COMPOSITE PANE WITH A DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

A composite pane for a motor vehicle, includes an outer pane and an inner pane, which are joined to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer, and a display device for displaying optical status information with at least one light source, which emits light for generating optical status information, wherein the composite pane is connected to a receiver unit for wirelessly receiving status information of a control system, the light source is provided for reproducing the status information of the control system and is arranged in the composite pane in the intermediate layer between the outer pane and the inner pane.

Claims

1. A composite pane for a motor vehicle, comprising an outer pane and an inner pane, which are joined to one another via a thermoplastic intermediate layer, and a display device for displaying optical status information with at least one light source that emits light for generating optical status information light, wherein the composite pane is configured to connect to a receiver unit for wirelessly receiving status information of a control system, the light source is configured to reproduce status information of the control system and is arranged in the composite pane between the outer pane and the inner pane at least partially in the intermediate layer.

2. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit is connected to a control device for forwarding the status information and the control device is configured to generate a control signal for reproducing the status information.

3. The composite pane according to claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to control the light source and to transmit the control signal to the light source.

4. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged in a recess of the thermoplastic intermediate layer.

5. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the control device is connected to the receiver unit and/or to the light source via a data bus system.

6. The composite pane according to claim 1, which is a motor vehicle windshield.

7. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the light source is at least one light-emitting diode, organic light-emitting diode, and/or an LCD screen.

8. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit is a camera for optically acquiring status information of the control system.

9. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the control system is a traffic light.

10. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit has a wireless interface for transmitting data by means of a light optical signal and/or a radio signal.

11. The composite pane according to claim 1, which is a motor vehicle side window.

12. The composite pane according to claim 1, wherein the display device is arranged in an upper section of the composite pane.

13. A method for acquiring status information of a control system, comprising: (a) acquiring by a receiver unit of a motor vehicle status information of the control system by means of a light optical signal or a radio signal and forwarding, by the receiver unit, the status information to a control device, (b) receiving the status information by a control device of the motor vehicle and sending a control signal for reproducing the status information to a light source, wherein the light source is arranged in a composite pane according to claim 1, and (c) after receiving the status information, requesting by the control device status information from the receiver unit.

14. A method comprising utilizing a composite pane according to claim 1 in a motor vehicle as a windshield or side window.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the control system is that of a traffic light.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the motor vehicle is a passenger car.

Description

[0041] In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference to drawings and exemplified embodiments. The drawings are a schematic representation and not true to scale. The drawings in no way restrict the invention.

[0042] They depict:

[0043] FIG. 1 a representation of a motor vehicle with a composite pane according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 2 a plan view of an embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 3 a plan view of another embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention as a windshield,

[0046] FIG. 4 a plan view of an embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention as a side window,

[0047] FIG. 5 a plan view of another embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention as a side window,

[0048] FIG. 6 a cross-section of an embodiment of the composite pane according to the invention, and

[0049] FIG. 7 a cross-section of another embodiment of the composite pane according to the invention.

[0050] FIG. 1 depicts a motor vehicle 1 that is situated in the region of a traffic light 2 of a control system. The motor vehicle 1 has a composite pane 3 as a windshield and is equipped with a receiver unit for receiving status information of the traffic light 2. The receiver unit is implemented in the motor vehicle as a camera 4 of a driver assistance system integrated in the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the receiver unit can be implemented as a receiver of a radio signal transmitted by the traffic light 2. Such a receiver can be a Wi-Fi (WLAN), Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, compatible, mobile device.

[0051] The driver assistance system can have other components, such as a display device 7 and is provided for communication with other devices of the motor vehicle 1. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 has a plurality of integrated control devices 5 that are networked with each other via a data bus system 6. The data bus system 6 is implemented as a CAN, LIN, or MOST bus system that is suitable for transmitting control signals and status information of a control device 5. In addition, a vehicle diagnostic system can be connected to such a data bus system.

[0052] The motor vehicle 1 also includes a composite pane 3 as a windshield, which has the display device 7 for displaying optical status information to a vehicle driver. The display device 7 includes a plurality of light sources that are implemented as LEDs 8. The LEDs 8 are arranged in the composite pane 3 such that they can be easily detected visually by the vehicle driver's eye.

[0053] When a motor vehicle 1 approaches the traffic light 2 and the traffic light 2 displays a red signal, the motor vehicle 1 stops at a stop line in front of the traffic light 2. The camera 4 of the driver assistance system acquires the status of the traffic light 2, by receiving or recording status information (red), for example, in the form of images of the traffic light. The camera 4 processes the status information (red) and forwards this to the control device 5 via the data bus system 6. The control device 5 receives the status information (red) and processes it by producing a corresponding control signal for displaying the status information (red) and forwarding it to the display device 7 via the data bus system 6. Alternatively, the connection between the display device 7 and the control device 5 can be implemented as a separate line, wherein the separate line is suitable for transmitting the status information (red) without a data bus system 6.

[0054] The display device 7 receives the control signal and displays the status information (red) of the traffic light. For this, the LEDs 8 of the display device 7 emit a corresponding color (red).

[0055] While the motor vehicle 1 is stopped at the traffic light 2, the control device 5 again requests further status information of the traffic light 2. For this, the control device 5 transmits a corresponding request to the camera 4 and then compares the status information (red) with the newly requested status information. If the status information is identical, the control device again repeats its request at short time intervals. When the evaluation of the control device 5 indicates that the status information is not identical, the control device 5 forwards a control signal for displaying the newly requested status information (green) to the display device 7. The display device 7 receives the control signal and displays the status information (green) of the traffic light 2. For this, the LEDs 8 of the display device 7 emit a corresponding color (green). The driver detects the green signal and sets the motor vehicle 1 in motion.

[0056] If the motor vehicle is nearly stopped, the control device 5 compares a current speed of the vehicle 1 with a speed threshold value stored in the vehicle. If the current speed is equal to or less than the speed threshold value, the control device 5 transmits a request to the camera 5. If the motor vehicle is in motion and the current speed of the vehicle 1 is greater than the speed threshold value, no request is transmitted to the camera.

[0057] FIG. 2 depicts a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention 3 as a windshield of a motor vehicle 1 with a display device 7. The display device 7 is arranged in the central, upper section of the composite pane 3. The display device 7 comprises an LCD screen 12, LED 8, and/or OLEDs. Such light sources for presenting the status information of a traffic light 2 can be arranged at any positions in the composite pane 3, and can, for example, be laminated in the interior of the composite pane 3.

[0058] Other components, such as a rain sensor 10, a rearview mirror, or a camera 4 can also be arranged in the central, upper section 11 of the composite pane 3. The display device 7 is connected via an electrical line connection 9 to a control device 5 arranged outside the composite pane 3. Alternatively, the connection to the control device 5 can also be implemented as a wireless connection and the display device 7 can have an independent power supply (battery or photovoltaic module).

[0059] FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of another embodiment of a composite pane 3 according to the invention as a windshield of a motor vehicle 1 with a display device 7. The exemplary embodiment depicted corresponds substantially in structure to the windshield according to the invention of FIG. 2 such that, in the following, only the respective differences will be discussed. The display device 7 is, unlike the windshield in FIG. 2, arranged in a lower section of the windshield. Analogously to FIG. 2, the display device in FIG. 3 has two light sources (8, 12). On the outer, lower edge of the windshield, a first light source is equipped with a plurality of LEDs 8; and in the central, lower section of the windshield, an LCD screen 12 is situated. Both the LCD screen 12 and the LEDs 8 are, in each case, connected via an electrical line connection 9 to a control device 5 arranged outside the composite pane 3.

[0060] FIG. 4 depicts a plan view of an embodiment of a composite pane according to the invention 3 as a side window of a motor vehicle. The composite pane 3 is a front side window of the motor vehicle and has a display device 7 that is implemented as LEDs 8. The LEDs are arranged readily visible for a driver in a lower, outer section of the composite pane 3. An alternative embodiment of the composite pane 3 as a side window is depicted in FIG. 5. Analogously to the side window in FIG. 4, the display device 7 is arranged in the lower, outer section of the composite pane 3; however, the display device in FIG. 5 is implemented as an LCD screen.

[0061] FIG. 6 depicts a cross-section of a composite pane according to the invention 3. The composite pane 3 comprises, for example, an inner pane 14 and an outer pane 15 that are joined to one another via an intermediate layer 16. The inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15 are preferably transparent, in particular for use of the composite pane 3 as a windshield. The outer pane 15 can alternatively even include green tinting. The dimensions of the composite pane 3 are, for example, 1.4 m1.2 m. The inner pane 1 is, for example, intended to face the interior in the installed position. In other words, the interior-side surface of the inner pane 14 is accessible from the interior out, whereas the exterior-side surface of the outer pane 15 points outward. The inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15 are made, for example, of soda lime glass that was produced in a float method. The inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15 can be non-tempered or tempered. The thickness of the inner pane 14 is, for example, 0.7 mm, and the thickness of the outer pane 15 is, for example, 2.1 mm. The intermediate layer 16 is a thermoplastic intermediate layer 16 and is made, for example, of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). It has a thickness of, for example, 0.76 mm.

[0062] Four LEDs 8 are laminated in the intermediate layer 16 between the inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15. Alternatively or additionally, an LCD screen can be arranged between the inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15. An LCD screen thus arranged can rest directly against the inner pane 14 and/or the outer pane 15. At the same time, the composite pane 3 can have a transparent coating that substantially consists of a plurality of functional layers made, for example, of indium tin oxide (ITO). Such coatings are composed of a plurality of layers. A layer stack can have at least one pane, one adhesive layer, one functional layer, one so-called barrier layer, and/or one antireflection layer. A functional layer can consist of at least one electrically conductive oxide (TCO), preferably indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (SnO.sub.2:F), antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO.sub.2:Sb), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al), and/or gallium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Ga).

[0063] FIG. 7 depicts another cross-section of the composite pane 3 according to the invention with the LCD screen 12 as a light source of the display device 7. The LCD screen 12 is embedded between the inner pane 14 and the outer pane 15 in the intermediate layer 16. One surface of the LCD screen 12 rests directly against one surface of the outer pane 15.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0064] 1 motor vehicle [0065] 2 traffic light [0066] 3 composite pane [0067] 4 camera [0068] 5 control device [0069] 6 data bus system [0070] 7 display device [0071] 8 LED [0072] 9 line connection [0073] 10 rain sensor [0074] 11 section of the composite pane [0075] 12 LCD screen [0076] 14 inner pane [0077] 15 outer pane [0078] 16 intermediate layer