Vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle (1) according to the present disclosure comprises a sunroof device (5) and a display device (3). The sunroof device (5) has a sunroof (9) and a sunroof control unit (6) that controls the sunroof (9). The display device (3) has a screen (4) on which an open / closed state of the sunroof (9) can be set, and a display control unit (3A) that receives an operation on the screen (4) and controls content displayed on the screen (4). Upon receiving an operation for opening / closing the sunroof (9), the display control unit (3A) transmits information relating to the operation to the sunroof control unit (3A), calculates an opening degree of the sunroof (9) on the basis of the information, and pre-displays, on the screen (4), a state of a sunroof graphic representing the sunroof (9) on the basis of the opening degree.

Description

Vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a sunroof device.

[0002] In a vehicle equipped with a sunroof device, a panel (also called a lid or glass) that closes the roof opening in an openable and closable manner, and an operation unit (for example, an operation switch) that operates the open / closed state of this panel are provided. Since the panel is above the head of the occupant (user), a technique has been proposed that enables the user to operate the opening and closing of the panel without directly visually observing the panel (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Also, a sunroof device equipped with a shade in addition to the panel is known. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a sunroof device that enables operation of the panel and the shade by a single operation switch. In this sunroof device, the user can control the open / closed state of the panel and the shade by appropriately using push operations (long-press operation, short-press operation) and slide operations.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-45303, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-278469, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-136445

[0004] However, in the above Patent Document 3, the user needs to know (or remember) a plurality of switch operations, which is inconvenient for a user who is not accustomed to the vehicle.

[0005] Therefore, in order to enable the user to easily operate, for example, an operation screen is arranged at a position where the user's hand can easily reach, and an input operation (signal) on the screen is transmitted from the device on the screen side to the sunroof device, and the sunroof device controls the opening and closing of the panel and the shade (hereinafter, these are referred to as "sunroof") based on the signal. In this case, if the actual state of the sunroof (opening degree, position, etc.) is displayed on the screen, the user can operate the sunroof while looking at the screen, which can improve the usability. However, when signals are transmitted and received between the device on the screen side and the device that controls the sunroof, there is a possibility that the actual state of the sunroof is not displayed (reflected) on the screen due to communication delay, and there is room for improvement from the perspective of improving usability.

[0006] This invention was conceived in light of the above-mentioned challenges, and one of its objectives is to improve usability in vehicles equipped with a sunroof. However, in addition to this objective, another objective of this invention is to achieve effects and benefits that cannot be obtained with conventional technology, derived from the various configurations shown in the "Modes for Carrying Out the Invention" described later.

[0007] The disclosed vehicle can be realized in the following embodiments (examples of application) and solves at least some of the above-mentioned problems. Each of the embodiments from Embodiment 2 onward is an additional embodiment that can be appropriately selected and each is an embodiment that can be omitted. None of the embodiments from Embodiment 2 onward disclose any embodiments or configurations that are essential to this case.

[0008] Embodiment 1. The disclosed vehicle comprises a sunroof device and a display device. The sunroof device includes a sunroof that opens and closes an opening provided in the roof of the vehicle, and a sunroof control unit that controls the sunroof. The display device includes a screen on which the open / closed state of the sunroof can be set, and a display control unit that receives operations on the screen and controls the content displayed on the screen. When the display control unit receives an operation to open or close the sunroof, it transmits information related to the operation to the sunroof control unit, calculates the degree of opening of the sunroof based on the information, and displays a sunroof diagram that simulates the sunroof on the screen based on the degree of opening.

[0009] Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 1 described above, the sunroof control unit controls the sunroof based on the information received from the display control unit, and when the operating sunroof stops, it preferably transmits a stop signal and the opening degree of the sunroof at the time of stopping to the display control unit, and when the display control unit receives the stop signal, it preferably displays the state of the sunroof diagram based on the received opening degree.

[0010] Embodiment 3. In an embodiment including Embodiment 1 above, the vehicle preferably comprises a battery that powers the sunroof and a voltage sensor that detects the voltage of the battery. In this case, the display control unit preferably adjusts the operating speed of the sunroof diagram that is displayed on the screen in advance based on the voltage. Embodiment 4. In an embodiment including Embodiment 3 above, when the voltage is less than a predetermined value, the display control unit preferably slows down the operating speed of the sunroof diagram as the voltage decreases.

[0011] According to the disclosed vehicle, usability can be improved.

[0012] This is a diagram illustrating the outline of a vehicle according to the embodiment. This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the vehicle. This is a schematic diagram showing a top view of the vehicle. This is a diagram showing a specific example of the operation screen of the display device.

[0013] The vehicle as an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below are merely illustrative, and there is no intention to exclude various modifications or applications of technologies not explicitly shown in the embodiments below. Each configuration of the embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from their spirit. Furthermore, they can be selected or combined as needed.

[0014] The vehicle according to this embodiment is not particularly limited in type as long as it is equipped with a sunroof device and a display device, and can be applied to, for example, gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles (hybrid electric vehicles, HEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs), etc. A plug-in hybrid vehicle means a hybrid vehicle that can be externally charged to a battery or externally powered from a battery. A plug-in hybrid vehicle is provided with a charging port (inlet) for inserting a charging cable into which power is supplied from an external charging facility, and an outlet for external power supply.

[0015] [1. Overview] An overview of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the sunroof device 5 has a sunroof 9 that opens and closes an opening provided in the roof of the vehicle 1, and a sunroof control unit 6 that controls the sunroof 9. The sunroof 9 here includes at least a panel (also called glass or lid) that can open and close the opening formed in the roof. The sunroof 9 may also include a shade that can open and close the opening on the interior side of the roof.

[0016] The sunroof control unit 6 issues commands to the actuator 9A that moves the sunroof 9, causing it to open or close to a predetermined degree. Preferably, the actual opening degree (or actual position) of the sunroof 9 is detected by the detection unit 9B, and this detection result is transmitted to the sunroof control unit 6. If there is no detection unit 9B, the sunroof control unit 6 may manage the operation of the actuator 9A and calculate (estimate) the actual opening degree and position of the sunroof 9. Thus, in the sunroof device 5, as shown by arrow S3 in the figure, a signal is transmitted from the sunroof control unit 6 to the sunroof 9 (actuator 9A), and further, as shown by arrow S4, a signal is transmitted from the sunroof 9 (detection unit 9B) to the sunroof control unit 6.

[0017] The display device 3 includes a screen 4 (hereinafter referred to as "operation screen 4") on which the open / closed state of the sunroof 9 can be set, and a display control unit 3A that receives operations on the operation screen 4 and controls the content displayed on the operation screen 4. The operation screen 4 may be placed in a location that is easy for the user (occupant) to operate (for example, on the instrument panel), and may be used in conjunction with the screen of the navigation device or the audio device. The operation screen 4 has the function of receiving user operations (touch operations, slide operations, etc.) and transmits the received operations to the display control unit 3A.

[0018] When the display control unit 3A receives an operation request for the sunroof 9 from the operation screen 4, it transmits information related to that operation (hereinafter referred to as "operation information") to the sunroof control unit 6 (arrow S2 in the figure). The operation information transmitted here includes at least information related to the opening and closing operation of the sunroof 9 (hereinafter referred to as "opening / closing information"). Opening and closing operations are operations to open the sunroof 9 to a predetermined opening degree (opening operation) and operations to close the sunroof 9 to a predetermined opening degree (closing operation). The opening and closing information includes, for example, the type of operation (opening operation, closing operation) and information such as the set opening degree and position. Here, the above operation information also includes information related to the stopping operation of the sunroof 9 (hereinafter referred to as "stopping information"). A stopping operation is an operation to stop the movement of the sunroof 9, and the stopping information includes a signal indicating that a stopping operation has occurred and information on the opening degree at the time of the stopping operation.

[0019] The sunroof control unit 6 issues commands to the actuator 9A as described above based on the operation information. The display control unit 3A also transmits the operation information as described above (arrow S2), and if the operation information is opening / closing information, it calculates the opening degree of the sunroof 9 based on that information and, based on the calculated opening degree, displays a sunroof diagram that simulates the sunroof 9 on the operation screen 4 in advance (black arrow S7 in the diagram). Note that the sunroof diagram is a name used to distinguish it from the actual object (sunroof 9), and is a figure or image (video) that simulates the sunroof 9 displayed on the operation screen 4. The advance display is performed only when the sunroof 9 is opened or closed.

[0020] A "pre-display" refers to a display that precedes the display via the normal route (hereinafter referred to as "normal display"). The normal route is the signal flow (transmission and reception) shown by the six arrows S1 to S6 in Figure 1. Specifically, first, in the display device 3, a signal is transmitted from the operation screen 4 to the display control unit 3A as shown by arrow S1, and then, as shown by arrow S2, a signal (operation information) is transmitted from the display control unit 3A to the sunroof control unit 6.

[0021] In the sunroof device 5, after control is performed based on this signal (arrows S3 and S4 above), a signal (opening degree information) is fed back from the sunroof control unit 6 to the display control unit 3A, as shown by arrow S5. In the display device 3, a signal is transmitted from the display control unit 3A to the operation screen 4, as shown by arrow S6. As a result, the operation screen 4 displays (draws) the actual state of the sunroof 9 as a sunroof diagram based on the fed-back signal. The display performed here is the normal display. The normal display has the advantage of reflecting the actual state of the sunroof 9 obtained from the sunroof device 5, thus providing a display that is more in line with reality, but it also has the disadvantage of causing communication delays.

[0022] Therefore, in this embodiment, a shortened route is provided that is completed within the display device 3, separate from the normal route, and the sunroof diagram is displayed on the operation screen 4 without being affected by communication delays. The display performed here is a pre-display. The shortened route is the route (arrows S1 and S7) in which a signal is transmitted from the operation screen 4 to the display control unit 3A, and then returns from the display control unit 3A to the operation screen 4. In this way, the display control unit 3A performs a pre-display without waiting for the signals indicated by arrows S2 to S5 to be returned, separately from the sunroof device 5 (independently), making it possible to display without communication delays and thus improving usability.

[0023] Furthermore, if there is a discrepancy between the signal (opening degree information) fed back via the normal route and the opening degree of the sunroof diagram being displayed, the display control unit 3A may display (correct) the state of the sunroof diagram based on the signal obtained from the normal route. As a result, even if there is a discrepancy, the final displayed sunroof diagram will be in line with reality, and usability will not be compromised.

[0024] One case in which a discrepancy may occur is when the operating sunroof 9 is stopped either by user operation or by an external disturbance. First, let's explain the former. As described above, the display device 3 provides a preview only when the sunroof 9 is opened or closed. In other words, if the display device 3 receives a stop operation for the sunroof 9, it does not provide a preview, but waits for a signal to be fed back from the normal route. Therefore, when a stop operation is received on the operation screen 4, a discrepancy occurs between the signal fed back from the normal route (the actual opening degree of the sunroof 9) and the opening degree of the sunroof diagram displayed (previewed) on the operation screen 4 at the time the signal is received.

[0025] Let me explain the latter point. Even if the user does not perform a stop operation, the operating sunroof 9 will stop if an object gets caught between the sunroof 9 and the edge of the opening, or if a force acts that hinders the movement of the sunroof 9. This stopping cannot be detected by the display device 3 alone. Therefore, if the sunroof 9 stops due to an external disturbance, a discrepancy will occur between the signal fed back through the normal route (the actual opening degree of the sunroof 9) and the opening degree of the sunroof diagram displayed (pre-displayed) on the operation screen 4 at the time the signal is received.

[0026] When the sunroof 9 stops, the sunroof control unit 6 transmits a signal indicating that it has stopped (hereinafter referred to as the "stop signal") and the opening degree of the sunroof 9 at the time of stopping to the display control unit 3A. When the display control unit 3A receives this stop signal, it should correct the state of the sunroof diagram currently displayed on the operation screen 4 (pre-displayed) so that it matches the opening degree received simultaneously with the stop signal.

[0027] The sunroof 9 operates using power from the vehicle's battery. As long as the battery voltage (hereinafter referred to as "battery voltage") is within the normal range, the sunroof 9 can operate without problems (for example, at a preset speed). However, if the battery voltage is outside the normal range (especially if it is below it), it may affect the operation of the sunroof 9. For example, if the battery voltage is lower than the normal range, the sunroof 9 is likely to move slowly.

[0028] Therefore, the display control unit 3A may adjust the operating speed of the sunroof diagram displayed in advance on the operation screen 4 based on this battery voltage. For example, if the battery voltage is below a predetermined value (for example, the lower limit of the normal range or a value slightly higher than the lower limit), the display control unit 3A may slow down the operating speed of the sunroof diagram to a slower speed than usual (for example, about 70-90%). Alternatively, if the battery voltage is below a predetermined value, the operating speed of the sunroof diagram may be slower the lower the battery voltage is. Alternatively, since the viscosity of the lubricant in the sunroof 9 changes depending on the outside temperature, the operating speed of the sunroof diagram may be increased when the outside temperature is high and decreased when the outside temperature is low. By performing such advance displays, a state closer to the actual movement can be displayed on the operation screen 4.

[0029] Next, the embodiments and specific examples of the vehicle 1 (display device 3, sunroof device 5) of this embodiment described so far will be further explained with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0030] [2. Configuration] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing vehicle 1 as an embodiment, and Figure 3 is a schematic top view of vehicle 1. As shown in Figure 2, vehicle 1 is equipped with the above-mentioned display device 3 and sunroof device 5. The sunroof device 5 includes a sunroof 9, and the display device 3 includes an operation screen 4 (screen) on which the open / closed state of the sunroof 9 can be set.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the sunroof 9 is a component that opens and closes an opening 2A provided in the roof 2 of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the sunroof 9 includes a panel 7 (also called a lid or glass) that is provided to close the opening 2A, as well as a shade 8 located below the panel 7 of the vehicle that opens and closes the opening 2A independently of the panel 7. In the following description, when "sunroof 9" is used, it means that it is not limited to either the panel 7 or the shade 8, but can be applied to either.

[0032] Panel 7 is a translucent plate-shaped member (for example, glass or a transparent panel) that moves in a predetermined direction from one end of the opening 2A (an opening formed in the roof 2) to open and close the opening 2A. Shade 8 is a plate-shaped member made of a material capable of blocking sunlight from entering the vehicle interior and moves in a predetermined direction from one end of the opening 2A (the interior-side opening of the roof 2) to open and close the opening 2A. In the example shown in Figure 3, the predetermined direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "front-rear direction"), and one end is the front end 2f of the opening 2A. However, the predetermined direction may also be, for example, the left-right direction, in which case one end will be the left end or the right end.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the sunroof device 5 further includes a sunroof control unit 6 that controls the sunroof 9, an actuator 9A that drives the sunroof 9, and a detection unit 9B that detects the opening degree of the sunroof 9 as the actual opening degree. In this embodiment, the actuator 9A includes a panel actuator 7A that drives the panel 7 and a shade actuator 8A that drives the shade 8. The actuators 9A (7A, 8A) operate using the power of a battery 50 mounted on the vehicle 1. In other words, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a battery 50 that serves as the power source for the sunroof 9. The battery 50 is also equipped with a voltage sensor 51 that detects its voltage.

[0034] In this embodiment, the detection unit 9B includes a panel detection unit 7B that detects the opening degree of panel 7 as the actual opening degree, and a shade detection unit 8B that detects the opening degree of shade 8 as the actual opening degree. The detection unit 9B (7B, 8B) transmits the detected actual opening degree to the sunroof control unit 6. Alternatively, instead of detecting the opening degree, the detection unit 9B (7B, 8B) may detect the position (front-to-back position) of the sunroof 9 (panel 7, shade 8). As will be described later, the opening degree and position of the sunroof 9 correspond to each other, so the detection unit 9B (7B, 8B) may indirectly detect (calculate) the opening degree by detecting the position.

[0035] Although not shown in the diagram, the sunroof device 5 may include rails (not shown) that guide the movement of the panel 7 and the shade 8, and physical buttons for setting the open and closed states of the panel 7 and the shade 8. The physical buttons may be located, for example, near the steering wheel or map lamp, and may allow the panel 7 and the shade 8 to be set to any desired opening degree, or they may only allow the setting of typical opening degrees such as fully closed or fully open.

[0036] The sunroof control unit 6 is a computer (electronic control device) for controlling the state of the sunroof 9 (the state of each of the panel 7 and shade 8) based on input operations to an operation unit that allows for individual setting of the state of the sunroof 9 (the state of each of the panel 7 and shade 8). The sunroof control unit 6 may have a built-in processor (arithmetic processing unit) and memory (storage device). The processing content (program) of the sunroof control unit 6 may be stored in memory and executed by appropriately loading its contents into the processor. The operation unit is the part operated by the user and has the function of setting the state of the sunroof 9. The operation unit includes the operation screen 4 of the display device 3 and physical buttons. In the following description, the case in which the operation screen 4 is used as the operation unit is given as an example.

[0037] The display device 3 is mounted on the vehicle 1 and displays information related to the settings of the sunroof device 5 (such as opening / closing information and information indicating the status of the sunroof 9). In addition to the operation screen 4 described above, the display device 3 may also have screens for displaying various content information, a home screen, etc. Specific examples of content information include vehicle information, driving information, information related to driving support functions, audio information, car navigation information, alert information, and various setting information.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the display device 3 comprises a display control unit 3A and an output device 3B. The display control unit 3A is a computer (electronic control device) for controlling the content displayed on the output device 3B, and incorporates a processor (arithmetic processing unit) and memory (storage device). The processing content (program) of the display control unit 3A is stored in memory, and the content is executed by appropriately reading it into the processor. The display control unit 3A may be formed integrally with the output device 3B (built into the output device 3B), or it may be provided separately from the output device 3B.

[0039] The output device 3B is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, or a projector, and displays at least the operation screen 4. Hereinafter, the display or projector screen on which information is displayed will be referred to as the display screen. The operation screen 4 is one of the display screens. The information displayed on the display screen is controlled by the display control unit 3A. The shape of the display screen (the shape of the area on which information is displayed) is not particularly limited, but for example, it is a rectangle that is long in the left-right direction.

[0040] All information displayed on the output device 3B may be controlled by the display control unit 3A. The output device 3B is positioned in a location easily visible to the driver, such as in front of the driver (in front of the steering wheel) or in front of the center of the vehicle (in front of the space between the driver's seat and the passenger seat). An input device that accepts input operations on the content of the display screen may be provided as an accessory device to the output device 3B. Specific examples of input devices include a touch panel device that detects touch operations on the display screen, an input device equipped with a keyboard, physical buttons or a touchpad, a gaze detection device that detects the driver's gaze, and a gesture reading device that detects gesture operations.

[0041] In this embodiment, at least the output device 3B has a touch panel device that detects touch operations (such as tap operations or slide operations) on the operation screen 4, and the display control unit 3A receives operations on the operation screen 4. The operations referred to here include opening and closing operations of the sunroof 9. Opening and closing operations include an opening operation to open the sunroof 9 (setting it to a predetermined opening degree or to the tilt-up state described later), and a closing operation to close the sunroof 9 (setting it to a predetermined opening degree, closing it completely, or releasing the tilt-up state). The above operations may also include a stop operation to stop the movement of the sunroof 9. Hereinafter, opening and closing operations and stop operations will be collectively referred to as "setting operations".

[0042] When the display control unit 3A receives an operation on the operation screen 4 (setting operation of the sunroof 9), it transmits information about that operation (operation information) to the sunroof control unit 6. This is the normal route described above. On the other hand, the display control unit 3A calculates the opening degree of the sunroof 9 based on the opening and closing information, and displays the state of the sunroof diagram 39 (see Figure 4), which is modeled after the sunroof 9, on the operation screen 4 based on the calculated opening degree. This is the shortened route described above.

[0043] First, let's explain the normal route. The sunroof control unit 6 controls the sunroof 9 (panel 7, shade 8) based on the operation information received from the display control unit 3A. In this embodiment, the sunroof control unit 6 operates the panel actuator 7A and the shade actuator 8A respectively based on signals (instructions) from the display control unit 3A, and controls the open / closed state of the panel 7 and the open / closed state of the shade 8, respectively.

[0044] Further, the sunroof control unit 6 acquires the actual opening degree (actual opening) detected by the detection unit 9B (panel detection unit 7B, shade detection unit 8B). The panel detection unit 7B is a sensor that directly or indirectly detects the opening degree of the panel 7 (hereinafter referred to as "panel opening degree") as the actual opening degree, and the shade detection unit 8B is a sensor that directly or indirectly detects the opening degree of the shade 8 (hereinafter referred to as "shade opening degree") as the actual opening degree. These detection units 7B and 8B may indirectly detect the panel opening degree and the shade opening degree by detecting the position of the panel 7 (hereinafter referred to as "panel position") and the position of the shade 8 (hereinafter referred to as "shade position"). Hereinafter, after explaining the specific configurations of the panel 7 and the shade 8, the relationship between the opening degree and the position will be explained.

[0045] The panel 7 may be configured to close the opening 2A with a single sheet, or may be configured to close the opening 2A with a plurality of sheets (for example, two sheets). In the case of the latter configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, the panel 7 may include a movable panel 7C disposed on the front side (one end side in a predetermined direction) of the opening 2A and a fixed panel 7D fixed to the roof 2 behind the movable panel 7C. That is, the sunroof device 5 may be configured such that the rear side portion of the opening 2A is always blocked by the fixed panel 7D, and the movable panel 7C moves in the portion of the opening 2A where there is no fixed panel 7D. The number of the movable panel 7C and the fixed panel 7D is not particularly limited.

[0046] In the sunroof device 5 of the present embodiment, an example is illustrated in which two panels 7 having substantially the same size in the front-rear direction are arranged side by side. The rear panel 7 is a fixed panel 7D fixed to the roof 2, and the front panel 7 is a movable panel 7C provided slidably in the front-rear direction along the opening 2A. In FIG. 3, for the sake of convenience, the fixed panel 7D is shown only by an outer contour line, and the movable panel 7C is shown with a dot pattern. In the case of this configuration, the front half of the opening 2A can be opened and closed.

[0047] The shade 8 may be configured to cover the opening 2A with a single sheet or may be configured to cover the opening 2A with a plurality of sheets (for example, two sheets). In the sunroof device 5 of the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the opening 2A is covered from the passenger compartment side (downward) with a single shade 8. In FIG. 3, for the sake of convenience, the shade 8 is shown with a horizontal stripe pattern. In this configuration, the entire opening 2A can be opened and closed.

[0048] The panel opening degree means the ratio of the actually opened area (hereinafter referred to as "opened area") to the area of the opening 2A that the panel 7 can open and close. For example, if the panel 7 is in the fully closed state, the panel opening degree is 0%, if it is in the half-open state, the panel opening degree is 50%, and if it is in the fully open state, the panel opening degree is 100%. In the panel 7 of the present embodiment, the front half of the opening 2A can be opened and closed, and the rear half of the opening 2A is always closed. Therefore, the state where the movable panel 7C closes all of the half of the entire area of the opening 2A (hereinafter referred to as "opening area") is the opening degree of 0%, and the state where half of the opening area is opened is the opening degree of 100%.

[0049] Also, the panel position refers to the position (front-rear direction position) of the front end 7f of the panel 7 with respect to the opening 2A. For example, if the panel 7 is in the fully closed state, the panel position is the position Pf of the front end 2f of the opening 2A (hereinafter also referred to as "front end position Pf"). Also, if the panel 7 is in the fully open state, since the movable panel 7C completely overlaps the fixed panel 7D in the vertical direction, the panel position at this time is the central position Pc in the front-rear direction of the opening 2A (substantially the same as the front end position of the fixed panel 7D). Thus, the panel opening degree and the panel position correspond to each other.

[0050] The same applies to the shade 8. That is, the shade opening degree means the ratio of the actually opened area (opened area) to the area of the opening 2A that the shade 8 can open and close. In the shade 8 of the present embodiment, since the entire opening 2A can be opened and closed, the state where the shade 8 closes the entire opening area is the opening degree of 0%, the state where half of the opening area (front half) is opened is the opening degree of 50%, and the state where the entire opening area is opened is the opening degree of 100%.

[0051] Furthermore, the shade position refers to the position (front-to-back position) of the front end 8f of the shade 8 relative to the opening 2A. For example, when the shade 8 is fully closed, the shade position is the front end position Pf. When the shade 8 is fully open, the entire opening 2A is opened, and in this case, the shade position is the position Pr of the rear end 2r of the opening 2A (hereinafter also referred to as the "rear end position Pr"). In this way, the shade opening degree and the shade position correspond to each other. In this embodiment, the panel position when the panel opening degree is 100% and the shade position when the shade opening degree is 50% are the same.

[0052] In the sunroof device 5 of this embodiment, the panel 7 can be controlled to any opening degree from a fully closed state (0% opening) to a fully open state (100% opening), and can also be controlled to a predetermined opening degree. Furthermore, it is possible to control the panel 7 to a tilt-up state in which the rear edge of the panel 7 rises and tilts. In the tilt-up state of the panel 7 of this embodiment, with the panel opening degree at 0%, the rear of the movable panel 7C rises and tilts so that it slopes upward toward the rear when viewed from the side of the vehicle. The shade 8 can also be controlled to any opening degree from a fully closed state (0% opening) to a fully open state (100% opening), and can also be controlled to a predetermined opening degree.

[0053] The sunroof control unit 6 transmits the panel opening degree obtained from the panel detection unit 7B and the shade opening degree obtained from the shade detection unit 8B to the display control unit 3A. In this way, the sunroof control unit 6 controls the sunroof 9 (panel 7, shade 8) based on the signal (instruction) from the display control unit 3A, and also feeds back the opening degree (actual opening degree) detected by the detection unit 9B (7B, 8B) to the display control unit 3A. The sunroof control unit 6 may also transmit a signal indicating the state of the sunroof 9 when transmitting (feedback) the opening degree.

[0054] The sunroof device 5 of this embodiment has a detection means for detecting when the panel 7 stops due to a disturbance while the panel 7 is operating. The detection means consists of, for example, an ammeter (not shown) for detecting the current value of the panel actuator 7A and a sunroof control unit 6. If an object gets caught between the edge of the opening 2A and the panel 7, or if a force acts that hinders the movement of the panel 7, while the panel actuator 7A is moving the panel 7, the current value of the panel actuator 7A changes in an increasing direction. The sunroof control unit 6 can detect that the panel 7 has stopped due to a disturbance based on this change in current value and the rate of change. The detection means may also detect when the shade 8 stops due to a disturbance while the shade 8 is operating. In this case, the detection means may include an ammeter (not shown) for detecting the current value of the shade actuator 8A.

[0055] In this embodiment, the sunroof control unit 6 transmits a stop signal indicating the stop and the actual opening degree at the time of stop to the display control unit 3A when the operating sunroof 9 (panel 7, shade 8) stops. As described above, this stop can occur either when the user performs a stop operation or due to an external disturbance.

[0056] Next, the shortcut route will be explained. When the display control unit 3A receives an opening / closing operation, it calculates the opening degree (panel opening degree, shade opening degree) of the sunroof diagram 39 to be displayed on the operation screen 4 based on the opening / closing information. One method of this calculation is to calculate the amount or rate of change required to change the current opening degree of the sunroof 9 (the opening degree of the displayed sunroof diagram 39) to the opening degree derived from the opening / closing information (the opening degree set by the user). Based on the calculated opening degree, the display control unit 3A operates the sunroof diagram 39 and displays the state of the sunroof diagram 39 in advance.

[0057] When the display control unit 3A receives a signal (opening degree information) from the sunroof control unit 6 via the normal route, it checks the difference between the received actual opening degree and the opening degree (calculated by itself) displayed in the preceding section. Only if there is a difference, it corrects the state of the sunroof diagram 39 displayed in the preceding section to match the actual opening degree. Furthermore, when the display control unit 3A receives a stop signal from the sunroof control unit 6, it corrects the state of the sunroof diagram 39 displayed in the preceding section based on the actual opening degree received simultaneously with the stop signal.

[0058] Furthermore, the display control unit 3A adjusts the operating speed of the sunroof figure 39, which is displayed in advance on the operation screen 4, based on the voltage of the battery 50 (battery voltage) detected by the voltage sensor 51. In addition, in this embodiment, the display control unit 3A may operate at a slower speed than usual if the battery voltage is below a predetermined value (for example, the lower limit of the normal range or a value slightly higher than the lower limit), or it may operate at a slower speed the lower the battery voltage is.

[0059] [3. Specific Examples of Display Devices] Next, specific examples of the display device 3 and the operation screen 4 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the operation screen 4 has a first setting unit 10 for setting the open / closed state of the panel 7, a second setting unit 20 for setting the open / closed state of the shade 8, a state display unit 30 for displaying images 31 showing the open / closed states of the panel 7 and the shade 8, and a stop button 40. Note that in the figure showing the operation screen 4, the dashed lines indicate areas and are not actually displayed.

[0060] The first setting unit 10 and the second setting unit 20 are both operated by the user and are located on the operation screen 4. The status display unit 30 is also located on the operation screen 4. The status display unit 30 displays an image 31 which superimposes a panel diagram 37 and a shade diagram 38, which are models of the panel 7 and shade 8, onto a vehicle diagram 32 which is modeled after the vehicle 1 as seen from above with the front facing upwards. In other words, the status display unit 30 is not operated by the user, but rather is a part that informs the user of the open / closed status of the panel 7 and shade 8. The panel diagram 37 and shade diagram 38 are examples of the sunroof diagram 39 shown above.

[0061] In the example vehicle 1, predetermined operations (slide operation, tap operation) on the operation screen 4 cause the panel diagram 37 and shade diagram 38 on the status display unit 30 to move and the panel 7 and shade 8 to operate based on the open / closed state of the panel 7 and the open / closed state of the shade 8 set in the first setting unit 10 and the second setting unit 20, respectively. Furthermore, if the stop button 40 is tapped on the operation screen 4 while the panel 7 and shade 8 are operating, the operating panel diagram 37 and / or shade diagram 38 will stop, and the operating panel 7 and / or shade 8 will also stop. Tapping the stop button 40 constitutes the above-described stop operation.

[0062] The first setting unit 10 has a first operation bar 11 which includes a first gauge 11a that can set the panel 7 to any opening degree, and a first operation unit 11b that is movable along the first gauge 11a and sets the panel opening degree. The first operation bar 11 is the part for setting the panel to any opening degree by user operation. The first gauge 11a has a vertical shape and accepts both slide and tap operations. The first gauge 11a also has the function of displaying the panel opening degree being set. The first operation unit 11b is a part (knob) that is slid up and down by the user (moved while lightly placing a finger on it), and is also a part that displays the panel opening degree being set. In the display device 3, the position of the first operation unit 11b (the position where the user releases their finger after operating it) is set as the panel opening degree.

[0063] The first operation bar 11 can be slid from any position on the first gauge 11a other than the first operation section 11b. In this case, the first operation section 11b moves to the position where the finger was released after the sliding operation, and this position is set as the panel opening degree. In other words, the user does not necessarily have to place their finger on the first operation section 11b before starting the sliding operation. Furthermore, when any position on the first gauge 11a is tapped, the first setting section 10 moves the first operation section 11b to the tapped position and sets that position as the panel opening degree. Thus, there are three types of opening degree settings using the first operation bar 11.

[0064] The first gauge 11a is set to 0% and 100% opening positions corresponding to the orientation of image 31. Here, the upper side of the operation screen 4 corresponds to the front side of the vehicle diagram 32, and the upper end of the first gauge 11a is set to 0% opening, and the lower end to 100% opening. The length of the area below the first operation section 11b on the first gauge 11a indicates the panel opening degree. Note that the first gauge 11a may have scales or numerical values. Operation of the first operation bar 11 is either an open operation or a closed operation.

[0065] The first setting unit 10 has a first operation bar 11 and a plurality of first buttons that can set the panel 7 to a predetermined state. Each first button is arranged in parallel in relation to the opening position of the first operation bar 11. Here, the first buttons include a close button 12 that sets the panel 7 to a fully closed state (opening 0%), a tilt button 13 that sets the panel 7 to a tilt-up state, a comfort button 14 that sets the panel 7 to a comfortable predetermined opening (an opening that does not produce wind noise while driving), and a full open button 15 that sets the panel 7 to a fully open state (opening 100%). In the display device 3, when any of the first buttons 12 to 15 are tapped by the user, the panel 7 is set to the state of the tapped first button 12 to 15. The first operation unit 11b moves to a position corresponding to the opening of the tapped first button 12 to 15.

[0066] The close button 12 is positioned next to the first gauge 11a at the 0% opening position (i.e., the upper end). The tilt button 13 is positioned directly below the close button 12. This is because the tilt-up state is achieved when the panel opening is 0%. In other words, if the tilt button 13 is tapped when the panel opening is not 0%, the panel 7 will first be fully closed before moving to the tilt-up state. If the close button 12 is tapped while the panel is in the tilt-up state, the tilt-up state is released and the panel 7 closes. At this time, the shade 8 does not operate.

[0067] The comfort button 14 is positioned next to the first gauge 11a at a predetermined opening degree (for example, 80%). Since the opening degree at which wind noise does not occur while driving varies depending on the vehicle model, the opening degree of the comfort button 14 can be set for each vehicle model. The full open button 15 is positioned next to the first gauge 11a at the 100% opening degree (i.e., the lower end). Tapping the close button 12 is a closing operation, and tapping the full open button 15 is an opening operation. In addition, tapping the tilt button 13 and the comfort button 14 will result in either an opening or closing operation depending on the opening degree at the time of the tap.

[0068] The second setting unit 20 has a second operation bar 21 which includes a second gauge 21a that can set the shade 8 to any opening degree, and a second operation unit 21b that is movable along the second gauge 21a and sets the shade opening degree. The second operation bar 21 is the part for setting the shade to any opening degree by user operation. The second gauge 21a has a vertical shape and accepts both slide and tap operations. The second gauge 21a also has the function of displaying the shade opening degree being set. The second operation unit 21b is a part (knob) that is slid up and down by the user, and also a part that displays the shade opening degree being set. In the display device 3, the position of the second operation unit 21b (the position where the user releases their finger after operation) is set as the shade opening degree.

[0069] The second operation bar 21, like the first operation bar 11, can be slid from any position on the second gauge 21a other than the second operation section 21b. In this case, the second operation section 21b moves to the position where the finger was released after the sliding operation, and this position is set as the shade opening. In other words, the user does not necessarily have to place their finger on the second operation section 21b before starting the sliding operation. Furthermore, when any position on the second gauge 21a is tapped, the second setting section 20 moves the second operation section 21b to the tapped position and sets that position as the shade opening. Thus, there are three types of opening setting using the second operation bar 21.

[0070] The second gauge 21a is set to 0% and 100% opening positions corresponding to the orientation of image 31. Here, since the upper side of the operation screen 4 corresponds to the front side of the vehicle diagram 32, the upper end of the second gauge 21a is set to 0% opening and the lower end to 100% opening. The length of the area below the second operation section 21b on the second gauge 21a indicates the shade opening. Note that the second gauge 21a may have scales or numerical values. Operation of the second operation bar 21 is either an open operation or a closed operation.

[0071] The second setting unit 20 has, in addition to the second operation bar 21, a plurality of second buttons that can set the shade 8 to a predetermined state. Each second button is arranged in parallel in relation to the opening position of the second operation bar 21. Here, the second buttons include a close button 22 that sets the shade 8 to a fully closed state (opening 0%), a half button 23 that sets the shade 8 to a half-open state (opening 50%), and an open button 24 that sets the shade 8 to a fully open state (opening 100%). In the display device 3, when any of the second buttons 22 to 24 are tapped by the user, the shade 8 is set to the state of the tapped second button 22 to 24. The second operation unit 21b moves to a position corresponding to the opening degree of the tapped second button 22 to 24.

[0072] The close button 22 is positioned next to the second gauge 21a at the 0% opening position (i.e., the upper end). The half button 23 is positioned next to the second gauge 21a at the 50% opening position (i.e., the center in the vertical direction). The open button 24 is positioned next to the second gauge 21a at the 100% opening position (i.e., the lower end). When the panel 7 is in the tilt-up state, tapping the close button 22 will release the tilt-up state. In this case, as will be described later, the panel 7 will first be fully closed before the shade 8 closes.

[0073] Tapping the close button 22 is a closing operation, and tapping the open button 24 is an opening operation. Furthermore, tapping the half button 23 is either an opening or closing operation, depending on the degree of opening at the time of the tap. The first and second buttons described above do not accept additional operations while the panel 7 or shade 8 is operating, and therefore may be disabled (for example, grayed out to prevent tapping).

[0074] The status display unit 30 displays images 31 in which the panel diagram 37 and the shade diagram 38 move based on the open / closed state of the panel 7 set in the first setting unit 10 and the open / closed state of the shade 8 set in the second setting unit 20. This allows the user to recognize what state the panel 7 and shade 8 will be in according to the user's operation without having to look overhead. The status display unit 30 shown in Figure 4 is positioned approximately in the center of the operation screen 4 in the left-right direction.

[0075] Figure 4 illustrates image 31 in a state where panel 7 is fully closed and shade 8 is open to about 60%. In this embodiment of the sunroof device 5, two panels 7 (fixed panel 7D and movable panel 7C) are provided, so image 31 also has two panel diagrams 37 arranged vertically. Hereafter, when distinguishing between the two panel diagrams 37, the upper panel diagram 37 corresponding to movable panel 7C will be called "movable panel diagram 37c", and the lower panel diagram 37 corresponding to fixed panel 7D will be called "fixed panel diagram 37d". In Figure 4, for convenience, a dot pattern is added only to the movable panel diagram 37c.

[0076] Since the fixed panel diagram 37d is a representation of the fixed panel 7D, it does not move even when the user operates on the first setting unit 10. In other words, only the movable panel diagram 37c moves when the user operates on the first setting unit 10. As shown in Figure 4, when panel 7 is in the fully closed state, an image 31 is displayed where the movable panel diagram 37c has reached the upper end of the opening 2A in the vehicle diagram 32. The movable panel diagram 37c moves in conjunction with the user's operation on the first setting unit 10 (first operation bar 11 and first buttons 12-15).

[0077] In this embodiment, the sunroof device 5 is provided with a single shade 8, and therefore image 31 also has a single shade diagram 38. In Figure 4, for convenience, a vertical stripe pattern is added to the shade diagram 38. The shade diagram 38 moves in conjunction with user operation on the second setting unit 20 (second operation bar 21 and second buttons 22-24). Since the shade 8 is located on the vehicle interior side of the panel 7, in image 31, the panel diagram 37 is displayed positioned in front of the shade diagram 38. The transparency of the panel diagram 37 may be increased so that the shade diagram 38 on the far side is visible even when the panel diagram 37 and the shade diagram 38 overlap.

[0078] When the display control unit 3A receives an operation (open / close operation) to at least one of the first setting unit 10 and the second setting unit 20 described above, it transmits the open / close information to the sunroof control unit 6 and calculates at least one of the panel opening degree and the shade opening degree itself. Based on the calculated opening degree, it then displays at least one of the panel diagram 37 (movable panel diagram 37c) and the shade diagram 38 on the operation screen 4 (status display unit 30) in advance.

[0079] [4. Specific Examples of Sunroof Devices] Finally, a specific example of the sunroof device 5 will be explained. The sunroof device 5 is designed so that when the panel 7 is open, the shade 8 opens to an area greater than the opening area of ​​the panel 7. For example, when both the panel 7 and the shade 8 are in a fully closed state, if only the panel 7 is opened to a predetermined first position X1, the sunroof control unit 6 will open the opening 2A of the shade 8 to an area greater than the opening area of ​​the opening 2A of the panel 7 at this first position X1, and then open the panel 7 to the first position X1. By creating a state in which "the shade 8 opens to an area greater than the opening area of ​​the panel 7," it is possible to avoid the phenomenon of the shade 8, which is an interior material, being exposed to the outside air and flapping, thereby realizing a comfortable interior space.

[0080] The first position X1 is a variable value (the set panel opening degree) selected by the user. In this embodiment, the first position X1 is set within the range from the front end position Pf to the center position Pc. In other words, in the sunroof device 5, when both the panel 7 and the shade 8 are in a fully closed state and only the panel 7 is opened, the shade 8 first moves to open to an opening degree (first position X1) greater than the operated (set) panel 7, and then the panel 7 is opened to the set opening degree.

[0081] The position in which the shade 8 opens prior to the opening of the panel 7 is called the "preceding position." This preceding position may be a fixed value set in advance, or a variable value (for example, a value linked to the first position X1). The preceding position is at least the same as the first position X1, or a position behind the first position X1, with respect to the front end position Pf. In this embodiment, the preceding position is the maximum position in which the movable panel 7C is opened (hereinafter referred to as the "maximum opening position P4").

[0082] In the sunroof device 5 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the movable panel 7C is opened to the central position Pc of the opening 2A, so the maximum opening position P4 (preceding position) is this central position Pc. In other words, in this embodiment, when the shade 8 is opened before the panel 7, the shade 8 is always opened to the central position Pc, so regardless of the first position X1, the state is that "the shade 8 is opened to a greater extent than the opening area of ​​the panel 7". For this reason, when an input operation (opening operation) is made to open the panel 7, the sunroof control unit 6 should open the shade 8 to the maximum opening position P4 (central position Pc) as the preceding position, and then open the movable panel 7C.

[0083] In summary, in the sunroof device 5 of this embodiment, when both the panel 7 and the shade 8 are in a fully closed state and only the panel 7 is opened to the first position X1, the shade 8 is first opened to the maximum open position P4 (central position Pc) as a preceding position, regardless of the first position X1, and then the panel 7 is opened to the first position X1. For example, when both the panel 7 and the shade 8 are in a fully closed state and only the shade 8 is opened, the sunroof control unit 6 opens the shade 8 to the operated (set) shade opening degree. In this case, the panel 7 is not opened and remains in a fully closed state.

[0084] The same principle applies when closing. For example, when both the panel 7 and the shade 8 are in an open state (but not limited to fully open), if only the shade 8 is closed to a predetermined second position X2, the sunroof control unit 6 will fully close the panel 7 and then close the shade 8 to the second position X2. The second position X2 is a variable value selected by the user (a set shade opening degree) and is within a range between a preset first open position P1 and a front end position Pf.

[0085] The first open position P1 is the rear end of the opening 2A where the movable range of the panel 7 and the movable range of the shade 8 overlap (the end opposite to the front end 2f, which is one end). In the sunroof device 5 of this embodiment, the movable panel 7C is only opened to the central position Pc of the opening 2A, so the first open position P1 is this central position Pc. In other words, in this embodiment, both the first open position P1 and the maximum open position P4 are at the central position Pc.

[0086] Thus, in this specific example, if the open shade 8 is closed to a second position X2 which is within the range Rf between the first open position P1 (center position Pc) and the front end position Pf, the shade 8 may close more than the panel 7. Therefore, the panel 7 is first fully closed, and then the shade 8 is closed to the second position X2.

[0087] Furthermore, if the shade 8, which is in an open state (for example, fully open), is closed to a position X3 (hereinafter referred to as "third position X3") which is within the range Rr between the first open position P1 and the rear end position Pr (hereinafter referred to as "rear range Rr"), the shade 8 will not close further than the panel 7. In this case, the panel 7 does not move, and only the shade 8 is closed to the third position X3 (the set shade opening). The rear range Rr is the area below the fixed panel 7D, and is an area in which only the shade 8 can be opened and closed. Therefore, if the shade 8 is opened or closed within this rear range Rr, the sunroof control unit 6 opens or closes only the shade 8.

[0088] Furthermore, for example, if both panel 7 and shade 8 are in an open state (but not necessarily fully open), and only panel 7 is closed, the sunroof control unit 6 will close panel 7 to the operated (set) panel opening degree. In this case, shade 8 will not be closed and will remain open.

[0089] Furthermore, if the tilt-up state of the panel 7 is selected, the sunroof control unit 6 fully closes the panel 7 before tilting it up. If the panel 7 is already fully closed when the tilt-up state is selected, the position Pp of the panel 7 remains unchanged and it is tilted up. However, if the position Ps of the shade 8 is on the front end 2f side of the predetermined second open position P2 when the tilt-up state is selected, the sunroof control unit 6 fully closes the panel 7, then opens the shade 8 to the second open position P2 before tilting the panel 7 up.

[0090] The second open position P2 is a preset position for the shade 8 that is greater than fully closed (0% opening) but less than half-open (50% opening). In this embodiment, the second open position P2 is set to a position where the shade is open to 20%. In the tilt-up state, the opening of the panel 7 remains at 0%, but because the panel 7 tilts, it becomes possible to exchange (ventilate) air between the inside and outside of the vehicle, so flapping of the shade 8 is suppressed by opening the shade 8 to the second open position P2.

[0091] [5. Effects] (1) In the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, when the sunroof 9 is operated on the operation screen 4 of the display device 3, information related to that operation (operation information) is transmitted to the sunroof control unit 6, enabling control on the sunroof device 5 side. On the other hand, on the display device 3 side, if the operation information is opening / closing information, the opening degree of the sunroof 9 is calculated based on that opening / closing information, and the state (operation and position) of the sunroof diagram (for example, sunroof diagram 39 in Figure 4) is displayed in advance on the operation screen 4 based on that opening degree.

[0092] In this way, the display device 3, independently of the sunroof device 5, displays the state of the sunroof diagram in advance without waiting for a signal from the sunroof device 5. This reduces or eliminates the display delay compared to when the display device displays the state of the sunroof diagram after receiving a signal from the sunroof device 5. Therefore, usability can be improved, and the product value of the vehicle 1 can be increased.

[0093] (2) In the vehicle 1 described above, the sunroof device 5 can appropriately control the sunroof 9 based on the opening and closing information received from the display device 3. When the sunroof 9 stops, a stop signal indicating the stop and the opening degree at that time are fed back to the display control unit 3A. The display device 3 can then display the status of the sunroof 9 according to the actual state of the sunroof 9 based on this feedback. This enables a display that is in line with the actual state, thereby improving usability. Furthermore, if the sunroof device 5 is equipped with a detection unit 9B that detects the opening degree of the sunroof 9 as the actual opening degree, the status of the sunroof 9 can be accurately grasped, contributing to improved usability.

[0094] (3) Furthermore, the display control unit 3A adjusts the operating speed of the sunroof diagram displayed in advance on the operation screen 4 based on the voltage of the battery 50 which is the power source for the sunroof 9, thereby enabling a preview display that more closely resembles the actual operation of the sunroof 9. (4) In particular, when the battery voltage is below a predetermined value, the display control unit 3A slows down the operating speed of the sunroof diagram as the battery voltage decreases, thereby enabling a preview display that even more closely resembles the actual operation of the sunroof 9.

[0095] (5) In addition, as shown in the specific example in Figure 4, the user can set the open / closed state of the panel 7 and shade 8 of the sunroof device 5 by operating the two setting units 10 and 20 displayed on the same operation screen 4 while looking at the image 31 of the status display unit 30 displayed on the operation screen 4. Since the panel 7 and shade 8 operate according to the set open / closed state, user operation can be simplified, and the user's preferences can be realized without visual inspection, thereby improving usability.

[0096] [6. Others] The vehicle 1, display device 3, and sunroof device 5 described above are all examples and are not limited to those described above. For example, in the display device 3 described above, the first setting unit 10 and the second setting unit 20 each have an operation bar 11, 21 and a plurality of buttons 12-15, 22-24, but the configuration for setting the sunroof 9 is not limited to these. Either the operation bar or the buttons may be provided, or if both are provided, their arrangement and type are not limited to those described above. The first buttons 12-15 and the second buttons 22-24 are also examples, some may be omitted, or other buttons may be provided. The input operations for each setting unit 10, 20 are also examples.

[0097] In the sunroof device 5 described above, an example was shown in which two panels 7 of approximately the same size (a movable panel 7C on the front side and a fixed panel 7D on the rear side) are arranged side by side in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction. However, the sizes of the two panels may differ, or the movable panel and fixed panel may be reversed front to back. Furthermore, the opening may be closed and opened using a single panel, or it may be closed and opened using three or more panels. In these cases, the image 31 (panel diagram) should also be configured in the same way as the actual device. In addition, the shade 8 is not limited to the configuration described above; for example, multiple shades may be arranged side by side in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction.

[0098] The function for detecting objects getting stuck is not essential and may be omitted. Furthermore, the operating speed of the sunroof (Figure 39) displayed in advance may be kept constant regardless of the battery voltage. In addition, the sunroof (Figure 9) may consist only of the panel (Panel 7). In this case, all of the above-described configurations related to the shade (Shade 8) are unnecessary.

[0099] Furthermore, for example, if the sunroof device 5 cannot be operated for any reason, all operation bars and buttons on the display device 3 screen may be grayed out to indicate that it is inoperable, and at the same time, the display on the status display unit 30 may also be grayed out to visually inform the user that an error has occurred temporarily.

[0100] Furthermore, if the vehicle 1 is turned off or powered off (no longer in a drivable state) while panel 7 is not fully closed, the display device 3 may display a message indicating that panel 7 is not fully closed, and a warning sound may be emitted. Such notification to the user may reduce the risk of water ingress or theft caused by the user leaving the vehicle with panel 7 open.

[0101] This technology can be used in the manufacturing industry of vehicles equipped with a sunroof and an operating screen.

[0102] 1 Vehicle 2 Roof 2A Opening 3 Display device 3A Display control unit 3B Output device 4 Operation screen (screen) 5 Sunroof device 6 Sunroof control unit 9 Sunroof 9A Actuator 9B Detection unit 39 Sunroof diagram 40 Stop button 50 Battery 51 Voltage sensor

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a sunroof device having a sunroof that opens and closes an opening provided in the roof of the vehicle, and a sunroof control unit that controls the sunroof; a display device having a screen on which the open / closed state of the sunroof can be set, and a display control unit that receives operations on the screen and controls the content displayed on the screen, wherein when the display control unit receives an operation to open or close the sunroof as said operation, it transmits information about said operation to the sunroof control unit, calculates the degree of opening of the sunroof based on said information, and displays in advance on the screen a diagram of the sunroof that simulates the sunroof based on said degree of opening.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the sunroof control unit controls the sunroof based on the information received from the display control unit, and when the operating sunroof stops, transmits a stop signal and the opening degree of the sunroof at the time of stopping to the display control unit, and when the display control unit receives the stop signal, displays the state of the sunroof diagram based on the received opening degree.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a battery that serves as a power source for the sunroof, and a voltage sensor that detects the voltage of the battery, wherein the display control unit adjusts the operating speed of the sunroof diagram to be displayed on the screen in advance based on the voltage.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that when the voltage is less than a predetermined value, the display control unit slows down the operating speed of the sunroof diagram as the voltage decreases.

Images