Virtual Frame Buffer for Multi-Screen Vehicle Display Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional display systems for vehicles, which include multiple physically separated display devices, fail to effectively coordinate their output to guide a driver's attention to critical information, leading to insufficient focus on the road ahead.
Innovation Solution
A display control system utilizing a display controller and a single virtual frame-memory that allows multiple physically separated display devices to cooperate by writing a screen image across these devices, enabling centralized control and coordinated information display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple physically separated display devices are used in a vehicle, then the coverage area for displaying information is increased, but the ability to coordinate and display unified information across devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple physically separated display devices into a unified display system by introducing a virtual frame buffer that spans all display devices. The management unit combines the frame buffers of individual display devices to create a single virtual frame buffer, allowing unified image rendering and coordinate system management across all devices. This enables seamless display of information across multiple screens while maintaining centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a management unit as an intermediary between the rendering unit and multiple display devices. This management unit handles the complex coordination tasks by managing the virtual frame buffer, performing coordinate transformations, and controlling the rendering process. The intermediary abstracts the complexity of multiple devices, presenting a unified interface to the rendering unit while coordinating the actual display output across separate physical devices.
2Device complexity
If multiple display devices are controlled independently, then device simplicity is maintained, but the ability to guide driver attention to critical information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple display devices into a coordinated system that can present unified information across device boundaries. By creating a virtual frame buffer that spans all display devices and implementing a unified coordinate system, the system can display critical information in a consistent manner across multiple screens, effectively guiding driver attention without requiring complex independent control of each device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate frame buffers are used for each display device, then device independence is maintained, but the ability to display unified information across devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where individual display devices and their frame buffers are nested within a larger virtual frame buffer managed by the management unit. Each display device maintains its own frame buffer for independent control, while the management unit creates a virtual frame buffer that encompasses all individual frame buffers. This nested approach allows both device independence and unified information display by operating at multiple hierarchical levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the concept of copying by creating a virtual frame buffer that is a logical copy or representation of the combined state of all physical frame buffers. The management unit can render to the virtual frame buffer and then distribute the appropriate portions to individual display devices. This copying mechanism enables unified information display while preserving the independence of individual devices through their own frame buffers.
Data Source
AI summary
A display control system includes a display controller, and a single virtual frame-memory. The display controller controls a plurality of display devices physically separated from each other. The virtual frame-memory stores one or more screen images to be displayed on the plurality of the display devices. The display controller is configured to write, into the virtual frame-memory, a screen image to be displayed on and across at least two of the plurality of the display devices.