Work Vehicle Meter Panel Layout for High-Visibility Multi-Info Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural and construction machines require a meter panel that can display a variety of information with high visibility, as existing systems become cluttered and difficult to read with increased information density, especially in smart agriculture and automated operations.

Innovation Solution

An information display system with a meter panel unit featuring a primary region for main vehicle information and a sub-region for additional content, allowing pages to be advanced or returned by user operation, and a control device to manage the display of primary and secondary information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the amount of information displayed on the meter panel increases to meet smart agriculture requirements, then the quantity of information is improved, but visibility decreases and readability becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of informationVSAvoidvisibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The display element is divided into a primary display region and a sub display region. The primary region displays main vehicle information with high visibility, while the sub region displays additional information in a segmented, organized manner. This spatial segmentation allows both critical and supplementary information to be displayed simultaneously without compromising the visibility of important data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a single-plane display to a multi-regional display structure by introducing the sub display region below the primary region. This dimensional organization allows information to be arranged hierarchically, with primary information at the top and secondary information below, improving overall information density while maintaining readability through structured layout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple types of information are displayed simultaneously on the meter panel, then the versatility of the display is improved, but the complexity of the display layout increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay versatilityVSAvoiddisplay layout complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sub display region is designed to display multiple types of content including operational information, warning messages, and guidance information. This multi-functional capability allows the display system to adapt to various operating conditions and information requirements without requiring separate display devices, thereby improving versatility while managing complexity through a unified display structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display element are assigned different functional qualities: the primary region is optimized for high-visibility main information, while the sub region is optimized for detailed supplementary information. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific purpose, improving overall display versatility without creating a uniformly complex layout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the meter panel displays comprehensive information for automated operations, then the functionality for smart agriculture is improved, but the ease of obtaining necessary information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmart agriculture functionalityVSAvoidease of obtaining information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the display into primary and sub regions, the patent enables operators to quickly locate critical information in the prominent primary region while accessing detailed operational information in the organized sub region. This segmentation improves ease of information retrieval by creating a clear visual hierarchy that guides operator attention to the most important data first.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The primary display region presents the most critical vehicle information in advance and in prominent positions, allowing operators to immediately grasp essential status without needing to search through detailed information. This preliminary presentation of key data improves ease of operation by providing immediate awareness of critical parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4678451A1Information display system, image display method, computer program, and work vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4678451A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4678451A1 patent drawingFigure 1B~2
  • EP4678451A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An information display system for a work vehicle includes a meter panel unit including a display element and a control device configured to control the meter panel unit. When causing a first-type content selected by a user to be displayed in a sub-region, the control device causes the primary image to be displayed in a primary region and the first-type content to be displayed in the sub-region with the primary region having a first size and the sub-region having a second size, and when causing the second-type content selected by the user to be displayed in the sub-region, the control device causes the primary image to be displayed in the primary region and the second-type content to be displayed in the sub-region with the primary region having a third size smaller than the first size and the sub-region having a fourth size larger than the second size.