Indication device

Abstract

To provide a display device which prevents visibility of a display from being reduced and in which a boundary between a display region and a non-display region is hardly visually recognized.SOLUTION: A display device 10 includes a first liquid crystal display 100, a decorative member 200, an illuminator 300, and a controller 400. The decorative member 200 is disposed on a display surface 100a side of the first liquid crystal display 100, and includes a first display region 210 in which a display of the first liquid crystal display 100 is transparently displayed and a first non-display region 220 adjacent to the first display region 210. The illuminator 300 illuminates the first non-display region 220 from a back surface. The controller 400 controls, in accordance with luminance of a first black display region, of the first display region 210, that corresponds to a black display portion of the first liquid crystal display 100, an amount of illumination light emitted from the illuminator 300 toward the first non-display region 220.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device.

Background Art

[0002] A liquid crystal display device with enhanced design is known by arranging a decorative member having light transmittance on the display surface side of a liquid crystal display panel. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel having a non-display area around a display area, a first light-transmissive member disposed on the front side of the liquid crystal display panel and made of a dark-colored material, and a second light-transmissive member disposed on the rear side of the liquid crystal display panel.

[0003] In the liquid crystal display device of Patent Document 1, the first light-transmissive member has a first light-shielding layer and a first gradation layer. The first light-shielding layer corresponds to the non-display area of the liquid crystal display panel, and the first gradation layer is provided corresponding to the periphery of the display area of the liquid crystal display panel. Further, the second light-transmissive member has a second light-shielding layer, a third light-shielding layer, and a second gradation layer. The second light-shielding layer is provided corresponding to the non-display area of the liquid crystal display panel, and the third light-shielding layer and the second gradation layer correspond to the first gradation layer and are provided so as to have a boundary between the third light-shielding layer and the second gradation layer within a portion corresponding to the first gradation layer.

[0004] In the liquid crystal display device of Patent Document 1, by providing a light-shielding layer in a region corresponding to the non-display area and a gradation layer in a region corresponding to the periphery of the display area, the boundary line between the display area and the non-display area of the liquid crystal display panel is prevented from being visually recognized, thereby enhancing the design of the liquid crystal display device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] In the liquid crystal display device described in Patent Document 1, a gradient layer is provided in the area corresponding to the periphery of the display area. As a result, the display at the periphery of the display area becomes darker, reducing the visibility of the display.

[0007] This disclosure is made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide a display device that does not reduce the visibility of the display and in which the boundary between the display area and the non-display area is difficult to see. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the display device of this disclosure is First liquid crystal display unit, A decorative member having a first display area on the display surface side of the first liquid crystal display unit, through which the display of the first liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a first non-display area adjacent to the first display area, The illumination unit illuminates the aforementioned first non-display area from the back, The system includes a control unit that controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area, The illumination unit includes a light source and guides the light emitted from the light source to the first display area and the first non-display area. region It has a light guide section that is arranged across it, The control unit controls the amount of illumination light to such an amount that the brightness of the first black display area corresponding to the black display portion of the first liquid crystal display in the first display area matches the brightness of the first non-display area at the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area. Furthermore, the display device of this disclosure is First liquid crystal display unit, A second liquid crystal display unit is arranged alongside the first liquid crystal display unit, A decorative member having a first display area on the display surface side of the first liquid crystal display unit, through which the display of the first liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a first non-display area adjacent to the first display area, The illumination unit illuminates the aforementioned first non-display area from the back, The system includes a control unit that controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area according to the brightness of the first black display area corresponding to the black display area of ​​the first liquid crystal display unit within the first display area, The decorative member has a second display area through which the display of the second liquid crystal display unit is visible, and a second non-display area adjacent to the first non-display area and the second display area. The brightness of the second black display area, which corresponds to the black display portion of the second liquid crystal display unit within the second display area, is less than the brightness of the first black display area. The illumination unit illuminates the first non-display area and the second non-display area from the back, and includes a light source and a light guide unit that guides the light emitted from the light source and emits the guided light towards the first non-display area and the second non-display area as illumination light. The light guide unit reduces the amount of illumination light emitted to the first non-display area and the second non-display area as it moves away from the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area, in the first non-display area and the second non-display area located between the first display area and the second display area. The control unit controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area according to the brightness of the first black display area, and controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the second non-display area according to the brightness of the second black display area, thereby matching the brightness of the second non-display area and the second black display area at the boundary between the second display area and the second non-display area located between the first display area and the second display area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, since the illumination unit illuminates the non-display area, the visibility of the display is not reduced, and the boundary between the display area and the non-display area becomes less visible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1]It is a side view showing the display device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing the first liquid crystal display panel according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view showing the decorative member according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing the decorative member according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] It is a schematic view showing the light source according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] It is a plan view showing the lighting unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing the first liquid crystal display unit, the decorative unit, and the light guide unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] It is a schematic view showing the display on the decorative member according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the luminance distribution on the decorative member according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 11] It is a side view showing the display device according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 12] It is a plan view showing the arrangement of the detection unit according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view showing the decorative member and the light guide unit according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 14] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing the gradation of the first liquid crystal display unit and the luminance of the first display area according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing the current supplied to the light source and the luminance of the first non-display area according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 17] It is a side view showing the display device according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 18] It is a plan view showing the lighting unit according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 19] It is a plan view showing the lighting unit according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 20]This is a side view showing a display device according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 21] This is a plan view showing a light source according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 22] This is a plan view showing the light guide section according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 23] This figure shows the luminance distribution in the decorative member according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 24] This is a side view showing a display device according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 25] This is a plan view showing the second liquid crystal display panel according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 26] This is a plan view showing the decorative member and light source according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 27] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first liquid crystal display unit, the second liquid crystal display unit, the decorative unit, and the light guide unit according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 28] This is a schematic diagram showing the display on the decorative member according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 29] This figure shows the luminance distribution in the decorative member according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 30] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first liquid crystal display unit, the second liquid crystal display unit, the decorative unit, and the light guide unit according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 31] This figure shows the luminance distribution in the decorative member according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 32] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first liquid crystal display unit, decorative member, light guide unit, and polarizing plate according to Embodiment 7. [Figure 33] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first liquid crystal display unit, decorative member, light guide unit, and polarizing plate according to Embodiment 8. [Figure 34] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified light-shielding plate. [Figure 35] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified light-shielding plate. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The display device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] <Embodiment 1> The display device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. As shown in Figure 1, the display device 10 comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, and a control unit 400. The first liquid crystal display unit 100 displays characters or images. The decorative member 200 displays the display of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 through it. The decorative member 200 has a first display area 210 through which the display of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is displayed, and a first non-display area 220 adjacent to the first display area 210. The illumination unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back. The control unit 400 controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220. The display device 10 is installed on the dashboard of an automobile, furniture, home appliances, etc. For ease of understanding, in this specification, the direction to the right along the longitudinal axis of the display device 10 in Figure 1 (to the right of the page) is described as the +X direction, the upward direction (towards the top of the page) is described as the +Z direction, and the direction perpendicular to the +X and +Z directions (towards the back of the page) is described as the +Y direction. The user is positioned on the +Z side of the display device 10.

[0013] The first liquid crystal display unit 100 of the display device 10 is a transmissive liquid crystal display device that displays characters or images. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached to the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320 of the illumination unit 300. The first liquid crystal display unit 100 has a first liquid crystal display panel 110 and a first backlight 120.

[0014] The first liquid crystal display panel 110 of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is a transverse electric field type liquid crystal display panel that is actively driven by a TFT (Thin Film Transistor), for example. As shown in Figure 2, the first liquid crystal display panel 110 has a displayable area 114 in which pixels 112 are arranged in a matrix, and a frame area 116 that surrounds the displayable area 114 and where wiring, drive circuits, etc. are arranged. The displayable area 114 is an area in which characters, images, etc. can be displayed, and the frame area 116 is an area in which characters, images, etc. cannot be displayed. In this embodiment, the displayable area 114 corresponds to the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200, as shown in Figure 1.

[0015] The first backlight 120 of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is located on the back side of the first liquid crystal display panel 110, as shown in Figure 1. The first backlight 120 is, for example, a direct-lit backlight. The first backlight 120 includes a white LED (light-emitting diode) element, a reflective sheet, a diffusion sheet, a lighting circuit, etc. (none of which are shown).

[0016] The decorative member 200 of the display device 10 is flat and is positioned on the display surface 100a side of the first liquid crystal display unit 100. In this embodiment, the decorative member 200 is attached to the light-emitting surface 324 of the light guide unit 320 of the illumination unit 300, which will be described later.

[0017] The decorative member 200 is a translucent member that provides a design to the user. As shown in Figure 3, the decorative member 200 has a translucent layer 202, a diffusion layer 204, and a decorative layer 206.

[0018] The translucent layer 202 of the decorative member 200 is a translucent flat plate. The translucent layer 202 is formed from, for example, a synthetic resin. The translucent layer 202 protects the diffusion layer 204 and the decorative layer 206, and also makes the diffusion layer 204 and the decorative layer 206 flat. The light-emitting surface 324 of the light guide part 320 is attached to the translucent layer 202. By adjusting the transmittance of the translucent layer 202, the transmittance of the decorative member 200 can be adjusted. In addition, by adjusting the refractive index of the translucent layer 202, the reflection of display light occurring at the interface between the decorative member 200 and the light guide part 320 can be suppressed.

[0019] The diffusion layer 204 of the decorative member 200 is provided on top of the light-transmitting layer 202 (on the +Z side). The diffusion layer 204 diffuses and homogenizes the illumination light LE from the illumination unit 300.

[0020] The decorative layer 206 of the decorative member 200 is a layer that provides a design to the user. The decorative layer 206 is formed on top of the diffusion layer 204. The decorative layer 206 is formed, for example, by printing any pattern such as wood grain, marble, or geometric patterns in any color.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the decorative member 200 has a first display area 210 and a first non-display area 220. The first display area 210 corresponds to the displayable area 114 of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, and the display of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is visible through it. The first non-display area 220 is located outside the first display area 210 and is adjacent to the first display area 210. The first non-display area 220 includes an area 221 corresponding to the frame area 116 of the first liquid crystal display panel 110, and is an area where the display of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not displayed.

[0022] The illumination unit 300 of the display device 10 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back (-Z side). As shown in Figure 1, the illumination unit 300 has a light source 310 and a light guide unit 320.

[0023] As shown in Figure 5, the light source 310 of the lighting unit 300 includes a light source component 311, a brightness adjustment component 312, a brightness distribution adjustment component 313, and a circuit board 314. The light source component 311 is, for example, a white LED element. The light source component 311 is provided on the mounting surface of the circuit board 314. The brightness adjustment component 312 is, for example, a dimming filter that reduces the amount of light emitted from the light source component 311. The brightness adjustment component 312 is placed on the emission surface 311a of the light source component 311. The brightness distribution adjustment component 313 is, for example, a lens that focuses the light emitted from the light source component 311. The brightness distribution adjustment component 313 is placed on top of the brightness adjustment component 312. The circuit board 314 is, for example, a flexible circuit board, printed circuit board, etc., on which a lighting circuit is formed.

[0024] As shown in Figure 6, the light sources 310 are positioned on the sides of the four corners of the light guide section 320. The light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 is guided through the light guide section 320 as illumination light LE, as shown in Figure 7, and is emitted from the light guide section 320 toward the first non-display area 220. The amount of light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 is controlled by the control unit 400, as will be described later. For ease of understanding, the diffuse reflection layer 326a is shown in black in Figure 6. Also, Figure 7 shows a cross-section of the first liquid crystal display section 100, the decorative member 200, and the light guide section 320, but hatching has been omitted.

[0025] The light guide unit 320 of the illumination unit 300 guides the light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 and emits the guided light source light LS as illumination light LE toward the first non-display area 220. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the light guide unit 320 is positioned on the display surface 100a side of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and covers the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, the light guide section 320 is a flat plate with a rectangular shape and chamfered corners. The light guide section 320 is formed from, for example, acrylic resin. As shown in Figure 7, the light guide section 320 has a light guide surface 322 located on the -Z side (opposite side from the user) and a light emission surface 324 located on the +Z side. The light guide surface 322 guides the light source light LS emitted from the light source 310. The light emission surface 324 guides the light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 and also emits the light source light LS as illumination light LE. The display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display section 100 is attached to the light guide surface 322, and a decorative member 200 is attached to the light emission surface 324. As shown in Figure 6, the light source 310 is positioned on the chamfered sides of the four corners of the light guide section 320.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, an emission pattern 326 is formed in the region 322a of the light guide surface 322, which corresponds to the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200. In this embodiment, the emission pattern 326 is a plurality of dot-shaped diffuse reflection layers 326a printed on the region 322a to cause the guided light source LS to be emitted from the light emission surface 324, as shown in Figure 6. The diffuse reflection layer 326a is formed from, for example, titanium oxide. As shown in Figure 7, the diffuse reflection layer 326a diffusely reflects the guided light source LS, causing the light source LS to be emitted from the light emission surface 324 as illumination light LE. As a result, the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 is illuminated from the back by the illumination unit 300. Also, in the emission pattern 326, as shown in Figure 6, the distribution density of the dots increases as the distance from the light source 310 increases. The distribution and size of the dots are adjusted to uniformly illuminate the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200. Furthermore, it is preferable that the diffuse reflection layer 326a has a textured pattern. This makes the emitted pattern 326 difficult for the user to see.

[0028] Furthermore, the emission pattern 326 is not formed in the region 322b of the light guide surface 322 that corresponds to the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. Therefore, the illumination light LE is hardly emitted to the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200.

[0029] The control unit 400 of the display device 10 controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 according to the brightness of the first black display area 212 (see Figure 9) which corresponds to the black display area of ​​the first liquid crystal display unit 100 within the first display area 210. The control unit 400 also controls the display of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the brightness of the first backlight 120. As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 400 includes a storage unit 410, a display control unit 420, a backlight control unit 430, and an illumination control unit 440.

[0030] The memory unit 410 of the control unit 400 stores first grayscale brightness data, which represents the relationship between the grayscale of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the brightness of the first display area 210, and first current brightness data, which represents the relationship between the current flowing through the light source 310 and the brightness of the first non-display area 220. The first grayscale brightness data and the first current brightness data are measured in advance through experiments. The memory unit 410 also stores programs that enable the display control unit 420, the backlight control unit 430, and the illumination control unit 440 to function.

[0031] The display control unit 420 of the control unit 400 converts image data input from an external source into image data having brightness-gradation characteristics suitable for display on the first liquid crystal display panel 110, based on the first gradation brightness data stored in the storage unit 410. The display control unit 420 transmits an image signal representing the generated image data to the driver circuit (not shown) of the first liquid crystal display panel 110. The first liquid crystal display panel 110 displays characters, images, etc., based on the transmitted image signal.

[0032] The backlight control unit 430 of the control unit 400 controls the brightness of the first backlight 120 based on image data input from an external source and first-level brightness data stored in the storage unit 410. The backlight control unit 430 transmits a backlight control signal representing the brightness of the first backlight 120 to the lighting circuit of the first backlight 120. The first backlight 120 lights up based on the transmitted backlight control signal.

[0033] The lighting control unit 440 of the control unit 400 controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the lighting unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 by controlling the amount of light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 of the lighting unit 300. In other words, the lighting control unit 440 controls the amount of light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 according to the brightness of the first black display area 212, which corresponds to the black display portion of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 within the first display area 210. Here, the black display portion of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is the portion of the displayable area 114 of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 where black is displayed, and the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 is the portion of the first display area 210 where black is displayed, as shown in Figure 9. Note that in Figure 9, the first black display area 212 is shown with hatching for ease of understanding.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lighting control unit 440 controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310 (i.e., the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220) to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210, based on the first current brightness data and the first grayscale brightness data stored in the storage unit 410. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 match, making the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 less visible, and improving the design of the display device 10. The lighting control unit 440 transmits a current value signal to the lighting circuit of the light source 310, which represents the current value to be supplied to the light source 310. The light source 310 emits light LS based on the current value signal.

[0035] The control unit 400 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, and the like. The functions of the control unit 400 are realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program stored in memory.

[0036] As described above, the lighting unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back, matching the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 with the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. This makes it difficult for the display device 10 to see the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220. Furthermore, since there is no need to obstruct the light (display light) emitted from the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200 with a gradient layer (a layer that gradually decreases the brightness of the peripheral part of the first display area 210 toward the first non-display area 220), the visibility of the display device 10 is not reduced.

[0037] <Embodiment 2> The display device 10 includes a detection unit 500 for detecting ambient light, and the amount of illumination light LE (light source light LS emitted from the light source 310) emitted to the first non-display area 220 may be controlled according to at least one of the brightness and color temperature of the ambient light detected by the detection unit 500.

[0038] As shown in Figure 11, the display device 10 of this embodiment comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, a control unit 400, and a detection unit 500. The configuration of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, the decorative member 200, and the illumination unit 300 of this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1, so here we will describe the control unit 400 and the detection unit 500 of this embodiment.

[0039] The detection unit 500 detects ambient light. Ambient light refers to light incident on the decorative member 200 from around the display device 10, including sunlight and artificial lighting. The detection unit 500 is, for example, an illuminance sensor and detects the brightness of the ambient light. The detection unit 500 transmits an ambient light signal representing the detected brightness of the ambient light to the control unit 400.

[0040] The detection unit 500 is provided on the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320, for example, as shown in Figure 11. Also, as shown in Figure 12, when the display device 10 is viewed from the +Z direction in a plan view, the detection unit 500 is positioned in a location close to the first display area 210 within the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200. It is preferable that the portions of the diffusion layer 204 and the decorative layer 206 located on the +Z side (directly above) the detection unit 500 are provided with a light-transmitting portion 502 that transmits ambient light, as shown in Figure 13. It is also preferable to reduce the density of the diffuse reflection layer 326a of the emission pattern 326 located on the +Z side (directly above) the detection unit 500.

[0041] In this embodiment, the control unit 400 controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 according to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 and the brightness of the ambient light detected by the detection unit 500. In addition, the control unit 400 in this embodiment controls the display of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the brightness of the first backlight 120 according to the brightness of the ambient light.

[0042] As shown in Figure 14, the control unit 400 of this embodiment includes a storage unit 410, a display control unit 420, a backlight control unit 430, and an illumination control unit 440. Since the storage unit 410 and the display control unit 420 of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1, the backlight control unit 430 and the illumination control unit 440 of this embodiment will be described.

[0043] In this embodiment, the backlight control unit 430 controls the brightness of the first backlight 120 based on image data input from an external source, first-level brightness data stored in the storage unit 410, and an ambient light signal transmitted from the detection unit 500. For example, if the brightness of the ambient light is such that the reflected brightness of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200 due to ambient light is 10 cd / m² 2 When the brightness is such that, the backlight control unit 430 of this embodiment sets the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 to 10 cd / m², as shown in Figure 15. 2The brightness is controlled to this level. This eliminates gradations that are difficult to see, and the display device 10 of this embodiment can improve the visibility of the display. Note that Figure 15 shows only some of the gradations. The other configurations of the backlight control unit 430 in this embodiment are the same as those of the backlight control unit 430 in Embodiment 1.

[0044] The lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the lighting unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 by controlling the amount of light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 of the lighting unit 300, similar to the lighting control unit 440 of Embodiment 1. The lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 and the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210, based on the first current brightness data and first grayscale brightness data stored in the storage unit 410 and the ambient light signal transmitted from the detection unit 500. For example, if the brightness of the ambient light is as described above, the reflected brightness of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200 due to ambient light is 10 cd / m². 2 When the brightness is such that, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment supplies a current I to the light source 310 (light source component 311) of the lighting unit 300, as shown in Figure 16, and sets the brightness of the first non-display area 220 to 10 cd / m². 2 The current is controlled to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 with the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210. As a result, similar to Embodiment 1, the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 and the brightness of the first non-display area 220 match, making the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 less visible and improving the aesthetic design of the display device 10. The other configurations of the lighting control unit 440 in this embodiment are the same as those of the lighting control unit 440 in Embodiment 1.

[0045] As described above, similar to Embodiment 1, the illumination unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back, matching the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 with the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. Therefore, the display device 10 can make the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 difficult to see without reducing the visibility of the display device 10. In addition, the display device 10 can change the brightness of the display according to the brightness of the ambient light, thereby improving the visibility of the display.

[0046] <Embodiment 3> In the display device 10 of Embodiment 1, the light source 310 of the illumination unit 300 is provided on the side surface of the light guide unit 320 of the illumination unit 300. The light source 310 may also be provided on the light guide surface 322 side of the light guide unit 320.

[0047] As shown in Figure 17, the display device 10 of this embodiment comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, and a control unit 400. The configuration of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, the decorative member 200, and the control unit 400 of this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1, so here we will describe the illumination unit 300 of this embodiment. As shown in Figures 17 to 19, the lighting unit 300 of this embodiment has four light sources 310 and a light guide unit 320.

[0048] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, each of the light sources 310 in this embodiment is provided on the -Z side of region 322a of the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320, which corresponds to the first non-display region 220. Furthermore, when viewed from the Z direction, the pair of light sources 310 are arranged symmetrically on the +Y side and -Y side with the first display region 210 in between. The light source light LS emitted from the light sources 310 is guided within the light guide unit 320 and emitted from the light guide unit 320 toward the first non-display region 220 as illumination light LE that illuminates the first non-display region 220. The other configurations of the light sources 310 in this embodiment are the same as those of the light sources 310 in Embodiment 1.

[0049] The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment guides the light source light LS, similar to the light guide unit 320 in Embodiment 1, and emits the guided light source light LS as illumination light LE toward the first non-display area 220. The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is a rectangular flat plate. The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is positioned on the display surface 100a side of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and covers the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100. In addition, the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached to the light guide surface 322, and the decorative member 200 is attached to the light emission surface 324.

[0050] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, an emission pattern 326 is formed in the region 322a of the light guide surface 322, which corresponds to the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200. In this embodiment, the emission pattern 326 is a shielding layer 326b that shields the light source LS. The shielding layer 326b is printed in a dot pattern on the region 322a of the light guide surface 322 using black ink. In the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment, the size of the dots increases as they move away from the light source 310. The size and spacing of the dots are adjusted to uniformly illuminate the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200. In Figure 19, the light source 310 is shown by a white dashed line.

[0051] In this embodiment as well, similar to Embodiment 1, the illumination unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back, so that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. As a result, the display device 10 can make the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 difficult to see without reducing the visibility of the display device 10.

[0052] <Embodiment 4> In Embodiments 1 to 3, the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 is uniformly illuminated by the illumination unit 300. The brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 may decrease as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220.

[0053] As shown in Figure 20, the display device 10 of this embodiment comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, and a control unit 400. The configuration of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the decorative member 200 of this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1, so here we will describe the illumination unit 300 and the control unit 400 of this embodiment.

[0054] The illumination unit 300 of this embodiment includes a light source 310 and a light guide unit 320. As shown in Figure 21, the light source 310 of this embodiment is a rectangular surface light source having an opening 316 in the center. In this embodiment, the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is fitted into the opening 316. The light source 310 of this embodiment emits uniform light source light LS from the light-emitting surface 318. The light source 310 of this embodiment is made of, for example, organic EL (Electro Luminescence).

[0055] The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment guides the light source light LS, similar to the light guide unit in Embodiment 1, and emits the guided light source light LS as illumination light LE toward the first non-display area 220. The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is a rectangular flat plate, similar to the light guide unit 320 in Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 20, the light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is positioned on the display surface 100a side of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, and covers the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the light source 310. The display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached to the light guide surface 322, and the decorative member 200 is attached to the light emission surface 324.

[0056] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 20, the emission pattern 326 is formed on the light emission surface 324. Specifically, as shown in Figure 22, the emission pattern 326 is formed in region 324a of the light emission surface 324 that corresponds to the first non-display region 220 of the decorative member 200. The emission pattern 326 in this embodiment is a shielding layer 326b that shields the light source light LS, similar to the emission pattern in Embodiment 3. The shielding layer 326b in this embodiment is printed in a dot pattern on region 324a of the light emission surface 324 using black ink. In the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment, the distribution density of the dots increases as you move away from the boundary between region 324a of the light emission surface 324 and region 324b of the light emission surface 324 that corresponds to the first display region 210 of the decorative member 200. The distribution and size of the dots are adjusted so that the amount of illumination light LE emitted into the first non-display area 220 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220. In other words, the distribution and size of the dots are adjusted so that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220.

[0057] The control unit 400 of this embodiment, like the control unit 400 of Embodiment 1, includes a storage unit 410, a display control unit 420, a backlight control unit 430, and an illumination control unit 440. Since the storage unit 410, display control unit 420, and backlight control unit 430 of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1, only the illumination control unit 440 will be described here.

[0058] In this embodiment, the lighting control unit 440 controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310 (the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220) based on the first current luminance data and the first grayscale luminance data stored in the storage unit 410. Specifically, the lighting control unit 440 in this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS to match the luminance of the first non-display area 220 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 to the luminance of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210.

[0059] As described above, the emission pattern 326 formed on the light guide 320 is designed to decrease the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220. Therefore, as shown in Figure 23, the brightness of the first non-display area 220 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, and decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1.

[0060] As described above, at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 and the brightness of the first non-display area 220 are the same. Therefore, in the display device 10 of this embodiment, the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 can be made less visible. In addition, the design of the display device 10 is improved. Furthermore, since the brightness of the first non-display area 220 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1, it gives the user a natural impression, and the design of the display device 10 is further improved.

[0061] <Embodiment 5> The display device 10 in Embodiments 1 to 4 includes one first liquid crystal display unit 100 as a display unit for displaying characters, images, etc. The display device 10 may include multiple display units.

[0062] As shown in Figure 24, the display device 10 of this embodiment comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, and a control unit 400. The display device 10 of this embodiment further comprises a second liquid crystal display unit 600. Since the first liquid crystal display unit 100 of this embodiment is the same as the first liquid crystal display unit 100 of Embodiment 1, the second liquid crystal display unit 600, decorative member 200, illumination unit 300, and control unit 400 of this embodiment will be described.

[0063] The second liquid crystal display unit 600, like the first liquid crystal display unit 100, is a transmissive liquid crystal display device that displays characters or images, and is attached to the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320. The second liquid crystal display unit 600 is arranged alongside the first liquid crystal display unit 100 with a gap between them. The second liquid crystal display unit 600 has a second liquid crystal display panel 610 and a second backlight 620.

[0064] The second liquid crystal display panel 610 of the second liquid crystal display unit 600 is, for example, a transverse electric field type liquid crystal display panel actively driven by a TFT. As shown in Figure 25, the second liquid crystal display panel 610 has a displayable area 614 in which pixels 612 are arranged in a matrix, and a frame area 616 surrounding the displayable area 614 where wiring, drive circuits, etc. are arranged. The displayable area 614 is an area where characters, images, etc. can be displayed, similar to the displayable area 114. The frame area 616 is an area where characters, images, etc. cannot be displayed, similar to the frame area 116. In this embodiment, the displayable area 614 corresponds to the second display area 230 of the decorative member 200, as shown in Figure 24.

[0065] The second backlight 620 of the second liquid crystal display unit 600 is located on the back side of the second liquid crystal display panel 610, as shown in Figure 24. The second backlight 620 is, for example, a direct-lit backlight. The second backlight 620, like the first backlight 120, includes white LED elements, a reflective sheet, a diffusion sheet, a lighting circuit, etc. (none of which are shown).

[0066] In this embodiment, the decorative member 200 is positioned on the display surfaces 100a and 600a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the second liquid crystal display unit 600. Similar to the decorative member 200 in Embodiment 1, the decorative member 200 in this embodiment is attached to the light-emitting surface 324 of the light guide unit 320.

[0067] As shown in Figure 26, the decorative member 200 of this embodiment has a first display area 210, a first non-display area 220, a second display area 230, and a second non-display area 240. The first display area 210 of this embodiment corresponds to the displayable area 114 of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, similar to the first display area 210 of Embodiment 1, and the display of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is displayed through it. The first non-display area 220 is located outside the first display area 210 and is adjacent to the first display area 210 and the second non-display area 240. The first non-display area 220 is an area where the displays of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the second liquid crystal display unit 600 are not displayed.

[0068] The second display area 230 corresponds to the displayable area 614 of the second liquid crystal display unit 600, and the display of the second liquid crystal display unit 600 is shown through it. The second non-display area 240 is located outside the second display area 230 and is adjacent to the second display area 230 and the first non-display area 220. The second non-display area 240 includes an area 241 that corresponds to the bezel area 616 of the second liquid crystal display panel 610, and is an area where the displays of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the second liquid crystal display unit 600 are not displayed. The other configurations of the decorative member 200 in this embodiment are the same as those of the decorative member 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0069] The lighting unit 300 of this embodiment illuminates the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 of the decorative member 200 from the back (-Z side). The lighting unit 300 of this embodiment has a plurality of light sources 310 and a light guide unit 320.

[0070] As shown in Figure 27, each of the light sources 310 in this embodiment is provided on the -Z side of region 322a of the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320 corresponding to the first non-display area 220, and on the -Z side of region 322c of the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320 corresponding to the second non-display area 240. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 26, the light sources 310 in this embodiment are arranged to surround the first display area 210 and the second display area 230, respectively. The light source light LS emitted from the light source 310 is guided within the light guide unit 320 and emitted from the light guide unit 320 toward the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 as illumination light LE that illuminates the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240. The other configurations of the light source 310 in this embodiment are the same as those of the light source 310 in Embodiment 1.

[0071] The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment guides the light source light LS and emits the guided light source light LS as illumination light LE toward the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240. The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is a rectangular flat plate, similar to the light guide unit 320 in Embodiment 3. The light guide unit 320 in this embodiment is positioned on the display surfaces 100a and 600a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the second liquid crystal display unit 600. Furthermore, the light guide unit 320 in this embodiment covers the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the display surface 600a of the second liquid crystal display unit 600. In addition, the display surface 100a of the first liquid crystal display unit 100 and the display surface 600a of the second liquid crystal display unit 600 are attached to the light guide surface 322, and the decorative member 200 is attached to the light emission surface 324.

[0072] In this embodiment, the emission pattern 326 is formed in a region 324a corresponding to the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 on the light emission surface 324, and a region 324c corresponding to the second non-display area 240 of the decorative member 200 on the light emission surface 324, as shown in Figure 27. The emission pattern 326 in this embodiment is a shielding layer 326b that shields the light source light LS, similar to the emission pattern in Embodiment 3. The shielding layer 326b in this embodiment is printed in a dot pattern using black ink.

[0073] In region 324a of the light-emitting surface 324, the distribution and size of the dots in the shielding layer 326b are adjusted so that the amount of illumination light LE emitted into the first non-display area 220 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220. Similarly, in region 324c of the light-emitting surface 324, the distribution and size of the dots in the shielding layer 326b are adjusted so that the amount of illumination light LE emitted into the second non-display area 240 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240. In other words, the distribution and size of the dots in the shielding layer 326b are adjusted so that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240 of the decorative member 200 decreases as you move away from the boundary BL2.

[0074] Furthermore, the emission pattern 326 is not formed in the region 324b of the light-emitting surface 324 corresponding to the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200, and in the region 324d of the light-emitting surface 324 corresponding to the second display area 230 of the decorative member 200. Therefore, the illumination light LE is hardly emitted to the first display area 210 and the second display area 230 of the decorative member 200.

[0075] The control unit 400 in this embodiment controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 according to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210, similar to Embodiment 1. The control unit 400 in this embodiment also controls the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the illumination unit 300 to the second non-display area 240 according to the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230. Here, the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 is the portion of the first display area 210 where black is displayed, similar to Embodiment 1. The second black display area 232 of the second display area 230 is the portion of the second display area 230 where black is displayed, as shown in Figure 28. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 is higher than that of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230. In Figure 28, the first black display area 212 and the second black display area 232 are shown with hatching for easier understanding.

[0076] Furthermore, the control unit 400 of this embodiment controls the display of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the second liquid crystal display panel 610, and the brightness of the first backlight 120 and the second backlight 620. Similar to the control unit 400 of Embodiment 1, the control unit 400 of this embodiment includes a storage unit 410, a display control unit 420, a backlight control unit 430, and an illumination control unit 440.

[0077] The storage unit 410 of this embodiment stores first grayscale brightness data, second grayscale brightness data, first current brightness data, and second current brightness data. The first grayscale brightness data represents the relationship between the grayscale of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the brightness of the first display area 210, similar to Embodiment 1. The second grayscale brightness data represents the relationship between the grayscale of the second liquid crystal display panel 610 and the brightness of the second display area 230. The first current brightness data represents the relationship between the current flowing through each of the light sources 310 and the brightness of the first non-display area 220. The second current brightness data represents the relationship between the current flowing through each of the light sources 310 and the brightness of the second non-display area 240.

[0078] In this embodiment, the display control unit 420 converts externally input image data into image data having brightness-gradation characteristics suitable for display on the first liquid crystal display panel 110, based on first-grade brightness data. Furthermore, the display control unit 420 converts externally input image data into image data having brightness-gradation characteristics suitable for display on the second liquid crystal display panel 610, based on second-grade brightness data. The display control unit 420 transmits image signals representing the generated image data to the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the second liquid crystal display panel 610.

[0079] In this embodiment, the backlight control unit 430 controls the brightness of the first backlight 120 based on externally input image data and first-level brightness data. The backlight control unit 430 also controls the brightness of the second backlight 620 based on externally input image data and second-level brightness data. The backlight control unit 430 transmits a backlight control signal representing the brightness of the first backlight 120 and a backlight control signal representing the brightness of the second backlight 620 to the first backlight 120 and the second backlight 620, respectively.

[0080] In this embodiment, the lighting control unit 440 controls the amount of light emitted from each of the light sources 310, thereby controlling the amount of illumination light LE emitted from the lighting unit 300 to the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240. In this embodiment, the lighting control unit 440 controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS located in region 322a of the light guide surface 322, excluding the light source 310 (hereinafter referred to as light source 310a) located in the region between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230 in a plan view, based on the first current luminance data and the first grayscale luminance data. Specifically, the lighting control unit 440 in this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS located in region 322a of the light guide surface 322, excluding light source 310a, to an amount that matches the luminance of the first non-display area 220 to the luminance of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220.

[0081] Furthermore, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310 located in the region 322c of the light guide surface 322 excluding the light source 310a, based on the second current luminance data and the second grayscale luminance data, to an amount of light that matches the luminance of the second non-display region 240 to the luminance of the second black display region 232 of the second display region 230 at the boundary BL2 between the second display region 230 and the second non-display region 240. The region 322a of the light guide surface 322 corresponds to the first non-display region 220 of the decorative member 200, and the region 322c of the light guide surface 322 corresponds to the second non-display region 240 of the decorative member 200.

[0082] Furthermore, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS located in the area between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230, based on the first current luminance data and the first grayscale luminance data, and the second current luminance data and the second grayscale luminance data. Specifically, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310a to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210, to match the brightness of the second non-display area 240 at the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240 to the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230, and to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 at the boundary BL3 between the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240.

[0083] As described above, the emission pattern 326 formed on the light guide 320 is configured such that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240 of the decorative member 200 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2. Therefore, as shown in Figure 29, the brightness of the first non-display area 220 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, and decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1. Similarly, the brightness of the second non-display area 240 matches the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230 at the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240, and decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2. Furthermore, at the boundary BL3 between the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240, the brightness of the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 are the same.

[0084] As described above, at the boundary BL3 between the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240, the brightness of the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 are the same, so the display device 10 of this embodiment can make the boundary BL3 between the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 difficult to see. Also, at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 are the same, so the display device 10 can make the boundary BL1 difficult to see. At the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240, the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240 are the same, so the display device 10 can make the boundary BL1 difficult to see. Furthermore, since the brightness of the first non-display area 220 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2, it gives the user a natural impression and further improves the design of the display device 10.

[0085] <Embodiment 6> In Embodiment 5, the brightness of the first non-display area 220 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2. In the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the third non-display area 250) located between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230, the brightness may decrease as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220.

[0086] The display device 10 of this embodiment, like the display device 10 of Embodiment 5, comprises a first liquid crystal display unit 100, a decorative member 200, an illumination unit 300, a control unit 400, and a second liquid crystal display unit 600. Since the configuration of the first liquid crystal display unit 100, the decorative member 200, and the second liquid crystal display unit 600 of this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 5, the illumination unit 300 and the control unit 400 of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment as well, it is assumed that the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 is higher than that of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230.

[0087] The lighting unit 300 of this embodiment, like the lighting unit 300 of Embodiment 5, has a plurality of light sources 310, 310a and a light guide unit 320. Since the configuration of the light sources 310, 310a of this embodiment is the same as that of the light sources 310, 310a of Embodiment 5, the light guide unit 320 of this embodiment will be described.

[0088] In this embodiment, the emission pattern 326 formed on the light guide 320 is formed on the light emission surface 324, as shown in Figure 30. In the region 324e corresponding to the third non-display region 250 in this embodiment, the emission pattern 326 is formed such that the amount of illumination light LE emitted to the third non-display region 250 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display region 210 and the first non-display region 220. That is, the brightness of the third non-display region 250 of the decorative member 200 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display region 210 and the first non-display region 220.

[0089] Furthermore, in region 324a, excluding region 324e, which corresponds to the first non-display region 220 of the light-emitting surface 324, the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is formed, similar to Embodiment 5, such that the amount of illumination light LE emitted to the first non-display region 220 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1 between the first display region 210 and the first non-display region 220. In region 324c, excluding region 324e, which corresponds to the second non-display region 240 of the light-emitting surface 324, the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is formed, similar to Embodiment 5, such that the amount of illumination light LE emitted to the second non-display region 240 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2 between the second display region 230 and the second non-display region 240. In other words, the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is formed such that the first non-display area 220, excluding the third non-display area 250, becomes smaller as it moves away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240, excluding the third non-display area 250, becomes smaller as it moves away from the boundary BL2. The other configurations of the light guide unit 320 in this embodiment are the same as those of the light guide unit 320 in Embodiment 5.

[0090] The control unit 400 of this embodiment, like the control unit 400 of Embodiment 5, includes a storage unit 410, a display control unit 420, a backlight control unit 430, and an illumination control unit 440. Since the storage unit 410, display control unit 420, and backlight control unit 430 of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 5, the illumination control unit 440 of this embodiment will be described.

[0091] The lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment, similar to the lighting control unit 440 of Embodiment 5, controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310 located in the region 322a of the light guide surface 322 excluding the light source 310a, at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210. The lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment, similar to the lighting control unit 440 of Embodiment 5, controls the amount of light emitted from the light source 310 located in the region 322c of the light guide surface 322 excluding the light source 310a, at the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240, to match the brightness of the second non-display area 240 to the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230.

[0092] Furthermore, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS from the light source 310a located in the area between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230 (the area corresponding to the third non-display area 250). Specifically, the lighting control unit 440 of this embodiment controls the amount of light emitted from the light source LS from the light source 310a to match the brightness of the first non-display area 220 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 to the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210, and to match the brightness of the second non-display area 240 at the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240 to the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230.

[0093] As described above, the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is formed such that the brightness of the first non-display area 220, excluding the third non-display area 250, decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1, and the brightness of the second non-display area 240, excluding the third non-display area 250, decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2. Therefore, as shown in Figure 31, the brightness of the first non-display area 220, excluding the third non-display area 250, matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 at the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220, and decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1. Also, the brightness of the second non-display area 240, excluding the third non-display area 250, matches the brightness of the second black display area 232 of the second display area 230 at the boundary BL2 between the second display area 230 and the second non-display area 240, and decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL2.

[0094] Furthermore, the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is formed such that the brightness of the third non-display area 250 decreases as it moves away from the boundary BL1. Therefore, as shown in Figure 31, the brightness of the third non-display area 250 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 at boundary BL1, decreases as it moves away from boundary BL1, and matches the brightness of the second black display area 232 at boundary BL2.

[0095] As described above, the brightness of the third non-display area 250 (the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 located between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230) matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 at boundary BL1, decreases as it moves away from boundary BL1, and matches the brightness of the second black display area 232 at boundary BL2. Therefore, the display device 10 of this embodiment makes it difficult to see the boundary BL1 and boundary BL2 between the first display area 210 and the second display area 230.

[0096] <Embodiment 7> In Embodiments 1 and 2, the light source 310 is located on the side surface of the light guide 320. When the light source 310 is located on the side surface of the light guide 320, the display device 10 may be provided with a pair of polarizing plates 702 and 704 on the light guide surface 322 of the light guide 320. The other configurations of the display device 10 in this embodiment are the same as those of the display device 10 in Embodiment 1.

[0097] (First LCD display panel) Here, we will first describe in more detail the first liquid crystal display panel 110 of the first liquid crystal display unit 100. The first liquid crystal display panel 110 is a transverse electric field type liquid crystal display panel actively driven by a TFT. As shown in Figure 32, the first liquid crystal display panel 110 comprises a TFT substrate 712, a color filter substrate 714, a first polarizing plate 716, a second polarizing plate 718, and liquid crystal (not shown). The TFT substrate 712 and the color filter substrate 714 sandwich the liquid crystal. The first polarizing plate 716 is attached to the TFT substrate 712. The second polarizing plate 718 is attached to the color filter substrate 714. Note that hatching has been omitted in Figure 32 for ease of understanding.

[0098] The TFT substrate 712 is, for example, a glass substrate. The TFT substrate 712 has TFTs, wiring, electrodes, alignment films, etc. (none of which are shown) on the surface that holds the liquid crystal. The first polarizing plate 716 is attached to the surface of the TFT substrate 712 opposite to the surface that holds the liquid crystal.

[0099] The color filter substrate 714 is, for example, a glass substrate. The color filter substrate 714 has a striped color filter, an alignment film, etc. (not shown) on the surface that sandwiches the liquid crystal. A second polarizing plate 718 is attached to the surface of the color filter substrate 714 opposite to the surface that sandwiches the liquid crystal. The color filter substrate 714 and the TFT substrate 712 are bonded together with a sealing material (not shown).

[0100] The first polarizer 716 and the second polarizer 718 are arranged in crossed nicols, and the transmission axis of the first polarizer 716 and the transmission axis of the second polarizer 718 are orthogonal.

[0101] (A pair of polarizing plates) As shown in Figure 32, a pair of polarizing plates 702 and 704 are provided in the area 724 on the light guide surface 322 where the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not attached (the peripheral area 722 where the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached). The pair of polarizing plates 702 and 704 are located on the -Z side of the emission pattern 326 (diffuse reflection layer 326a) formed on the light guide surface 322 and overlap the emission pattern 326. In this embodiment, polarizing plate 702 is attached to area 724.

[0102] Polarizers 702 and 704 are arranged in crossed nicol configuration, with the transmission axis of polarizer 702 and the transmission axis of polarizer 704 being orthogonal. It is preferable that polarizer 702, located on the light guide surface 322 side, and the second polarizer 718, located on the light guide surface 322 side of the first liquid crystal display panel 110, are of the same type. It is also preferable that polarizer 704 and the first polarizer 716 of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 are of the same type.

[0103] In the display device 10 of this embodiment, the polarizing plate 702 is provided in the area 724 of the light guide surface 322 where the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not attached. Therefore, when viewed from the user side (+Z side), the light guide unit 320 and the polarizing plate (polarizing plate 702 or second polarizing plate 718) are arranged sequentially on the -Z side of the decorative member 200, regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200. As a result, the reflectance of ambient light on the display device 10 is approximately the same regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200, and therefore the reflected color of the display device 10 is also approximately the same regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200.

[0104] Therefore, when the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not displaying characters, images, etc., the display device 10 can make it difficult for the user to see the boundary DL1 between the area 722 on the light guide surface 322 to which the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached and the area 724 to which the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not attached. Furthermore, since the polarizing plate 704 is arranged in cross nicols relative to the polarizing plate 702, the display device 10 can sufficiently block ambient light, making it difficult for the user to see the boundary DL1.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment as well, similar to Embodiment 1, the illumination unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back, so that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. Therefore, the display device 10 of this embodiment makes it difficult to see the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220.

[0106] <Embodiment 8> In embodiments 3 to 6, the light source 310 is provided on the -Z side of the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320. Even when the light source 310 is positioned on the -Z side of the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320, the display device 10 may also be provided with a pair of polarizing plates 702 and 704 on the light guide surface 322 of the light guide unit 320. In this case, the emission pattern 326 is formed on the polarizing plate 704. That is, a pair of polarizing plates 702 and 704 are provided between the light guide unit 320 and the emission pattern 326. The other configurations of the display device 10 in this embodiment are the same as those of the display device 10 in embodiment 2. The first liquid crystal display panel 110, as in embodiment 7, includes a TFT substrate 712, a color filter substrate 714, a first polarizing plate 716, a second polarizing plate 718, and liquid crystal.

[0107] As shown in Figure 33, a pair of polarizers 702 and 704 are provided in the area 724 of the light guide surface 322 where the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not attached, similar to Embodiment 7. Polarizers 702 and 704 are arranged in a crossed nicol configuration, similar to Embodiment 7. In this embodiment as well, it is preferable that polarizer 702 and the second polarizer 718 are of the same type. It is also preferable that polarizer 704 and the first polarizer 716 are of the same type. Note that hatching has been omitted in Figure 33 for ease of understanding.

[0108] The emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is provided on the polarizing plate 704 located on the -Z side, and the configuration of the emission pattern 326 of this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the emission pattern 326 of Embodiment 2. The light source 310 of this embodiment is located on the -Z side of the emission pattern 326.

[0109] In this embodiment as well, when viewed from the user side (+Z side), the light guide 320 and the polarizing plate (polarizing plate 702 or second polarizing plate 718) are arranged sequentially on the -Z side of the decorative member 200, regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200. As a result, the reflectance of ambient light on the display device 10 is approximately the same regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200, and therefore the reflected color of the display device 10 is also approximately the same regardless of the position on the surface of the decorative member 200.

[0110] Therefore, when the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not displaying characters, images, etc., the display device 10 can make it difficult to see the boundary DL1 between the area 722 on the light guide surface 322 to which the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is attached and the area 724 to which the first liquid crystal display unit 100 is not attached. Furthermore, since the polarizing plates 704 and 702 are arranged in crossed nicols, the display device 10 can sufficiently block ambient light, making it difficult for the user to see the boundary DL1. In addition, since the polarizing plates 704 and 702 are arranged in crossed nicols, the display device 10 can make it difficult for the user to see the light source 310 and the emission pattern 326.

[0111] In this embodiment as well, similar to Embodiment 2, the illumination unit 300 illuminates the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 from the back, so that the brightness of the first non-display area 220 of the decorative member 200 matches the brightness of the first black display area 212 of the first display area 210 of the decorative member 200. Therefore, the display device 10 can make the boundary BL1 between the first display area 210 and the first non-display area 220 difficult to see.

[0112] <Variation> While embodiments have been described above, this disclosure can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence.

[0113] For example, the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the second liquid crystal display panel 610 are not limited to lateral field type liquid crystal display panels. The type of the first liquid crystal display panel 110 and the second liquid crystal display panel 610 may be VA (Vertical Alignment) mode, TN (Twisted Nematic) mode, or the like.

[0114] The light source component 311 of the light source 310 is not limited to a white LED element. The light source component 311 may be a 3-in-1 type LED element that independently emits red light, green light, and blue light. Furthermore, the light source 310 of Embodiment 4 is not limited to an organic EL.

[0115] The emission pattern 326 formed on the light guide portion 320 is not limited to the diffuse reflection layer 326a and the shielding layer 326b. The emission pattern 326 may be, for example, a prism surface formed on the light guide surface 322 or the light emission surface 324. Alternatively, the emission pattern 326 may be formed on both the light guide surface 322 and the light emission surface 324.

[0116] In Embodiment 2, the control unit 400 controls the brightness of the first backlight 120 and the amount of illumination light LE (amount of light source light LS) emitted to the first non-display area 220 based on the brightness of the ambient light. The control unit 400 may also control the brightness of the first backlight 120 and the amount of illumination light LE emitted to the first non-display area 220 based on at least one of the brightness and color temperature of the ambient light detected by the detection unit 500.

[0117] Furthermore, in the display device 10 of Embodiments 3 to 8, the control unit 400 may control the brightness of the first backlight 120 and the amount of illumination light LE emitted to the first non-display area 220 or the first non-display area 220 and the second non-display area 240 based on at least one of the brightness and color temperature of the ambient light detected by the detection unit 500. It is preferable that the detection unit 500 is black except for the light-receiving surface that receives ambient light. This makes it difficult for the user to see the detection unit 500.

[0118] In the display device 10 of Embodiment 7, as shown in Figure 34, the light-shielding plate 732 may be provided on the -Z side of the polarizing plate 704. This allows the display device 10 to further block ambient light, making the boundary DL1 even more difficult for the user to see. Since the polarizing plates 702 and 704 are arranged in crossed nicols, ambient light reflected by the light-shielding plate 732 is blocked by the polarizing plates 702 and 704, making the boundary DL1 more difficult for the user to see. The light-shielding plate 732 is, for example, a flat plate formed from black resin.

[0119] In the display device 10 of Embodiment 7, as shown in Figure 35, a light-shielding plate 732 may be provided on the -Z side of the light source 310. This allows the display device 10 to further block ambient light, making the boundary DL1 even less visible to the user.

[0120] While preferred embodiments have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments, and includes the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0121] 10 Display device, 100 First liquid crystal display unit, 100a Display surface, 110 First liquid crystal display panel, 112 Pixel, 114 Displayable area, 116 Frame area, 120 First backlight, 200 Decorative material, 202 Light-transmitting layer, 204 Diffusing layer, 206 Decorative layer, 210 First display area, 212 First black display area, 220 First non-display area, 221 Area, 230 Second display area, 232 Second black display area, 240 Second non-display area, 241 Area, 250 Third non-display area, 300 Illumination unit, 310, 310a Light source, 311 Light source component, 311a Emitting surface, 312 Brightness adjustment component, 313 Brightness distribution adjustment component, 314 Circuit board, 316 Aperture, 318 Light-emitting surface, 320 Light guide unit, 322 Light guide surface, 322a-322c region, 324 Light emission surface, 324a-324e region, 326 Emission pattern, 326a Irradiation layer, 326b Shielding layer, 400 Control unit, 410 Memory unit, 420 Display control unit, 430 Backlight control unit, 440 Illumination control unit, 500 Detection unit, 502 Light-transmitting unit, 600 Second liquid crystal display unit, 600a Display surface, 610 Second liquid crystal display panel, 612 Pixel, 614 Displayable area, 616 Frame area, 620 Second backlight, 702,704 Polarizing plate, 712 TFT substrate, 714 Color filter substrate, 716 First polarizing plate, 718 Second polarizing plate, 722,724 Region, 732 Light shielding plate, BL1,BL2,BL3,DL1 boundary, LS Light source light, LE illumination light

Claims

1. First liquid crystal display unit, A decorative member having a first display area on the display surface side of the first liquid crystal display unit, through which the display of the first liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a first non-display area adjacent to the first display area, The illumination unit illuminates the first non-display area from the back, The system includes a control unit that controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area, The illumination unit comprises a light source and a light guide unit that guides the light emitted from the light source and is arranged across the first display area and the first non-display area. The control unit controls the amount of illumination light to such an amount that the brightness of the first black display area corresponding to the black display portion of the first liquid crystal display unit within the first display area matches the brightness of the first non-display area at the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area. Display device.

2. The light guide unit is positioned between the first liquid crystal display unit and the decorative member. The display device according to claim 1.

3. The light guide unit reduces the amount of illumination light emitted into the first non-display area as it moves away from the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area. The display device according to claim 1.

4. Equipped with a detection unit that detects ambient light, The control unit controls the amount of illumination light according to at least one of the brightness and color temperature of the ambient light detected by the detection unit. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. It comprises a second liquid crystal display unit arranged alongside the first liquid crystal display unit, The decorative member has a second display area through which the display of the second liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a second non-display area adjacent to the first non-display area and the second display area. The illumination unit illuminates the first non-display area and the second non-display area from the rear, and the light guide unit is arranged across the second display area and the second non-display area. The light guide unit reduces the amount of illumination light emitted into the first non-display area as it moves away from the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area, and reduces the amount of illumination light emitted into the second non-display area as it moves away from the boundary between the second display area and the second non-display area. The control unit controls the amount of illumination light to such an amount that the brightness of the first black display area corresponding to the black display portion of the first liquid crystal display in the first display area matches the brightness of the first non-display area at the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area, and controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the second non-display area according to the brightness of the second black display area corresponding to the black display portion of the second liquid crystal display in the second display area, thereby matching the brightness of the first non-display area and the second non-display area at the boundary between the first non-display area and the second non-display area located between the first display area and the second display area. The display device according to claim 1.

6. First liquid crystal display unit, A second liquid crystal display unit is arranged alongside the first liquid crystal display unit, A decorative member having a first display area on the display surface side of the first liquid crystal display unit, through which the display of the first liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a first non-display area adjacent to the first display area, The illumination unit illuminates the first non-display area from the back, The system includes a control unit that controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area according to the brightness of the first black display area corresponding to the black display area of ​​the first liquid crystal display unit within the first display area, The decorative member has a second display area through which the display of the second liquid crystal display unit is displayed, and a second non-display area adjacent to the first non-display area and the second display area. The brightness of the second black display area, which corresponds to the black display portion of the second liquid crystal display unit within the second display area, is less than the brightness of the first black display area. The illumination unit illuminates the first non-display area and the second non-display area from the back, and includes a light source and a light guide unit that guides the light emitted from the light source and emits the guided light towards the first non-display area and the second non-display area as illumination light. The light guide unit reduces the amount of illumination light emitted to the first non-display area and the second non-display area as it moves away from the boundary between the first display area and the first non-display area, in the first non-display area and the second non-display area located between the first display area and the second display area. The control unit controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area according to the brightness of the first black display area, and controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the second non-display area according to the brightness of the second black display area, thereby matching the brightness of the second non-display area and the second black display area at the boundary between the second display area and the second non-display area located between the first display area and the second display area. Display device.

7. Equipped with a detection unit that detects ambient light, The control unit controls the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the first non-display area and the amount of illumination light emitted from the illumination unit to the second non-display area, according to at least one of the brightness and color temperature of the ambient light detected by the detection unit. The display device according to claim 5 or 6.

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