JPH059304B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is particularly applicable to a circuit that can be controlled from a steering wheel of an automobile, and
The present invention relates to a two-way multiple signal transmission device for an automobile that can display the control contents on the steering wheel side.

Conventional configurations and their problems In recent years, automobile electronics have become widespread in the automobile industry, and many systems have been introduced in which microcomputers are used to process each control object.

For the driver to control a distributed system in which such a system has been introduced, there is too little freedom for the driver, and there is a possibility that it could lead to a serious accident in terms of safety. Therefore, there is a need for a device that centralizes the individual control target systems and allows the driver to freely control the individual control target systems in a location that is easy for the driver to operate and with sufficient consideration given to safety. ing. The inside of the steering wheel is attracting attention as a place that is easy to operate and takes safety into account.

Referring to the drawings below, we will explain about the multiplex signal transmission device for automobiles that can control the control target circuit from the conventional steering wheel side.
As an example, control of a radio receiver will be explained. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a conventional automobile multiplex signal transmission device that can control a radio receiver from the steering wheel side. In the figure, 1 is the steering wheel, 2 is the vehicle body, and 3 is the radio receiver power supply. Switch, 4
AM/FM changeover switch, 5 is an auto tuning switch, 6 is each of the above switches 3, 4,
A transmitting circuit multiplexes the signals of 5 and transmits the multiplexed signal to the vehicle body side, 7 a signal line connecting the circuits on the steering wheel side and the vehicle body side, and 8 a receiving circuit that receives and decodes the multiplexed signal from the steering wheel side. circuit, 9 is the decode output of the power switch 3, 10 is the decode output of the AM/FM changeover switch 4, 11 is the auto tuning switch 5
12 is a radio receiver to be controlled. In this system, a steering handle 1 includes switches 3, 4, and 5 for radio control, and a transmission circuit 6 that multiplexes signals from these switches 3, 4, and 5 to generate a multiplexed signal. On the body 2 side, a receiving circuit 8 decodes the multiplexed signal transmitted from the transmitting circuit 6.
and a radio receiver 12.

The operation of the multiplexed signal transmission apparatus for radio control configured as described above will be described below. When the driver wants to listen to music using a radio receiver, when the driver presses the power switch 3 of the radio receiver in the steering wheel 1, the transmitting circuit 6 generates a multiplexed signal according to the signal from the switch 3,
A multiplexed signal is transmitted from the steering wheel 1 side to the vehicle body 2 side through the transmission line 7. The receiving circuit 8 on the vehicle body 2 side decodes the transmitted multiplexed signal, determines which switch is pressed, and activates the decode output corresponding to the switch, that is, the decode output 9 of the power switch 3. The radio receiver 12 to be controlled decodes that the decode output 9 has become active and works to turn on the power of the radio receiver. Similarly,
The same process applies to AM/FM switching and auto-tuning.

However, in the above configuration,
The driver cannot easily check in what mode the controlled circuit is currently operating, or whether it is operating properly even when the operating switch is pressed. Furthermore, when a large number of operation switches are installed in the steering wheel, there are problems in terms of installation space and operability of the operation switches.

Purpose of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a two-way multiplexed signal for automobiles that allows users to check in the steering wheel which mode the controlled circuit is operating in, and to operate a large number of controlled circuits with a small number of operation switches. The purpose is to provide transmission equipment.

Structure of the Invention The bidirectional multiple signal transmission device for automobiles of the present invention includes:
A multilayer liquid crystal display in a steering wheel of an automobile that displays a display according to a decoded signal of a multiplexed signal from the vehicle body side, a plurality of mode changeover switches that change the display pattern of this multilayer liquid crystal display, and the above-mentioned A multiplexed signal obtained by multiplexing the signals from the plurality of transparent electrode switches formed on the multilayer liquid crystal display and the plurality of mode changeover switches is transmitted to the vehicle body side, and the multiplexed signal is multiplexed from the vehicle body side. A bidirectional receiving circuit on the steering wheel side that decodes signals is provided, and a bidirectional receiving circuit on the steering wheel side is provided on the vehicle body side to transmit and receive signals in response to signals from the plurality of transparent electrode switches and the mode changeover switch. A bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side that decodes into a signal, and a control target circuit that outputs the result of operation based on the decoded output of the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side to the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side. With this, it is possible to check in which mode the controlled circuit is currently operating, and whether the operation switch was pressed and the correct operation was performed, all within the same steering wheel as the operation switch. By changing the display pattern of the multilayer liquid crystal display, one transparent electrode switch can operate as if there were many switches.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a bidirectional multiple signal transmission device for an automobile in an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 13 is a steering wheel, 14 is a vehicle body, 15 is a multilayer liquid crystal display that performs display according to a decoded signal of a multiplexed signal from the vehicle body side, and 16 is a multilayer liquid crystal display 15.
A plurality of transparent electrode switch groups formed on the
Reference numeral 17 denotes a plurality of mode changeover switch groups for changing the display pattern of the multilayer liquid crystal display 15, and 18 multiplexes signals from the transparent electrode switch group 16 and mode changeover switch group 17, and transmits the multiplexed signal to the vehicle body side. , and a bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit for decoding multiplexed signals from the vehicle body side; 19 is a signal line connecting the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 18 in the steering wheel 13 and the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body 14 side; 20 is a steering wheel; A bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 21 transmits and receives signals to and from the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 18 in the steering wheel 13 and decodes them into signals according to the signals from the transparent electrode switch group 16 and mode changeover switch group 17 on the steering handle 13 side, and 21 is on both sides of the vehicle body 14. This is a controlled circuit that outputs the result of operation based on the decoded output of the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 20 to the bidirectional receiving circuit 20.

3, 4, and 5 show a case where the multilayer liquid crystal display 15 shown in FIG. 2 is used as a three-layer liquid crystal display in an automobile two-way multiple signal transmission device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A display example is shown. FIG. 3 shows the display pattern of the radio receiver on the first layer of the three-layer liquid crystal display, and shows the display of ten types of controllable functions in two columns and five rows. In Figure 3, 22 is 3
The display pattern of the radio receiver on the first layer of the layer liquid crystal display, 22a is the power switch display section of the radio receiver, 22b is the AM/FM switching display section, 22c
is the SEEK display section, 22d is the volume up display section, 22e
is the volume DOWN display section, 22f is the CH1 reception display section,
22g is CH2 reception display section, 22h is CH3 reception display section, 22i is CH4 reception display section, 22j is CH5
The reception display section 22h is an operation display mark indicating that the power switch of the radio receiver is in the ON state, and similar operation display marks are provided on each of the above-mentioned display sections 22a to 22j.

Figure 4 shows the display patterns for compact discs (CDs) and cassette tape recorders (CSTs) on the second layer of the three-layer liquid crystal display, and displays ten types of controllable functions in two columns and five rows. Fourth
In the figure, 23 is the second layer of the three-layer liquid crystal display.
Display pattern of CD and CST, 23a is CD and
CST power switch display, 23b is CD/CST
Switching display section, 23c is REVIEW display section, 23
d is the volume up display, 23e is the volume down display, 23f is the STOP display, 23g is the PLAY display, 23h is the CUE display, 23i is the PAUSE display, 23j is the REPEAT display, and 23h is the CD/
This is an operation display mark indicating that the power switch of the CST is in the ON state, and similar operation display marks are provided on each of the above-mentioned display sections 23a to 23j.

Figure 5 shows the display pattern of the air conditioner on the third layer of the three-layer liquid crystal display, and shows the display of 10 types of controllable functions in two columns and five rows. In FIG. 5, 24 is the display pattern of the air conditioner on the third layer of the three-layer liquid crystal display, 24a is the air conditioner power switch display section, 24b is the VENT display section, and 24c is the B ₁ -
LEVEL display section, 24d is set temperature up display section, 2
4e is set temperature DOWN display section, 24f is HEAT
Display section, 24g is indoor/outside air switching display section, 24h is
DEF display section, 24i is the air volume up display section, 24j is the air volume DOWN display section, and 24h is the operation display mark that indicates that the air conditioner power switch is on.Similar operation display marks are similar to the above display section. It is provided in each of 24a to 24j.

FIG. 6 shows a group of transparent electrode switches formed on the multilayer liquid crystal display 15 shown in FIG. 2 in a two-way multiplexed signal transmission device for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. It consists of 10 switches. In FIG. 6, 25 is a transparent electrode switch group panel, 25a is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display part 22a, and 25b is a transparent electrode switch group formed on the display part 22b.
25c is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22c,
25d is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22d, 25e is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22e, 25f is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22f, and 25g is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22g. transparent electrode switch formed on 25
h is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22h, 25i is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22i, and 25j is a transparent electrode switch formed on the display section 22j. The electrode switches 25a to 25j are the first layer display sections 22a to 22j of the three-layer liquid crystal display 15.
In addition, the second and third layer display sections 23a to 2
3j and 24a to 24j.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of a steering handle portion of a two-way multiple signal transmission device for an automobile in an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 7, 2
6 is a steering pad provided in the steering wheel, 27 is a multilayer liquid crystal display provided in the steering pad 26, 28 is a transparent electrode switch group panel, and 29 is a mode selector switch group 17 shown in FIG. radio selector switch, 3
0 is a CD/CST changeover switch of the mode changeover switch group 17 shown in FIG. 2, and 31 is an air conditioner changeover switch of the mode changeover switch group 17 shown in FIG.

The operation of the automotive bidirectional multiplex signal transmission apparatus of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. As an example, consider a driver turning on an air conditioner. The driver presses the air conditioner changeover switch 31, which is one of the mode changeover switches in the steering handle 26 shown in FIG. Then, the bidirectional transmitter/receiver circuit 18 in the steering wheel 13 shown in FIG.
The display becomes the air conditioner mode pattern of the multilayer liquid crystal display 27 as shown in FIG.
However, in the display on this multilayer liquid crystal display 27, the air outlet switch is in the DEF state, and the inside/outside air switch is in the inside air state. Indicates that the feature is working.
Next, the driver presses the top of the A/C ON display section 24a of the multilayer liquid crystal display 27 shown in FIG. 7 in order to turn on the power of the air conditioner. As a result, the transparent electrode switch 25a formed on the multilayer liquid crystal display 27 is turned ON, and the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 18 in the steering wheel 13 shown in FIG. A multiplexed signal corresponding to the signal from the mode changeover switch 31 is generated and transmitted to the vehicle body 14 through the transmission line 19 shown in FIG.
It is transmitted to the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 20 on the side. The bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 20 that has received the multiplexed signal outputs a decoded signal corresponding to the pressed switch to the controlled circuit 21 (in this case, it means the air conditioner). The control target circuit (air conditioner) 21 decodes the decoded output, works to turn on the power to the air conditioner, and outputs the result that the power to the air conditioner is turned on to the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 20 on the vehicle body 14 side. . Therefore, this bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 20 decodes the fact that the power of the air conditioner is turned on from the signal from the controlled circuit (the air conditioner), generates a multiplexed signal indicating the power ON signal of the air conditioner, and transmits the signal to the transmission line 19. The signal is transmitted to the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 18 in the steering wheel 13 through the transmitter. The bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit 18 that has received the multiplexed signal decodes the multiplexed signal and displays an indication on the multilayer liquid crystal display 15 that the air conditioner is powered on. In other words, the display pattern of the multilayer liquid crystal display 27 shown in FIG. 7 changes to the display pattern shown in FIG. I can confirm that it has changed.

Next, control of the radio receiver will also be explained. When the mode changeover switch 29 of the radio receiver shown in FIG. 7 is pressed, the display pattern shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the multilayer liquid crystal display 27. This operation is indicated by the three operation indicator marks 22k lighting up, indicating that the function for which these operation indicator marks are lit is working, the power to the radio receiver is on, and the station stored in CH3 is the AM station. It has been received.
If you want to listen to the station stored in CH4, press the transparent electrode switch 25i formed on the CH4 display section 22i to listen to the station stored in CH4.
The operation display mark that is lit on CH4 goes out and
The operation indicator mark lights up. It goes without saying that this operating process is based on the control of the above-mentioned air conditioner device.

Furthermore, the driver can freely control the CD and CST by following the above process. By the way, Figure 4 is the 7th
This is the display pattern displayed on the multilayer liquid crystal display 27 by pressing the CD/CST mode changeover switch 30 shown in the figure, and you can tell by looking at the operation display mark that the cassette is currently operating in the PLAY state. You can check it.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides a multilayer liquid crystal display device that performs display in a steering wheel of an automobile in accordance with a decoded signal of a multiplexed signal from the vehicle body side, and a plurality of mode changeover switches for changing the display pattern; a plurality of transparent electrode switches formed on the multilayer liquid crystal display; and a multiplexed signal obtained by multiplexing signals from the plurality of mode changeover switches. It has a bidirectional transmitting and receiving circuit on the steering wheel side that transmits to the vehicle body side and decodes multiplexed signals from the vehicle body side, and transmits and receives the plurality of signals on the vehicle body side to the bidirectional transmitting and receiving circuit on the steering handle side. a two-way transmitter/receiver circuit on the vehicle body side that decodes signals from the transparent electrode switch and the mode changeover switch into signals according to the signals from the transparent electrode switch and the mode changeover switch;
Since the configuration includes a control target circuit that outputs the result of operation based on the decoded output of the vehicle body side bidirectional transmitter/receiver circuit to the vehicle body side bidirectional transmitter/receiver circuit, it is possible to determine in which mode the control target circuit operates. It is possible to check in the steering wheel whether the operation switch is being pressed or not, and it is also possible to check in the same steering wheel as the operation switch whether the operation switch is being pressed and the correct action has been performed.

Furthermore, by selecting a multi-layered liquid crystal display with a mode changeover switch, the number of operation targets for all control target circuits can be equivalently reduced by changing the liquid crystal display for each control target circuit. In addition, the operating status of the circuit to be controlled can be displayed clearly and easily with text and pictures, and operations can be performed by pressing the displayed text and pictures, using a transparent electrode switch constructed on the multilayer liquid crystal display. The controlled circuit can be caused to perform a predetermined operation. Furthermore, by adding an operation switch to the controlled circuit, the controlled circuit (for example, a radio receiver) can be operated from the passenger seat, and the driver can check what operations have been performed on the multilayer LCD display. be able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional multiplex signal transmission device for an automobile that can operate a circuit to be controlled from the steering wheel side, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a two-way multiplex signal transmission device for an automobile in an embodiment of the present invention. 3, 4, and 5 are pattern diagrams showing display examples when the multilayer liquid crystal display shown in Fig. 2 is used as a three-layer liquid crystal display, and Fig. 6 is a pattern diagram showing a display example when the multilayer liquid crystal display shown in Fig. 2 is used as a three-layer liquid crystal display. FIG. 7 is a pattern diagram showing an example of the arrangement of electrode switches, and FIG. 7 is a front view of a steering handle portion of a two-way multiple signal transmission device for an automobile in an embodiment of the present invention. 13...Steering handle, 14...Vehicle body, 15...Multilayer liquid crystal display, 16...Transparent electrode switch group, 17...Mode switching switch group, 18...Bidirectional transmission/reception circuit on the steering handle side, 20... ... Bidirectional transmitting and receiving circuit on the vehicle body side, 21 ... Control target circuit, 26 ...
Steering pad, 27...Multilayer liquid crystal display,
28...Transparent electrode switch group, 29...Radio mode changeover switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A multilayer liquid crystal display that displays a display according to a decoded signal of a multiplexed signal from the vehicle body, and a plurality of mode changeover switches that change the display pattern of the multilayer liquid crystal display, in the steering wheel of the automobile. A multiplexed signal obtained by multiplexing signals from a plurality of transparent electrode switches formed on the multilayer liquid crystal display and a plurality of mode changeover switches is transmitted to the vehicle body side, and is transmitted from the vehicle body side to the vehicle body side. A bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the steering wheel side is provided to decode the multiplexed signal of the steering wheel, and a bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the steering wheel side is provided on the vehicle body side to transmit and receive signals from the plurality of transparent electrode switches and a mode changeover switch. A bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side that decodes the signal into a signal according to the signal, and a control target circuit that outputs the result of operation based on the decode output of the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side to the bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit on the vehicle body side. A two-way multiple signal transmission device for an automobile, characterized in that it is provided with: