Motorcycle Display Warning Icon Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Riders on saddle-type vehicles, such as motorcycles, often miss warnings displayed on the handlebar-mounted display device due to limited screen size and brief display times, especially when they do not align with the rider's line of sight during driving.

Innovation Solution

The display device is positioned forward of the seat and higher than the engine crankcase, with warning icons placed between the screen's front end and engine rotation speed indicator, allowing riders to notice warnings more consistently by aligning with their frequent gaze towards the engine speed indicator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the warning indication is made larger to increase visibility, then the rider's attention is more likely to be captured, but the available screen space is reduced and the display becomes cluttered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewarning visibilityVSAvoidscreen space
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by placing the warning icon in a specific location (between the front end of the screen and the engine rotation speed indicator) rather than using uniform display across the screen. This localized positioning allows the warning to be prominent without requiring overall screen clutter, resolving the contradiction between visibility and screen space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Duration of action of moving object

If the warning is displayed for a longer duration to ensure the rider notices it, then the rider has more time to see the warning, but the display time window conflicts with the rider's brief glances at the screen during driving

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewarning display timeVSAvoidrider's attention time
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by positioning the warning icon in advance in a location that aligns with the rider's natural line of sight when checking the engine rotation speed indicator. This pre-positioning ensures that when the rider does glance at the screen during driving, the warning is already in the optimal position to be noticed immediately, resolving the contradiction between display duration and rider attention timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the display device is mounted near the handlebar unit for easy access, then the rider can easily view the display, but the screen size is limited and the warning may not be prominent enough

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay accessibilityVSAvoidwarning prominence
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by strategically positioning the warning icon in a specific area of the screen (between the front end and the engine rotation speed indicator) rather than relying on overall screen size. This localized approach allows the warning to be prominent even on the limited screen space available near the handlebar unit, resolving the contradiction between display accessibility and warning prominence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2868512B1Saddle type vehicle
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2868512B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2868512B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2868512B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A saddle type vehicle (1) includes a display device (16) located forward of a seat (11) and higher than a crankcase (9a) of an engine (9), and a screen having a front end portion and a rear end portion positioned lower than the front end portion wherein the display device (16) is configured to display warning icons indicating warnings between the front end portion of the screen and an engine rotation speed indicator indicating the rotation speed of the engine.