. In this case, the configuration of the outer display 23 should be such that the arrangement of the parts of the outer guide section 230 is reversed (left-right inverted) in the vehicle width direction compared to the arrangement of the parts of the inner guide section 220. This allows the driver to individually place at least two fingers F2 of their right hand, excluding the thumb F1, in two or more grooves of the outer guide section 230 when touching the screen of the outer display 23. In this case, the position of each of the two or more fingers F2 placed on the outer display 23 is individually positioned, thus stabilizing the position of the right hand. In particular, it stabilizes the position of the right hand in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0062] Furthermore, if the grooves of the outer guide portion 230 are configured in the same way as the grooves 2204 of the inner guide portion 220 shown in Figure 14, then each finger F2 placed on the outer guide portion 230 can grip the grooves of the outer guide portion 230 or hook each finger F2 into the grooves of the outer guide portion 230. This allows for a more secure and stable positioning of the right hand.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 12, four grooves 2204 are provided near the center of the inner display 22 in the vehicle's vertical direction. However, as shown in Figure 16, five or more grooves 2204 may be provided from near the upper end to near the lower end of the inner display 22 in the vehicle's vertical direction. With such a configuration, even if the position of each finger F2 placed on the back of the inner display 22 changes depending on whether the driver is touching the upper part of the inner display 22's screen in the vehicle's vertical direction or the lower part of the inner display 22's screen, the grooves 2204 can be used to position each finger F2. The configuration illustrated in Figure 16 may also be applied to the outer guide portion 230.

[0064] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Here, a configuration different from the first embodiment described above will be described, and a configuration similar to the first embodiment described above will not be described. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment described above is that the vehicle 1 is equipped with a function to prompt the driver to use their thumb F1 to touch the inner display 22 or outer display 23 when it is presumed that the driver is using a finger F2 other than the thumb F1 to touch the inner display 22 or outer display 23.

[0065] (Vehicle hardware configuration) Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of Vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 is E The ECU 10 includes a CU 10, a display device 20, a center display 26, a touch sensor 221, and a speaker 30, etc. 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 the operating system (OS), various programs, data used by the various programs, and data for guidance messages described later. The ECU 10 realizes various functions that match predetermined purposes, as described later, by having the processor execute programs in the auxiliary memory. However, some or all of the functions may be realized as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The display device 20, center display 26, touch sensor 221, and speaker 30, etc. are connected to the ECU 10.

[0066] The display device 20 includes a meter display 21, an inner display 22, an outer display 23, and a touch panel 27. The touch panel 27 is positioned on at least the inner display 22 and the outer display 23, among the meter display 21, inner display 22, and outer display 23. The touch panel 27 detects touch operations performed on each of the inner display 22 and the outer display 23.

[0067] The touch sensor 221 is a sensor that detects when a finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 and the outer display 23. Here, an example of the touch sensor 221 will be described with reference to Figure 18. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the inner display 22 in the second embodiment. The cross-section shown in Figure 18 is the same as that of Figure 4 described above (corresponding to A-A' in Figure 3). Here, the touch sensor 221 provided on the inner display 22 will be described, but the outer display 23 will also be provided with a touch sensor 221 similar to that of the inner display 22.

[0068] In the inner display 22 of the second embodiment, a film-like touch sensor 221 is provided on the inner wall surface 2201 and bottom surface 2202 of the inner guide portion 220. As the touch sensor 221, a known sensor such as a resistive sensor or a capacitive sensor can be used. In one example, the touch sensor 221 may be configured to output an ON signal (e.g., "1") when the driver's finger is touching the touch sensor 221, and an OFF signal (e.g., "0") when the driver's finger is not touching the touch sensor 221.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 18, touch sensors 221 are provided on the inner wall surface 2201 and bottom surface 2202 of the inner guide portion 220. However, touch sensors 221 may be provided on only one of the inner wall surface 2201 or the bottom surface 2202, or touch sensors 221 may be provided over the entire area of ​​the inner guide portion 220 (all wall surfaces including the inner wall surface 2201 and the bottom surface 2202).

[0070] Now, let's return to the explanation of Figure 17. Speaker 30 is installed in the passenger compartment of vehicle 1 and outputs audio data. In one example, speaker 30 may be placed on the instrument panel. However, speaker 30 may be placed elsewhere (for example, on the roof lining or door lining) as long as the driver of vehicle 1 can hear the audio data output from speaker 30.

[0071] Note that the sensors connected to the ECU10 are not limited to the touch sensor 221, but also include the vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor, accelerator position sensor, crank position sensor, brake sensor, etc. This may include a stroke sensor, steering angle sensor, yaw rate sensor, turn signal switch, shift position sensor, position sensor (GPS sensor), outside air temperature sensor, inside air temperature sensor, and sensors for ADAS, etc.

[0072] Furthermore, the devices connected to the ECU 10 are not limited to the speaker 30, but may include the air conditioner, navigation system, audio system, telephone, wipers, headlights, side mirrors, power seats, voice assistant, etc. In addition, the devices connected to the ECU 10 may also include equipment related to the operation of the vehicle 1 (for example, fuel injectors, spark plugs, transmission actuators, ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) actuators, power steering actuators, etc.).

[0073] In the vehicle 1 configured as described above, when the touch panel 27 detects a touch operation of the inner display 22 or outer display 23 by the driver, the ECU 10 determines, via the touch sensor 221, whether the finger touching the inner display 22 or outer display 23 is the thumb F1. If it is determined that the finger touching the inner display 22 or outer display 23 is a finger other than the thumb F1 (F2), the ECU 10 outputs a guidance message from the speaker 30. The guidance message is an audio message to encourage the driver to operate the inner display 22 or outer display 23 with the thumb F1. For example, the guidance message may be an audio message encouraging the driver to place the finger other than the thumb F1 (F2) on the inner guide portion 220 or outer guide portion 230, and to touch the inner display 22 or outer display 23 with the thumb F1. The guidance message may also be displayed as text data on the center display 26 or meter display 21. The guidance message may also be output as both audio and text data. The data for the guidance messages described above is pre-stored in the auxiliary storage device of the ECU10.

[0074] In the second embodiment, the combination of the ECU 10 and the touch sensor 221 corresponds to the "determination unit" according to this disclosure.

[0075] (ECU operation) Next, the operation of the ECU 10 will be explained based on Figure 19. Figure 19 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing routine that the ECU 10 executes when a touch operation on the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) is detected.

[0076] When the touch panel 27 of the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) detects a touch operation, a signal is sent from the touch panel 27 to the ECU 10. The ECU 10 detects the touch operation of the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) in response to this signal (step 101). After completing the process in step 101, the ECU 10 executes the process in step 102.

[0077] In step 102, the ECU 10 determines whether a finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230). Specifically, the ECU 10 determines whether the signal output from the touch sensor 221 of the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230) is an ON signal or an OFF signal. If the signal output from the touch sensor 221 is an ON signal, the ECU 10 determines that a finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230). On the other hand, if the signal output from the touch sensor 221 is an OFF signal, the ECU 10 determines that a finger is not placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230).

[0078] If a finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230), it is determined that... If this is the case (positive determination in step 102), the ECU 10 executes the process in step 103. In step 103, the ECU 10 determines that the finger touching the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) is the thumb F1. This is because the possibility of a driver seated in the driver's seat 2 placing their thumb F1 on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230) and touching the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) with a finger other than the thumb F1, F2, is extremely low. After completing the process in step 103, the ECU 10 terminates the execution of the processing routine shown in Figure 19.

[0079] Furthermore, if it is determined that no finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230) (negative determination in step 102), the ECU 10 executes the process in step 104. In step 104, the ECU 10 determines that the finger touching the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) is not the thumb F1. This is because, although it is possible that the thumb F1 is operating the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) when no finger is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230), it is not recommended to operate the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) without placing a finger other than the thumb F1 F2 on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230). After completing the process in step 104, the ECU 10 executes the process in step 105.

[0080] In step 105, the ECU 10 outputs a guidance message from the speaker 30. Specifically, the ECU 10 reads the audio data of the guidance message stored in the auxiliary storage device and outputs the read audio data from the speaker 30. As mentioned above, the guidance message may be an audio prompting the user to place the fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 on the inner guide section 220 or the outer guide section 230, and to touch the inner display 22 or the outer display 23 with the thumb F1. After completing the process in step 105, the ECU 10 terminates the execution of the processing routine shown in Figure 19.

[0081] (Operation and effects of the second embodiment) In the vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, if the driver operates the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) without placing a finger F2 other than the thumb F1 on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230), a guidance message is output from the speaker 30. This prompts the driver to operate the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) with the thumb F1 while placing a finger F2 other than the thumb F1 on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230). Upon receiving the guidance message, the driver can accurately touch the target location on the screen of the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) by operating the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) with the thumb F1 while placing a finger F2 other than the thumb F1 on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230).

[0082] (Modified version of the second embodiment) In the second embodiment described above, a combination of ECU 10 and touch sensor 221 was exemplified as the "determination unit" according to this disclosure. However, the "determination unit" according to this disclosure may also be realized by a combination of ECU 10 and camera. In that case, the camera may be a dedicated camera, but any other camera (for example, a drive recorder camera, or a camera for determining the direction in which an occupant is pointing) that can capture images of the area around the inner display 22 and outer display 23 may also be used. Furthermore, when operation of the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) is detected by the touch panel 27, the ECU 10 should perform image analysis of the image captured by the camera to determine whether the finger operating the inner display 22 (or outer display 23) is the thumb F1, or whether a finger other than the thumb F1, F2, is placed on the inner guide portion 220 (or outer guide portion 230). This allows us to obtain the same actions and effects as those of the second embodiment described above.

[0083] <Other> The embodiments and modifications described above are merely examples, and this disclosure can be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. In one example, the inner display 22 and / or outer display 23 may be configured to function as a controller for game content. In that case, when the vehicle 1's ECU 10 displays game content on the meter display 21, it should display GUI components (e.g., GUI components such as switches, buttons, and sticks) for operating the game content on the inner display 22 and / or outer display 23. The ECU 10 should then control the display content of the game content shown on the meter display 21 in response to touch operations input to the inner display 22 and / or outer display 23. In such a configuration, the driver can place fingers F2 other than the thumb F1 on the inner guide portion 220 and / or outer guide portion 230 and touch the inner display 22 and / or outer display 23 with the thumb F1. This allows the driver to accurately touch and operate the GUI components displayed on the inner display 22 and / or outer display 23.

[0084] Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications described above can be freely combined and implemented, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0085] Furthermore, this disclosure can also be implemented as a display device having the configuration and functions of the above-described embodiments and modified examples. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1 vehicle 2. Driver's seat 4 Steering Wheel 5. Steering column 10 ECU 20 Display devices 21 Meter display 22 Inner display 220 Inner guide section 221 Touch Sensor 2201 Wall surface 2201A First slope 2201B Second slope 2201C Third slope 2202 Bottom 2203 Corner 2204 Groove 23 Outer display 230 Outer guide section 24 Inner Bracket 25 Outer Bracket 27 Touch panel 30 speakers

Claims

1. The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit having a touch panel is located at least one of the first display units in the vehicle width direction, positioned rearward of the vehicle than the first display unit, A guide portion provided on the back of the second display unit, configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to operate the touch panel and which are placed on the back of the second display unit, Equipped with, vehicle.

2. The guide portion includes a recess provided on the back of the second display portion. The vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The predetermined wall surface in the recess is formed as an inclined surface that bends in a stepwise manner, with the angle of inclination increasing as it approaches the bottom surface of the recess. The vehicle according to claim 2.

4. The guide portion is provided on the back of the second display portion and includes two or more grooves extending in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle according to claim 1.

5. The guide portion is formed to extend continuously or intermittently in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 1.

6. A determination unit that determines whether the first finger operating the touch panel is the thumb, In response to the determination unit determining that the first finger is not the thumb, an output unit outputs a message prompting the user to operate the touch panel with their thumb. It also has, The vehicle according to claim 1.

7. The second display unit is configured to display GUI components for operating the game content displayed on the first display unit. The vehicle according to claim 1.

8. A display device installed in a vehicle, The first display unit is located in front of the steering wheel, A second display unit having a touch panel is located at least one of the first display units in the vehicle width direction, positioned rearward of the vehicle than the first display unit, A guide portion provided on the back of the second display unit, configured to position one or more second fingers, which are fingers other than the first finger used to operate the touch panel and which are placed on the back of the second display unit, Equipped with, Display device.

9. The guide portion includes a recess provided on the back of the second display portion. The display device according to claim 8.

10. The predetermined wall surface in the recess is formed as an inclined surface that bends in a stepwise manner, with the angle of inclination increasing as it approaches the bottom surface of the recess. The display device according to claim 9.

11. The guide portion is provided on the back of the second display portion and includes two or more grooves extending in the vehicle width direction. The display device according to claim 8.

12. The guide portion is formed to extend continuously or intermittently in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The display device according to claim 8.

13. A determination unit that determines whether the first finger operating the touch panel is the thumb, In response to the determination unit determining that the first finger is not the thumb, an output unit outputs a message prompting the user to operate the touch panel with their thumb. It also has, The display device according to claim 8.

14. The second display unit is configured to display GUI components for operating the game content displayed on the first display unit. The display device according to claim 8.

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