Vehicle display device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle-purpose display device that reduces the number of wiring connections.SOLUTION: A vehicle-purpose display device comprises: a plurality of display lamps 6 that expresses vehicle information by turning on or off a light source 26; a shift register 21 that inputs a signal by serial communication, and drives to control the display lamp 6 corresponding to the signal; a display instrument 1 that displays by an image; a plot computation circuit 22 that generates the image; and a power source circuit 2b that generates a driving voltage to the display instrument 1 or plot computation circuit 22. The shift register 21 is connected to an enable terminal of the power source circuit 2b, and when a start-up command is included in the signal, outputs an actuation signal enabling an operation start of the power source 2b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle display device that outputs vehicle information, and is suitable for, for example, a vehicle instrument mounted on an instrument panel and displaying vehicle information in an image.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a vehicle display device (instrument device), there has been, for example, one as shown in Patent Document 1. That is, it is an instrument device in which a control unit provided in the instrument device communicates with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) outside the instrument device via a CAN (Controller Area Network) transceiver IC.

[0003] Also, according to the specifications of CAN communication, when communicating, it is necessary for the control unit or the transmission / reception unit to be activated. However, since power consumption increases when maintaining the activated state for a long time, it has a configuration for switching between the activated state and the standby state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in these configurations, since it is necessary to provide a dedicated communication circuit for transitioning from the standby state to the activated state, it becomes a factor that increases the number of wiring connections between the vehicle side and the vehicle display device.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle display device with a reduced number of wiring connections, paying attention to the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The vehicle display device of the present invention is Multiple indicator lights that display vehicle information by turning on or off the light source, A shift register that receives a signal via serial communication and drives and controls the indicator light corresponding to this signal, A display unit that shows images, A drawing calculation circuit that generates the aforementioned image, A power supply circuit that generates a drive voltage to the display or the drawing calculation circuit, Equipped with, The shift register is connected to the enable terminal of the power supply circuit and the signal The power supply circuit If a start command is included, a drive signal is output to start the power supply circuit.

[0008] Furthermore, the shift register drives and controls the indicator lights based on the signal, regardless of the operating state of the drawing calculation circuit.

[0009] Furthermore, the system includes a constant power supply circuit that generates and supplies a drive voltage to the shift register. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, a vehicle display device is provided that reduces the number of wiring connections. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the vehicle-mounted state of the vehicle display device in this embodiment. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of the main components of a vehicle display device. [Figure 3] Block diagram of the main parts in the above embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described, with reference to the attached drawings, using an example of its application to a vehicle display device mounted on an automobile.

[0013] Figure 1 shows the vehicle display device A installed in a car (vehicle) B. The vehicle display device A is installed facing the driver's seat so that the display can be seen by the vehicle user even while driving. In this case, the vehicle display device A is installed on the instrument panel C in a position facing the driver's seat of the vehicle, and the vehicle user seated in the driver's seat can check the display output by the vehicle display device A over the steering wheel D. The vehicle display device A can also output vehicle information, route guidance, sound-related information, etc. In addition, the vehicle user can operate the display (screen switching) and various settings by operating the switch D1 located on the steering wheel D according to the content displayed by the vehicle display device A.

[0014] Figure 2 shows the main components of this embodiment housed within the casing of the vehicle display device A, and comprises a display unit 1, a circuit board 2, a holding member 3, a first case 4, and a second case 5, which are installed in the opening of the instrument panel C.

[0015] The display unit 1 can display vehicle information such as driving speed and total mileage as numerical values ​​or character images, and output them through the window portion 41 of the first case 4. The display unit 1 has a liquid crystal display element composed of liquid crystal sealed between a pair of glass substrates having transparent electrodes, and polarizing films provided on the front and rear sides, and driving power is supplied through the transparent electrodes. The display unit 1 is also equipped with a backlight (not shown) that can transmit light through the liquid crystal display element so that it can be seen by the user even in dark environments such as at night. An indicator light 6 is provided next to the display unit 1.

[0016] The circuit board 2 is formed by forming an insulating layer pattern such as a wiring pattern of copper foil and a resist on a board material such as a glass epoxy resin, inputs a signal from outside the vehicle display device A, and has a shift register 21, a drawing arithmetic circuit (graphics controller) 22, and various electronic components mounted thereon for driving a light source or the like. The circuit board 2 is configured to be able to transmit information (vehicle information) from an in-vehicle ECU (electronic control unit) to the shift register 21 and the drawing arithmetic circuit 22 as a communication signal via a connector 23 and a communication cable 24.

[0017] Further, the circuit board 2 mounts a sound emitting part 25 such as a buzzer or a speaker for giving a warning or the like, and a light source (light emitting diode) 26 for the indicator lamp 6. The sound emitting part 25 is driven based on a control signal from the control part, and can notify a vehicle user of, for example, an unfastened seat belt state or a door open state by a blowing sound or voice in a predetermined pattern.

[0018] The holding member 3 is formed using a synthetic resin material, is interposed between the display 1 and the circuit board 2, and acts as a spacer for holding the display 1 and the circuit board 2 at a predetermined interval. The holding member 3 is positioned and held with respect to the circuit board 2 by protrusions, screw holes, hooks, etc. not shown. Further, in the holding member 3, an illumination chamber for the indicator lamp 6 is partitioned and formed by a wall portion 31 surrounding the light source 26.

[0019] <000009​​​A portion of the inner surface of the window section 41 has a print 41a formed therein, which includes a light-shielding layer in the shape of a vehicle information symbol mark for the indicator light 6. When the light source 26 is off, it appears black, and when the light source 26 is on, the symbol mark is displayed as if it is floating due to transmitted illumination based on the light color of the light source 26, informing the user of the status. Depending on the shape of the print 41a, the indicator light 6 displays various warnings and indicators, such as an arrow mark indicating the operation status of the turn signal or an ABS (anti-lock braking system) status.

[0021] The second case 5 is made of a light-shielding synthetic resin material and, as shown in Figure 2, has a hole 51 through which a cable 24 connected to the circuit board 2 is inserted. By fitting and holding it in place with screws (not shown) attached to the first case 4, a space for housing the display unit 1 and the circuit board 2 can be obtained.

[0022] Furthermore, the second case 5 has a slit 52 formed in a location opposite the sound-producing unit 25. Some of the sound emitted by the sound-producing unit 25 reaches the user from within the first and second cases 4 and 5, passing through the display unit 1, etc., while the majority of the sound passes through the second case 5 and the slit 52, and is transmitted to the user through the instrument panel C, such as the back of the vehicle display device A.

[0023] Next, the various components of the vehicle display device A according to this embodiment will be described using Figure 3.

[0024] The vehicle display device A includes a shift register 21, a drawing calculation circuit 22, a display unit 1, a sound generation unit 25, a light source 26, a constant power supply circuit 2a, and a power supply circuit 2b, all mounted on a circuit board 2.

[0025] The shift register 21 is configured to receive signals (pattern signals) as vehicle information via serial communication, connected via a communication line to an in-vehicle ECU (electronic control unit) outside the vehicle display device A. The shift register 21 can also output a drive signal that selectively drives either the electronic component corresponding to the input signal, in this case the light source 26, or the power supply circuit 2b. If the input signal is for the light source 26, the light source 26 can be switched on or off; if it is for the power supply circuit 2b, the power supply circuit 2b can be switched on or off via its enable terminal.

[0026] The shift register 21 is equipped with a power input port, an enable port, a data input port, a clock input port, and multiple output ports. The shift register 21 takes in the pattern signal input to the data input port in time with the clock signal input to the clock input port, sets individual drive signals for each of the multiple output ports according to the acquired pattern signal, and outputs the drive signals to the light source 26 and power supply circuit 2b connected to the output ports.

[0027] The drawing calculation circuit 22 can be fitted with a graphics controller, in which case it receives image data transmitted via a serializer mounted on an in-vehicle ECU (not shown) outside the vehicle display device A and a deserializer of the vehicle display device A, performs drawing calculations based on this data, and generates a drive signal to output an image to the display 1. In addition, as an additional function of the drawing calculation circuit 22, it is configured to drive the sound generation unit 25 by receiving a drive signal for the sound generation unit 25 from the ECU.

[0028] Furthermore, the drawing calculation circuit 22 can also be configured to generate a drive signal (image data) for driving the display unit 1 by using drawing data such as fonts and icons stored in advance on a storage medium, and performing processing such as selection, processing, and synthesis based on control signals from the in-vehicle ECU or the microcomputer implemented in the vehicle display device A, thereby driving the display unit 1.

[0029] As described above, the display unit 1 can be an image display device using a liquid crystal display element, and generates and displays an image based on the drive signal from the drawing calculation circuit 22. Note that other forms of display units, such as an image display device using an organic EL element, can also be selected for the display unit 1.

[0030] As described above, the sound-generating unit 25 can be fitted with a speaker or buzzer to output alarm sounds or sound effects, and operates based on a drive signal from the drawing calculation circuit 22. The sound-generating unit 25 can output predetermined pattern sounds or voices corresponding to the content displayed by the display unit 1 at timings that match the display. The sound-generating unit 25 can also be driven by inputting a drive signal from the ECU without going through the drawing calculation circuit 22. In this case, it is necessary to provide separate communication wiring to connect to the vehicle display device A, so driving the sound-generating unit 25 via the drawing calculation circuit 22 as described above reduces the number of wires and simplifies the connector 23.

[0031] The light source 26 can switch the indicator light 6 on or off by switching it on or off, and multiple light sources 26 are mounted on the circuit board 2. The light source 26 is operated by the drive signal of the shift register 21.

[0032] The constant power supply circuit 2a receives power supplied from the battery power supply installed in automobile B, steps it down to the drive voltage used by the shift register 21 and other electronic components, and supplies it as drive power to the shift register 21 and other components. In this case, the battery power, which fluctuates at approximately 12V, is stepped down to a constant voltage of 5V and connected to supply power to the shift register 21 and power supply circuit 2b. The constant power supply circuit 2a is always running when connected to the battery power supply, regardless of whether the display unit 1, etc., is operating or stopped. That is, even when automobile B is not operating via its start switch, power can be supplied to the shift register 21, and consequently, the light source 26 can be operated.

[0033] The power supply circuit 2b is a constant voltage circuit provided separately from the constant power supply circuit 2a. In this case, it can output power obtained by stepping down the 5V voltage supplied from the constant power supply circuit 2a to a voltage of 3.3V for use in driving the drawing calculation circuit 22. Furthermore, a communication line from the shift register 21 is connected to the enable terminal of the power supply circuit 2b, and based on signals (control commands) from an on-board ECU outside the vehicle display device A, the operating state of the power supply circuit 2b, and consequently the drawing calculation circuit 22, can be switched via the shift register 21.

[0034] In other words, when vehicle B transitions from operation to shutdown, the display unit 1, drawing calculation circuit 22, and power supply circuit 2b are shut down in a power-saving state. Even in this state, the system can transition to an operating state, including the display unit 1, based on an external signal. Therefore, the power supply circuit 2b and the electronic components that rely on this power can be switched on / off independently of the light source 26, enabling fine-grained power management without increasing the number of external wires from the vehicle display device A.

[0035] Furthermore, since the power supply circuit 2b is not directly connected to a battery power supply with fluctuating voltage, but instead receives a stable 5V power from the constant power supply circuit 2a, the circuit configuration for safety functions such as surge protection can be simplified compared to the constant power supply circuit 2a, and smaller components can be used. In addition, when connecting the vehicle display device A to an external in-vehicle ECU, dedicated external wiring is not required to start / stop the power supply circuit 2b or the drawing calculation circuit 22, thus simplifying the wiring and connectors.

[0036] Furthermore, the vehicle display device A, with the configuration described above, can receive signals (control commands) to activate the power supply circuit 2b and the drawing calculation circuit 22, which are stopped, via the shift register 21, which is always in operation even when the vehicle B is not in use. Therefore, for example, it does not require an electronic component that is periodically activated to determine the presence or absence of such a signal and to perform calculations, thus simplifying the circuit configuration.

[0037] The vehicle display device A comprises a plurality of indicator lights 6 that represent vehicle information by turning on or off a light source 26, a shift register 21 that receives signals via serial communication and drives and controls the indicator lights 6 corresponding to these signals, a display unit 1 that displays an image, a drawing calculation circuit 22 that generates the image, and a power supply circuit 2b that generates a drive voltage to the display unit 1 or the drawing calculation circuit 22. The shift register 21 is connected to the enable terminal of the power supply circuit 2b and outputs a drive signal to start the power supply circuit 2b if the signal includes a start command.

[0038] Therefore, this results in a vehicle display device A with a reduced number of wiring connections.

[0039] Furthermore, by using a shift register 21 that also drives and controls the indicator light 6 based on the aforementioned signal, regardless of the operating status of the drawing calculation circuit 22, the number of components can be reduced.

[0040] Furthermore, by including a constant power supply circuit 2a that generates and supplies a drive voltage to the shift register 21, power management can be set in detail, allowing for the selective stopping of unnecessary electronic components when the vehicle B is not in operation, resulting in a power-saving vehicle display device A.

[0041] Although this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from its spirit. The present invention is suitable as a display device mounted on an instrument panel C, and may be applied to a display E provided at the upper position of the instrument panel C as shown in Figure 1, a monitor that displays images taken of the outside of the automobile B, or a monitor for rear-seat passengers, and the same effects as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0042] Furthermore, the present invention is suitable as a vehicle display device mounted on, for example, automobiles, motorcycles, or mobile vehicles equipped with agricultural or construction machinery. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1 Display 21 Shift Register 22 Drawing Calculation Circuit 2a Constant power supply circuit 2b Power circuit 26 light source 6 Indicator light A Vehicle Display Device B. Automobile (vehicle)

Claims

1. Multiple indicator lights that display vehicle information by turning on or off the light source, A shift register that receives a signal via serial communication and drives and controls the indicator light corresponding to this signal, A display unit that shows images, A drawing calculation circuit that generates the aforementioned image, A power supply circuit that generates a drive voltage to the display or the drawing calculation circuit, Equipped with, The shift register is connected to the enable terminal of the power supply circuit and outputs a drive signal to start the power supply circuit if the signal includes a start command for the power supply circuit. Vehicle display device.

2. The shift register drives and controls the indicator light based on the signal, regardless of the operating state of the drawing calculation circuit. The vehicle display device according to claim 1.

3. The system further comprises a constant power supply circuit that generates and supplies a drive voltage to the aforementioned shift register. The vehicle display device according to claim 1.

Images