Vehicle and display control method therefor

Abstract

The present invention achieves both convenience and improvement in feedback with respect to a travel mode. This vehicle is provided with a display control unit 14b that switches, according to a selected travel mode, between a power display state for displaying power used for travel and a virtual tachometer display state for displaying a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information. The display control unit 14b displays additional information D1 when a predetermined travel mode is selected, and changes a display position of the additional information D1 according to whether or not to display interruption information D2.

Description

Vehicle and method for controlling vehicle display

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle and a method for controlling vehicle display.

[0002] In a hybrid vehicle, a configuration including a display control unit that switches between a power display state for displaying the power used for running and a tachometer display state for displaying the engine speed according to the running mode is known (for example, Patent Document 1). Also, in an electric vehicle, a technique for calculating a virtual engine speed and a virtual gear position from vehicle information is known (for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4604749, Japanese Patent No. 7298566

[0004] When switching to the display of the virtual engine speed, in order to provide a feeling of driving a manual transmission vehicle even in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, it has been considered to improve the convenience of the occupant by providing information on the virtual gear position. The virtual gear position is one of the information contributing to grasping the vehicle running state in the running mode. However, since conventional meters display various indicators and warning information as needed, adding and displaying the virtual gear position may make the display difficult to view, and as a result, the feedback property for the selected running mode may decrease. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable both an improvement in the feedback property for the running mode and convenience.

[0005] As one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle including a selection unit for selecting a running mode, a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected running mode, and a display control unit for switching between a power display state for displaying the power used for running and a virtual tachometer display state for displaying the virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information according to the selected running mode, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined running mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information according to the presence or absence of display of second information different from the first information.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle display control method comprising: a selection unit for selecting a driving mode; a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected driving mode; and a display control unit that switches between a power display state for displaying the power used for driving and a virtual tachometer display state for displaying a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined driving mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information depending on whether or not a second piece of information different from the first information is displayed.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0008] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the output characteristics when S mode is selected. Figure 3 is a diagram showing examples of the meter display in normal control mode and S mode. Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the display in S mode. Figure 5 is a magnified view of an example of the display in MT mode. Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the display in S mode. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the display control. Figure 8 is a flowchart continuing from Figure 7. Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining a modified example. Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining a modified example.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [Embodiment] Referring to Figure 1, a vehicle 1 comprising a hybrid vehicle according to this embodiment will be described. The vehicle 1 includes a vehicle sensor 3 connected to a vehicle control device 2, a switch unit 4, a drive unit 5, a power transmission unit 6, a braking unit 7, an audio output unit 8, an audio input unit 9, and a meter display unit 10. The vehicle sensor 3 is a sensor that acquires information from each part of the vehicle 1, and detects the vehicle's driving speed (hereinafter, "vehicle speed"), acceleration, the operating state of the drive unit 5 (engine speed, motor speed, battery status, etc.), the operating state of the power transmission unit 6, steering operations, brake operations and accelerator operations by the occupants, etc., and outputs the detection results to the vehicle control device 2.

[0011] The switch unit 4 includes a shift switch 4a, a driving mode switch 4b, and a steering switch 4c. The shift switch 4a is a switch for the occupant (driver) to perform shift operations, and includes switching operations to D (drive) range, R (reverse) range, N (neutral) range, and P (parking) range.

[0012] The driving mode switch 4b is a switch for the occupant (driver) to select a driving mode. The driving modes in this embodiment include a normal control mode and a specific control mode, and when the driving mode switch 4b is turned ON, the specific control mode is selected. Hereinafter, the specific control mode will be referred to as "S mode".

[0013] The S mode offers two options: automatic transmission mode (hereinafter referred to as Auto mode) and manual transmission mode (hereinafter referred to as MT mode). In this configuration, when the driving mode switch 4b is turned ON, the Auto mode of the S mode is selected. When the driving mode switch 4b is OFF, the normal control mode is selected. The contents of the normal control mode are not particularly limited; for example, it is a driving mode that provides smooth acceleration and deceleration in response to accelerator pedal operation.

[0014] When the driving mode switch 4b is ON, the system switches from Auto mode to MT mode when a predetermined operation (for example, a first operation using the paddle shifter) is performed. Conversely, when another operation (for example, a second operation using the paddle shifter) is performed, the system switches from MT mode back to Auto mode. The operations required to select Auto mode, S mode, and normal control mode can be changed as appropriate.

[0015] The steering wheel switches 4c are located on the steering wheel and include switches for the occupant (driver) to manually shift gears in MT mode (paddle shifters), operate the menu screen (including selecting display content), operate the audio system, and operate the telephone. The operation of these switches 4a to 4c is detected by sensors (not shown), and the detection results are output to the vehicle control device 2.

[0016] The drive unit 5 comprises a drive motor 5a, a generator motor 5b, an engine 5c, and a battery 5d. The drive motor 5a and engine 5c correspond to the drive source of the vehicle 1. The drive motor 5a operates using power supplied from the battery 5d as its energy source. The battery 5d is charged by the power output from the generator motor 5b through the driving force of the engine 5c or regenerative braking. The drive unit 5 operates in accordance with the control signals output from the vehicle control device 2.

[0017] The power transmission unit 6 connects the drive unit 5 to the drive wheels via a clutch and an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission may be a multi-speed type or a continuously variable type (for example, a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)). The power transmission unit 6 enables at least one of the following three driving modes: - An EV drive mode in which the motor is rotated using power from the battery and the engine is not driven. - A hybrid drive mode in which the engine is operated to generate electricity and rotate the motor to drive the vehicle. - An engine drive mode in which the clutch is engaged so that the output shaft of the engine is directly connected to the drive shaft.

[0018] The braking unit 7 controls the braking system of the vehicle 1 based on a control signal output from the vehicle control device 2. The audio output unit 8 includes a speaker and a speaker drive circuit, and outputs various sounds into the vehicle under the control of the vehicle control device 2. The audio input unit 9 includes a microphone and a circuit that amplifies and converts the audio input from the microphone to analog-to-digital, and outputs the input audio data to the vehicle control device 2.

[0019] These audio output units 8 and audio input units 9 are used to enable audio playback, notification sounds, and telephone calls. The meter display unit 10 is a display unit that displays various information to the occupant (driver) under the control of the vehicle control device 2, and is also called an instrument panel.

[0020] The processor 11 of the vehicle control device 2 functions as a computer that controls the vehicle control device 2 and the vehicle 1. The processor 11 functions as an information acquisition unit 12, an instruction input unit 13, a vehicle control unit 14, and an information identification unit 15 by reading and executing a program 22 recorded in the memory 21.

[0021] The information acquisition unit 12 acquires information about various parts of the vehicle 1, information about the occupant's driving operations, and the occupant's instructions via the vehicle sensor 3, switch unit 4, etc. At least a portion of the acquired information is stored in the memory 21 as acquired data 23. The instruction input unit 13 includes a display content selection unit 13a, a shift position selection unit 13b, and a driving mode selection unit 13c for selecting display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10, selecting a shift position, and selecting a driving mode, respectively, based on the occupant's instructions acquired by the information acquisition unit 12.

[0022] Here, the selection of display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10 refers to the selection of display content that is always displayed on the meter display unit 10, and can also be described as the selection of display content to be permanently displayed.

[0023] The display content selection unit 13a displays a menu screen in the first display area 81 (Figure 3) of the meter display unit 10 based on the operation of the steering switch 4c, and processes the operation to accept the occupant's selection of desired display content from the menu screen. Information that allows identification of the selected display content is stored in the setting data 24 of the memory 21.

[0024] The shift position selection unit 13b and the driving mode selection unit 13c perform the process of selecting the shift position and driving mode in accordance with the operation of the shift switch 4a and the driving mode switch 4b, respectively. The information of the selected shift position and driving mode is stored in the setting data 24 of the memory 21. Note that the driving mode selection unit 13c is an example of a selection unit in this disclosure.

[0025] The vehicle control unit 14 includes a drive system control unit 14a, a display control unit 14b, and other control units 14c for controlling various parts of the vehicle 1. The drive system control unit 14a controls the drive unit 5 and power transmission unit 6, etc., which constitute the drive system of the vehicle 1, based on the occupant's driving operations acquired by the information acquisition unit 12 and the currently selected driving mode.

[0026] The display control unit 14b controls the display of the meter display unit 10. Based on information from various parts of the vehicle 1, the display control unit 14b displays the vehicle speed, the power used for driving, the virtual engine speed (described later), and so on. The display control unit 14b also identifies the occupant's selection result based on the setting data 24 in the memory 21, and identifies the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10, the current shift position (one of D, R, N, or P), and the current driving mode (normal control mode, S mode (Auto mode, MT mode)). Based on the identified results, the display control unit 14b controls the display of the meter display unit 10 so that the display content is always displayed and the shift position and other information are displayed as appropriate.

[0027] Other control units 14c control the vehicle 1's drive system and components other than the meter display unit 10. For example, other control units 14c perform processes such as displaying and accepting selections on a menu screen based on the occupant's operation, and processing to enable audio playback and telephone calls.

[0028] The information identification unit 15 performs processing to identify the information displayed on the meter display unit 10, and includes a power identification unit 15a, a virtual engine speed identification unit 15b, and a virtual gear identification unit 15c. The power identification unit 15a performs processing to identify the driving-related power used for displaying the power meter. Specifically, the power identification unit 15a calculates the power used for driving based on the operating state of the drive unit 5, and calculates the amount of power supplied to the drive motor 5a and the amount of regenerative power generated by the generator motor 5b.

[0029] The virtual engine speed determination unit 15b identifies a converted value equivalent to the engine speed as the "virtual engine speed" when the drive unit 5 is assumed to be a single engine. For example, the virtual engine speed determination unit 15b calculates the virtual engine speed by applying a predetermined conversion formula or map data based on parameters such as the rotational speed of engine 5c, the rotational speeds of each motor 5a, 5b, vehicle speed, and power transmission efficiency. A wide range of known methods can be applied to calculate the virtual engine speed.

[0030] The virtual gear identification unit 15c identifies a converted value equivalent to the gear position when the drive system, consisting of the drive unit 5 and the power transmission unit 6, is assumed to be a single engine and a stepped transmission, as the "virtual gear position." This virtual gear position is information corresponding to the virtual engine speed. For example, the virtual gear identification unit 15c calculates the virtual gear position by applying a predetermined conversion formula or map data, using the engine speed 5c, engine output torque, the engine speed and output torque of each motor 5a, 5b, vehicle speed, and characteristic values ​​of the power transmission system as parameters. A wide range of known methods can be applied to calculate the virtual gear position.

[0031] Figure 2 schematically shows the output characteristics when S mode is selected. In Figure 2, the horizontal axis represents vehicle speed, the vertical axis represents virtual engine speed, and the numbers 1 to 7 represent virtual gear stages. In S mode, as shown in Figure 2, the vehicle control unit 14 controls the vehicle 1 so that the output characteristics of an engine vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission during UPSHIFT are obtained. Furthermore, in S mode, the vehicle control unit 14 controls the vehicle 1 so that the output characteristics of an engine vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission during DOWNSHIFT are obtained. In this control, by simulating a fixed reduction ratio, characteristics in which vehicle speed and virtual engine speed are linked are realized. Furthermore, characteristics in which the driving force, deceleration, and upper limit vehicle speed are set for each virtual gear stage are realized.

[0032] The upper part of Figure 3 shows an example of the meter display unit 10 in normal control mode, and the lower part of Figure 3 shows an example of the meter display unit 10 in S mode. As shown in Figure 3, in normal control mode, a power meter 51 is displayed which shows the power (amount of power supplied to the drive motor 5a, amount of regenerative power generation) identified by the power identification unit 15a, and a speedometer 61 is displayed which shows the vehicle speed acquired by the information acquisition unit 12.

[0033] In contrast, in S mode, a virtual tachometer 71 displaying a virtual engine speed is displayed instead of the power meter 51. The power meter 51, speedometer 61, and virtual tachometer 71 each have arc-shaped scale sections 51a, 61a, and 71a, and pointers 51b, 61b, and 71b whose rotation center is the center of the arc of the scale sections 51a, 61a, and 71a. These meters 51, 61, and 71 can be implemented as either an analog display configuration displayed by hardware or a digital panel display configuration such as a liquid crystal display panel.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the display areas 51r and 71r of the power meter 51 and virtual tachometer 71 are set to a first display area 81 located in the center of the power meter 51 and virtual tachometer 71, and a second display area 82 located at the bottom of the power meter 51 and virtual tachometer 71, respectively. In addition, the display area 61r of the speedometer 61 is set to a third display area 83 located at the bottom of the speedometer 61. In this embodiment, the display areas 51r and 71r of the power meter 51 and virtual tachometer 71 are the same. However, the display areas 51r and 71r may be different.

[0035] The first display area 81 is an area that prioritizes displaying settings such as menu screens, as well as displays related to audio playback and telephone calls. It is located in a relatively easy-to-view position and is a relatively large display area. The second display area 82 is an area that displays information related to gear changes, such as the selected shift position. Figure 3 shows an example where the shift position and virtual gear are displayed, and it is a smaller display area than the first display area 81. Figure 3 shows an example where the odometer showing the total distance traveled is displayed in the third display area 83, but it may be possible to switch to displaying the trip meter showing the distance traveled in a specific section.

[0036] Here, the shift position and virtual gear are information suitable for the occupant (driver) to understand the gear shift status, and the gear shift in particular is information suitable for intuitively understanding the gear shift status. In this explanation, when there is no need to distinguish between the shift position and virtual gear, they will be collectively referred to as "additional information D1". In addition, information that is preferentially displayed in the first display area 81, specifically information related to settings, audio playback, and telephone, is interrupt information that is displayed as appropriate. When there is no need to distinguish between these, they will be collectively referred to as "interrupt information D2".

[0037] Referring to Figures 4 to 6, the display area of ​​the virtual tachometer 71 in S mode will be described in detail. Figure 4 shows the case where gear display is selected as the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10. As shown in Figure 4, in Auto mode, when the shift position is in the D range, if the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the first display area 81 displays the shift position and virtual gear position in parallel in a vertical direction. On the other hand, if the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81 and the shift position is displayed in the second display area 82.

[0038] Furthermore, while the additional information D1 is displayed in the first display area 81, the additional information D1 is not displayed in the second display area 82, and when the additional information D1 is not displayed in the first display area 81, the additional information D1 is displayed in the second display area 82.

[0039] Furthermore, in Auto mode, when the shift position is other than the D range (P / R / N), if the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the shift position is displayed in the first display area 81. If the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81, and the shift position is displayed in the second display area 82.

[0040] Furthermore, in MT mode, if the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the shift position and virtual gear position are displayed vertically in parallel in the first display area 81. If the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81, and the shift position and virtual gear position are displayed horizontally in parallel in the second display area 82. In this way, in S mode, which consists of either Auto mode or MT mode, when gear display is selected as the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10, additional information D1 including the reduction gear position is always displayed. As a result, the virtual tachometer 71 and the additional information D1 including the reduction gear position can provide the same information as an engine vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission. This makes it easier for the occupant to intuitively grasp the driving status of the vehicle.

[0041] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, when displaying additional information D1 such as a deceleration gear stage in the first display area 81, the additional information D1 is displayed in a larger size (in this embodiment, a large-sized font) than when displaying the additional information D1 in the second display area 82. Thus, by displaying the additional information D1 in the first display area 81, the additional information D1 can be displayed more clearly.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a display example in the MT mode. As shown in FIG. 5, in the MT mode, when a virtual gear stage is displayed in the first display area 81, an upshift display lamp Gu indicating that upshift by paddle shift is possible and a downshift display lamp Gd indicating that downshift by paddle shift is possible are displayed in the first display area 81. By these display lamps, the occupant can easily visually confirm that a shift operation by paddle shift is possible and that it is the MT mode.

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a case where gear display is not selected as display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10. As shown in FIG. 6, in the Auto mode, when the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the shift position is displayed in the second display area 82, and neither the shift position nor the virtual gear stage is displayed in the first display area 81. Also, in the Auto mode, when the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81, and the shift position is displayed in the second display area 82.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6, in the MT mode, when the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the shift position and the virtual gear stage are displayed in the second display area 82, and neither the shift position nor the virtual gear stage is displayed in the first display area 81. Also, in the MT mode, when the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81, and the shift position and the virtual gear stage are displayed in the second display area 82.

[0045] Thus, in the S mode, which consists of either Auto mode or MT mode, when gear display is not selected as the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10, additional information D1 is always displayed in the second display area 82, as shown in Figure 6. The display of additional information D1 in the second display area 82 makes it easier for the occupant to grasp the driving status of the vehicle 1. Moreover, as shown in Figure 6, in MT mode, additional information D1 including the reduction gear stage is displayed in the second display area 82, so it is possible to provide information similar to that of an engine vehicle equipped with a stepped transmission, consisting of a virtual tachometer 71 and reduction gear stages, making it easier for the occupant to intuitively grasp the driving status of the vehicle 1.

[0046] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the display control relating to the display areas 51r and 71r of the power meter 51 and the virtual tachometer 71 will be described. As shown in Figure 7, when the driving mode switch 4b is not ON (step S1; NO), the display control unit 14b performs display control to display the power meter 51 on the meter display unit 10 (step S2). The display control to display the power meter 51 includes the process of displaying interrupt information D2 in the first display area 81. The process in step S2 can be broadly adapted from known processes.

[0047] When the driving mode switch 4b is switched ON (step S1; YES), the display control unit 14b starts display control to display the virtual tachometer 71 on the meter display unit 10 (step S2). Based on the setting data 24, the display control unit 14b determines whether the gear display is selected as the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10 (step S4). If the gear display is selected (step S4; YES), the display control unit 14b determines whether it is Auto mode or MT mode according to the occupant's selection (for example, whether or not a first operation using the paddle shift is performed) (step S5).

[0048] In the case of the Auto mode, as shown in FIG. 4, regardless of the presence or absence of the display of the interrupt information D2, the display control unit 14b displays the virtual tachometer 71 and the shift position. When the shift position is in the D range and the interrupt information D2 is not displayed, the display control unit 14b performs a process of displaying the shift position and the deceleration gear stage in the first display area 81 (step S6). The process of step S6 includes a process of changing the display position of the additional information D1, which consists of at least one of the shift position and the deceleration gear stage, between the first display area 81 and the second display area 82 according to the presence or absence of the display of the interrupt information D2.

[0049] Also, in the case of the MT mode, as shown in FIG. 4, regardless of the presence or absence of the display of the interrupt information D2, the display control unit 14b displays at least the virtual tachometer 71, the shift position, and the deceleration gear stage, and performs a process of changing the display position of the additional information D1, which consists of the shift position and the deceleration gear stage, between the first display area 81 and the second display area 82 according to the presence or absence of the display of the interrupt information D2.

[0050] On the other hand, in the determination process of step S4, when the gear display is not selected (step S4; NO), the display control unit 14b determines whether it is the Auto mode or the MT mode according to the selection of the occupant (for example, the presence or absence of the first operation using paddle shift) (step S11). In the case of the Auto mode (gear display is not selected), as shown in FIG. 6, the display control unit 14b performs a process of displaying the virtual tachometer 71, displaying the shift position in the second display area 82, and displaying the interrupt information D2 in the first display area 81 (step S12).

[0051] Also, in the case of the MT mode (gear display is not selected), as shown in FIG. 6, the display control unit 14b performs a process of displaying the virtual tachometer 71, displaying the shift position and the deceleration gear stage in the second display area 82, and displaying the interrupt information D2 in the first display area 81 (step S13).

[0052] As described above, in this embodiment, when the S mode corresponding to a predetermined driving mode is selected, the display control unit 14b displays the additional information D1 that is to be displayed permanently, and changes the display position of the additional information D1 depending on whether or not the interrupt information D2, which is not to be displayed permanently, is displayed. With this configuration, the additional information D1 can be displayed continuously, so that appropriate feedback on the display to the driving mode can be provided. Furthermore, by changing the display position of the additional information D1 depending on whether or not the interrupt information D2 is displayed, the limited display area can be effectively utilized and multiple pieces of information can be appropriately arranged and displayed. This makes it possible to achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0053] Additional information D1 is an example of the first information of this disclosure. Interrupt information D2 is an example of the second information of this disclosure. The first and second information can be appropriately applied to the extent that it is possible to achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0054] Furthermore, when the virtual tachometer is displayed, the display control unit 14b displays additional information D1 that allows for the identification of the gear shift status. By displaying the virtual engine speed and information that allows for the identification of the gear shift status, the occupant can more easily grasp the vehicle's driving status intuitively, which is advantageous in that it improves both the feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0055] Furthermore, it includes a virtual gear identification unit 15c that identifies a virtual gear position corresponding to the virtual engine speed, and the additional information D1 includes the virtual gear position. By displaying the virtual engine speed and virtual gear in combination, it is possible to provide information similar to that of an engine vehicle equipped with a manual transmission. As a result, it is possible to provide the driver with the pleasure of operating the vehicle 1.

[0056] Furthermore, when the interrupt information D2 is hidden in the virtual tachometer display state, the display control unit 14b displays the additional information D1 in the first display area 81 corresponding to the center of the virtual tachometer 71, so that both the virtual engine speed and the additional information D1 can be displayed in an easily visible manner.

[0057] Furthermore, when the display control unit 14b displays interrupt information D2 in the virtual tachometer display state, it displays additional information D1 in the second display area 82, which is separate from the first display area 81. This allows information other than the additional information D1 to be displayed in the first display area 81, and enables the display of multiple pieces of information, including the additional information D1 and the interrupt information D2, in an appropriate arrangement.

[0058] Furthermore, when the display control unit 14b displays the additional information D1 in the first display area 81, it displays the additional information D1 larger than when it displays the additional information D1 in the second display area 82. Therefore, when the additional information D1 is displayed in the first display area 81, the additional information D1 can be displayed more easily to see.

[0059] Furthermore, the additional information D1 includes the shift position of the shift switch 4a of the vehicle 1, and the display control unit 14b displays the virtual gear position and shift position in parallel, making them easy to see. In the first display area 81, the virtual gear position and shift position are displayed in parallel in the vertical direction, and in the second display area 82, the virtual gear position and shift position are displayed in parallel in the horizontal direction. However, the display is not limited to these, and the display configuration may be changed as appropriate.

[0060] [3. Other Embodiments] The embodiments described above are merely one way of implementing the present invention and can be modified and applied as needed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the cases in which interrupt information D2 is displayed and the cases in which interrupt information D2 is displayed in the first display area 81 have been described, but the embodiment is not limited to these. For example, when displaying interrupt information D2 with a low priority, the interrupt information D2 with a low priority (indicated as "XX" in Figure 9) may be displayed in the second display area 82, as shown in Figure 9. In this case, while displaying the interrupt information D2, it becomes possible to continue displaying an example of additional information D1, such as the shift position and virtual gear, in the first display area 81.

[0062] Furthermore, when the virtual tachometer is displayed, if certain conditions are met, the interrupt information D2 and the additional information D1 may be displayed in parallel in the first display area 81, as illustrated in Figure 10. Figure 10 illustrates the case where "XX" and "YY" are displayed as the interrupt information D2. In this case, "XX" and the additional information D1 are displayed in parallel in the first display area 81, and "YY" is displayed in the second display area 82, so that "XX" and "YY" can be displayed simultaneously. The predetermined conditions can be set as appropriate conditions such as there being an empty display area in the first display area 81 even after displaying the additional information D1, the interrupt information D2 to be displayed being low-priority information, and the interrupt information D2 to be displayed being information with a small display space. This makes it possible to display the interrupt information D2 while continuously displaying the additional information D1 in the first display area 81.

[0063] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 6, if the user has not selected gear display as the display content to be displayed on the meter display unit 10, the interrupt information D2 may be permanently displayed in the first display area 81.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, even when the power meter 51 is in the display state (power display state), if S mode is selected, the display position of the additional information D1 may be changed depending on whether or not the interrupt information D2 is displayed. The additional information D1 and the interrupt information D2 may be the same information as in the above embodiment, or they may be different information.

[0065] Furthermore, the configuration of each part shown in Figure 1 can be broadly applied to configurations implemented by software, configurations implemented by hardware, and configurations implemented by a combination of software and hardware. Also, the way in which the processing units of the flowchart are divided and the processing order are not limited to the illustrated example and may be changed as appropriate.

[0066] Furthermore, while the present invention has been described in the context of applying it to the vehicle 1, vehicle control device 2, and its display control method shown in Figure 1, it is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to any hybrid vehicle, a vehicle control device mounted on a hybrid vehicle, and their display control methods. Alternatively, the present invention may be applied to an electric vehicle, a vehicle control device mounted on an electric vehicle, and their display control methods.

[0067] Furthermore, the present invention may also be applied to vehicles other than hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, such as so-called engine vehicles, vehicle control devices mounted on such engine vehicles, and display control methods thereof. When the present invention is applied to an engine vehicle, the engine speed (corresponding to the actual engine speed) may be displayed as the virtual engine speed, and the power used for driving may be the power actually used for driving in the engine vehicle, or a converted value corresponding to the amount of power supplied to the drive motor when the engine is assumed to be a drive motor. In other words, the virtual tachometer display state of this disclosure includes a display state that displays the actual engine speed, and the power display state of this disclosure includes a display state that displays power corresponding to the amount of power supplied when the engine is assumed to be a drive motor.

[0068] Furthermore, although the case in which the program 22 for realizing the display control method of the present invention is recorded in the memory 21 of the vehicle control device 2 has been described, the program 22 may also be obtained from an external device via communication. Alternatively, the program 22 may be recorded on a recording medium that is readable by a computer. Magnetic, optical, or semiconductor memory devices can be used as the recording medium.

[0069] [4. Configurations Supported by the Above Embodiments] The above embodiments are specific examples of the following configurations.

[0070] (Configuration 1) A vehicle comprising a selection unit for selecting a driving mode, a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected driving mode, and a display control unit that switches between a power display state showing the power used for driving and a virtual tachometer display state showing a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined driving mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information depending on whether or not a second piece of information different from the first information is displayed. With this configuration, the first information can be displayed continuously, so that appropriate feedback on the display to the driving mode can be provided. Furthermore, by changing the display position of the first information depending on whether or not the second piece of information is displayed, multiple pieces of information can be appropriately arranged and displayed. This makes it possible to achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0071] (Configuration 2) The vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the display control unit displays additional information that can identify the gear shift state as the first information when the virtual tachometer is displayed. With this configuration, by displaying the virtual engine speed and additional information D1 that can identify the gear shift state, the occupant can more easily grasp the driving state of the vehicle intuitively, which is advantageous in that it can achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0072] (Configuration 3) A vehicle as described in Configuration 2, comprising a virtual gear identification unit that identifies a virtual gear stage corresponding to the virtual engine speed, wherein the additional information includes the virtual gear stage. With this configuration, by displaying a combination of virtual engine speed and virtual gear, information similar to that of an engine vehicle equipped with a manual transmission can be provided. As a result, the driver can be given the pleasure of operating the vehicle.

[0073] (Configuration 4) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, wherein the display control unit displays the first information in the first display area corresponding to the center of the virtual tachometer when the second information is not displayed in the virtual tachometer display state. With this configuration, both the virtual engine speed and additional information can be displayed in an easily visible manner.

[0074] (Configuration 5) The vehicle according to Configuration 3, wherein when the display control unit displays the second information in the virtual tachometer display state, it displays the first information in a second display area separate from the first display area. With this configuration, information other than the first information can be displayed in the first display area, and multiple pieces of information including the first and second information can be appropriately arranged and displayed.

[0075] (Configuration 6) The vehicle according to Configuration 5, wherein the display control unit displays the first information larger when it is displayed in the first display area than when it is displayed in the second display area. With this configuration, the first information can be displayed more easily to see when it is displayed in the first display area.

[0076] (Configuration 7) The vehicle according to Configuration 5 or 6, wherein the second information selectively includes information of lower priority, and when the display control unit displays the second information of lower priority in the virtual tachometer display state, it displays the first information in the first display area and the second information in the second display area. With this configuration, it becomes possible to display the second information while continuing to display the first information in the first display area.

[0077] (Configuration 8) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 5 to 7, wherein the display control unit displays the second information and the first information in parallel in the first display area when the virtual tachometer display state satisfies predetermined conditions. With this configuration, it becomes possible to display the second information while continuously displaying the first information in the first display area.

[0078] (Configuration 9) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 3 to 8, wherein the additional information includes the shift position of the shift switch of the vehicle, and the display control unit displays the virtual gear position and the shift position in parallel. With this configuration, the virtual gear position and the shift position can be displayed in an easy-to-read manner.

[0079] (Configuration 10) A vehicle display control method comprising: a selection unit for selecting a driving mode; a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected driving mode; and a display control unit that switches between a power display state showing the power used for driving and a virtual tachometer display state showing a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined driving mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information depending on whether or not a second piece of information different from the first information is displayed. With this method, the first information can be continuously displayed, so that appropriate feedback on the display to the driving mode can be provided. Furthermore, by changing the display position of the first information depending on whether or not the second piece of information is displayed, multiple pieces of information can be appropriately arranged and displayed. This makes it possible to achieve both improved feedback to the driving mode and convenience.

[0080] 1...Vehicle, 2...Vehicle control device, 10...Meter display unit, 11...Processor, 13c...Driving mode selection unit, 14...Vehicle control unit, 14b...Display control unit, 15...Virtual gear identification unit, 22...Program, 51...Power meter, 61...Speedometer, 71...Virtual tachometer, 81...First display area, 82...Second display area, D1...Additional information (first information), D2...Interrupt information (second information).

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a selection unit for selecting a driving mode; a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected driving mode; and a display control unit that switches between a power display state showing the power used for driving and a virtual tachometer display state showing a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined driving mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information depending on whether or not a second piece of information different from the first information is displayed.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays additional information that can identify the gear shift state as the first information when the virtual tachometer is displayed.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, comprising a virtual gear identification unit that identifies a virtual gear stage corresponding to the virtual engine speed, wherein the additional information includes the virtual gear stage.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, in the virtual tachometer display state, the display control unit displays the first information in the first display area corresponding to the center of the virtual tachometer when the second information is not displayed.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein when the display control unit displays the second information in the virtual tachometer display state, it displays the first information in a second display area separate from the first display area.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein when the display control unit displays the first information in the first display area, it displays the first information larger than when it displays the first information in the second display area.

7. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the second information selectively includes information of lower priority, and when the display control unit displays the second information of lower priority in the virtual tachometer display state, it displays the first information in the first display area and the second information in the second display area.

8. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit displays the second information and the first information in parallel in the first display area when predetermined conditions are met in the virtual tachometer display state.

9. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the additional information includes the shift position of the shift switch of the vehicle, and the display control unit displays the virtual gear position and the shift position in parallel.

10. A vehicle display control method comprising: a selection unit for selecting a driving mode; a vehicle control unit for controlling the vehicle based on the selected driving mode; and a display control unit that switches between a power display state showing the power used for driving and a virtual tachometer display state showing a virtual engine speed calculated from vehicle information, wherein the display control unit displays first information when a predetermined driving mode is selected, and changes the display position of the first information depending on whether or not a second piece of information different from the first information is displayed.

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