Vehicle display device

Abstract

To provide a technique that can support driver's recognition and determination more appropriately than before.SOLUTION: A central display panel (91), a flexible display configured to be bendable, is provided in a concavely-bent state where the central display panel opens toward a front side with an occupant boarding position as a reference in a bent part (910). The bent part is formed, along a vehicle width direction, in a concave valley-folded shape in which the bent part opens toward the front side with the occupant boarding position as a reference. An outer display panel (92) has a light emission part (921), which is arranged adjacently to the central display panel. A light emission state of the light emission part in the outer display panel is changed together with animation display of a display image in the central display panel, which enables easy-to-understand information display whose depth is high lighted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle display device mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 provides a vehicle display device capable of displaying information three-dimensionally. The vehicle display device described in Patent Document 1 includes a lens means and a display means arranged behind the lens means and displaying information as a display image. The lens means is configured to focus display light of the display image on the viewing side of the lens means to form a real image, and to increase or decrease the distance between the display image and the real image in response to an increase or decrease in the distance between the display image and the lens means. The display image includes a first display area and a second display area, and the lens means is tilted relative to the display image so that the distance between the second display area and the lens means is greater than the distance between the first display area and the lens means, allowing the real image to be viewed. This configuration enables the content of a guidance display, including three-dimensional content, to be more intuitively recognized. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-76541 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, as ADAS functions have become more widespread, the burden on drivers has been reduced, but the need for drivers to judge a large amount of vehicle and surrounding information has increased. For this reason, this type of display device is required to convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately in order to better support the driver's recognition and judgment. ADAS is an abbreviation for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, etc. That is, the present invention provides a technology that enables better support for the recognition and judgment of an occupant, such as a driver, than ever before. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1) according to claim 1 comprises: A display panel (9); a display control device (10) for controlling the display state of the display panel; Equipped with The display panel includes: A flexible display configured to be bendable, Along the width of the screen a central display panel (91) provided in a concavely bent state with an opening toward the front side at a bent portion (910) based on the passenger boarding position (PB); A light emitting portion (921) is provided adjacent to the central display panel. The outer bent portion (920b) is formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side from the end in the screen width direction of the bent portion along the screen width direction. an outer display panel (92); Equipped with picture, The boundary (93) between the central display panel and the outer display panel is formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side. There are.

[0007] In the application documents, each element may be assigned a reference symbol in parentheses. However, even in this case, such reference symbol merely indicates an example of the correspondence between each element and the specific means described in the embodiments below. Therefore, the present invention is not limited in any way by the above-mentioned reference symbols. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of the interior of a vehicle cabin in a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3]3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a specific example of a display state on the display panel illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating another specific example of a display state on the display panel illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a front view schematically showing yet another specific example of a display state on the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a front view schematically showing yet another specific example of a display state on the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a front view schematically showing yet another specific example of a display state on the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 8] 3 is a front view schematically showing yet another specific example of a display state on the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating still another specific example of a display state on the display panel illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a specific configuration of the outer display panel shown in FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 11] 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of the specific configuration of the outer display panel shown in FIG. 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Embodiment) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that inserting various modifications applicable to one embodiment into the middle of a series of descriptions relating to that embodiment may hinder understanding of that embodiment. Therefore, modifications will be explained together after the series of descriptions of the embodiment, rather than being inserted into the middle of the series of descriptions of that embodiment. Furthermore, the descriptions of the figures and the corresponding device configurations, functions, or operations described below are simplified for the purpose of concisely explaining the contents of the present invention and do not in any way limit the contents of the present invention. Therefore, it goes without saying that the exemplary configurations, functions, or operations shown in the figures do not necessarily correspond to the specific configurations, functions, or operations of devices actually manufactured and sold. In other words, unless expressly limited by the applicant in the prosecution history of this application, the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the descriptions of the figures and the corresponding device configurations, functions, or operations described below.

[0010] (In-vehicle configuration) Referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 is a so-called four-wheeled automobile and includes a vehicle body 2 that is substantially rectangular in a plan view of the vehicle 1 viewed from vertically above. For convenience in the following description, the concepts of "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" for the vehicle 1 are defined as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1. These directional concepts are based on the position of an occupant P (i.e., typically the driver) aboard the vehicle 1 while the vehicle is traveling forward (i.e., traveling in a shift range other than reverse). Here, the front-to-rear direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle overall length direction. The left-to-right direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle width direction. The up-to-down direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle height direction. The vehicle overall length direction is a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction and perpendicular to the vehicle height direction. The vehicle height direction is a direction that determines the height of the vehicle 1 and is a direction parallel to the direction of gravity when the vehicle 1 is stably placed on a horizontal surface in a drivable state.

[0011] The front of the vehicle cabin 3, which is the interior space of the vehicle body 2 where the occupant P sits, is covered by a front windshield 4. The front windshield 4 is formed into a plate shape from translucent glass or synthetic resin. The front windshield 4 is tilted so that the upper end is located further rearward than the lower end in a side view seen from a line of sight parallel to the vehicle width direction.

[0012] A dashboard 5 is disposed below the front windshield 4 within the vehicle compartment 3. A steering wheel 6 is attached to the tip of a steering column (not shown) that extends from a predetermined position on the dashboard 5 in the vehicle width direction toward the interior of the vehicle compartment 3. The steering wheel 6 is provided at a position in the vehicle width direction that corresponds to a driver's seat, which is a seat 7 for the driver, that is, a position that corresponds to an occupant riding position PB for the driver. The occupant riding position PB refers to the position of the upper body of the occupant P within the vehicle compartment 3 when the occupant P sits in the seat 7 in a normal seated position. In FIG. 1 , the seat 7 is the driver's seat, the occupant P is the driver, and the occupant riding position PB corresponds to the driver's seat.

[0013] An in-vehicle display device 8 is mounted on the dashboard 5. The in-vehicle display device 8 is installed in the vehicle 1 so as to display various information related to driving of the vehicle 1 in a manner that is visible to occupants P, including the driver. Such various information includes, for example, all or some of the following: vehicle speed, mileage, remaining driving range, current time, outside temperature, air conditioner temperature setting, route guidance information to the destination, estimated arrival time at the destination, audio operation-related information, and various warning information. The audio operation-related information includes, for example, radio station selection information and song title information. In other words, the in-vehicle display device 8 is configured to perform some or all of the functions of a meter panel, a navigation display panel, an in-vehicle infotainment display panel, and the like. In this embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 is disposed in a position corresponding to the driver's seat or occupant seating position PB in the vehicle width direction so as to face the driver's seat or occupant seating position PB of the driver. The vehicle 1 equipped with the in-vehicle display device 8 will hereinafter be referred to as the "host vehicle."

[0014] Referring to FIG. 2 , the in-vehicle display device 8 includes a display panel 9 and a display control device 10. The configuration of the display panel 9 will be described in detail later. The display control device 10 is configured to control the display state of the in-vehicle display device 8 according to the driving state and driving environment of the vehicle. The "driving state" includes, for example, various quantities related to the driving operation state by the driver or a driving control device (not shown) connected to the in-vehicle network 11, such as accelerator opening, braking amount, shift position, and steering angle. Such a driving control device has a configuration as a so-called ADAS-ECU and is configured to execute driving control operations for driving assistance or autonomous driving. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit. That is, such a driving control device is configured to be able to execute various operations corresponding to, for example, Level 5 "fully autonomous driving," Level 4 "highly autonomous driving," Level 3 "conditional autonomous driving," Level 2 "partial autonomous driving," or Level 1 "driving assistance" according to the autonomous driving levels defined in the standard "SAE J3016" published by SAE International. SAE stands for Society of Automotive Engineers. "Driving control operations" are longitudinal and / or lateral vehicle motion control subtasks defined in "SAE J3016," including, for example, starting, steering, accelerating, decelerating, braking, stopping, and shift range changes. The driving control device is configured to provide the display control device 10 with information related to such driving assistance operations to be provided to a driver or other occupant P, such as information regarding the execution or possibility of collision avoidance braking. "Driving conditions" include physical quantities related to the behavior of the vehicle, such as vehicle speed, angular velocity, longitudinal acceleration, and lateral acceleration. "Driving environments" include quantities related to the natural environment around the vehicle, such as outside temperature, rainfall, and illuminance. "Display conditions" include the presence or absence and display form of display elements, such as icons. The "display form" includes not only the display position but also various elements that affect the visibility of the display element (for example, brightness, saturation, hue, line diameter, display size, blinking, animation, etc.).

[0015] The display control device 10 has a configuration as an HCU. HCU is an abbreviation for HMI Control Unit. HMI is an abbreviation for Human Machine Interface. Specifically, the display control device 10 has a configuration as a so-called in-vehicle computer equipped with a processor and memory programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. The display control device 10 is configured to control the display state of the in-vehicle display device 8 based on various information acquired via an in-vehicle network 11 that complies with a predetermined communication standard such as CAN (international registered trademark: international registration number 1048262A). CAN (international registered trademark) is an abbreviation for Controller Area Network.

[0016] (Display panel) Referring to FIG. 3, the display panel 9 includes a central display panel 91 and outer display panels 92. The central display panel 91 is provided at the center of the display panel 9 in the width direction of the screen. The central display panel 91 is formed in a substantially rectangular, oval, or hexagonal shape with its longitudinal direction in the width direction of the screen. The central display panel 91 is provided so that its screen width direction is along the vehicle width direction. The central display panel 91 is a flexible display that is configured to be bendable, and specifically has a configuration as an organic light-emitting diode display. A "flexible display" is a thin-plate or film-like display device that is configured to be bendable (i.e., foldable) along linear bending lines (i.e., folding lines) that are perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0017] The outer display panel 92 is provided adjacent to the central display panel 91. The central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 are arranged along the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the outer display panels 92 are provided on both sides of the central display panel 91, i.e., on the right and left sides of the occupant boarding position PB shown in FIG. 1 . The outer display panel 92 is configured as an LED illumination panel that uses light-emitting diode elements as light sources. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. A boundary 93 between the central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 in the screen width direction is provided along the screen height direction of the display panel 91.

[0018] The central display panel 91 is provided in a state in which it is bent at a bent portion 910 into a concave shape that opens toward the front side with respect to the occupant riding position PB shown in FIG. 1 as a reference. Here, the bent portion 910 includes the area surrounding the bent line, which is shown imaginarily by a two-dot chain line in the figure. In this embodiment, the bent portion 910 is formed in a valley fold shape that is a concave shape that opens toward the front side with respect to the occupant riding position PB as a reference. Furthermore, the bent portion 910 is formed along the vehicle width direction. That is, the central display panel 91 has a lower display portion 911 and an upper display portion 912 that are divided into upper and lower parts by the bent portion 910. The lower display portion 911 extends downward and toward the front side from the bent portion 910. On the other hand, the upper display portion 912 extends upward from the bent portion 910. In this way, the lower display portion 911 and the upper display portion 912 form the central display panel 91, which is a concave curved display that opens toward the driver's seating position PB.

[0019] The outer display panel 92 has a display surface 920a facing the passenger seating position PB shown in FIG. 1. The outer display panel 92 is provided with the display surface 920a facing slightly inward to make it easier for the driver to view. More specifically, the display surface 920a is oriented so that, in a plan view, its normal intersects with the normal to the central display panel 91 rearward, i.e., on the passenger seating position PB side. In other words, the boundary 93 between the central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 is formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side with respect to the passenger seating position PB. In addition, an outer bent portion 920b is formed on the display surface 920a. The outer bent portion 920b is provided along the screen width direction from the end of the bent portion 910 in the screen width direction. The outer bent portion 920b is formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side with respect to the passenger seating position PB shown in FIG. 1. In this way, a pair of outer display panels 92 having concave display surfaces 920a and a concave central display panel 91 provided therebetween form a concave display panel 9 that opens toward the driver's passenger seating position PB.

[0020] The outer display panel 92 has a light-emitting section 921. The outer display panel 92 is configured so that the light-emitting state of the light-emitting section 921 can be changed in any of the up, down, left, and right directions. An example configuration of the light-emitting section 921 will be described later. In this embodiment, the outer display panel 92 has a plurality of light-emitting sections 921. The plurality of light-emitting sections 921 are arranged along the outer bending section 920b, i.e., along the extension direction of the bending section 910.

[0021] (Display Control) Details of the control of the display state of the in-vehicle display device 8, which is executed by the display control device 10 according to this embodiment, will be described below with reference to the effects achieved by the configuration according to this embodiment, using specific display examples shown in Figures 3 to 9. In Figures 5 to 8, the screen height direction is indicated by an arrow DH, and the screen width direction is indicated by an arrow DW.

[0022] In recent years, ADAS functions have become more common in vehicles 1, and various sensing devices have been installed in vehicles 1 for ADAS operation. During ADAS operation, information necessary for the driver's recognition and decision-making is presented to the driver using an instrument panel, an in-vehicle infotainment display panel, or the like. For example, from the driver's line of sight, surrounding objects such as other vehicles or pedestrians may be difficult to see due to being in the driver's blind spot. In such cases, it is important to provide information to the driver using an instrument panel, an in-vehicle infotainment display panel, or the like. It is necessary to convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately to better support the driver's recognition and decision-making. In this regard, with the two-dimensional image display provided by conventional instrument panels, etc., the driver must convert such image display into three-dimensional object position information in his or her brain. Therefore, there is room for improvement in performance in terms of intuitive information recognition.

[0023] In this regard, this embodiment utilizes the properties of the display panel 9 of the in-vehicle display device 8 as a concave display, and employs a configuration and processing that can convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the display panel 9 displays a graphic with a sense of depth, with a vanishing point PV set at the bend 910. The "vanishing point" refers to the point at which multiple lines that are originally parallel to each other intersect when they are drawn non-parallel to each other using perspective. In this embodiment, the vanishing point PV is set at approximately the center in the width direction of the screen of the bend 910 formed on the central display panel 91.

[0024] For example, the lower display unit 911 of the central display panel 91 displays a lane display SA, which shows an image of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, in perspective so that the lane display SA converges to the vanishing point PV. Specifically, the lower display unit 911 displays the lane display SA in a strip shape that narrows toward the top of the screen so that the lane display SA converges toward the vanishing point PV. Furthermore, the central display panel 91, which is so-called "vertically bent" with its bent portion 910 extending horizontally, displays an animation of a spatial effect display SB, which is a display image that spreads from the vanishing point PV, flowing from the back to the front.

[0025] In the example of FIG. 3, the central display panel 91 displays the spatial effect display SB mainly on the lower display portion 911 in a concave "L" shape or an inverted V shape that opens toward the vanishing point PV. The central display panel 91 also displays multiple spatial effect displays SB in an animated manner, expanding in the height direction of the screen while flowing from the vanishing point PV toward the outer display panel 92. In the example of FIG. 4, the central display panel 91 also uses the upper display portion 912 to display the spatial effect display SB in an arch or tunnel shape that surrounds the path of the vehicle, while maintaining the visibility of the vehicle speed display SC displayed in the approximate center of the upper display portion 912. The central display panel 91 also displays multiple spatial effect displays SB in an animated manner, expanding in the width direction and height direction of the screen while flowing from the vanishing point PV toward the outside. This effectively creates the illusion of the vehicle entering a space.

[0026] In this embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 links the animation displayed in the spatially-enhanced display SB by the central display panel 91 with the light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit 921 on the outer display panel 92. Specifically, the in-vehicle display device 8 uses the central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 to realize a series of animation displays in which the spatially-enhanced display SB by the central display panel 91 transitions to the outer display panel 92. Linking the display on the central display panel 91 with the display on the outer display panel 92 in this way makes it possible to present spatial information more intuitively. That is, the central display panel 91, which is a so-called curved OLED, reproduces a sense of depth similar to the real world, and the outer display panel 92, which is an LED illumination panel linked to the central display panel 91, is three-dimensionally arranged around the central display panel 91, thereby linking the animation in the front, rear, left, and right directions. This makes it possible to collect information about the surrounding situation with a sense of immersion. OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. In particular, in a vehicle 1 that is premised on ADAS, a display that makes it easy to grasp the space can effectively assist the driver in recognizing and making decisions.

[0027] Below, we will explain an example of information presentation that emphasizes depth and makes it easier to intuitively recognize information by combining a central display panel 91, which is a so-called "vertically bent" flexible display, with outer display panels 92, which are LED illumination panels provided around it. FIG. 5 shows a display screen during driving speed coaching. As shown in FIG. 5, the display panel 9 displays the host vehicle display SD at the bottom edge of the screen of the central display panel 91 and at the center of the lane display SA. Furthermore, as in the example of FIG. 4, the display panel 9 also uses the upper display portion 912 to form an arch or tunnel-like spatial presentation display SB that surrounds the host vehicle's path, while hiding the portion corresponding to the vehicle speed display SC. This allows the driver to clearly recognize the host vehicle's speed while creating a presentation effect that gives the impression that the host vehicle is entering a space or a sense of speed.

[0028] FIG. 6 shows a display screen during regenerative energy acquisition. In this example, the central display panel 91 displays the spatial effect display SB in animation, similar to the example of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5. The outer display panel 92 performs a light-emitting operation of the light-emitting unit 921 in conjunction with the animation display. The central display panel 91 then changes the display mode of the host vehicle display SD in conjunction with the animation display of the spatial effect display SB. Specifically, for example, the central display panel 91 temporarily displays the host vehicle display SD in red or substantially the same color as the spatial effect display SB at a high brightness when the spatial effect display SB passes by the host vehicle display SD or directly beside it, to indicate that the host vehicle is being charged with energy. This allows the driver to more intuitively recognize that the host vehicle is acquiring regenerative energy.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows a display screen when the vehicle is traveling in a specific traffic-restricted area. In this example, the vehicle is traveling in a school zone. In this case, the central display panel 91 displays the spatial effect display SB as an animation, as in the examples of FIGS. 4 to 6. The outer display panel 92 performs a light-emitting operation of the light-emitting unit 921 in conjunction with the animation display. Furthermore, the central display panel 91 displays a regulation information display SE, which is a text information display indicating that the vehicle is traveling in a school zone, between the vehicle display SD and the vanishing point PV. In addition, the central display panel 91 displays a sign information display SF, which is an icon corresponding to a road sign indicating a school zone, in the approximate center, i.e., near the vanishing point PV. This allows the driver to more intuitively recognize that the vehicle is traveling in a specific traffic-restricted area, i.e., a school zone.

[0030] FIG. 8 shows an example in which the central display panel 91 displays a nearby vehicle display SG, which is a display image corresponding to another vehicle as a target, depending on the distance from the vehicle. That is, the lower display unit 911 displays a display image corresponding to a target that is closer to the vehicle in a bird's-eye view, closer to the vehicle than a display image corresponding to a target that is further away, based on the occupant seating position PB. The "bird's-eye view display" refers to a display with a sense of perspective, as if looking down toward the vehicle's forward direction from the driver's viewpoint at the occupant seating position PB. Specifically, the lower display unit 911 performs a bird's-eye view display in which the vanishing point PV is located at the bend 910. The central display panel 91 also displays an animated spatial effect display SB, similar to the examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. The outer display panel 92 then performs a light-emitting operation of the light-emitting unit 921 in conjunction with the animated display. This allows the driver to more intuitively recognize the traffic conditions around the vehicle.

[0031] 9 shows a display example in which a central display panel 91 and the surrounding outer display panels 92 cooperate to present spatial information that expands in the width direction of the screen. As shown in FIG. 9, the central display panel 91 displays a spatial presentation display SB that expands in the left-right direction from a vanishing point PV at approximately the center of the screen height direction, along a bend 910. In response to this, the outer display panel 92 uses light-emitting elements 921 to emit light that expands in the horizontal direction and approaches the viewer, starting from the edge of the spatial presentation display SB in the width direction of the screen. This allows the driver to more intuitively recognize the spatial presentation of information that expands in the width direction of the screen.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 includes a central display panel 91 that is bent at a bend 910 to form a concave shape that opens toward the front relative to the occupant seating position PB, and an outer display panel 92 that is adjacent to the central display panel 91 and has a light-emitting portion 921. The central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 are arranged along the vehicle width direction. The bend 910 is formed along the vehicle width direction in a valley-folded shape that forms a concave shape that opens toward the front relative to the occupant seating position PB. The central display panel 91 displays a display image corresponding to a target that is closer to the vehicle than a display image corresponding to a target that is farther away relative to the occupant seating position PB. The outer display panel 92 has a plurality of light-emitting portions 921 that are arranged along the extension direction of the bend 910. The light-emitting portions 921 are arranged to extend outward from the bend 910. The outer display panel 92 is configured so that the light-emitting state of the light-emitting portion 921 can be changed in any of the up, down, left, and right directions. The in-vehicle display device 8 according to this embodiment having such a configuration can display information that is easy to understand and emphasizes depth. For example, a graphic representation of something physically approaching from the back can display information with a sense of realism or immersion. In other words, the user can feel as if they are entering a space or approaching an object with their naked eyes.

[0033] Furthermore, by displaying targets closer to the vehicle in a bird's-eye view on the lower display unit 911, which extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion 910 along the vehicle width direction, targets closer to the vehicle are displayed lower and closer than targets further away, recreating a sense of depth similar to the real world and realizing a three-dimensional information layout. Specifically, targets farther from the vehicle are displayed in the back, and targets closer to the vehicle are displayed in the front. The viewing distance from the display position changes depending on the relative position of the vehicle and the targets, eliminating the need for interpretation by the driver. This makes it easier for the driver to grasp the situation around the vehicle. In particular, in a vehicle 1 equipped with an ADAS function, a display that facilitates spatial understanding can effectively assist the driver or other occupant P in recognizing and making decisions during driving assistance operations.

[0034] (Variation) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, the above-described embodiment can be modified as appropriate. Representative modifications will be described below. In the following description of the modifications, differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described. Furthermore, identical or equivalent parts between the above-described embodiment and the modifications are given the same reference numerals. Therefore, in the following description of the modifications, the description of the above-described embodiment can be used as appropriate for components having the same reference numerals as those in the above-described embodiment, unless there is a technical contradiction or special additional explanation.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the specific device configurations shown in the above embodiments. That is, for example, the vehicle 1 is not limited to a standard automobile. Specifically, the vehicle 1 may be a large automobile such as a cargo truck. There is no particular limitation on the number of wheels, and the vehicle 1 may be a three-wheeled automobile, or a six- or eight-wheeled automobile such as a cargo truck. The type of vehicle 1 may be a conventional automobile equipped with only an internal combustion engine, an electric automobile or a fuel cell vehicle without an internal combustion engine, or a so-called hybrid vehicle. There are also no particular limitations on the use of the vehicle 1, the number of occupants, etc. The shape and structure of the vehicle body 2 of the vehicle 1 are also not limited to a box shape, i.e., a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0036] There are no particular limitations on the presence or absence of a dashboard 5, the position of the steering wheel 6, etc. That is, the vehicle 1 may be a so-called left-hand drive vehicle or a so-called right-hand drive vehicle. Alternatively, the steering wheel 6 and the driver's seat may be provided in the center in the vehicle width direction. The driver may be any vehicle occupant who is in charge of or performs a dynamic driving task. In other words, as long as the driver is able to perform driving operations, there are no particular limitations on the seating position of the driver. In addition, any operating device such as a joystick may be used instead of or in addition to the steering wheel 6.

[0037] The communication standard constituting the in-vehicle network 11 may be other than CAN (internationally registered trademark), such as FlexRay (internationally registered trademark). The communication standard constituting the in-vehicle network 11 is not limited to one type. For example, the in-vehicle network 11 may have a sub-network line conforming to a communication standard such as LIN. LIN is an abbreviation for Local Interconnect Network.

[0038] The configuration of the in-vehicle display device 8 may also be modified as appropriate from the above embodiment. That is, for example, all or part of the in-vehicle display device 8 may have a configuration as a touch panel capable of receiving input operations.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 is provided in the driver's seat, i.e., facing the driver, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. That is, for example, the present invention can also be suitably applied to an in-vehicle display device 8 provided facing the passenger seat. That is, the in-vehicle display device 8 is not limited to being used by the driver. Furthermore, the screen width direction and the vehicle width direction may be parallel or may intersect.

[0040] The specific configuration of the display panel 9 is not particularly limited. That is, for example, the display panel 9 may be a so-called hoodless meter in which a sunshade hood is not provided on the dashboard 5. In this case, the curved shape of the display panel 9 may be set so that the upper display portion 912 functions as a sunshade. The same applies to the curved shape of the outer curved portion 920b of the display surface 920a of the outer display panel 92. This ensures good visibility of the display panel 9. Furthermore, the display panel 9 shown in FIG. 3 and other drawings may form part of the display screen of the in-vehicle display device 8. That is, other display devices may be provided above, below, to the left, or to the right of the display panel 9 shown in FIG. 3 and other drawings.

[0041] The central display panel 91, which is a flexible display, is not limited to being configured as an organic light-emitting diode display. That is, the central display panel 91 may be configured as, for example, a liquid crystal display. Note that an organic light-emitting diode display is also called an organic electroluminescence display.

[0042] The direction, shape, position, and number of the bent portion 910 may also be changed as appropriate. That is, for example, the bent portion 910 may be formed along a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction in a plan view taken along a line of sight parallel to the vehicle height direction. Furthermore, for example, the bent portion 910 may be formed along a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction in a front view taken along a line of sight parallel to the vehicle overall length direction. The curvature of the bent shape of the bent portion 910 may be set as appropriate. Furthermore, the bent portion 910 is not limited to being located at an approximately central position in the screen height direction of the display panel 9. Specifically, for example, the bent portion 910 may be located closer to the upper end than the approximately central position in the screen height direction of the display panel 9. Alternatively, for example, the bent portion 910 may be located closer to the lower end than the approximately central position in the screen height direction of the display panel 9. Note that when substantially the entire display panel 9 is bent into an approximately partial cylindrical shape, the bent portion 910 can be located at any position in the screen height direction. Furthermore, the bent portions 910 may be provided both at positions closer to the upper end and lower end than the approximate center position in the screen height direction of the display panel 9. In this case, an intermediate display portion is provided along the vertical plane between the two bent portions 910, i.e., between the lower display portion 911 and the upper display portion 912. When multiple bent portions 910 are formed, they may be provided parallel to each other or may be provided so as to intersect each other. The shape of the lower display portion 911 and / or the upper display portion 912 is also not particularly limited and may, for example, be flat, or may be curved in a bow shape or a substantially circular arc shape in a side view.

[0043] The display panel 9 is not limited to the configuration in which outer display panels 92 are provided on both the left and right sides of the central display panel 91, as in the above embodiment. That is, for example, the outer display panel 92 may be provided on only one of the right and left sides of the central display panel 91. Furthermore, the outer display panel 92 may also be provided above and / or below the central display panel 91.

[0044] The specific configuration of the outer display panel 92, which is an LED illumination panel, is not particularly limited. Specifically, the outer display panel 92 may be configured as a so-called dot matrix LED display device, in which light-emitting elements 922 made of light-emitting diodes are mounted in a two-dimensional arrangement on a substrate 923, as shown in FIG. 10 . If the outer display panel 92 has a flexible display configuration such as an organic light-emitting diode display, similar to the central display panel 91, the central display panel 91 and the outer display panel 92 may be integrally formed. Alternatively, the outer display panel 92 may be configured to emit light from the display surface 920a by guiding light from the light-emitting elements 922 to the display surface 920a via a light-guiding section 924. In this case, the light-guiding section 924 may be made of a highly transparent material such as a transparent synthetic resin (e.g., polycarbonate). A non-light-guiding section 925 having very low visible light transmittance is provided around the light-guiding section 924.

[0045] There are no particular limitations on the display format or content of the display elements displayed in each part of the display panel 9. That is, for example, the vanishing point PV may be located at a position offset in the screen width direction from approximately the center position in the screen width direction of the bent portion 910. Alternatively, for example, the vanishing point PV may be located at a position offset in the screen height direction from the bent portion 910. In addition, the vehicle speed display SC and the sign information display SF may be displayed on the outer display panel 92.

[0046] It goes without saying that the elements constituting the above-described embodiments are not necessarily essential unless expressly stated as essential or clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, when numerical values ​​such as the number, amount, range, etc. of components are mentioned, the present invention is not limited to those specific numerical values ​​unless expressly stated as essential or clearly limited to specific numerical values ​​in principle. Similarly, when the shape, direction, positional relationship, etc. of components are mentioned, the present invention is not limited to those shapes, directions, positional relationship, etc. unless expressly stated as essential or clearly limited to specific shapes, directions, positional relationship, etc. in principle.

[0047] The modified examples are not limited to the above examples. Furthermore, multiple modified examples may be combined with each other. Furthermore, all or part of the above embodiment and all or part of the modified examples may be combined with each other.

[0048] (Disclosure perspective) As is clear from the above description of the embodiments and modifications, at least the following aspects are disclosed in this specification. [Point 1] The vehicle-mounted display device (8) mounted on the vehicle (1) a central display panel (91) that is a flexible display configured to be bendable and that is provided in a concavely bent state that opens toward the front side at a bending portion (910) based on a passenger boarding position (PB); an outer display panel (92) having a light-emitting portion (921) and provided adjacent to the central display panel; It is equipped with: [Point 2] In the first aspect, the bent portion is formed in a valley fold shape that is a concave shape that opens toward the front side with the occupant riding position as a reference. [Point 3] In the first and second aspects, the bent portion is formed along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. [Point 4] In the aspects 1 to 3, the display image (SG) corresponding to the target that is closer to the vehicle is displayed on the central display panel closer to the passenger's seating position than the display image corresponding to the target that is farther away. [Point 5] In the first to fourth aspects, the light emitting state of the light emitting section in the outer display panel is linked to the animation display of the display image in the central display panel. [Point 6] In the first to fifth aspects, the central display panel and the outer display panels are arranged along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. [Point 7] In the first to sixth aspects, the outer display panel has a plurality of the light emitting sections arranged along the extending direction of the bent section. [Point 8] In the first to seventh aspects, the outer display panel changes the light emitting state of the light emitting portion in any one of the up, down, left and right directions. [Point 9] In the first to eighth aspects, the light emitting portion is provided so as to extend outward from the bent portion. [Point 10] In aspects 1 to 9, the flexible display is an organic light-emitting diode display. [Point 11] In the first to tenth aspects, the light emitting section has a light emitting element (922) made of a light emitting diode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1 vehicle 8 In-vehicle display device 9 Display panel 91 Central display panel 910 Bend 92 Outer display panel 921 Light-emitting part 922 Light-emitting element 10 Display control device PB crew seating position

Claims

1. An in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1), A display panel (9); a display control device (10) for controlling the display state of the display panel; Equipped with The display panel includes: A flexible display configured to be bendable, the central display panel (91) being provided in a concavely bent state that opens toward the front side at a bending portion (910) along the screen width direction with respect to the occupant boarding position (PB); an outer display panel (92) having a light-emitting portion (921), provided adjacent to the central display panel, and formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side at an outer bending portion (920b) that is provided along the screen width direction from an end of the bending portion in the screen width direction; Equipped with The boundary (93) between the central display panel and the outer display panel is formed in a concave shape that opens toward the front side. In-vehicle display device.

2. The bent portion is formed in a valley fold shape that is a concave shape that opens toward the front side with the occupant riding position as a reference. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

3. The bent portion is formed along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

4. The display control device displays, on the central display panel, a display image (SG) corresponding to a target that is close to the vehicle closer to the passenger's seating position than a display image corresponding to a target that is farther away. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

5. The display control device links the light emitting state of the light emitting section on the outer display panel with the animation display of the display image on the central display panel. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

6. The central display panel and the outer display panels are arranged along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

7. the outer display panel has a plurality of the light-emitting sections arranged along an extension direction of the bent section; The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

8. The display control device changes the light-emitting state of the light-emitting section of the outer display panel in any one of the up, down, left, and right directions. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

9. The light emitting portion is provided so as to extend outward from the bent portion. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

10. the flexible display is an organic light emitting diode display; The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

11. The light-emitting unit has a light-emitting element (922) made of a light-emitting diode. The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

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