Display device

Abstract

A display device (1) has a meter display mode (4) for representing content information relating to a vehicle on a meter display part. The meter display mode (4) includes a first display screen (6) for displaying, side by side on the same screen, two or more meter display parts that are set in advance and have a specific relevance among a plurality of meter display parts, and a second display screen (7) for displaying a meter display part that is selected freely by a user of the vehicle from among the plurality of meter display parts, in such a manner that the first display screen (6) and the second display screen (7) can be switched through a screen switching operation performed by the user.

Description

display device

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device that is mounted on a vehicle and displays content information related to the vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, among display devices that display various content information related to a vehicle, there are known ones that display the information using an image (meter image) that imitates an existing analog meter. Examples of the content information include vehicle speed information, acceleration information, a compass (a direction indicating the direction of travel), vehicle tilt information, the current time, and outside air temperature. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which such content information is displayed using a meter image and the layout of the meter image can be selected and set by the user.

[0003] JP 2013-141837 A

[0004] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 allows users to select and display the meter image they need, which is beneficial for discerning users. However, this is not the case for all discerning users. For example, there are users who find the selection process cumbersome, and users who prefer to use the pre-set screen as is. Therefore, there is room for improvement in order to provide content information that is easy to use and useful for all users.

[0005] The display device of the present invention was invented in consideration of these problems, and one of its objectives is to improve convenience and provide useful content information. However, in addition to this objective, another objective of the present invention is to achieve effects derived from the configurations shown in the "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention" described below, which are effects that cannot be obtained with conventional technologies.

[0006] The disclosed display device can be realized as the following disclosed aspects (application examples), which solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems. Each of the aspects from aspect 2 onwards is an aspect that can be selected as an additional aspect, and each of the aspects from aspect 2 onwards is an aspect that can be omitted. None of the aspects from aspect 2 onwards discloses an aspect or configuration that is essential to the present invention.

[0007] Aspect 1. The disclosed display device is a display device having a meter display mode that displays content information related to a vehicle on a meter display unit, the meter display mode being set in advance and including a first display screen that displays two or more meter display units among the plurality of meter display units that have a predetermined relationship with each other side by side on the same screen, and a second display screen that displays a meter display unit arbitrarily selected by a user of the vehicle from the plurality of meter display units, and the first display screen and the second display screen can be switched by a screen switching operation by the user.

[0008] Aspect 2. In the above-mentioned aspect 1, it is preferable that a plurality of types of the first display screen having different associations are set in advance. Aspect 3. In the above-mentioned aspect 1 or 2, it is preferable that the number of the meter display units on the first display screen is the same as the number of the meter display units on the second display screen.

[0009] Aspect 4. In any of Aspects 1 to 3 above, it is preferable that the number of meter display units on the first display screen is three, the screen size of the meter display mode is changeable by the user's mode switching operation to one of a full screen size, a first reduced size that is approximately two-thirds of the full screen size, and a second reduced size that is approximately one-third of the full screen size, and that in the first reduced size, the number of meter display units displayed is reduced to two, and in the second reduced size, the number of meter display units displayed is reduced to one.

[0010] Aspect 5. In the above-mentioned Aspect 4, when the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, it is preferable that the meter display unit to be displayed is switched by a meter switching operation by the user. Aspect 6. In the above-mentioned Aspect 4 or 5, it is preferable that another display mode other than the meter display mode is provided, and when the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the other display mode is displayed on the same screen as the meter display mode in a screen size of at least one of the first reduced size and the second reduced size.

[0011] Aspect 7. In any of Aspects 1 to 6 above, it is preferable that, when the screen size is full screen, the meter display mode is switched between a fixed display in which the screen switching operation cannot be accepted and a selective display in which the screen switching operation can be accepted when a predetermined condition is met, the selective display has a reception area for accepting the screen switching operation and a launcher display area in which a launcher for launching an application is displayed, and the fixed display does not display the launcher display area, and the meter display portion is displayed in an enlarged size compared to the size of the meter display portion in the selective display.

[0012] The disclosed display device can improve user convenience and provide useful content information.

[0013] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first specific example of a first display screen; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second specific example of a first display screen; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a fifth specific example of a first display screen; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a second display screen; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen configuration in a meter display mode, where (a) shows a fixed display and (b) shows a selected display; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of a first display screen switched to a selected display; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example when the screen size in the meter display mode is a first reduced size; FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example when the screen size in the meter display mode is a second reduced size;

[0014] A display device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the following embodiments. The configurations of the embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, they can be selected or combined as needed.

[0015] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display device 1 according to an embodiment. The display device 1 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and displays various content information related to the vehicle. The content information includes, for example, physical information about the vehicle, information about the vehicle's output, information about the vehicle's operation, information about the vehicle's drive score, outside temperature, and time.

[0016] Specific examples of physical information of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "physical information") include vehicle position information (latitude, longitude, and altitude), the inclination angle of the vehicle body, the direction of travel of the vehicle, etc. The physical information is generated, for example, in various ECUs (not shown), such as a vehicle integrated ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and a powertrain ECU, based on information acquired through wireless communication with GPS satellites and signals transmitted from various sensors (not shown), such as an inclination sensor.

[0017] Specific examples of information related to the output of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "output information") include the output torque of a drive source (engine or traction motor) not shown, the rotational speed of the drive source, the horsepower (power rate) of the drive source, the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, the fuel consumption of the engine, the power consumption of the traction motor, fuel economy, electricity consumption, etc. The output information is generated, for example, in various ECUs based on signals transmitted from various sensors such as a rotational speed sensor and a longitudinal acceleration sensor.

[0018] Specific examples of information related to vehicle operation (hereinafter referred to as "operation information") include steering angle, drive mode, control mode (e.g., active yaw control (AYC), traction control (TCL)), etc. The operation information is generated, for example, in various ECUs, based on signals transmitted from various sensors such as a steering angle sensor, and mode information set by user operation.

[0019] A specific example of information related to a vehicle's drive score (hereinafter referred to as "score information") is a score obtained by evaluating the accelerator operation, steering operation, and braking operation of a driver who drives the vehicle in a predetermined drive cycle (e.g., one drive cycle). The score information is generated, for example, by various ECUs by using a predetermined algorithm to convert the accelerator operation, steering operation, and braking operation during the predetermined drive cycle into a numerical value.

[0020] When content information such as the physical information, output information, operation information, and score information is generated in various ECUs, the information is transmitted to the display device 1. It is also possible to generate content information within the display device 1.

[0021] Furthermore, in addition to the content information, the display device 1 of this embodiment can display other information indicating the operating status of in-vehicle devices, etc. Specific examples of other information include audio information, car navigation information, call information, various websites, etc. This information is generated or acquired by, for example, various ECUs, various in-vehicle devices, various sensors, etc., and transmitted to the display device 1.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, the display device 1 includes an electronic control device 2 and an output device 3. The electronic control device 2 is a computer for controlling the content displayed on the output device 3, and includes a processor (arithmetic processing unit) and a memory (storage device). The processing content (program) of the electronic control device 2 is stored in the memory, and is executed by loading the content into the processor as appropriate. The electronic control device 2 may be formed integrally with the output device 3 (built into the output device 3), or may be provided separately from the output device 3.

[0023] The output device 3 is a device that displays the above-mentioned information about the vehicle, and is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, a projector, or the like. All information displayed on the output device 3 is controlled by the electronic control unit 2. The shape of the information display area on the output device 3 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, rectangular. The output device 3 is placed in a position that is easily visible to the driver, such as in the front center of the vehicle cabin (forward between the driver's seat and the passenger seat) or in front of the driver (forward of the steering wheel). As ancillary devices of the output device 3, a touch panel device that detects touch operations on a screen, an input device provided with a keyboard, physical buttons, or a touchpad, a gaze detection device that detects gaze, a gesture reading device that detects gesture operations, or the like may be provided.

[0024] [2. Details of Display Mode] The display device 1 has at least a meter display mode 4 in which the above-described content information is displayed on the meter display unit 10 (see, for example, FIG. 2 ) as a display mode (display form) of information to be displayed on the output device 3. Note that the display device 1 may also have another display mode 5 in which the above-described other information is displayed.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 to 7, the meter display unit 10 is a circular image (meter image) that resembles an existing analog meter, and is a component that displays content information. Characters, numbers, scales, pictograms, images, videos (videos), and the like are displayed inside the circle of the meter display unit 10. While Figures 2 to 7 illustrate a meter display unit 10 that displays only characters and numbers, it may also display a combination of scales, images, and the like. The meter display unit 10 is displayed within the display area of ​​the output device 3 (such as a display or projector), but the background 11 outside the meter display unit 10 is not particularly limited and may be a single color (black or white), or may display a pattern or digital time.

[0026] The display device 1 includes a plurality of meter display units 10 prepared in advance. Each meter display unit 10 displays at least one of the above-described content information. For example, the meter display units 10 may display information indicating the vehicle's position (latitude, longitude, and altitude), the vehicle's tilt angle, the vehicle's heading, the output torque, the rotational speed, horsepower (power), longitudinal acceleration, fuel consumption or power consumption, fuel economy or electricity consumption, the steering angle, the drive mode, the control mode, the drive score, the outside temperature, and the time. Note that one meter display unit 10 may display two or more pieces of content information (e.g., a combination of output torque and rotational speed).

[0027] In the following description, the meter display mode 4 will be described in detail first, and then a configuration in which another display mode 5 is provided will be described. The meter display mode 4 has a preset display screen 6 (first display screen) that is set in advance, and a customized display screen 7 (second display screen) that is set by the vehicle user (the user of the display device 1).

[0028] The preset display screen 6 displays two or more meter display units 10 that have a predetermined relationship with each other on the same screen. Here, "predetermined relationship" means that the meter display units 10 have the same attributes (themes), such as the physical information, output information, operation information, and score information. By displaying a set of two or more meter display units 10 that have a predetermined relationship side by side on the same screen (multi-display), it is possible to assist the driver's operation or provide a sense of excitement or thrill to the user in a specific situation, for example. In other words, a combination of meter display units 10 that produces such an effect can be referred to as "meter display units 10 that have a predetermined relationship." Examples of specific situations include driving on mountain roads, driving in urban areas, driving on highways, and when ending a drive.

[0029] 2 to 6 show examples of preset display screens 6 (6A to 6E). These preset display screens 6 are triple multimeters with three meter display units 10 arranged side by side. The preset display screen 6A shown in FIG. 2 is related to the physical state of the vehicle. This preset display screen 6A displays, for example, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) that displays the vehicle's three-dimensional position information (latitude, longitude, altitude) and GPS positioning data, a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) that displays the vehicle's tilt angle (front-to-back tilt angle, left-to-right tilt angle), and a meter display unit 10 (right in the figure) that displays the vehicle's heading and outside air temperature side by side on the same screen. Note that the above physical information is related to the physical state of the vehicle. For this reason, the preset display screen 6A in FIG. 2 may include a meter display unit 10 that displays the above physical information.

[0030] The preset display screen 6B shown in FIG. 3 is related to the output state of the vehicle. In this preset display screen 6B, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) showing the output torque and rotation speed of the drive source (engine), a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) showing the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, and a meter display unit 10 (right in the figure) showing the instantaneous fuel consumption and average fuel consumption are displayed side by side on the same screen. Note that the above output information is information related to the output state of the vehicle. Therefore, the preset display screen 6B in FIG. 3 may include a meter display unit 10 showing the above output information. Note that each meter display unit 10 in FIG. 3 may have a scale on its circumference, and each piece of information may be displayed together with the extension of the gauge relative to the scale.

[0031] The preset display screen 6C shown in FIG. 4 is related to the driver's operation state (or the vehicle driving state based on the driver's operation). In this preset display screen 6C, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) indicating the steering angle, a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) indicating AYC (right / left turn direction and left / right tire yaw control display), and a meter display unit 10 (right in the figure) indicating TCL (right / left turn direction and traction control display) are displayed side by side on the same screen. Note that the above operation information is information related to the driver's operation state (or the vehicle driving state based on the driver's operation). For this reason, the preset display screen 6C in FIG. 4 may include a meter display unit 10 indicating the above operation information. In each meter display unit 10 in FIG. 4, information is preferably displayed by images or videos (video) (not shown) in addition to text information.

[0032] The preset display screen 6D shown in FIG. 5 has a correlation called a drive score. In this preset display screen 6D, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) showing the score of the accelerator operation, a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) showing the score of the steering operation, and a meter display unit 10 (right in the figure) showing the score of the brake operation are displayed side by side on the same screen. Note that the above score information is information that has a correlation called a drive score. Therefore, the preset display screen 6D in FIG. 5 may include a meter display unit 10 showing the above score information.

[0033] The preset display screen 6E shown in FIG. 6 has an "Other" association, which does not have the above associations. In this preset display screen 6E, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) showing the voltage of the vehicle battery and a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) showing the date, day of the week, and time are displayed side by side on the same screen, with a space on the right side of the figure for one meter display unit 10. That is, although only two meter display units 10 are displayed on the preset display screen 6E in FIG. 6, three meter display units 10 can be displayed if the space is included. Therefore, like the preset display screens 6A to 6D in FIGS. 2 to 5, this preset display screen 6E also has three meter display units 10. The meter display unit 10 showing the time may be a digital display as shown in FIG. 6, an analog display, an analog clock showing only the time, or a display showing the date and time.

[0034] 2 to 6, five types of preset display screens 6 having different associations are preset in the display device 1 of this embodiment. The number of preset display screens 6 is not limited to five, and may be one to four, or six or more. In the preset display screens 6 (6A to 6D) of this embodiment, three meter display sections 10 are displayed in a horizontal line at equal intervals with gaps between them so that they do not overlap each other.

[0035] The customized display screen 7 is a screen that displays a meter display unit 10 arbitrarily selected by the user from among a plurality of meter display units 10. That is, the customized display screen 7 allows the user to freely select the meter display units 10 that the user desires to display and arrange them in a desired position. Fig. 7 is an example of the customized display screen 7. On this customized display screen 7, a meter display unit 10 (left in the figure) that indicates the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, a meter display unit 10 (center in the figure) that indicates AYC (right / left turn direction and left / right tire yaw control display), and a meter display unit 10 (right in the figure) that indicates the date, day of the week, and time are displayed side by side on the same screen.

[0036] The number of meter display sections 10 on the customized display screen 7 may be one or more, and is preferably set to the same number as the number of preset display screens 6 (three in this embodiment). The display device 1 can switch between the preset display screen 6 and the customized display screen 7 by a screen switching operation by the user. Note that if multiple types of preset display screens 6A to 6E are prepared, the user can also switch between the preset display screens 6A to 6E by a screen switching operation.

[0037] The screen switching operation is a predetermined operation set according to the output device 3 (or according to an accessory device of the output device 3). For example, if a touch panel device is attached, a touch operation or a swipe operation on an image or a screen is set as the screen switching operation. Furthermore, if an input device is attached, a click operation or a press operation on a keyboard, a physical button, or a touchpad can be set as the screen switching operation. Only one screen switching operation may be set, or multiple screen switching operations may be set.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when the screen size of the meter display mode 4 is full screen, the display device 1 of this embodiment is configured to switch between a fixed display that does not accept a user's screen switching operation and a selected display that does accept the screen switching operation, when a predetermined condition is met. The fixed display is a display for viewing only, while the selected display is a display that allows the user to operate (editing operation or setting operation). Editing and setting of the customized display screen 7 can be performed in this selected display state. Note that full screen size means that the meter display mode 4 is displayed over the entire display area of ​​the output device 3. The preset display screens 6A to 6E of FIGS. 2 to 6 and the customized display screen 7 of FIG. 7 are fixed displays, similar to the screen configuration shown in FIG. 8A.

[0039] FIG. 8( b) shows a screen configuration for a selection display. The selection display includes a reception area 12 for receiving a user's screen switching operation and a launcher display area 13 for displaying a launcher for launching an application. In the screen configuration shown in FIG. 8( b), the reception area 12 is provided horizontally at the bottom of the meter display unit 10, and the launcher display area 13 is provided vertically on each of the left and right sides of the meter display unit 10. However, the arrangement of the areas 12 and 13 is not limited to this. Examples of applications launched by the launcher include a calling application, a video recording application, a navigation application, and a settings application. As shown in FIG. 8( b), the display device 1 of this embodiment further includes a title display area 14 at the top center of the display area for displaying the title of the currently displayed screen (e.g., the preset display screen 6). In addition, icons indicating the time, signal strength, remaining battery level, email reception status, etc. may be displayed in the four corners (e.g., the upper right and upper left) of the background 11.

[0040] FIG. 9 shows a state in which the preset display screen 6A shown in FIG. 2 has been switched to a selection display. As shown in FIG. 9 , the reception area 12 displays, for example, the titles of the multiple preset display screens 6 and the title of the customized display screen 7 ("Customize" in FIG. 9 ), and can receive (detect) a user's touch operation or swipe operation. Note that the reception area 12 may have a function to receive a user operation (selection, arrangement, setting, etc.) for setting the customized display screen 7 in addition to receiving a screen switching operation. For example, when the meter display mode 4 is selected and displayed in full screen size and "Customize" is selected in the reception area 12, all meter display sections 10 provided on the display device 1 may be made viewable, and the reception area 12 may receive a user operation to set the customized display screen 7.

[0041] 8(a) and 8(b), in the fixed display, the reception area 12 and the launcher display area 13, which are displayed in the selected display, are both hidden, and the meter display unit 10 is displayed in an enlarged size compared to the size of the meter display unit 10 in the selected display. In this embodiment, the title display area 14, which is displayed in the selected display, is also hidden in the fixed display. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, in the selected display, the positional relationship of the three meter display units 10 remains almost unchanged from the fixed display, and the size of the units is reduced overall, and the display areas 12 to 14 other than the meter display unit 10 are displayed to the left, right, top, and bottom of the meter display unit 10.

[0042] The predetermined condition for switching from the fixed display to the selection display is, for example, the user touching a predetermined area on the screen or pressing a physical button or switch. The predetermined condition for switching from the selection display to the fixed display is, for example, the user touching a predetermined area on the screen (e.g., the meter display unit 10) or no user operation for a predetermined period of time during the selection display (timeout). The predetermined conditions for switching between the fixed display and the selection display are not limited to these.

[0043] In the display device 1 of this embodiment, the screen size in meter display mode 4 can be changed (reduced) from the full screen size in two stages by a mode switching operation by the user. Specifically, the meter display unit 10 is configured to be changeable to one of the following screen sizes: the full screen size (see FIG. 9 ), a first reduced size (see FIG. 10 ) that is approximately two-thirds of the full screen size, and a second reduced size (see FIG. 11 ) that is approximately one-third of the full screen size. Examples of the mode switching operation include the user touching a predetermined area on the screen (e.g., the title display area 14) or pressing a physical button or switch.

[0044] For example, in the full-screen selection display of meter display mode 4, touching the title display area 14 once switches to a first reduced size, and touching the title display area 14 once in the first reduced size switches to a second reduced size. In addition, in the second reduced size, pressing the physical button once switches to the first reduced size, and in the first reduced size, pressing the physical button once switches to the full-screen size.

[0045] In this embodiment, the number of meter display sections 10 on the preset display screen 6 is three, and three meter display sections 10 are displayed on the full screen size. On the other hand, the number of displayed meter display sections 10 is reduced to two on the first reduced size, and the number of displayed meter display sections 10 is reduced to one on the second reduced size. Note that the sizes of the meter display sections 10 displayed on the first reduced size and the second reduced size are almost the same, but are slightly smaller than the size of the meter display section 10 on the full screen size.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 10 , when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size, two of the three meter display units 10 are displayed side by side, and one is hidden. Also, as shown in Fig. 11 , when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is the second reduced size, one of the three meter display units 10 is displayed, and two are hidden. When the screen size in meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the displayed meter display unit 10 is switched by a meter switching operation by the user. Examples of meter switching operations include swiping the meter display unit 10 left or right, or tapping the arrow icon 15 displayed below the meter display unit 10.

[0047] 10 and 11 , when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the launcher display area 13 is provided on the left and right sides, just like the full screen size. In addition, in the first reduced size, the reception area 12 and the title display area 14 are displayed, and the user's screen switching operation can be accepted. On the other hand, in the second reduced size, the title display area 14 is displayed, but the reception area 12 is not. In other words, in the second reduced size, the user's screen switching operation cannot be accepted, and if the user wants to switch screens, the screen size must be set to the first reduced size or the full screen size.

[0048] Next, a case will be described in which the display device 1 has another display mode 5 in addition to the meter display mode 4. Examples of the other display mode 5 include an audio mode, a car navigation mode, a call mode, a web mode, and an avionics mode (a screen display mode such as is installed on an aircraft). When the screen size of the meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the display device 1 displays the other display mode 5 on the same screen as the meter display mode 4 at a screen size of at least one of the first reduced size and the second reduced size.

[0049] For example, when the screen size of meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size, the display device 1 sets the screen size of the other display mode 5 to the second reduced size and displays the two modes 4 and 5 side by side. Also, when the screen size of meter display mode 4 is the second reduced size, the display device 1 sets the screen size of the other display mode 5 to the first reduced size and displays the two modes 4 and 5 side by side. Alternatively, when the screen size of meter display mode 4 is the second reduced size, the screen sizes of the two other display modes 5 are both set to the second reduced size and displays the three modes 4 and 5 of the second reduced size side by side.

[0050] Fig. 10 shows an example in which a first reduced-size meter display mode 4 and a second reduced-size other display mode 5 (here, call mode 5A) are displayed side by side. Fig. 11 shows an example in which a second reduced-size meter display mode 4 and a first reduced-size other display mode 5 (here, audio mode 5B) are displayed side by side. Note that Fig. 10 shows an example in which the meter display mode 4 is displayed on the right side, and Fig. 11 shows an example in which the meter display mode 4 is displayed on the left side, but the first reduced-size meter display mode 4 may also be displayed on the left side, and the second reduced-size meter display mode 4 may also be displayed on the right side.

[0051] In the display device 1 having the other display modes 5, for example, a home screen (not shown) is provided that displays all modes in the second reduced size, and on that home screen, it is possible to change the order of the modes, switch between displaying and hiding, etc. The order set here is maintained, and when one mode is displayed in the first reduced size, the modes adjacent to it on the left and right are displayed in the second reduced size.

[0052] [3. Effects] (1) The above-described display device 1 has a preset display screen 6 (first display screen) that is set in advance and displays two or more meter display units 10 that have a predetermined correlation with each other among the plurality of meter display units 10 side by side on the same screen, and a customized display screen 7 (second display screen) that displays a meter display unit 10 arbitrarily selected by the user from the plurality of meter display units 10, and the user switches between the preset display screen 6 and the customized display screen 7 through a screen switching operation. In this way, the display device 1 is provided with a preset preset display screen 6 and a customized display screen 7 that can be arbitrarily set by the user, and these display screens 6 and 7 can be switched through a screen switching operation by the user, thereby improving convenience for any user.

[0053] Furthermore, since the preset display screen 6 displays meter display units 10 having a predetermined relationship side by side, it is possible to provide the user with content information that is particularly useful in specific situations. For example, when driving on a mountain road, if the preset display screen 6A shown in Fig. 2 is displayed, the user can grasp the location and environment in which they are driving and experience active driving scenes from the vehicle's three-dimensional position information (latitude, longitude, altitude), inclination angle information, heading direction, and outside temperature information, thereby providing the user with the enjoyment of driving.

[0054] (2) In the above-described display device 1, multiple types of preset display screens 6 with different associations are pre-set, which broadens the user's options, improves convenience, and makes it easier to provide more appropriate information to the user. (3) In the above-described Figures 2 to 7, the number of meter display sections 10 on the preset display screen 6 and the number of meter display sections 10 on the customized display screen 7 are the same (three in each case). As a result, the number of meter display sections 10 does not change even when switching between the preset display screen 6 and the customized display screen 7, which gives the user a natural impression when switching between the displays.

[0055] (4) In the above-described display device 1, the number of meter display units 10 on the preset display screen 6 is three, and the screen size in meter display mode 4 can be changed to one of full screen size, a first reduced size, and a second reduced size by a user's mode switching operation. In the first reduced size, the number of displayed meter display units 10 is reduced to two, and in the second reduced size, the number of displayed meter display units 10 is reduced to one. In this way, when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is changed in the reduced direction, the number of displayed meter display units 10 is reduced, so the size of the meter display units 10 themselves can be maintained and visibility can be ensured. Furthermore, when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is changed to the first reduced size or the second reduced size, other information can be displayed in the remaining area of ​​the screen, allowing other information to be provided together and improving convenience.

[0056] (5) Furthermore, when the screen size of meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the displayed meter display unit 10 is switched by the user's meter switching operation, so that the user can switch and view the three meter display units 10 even when the screen size is small.

[0057] (6) If the display device 1 has a display mode 5 other than the meter display mode 4, when the screen size of the meter display mode 4 is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, if the display device 1 is configured to display the other display mode 5 on the same screen as the meter display mode 4 in at least one of the first reduced size and the second reduced size, more information can be provided to the user, and convenience can be further improved.

[0058] (7) In the above-described display device 1, when the screen size in meter display mode 4 is full screen, the display switches between a fixed display, which does not accept a user's screen switching operation, and a selected display, which does accept a screen switching operation, when a predetermined condition is met. Additionally, the selected display includes a reception area 12 for accepting a screen switching operation and a launcher display area 13 for displaying a launcher for launching an application. In the fixed display, the launcher display area 13 is hidden, and the meter display unit 10 is enlarged compared to the selected display. Therefore, in the selected display, apps can be easily launched using the launchers on the left and right, improving user convenience. Furthermore, in the fixed display, the launcher display area 13 is hidden, and the meter display unit 10 is enlarged, improving user visibility.

[0059] [4. Other] The display device 1 described above is an example and is not limited to the above. For example, the preset display screens 6 (6A to 6E) shown in Figures 2 to 6 are examples. For example, the preset display screens 6 may have meter display units 10 with the same combination (e.g., the combination of position, tilt angle, direction, and outside air temperature in Figure 2) arranged in different positions, or meter display units 10 that display the above-mentioned output information, operation information, etc. may be provided. Furthermore, the content information displayed on one meter display unit 10 may be one type (e.g., only longitudinal acceleration, only steering angle, etc.), or may not include two or more types of content information (e.g., direction, outside air temperature, and weather, output torque, and rotational speed, etc.).

[0060] The method for setting the customized display screen 7 is not limited to the above-described method. For example, the screen may be configured to accept user operations not only in the reception area 12 but also in any area of ​​the selection display screen, thereby enabling selection and repositioning of the meter display unit 10. The various user operations described above (screen switching operation, mode switching operation, meter switching operation) are also examples, and can be set appropriately depending on the output device 3 and its auxiliary devices.

[0061] The display device 1 may not have other display modes 5. In this case, when the screen size in the meter display mode 4 is switched to the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the empty space may be filled with a background screen of a single color or a pattern, or may display some kind of image or video. While the above-described examples of switching from a full-screen selection display to the first reduced size or the second reduced size have been described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the screen size may also be reduced from a fixed full-screen display. Furthermore, the reception area 12 and the launcher display area 13 may be omitted in the first reduced size or the second reduced size.

[0062] In the above-described display device 1, when the meter display mode 4 is full screen size, it is possible to switch between fixed display and selected display, but the fixed display may be omitted. Furthermore, the above-described preset display screen 6 is a triple multimeter with three meter display sections 10 lined up, but the number of meter display sections 10 may be two or more, and they do not have to be arranged in a horizontal line. For example, four meter display sections 10 may be arranged two by two vertically and horizontally, or five meter display sections 10 may be arranged like an Olympic rings symbol. The number of meter display sections 10 on the preset display screen 6 may differ from the number of meter display sections 10 on the customized display screen 7.

[0063] The present invention is applicable to the manufacturing industry of display devices mounted on vehicles, and also applicable to the manufacturing industry of vehicles equipped with such display devices.

[0064] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Display device 2 Electronic control device 3 Output device 4 Meter display mode 5 Other display modes 5A Call mode (other display mode) 5B Audio mode (other display mode) 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E Preset display screen (first display screen) 7 Customized display screen (second display screen) 10 Meter display section 11 Background 12 Reception area 13 Launcher display area 14 Title display area 15 Arrow icon

Claims

1. A display device comprising a meter display mode for expressing vehicle-related content information on a meter display unit, wherein the meter display mode includes: a first display screen that is preset and displays two or more meter display units of the same shape that express the content information having a predetermined relevance to each other among the plurality of content information on the same screen; a second display screen that displays the meter display unit that expresses the content information arbitrarily selected by the user of the vehicle from among the plurality of content information expressed by the plurality of meter display units; and has, the first display screen and the second display screen can be switched by the user's screen switching operation, and the same shape and the same arrangement of the meter display unit of the first display screen and the meter display unit of the second display screen are maintained during the switching. A display device, characterized by the above.

2. A plurality of types of the first display screens with different relevance are preset. The display device according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The number of the meter display units of the first display screen is the same as the number of the meter display units of the second display screen. The display device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The number of the meter display units of the first display screen is 3, the screen size of the meter display mode can be changed to any one of the full screen size, a first reduced size at a ratio of about two-thirds of the full screen size, and a second reduced size at a ratio of about one-third of the full screen size by the user's mode switching operation, at the first reduced size, the number of the displayed meter display units is reduced to 2, and at the second reduced size, the number of the displayed meter display units is reduced to 1. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the above.

5. When the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the displayed meter display unit is switched by the user's meter switching operation. The display device according to claim 4, characterized by the above.

6. Comprising other display modes other than the meter display mode, when the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the other display mode is displayed on the same screen as the meter display mode at at least one of the screen sizes of the first reduced size and the second reduced size. The display device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that...

7. The meter display mode is configured such that: When the screen size is the full screen size, a fixed display in which the screen switching operation cannot be received and a selection display in which the screen switching operation can be received are switched according to the establishment of a predetermined condition; In the selection display, a reception area for receiving the screen switching operation and a launcher display area in which a launcher for starting an application is displayed are provided; In the fixed display, the launcher display area is not displayed, and the meter display unit is enlarged more than the size of the meter display unit in the selection display. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that...

8. A display device including a meter display mode for expressing vehicle-related content information in a meter display unit, The meter display mode is as follows: A first display screen that is preset and displays two or more of the meter display units having a predetermined relationship with each other among the plurality of meter display units side by side on the same screen; A second display screen that displays the meter display unit arbitrarily selected by the user of the vehicle from among the plurality of meter display units; and has, The first display screen and the second display screen can be switched by the user's screen switching operation; The number of the meter display units on the first display screen is 3; When the user's mode switching operation is performed once in a state where the number of the meter display units is 3, the number of the displayed meter display units is reduced to 2, and when the mode switching operation is performed once in a state where the number of the meter display units is 2, the number of the displayed meter display units is reduced to 1. The display device is characterized in that...

9. A display device including a meter display mode for expressing vehicle-related content information in a meter display unit, The meter display mode is as follows: A first display screen that is preset and displays two or more of the meter display units having a predetermined relationship with each other among the plurality of meter display units side by side on the same screen; A second display screen that displays the meter display unit arbitrarily selected by the user of the vehicle from among the plurality of meter display units; and has, The first display screen and the second display screen can be switched by the user's screen switching operation; The number of the meter display units on the first display screen is 3; The screen size of the meter display mode can be changed to any one of the full screen size, a first reduced size at a ratio of about two-thirds of the full screen size, and a second reduced size at a ratio of about one-third of the full screen size by the user's mode switching operation. In the first reduced size, the number of the meter display parts to be displayed is reduced to 2, and in the second reduced size, the number of the meter display parts to be displayed is reduced to 1. A display device characterized by the above.

10. When the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the meter display part to be displayed is switched by the user's meter switching operation. The display device according to claim 9, characterized by the above.

11. It includes other display modes other than the meter display mode. When the screen size of the meter display mode is the first reduced size or the second reduced size, the other display mode is displayed on the same screen as the meter display mode in at least one of the screen sizes of the first reduced size and the second reduced size. The display device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by the above.

12. The meter display mode is configured such that when its screen size is the full screen size, a fixed display where the screen switching operation cannot be received and a selection display where the screen switching operation can be received are switched when a predetermined condition is satisfied. In the selection display, a reception area for receiving the screen switching operation and a launcher display area where a launcher for starting an application is displayed are provided. In the fixed display, the launcher display area is not displayed, and the meter display part is enlarged and displayed larger than the meter display part in the selection display. The display device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized by the above.