JP7774334B2 - System and Program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system and program that displays operational information for a vehicle with multiple power sources.

For vehicles powered by a single engine, it was sufficient to provide the user with operational information about that engine, and the operational information provided to the vehicle driver was extremely limited, such as engine power, engine speed, and coolant temperature.

However, in recent years, vehicles equipped with multiple power sources in their power systems have become increasingly common. A good example is a hybrid vehicle, which runs on the cooperation of multiple motors and engines. In such vehicles, the number of elements making up the power system has increased, and new operating modes such as cooperation between components have emerged, resulting in a dramatic increase in the types of operating information generated in the power system.

For this reason, in vehicles with multiple power sources in the power system, attempts to provide the driver with all operational information occurring in the power system result in the display area being filled with operational information, reducing the visibility of the operational information and creating a situation in which it is difficult to say that operational information is being provided. Therefore, careful consideration is needed regarding the operational information that should be provided to the driver.

Furthermore, if the driving conditions of a hybrid vehicle are divided into starting acceleration, slow acceleration, low-speed cruising, acceleration, sudden acceleration, high-speed cruising, deceleration, and stopping, for example, during slow acceleration, high-speed cruising, and stopping, only the engine is driven and the motor is idling or stopped, while during starting acceleration, low-speed cruising, acceleration, and sudden acceleration, the motor and engine work together, and during deceleration, the engine is stopped and the motor is charged.

In other words, in vehicles with multiple power sources in their power systems, the operating information generated by the power systems can change frequently. As a result, users have to pay more attention to the operating information of the power systems, and there is a need for ingenious display methods that allow users to understand the operating status of the power systems at a glance.

As a result, automakers are narrowing the operational information they provide to users of vehicles with multiple power sources in their powertrains to information that allows them to understand the energy distribution of each power source. Hybrid and electric vehicles have rapidly become popular in recent years in response to global environmental issues and the depletion of fossil fuels, and it is believed that users are interested in the energy distribution of power sources from the perspective of pursuing fuel efficiency.

One example of such a display format is to place a display panel in a location visible from the driver's seat. The display panel displays a background image of the vehicle's power system as seen from above. Schematic images of each component of the power system are placed on top of the background image. Arrows are then displayed between the schematic images of each component (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

In this case, the arrows identify the components and serve as operation information showing the movement of energy between them. This display format is sufficient to allow understanding of energy distribution, and requires fewer types of operation information to be displayed. Furthermore, because the meaning of the operation information is expressed as an image, it does not reduce the ease of understanding when combined with the operation information.

JP 2011-93491 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-501573

For example, some users may wish to further explore fuel efficiency. Users with this desire may be interested in not only the energy distribution of each power source, but also the causes of that distribution. For example, it may be battery deterioration, rather than driving style, that affects the energy distribution of the power sources. However, if the operating information is limited to energy distribution, as in the past, it becomes difficult to investigate the causes of such energy distribution. On the other hand, if an attempt is made to provide detailed information about each operating state that allows for the energy distribution and the causes of that distribution to be investigated, the displayed operating information becomes too cluttered, making it difficult to check while driving.

In other words, in the past, it was not possible to balance the ease of understanding of operational information, which has rapidly increased in vehicles with multiple power sources in their powertrains, with the completeness of providing all operational information without any omissions. This situation is not limited to the pursuit of fuel economy; for example, for users who want to deeply understand driving performance, understanding both driving performance and the causes of that driving performance are of interest. If the display format was limited to only the operational information that allows understanding driving performance, as in the past, it would be impossible to balance the ease of understanding of operational information that satisfies those interests with the completeness of the information.

In short, users have priorities regarding the operational information they need to know, and the frequency with which they want to know varies depending on their priorities. However, in the past, operational information was simply provided or not provided, making it impossible to achieve both ease of understanding operational information and completeness.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide a system and program that can provide more operational information, which has rapidly increased in vehicles, without reducing the user's ability to grasp it.

(1) In order to achieve the above object, the system of the present invention distributes operational information relating to at least a portion of a vehicle having multiple power sources to multiple screens, displays one of the multiple screens on a display means, and makes it possible to switch the screen displayed on the display means.

This makes it possible to limit the amount of operation information displayed on one screen, making it easier to understand the operation information. By switching screens, other operation information can also be viewed, making it possible to easily and reliably provide more operation information than before. For example, if the configuration is such that all operation information desired by the user is distributed across each screen, the operation information desired by the user can be provided without any omissions. This makes it possible to ensure the completeness of operation information related to only a part of the vehicle, such as the vehicle, its power system, or only the electrical system of the power system. This makes it possible to fully satisfy the concerns desired by the vehicle driver.

(2) The multiple screens may include a first screen that collects operational information that the user wishes to understand, and one or more second screens to which other operational information is distributed.

This allows the user to basically refer to the first screen to get a general understanding of the power system trends from the desired perspective, and then refer to the second screen if they want to delve deeper into the results of that general understanding.

(3) It is desirable that the first screen display operating information that allows the user to grasp an overview of the operating status of the vehicle's entire power system. This allows the user to grasp the desired viewpoint in the context of the entire power system, making it easier to determine which page of the second screen to refer to further. The user's desired viewpoint may be, for example, the pursuit of fuel economy, driving performance, maintaining vehicle performance or extending the vehicle's lifespan, etc.

(4) The first screen may be displayed as a power system screen that provides an overview of the entire power system, and the second screen may be prepared for each of the multiple sections into which the power system is divided, and displayed as a detailed screen for each section that displays operating information for each section.

The power system screen, which provides an overview of the entire power system, makes it easy to grasp the overall trends of the power system in a coherent manner. The detailed screens for each part make it possible to investigate the causes of trends based on the overall trends of the power system. This makes it possible to achieve both ease of understanding and completeness of operating information while maintaining user convenience.

Here, the operating information that allows a rough understanding of the operating state may be, for example, the energy input and output to and from each device. If the power system is a so-called hybrid system, that is, if the power system is primarily composed of an engine, battery, front motor, rear motor, and generator motor, the operating information that allows a rough understanding of the operating state may be, for example, engine power, engine speed, coolant temperature, battery current, battery capacity, front motor power, rear motor power, motor torque distribution ratio, generated power, etc.

Operational information such as engine power, engine speed, coolant temperature, battery current, battery capacity, front motor power, rear motor power, motor torque distribution ratio, and generated power not only makes it possible to understand the distribution of energy produced by multiple power systems, but can also, for example, discover discrepancies between the vehicle's driving state and this operational information, providing an opportunity to investigate the cause of the energy distribution.

(5) The power system screen may include arrow displays indicating the direction of energy input/output to each part, or the direction and magnitude of energy, as operational information, and the part detail screen may include numerical or meter displays as other operational information.

This makes it possible to instantly improve the ease of understanding energy distribution, the completeness of information for investigating the causes of energy distribution, and user convenience, all at once, when the user's desired perspective is to investigate the energy distribution of multiple power sources and the causes of that distribution.

In other words, the power system screen allows the user to grasp the power system's overview at a glance, making it easy to grasp, for example, the energy distribution at a glance. This can assist the user in understanding energy distribution, a frequent action taken by the user while the vehicle is in motion. The individual part details screen makes it easy to investigate the mechanism behind the energy distribution. Furthermore, by separating the power system screen and the individual part details screen, it is possible to respond quickly to the user's request, whether they wish to check the energy distribution or investigate the cause of the energy distribution. Furthermore, it is advisable to indicate the magnitude of the energy by the thickness or color of the arrow.

(6) The first screen may display a schematic diagram of the vehicle's power system or the vehicle, and may display a smaller number of pieces of operational information than those displayed on the second screen, corresponding to the location of the subject, and the second screen may display pairs of operational information and the name of the type of operational information across multiple columns.

The first screen displays the information together with a schematic diagram of the vehicle, so for example, the amount of information is reduced to avoid clutter, but there is no need to display the names specifying the type of operation information as text. This configuration ensures that the operation information, written as text together with the name text, is not difficult to read and is advantageous for understanding the general nature of the operation information. On the other hand, the second screen, for example, can display more operation information along with name text that allows the meaning of the operation information to be understood, thereby ensuring the completeness of the operation information. Using the first and second screens together can further improve the ease of understanding and completeness of the operation information, as well as user convenience, which is advantageous.

The power system screen may also have a background screen that depicts the vehicle in a wireframe, with operating information displayed over the position of each piece of equipment. Using a wireframe background screen for the power system screen can give the user a sense of realism. It is also a good idea to provide a variety of background screens for the power system screen so that the user can choose from them.

(7) The multiple screens may include a time-series screen that displays changes in the operation information in chronological order. This is advantageous because it is useful when the user needs to understand changes in the operation information over time to investigate the cause. For example, it becomes easier to associate changes in the operation information with the user's driving, allowing the user to understand the desired energy allocation method, etc. The time-series screen may be configured to associate time with operation information, such as a line graph screen, a tabular screen, or a video screen in which the time scale is compressed and numerical values and bar graphs change dynamically.

(8) It is preferable to accept the user's selection of operation information and display the operation information selected by the user in the margin of the first screen. This allows the user to always be aware of operation information that is particularly important to the user other than for general understanding without having to switch, which is advantageous as it makes it possible to better satisfy the user's interests.

Furthermore, the system may accept a user's selection of operation information and display the operation information selected by the user in the margins of one or more of the multiple screens. In other words, the operation information selected by the user may be displayed in the margins of not only the first screen but also other screens, so that the operation information desired by the user will not disappear from the screen even when switching screens, improving user convenience.

(9) The first screen may be provided with a display that displays diagnostic information in the margins thereof or that notifies the user of the presence of diagnostic information. (11) One or more of the plurality of screens may be provided with a display that displays diagnostic information in the margins thereof or that notifies the user of the presence of diagnostic information.

The root cause of the problem that the user is trying to investigate can sometimes be traced back to a malfunction in the vehicle. By displaying diagnostic information in the margins or displaying a warning that diagnostic information is available, it is possible to easily inform the user of the root cause, which is advantageous. In particular, for systems that attempt to provide information on fuel economy and driving performance, diagnostic information is highly compatible, reducing the risk that the user will ignore a vehicle malfunction. In particular, on the first screen, which focuses on providing an overview of operating information, the screen will be somewhat more cluttered, but this clutter is advantageous because it improves the accuracy of the overview.

(10) The system may accept a user's selection of operation information and display the operation information selected by the user in the margins of one or more of the multiple screens. This allows for easy notification of information that the user considers important, in addition to diagnostic information. Note that the margins may be empty areas on the edges of the screen or empty areas between individual operation information display areas. However, considering the visibility of other operation information, empty areas on the edges of the screen are preferable. In particular, since the operation information and diagnostic information displayed in these margins are often important to the user, the upper corner of the screen closest to the driver's seat is more preferable. However, if there is a large margin between individual operation information display areas and visibility is not an issue, the information can also be displayed in the margins.

The screen switching mode is preferably to switch the screen in response to the user's tapping operation and the screen area tapped. In this system, each operation information is distributed across multiple screens, so information is not crowded on a single screen, reducing the risk of tapping incorrectly.

The above system functions can also be configured to function as a program that causes a computer to realize them.

This invention makes it possible to provide more operational information, which has rapidly increased in vehicles equipped with multiple power sources in their powertrains, without reducing the user's ability to grasp it, thereby satisfying the user's interests without compromising user convenience.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic device that configures a system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of an electronic device that constitutes the system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a first screen displayed on a display device of the system. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a second screen displayed on a display device of the system. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of display of the second screen on the display device of the system. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display of a third screen on a display device of the system. 10 is a table schematically illustrating a tree structure stored in a control unit. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of an electronic device. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the electronic device when it is a radar detector. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a map display of an electronic device. 1 shows an example of the display of a radar wave warning function on an electronic device. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a power system screen of an electronic device that constitutes a system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a screen displaying diagnostic information. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a power system screen P1 according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a part details screen P2 according to the third embodiment.

(First embodiment)
(composition)
A first embodiment of an electronic device constituting a system of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the appearance of an electronic device 1 constituting a system of the present invention, with (a) being a perspective view of the front side of the electronic device 1 and (b) being a perspective view of the back side. The front side refers to the surface facing rearward of the vehicle, in other words, the surface facing the driver. The back side refers to the surface opposite the front side. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the electronic device 1 constituting a system of the present invention.

The electronic device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a radar detector, a car navigation system, a car audio system, or a vehicle status display device. The electronic device 1 is installed in a vehicle such as a passenger car or truck, and provides information generated inside and outside the vehicle to the occupants visually in the form of figures, numbers, character strings, etc.

This electronic device 1 is installed in the vehicle's interior panel as an in-dash type, or in the vehicle interior space as an on-dash type. On-dash type electronic device 1 is attached externally via a bracket 3. Electronic device 1 is formed from a thin, rectangular case body 2. Electronic device 1 is fixed to the vehicle by attaching bracket 3 to the lower back side of case body 2 and then affixing bracket 3 to the vehicle's dashboard or the like.

A DC jack 17 is located at the bottom of the rear side of the case body 2. The DC jack 17 is used to connect a cigarette lighter plug cord, which is then connected to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket to receive power. A cord that draws power via a fuse box may also be connected to the DC jack 17 to supply power to the electronic device 1.

A display 5 is provided on the front of the case body 2. The display 5 is a display means for visually displaying information, and is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. A touch panel 6 is provided on this display 5. The touch panel 6 is an input means for accepting user operations, and detects the touch position on the display 5 using a capacitance method or a pressure-sensitive method.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic device 1 also includes a connection cable 22 that connects to the vehicle. The vehicle-side connector is an outlet for extracting various vehicle operation information output by the vehicle's ECU. This vehicle-side connector is, for example, an OBD-II connector, also known as a fault diagnosis connector. One end of the connection cable 22 is equipped with a connector terminal 23 that can be detached from the OBD-II connector. The other end of the connection cable 22 is equipped with a connector terminal 25 for connecting to a socket 24 provided on the side of the case main body 2, and is also detachable from the electronic device 1.

The electronic device 1 also includes a control unit 18 inside the case body 2. The control unit 18 is a computer equipped with a CPU, EEPROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, I/O, etc. Execution programs are stored in the EEPROM, and the control unit 18 is equipped with various functions by appropriately expanding the programs into the RAM and executing them appropriately with the CPU.

This control unit 18 is connected to the display 5, touch panel 6, and vehicle ECU so that signals can be input and output. An operation signal indicating the touch position is input from the touch panel 6 to the control unit 18. A digital signal indicating various vehicle operation information is input to the control unit 18 from the vehicle ECU via a connection cable 22. Meanwhile, the control unit 18 outputs a video signal of the display screen displaying the information to the display 5.

This control unit 18 selects one display screen from multiple screen candidates for displaying operation information, and outputs the video signal of the selected display screen to the display device 5. The control unit 18 selects the next display screen based on the combination of the current display screen and the operation signal indicating the touch position.

The type, number, display format, and layout of the operational information to be displayed on each screen are determined. The type, number, display format, and layout of the operational information are determined based on the screen's purpose and the ease of visibility and comprehension that derives from that purpose.

The control unit 18 selects the operation information to be displayed according to the display screen template, converts the selected operation information into a specified display format, or selects a graphic that matches the operation information from graphics that conform to the specified display format, and places the converted operation information or the selected display graphic in a specified screen area to generate a display screen, converts it into a video signal, and outputs it to the display device 5.

The control unit 18 stores three types of screens in its memory, distinguishing each screen by the type, number, display format, and location of operational information. The first screen displays a schematic diagram of the main components that make up the vehicle or part of the vehicle, and displays operational information graphically within the diagram. This first screen is provided to allow the user to intuitively grasp the general outline of their concerns in the context of the entire power system.

For example, as shown in Figure 3, the first screen is a power system screen P1 that provides an overview of the vehicle's entire power system. This power system screen P1 is an example display of electric power equipment 1 mounted on a vehicle equipped with multiple power sources. A power source is a source that generates the kinetic energy required for the vehicle to run. A vehicle equipped with multiple power sources is, for example, a vehicle that combines different power sources, such as two or more motors of the same or different types, two or more engines of the same or different types, or a hybrid system that uses both an engine and a motor.

On the power system screen P1, the type of operation information is the energy input and output between power system components. There is less operation information than on the second screen P2, described below, making it easy to visually distinguish it from other operation information displayed at the same time. The operation information is displayed in the form of arrows A1 to A4, making it easy to grasp the general content of the operation information at a glance. The operation information is displayed near the main components that input and output energy, making it easy to grasp the main subject of the information at a glance. In other words, this power system screen P1 allows the user to instantly grasp the vehicle's energy distribution trends.

Specifically, the power system screen P1 has part images G1-G6, which represent the main components that input and output energy, on a background image B. On the background image B, arrows A1-A4 indicating the energy input and output are displayed near each part image G1-G6.

Background image B consists of a wide plate reminiscent of a vehicle chassis, with tire shapes arranged in four places around the perimeter. The part images G1 to G6 are a front drive shaft image G1, a rear drive shaft image G2, an engine image G3, a battery image G4, a front motor image G5, and a rear motor image G6. The front drive shaft image G1 and the rear drive shaft image G2 are part of background image B. The engine image G3, the battery image G4, the front motor image G5, and the rear motor image G6 are icons.

Arrows A1 to A4 indicate that the vehicle is being driven by the energy output of the engine; arrow A2 indicates that the vehicle is being driven by the energy output of the front motor that drives the vehicle; arrow A3 indicates that the vehicle is being driven by the energy output of the rear motor; and arrow A4 indicates that the engine is receiving and sending energy to and from the battery via the generator motor.

On this power system screen P1, the operation information displayed by arrow displays A1 to A4 indicates the type and content of the information. That is, the position of the arrow intuitively indicates the type of operation information. The direction of the arrow indicates the direction of energy input/output. Additionally, the thickness or color of the arrow indicates the amount of energy input/output. The control unit 18 receives numerical data for the operation information to be displayed on the power system screen P1 from the vehicle's ECU, and generates arrow displays A1 to A4 according to the positive/negative sign and magnitude of the numerical data, and places them on the power system screen P1.

The second screen displays various operational information for one of the vehicle's major components in tabular form, using numerical values to indicate the detailed operating status of that component. This second screen is provided to enable the user to investigate the cause of the vehicle's operating condition identified on the first screen.

For example, as shown in Figure 4, the second screen is a part details screen P2 that displays various operational information about one major component that makes up the power system. The part details screen P2 displays various operational information about one major component in multiple rows and columns on the screen. The operational information is displayed as a numeric value D1, and is displayed next to a type name string D2 that indicates the type name of the operational information.

For example, the engine part details screen P2 displays type name strings D2 indicating engine power, engine load, ignition timing, injection time, coolant temperature, engine oil temperature, throttle opening, engine RPM, engine torque, intake manifold pressure, intake air flow (MAF), intake temperature, and battery voltage in two columns and seven rows, with corresponding operating information numerical displays D1 with units displayed to the right of each type name string D2.

The part details screen P2 can also be configured to display various operational information for multiple components or across multiple components. In other words, displaying operational information for one major component is one example of how detailed operational information for the power system can be displayed in a categorized manner. It is also possible to divide the parts that make up the power system into multiple categories from various perspectives, prepare a part details screen P2 for each category, and display operational information for each part that belongs to that category.

Figure 5 is an example of a part details screen P2 based on another classification. The part details screen P2 shown in Figure 5 displays operational information for each part of the entire power system in more detail than the operational information displayed on the power system screen P1, and adds operational information related to the electrical system and air conditioning consumption. Specifically, numerical displays D1 of operational information for engine oil temperature, system power, front motor power, battery current, battery voltage, auxiliary battery, total battery capacity, engine power, boosted voltage, accelerator opening, air conditioning consumption, generator power generation, HV glide, and the number of existing diagnostic codes are displayed and paired with type name strings D2.

The third screen displays one piece of operational information in chronological order. This third screen is provided to verify and confirm the cause suspected on the second screen, the Part Details screen P2, from the perspective of time-varying changes, or to identify the cause of a situation identified on the first screen, the Power System screen P1, from time-varying changes.

For example, as shown in Figure 6, the third screen is a time series screen P3 that displays a graph showing the change in value of one piece of operation information over time. The time series screen P3 has a Cartesian coordinate system. The operation information is plotted on the Cartesian coordinate system to form graph D3. In the Cartesian coordinate system, the horizontal axis represents the passage of time, and the vertical axis represents the value of the operation information.

The control unit 18 stores the relationship between the power system screen P1, each part detail screen P2, and the time series screen P3 in a three-layered tree structure. The layers are switched and displayed on the display 5 in response to user operations. In the three-layered tree structure, the power system screen P1 is located in the top layer, which can also be called the top screen, root screen, or home screen. The each part detail screen P2 is located in the middle layer. The time series screen P3 is located in the bottom layer. The control unit 18 then associates multiple each part detail screens P2 with the power system screen P1, and associates multiple time series screens P3 with the each part detail screen P2.

When a user operates the touch panel 6 to press an icon represented by each part image G3 to G6 on the power system screen P1, the control unit 18 causes the display 5 to display a detailed part screen for the component corresponding to the pressed icon. Furthermore, when a user operates the touch panel 6 to press the numerical display D1 of the operation information or the type name string D2 on the detailed part screen P2, the control unit 18 causes the display 5 to display a timeline screen P3 of the operation information that was displayed in the pressed display area.

Figure 7 is a table that schematically illustrates the tree structure stored by the control unit 18. As shown in Figure 7, in response to pressing the engine image G3 displayed on the top-level power system screen P1, the control unit 18 causes the display device 5 to display a detailed engine-related screen P2. The detailed engine-related screen P2 displays type name strings D2 indicating engine power, engine load, ignition timing, injection time, coolant temperature, engine oil temperature, accelerator opening, engine RPM, engine torque, intake manifold pressure, MAF, intake air temperature, and battery voltage, arranged in two columns and seven rows, with corresponding numerical display D1 of operating information arranged to the right of them.

In response to pressing the battery image G4 displayed on the top-layer power system screen P1, the control unit 18 causes the display device 5 to display a detailed battery-related screen P2. The detailed battery-related screen P2 displays seven rows of type name strings D2 indicating the battery current, battery capacity, battery voltage, boosted voltage, maximum and minimum battery block voltage, maximum and minimum battery temperature, and maximum and minimum internal resistance, with corresponding numerical display D1 of operating information displayed to the right.

In response to pressing the front motor image G5 displayed on the top-layer power system screen P1, the control unit 18 causes the P2 display 5 to display a detailed screen for each part related to the front motor. The detailed screen P2 for each part related to the front motor displays type name strings D2 indicating front motor power, front motor torque, front motor RPM, front motor temperature, and front motor inverter temperature in five rows, with corresponding numerical display D1 of operating information displayed to the right of each.

In response to pressing the rear motor image G6 displayed on the top-layer power system screen P1, the control unit 18 causes the display device 5 to display a detailed screen P2 relating to the rear motor. The detailed screen P2 relating to the rear motor displays type name strings D2 indicating rear motor power, rear motor torque, rear motor RPM, rear motor temperature, rear motor inverter temperature, and motor torque distribution ratio in six rows, with corresponding numerical display D1 of operating information displayed to the right of each.

When an iconized generator motor image is displayed on the top-layer power system screen P1, pressing this generator motor image causes the control unit 18 to display a detailed part screen P2 related to the generator motor on the display 5. The detailed part screen P2 related to the generator motor displays type name strings D2 indicating the generated power, generator rotation speed, generator torque, generator temperature, and generator inverter temperature in five rows, with corresponding numerical display D1 of operating information displayed to the right of them.

An example of use illustrating the operation of this electronic device 1 will be described with reference to Figure 8. First, a driver of a vehicle with multiple power sources displays the power system screen P1 on the display 5 while driving, and understands the energy distribution of each power source within the context of the entire power system. When the driver wants to view operating information not displayed on the power system screen P1 in order to investigate the cause of the energy distribution understood through the power system screen P1, the driver presses one of the icons displayed on the power system screen P1.

For example, if the arrows from the front motor and rear motor on the power system screen P1 indicate a lower-than-normal energy output, the driver may press the battery image G4 icon. At this time, an operation signal indicating the touch position on the battery image G4 icon is input from the touch panel 6 to the control unit 18.

Upon receiving this operation signal, the control unit 18 switches the display screen of the display unit 5 to the battery component details screen P2. The driver examines the operational information displayed on the battery component details screen P2, including battery current, battery capacity, battery voltage, boosted voltage, battery block voltage MAX and MIN, battery temperature MAX and MIN, and internal resistance MAX and MIN. If the examination reveals that the battery current, for example, is too low, battery degradation is suspected as the cause of energy distribution. Furthermore, if the internal resistance MAX is excessive, there is a certain degree of certainty that the battery is degraded.

Furthermore, the driver may suspect an initial battery failure. In this case, the driver presses either the numeric display D1 showing operating information such as battery voltage or the type name string D2 of that numeric value on the battery component details screen P2. For example, the driver presses internal resistance (MAX). The touch panel 6 detects this press and inputs an operation signal indicating the touched position to the control unit 18.

In response to this input operation signal, the control unit 18 displays a time-series screen P3 of the touched operating information on the display 5. The driver can observe a graph D3 of operating information such as internal resistance displayed on the time-series screen P3 and determine whether the battery is defective or has deteriorated over time.

This type of electronic device 1 is an example that assumes a case in which a user is interested in the fuel efficiency of a vehicle and wishes to understand energy distribution and investigate the causes. Operational information that responds to understanding other concerns can be collected on the first screen while maintaining ease of visibility and comprehension, and operation information for investigating other causes can be distributed to one or more second screens. Other concerns include the pursuit of driving performance, maintaining the performance or extending the life of the vehicle, etc.

As described above, the electronic device 1 constituting the system according to this embodiment distributes operational information relating to at least a portion of a vehicle having multiple power sources to multiple screens, displays one of the multiple screens on the display device 5, and makes it possible to switch the screen displayed on the display device 5.

This allows the amount of operational information displayed on one screen to be limited, making it easier to understand the operational information. By switching screens, other operational information can be viewed, so the operational information desired by the user can be provided without any omissions. This ensures the completeness of operational information related to the vehicle, its power system, or only the electrical system of the power system. This makes it possible to fully satisfy the concerns desired by the vehicle driver.

The multiple screens include a first screen that collects the operational information the user wants to understand, and a second screen that distributes other operational information. For example, if the user is interested in fuel efficiency, the user will want to understand the energy distribution of multiple power sources, so operational information related to the energy input and output of the main components that make up the power system is collected on the first screen.

This allows the user to basically refer to the first screen to get a general understanding of the power system trends from the desired perspective, and then refer to the second screen if they want to delve deeper into the results of that general understanding.

The first screen displays operational information that provides an overview of the operating status of the vehicle's entire power system. This allows the user to grasp the desired viewpoint in the context of the entire power system, making it easier to determine which page on the second screen to refer to further.

When displaying operating information that allows a general understanding of the operating status of the entire power system on the first screen, the first screen is displayed as a power system screen P1 that provides an overview of the entire power system, and the second screen is prepared for each section that divides the power system into multiple sections, and is displayed as a detailed section screen P2 that displays operating information for each section that belongs to that section.

The power system screen P1, which provides an overview of the entire power system, makes it easy to grasp the overall trends of the power system in a coherent manner. The individual part details screen P2 makes it possible to investigate the causes of trends based on the overall trends of the power system. This is advantageous because it is possible to achieve both ease of understanding and completeness of operating information while maintaining user convenience.

Operation information on the power system screen P1 includes arrow displays A1-A4 indicating the direction of energy input/output to each part, or the direction and magnitude of energy, while other operation information on the part details screen P2 includes a numerical display D1. This makes it easier to understand energy distribution, more complete the information needed to investigate the causes of that distribution, and improves user convenience all at once when the user's desired perspective is energy distribution among multiple power sources and the investigation of the causes of that distribution.

In other words, the power system screen P1 allows the user to grasp the power system's overview at a glance, making it easy to grasp, for example, the energy distribution at a glance. This can assist the user in understanding energy distribution, a frequent action taken by the user while the vehicle is in motion. The individual part details screen P2 makes it easy to investigate the mechanism behind the energy distribution. Furthermore, by separating the power system screen P1 and the individual part details screen P2, it is possible to respond quickly to the user's request, whether they wish to check the energy distribution or investigate the cause of the energy distribution. The magnitude of the energy can be indicated by the thickness or color of the arrow.

The first screen displays the vehicle's power system or a schematic diagram of the vehicle, and displays a smaller number of pieces of operational information than those displayed on the second screen, corresponding to the location of the subject, and the second screen displays pairs of operational information and the name of the type of that operational information across multiple columns.

The first screen displays the information together with a schematic diagram of the vehicle, reducing the amount of information to avoid clutter, but does not require the names identifying the type of operation information to be displayed as text. Therefore, the operation information, displayed as text along with the name text, is not difficult to read, which is advantageous for grasping the general outline of the operation information. On the other hand, the second screen displays more operation information along with name text that allows the meaning of the operation information to be understood, making it possible to ensure the completeness of the operation information. Using the first and second screens together is advantageous because it further improves the ease of understanding and completeness of the operation information, as well as user convenience.

The multiple screens also include a time series screen P3 that displays changes in operation information over time. This is useful when the user needs to understand changes in operation information over time to investigate the cause. For example, it makes it easier to associate changes in operation information with the user's driving, allowing the user to understand the desired energy allocation method, etc. The time series screen can be any screen that associates time with operation information, such as a line graph screen, a tabular screen, or a video screen in which the time scale is compressed and numerical values and bar graphs change dynamically.

In addition, the screen switching mode can be configured to switch screens in response to the user's tapping operation and the screen area tapped. In this electronic device 1, operational information is distributed across multiple screens, so information is not crowded on a single screen and the risk of erroneous tapping can be reduced. However, screens can also be switched in response to voice input or gesture input. In the case of voice input, a microphone can be provided in the system or a microphone already installed in the vehicle can be used. In the case of gesture input, a camera can be provided in the system or an in-vehicle camera can be used. This can simplify user operation while the vehicle is in motion.

An example of application of this electronic device 1 will be explained assuming it is a radar detector. As shown in Figure 9, the radar detector is equipped with a database 19 that can input and output data to and from a control unit 18. The database 19 can be implemented as non-volatile memory (such as an EEPROM) within the microcomputer of the control unit 18 or externally attached to the microcomputer. Map data and information regarding certain alarm targets are registered in the database 19 at the time of shipment, and data regarding subsequently added alarm targets is updated as described above.

Information input sources for the control unit 18 include the touch panel 6, the vehicle's ECU, a GPS receiver 13, a microwave receiver 14, a radio receiver 15, a geomagnetic sensor 36, an acceleration sensor 37, and an air pressure sensor 38.

The GPS receiver 13 receives GPS signals from GPS satellites and outputs current position (longitude and latitude) information. The microwave receiver 14 receives microwaves of a specific frequency emitted from the speed measurement device. The radio receiver 15 receives incoming radio waves of a specific frequency.

The geomagnetic sensor 36 detects geomagnetism to determine which direction north is relative to the direction of travel. The acceleration sensor 37 detects the vehicle's acceleration in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions. The atmospheric pressure sensor 38 measures the atmospheric pressure at the current location of the vehicle in which the case body 2 is installed.

The electric power device 1 also has a built-in speaker 16 as an information output source from the control unit 18. The speaker port is located on the bottom of the case body 2. As input means, a volume adjustment button 7 is located on the right side of the front of the case body 2, and various operation buttons 8 are located on the left side. The right side of the case body 2 is provided with a card insertion slot 9 into which a memory card 11 is inserted (see Figure 1), and a memory card reader 10 is provided internally.

In addition to the display 5, the front of the case body 2 is equipped with a lamp 31, a remote control receiver 32, and an infrared communication device 34. The lamp 31 warns by shining in various colors depending on the type and urgency of the alarm. The remote control receiver 32 communicates data with a remote control (portable device: handset) 33 via infrared rays and performs various settings for the device. The infrared communication device 34 sends and receives data to and from communication devices with built-in infrared communication devices, such as a mobile phone 35.

In this radar detector, the control unit 18 has a GPS log function, a standby screen display function, a map display function, a GPS warning function, a radar wave warning function, a radio warning function, and other functions. The standby screen display function distributes operational information related to at least a portion of the vehicle across multiple screens, displays one of the multiple screens on the display means, and makes it possible to switch the screen displayed on the display means. In other words, this radar detector switches between a power system screen, a detailed parts screen, and a timeline screen as standby screens on the display 5 in response to user operation.

The GPS log function is a function in which the control unit 18 associates the current position detected by the GPS receiver 13 every second with the time of detection and speed (vehicle speed) and stores this in non-volatile memory as position history. This position history is recorded in NMEA format, for example.

As shown in Figure 10, the map display function accesses the database 19 based on the current location detected by the GPS receiver 13, and reads and displays the map data stored therein. The map display function also has the function of searching for warning targets around the current location based on the location information stored in the database 19, and if a warning target is found in the vicinity, it displays information indicating the warning target (such as a target icon 112) superimposed on the corresponding position on the map. Specific display modes are as follows:

The control unit 18 displays the map in the main display area R1, which occupies almost the entire surface of the display unit 5, so that the vehicle's direction of travel is always facing upward. The control unit 18 displays the map so that the current vehicle position is at the center of the lower part of the main display area R1, and also displays the vehicle icon 111 at that position.

The control unit 18 displays status information in a status area R2 located above the main display area R1. The status information displayed in the status area R2 includes, from left to right, the current time 121 (in the figure, "15:10"), a GPS radio wave reception level display icon 122 (in the figure, three parallel lines of different lengths indicate the maximum reception level), a no-parking area icon 123 (displayed when the vehicle is in a most important parking area or a priority parking area), a reception sensitivity mode display icon 124 indicating the radar reception sensitivity (in the figure, "SE" indicates the highest sensitivity), a vehicle speed 125 (in the figure, "30 km/h"), and a compass 126. The status area R2 is a transparent area and is positioned using a layer above the main display area R1. This allows the map located below to be seen in areas within the status area R2 where no status information is displayed.

The control unit 18 displays the current scale information (reduction scale) in the scale display area R3 set to the left side of the main display area R1. The scale sets the vehicle's position at 0 m and displays the distance from the vehicle's position to the vertical center position of the main area R1 ("500" in the figure) and the distance to the upper position ("1000" in the figure). The unit is "m." When the control unit 18 detects that the main display area R1 has been touched twice consecutively, it displays a map scale change button (not shown) at a predetermined position within the main display area R1 (a position along the scale display area R3) and changes the map scale in response to the touch on the map scale change button. In other words, the control unit 18 changes the scale of the map displayed in the main display area R1 to match the changed map scale, and also changes the scale information displayed in the scale display area R3.

While the standby screen display function or map display function (hereinafter collectively referred to as the standby functions) is being executed, the control unit 18 executes processing to realize each function, such as the GPS warning function, radar wave warning function, or radio warning function, depending on the event that occurs, and returns to processing the original standby function when processing of that function is completed. The priority of each function is set in descending order: radar wave warning function, radio warning function, and GPS warning function.

The GPS warning function is a process executed at predetermined time intervals (1 second intervals) in response to an event from a timer in the control unit 18. It calculates the distance between the target of the warning stored in the database 19 and the current position detected by the GPS receiver 13 based on their latitude and longitude. When the calculated distance reaches a predetermined approach distance, the display 5 displays a warning screen, the GPS warning display 130 (including a schematic diagram of the target of the warning, remaining distance, etc.), and the speaker 16 outputs an audio approach warning to that effect.

These warning targets include locations of drowsy driving accidents, speed measurement devices (radar type, loop coil type, H system, LH system, photocell type, mobile type, etc.), speed limit change points, enforcement areas, checkpoints, parking ban monitoring areas, N system, traffic monitoring systems, intersection monitoring points, red light ignorance prevention systems, police stations, accident-prone areas, areas with high rates of vehicle theft, sharp/continuous curves (expressways), branching/merging points (expressways), ETC lane advance guidance (expressways), service areas (expressways), parking areas (expressways), highway oases (expressways), smart interchanges (expressways), PA/SA gas stations (expressways), tunnels (expressways), highway radio reception areas (expressways), prefectural border announcements, roadside stations, and view point parking areas. Information on the type of target, latitude and longitude information indicating its location, schematic diagram or photograph data to be displayed on display 5, and audio data are associated and stored in database 19.

Figure 11(a) shows an example display of the radar wave warning function. This radar wave warning function is an alarm function that displays a GPS warning display 131, which is an alarm screen, on the display 5 and outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 16 when the microwave receiver 14 detects a signal corresponding to microwaves in a frequency band emitted by a speed measurement device (such as a mobile radar (hereinafter simply referred to as "radar")). For example, when microwaves in the frequency band emitted by radar are detected by the microwave receiver 14, as shown in Figure 11(b), a schematic diagram or photo of radar stored in the database 19 is displayed as an alarm screen on the display 5, and audio data stored in the database 19 is read and a voice message saying "This is radar. Watch your speed" is output from the speaker 16. The distance to be displayed may be, for example, a distance estimated from the electric field strength.

The radio warning function is a function that issues an alarm when radio waves emitted by an emergency vehicle or the like are received by the radio receiver 15 to prevent interference with the vehicle's travel. The radio warning function scans the frequencies of police radio, car location radio, digital radio, special small radio, police station radio, police telephone, police activity radio, tow truck radio, helicopter radio, fire helicopter radio, fire radio, emergency radio, highway radio, security radio, etc., and when a radio signal is received on a scanned frequency, a schematic diagram indicating that a radio signal corresponding to that frequency, stored for each radio type in the database 19, has been received is displayed on the display 5 as an alarm screen. Additionally, audio data stored for each radio type in the database 19 is read, and an audio warning indicating the type of radio signal is output from the speaker 16. For example, when a police radio signal is received, an audio signal such as "This is a police radio signal. Watch your speed." is output.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the electronic device 1 constituting the system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same components and functions as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a power system screen P1 according to the second embodiment.

The vehicle's ECU and control unit 18 have a fault diagnosis function that analyzes operating information and diagnoses vehicle faults. As shown in FIG. 12, if diagnostic information is found as a result of the fault diagnosis, the control unit 18 displays a notification display G7 indicating the presence of diagnostic information in the margin of the power system screen P1. When an operation signal indicating pressing the notification display G7 is input from the touch panel 6, the control unit 18 outputs a video signal of a diagnostic screen displaying the diagnostic information to the display unit 5, as shown in FIG. 13.

The margin for displaying the notification display G7 indicating the presence of diagnostic information is preferably the edge of the screen area R1 excluding the background image. More preferably, it is the corner of the bottom of the screen closest to the driver's seat. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the notification display G7 is displayed in the bottom right corner of the screen, and uses a red-based design to make it stand out from other images and operating information. This is because diagnostic information is often important to the user, and this increases its visibility.

The root cause of the problem that the user is trying to investigate can sometimes be traced back to a malfunction in the vehicle. By displaying a notification in the margin that diagnostic information is available, it is possible to easily inform the user of the root cause, which is advantageous. In particular, for systems that attempt to provide information on fuel economy and driving performance, diagnostic information is highly compatible, reducing the risk that the user will ignore a vehicle malfunction. In particular, on the first screen, which focuses on providing an overview of operating information, the screen will be somewhat more cluttered, but this clutter is advantageous because it improves the accuracy of the overview.

Furthermore, instead of the notification display G7 indicating the presence of diagnostic information, or in a separate space from the notification display G7, operation information selected by the user may be displayed. This allows the user to always be aware of operation information that is particularly important to them, other than for general understanding, without the need to switch, which is advantageous as it can better satisfy the user's interest.

It is desirable to display this notification display G7 or the operation information specially set by the user on all currently displayed screens, regardless of whether the screen is switched to the power system screen P1, the parts details screen P2, or the timeline screen P3. This not only applies to the power system screen P1, but also to switching screens, so the notification display G7 or the operation information desired by the user will not disappear from the screen, improving user convenience.

(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment of the electronic device 1 constituting the system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same components and functions as those of the first and second embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a power system screen P1 according to the third embodiment, and Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a detailed section screen P2 according to the third embodiment.

As shown in Figure 14, the power system screen P1 may have a background image in which the vehicle is drawn in a wireframe, with operation information displayed over the position of each device. Touching the display area for this operation information allows the screen to be switched. Using a wireframe background screen for the power system screen P1 can give the user a sense of realism. It is recommended that various background images for the power system screen P1 be prepared, and the user can select one via a settings screen.

This power system screen P1 displays only a limited number of operation information items that allow understanding of energy distribution. The operation information is expressed numerically and paired with a string indicating the name of the type of operation information, enclosed in a frame to enhance visibility. When this frame is touched, the control unit 18 switches to a detailed screen P2 for each part of the category represented by the operation information within the touched frame.

As shown in Figure 15, on the part details screen P2, the operation information may be displayed numerically as well as with a meter display. The meter display has a background image with numbers along an arc, and the pointer image extending from the center of the arc toward the arc changes its pointer according to the numerical value indicated by the operation information. This harmonizes with the tachometer that displays engine RPM and vehicle speed in a vehicle, improving the aesthetics of the interior of the vehicle.

1 Radar detector 2 Case body 3 Bracket 5 Display 6 Touch panel P1 Power system screen A1 to A4 Arrow display G1 Front drive shaft image G2 Rear drive shaft image G3 Engine image G4 Battery image G5 Front motor image G6 Rear motor image G7 Notification display P2 Parts detailed screen D1 Numerical display D2 Type name character string D4 Meter display P3 Time series screen D3 Graph 9 Card insertion slot 10 Memory card reader 11 Memory card 13 GPS receiver 14 Microwave receiver 15 Wireless receiver 16 Speaker 18 Control unit 19 Database 22 Connection cable 23 Connector terminal 24 Socket port 25 Connector terminal 31 Lamp 32 Remote control receiver 33 Remote control 34 Infrared communication device 35 Mobile phone 36 Geomagnetic sensor 37 Acceleration sensor 38 Barometric pressure sensor

Claims (2)

A radar detector having a function of displaying vehicle speed information and operation information of a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine, a battery, and a motor based on information acquired from the vehicle side,
The operation information includes a function of displaying information about the engine and information about the motor,
a screen that displays an image of the engine and an image of the motor on a single screen;
a screen that displays, in a plurality of rows 1, a type name character string indicating a type name of the operation information and numerical information related to the engine, which is the operation information, next to the type name character string; and a screen that displays, in a plurality of rows 1, a type name character string indicating a type name of the operation information and numerical information related to the motor, which is the operation information, next to the type name character string.
A radar detector characterized by being configured to be switchable. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the radar detector according to claim 1.