Vehicle Display Power Control with Independent Supply Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicular display systems face issues with power supply reliability due to dependent failure when the head unit fails, leading to display device malfunction, and there are limitations in supplying power to larger displays, increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A display control apparatus and method that includes a head unit with a DC voltage generator outputting multiple DC voltages, a display device with separate power management circuits, and an MCU interface to independently control power, allowing safe and efficient power distribution even in the absence of an MCU.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If power is supplied to the display device through the head unit, then the display device can be controlled centrally, but the display device becomes dependent on head unit power supply and fails when the head unit fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power supply system into two independent paths: one through the head unit for control signals and one directly from the vehicle battery through a fuse for power supply. This segmentation eliminates the dependency where display failure occurred when the head unit failed, while maintaining centralized control capability through the head unit's control signals.
2Reliability
If an MCU is added to the display device for independent power control, then power reliability improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power control function from the display device itself and relocates it to the head unit. The head unit's existing MCU handles power control through control signals sent to the display device's power control circuit, eliminating the need for a separate MCU in the display device while maintaining reliable power control.
Solution Approach 2:
The head unit's MCU is made multi-functional by having it handle both the display control signals and the power control signals. This universal approach allows one MCU to perform multiple functions, avoiding the need for an additional MCU in the display device and reducing overall system complexity.
3Device complexity
If the display device has no MCU for power control, then system complexity is reduced, but the ability to independently control power is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a power control circuit as an intermediary between the head unit's MCU and the display device's power supply. This circuit receives control signals from the head unit and independently manages power delivery, providing the needed adaptability without requiring a full MCU in the display device.
Data Source
AI summary
A display control apparatus includes a head unit configured to output an image signal and a control signal, and a display device configured to receive the image signal and the control signal and output the image signal. The head unit may include a direct current (DC) voltage generator configured to output at least two types of DC voltages, and the display device may include a circuit configured to generate an output signal based on a first input signal and a second input signal. A display control method includes outputting, by a head unit, an image signal and a control signal, outputting, by a DC voltage generator in the head unit, at least two types of DC voltages, receiving, by a display device, the image signal and the control signal and outputting the image signal, and generating, by the display device, an output signal based on a first input signal and a second input signal.