JP7790220B2 - Vehicle display device - Google Patents

Description

This specification relates to a vehicle display device that is mounted on a vehicle and displays vehicle speed as an image.

Traditionally, vehicle display devices that display vehicle speed do so by rotating an image pointer in accordance with the vehicle speed. However, with such vehicle display devices, if the display control unit of the image display unit breaks down or some other abnormality occurs, the vehicle speed cannot be notified to the user.

The vehicle display device described in Patent Document 1 has multiple image display units and one control unit that controls the multiple image display units. If one of the image display units fails, the remaining image display units that are not failing will display information such as vehicle speed on their screens. Furthermore, if the control unit fails, the image display units also function as control units, displaying information such as vehicle speed on an image.

JP 2017-35980 A

When the control unit in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 fails, the vehicle speed is simply displayed, which causes a problem in that the vehicle speed displayed before the failure differs significantly from the vehicle speed displayed after the failure. Therefore, the driver may be surprised by the sudden change in screen. Furthermore, it is preferable to display the vehicle speed in the same position even if part of the control unit responsible for the display function of the vehicle display device fails.

The disclosed objective was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a vehicle display device that can continue to display vehicle speed in the event of an abnormality without surprising the driver.

This disclosure employs the following technical means to achieve the aforementioned objectives:

The vehicle display device disclosed herein is a vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle for use, and includes a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to vehicle driving, a main image generation unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information other than vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit, a sub-image generation unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information related to vehicle speed based on the driving information, and a display unit for displaying the main image generated by the main image generation unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit. The vehicle display device comprises an image processing unit (111) that processes images, an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit, and an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects abnormalities in the main image generation unit, wherein the sub-image generation unit has lower processing capabilities than the main image generation unit , and the image processing unit processes images to simultaneously display the main image and the sub-image in normal times when the abnormality detection unit has not detected an abnormality, and in abnormal times when the abnormality detection unit has detected an abnormality in the main image generation unit, does not use the image generated by the main image generation unit and processes the sub-image for display.
Furthermore, the vehicle display device disclosed herein is a vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle for use, and includes a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to vehicle driving, a main image generation unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information other than vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit, a sub-image generation unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information related to vehicle speed based on the driving information, an image processing unit (111) that processes the main image generated by the main image generation unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit for display, an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit, and a main image generation unit (112) that generates a main image (10) including information other than vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit. and an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects abnormalities, the main image generation unit and the sub-image generation unit are executed by different operation systems, the operation system (101C) of the main image generation unit is more functional than the operation system (111C) of the sub-image generation unit, and the operation system of the sub-image generation unit is more reliable than the operation system of the main image generation unit, and the image processing unit processes the image to simultaneously display the main image and the sub-image in normal times when the abnormality detection unit has not detected an abnormality, and in abnormal times when the abnormality detection unit has detected an abnormality in the main image generation unit, does not use the image generated by the main image generation unit and processes the sub-image for display.

In this type of vehicle display device, the main image generation unit generates a main image including information excluding vehicle speed, and the sub-image generation unit generates a sub-image including information about vehicle speed. Therefore, by generating two images, the processing load for image generation is distributed. Furthermore, when an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit, the main image cannot be generated, but the sub-image can be displayed. Therefore, because the sub-image continues to be displayed even when an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit, the position at which the vehicle speed is displayed is the same under normal and abnormal conditions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the driver from being surprised by the screen display during an abnormal condition.

Further features of the disclosed vehicle display device include a vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle and used, the vehicle display device (200) including a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to vehicle driving, a main image generation unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information related to vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit, a sub-image generation unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information excluding vehicle speed based on the driving information, an image processing unit (111) that performs image processing for displaying the main image generated by the main image generation unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit, and The vehicle display device comprises an image display unit (114) that displays an image generated by the main image generation unit, and an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects abnormalities in the main image generation unit, the sub-image generation unit having a lower processing capability than the main image generation unit , and in the event of an abnormality when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, the sub-image generation unit generates a sub-image containing information about the vehicle speed, in which the display position of the vehicle speed is the same as that of the main image in normal, non-abnormal times, and the image processing unit normally processes the image to display the main image and the sub-image simultaneously, and in the event of an abnormality, does not use the image generated by the main image generation unit, but processes the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit for display.
Furthermore, a further feature of another vehicle display device disclosed herein is a vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle for use, comprising: a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to vehicle driving; a main image generation unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information related to vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit; a sub-image generation unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information excluding vehicle speed based on the driving information; an image processing unit (111) that performs image processing for display of the main image generated by the main image generation unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit; an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit; and an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, The image generation unit and the sub-image generation unit are executed by different operation systems, the operation system (101C) of the main image generation unit is more functional than the operation system (111C) of the sub-image generation unit, the operation system of the sub-image generation unit is more reliable than the operation system of the main image generation unit, in the event of an abnormality when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, the sub-image generation unit generates a sub-image containing information about the vehicle speed, in which the display position of the vehicle speed is the same as that of the main image in normal, non-abnormal times, and the image processing unit processes the image to display the main image and the sub-image simultaneously in normal times, and in the event of an abnormality, the image generated by the main image generation unit is not used and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit is image processed for display.

In this type of vehicle display device, the main image generation unit generates a main image containing information related to vehicle speed, and the sub-image generation unit generates a sub-image containing information excluding vehicle speed. Therefore, by generating two images, the processing load for image generation is distributed. Furthermore, when an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit, the main image cannot be generated, but vehicle speed must be displayed. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs, the sub-image generation unit generates a sub-image containing information related to vehicle speed. Furthermore, the display position of the vehicle speed on the sub-image when an abnormality occurs is the same as the display position of the main image when normal. Because the display position of the vehicle speed is the same, it is possible to prevent the driver from being surprised by the screen display when an abnormality occurs.

Note that the symbols in parentheses for each of the above-mentioned means are examples showing the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments below.

1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device 200 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a vehicle display device 200. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a first vehicle image 12; FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining image processing by the GDC 111. 10 is a flowchart showing fail-safe control of the sub-image generating unit 112. 10 is a flowchart showing another fail-safe control of the sub-image generating unit 112. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a vehicle display device 200 according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a vehicle display device 300 according to a third embodiment.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, multiple embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described. In each embodiment, parts corresponding to matters described in the preceding embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, or one letter will be added to the preceding reference numeral, and duplicate explanations may be omitted. Furthermore, when part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the other parts of the configuration will be the same as in the preceding embodiment. It is not limited to combinations of parts specifically described in each embodiment, but it is also possible to partially combine embodiments together, provided that there are no particular problems with the combination.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle display device 200 according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, generates image data based on sensing data representing vehicle driving information, and displays the generated data in the vehicle cabin. The vehicle display device 200 includes a human-machine interface control unit (HCU) 100 that generates image data and multiple display devices 110 and 120 that display the image data. In this embodiment, the display devices include a multi-information display (MID) 110 and a center information display (CID) 120. As shown in FIG. 2, the HCU 100 is connected to the MID 110 and the CID 120 so as to enable data communication between them. The HCU 100 and the MID 110 are also connected to vehicle-side devices so as to enable data communication between them.

HCU100, MID110, and CID120 each have a control unit. Each control unit executes programs stored on a storage medium and controls each unit. Each control unit has at least one central processing unit (CPU) and a storage medium that stores programs and data. Each control unit is realized, for example, by a microcomputer equipped with a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium is a non-transient, tangible storage medium that non-temporarily stores computer-readable programs and data. The storage medium is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like.

The HCU 100 is a control device that controls the output of vehicle information. The HCU 100 has a main image generation unit 101 and a main data processing unit 102. First, the main data processing unit 102 will be described. The main data processing unit 102 is connected to a group of sensors 202 of the vehicle and other devices of the vehicle via a first communication interface 103. The main data processing unit 102 acquires sensor signals from the group of sensors 202. Examples of the group of sensors 202 include a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed, an engine rotation speed sensor that detects the engine rotation speed, and a mileage sensor that detects the mileage.

The main data processing unit 102 also acquires location information regarding the vehicle's current location and legal speed information regarding the legal speed limit at the current location from other devices, such as a locator and a perimeter monitoring sensor, via the first communication interface 103. The locator reads map data for the area around the current location from a map database and provides it to the main data processing unit 102 along with the locator information. The perimeter monitoring sensor is an autonomous sensor that monitors the environment around the vehicle. The perimeter monitoring sensor detects, for example, moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles, as well as stationary objects such as fallen objects on the road, road markings such as guardrails, curbs, road signs and lane markings, and roadside structures from within its detection range around the vehicle.

The main data processing unit 102 is also connected to a group of vehicle switches 203 via a first input interface 104. The main data processing unit 102 acquires input signals from the group of switches 203. The group of switches 203 includes, for example, an air conditioning switch for operating the air conditioning, an audio switch for operating the sound, a light switch for operating the lights, and a mode switch for operating the driving mode.

The main data processing unit 102 acquires sensing data based on sensor signals from the sensor group 202 and input signals from the switch group 203. The sensing data is, for example, driving information related to driving, such as vehicle speed information or total mileage information according to the sensor signals, and indicator information according to the input signals. Therefore, the main data processing unit 102 functions as a driving information acquisition unit that acquires sensing data of the vehicle. The main data processing unit 102 provides the generated sensing data to the main image generation unit 101. The main data processing unit 102 is also connected to the MID 110 via the first communication interface 103.

Next, the main image generation unit 101 will be described. The main image generation unit 101 acquires sensing data from the main data processing unit 102 and generates the main image 10 and auxiliary images based on the sensing data. The main image 10 includes information other than vehicle speed and is an image for the MID 110. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main image 10 is an image that displays the engine speed using a needle, an image that shows the legal speed at the current location, an image that shows monitoring information from a surrounding monitoring sensor, etc. The auxiliary image is a navigation guidance screen, etc., and is an image for the CID 120.

The main image generation unit 101 sends and receives information to and from the large-capacity ROM 107 and large-capacity RAM 108. ROM is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The large-capacity RAM 108 temporarily stores the results of calculations by the main image generation unit 101, received data, and the like. The large-capacity ROM 107 stores the programs executed by the main image generation unit 101.

The main image generation unit 101 is connected to the MID 110 via a first signal conversion IC (Integrated Circuit) 106. The first signal conversion IC 106 converts the main image 10 into a data signal and transmits it to the MID 110. The main image generation unit 101 is also connected to the CID 120 via a second signal conversion IC 109. The second signal conversion IC 109 converts the auxiliary image into a data signal and transmits it to the CID 120.

In this way, the main image generation unit 101 displays the main image 10 on a display device corresponding to the generated image. The main image generation unit 101 is also connected to the vehicle's speaker 204 via the audio interface 105. This allows the speaker 204 to output audio information to the vehicle occupants.

Next, we will explain the MID 110. The MID 110 is an image display unit that displays at least the vehicle speed, and is located in front of the driver's seat inside the vehicle. The MID 110 displays a first vehicle image 12, which shows information related to vehicle driving, to the occupant in color or monochrome.

The MID 110 includes a GDC (Graphics Display Controller) 111, a sub-image generation unit 112, a buzzer drive circuit 117, a buzzer 118, a first display 114, a first backlight illumination 115, and a non-volatile memory 116. As shown in FIG. 2, the sub-image generation unit 112 and the GDC 111 are connected to the main image generation unit 101 of the HCU 100 via a third signal conversion IC 119. The third signal conversion IC 119 receives a data signal from the first signal conversion IC 106 of the HCU 100.

First, we will explain the sub-image generation unit 112. The sub-image generation unit 112 is connected to the vehicle's sensor group 202 and other devices on the vehicle via the second communication interface 113. The sub-image generation unit 112 is also connected to the first communication interface 103 of the HCU 100 via the second communication interface 113.

The sub-image generation unit 112 sends and receives information to and from the non-volatile memory 116. The non-volatile memory 116 stores image data for generating the sub-image 11. The sub-image generation unit 112 also includes an internal RAM 112a and a program ROM 112b. The internal RAM 112a temporarily stores the calculation results of the sub-image generation unit 112, received data, and the like. The program ROM 112b stores the programs executed by the sub-image generation unit 112.

Like the main data processing unit 102, the sub-image generation unit 112 acquires sensor signals from the sensor group 202. Therefore, like the main data processing unit 102, the sub-image generation unit 112 acquires sensing data based on the sensor signals from the sensor group 202. In this way, the sub-image generation unit 112 also functions as a driving information acquisition unit that acquires sensing data from the vehicle.

The sub-image generation unit 112 generates a sub-image 11 based on the sensing data. The sub-image 11 includes at least information related to vehicle speed. The sub-image generation unit 112 is a control unit for image display, and has lower processing power than the main image generation unit 101. The processing power of the sub-image generation unit 112 is not enough to generate a rich main image 10 that displays a vehicle speed indicator and an engine RPM indicator in real time, but it can generate simple images with a low pixel count, such as text, in real time.

The sub-image generation unit 112 includes a program ROM 112b and an internal RAM 112a. The CPU of the sub-image generation unit 112 executes various programs stored in the program ROM 112b while utilizing the temporary storage function of the internal RAM 112a.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the sub-image 11 generated by the sub-image generation unit 112 does not contain overlapping information with the main image 10. The sub-image 11 is an image that displays important information that is important for driving. Specifically, the sub-image 11 displays a text image showing the current vehicle speed, a text image showing the mileage, an image showing the remaining fuel level, an image of a warning light, an image showing the shift position, and the like. The sub-image 11 includes regulatory information that is required to be displayed by law. An example of regulatory information is vehicle speed. The warning light image is a warning display that lights up when there is an abnormality in the vehicle, also known as a telltale. Therefore, the sub-image 11 is an image that includes important information, and the main image 10 is an image that includes information other than the important information.

The sub-image generation unit 112 controls the image output by the first display 114 and the electronic sound output by the buzzer 118. The sub-image generation unit 112 also controls the display of the first vehicle image 12 by the first display 114 and the transmitted illumination of the first display 114 by the first backlight illumination 115.

The sub-image generation unit 112 drives the buzzer 118 via the buzzer drive circuit 117 to output an electronic sound into the vehicle cabin. The buzzer 118 is realized, for example, by a piezoelectric buzzer, and outputs an electronic sound when a voltage is applied. The buzzer drive circuit 117 controls the amount and timing of the voltage applied to the buzzer 118. The buzzer drive circuit 117 controls the voltage to the buzzer 118 based on commands from the sub-image generation unit 112.

The GDC 111 functions as an image processing unit that processes the main image 10 generated by the main image generation unit 101 and the sub-image 11 generated by the sub-image generation unit 112 for display. The GDC 111 is a control unit for image display and has lower processing power than the main image generation unit 101. The GDC 111 generates the first vehicle image 12 based on the image data converted from the received signal by the third signal conversion IC 119 and the image data generated by the sub-image generation unit 112. Therefore, the first vehicle image 12 is based on the main image 10 and the sub-image 11.

The GDC 111 is a control unit suitable for image processing functions such as image composition, rotation, inversion, enlargement and reduction, and has the function of reducing the image processing load on the HCU 100. The GDC 111 performs a process to compose the main image 10 and the sub-image 11, as shown in Figure 4. This creates a first vehicle image 12 as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the main image 10 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the sub-image 11 is indicated by a one-dot chain line. By combining the main image 10 and the sub-image 11, the main image 10 and the sub-image 11 are displayed simultaneously. This allows the driver and others to view the main image 10 and the sub-image 11 simultaneously under normal conditions when there are no abnormalities.

The first display 114 is an image display unit that displays the first vehicle image 12 that has been image-processed by the GDC 111. The first display 114 is implemented as a liquid crystal display and emits display light that represents display information (images). The first display 114 has a first display driver IC 114a. The first display driver IC 114a drives and controls the display of the first vehicle image 12 provided by the GDC 111.

The first backlight illuminator 115 is positioned on the opposite side of the display surface of the first display 114. The first backlight illuminator 115 emits light toward the first display 114. The light emitted by the first backlight illuminator 115 partially passes through the first display 114, causing the first display 114 to display an image. The first backlight illuminator 115 has a first backlight illuminator driver IC 115a. The first backlight illuminator driver IC 115a controls lighting based on the first vehicle image 12 provided by the sub-image generator 112.

In this way, under normal operating conditions, the MID 110 receives image data rendered by the main image generation unit 101 of the HCU 100, combines it with the image rendered by the sub-image generation unit 112, and displays it on the first display 114. The sub-image generation unit 112 of the MID 110 processes, calculates, and renders signals related to the display of important functions such as the illumination of various indicators, vehicle speed, remaining fuel level, and cumulative mileage. The sub-image generation unit 112 then transmits this information to the HCU 100 as needed or at all times. In addition, the MID 110 transmits its own operating status, for example the status of the first display 114, to the HCU 100.

Next, we will explain CID 120. CID 120 is a display device located in the center cluster of the instrument panel inside the vehicle. CID 120 displays a second vehicle image to the occupants in color or monochrome, which shows information related to vehicle operation and interior comfort. The second vehicle image is, for example, a navigation guidance screen, an air conditioning equipment operation screen, or an audio equipment operation screen. The second vehicle image is based on an auxiliary image generated by main image generation unit 101 of HCU 100. CID 120 includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 122, a liquid crystal type second display 123, and a second backlight 124.

The CID 120 is connected to the main image generation unit 101 of the HCU 100 via the fourth signal conversion IC 121. The fourth signal conversion IC 121 receives a data signal from the second signal conversion IC 109 of the HCU 100.

The MPU 122 generates a second vehicle image based on image data converted from the received signal by the fourth signal conversion IC 121. The MPU 122 is electrically connected directly or indirectly to the main image generation unit 101 and the sub-image generation unit 112. The MPU 122 functions as a sub-image processing unit that processes images generated by at least one of the main image generation unit 101 and the sub-image generation unit 112 for display. The MPU 122 controls the display of the second vehicle image by the second display 123 and the transmitted illumination of the second display 123 by the second backlight 124.

The second display 123 is a sub-image display unit implemented by a liquid crystal display, and emits display light that displays display information (images). The second display 123 has a second display driver IC 123a. The second display driver IC 123a drives and controls the display to display the second vehicle image provided by the MPU 122.

The second backlight illuminator 124 is positioned on the opposite side of the display surface of the second display 123. The second backlight illuminator 124 emits light toward the second display 123. The light emitted by the second backlight illuminator 124 partially passes through the second display 123, causing the second display 123 to display an image. The second backlight illuminator 124 has a second backlight illuminator driver IC 124a. The second backlight illuminator driver IC 124a controls lighting based on the second vehicle image provided by the MPU 122.

Next, we will explain the configuration for detecting abnormalities in the vehicle display device 200, and the fail-safe control that is performed when an abnormality is detected. When an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101, an image that differs from the normal image display is displayed. When an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101, for example, the image displayed by the main image 10 may become a single color, such as a black screen. When such an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101, it is necessary to display the image without using the main image generation unit 101 as a fail-safe control.

First, we will explain abnormality detection. The main data processing unit 102 and the sub-image generation unit 112 also function as an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities in the main image generation unit 101. The main data processing unit 102 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the main image generation unit 101 when the main image generation unit 101 is no longer able to generate the main image 10. As an example of determining the status of the main image generation unit 101, the main data processing unit 102 periodically exchanges messages with the main image generation unit 101, and determines that an abnormality has occurred in the main image generation unit 101 when there is no response message or when an error response is returned. When the main data processing unit 102 determines that an abnormality has occurred, it outputs a signal to the sub-image generation unit 112 indicating that an abnormality has occurred.

Similarly, the sub-image generation unit 112 periodically exchanges messages with the main image generation unit 101, and if there is no response message or if an error response is returned, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the main image generation unit 101. The sub-image generation unit 112 also determines whether or not a main image 10 is being input from the main image generation unit 101, and determines that an abnormality has occurred when the main image 10 is no longer being input.

The main image generation unit 101 also detects abnormalities within itself by checking its internal circuitry. Therefore, the main image generation unit 101 has an internal circuit that is an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities within itself. When the main image generation unit 101 detects an abnormality within itself, it transmits the abnormality detection result to the main data processing unit 102 and the sub-image generation unit 112.

Next, we will explain abnormality detection for the first display 114 and the first display driver IC 114a. The first display driver IC 114a of the MID 110 also functions as an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities in the first display 114. The abnormality is an abnormality that prevents image display. The first display driver IC 114a has a monitoring circuit that monitors its own drive status, and the monitoring circuit feeds back the drive status to the sub-image generator 112. Therefore, if there is some kind of malfunction in the first display 114 and it is unable to display an image, the first display driver IC 114a feeds back to the sub-image generator 112 that an abnormal state is present.

Similarly, the first backlight illumination driver IC 115a of the MID 110 also functions as an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities in the first backlight. The first backlight illumination driver IC 115a has a monitoring circuit that monitors its own driving status, and the monitoring circuit feeds back the driving status to the sub-image generation unit 112. Therefore, if there is some kind of malfunction in the first backlight illumination 115 and an image cannot be displayed, the first backlight illumination driver IC 115a feeds back to the sub-image generation unit 112 that an abnormal state is present.

Next, we will explain the fail-safe control. A fail-safe image is stored in advance in the non-volatile memory 116 of the MID 110 to indicate the occurrence of an abnormality. The fail-safe image is an image that indicates to the driver that an abnormality has occurred when an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101. The fail-safe image displays text such as "An abnormality has occurred in part of the display."

Next, the display control of MID 110 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 5. MID 110 periodically executes the process shown in Figure 5.

In step S11, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in the main image generation unit 101. If there is an abnormality, the process proceeds to step S13; if there is no abnormality, the process proceeds to step S12. The presence or absence of an abnormality is determined by the determination processes of the main data processing unit 102 and the sub-image generation unit 112, as described above.

In step S13, since an abnormality has occurred in the main image generation unit 101, fail-safe control is implemented and the process proceeds to step S14. Details of fail-safe control will be described later.

In step S14, it is determined whether the abnormality in the main image generation unit 101 continues, and if the abnormality continues, the process returns to step S13 and continues fail-safe control. If the abnormality does not continue, the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, since there is no abnormality in the main image generation unit 101, normal display control is implemented and this flow ends. In this way, if there is an abnormality in the main image generation unit 101, fail-safe control is implemented. Also, if there is no abnormality in the main image generation unit 101, a normal image is displayed.

Next, the fail-safe control in Figure 5 will be described. In step S13 shown in Figure 5, an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101, so the main image generation unit 101 is unable to generate the main image 10. In this case, the sub-image generation unit 112 reads a fail-safe image from the non-volatile memory 116 and controls the GDC 111 to display it together with important information.

Because the main image generation unit 101 is malfunctioning, the GDC 111 generates the first vehicle image 12 using only the image provided by the sub-image generation unit 112, without using the main image 10. Therefore, the main image 10 shown in Figure 4 is not used for synthesis. Therefore, the first display 114 displays the sub-image 11 shown in Figure 4. As mentioned above, the sub-image 11 is an image that contains important information, including vehicle speed. Therefore, there is no problem with continuing driving.

In this way, when an abnormality is detected in the video signal from the main image generation unit 101 of the HCU 100, the GDC 111 of the MID 110 displays the sub-image 11 of the sub-image generation unit 112 through the display, and displays only the image of the important information on the first display 114. Therefore, the information layout, color, and size of the important information remain unchanged. The sub-image generation unit 112 also continues to control the sound associated with the indicator, such as warning sounds and turn sounds.

Next, another display control by MID 110 will be described using the flowchart in Figure 6. MID 110 periodically executes the process shown in Figure 6.

In step S21, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in the first display 114. If there is an abnormality, the process proceeds to step S23; if there is no abnormality, the process proceeds to step S22. The presence or absence of an abnormality is determined from feedback from the first display 114 and the first backlight illumination 115.

In step S23, since an abnormality has occurred that prevents the first display device 114 from displaying an image, fail-safe control is implemented and the process proceeds to step S24. Details of fail-safe control will be described later.

In step S24, it is determined whether the abnormality in the first display 114 continues. If the abnormality continues, the process returns to step S23 and continues fail-safe control. If the abnormality does not continue, the process proceeds to step S22.

In step S22, since there is no abnormality in the first display 114, normal display control is performed and this flow ends. In this way, if there is an abnormality in the first display 114, fail-safe control is performed. Also, if there is no abnormality in the first display 114, a normal image is displayed.

Next, the fail-safe control in Figure 6 will be described. In step S23 shown in Figure 6, an abnormality occurs in the first display 114, so the first vehicle image 12 cannot be displayed on the first display 114. In this case, the sub-image generation unit 112 reads the fail-safe image from the non-volatile memory 116 and controls the main image generation unit 101 to display it together with important information.

Although there is an abnormality in the first display 114, there is no abnormality in other devices such as the sub-image generation unit 112 and main image generation unit 101, so control is performed to switch the output destination of the first vehicle image 12 to CID 120. At this time, the sub-image generation unit 112 generates image information that will be the basis for the sub-image 11 to be displayed on the first display 114.

The sub-image generation unit 112 generates image information for generating a sub-image 11 that includes important information. The sub-image generation unit 112 provides the generated image information to the main image generation unit 101. The generated image information may include image information for displaying a fail-safe image. It is preferable that the image information has a smaller amount of data than the sub-image 11 that the MID 110 normally displays.

The main image generation unit 101 generates a fail-safe image based on image information from the sub-image generation unit 112 and image information for generating the main image 10 and auxiliary image. The fail-safe image is, for example, an image that displays the first vehicle image 12 in part of the auxiliary image.

In this way, when the HCU 100 detects an abnormality in the first display 114 of the MID 110, it controls the second display 123 of the CID 120 to display important information. At this time, it is preferable that only important information is displayed, and that the display area is only a portion of the CID 120. The same display area also displays that the MID 110 is malfunctioning. Furthermore, the MID 110 controls the sub-image generation unit 112 to continuously sound the buzzer 118 in accordance with the vehicle status, such as a turning sound and a warning sound according to the vehicle speed.

Next, the startup process of the vehicle display device 200 will be described. It is preferable that the time required to display important information such as vehicle speed after the ignition is turned on be short, preferably within one second, for example. At startup, the startup process in the HCU 100 is performed by the main image generation unit 101, and the startup process in the MID 110 is performed by the sub-image generation unit 112.

When the HCU 100 is started, the main image generation unit 101 loads a program from the large-capacity ROM 107. The main image generation unit 101 then deploys the loaded program in the large-capacity RAM 108. The main image generation unit 101 then performs fault diagnosis on each component.

When the MID 110 is started, the sub-image generation unit 112 loads a program from the non-volatile memory 116. The sub-image generation unit 112 then expands the loaded program into the internal RAM 112a and controls it to display the sub-image 11.

Therefore, when the vehicle display device 200 is started up, the main image generation unit 101 performs a fault diagnosis process to diagnose whether or not there is a fault in the vehicle display device 200, and the sub-image generation unit 112 generates a sub-image 11 that includes vehicle speed information. By processing the fault diagnosis process and the vehicle speed display process in parallel in this way, the time from turning on the ignition to displaying the vehicle speed can be shortened, for example to less than one second.

The main image generation unit 101 also performs fault diagnosis processing periodically, not only at startup but also while the power is on. By performing dynamic fault diagnosis, it is possible to convey information necessary for driving to the driver even if an abnormality occurs in any part while the vehicle is being driven.

As described above, in the vehicle display device 200 of this embodiment, the main image generation unit 101 generates the main image 10 including information excluding vehicle speed, and the sub-image generation unit 112 generates the sub-image 11 including information regarding vehicle speed. Therefore, by generating two images, the processing load for image generation is distributed. Furthermore, when the main image generation unit 101 is malfunctioning, the main image 10 cannot be generated, but the sub-image 11 can be displayed. Therefore, even when the main image generation unit 101 is malfunctioning, the sub-image 11 continues to be displayed, so the display position of the vehicle speed is the same under normal and abnormal conditions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the driver from being surprised by the screen display during abnormal conditions.

In addition, in this embodiment, the sub-image generation unit 112 generates a sub-image 11 that includes important information regarding vehicle speed, remaining driving distance, mileage, warning lights, and shift position. The main image generation unit 101 generates a main image 10 that includes information other than the important information. As a result, the sub-image 11 continues to be displayed even when an abnormality occurs in the main image generation unit 101, so the important information can continue to be displayed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, if an abnormality occurs in the first display 114, the sub-image generation unit 112 generates image information for generating an image including information related to vehicle speed. This makes it possible to display important information including vehicle speed on the second display 123 instead of the first display 114. Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in the first display 114, important information can continue to be displayed using the second display 123.

In addition, in this embodiment, the main image generation unit 101 performs a fault diagnosis process at startup to diagnose whether or not there is a fault in the vehicle display device 200. The sub-image generation unit 112 generates a sub-image 11 that includes information about vehicle speed at startup. By sharing the processing at startup, the display of vehicle speed can be speeded up.

In this way, in this embodiment, even if an abnormality occurs in the image processing in the HCU 100, the full graphic meter system can continue to display important information to the driver, such as legal information such as vehicle speed, telltales, shift position, etc.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The vehicle display device 200 of this embodiment is characterized in that the HCU 100 and the MID 110 are integrated into one unit. As shown in Fig. 7, a data processing unit 102A controls the main data processing unit 102 and the sub-image generating unit 112 of the first embodiment.

The data processing unit 102A acquires sensing data. The data processing unit 102A provides the generated sensing data to the image generation unit 101A. The data processing unit 102A also generates a sub-image 11 based on the sensing data. The sub-image 11 includes information other than vehicle speed.

The image generation unit 101A has the functions of the main image generation unit 101 in the first embodiment. Specifically, the image generation unit 101A acquires sensing data from the data processing unit 102A and generates the main image 10 and auxiliary images based on the sensing data. The main image 10 contains important information and is an image for the MID 110.

The GDC 111A functions as an image processing unit that processes the main image 10 generated by the image generation unit 101A and the sub-image 11 generated by the data processing unit 102A for display. The GDC 111A generates the first vehicle image 12 by, for example, combining the main image 10 and the sub-image 11.

Next, we will explain fail-safe control. If an abnormality occurs in the image generation unit 101A, the image generation unit 101A will be unable to generate the main image 10. In this case, the data processing unit 102A reads a fail-safe image from the non-volatile memory 116 and controls the GDC 111A to display a sub-image 11 containing important information.

Because the image generation unit 101A is abnormal, the GDC 111A generates the first vehicle image 12 using only the image provided by the data processing unit 102A, without using the main image 10. Therefore, the first display 114 displays the sub-image 11 shown in FIG. 4, as in the first embodiment described above. As described above, the sub-image 11 is an image that contains important information, including vehicle speed. Therefore, there is no problem in continuing driving.

In this way, in this embodiment, under normal circumstances, the image generation unit 101A generates an image that displays important information, including vehicle speed. The image generation unit 101A has higher processing power than the data processing unit 102A, so it can generate rich images. However, if an abnormality occurs in the image generation unit 101A, the data processing unit 102A generates a sub-image 11 that includes important information. The data processing unit 102A cannot form rich images, but can generate images that display vehicle speed in text, for example. This allows a rich image to be displayed under normal circumstances, and vehicle speed to continue to be displayed in a simple image when an abnormality occurs.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The vehicle display device 300 of this embodiment is characterized in that the main image generation unit 101 and the sub-image generation unit 112 are integrated into an image generation unit 101B. As shown in FIG. 8, the data processing unit 102B performs control in the main data processing unit 102 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the sub-control unit 130 performs other processes of the sub-image generation unit 112, excluding processes related to the sub-image.

The data processing unit 102B acquires sensing data. The data processing unit 102B provides the generated sensing data to the image generation unit 101B. The image generation unit 101B has the functions of the main image generation unit 101 and sub-image generation unit 112 in the first embodiment.

Image generation unit 101B is equipped with multiple operating systems (OS), two in this embodiment. Operation system 101C, which executes the processing of main image generation unit 101 in the first embodiment, and operation system 111C, which executes the processing of sub-image generation unit 112 in the first embodiment, are different operation systems. Hereinafter, the operation system which executes the processing of main image generation unit 101 in the first embodiment will be referred to as main image OS 101C. The operation system which executes the processing of sub-image generation unit 112 in the first embodiment will be referred to as sub-image OS 111C.

The main image OS 101C has more functionality than the sub-image OS 111C. By "more functionality," we mean that it has a faster processing speed and can execute more processes simultaneously. Therefore, the main image OS 101C is suitable for image processing of richer images. The sub-image OS 111C is also more robust than the main image OS 101C. "Sturdy" means that abnormalities are less likely to occur and operation is more stable. Therefore, the sub-image OS 111C is suitable for processes that require more stable operation, such as displaying vehicle speed. The main image OS 101C is realized, for example, by LINUX (registered trademark) and Android (registered trademark). The sub-image OS 111C is realized, for example, by QNX (registered trademark).

This allows the image generation unit 101B to be equipped with a high-performance operating system 101C and a reliable operating system 111C, with important displays such as vehicle speed being generated by the reliable OS 111C and images that decorate the overall display being generated by the high-performance OS 101C.

Furthermore, when a single storage medium such as large-capacity ROM 107 is used for the data used by each OS, the large-capacity ROM 107 is divided into partitions. For example, data used by one OS is stored in a first area of the large-capacity ROM 107, and data used by the other OS is stored in a second area separated from the first area by a partition. Furthermore, the large-capacity RAM 108 used by each OS is also divided into separate areas for each OS. By separating the storage areas used by the main image OS 101C and the sub-image OS 111C in this way, it is possible to prevent each OS's processing and abnormalities from affecting the other's.

The image generation unit 101B generates a sub-image 11 using the sub-image OS 111C based on the sensing data. The image generation unit 101B also generates a main image 10 and auxiliary images using the main image OS 101C.

The image generation unit 101B also functions as an image processing unit that processes the images so that the generated main image 10 and sub-image 11 are displayed simultaneously. The image generation unit 101B generates the first vehicle image 12 by, for example, combining the main image 10 and sub-image 11.

Next, we will explain fail-safe control. If an abnormality occurs in the main image OS 101C of the image generation unit 101B, the main image 10 cannot be generated. In this case, the sub-image OS 111C reads a fail-safe image from the non-volatile memory 116 and controls the display of a sub-image 11 containing important information.

Because the main image OS 101C is abnormal, the image generation unit 101B does not use the main image 10, but generates the first vehicle image 12 using only the image generated by the sub-image OS 111C. Therefore, the first display 114 displays the sub-image 11 shown in FIG. 4, as in the first embodiment described above. As described above, the sub-image 11 is an image that contains important information, including vehicle speed. Therefore, there is no problem with continuing driving.

In this embodiment, under normal circumstances, image generation unit 101B uses two operations to generate images that display important information, including vehicle speed. Main image OS 101C has higher processing power than sub-image OS 111C, so it can generate rich images. However, if an abnormality occurs in main image OS 101C, sub-image OS 111C will generate sub-image 11 that includes important information. Sub-image OS 111C cannot generate rich images, but can generate images that display vehicle speed in text, for example. Furthermore, sub-image OS 111C is more reliable, so it is less likely to experience abnormalities than main image OS 101C. This allows rich images to be displayed under normal circumstances, and vehicle speed to continue to be displayed in a simple image when an abnormality occurs.

(Other embodiments)
The above describes preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be implemented in various modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

The structures of the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope of these descriptions. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications that are equivalent in meaning and scope to the claims.

In the first embodiment described above, abnormalities in the main image generation unit 101 are detected by the main data processing unit 102 and the sub-image generation unit 112, but abnormalities may also be detected by other configurations. For example, image data abnormalities may be detected by the first display driver IC 114a, or the first display 114 may be equipped with an optical sensor in its image display unit and detect abnormalities by the optical sensor. Abnormalities in the image display may also be detected by another device that captures images of the first display 114, such as an in-vehicle camera.

In the first embodiment described above, MID 110 and CID 120 were used as display devices, but other display devices may also be used. For example, a HUD (Head-Up Display) or the like may be used as the first display device or the second display device.

In the first embodiment described above, the functions realized by the control units of HCU 100, GDC 111, and CID 120 may be realized by hardware and software different from those described above, or a combination of these. The control units of HCU 100, GDC 111, and CID 120 may, for example, communicate with other control units, and the other control units may perform some or all of the processing. When the control units of HCU 100, GDC 111, and CID 120 are realized by electronic circuits, they may be realized by digital circuits including a large number of logic circuits, or by analog circuits.

In the first embodiment described above, the remaining fuel amount is displayed as important information on the sub-image 11, but this is not limited to the remaining fuel amount. The remaining travel distance of the vehicle may also be displayed as important information. In the case of an electric vehicle, the remaining travel distance is calculated based on the remaining battery amount, and in the case of an engine vehicle, it is calculated based on the remaining fuel amount. Therefore, in the case of an electric vehicle, the remaining travel distance may also be displayed as the remaining battery amount.

In the first embodiment described above, the vehicle display device 200 is used in a vehicle, but this is not limited to a state in which all components are mounted on the vehicle, and at least some components may not be mounted on the vehicle.

In the first embodiment described above, the main image generation unit 101, main data processing unit 102, and GDC 111 are configured as separate CPUs, but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, virtualization technology that creates multiple virtual OSes on a single CPU may be used. Virtualization technology is a technology that runs multiple OSes in parallel on multiple logically realized virtual processors on the same physical processor core. Using such virtualization technology, two virtual OSes may be created, with one OS functioning as an image generation unit that generates the main image and the other OS functioning as an image processing unit that processes images.

10... Main image 11... Sub-image 12... First vehicle image 100... HCU 101... Main image generating unit 101C... Main image OS
102... Main data processing unit (driving information acquisition unit, abnormality detection unit) 107... Large-capacity ROM 108... Large-capacity RAM 110... MID 111... GDC (image processing unit)
111C: Sub-image OS 112: Sub-image generating unit (driving information acquiring unit, abnormality detecting unit) 112a: Built-in RAM 112b: Program ROM 114: First display (image display unit) 116: Non-volatile memory 120: CID
122...MPU (sub-image processing unit) 123...Second display (sub-image display unit)
200: Vehicle display device 202: Sensor group 203: Switch group

Claims (7)

A vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle,
a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to driving of the vehicle;
a main image generating unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information other than vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquiring unit;
a sub-image generating unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information about vehicle speed based on the driving information;
an image processing unit (111) that processes the main image generated by the main image generating unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generating unit for display;
an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit;
an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit,
the sub-image generating unit has a lower processing capability than the main image generating unit,
The image processing unit
performing image processing so that the main image and the sub-image are simultaneously displayed in a normal state in which the abnormality detection unit does not detect an abnormality;
In the event of an abnormality in which the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, the vehicle display device processes the sub-image for display without using the image generated by the main image generation unit. A vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle,
a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to driving of the vehicle;
a main image generating unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information other than vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquiring unit;
a sub-image generating unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information about vehicle speed based on the driving information;
an image processing unit (111) that processes the main image generated by the main image generating unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generating unit for display;
an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit;
an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit,
the main image generating unit and the sub-image generating unit are executed by different operating systems;
The operation system (101C) of the main image generation unit has higher functionality than the operation system (111C) of the sub-image generation unit,
The operation system of the sub-image generating unit is more reliable than the operation system of the main image generating unit;
The image processing unit
performing image processing so that the main image and the sub-image are simultaneously displayed in a normal state in which the abnormality detection unit does not detect an abnormality;
In the event of an abnormality in which the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, the vehicle display device processes the sub-image for display without using the image generated by the main image generation unit. A vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle,
a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to driving of the vehicle;
a main image generating unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information about a vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquiring unit;
a sub-image generating unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information excluding vehicle speed based on the driving information;
an image processing unit (111) that processes the main image generated by the main image generating unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generating unit for display;
an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit;
an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit,
the sub-image generation unit generates the sub-image including information about a vehicle speed in an abnormal state in which the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, and the sub-image has the same display position of the vehicle speed as the main image in a normal state in which the abnormality is not present;
the sub-image generating unit has a lower processing capability than the main image generating unit,
The image processing unit
image processing is performed so that the main image and the sub-image are simultaneously displayed during the normal state;
In the event of the abnormality, the vehicle display device processes the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit for display without using the image generated by the main image generation unit. A vehicle display device (200) mounted on a vehicle,
a driving information acquisition unit (102, 112) that acquires driving information related to driving of the vehicle;
a main image generating unit (101) that generates a main image (10) including information about a vehicle speed based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquiring unit;
a sub-image generating unit (112) that is a control unit for image display and generates a sub-image (11) including information excluding vehicle speed based on the driving information;
an image processing unit (111) that processes the main image generated by the main image generating unit and the sub-image generated by the sub-image generating unit for display;
an image display unit (114) that displays the image processed by the image processing unit;
an abnormality detection unit (102, 112) that detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit,
the sub-image generation unit generates the sub-image including information about a vehicle speed in an abnormal state in which the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the main image generation unit, and the sub-image has the same display position of the vehicle speed as the main image in a normal state in which the abnormality is not occurring,
the main image generating unit and the sub-image generating unit are executed by different operating systems;
The operation system (101C) of the main image generation unit has higher functionality than the operation system (111C) of the sub-image generation unit,
The operation system of the sub-image generating unit is more reliable than the operation system of the main image generating unit;
The image processing unit
image processing is performed so that the main image and the sub-image are simultaneously displayed during the normal state;
In the event of the abnormality, the vehicle display device processes the sub-image generated by the sub-image generation unit for display without using the image generated by the main image generation unit. the sub-image generation unit generates the sub-image including important information on the vehicle speed and at least one of a drivable capacity, a mileage, a warning light, and a shift position based on the driving information;
The vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the main image generating unit generates the main image including information other than the important information based on the driving information. a sub-image processing unit (122) that processes an image generated by at least one of the main image generating unit and the sub-image generating unit for display;
a sub-image display unit (123) that displays the image processed by the sub-image processing unit,
the abnormality detection unit further detects an abnormality in the image display unit,
the sub-image generation unit generates image information for generating an image including information about a vehicle speed when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the image display unit;
The vehicle display device according to claim 1 , 2 or 5 , wherein the sub-image processing unit processes the image information for image display on the sub-image display unit. the main image generating unit performs a fault diagnosis process at startup to diagnose whether or not there is a fault in the vehicle display device;
The vehicle display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the sub-image generating unit generates the sub-image including information relating to vehicle speed at startup.