JP7614054B2 - Vehicle display device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses an invention related to a vehicle display device. This vehicle display device is configured to take a first display form and a second display form that displays less information than the first display form, depending on the amount of information to be displayed to the occupant.

JP 2016-155540 A

However, in the above prior art, the first display mode uses a first display panel, and the second display mode uses a second display panel with a smaller display surface than the first display panel. In other words, in the above prior art, it is necessary to change the display unit that displays information to the occupant depending on the amount of information to be displayed to the occupant.

The present invention takes the above facts into consideration and aims to provide a vehicle display device that can appropriately display information to occupants without changing the display unit that displays information to the occupants depending on the amount of information.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1 includes a display unit having a display surface capable of displaying information to an occupant of the vehicle, a display control unit capable of setting the information to be displayed on the display surface and a display area in which the information is displayed on the display surface, a drive unit that is driven to move the display unit in and out of an interior member arranged in a vehicle cabin, and a drive control unit that is capable of controlling the drive unit so that an exposed area of the display surface exposed from the interior member is proportional to the display area , and further includes an automatic driving control unit that controls automatic driving of the vehicle, and When the vehicle is parked, the display control unit is capable of displaying the information on the entire display surface, and when the vehicle is being manually driven, the drive control unit controls the drive amount of the drive unit so that the display unit is positioned outside a predetermined range in the vertical direction of the vehicle that is within the field of vision of the occupant, and the display control unit sets the display area based on the exposed area and further includes a vehicle position detection device capable of detecting the position of the vehicle, and the drive control unit is capable of controlling the drive amount in accordance with the predetermined range set in the country or region in which the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detection device is located .

According to the present invention described in claim 1, a display unit is provided, and the display surface of the display unit can display various information to the vehicle occupants. The information to be displayed on the display surface and the display area on the display surface in which the information is displayed are set by the display control unit.

From the perspective of effective use of the display surface of the display unit, when the display area on which information is displayed is small, it is preferable that the area of the display surface visible to the occupant is small, and when the display area is large, it is preferable that the area of the display surface visible to the occupant is large. In view of this, a configuration in which multiple display units with different display surface sizes are installed is conceivable, but in such a configuration, it is necessary to appropriately change the display unit on which information is displayed depending on the amount of information to be displayed to the occupant.

Here, in the present invention, the display unit can be moved in and out of the interior member arranged in the vehicle cabin by being driven by the drive unit. In addition, the drive unit is controlled by the drive control unit, so that the exposed area of the display surface that is exposed from the interior member is proportional to the display area on which information is displayed.

For this reason, in the present invention, when the display area in which information is displayed in one display unit is small, the area of the display surface visible to the occupant can be reduced, and when the display area in which information is displayed in one display unit is large, the area of the display surface visible to the occupant can be increased. In other words, in the present invention, the area of the display surface visible to the occupant in one display unit can be set according to the display area in which information is displayed.
According to the present invention, the vehicle is provided with an automatic driving control unit, and the automatic driving of the vehicle is controlled by the automatic driving control unit. Then, while the vehicle is automatically driving or while the vehicle is parked, the display control unit is capable of displaying information on the entire surface of the display screen. Therefore, in the present invention, while the vehicle is automatically driving or while the vehicle is parked, it is possible to ensure an area of the display screen that is visible to the occupant.
On the other hand, during manual driving of the vehicle, the drive control unit controls the drive amount of the drive unit so that the display unit is located outside a predetermined range that is within the field of vision of the occupant in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This limits the exposed area of the display surface compared to when the vehicle is automatically driven or when the vehicle is parked. Then, the display control unit sets the display area based on the exposed area of the display surface.
Therefore, in the present invention, the display screen is prevented from blocking the driver's view while the vehicle is being manually driven.
It is possible to display various information to the occupant via the display screen while controlling the vehicle's movement.
According to the present invention, the vehicle position detection device detects the position of the vehicle, and the drive control unit controls the drive amount of the drive unit according to a predetermined range set in the country or region where the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detection device is located, i.e., a range that is within the field of vision of the occupant in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and can position the display unit outside the predetermined range.
Therefore, in the present invention, while the vehicle is being manually driven, the position of the display can be set to comply with the laws and regulations of the country or region in which the vehicle is located.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, in which the display control unit is capable of setting the information and the display area based on a signal from an external sensor capable of acquiring the surrounding conditions of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling, and the display control unit is capable of setting the display area to a first display area when the surrounding conditions are of low urgency, and of setting the display area to a second display area larger than the first display area when the surrounding conditions are of high urgency.

According to the present invention described in claim 2, while the vehicle is traveling, the surrounding conditions of the vehicle are acquired by an external sensor. Then, the display control unit can set the information to be displayed on the display surface and the display area in which the information is displayed based on a signal from the external sensor. Therefore, in the present invention, information based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle can be displayed on the display surface, and the display area of the information can be set according to the surrounding conditions.

In the present invention, when the urgency of the surrounding situation is low, the display control unit can set the display area of information based on the surrounding situation to a first display area, and when the urgency of the surrounding situation is high, the display area can be set to a second display area larger than the first display area.

The display device for a vehicle according to the present invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the display unit is capable of at least one of displaying a predetermined message as the information and emitting a predetermined light from the display surface when the vehicle is unlocked.

According to the present invention described in claim 3, when the vehicle is unlocked, at least one of a predetermined message is displayed on the display surface of the display unit and a predetermined light is illuminated. Therefore, in this invention, when a passenger gets into the vehicle, the display unit can be used to display the passenger's schedule or as a welcome light for the passenger.

The display device for a vehicle according to the present invention described in claim 4 is an invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the display unit can be switched to an illumination mode in which the display surface functions as a light for illuminating the interior of the vehicle, and the switching of the display unit to the illumination mode and at least one of the setting of the luminosity of the light emitted from the display surface and the setting of the exposed area can be performed based on an operation by the occupant.

According to the present invention described in claim 4, the display unit can be switched to an illumination mode based on an operation by the occupant, and in the illumination mode, the display surface functions as a light that illuminates the interior of the vehicle. In addition, in the present invention, at least one of the luminance of the light emitted from the display surface and the exposed area of the display surface can be set based on an operation by the occupant. Therefore, in the present invention, a light source can be secured around the display unit in the vehicle interior without providing a separate light around the display unit, and the illumination light can be adjusted.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 5 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an in-vehicle camera capable of capturing an image of the occupant, and the display unit is capable of switching to a mirror mode in which an image of the occupant captured by the in-vehicle camera is displayed on the display surface, and the switching of the display unit to the mirror mode and the setting of the exposed area can be performed based on an operation by the occupant.

According to the present invention described in claim 5, the vehicle is equipped with an in-vehicle camera, and the in-vehicle camera captures an image of the occupant. In addition, in this invention, the display unit can be switched to a mirror mode based on an operation by the occupant, and in the mirror mode, an image of the occupant captured by the in-vehicle camera is displayed on the display surface. Therefore, in this invention, the display surface of the display unit can be used as a mirror.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the exposed area of the display surface can be set based on the operation of the occupant, and as a result, a mirror image of the occupant can be displayed on the display surface to the extent required by the occupant.

The vehicle according to the present invention described in claim 6 is the invention described in claim 5, in which the periphery of the display surface is set as a light-emitting portion that emits white light when the display unit is in the mirror mode.

According to the present invention described in claim 6, when the display unit is in the mirror mode, the peripheral portion of the display surface is set as a light-emitting portion, and white light is emitted from the light-emitting portion. Therefore, in the mirror mode, the present invention allows the peripheral portion of the display surface to function as a mirror light.

The display device for a vehicle according to the present invention described in claim 7 is the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the display unit includes an organic electroluminescence element and is in the form of a film.

According to the present invention described in claim 7, the display unit includes an organic electroluminescence element and is in the form of a film, and the display unit can be bent and deformed when stored.

As described above, the vehicle display device of the present invention described in claim 1 has the excellent effect of being able to appropriately display information to occupants without changing the display unit that displays information to the occupants depending on the amount of information.
Furthermore, the vehicle display device according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to appropriately display information to the occupant while ensuring the occupant's visibility during manual driving.
Furthermore, the vehicle display device according to the present invention has an excellent effect of ensuring visibility for occupants during manual driving in accordance with the laws and regulations of a given country or region.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 2 has the excellent effect of allowing the occupant to grasp the urgency of the situation around the vehicle from the size of the display surface of the display unit.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 3 has the excellent effect of improving the convenience of passengers while in the vehicle.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 4 has the excellent effect of consolidating the information display function and the lighting function in the display unit, thereby simplifying the configuration inside the vehicle cabin.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 5 has the excellent effect of being able to project a mirror image of the occupant in a position visible to the occupant without having to install a mirror inside the vehicle cabin.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 6 has the excellent effect of making the mirror image of the occupant displayed on the display surface clearer.

The vehicle display device according to the present invention described in claim 7 has the excellent effect of suppressing the expansion of the space required to store the display unit, compared to a configuration that uses a liquid crystal display for the display unit.

1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment; 1 is a cross-sectional view seen from a vehicle width direction, illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram showing the relationship between devices mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment; 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment; 2 is a front view showing an example of a display in a normal state on a display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a front view showing a display example in a mirror mode on the display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of a warning display on a display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of a warning display on a display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of a display of a surrounding situation when the urgency level is low on the display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a display of a surrounding situation when an emergency level is high on a display unit of the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by a control device mounted on a vehicle equipped with the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment when a passenger gets in the vehicle. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by a control device mounted on a vehicle including the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment when a warning is displayed. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by a control device mounted on a vehicle including the vehicle display device according to the first embodiment when an object approaches. FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle display device according to a second embodiment. 13 is a side view showing a schematic relationship between the visibility of an occupant and the projection margin of a display unit in a vehicle display device according to a third embodiment. FIG. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the relationship between devices mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to a third embodiment. 13 is a cross-sectional view seen from the vehicle width direction, illustrating a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle display device according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the relationship between devices mounted on a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to a fourth embodiment.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the vehicle display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. Note that the arrow FR shown appropriately in each figure indicates the vehicle front side of the "vehicle 12" on which the "vehicle display device 10" according to this embodiment is mounted, the arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper side of the vehicle 12, and the arrow OUT indicates the vehicle width direction outer side of the vehicle 12.

First, the general configuration of the vehicle 12 will be described with reference to Figure 1. The vehicle 12 has a vehicle body 16 that constitutes the main portion of the "vehicle interior 14." The upper portion of the vehicle body 16 is made up of a roof portion 18, and the lower portion of the vehicle body 16 is made up of a floor portion 20.

The roof section 18 includes a roof panel 22 that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and width direction and constitutes part of the design surface of the vehicle 12, and the roof panel 22 is covered from the underside of the vehicle by a "roof trim 24" as an interior member. As shown in FIG. 2, the roof trim 24 includes a ceiling surface section 24A that forms the ceiling surface of the passenger compartment 14 and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and width direction, and a front wall section 24B that extends from the vehicle front peripheral edge of the ceiling surface section 24A toward the upper side of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the roof panel 22 is reinforced by a number of roof reinforcements 26 spaced apart in the vehicle front-rear direction. The roof reinforcements 26 extend in the vehicle width direction, and together with the roof panel 22, form a closed cross-sectional structure whose cross section viewed from the vehicle width direction is a closed cross-sectional area. The roof reinforcement 26 located at the frontmost position of the vehicle is disposed along the periphery of the roof panel 22 on the front side of the vehicle. The roof trim 24 is attached to the roof reinforcement 26 by fasteners or other attachment members (not shown).

Returning to FIG. 1, a seat 30 on which an occupant 28 sits is disposed on the floor portion 20. The seat 30 includes a seat cushion 32, a seat back 34, and a headrest 35. The lower end of the seat back 34 is rotatable relative to the rear end of the seat cushion 32.

A front windshield 36 is disposed in front of the seat 30, i.e., in the front portion of the vehicle body 16. The front windshield 36 is made of a transparent glass plate, and extends downward and forward from the front edge of the roof portion 18 when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

In addition, a resin "instrument panel 156 (see FIG. 14)" is disposed as an interior member below the front windshield 36. This instrument panel 156 covers the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) unit (not shown) from the rear of the vehicle.

The first feature of this embodiment is that a "display 38" is disposed between the roof panel 22 and the roof trim 24 as a display unit that constitutes part of the vehicle display device 10, as shown in FIG. 2. The second feature is that a control device 40 that constitutes part of the vehicle display device 10, as shown in FIG. 3, enables various controls of the vehicle display device 10. Below, the configuration of the vehicle display device 10 will be described in detail, focusing on the configuration of the display 38 and the control device 40.

The display 38 is equipped with an organic electroluminescence element and is a rectangular film in plan view, and as shown in FIG. 5 etc., is equipped with a "display surface 42" capable of displaying information to the occupant 28. The display 38 is electrically connected to the control device 40 via wiring (not shown), and is driven by a signal output from the control device 40, so that various images and the like can be displayed on the display surface 42, as described below. The display 38 is supported on the vehicle body 16 by a "display drive unit 44" as a drive unit and a display support unit 46.

In detail, the display drive unit 44 is composed of a pair of racks 48, a pair of pinions 50, a pair of mounts 52, a pair of guides 54, a motor 56, and a motor driver (not shown). The racks 48 are made of a flexible material and are arranged on each of the ends 38A on both sides of the vehicle width direction of the display 38, and are provided along the vehicle front-rear direction on the upper part of the end 38A. In other words, the racks 48 can be considered to constitute part of the end 38A of the display 38.

The pinions 50 are disposed on the ends 38A of the display 38, and engage with the racks 48. The pinions 50 on one side in the vehicle width direction are connected to an output shaft (not shown) of a motor 56. When the motor 56 is operated based on a control signal from the control device 40, the pinions 50 rotate around a rotation axis S1 extending in the vehicle width direction, and the display 38 can be moved in the vehicle front-rear direction. The motor 56 is supported by a mount 52 on one side in the vehicle width direction, and the mount 52 is fixed to a weld nut 58 provided on the roof reinforcement 26 located at the frontmost side of the vehicle by a fastening member (not shown).

A guide 54 is also attached to the mount 52, and the guide 54 supports the display 38 from below the vehicle. The pinion 50 on the other side in the vehicle width direction has its shaft attached to the mount 52 on the other side in the vehicle width direction via a bearing (not shown). When the display 38 is sent forward toward the front of the vehicle by the rotation of the pinion 50, the display 38 is guided by the guide 54, so that the portion of the display 38 on the front side of the guide 54 extends downward and forward of the vehicle.

On the other hand, a recess 60 is provided at the boundary between the ceiling surface portion 24A and the front wall portion 24B of the roof trim 24, recessed toward the upper side of the vehicle. A slit portion 62 is provided at the portion of the recess 60 toward the rear of the vehicle, through which the display 38 can be inserted, and the display 38 extends from the slit portion 62 to the outside of the roof trim 24.

A plate-shaped cover 64 capable of covering the recess 60 from the vehicle lower side is disposed on the vehicle lower side of the recess 60. This cover 64 is attached to the upper wall 60A constituting the vehicle upper side of the recess 60 via a hinge 66. The cover 64 is normally held in a closed state with its plate thickness direction aligned with the vehicle vertical direction by a torsion spring 68 attached to the hinge 66. The cover 64 is pressed by the display 38 extending from the slit 62, and rotates around the rotation axis S2 of the hinge 66 extending in the vehicle width direction to open. When the display 38 is stored from the slit 62, the cover 64 is closed by the restoring force of the torsion spring 68.

On the other hand, the display support portion 46 is capable of supporting mainly the rear portion of the display 38, and is configured to include a pair of guide rails 70 and a pair of rail mounts 72.

The guide rails 70 are arranged for each of the ends 38A of the display 38, extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and have a U-shaped cross section when viewed from the vehicle longitudinal direction, opening toward the inside of the vehicle width direction. The end 38A of the display 38 including the rack 48 can be inserted into the guide rails 70, and the guide rails 70 can guide the display 38 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The guide rails 70 are attached to the roof reinforcement 26, which is located rearward of the mount 52, via a rail mount 72. The rail mount 72 is fixed to the weld nut 58 provided on the roof reinforcement 26 with a fastening member (not shown).

Next, the configuration of the control device 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The control device 40 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 74, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 76, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 78, a storage 80, a communication I/F (Inter Face) 82, and an input/output I/F 84. The CPU 74, ROM 76, RAM 78, storage 80, communication I/F 82, and input/output I/F 84 are connected to each other via a bus 86 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The CPU 74 is a central processing unit that is capable of controlling various devices by executing various programs. Specifically, the CPU 74 is capable of reading out programs from the ROM 76 and executing the programs using the RAM 78 as a working area. The CPU 74 then reads out and executes the execution programs stored in the ROM 76, enabling the control device 40 to perform various functions, as described below.

More specifically, ROM 76 stores various programs and data related to the control of the images displayed on display 38 and the control of display driver 44. Meanwhile, RAM 78 can temporarily store programs or data as a working area.

The storage 80 is configured to include a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) and is capable of storing various programs, including the operating system, and various data.

The communication I/F 82 is an interface used to connect the control device 40 to various networks, and is capable of communicating with a server (not shown) and the like. This interface uses communication standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication I/F 82 may also include a wireless device.

The input/output I/F 84 is an interface that allows the control device 40 to communicate with various devices mounted on the vehicle 12. The control device 40 is also connected to each device described below via the input/output I/F 84 so that they can communicate with each other.

The devices connected to the control device 40 include a vehicle condition detection sensor 88, an external sensor 90, an in-vehicle camera 92, an antenna 94, the above-mentioned display 38, the above-mentioned display driver 44, a time measurement unit 96, a display operation device 98, and indoor equipment 100.

The vehicle condition detection sensors 88 are a group of sensors used to detect abnormalities in the passenger compartment 14. The vehicle condition detection sensors 88 include, for example, a door opening/closing sensor that detects the opening/closing state of a door (not shown) of the vehicle 12, and a seat belt sensor that detects the fastening state of a seat belt (not shown). When the vehicle condition detection sensor 88 detects an abnormality in the passenger compartment 14, the vehicle condition detection sensor 88 outputs an abnormality signal indicating an abnormality in the passenger compartment 14 to the control device 40.

The external sensors 90 are a group of sensors used to detect the environment surrounding the vehicle 12. The external sensors 90 include, for example, a camera that captures an image of a predetermined range, a millimeter wave radar that transmits a search wave to a predetermined range, and a lidar (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) that scans a predetermined range. The data acquired by the external sensors 90 is transmitted to the control device 40 and temporarily stored in the storage 80.

As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle camera 92 is disposed in a position within the vehicle compartment 14 where it can capture an image of the face of the occupant 28. The video data captured by the in-vehicle camera 92 is transmitted to the control device 40 and temporarily stored in the storage 80.

Returning to FIG. 3, the antenna 94 can be used to detect a portable device 102 (not shown), such as an electronic key carried by the occupant 28. In more detail, the antenna 94 can transmit a request signal within a predetermined range centered on the antenna 94. Meanwhile, when the portable device 102 receives a request signal, it can transmit a response signal including a key ID to the antenna 94. Then, when the antenna 94 receives a response signal from the portable device 102, a detection signal indicating the detection of the portable device 102 is output from the antenna 94 to the control device 40.

The display 38, which will be described in more detail later, is capable of displaying warnings indicating abnormalities within the passenger compartment 14, warnings indicating abnormalities outside the vehicle 12, images of the outside of the vehicle 12, standard information such as the time, images of the occupants 28, and predetermined text, based on the control of the control device 40.

The display driver 44 is driven based on the control of the control device 40 to drive the display 38 and adjust the exposed area of the display surface 42 of the display 38 that is exposed from the roof trim 24.

The time measurement unit 96 is capable of measuring the time and outputting a signal based on the measured time to the control device 40. The time measurement unit 96 may also be equipped with an antenna capable of receiving standard radio waves and configured to be able to correct the time based on the standard radio waves.

The display operation device 98 converts input based on the operation of the occupant 28 into a signal, and inputs the signal to the control device 40, thereby making it possible to switch the display 38 to a standard information display mode, a lighting mode, or a mirror mode, which will be described later. In each of the above modes, the display operation device 98 is also capable of reflecting the operation by the occupant 28 on the display 38, and is capable of adjusting the exposed area of the display surface 42 of the display 38, for example.

The indoor equipment 100 is a group of devices arranged in the vehicle interior 14. The indoor equipment 100 includes, for example, the HVAC unit and audio equipment described above. Data related to the settings of the indoor equipment 100, such as the temperature setting of the air conditioning and the volume setting of the audio equipment, is transmitted to the control device 40 and temporarily stored in the storage 80.

Next, the functional configuration of the control device 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The control device 40 functions as a collection of a mode switching control unit 104, a lighting control unit 106, a "standard information display control unit 108," a "setting information display control unit 110," a "mirror display control unit 112," and a "warning display control unit 114" as display control units, and a "display drive control unit 116" as a drive control unit, by the CPU 74 reading and executing an execution program stored in the ROM 76.

The mode switching control unit 104 can switch the display 38 to one of the illumination mode, the standard information display mode, and the mirror mode based on the input of the occupant 28 to the display operation device 98.

When the display 38 is switched to the lighting mode by the mode switching control unit 104, the lighting control unit 106 causes the display 38 to function as lighting that can be operated by the display operation device 98. Specifically, the lighting control unit 106 is capable of adjusting the exposed area of the display surface 42 by controlling the display drive unit 44 based on the input of the occupant 28 to the display operation device 98. The lighting control unit 106 is also capable of controlling the display 38 to emit light from the exposed portion of the display surface 42. The lighting control unit 106 is also capable of setting the luminance of the light emitted from the display surface 42 based on the input of the occupant 28 to the display operation device 98.

The standard information display control unit 108 is configured to display standard information on the display surface 42 when the display 38 has been switched to the standard information display mode by the mode switching control unit 104. In detail, the standard information display control unit 108 sets the standard information to be displayed on the display surface 42 and the display area for displaying the standard information based on the time acquired from the time measurement unit 96 and the settings of each device acquired from the indoor device 100, and displays the standard information on the display surface 42 as shown in FIG. 5.

The standard information displayed on the display surface 42 may be set to a predetermined standard information, or may be set by the occupant 28 operating the display operation device 98. In the present embodiment, as an example, the state in which the display 38 is in the standard information display mode is set as the normal state of the display 38, and when a predetermined signal indicating that an ignition switch (not shown) is in the ON position is input to the control device 40, the display 38 goes into the standard information display mode. On the other hand, when a predetermined signal indicating that the ignition switch is in the OFF position is input to the control device 40, the entire display 38 is stored in the storage position.

The setting information display control unit 110 sets the setting information to be displayed on the display surface 42, the display area for displaying the setting information, and the time for displaying the setting information based on the setting information input by the occupant 28 using the display operation device 98 and the time for displaying the setting information, and displays the setting information on the display surface 42 as shown in FIG. 6.

The setting information display control unit 110 is also configured to display the setting information on the display surface 42 for a predetermined period of time when a detection signal is input from the antenna 94, i.e., when the occupant 28 approaches within a predetermined range of the antenna 94.

In this embodiment, as an example, when the occupant 28 gets into the vehicle 12, the display surface 42 is set to display "WELCOME" and the portions on both sides of the displayed text in the vehicle width direction are set to emit light. Also, when the occupant 28 gets into the vehicle 12 for the first time on the occupant's birthday, the display surface 42 may be set to display "HAPPY BIRTHDAY". Furthermore, when the occupant 28 gets into the vehicle 12, the display surface 42 may be set to display the schedule of the occupant 28 inputted by the display operation device 98. In addition, when the setting information to be displayed for the occupant 28 is not set, the setting information display control unit 110 is capable of emitting light from the display surface 42 and causing the display 38 to function as a welcome light when the occupant 28 gets into the vehicle.

The mirror display control unit 112 is configured to cause the display surface 42 to function as a mirror when the display 38 is switched to the mirror mode by the mode switching control unit 104. Specifically, the mirror display control unit 112 is configured to display a mirror image of the occupant 28 on the display surface 42, as shown in FIG. 7, based on the video data of the occupant 28 acquired by the in-vehicle camera 92. In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, when the display 38 is switched to the mirror mode, the outer portion of the periphery of the display surface 42 in the vehicle width direction is set as a "light-emitting portion 118" that emits white light. Note that the light-emitting portion 118 may be set on the entire periphery of the display surface 42, or may be set on both sides of the periphery in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

The mirror display control unit 112 is also capable of adjusting the exposed area of the display surface 42 by controlling the display drive unit 44 based on input from the occupant 28 to the display operation device 98.

The warning display control unit 114 is configured to display a warning on the display surface 42 based on data acquired from the vehicle state detection sensor 88 and the external sensor 90. Specifically, when an abnormal signal is input from the door opening/closing sensor or the seat belt sensor, the warning display control unit 114 sets the warning to be displayed on the display surface 42 and the display area in which the warning is to be displayed based on the abnormal signal, and displays the warning on the display surface 42 as shown in FIG. 8 until the abnormal signal is no longer input.

The warning display control unit 114 also determines whether or not there is an object approaching the vehicle 12, for example, a following vehicle approaching the vehicle 12, based on data acquired from the external sensor 90 while the vehicle 12 is traveling. If the warning display control unit 114 determines that there is an object approaching the vehicle 12, it sets approximately one-quarter of the display surface 42 as the first display area, as shown in FIG. 9, and displays the object and a warning notifying the approach of the object on the display surface 42.

On the other hand, when the warning display control unit 114 determines that there is an object that is likely to collide with the vehicle 12, as shown in FIG. 10, the entire display surface 42 is set as the second display area, and the object and a warning notifying the driver of a collision with the object are displayed on the display surface 42. In other words, in this embodiment, the display area of the display surface 42 is set according to the level of urgency of the surrounding situation of the vehicle 12 while it is moving.

The display drive control unit 116 sets the drive amount of the motor 56 of the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 is proportional to the display area of the display surface 42 set by the standard information display control unit 108, the setting information display control unit 110, and the warning display control unit 114 described above. The display drive control unit 116 then transmits a control signal based on this drive amount to the display drive unit 44, thereby making it possible to control the display drive unit 44 so that the above-mentioned display area is proportional to the exposed area of the display surface 42.

(Actions and Effects of the Present Embodiment)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a display 38 is provided, and as shown in FIG. 5 etc., a display surface 42 of the display 38 can display various information to the occupant 28 of the vehicle 12. The information to be displayed on the display surface 42 and the display area in which the information is displayed on the display surface 42 are set by the standard information display control unit 108, the setting information display control unit 110, and the warning display control unit 114.

In terms of effective use of the display surface 42 of the display 38, when the display area on which information is displayed is small, it is preferable that the area of the display surface 42 visible to the occupant 28 is small, and when the display area is large, it is preferable that the area of the display surface 42 visible to the occupant 28 is large. In view of this, a configuration in which multiple display units with different display surface sizes are installed is conceivable, but in such a configuration, it is necessary to appropriately change the display unit on which information is displayed depending on the amount of information to be displayed to the occupant 28.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the display driver 44 drives the display 38 so that it can be moved in and out of the roof trim 24 arranged inside the vehicle compartment 14. In addition, the display driver 44 is controlled by the display drive control unit 116 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 exposed from the roof trim 24 is proportional to the display area on which information is displayed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the display area on one display 38 on which information is displayed is small, the area of the display surface 42 visible to the occupant 28 can be reduced, and when the display area on which information is displayed is large, the area of the display surface 42 visible to the occupant 28 can be increased. In other words, in this embodiment, the area of the display surface 42 visible to the occupant 28 on one display 38 can be set according to the display area on which the information is displayed. Therefore, in this embodiment, information can be appropriately displayed to the occupant 28 without changing the display 38 on which the information is displayed to the occupant 28 according to the amount of information.

In addition, in this embodiment, the external sensor 90 acquires the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 12 while the vehicle 12 is traveling. Then, the warning display control unit 114 can set the information to be displayed on the display surface 42 and the display area in which the information is displayed, based on a signal from the external sensor 90. Therefore, in this embodiment, information based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 12 can be displayed on the display surface 42, and the display area of the information can be set according to the surrounding conditions.

In this embodiment, when the urgency of the surrounding conditions is low, the warning display control unit 114 sets the display area of information based on the surrounding conditions to a first display area as shown in FIG. 9, and when the urgency of the surrounding conditions is high, the display area can be set to a second display area larger than the first display area as shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the occupant 28 can grasp the urgency of the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 12 from the size of the display surface 42 of the display 38.

In addition, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, when the vehicle 12 is unlocked, at least one of a predetermined message is displayed on the display surface 42 of the display 38 and a predetermined light is illuminated. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the occupant 28 gets into the vehicle 12, for example, the display 38 can display the schedule of the occupant 28 or can be used as a welcome light for the display 38. Therefore, this embodiment can improve convenience for the occupant 28 when getting into the vehicle.

The control of the vehicle display device 10 by the control device 40 will be explained in more detail below, mainly using the flowcharts shown in Figures 11 to 13.

First, the control flow when the setting information is displayed on the display surface 42 of the display 38 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. This control flow starts when the control device 40 receives a detection signal from the antenna 94 indicating that the portable device 102 of the occupant 28 has been detected.

When this control flow starts, in step S100, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the setting information display control unit 110, and based on the setting information input by the occupant 28 via the display operation device 98 and the timing for displaying the setting information, the setting information to be displayed on the display surface 42, the display area for displaying the setting information, and the timing for displaying the setting information are set, and the process proceeds to step S101.

In step S101, the CPU 74 functions as the display drive control unit 116, sets the drive amount of the motor 56 of the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 and the display area of the display surface 42 set in step S100 are the same area, and then proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, the CPU 74 functions as the setting information display control unit 110 and the display drive control unit 116, drives the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 becomes the exposed area set in step S101, and displays the setting information set in step S100 on the display surface 42 for a predetermined time. Then, under the control of the CPU 74, the display 38 is folded back to the normal state, and the control flow ends.

Next, the control flow when warning information based on the vehicle condition detection sensor 88 is displayed on the display surface 42 of the display 38 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. This control flow is started when the control device 40 receives an abnormality signal from the vehicle condition detection sensor 88.

When this control flow starts, in step S200, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the warning display control unit 114, sets the warning to be displayed on the display surface 42 and the display area for displaying the warning based on abnormality signals input from the door opening/closing sensor and the seat belt sensor, and proceeds to step S201.

In step S201, the CPU 74 functions as the display drive control unit 116, sets the drive amount of the motor 56 of the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 and the display area of the display surface 42 set in step S200 are the same area, and then proceeds to step S202.

In step S202, the CPU 74 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and the display drive control unit 116, drives the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 becomes the exposed area set in step S201, displays the warning set in step S200 on the display surface 42, and proceeds to step S203.

In step S203, the CPU 74 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and the display drive control unit 116 to determine whether or not an abnormal signal has been input. If the input of the abnormal signal continues (step S203: YES), the process returns to step S202. On the other hand, if the input of the abnormal signal has not been input (step S203: NO), the display 38 is folded back to the normal state under the control of the CPU 74, and the control flow ends.

Next, the control flow when warning information based on the external sensor 90 is displayed on the display surface 42 of the display 38 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. This control flow is started when the control device 40 receives a predetermined signal at predetermined time intervals.

In step S300, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and determines whether or not an object is approaching the vehicle 12 based on data acquired from the external sensor 90. If an object is approaching the vehicle 12 (step S300: YES), the process proceeds to step S301, and if no object is approaching the vehicle 12 (step S300: NO), the control flow ends.

In step S301, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and determines the likelihood of a collision between the vehicle 12 and an object approaching the vehicle 12. If the likelihood of a collision between the vehicle 12 and the object approaching the vehicle 12 is low (step S301: YES), the process proceeds to step S302, and if the likelihood of a collision between the vehicle 12 and the object approaching the vehicle 12 is high (step S301: NO), the process proceeds to step S303.

In step S302, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and the display drive control unit 116, and sets the display area of the display surface 42 to the first display area. The CPU 74 then drives the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 becomes the first display area, and displays an object and a warning notifying the user of the approach of the object on the display surface 42, and returns to step S300.

In step S303, the CPU 74 of the control device 40 functions as the warning display control unit 114 and the display drive control unit 116, and sets the display area of the display surface 42 to the second display area. The CPU 74 then drives the display drive unit 44 so that the exposed area of the display surface 42 becomes the second display area, and displays a warning on the display surface 42 notifying the user of a collision between the object and the object, and the control flow ends.

In addition, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the display 38 can be switched to a lighting mode based on an operation by the occupant 28, and in the lighting mode, the display surface 42 functions as a light that illuminates the interior of the vehicle cabin 14. In addition, in this embodiment, at least one of the luminance of the light emitted from the display surface 42 and the exposed area of the display surface 42 can be set based on an operation by the occupant 28. Therefore, in this embodiment, a light source can be secured around the display 38 in the vehicle cabin 14 without providing separate lighting around the display 38, and the illumination light can be adjusted. Therefore, in this embodiment, the information display function and the lighting function are integrated in the display 38, and the configuration inside the vehicle cabin 14 can be simplified.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an in-vehicle camera 92 is provided, and the in-vehicle camera 92 captures an image of the occupant 28. In this embodiment, the display 38 can be switched to a mirror mode as shown in FIG. 7 based on an operation by the occupant 28, and in the mirror mode, an image of the occupant 28 captured by the in-vehicle camera 92 is displayed on the display surface 42. Therefore, in this embodiment, the display surface 42 of the display 38 can be used as a mirror. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exposed area of the display surface 42 can be set based on an operation by the occupant 28, and as a result, a mirror image of the occupant 28 can be displayed on the display surface 42 within the range required by the occupant 28. Therefore, in this embodiment, a mirror image of the occupant 28 can be reflected in a position visible to the occupant 28 without installing a mirror in the passenger compartment 14.

In addition, in this embodiment, when the display 38 is in the mirror mode, the peripheral portion of the display surface 42 is set as the light-emitting portion 118, and white light is emitted from the light-emitting portion 118. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the mirror mode, the peripheral portion of the display surface 42 can function as a mirror light. Therefore, in this embodiment, the mirror image of the occupant displayed on the display surface can be made clearer.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the display 38 is provided with an organic electroluminescence element and is in the form of a film, and when the display 38 is stored, the display 38 can be bent and deformed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the expansion of the space required to store the display 38 can be suppressed compared to a configuration in which a liquid crystal display is used for the display 38.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the display device for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 14. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The "vehicle display device 150" according to this embodiment has a configuration basically similar to that of the vehicle display device 10 according to the first embodiment. However, this embodiment differs from the vehicle display device 10 described above in that it has a "liquid crystal display 152" as a display unit instead of the display 38, and a "ball screw device 154" as a drive unit instead of the display drive unit 44.

Specifically, when not in use, the LCD display 152 is covered from the upper side and the rear side of the vehicle by the instrument panel 156. The upper part of the instrument panel 156 is formed with an insertion portion (not shown) through which the LCD display 152 can be inserted.

On the other hand, the ball screw device 154 is composed of a base portion 158, a motor 160, a coupling 162, a pair of bearings 164, a screw portion 166, a nut portion 168, and a pair of guide rails 170.

More specifically, the motor 160 is connected to a threaded portion 166 via a coupling 162, and the driving force of the motor 160 can be transmitted to the threaded portion 166. The threaded portion 166 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and both ends of the threaded portion 166 are fixed to the base portion 158 by bearings 164. A nut portion 168 is engaged with the threaded portion 166, and the liquid crystal display 152 is fixed to the nut portion 168. The nut portion 168 is guided in the vertical direction of the vehicle by a guide rail 170.

With this configuration, the ball screw device 154 is controlled by the control device 40 to drive the liquid crystal display 152 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, making it possible to adjust the exposed area of the "display surface 172" of the liquid crystal display 152 that is exposed from the instrument panel 156. Therefore, this embodiment also provides the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment described above, except for the effects and advantages resulting from the display unit being configured to include an organic electroluminescence element.

Third Embodiment
A third embodiment of the display device for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

This embodiment is characterized in that the vehicle 12 is capable of automatic driving, and the "vehicle display device 180" according to this embodiment can limit the projection L of the display 38 from the roof trim 24 while the vehicle 12 is being manually driven.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, the vehicle display device 180 has a basically similar configuration to the vehicle display device 10 according to the first embodiment, but an "automatic driving ECU 182 (hereinafter referred to as ECU 182)" serving as an automatic driving control unit is electrically connected to the communication I/F 82 of the control device 40. Data acquired by the external sensor 90 is transmitted to the ECU 182 via the control device 40.

The ECU 182 is capable of controlling the automatic driving system installed in the vehicle 12 when the vehicle 12 is switched from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode by the occupant 28 operating a changeover switch (not shown). The ECU 182 is electrically connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) device 184, which serves as a vehicle position detection device, and a drive actuator 186.

The GPS device 184 is a device that measures the current position of the vehicle 12 and is equipped with an antenna (not shown) that receives signals from GPS satellites (not shown). The GPS device 184 may be directly connected to the control device 40.

The drive actuator 186 includes a steering actuator, a brake actuator, and a power unit actuator, none of which are shown. The steering actuator includes a motor, none of which is shown, and drives a steering device, none of which is shown, based on a signal output from the ECU 182, so that during automatic driving, the control by the ECU 182 is reflected in the steering angle of the steering wheels, none of which is shown.

The brake actuator includes a motor (not shown) and drives a brake device (not shown) based on a signal output from the ECU 182, so that the control by the ECU 182 is reflected in the braking of the vehicle 12 during autonomous driving.

The power unit actuator includes a motor (not shown) and drives a power unit (not shown) based on a signal output from the ECU 182, so that the control by the ECU 182 is reflected in the driving of the vehicle 12 during autonomous driving.

In this embodiment, the storage 80 of the control device 40 stores a display management table in which a specific country or region is associated with a corresponding value of the projection L. The projection L here refers to the extension length of the display 38 from the roof trim 24 when the front end 38B of the display 38 is located directly above a specific range Z that is within the field of vision of the occupant 28 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 15.

Here, range Z refers to the area between a plane V1 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and widthwise direction a predetermined distance H1 away from the seating reference point R toward the upper side of the vehicle, and a plane V2 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and widthwise direction a predetermined distance H2 away from the seating reference point R toward the upper side of the vehicle that is shorter than distance H1. Range Z is determined based on the specifications of the vehicle 12 and the laws and regulations of each country or region.

The value of the projection allowance L is stored in the storage 80 as the number of rotations of the motor 56 in the display drive unit 44 required for the display 38 to extend from the normal state until the end 38B is positioned directly above the range Z. In other words, the value of the projection allowance L is set according to the specifications of the vehicle 12 and the laws and regulations of each country or region.

In this embodiment, when the vehicle 12 is in manual driving mode, the control device 40 acquires the position information of the vehicle 12 from the GPS device 184 via the ECU 182. The control device 40 then reads out the value of the projection L corresponding to the position of the vehicle 12 from the storage 80, and functions as the warning display control unit 114 and the display drive control unit 116, thereby adjusting the exposed area of the display surface 42 according to the projection L, and setting the second display area based on the exposed area.

According to this configuration, in the autonomous driving mode, the ECU 182 controls the autonomous driving of the vehicle 12. Then, while the vehicle 12 is autonomously driving or while the vehicle 12 is parked, the warning display control unit 114 is capable of displaying information on the entire surface of the display surface 42. Therefore, in this embodiment, while the vehicle 12 is autonomously driving or while the vehicle 12 is parked, it is possible to ensure an area of the display surface 42 that is visible to the occupant 28.

On the other hand, when the vehicle 12 is being manually driven, the display drive control unit 116 controls the drive amount of the display drive unit 44 so that the display 38 is positioned outside a predetermined range Z that is within the field of vision of the occupant 28 in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This limits the exposed area of the display surface 42 compared to when the vehicle 12 is being automatically driven or when the vehicle 12 is parked. Then, the warning display control unit 114 sets the second display area based on the exposed area of the display surface 42.

Therefore, in this embodiment, various information can be displayed to the occupant 28 via the display surface 42 while preventing the display surface 42 from blocking the field of view of the occupant 28 during manual driving of the vehicle 12. Therefore, in this embodiment, information can be appropriately displayed to the occupant 28 while ensuring the field of view of the occupant 28 during manual driving.

Fourth Embodiment
A fourth embodiment of the display device for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 17 and Fig. 18. Note that the same components as those in the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

This embodiment is characterized in that the "vehicle display device 190" according to this embodiment is equipped with a contact sensor 196, and the contact sensor 196 can limit the projection L of the display 38 from the roof trim 24.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, a stopper base 192 having a plate shape with its plate thickness oriented in the vertical direction of the vehicle and having a rectangular shape when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle is attached to the end 38C of the display 38 on the rear side of the vehicle. Each of the end portions 192A on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the stopper base 192 is inserted into the guide rails 70 and is slidable along the guide rails 70.

The rear portion of the stopper base 192 is provided with a number of mating portions 193 spaced apart in the vehicle longitudinal direction, one of which is fitted with a square prism-shaped stopper 194. The stopper 194 protrudes from the stopper base 192 towards the lower side of the vehicle.

The contact sensor 196, on the other hand, comprises a sensor body 198 attached to the surface of the ceiling surface portion 24A of the roof trim 24 facing upward in the vehicle, and a push switch 200 attached to the surface of the sensor body 198 facing rearward in the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 18, this contact sensor 196 is electrically connected to the input/output I/F 84 of the control device 40, and transmits a stop signal to the control device 40 when the push switch 200 is pressed.

When the control device 40 receives a stop signal from the contact sensor 196, it controls the display drive unit 44 to stop the display 38 from being sent forward toward the front of the vehicle, and sets the exposed area of the display surface 42 at this time as the maximum display area and stores it in the storage 80.

With this configuration, when the display 38 is advanced toward the front of the vehicle, the push switch 200 is pressed by the stopper 194, and the advancement of the display 38 stops at a predetermined position. Then, by appropriately selecting the mating portion 193 into which the stopper 194 is mated, the projection allowance L can be set in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country or region. Therefore, this embodiment provides the same actions and effects as the third embodiment described above, except that the display area in mirror mode is limited.

In addition, in this embodiment, the projection L can be adjusted by simply changing the position of the stopper 194 without obtaining position information of the vehicle 12 from the GPS device 184.

<Supplementary explanation of the above embodiment>
(1) In the above-described embodiment, a device including a rack-and-pinion mechanism or a ball screw mechanism is used as the drive unit that moves the display unit in and out of the interior member, but the mechanism that can be used for the drive unit is not limited to this. For example, a device including a pantograph mechanism may be used as the drive unit depending on the specifications of the vehicle 12, etc.

(2) In the first embodiment described above, an organic electroluminescence display is used for the display unit, but this is not limited to this. For example, a display unit may be made up of multiple small liquid crystal displays connected together, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 12, etc.

(3) In addition, in the third and fourth embodiments described above, a film-like display unit equipped with an organic electroluminescence element is used, as in the first embodiment, but this is not limited to this. That is, in the third and fourth embodiments described above, it is also possible to use a liquid crystal display that extends from the instrument panel toward the upper side of the vehicle, as in the second embodiment. In this case, the projection of the liquid crystal display from the instrument panel is set to a value that positions the upper end of the liquid crystal display on the vehicle directly below range Z.

10 Vehicle display device 12 Vehicle 14 Vehicle interior 24 Roof trim (interior member)
38 Display (display unit)
42 Display surface 44 Display driving unit (driving unit)
108 Standard information display control unit (display control unit)
110 Setting information display control unit (display control unit)
112 Mirror display control unit (display control unit)
114 Warning display control unit (display control unit)
116 Display drive control unit (drive control unit)
118 Light emitting unit 150 Vehicle display device 152 Liquid crystal display (display unit)
154 Ball screw device (drive unit)
156 Instrument panel (interior parts)
172 Display surface 180 Vehicle display device 182 Automatic driving ECU (automatic driving control unit) 184 GPS device (vehicle position detection device)
190 Vehicle display device

Claims (7)

A display unit having a display surface capable of displaying information to an occupant of the vehicle;
a display control unit capable of setting the information to be displayed on the display surface and a display area on the display surface in which the information is displayed;
a drive unit that is driven to move the display unit in and out of an interior member disposed in the vehicle interior;
a drive control unit that controls the drive unit so that an exposed area of the display surface that is exposed from the interior member is proportional to the display area;
having
An automatic driving control unit that controls automatic driving of the vehicle is further provided.
During automatic driving of the vehicle or during parking of the vehicle, the display control unit is capable of displaying the information on the entire surface of the display surface,
During manual driving of the vehicle, the drive control unit controls the drive amount of the drive unit so that the display unit is located outside a predetermined range within the field of vision of the occupant in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the display control unit sets the display area based on the exposed area, and
A vehicle position detection device capable of detecting the position of the vehicle is further provided.
The drive control unit is capable of controlling the drive amount in accordance with the predetermined range set in a country or region in which the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detection device is located.
Vehicle display device. the display control unit is capable of setting the information and the display area based on a signal from an external sensor capable of acquiring a surrounding situation of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling;
The display control unit is capable of setting the display area to a first display area when the urgency of the surrounding situation is low, and setting the display area to a second display area larger than the first display area when the urgency of the surrounding situation is high.
The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1 . The display unit is capable of at least one of displaying a predetermined message as the information and emitting a predetermined light from the display surface when the vehicle is unlocked.
The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2. the display unit is capable of switching to a lighting mode in which the display surface functions as a light for illuminating an interior of the vehicle;
The transition of the display unit to the illumination mode, and at least one of setting of the luminance of the light emitted from the display surface and setting of the exposed area can be performed based on an operation by the occupant.
The display device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Further, an in-vehicle camera capable of capturing an image of the occupant is provided,
The display unit is capable of switching to a mirror mode in which an image of the occupant captured by the in-vehicle camera is displayed on the display surface,
The display unit may be switched to a mirror mode and the exposed area may be set based on an operation by the occupant.
The display device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When the display unit is in the mirror mode, a peripheral portion of the display surface is set as a light-emitting portion that emits white light.
The display device for a vehicle according to claim 5 . The display unit includes an organic electroluminescence element and is in the form of a film.
The display device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6.