DISPLAY DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A display device for a motor vehicle includes a first display unit oriented horizontally and presenting first image information toward a second display unit, which is oriented at an acute angle of preferably 45? from the first display unit. The second display unit provides second image information from an interior surface directed toward the first display unit. A combiner including a semi-transparent mirror is disposed on the interior surface of the second display unit for merging the first image information together with the second image information. In this way, the first image information and the second image information can be represented simultaneously, with the second image information represented in a plane closer to the observer than the first image information. The display device therefore displays second image information in the form of a text or image such as a warning, overlying image information such as from a navigation system.

Claims

1. A display device for a motor vehicle comprising: a first display unit for representing first image information; a second display unit oriented at an acute angle relative to the first display unit and defining an interior surface facing the first display unit; and a combiner disposed on the interior surface of the second display unit.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first display unit defines a first surface facing the second display unit and extending to a first corner at a vertex of the acute angle; wherein the interior surface of the second display unit extends to a second corner at the vertex of the acute angle; and wherein the corners are parallel to one another.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first display unit is an LED display, an LCD display or an OLED display.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the second display unit is an LED display, an LCD display, an OLED display, an LED matrix or a segment display.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the acute angle is between 40? to 50?.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the acute angle is 45?.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the combiner is a semi-transparent mirror.

8. The display device according claim 1, wherein the combiner is firmly connected to the second display unit by optical bonding on the interior surface of the second display unit.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first display unit is oriented horizontally.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further details, features and advantages of designs of the invention result from the following description of embodiment examples in reference to the associated drawings.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first design of the display device according to the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an alternative design of the display device according to the invention,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a perspective representation of the display device according to the invention, and

[0030] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary representation in two different planes of information generated by the display device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Recurring features are marked with identical reference numerals in the figures.

[0032] In FIG. 1, a first design of the display device 1 according to the invention is represented. The display device 1 comprises a first display unit 2 which is arranged, for example, oriented horizontally. The display device 1 also has a second display unit 3 which is oriented at an acute angle 5 of 45?, for example, relative to the first display unit 2 and arranged under the first display unit 2. The first display unit 2 represents the first image information on the surface oriented toward the second display unit 3. The second image information of the second display unit 3 is provided on its interior surface directed toward the first display unit 2.

[0033] The first and the second image information generated by the first display unit 2 and the second display unit 3 can contain, for example, sips, numbers, symbols, images or videos.

[0034] A combiner 4 is disposed on the interior surface of the second display unit 3, and oriented toward the first display unit 2. The combiner 4 may be, for example a semi-transparent mirror. For the first image information provided by the first display unit 2, the surface of the combiner 4 is reflecting, so that an observer 6 looking at the display device 1 in a viewing direction 7 perceives the first image information of the first display unit 2 in a virtual plane 8, for example, as a virtual image.

[0035] For the representation of the second image information for the observer 6, the combiner 4 is transparent to the light emitted by the surface of the second display unit 3 or the second image information thereof.

[0036] The first image information generated with the first display unit 2 and the second image information generated with the second display unit 3 can be merged or represented simultaneously. For example, the second image information generated by the second display unit 3 may be represented in a plane closer to the observer 6 than the first image information generated by the first display unit 2.

[0037] In this way it becomes possible to display second image information provided in the form of a text or image by the second display unit 3, for example, a warning, over image information, for example, of a navigation system, which is generated by means of a first display unit 2. The first image information of the navigation system is not changed by the overlaying of the second image information and can be recognized by an observer in a plane below the second image information.

[0038] In FIG. 2, an alternative design of the display device according to the invention for representing multiple image information items is represented. Under the first display unit 2, which is oriented horizontally, for example, the combiner 4 is arranged at an angle of approximately 45?. In contrast to FIG. 1, the second display unit 3 is designed as an LED matrix, for example. The design of the second display unit 3 as a simplified, optionally only single-colored, LED matrix or as a display in the form of one or more segment displays, such as a seven, fourteen or sixteen segment display, leads to a reduction of the costs of the display device 1, since no full-featured display is necessary.

[0039] In general, both for the first display unit 2 and also for the second display unit 3, preferably rectangular or square displays, such as, for example, an LED display, English light-emitting diode abbreviated LED, an LCD display, English liquid crystal display abbreviated LCD, or an organic light emitting diode-using OLED display, English organic light emitting diode abbreviated ? LED, can be used.

[0040] For the second display unit 3, an LED matrix or any segment displays such as, for example, a seven, fourteen, or sixteen segment display, can be used, without any limitation to the shapes of display elements.

[0041] In this design as well, for an observer 6 of the display device 1, the second image information is represented as hovering in another image plane above the first image information.

[0042] The design of the invention in the form such that the first display unit 2 is oriented horizontally is very advantageous but not absolutely required. The first display unit 2 can also be oriented vertically. Here, it is only necessary that the first as well as the second image information are provided rotated by 90?, so that they appear correctly or readably to an observer 6 of the display device 1.

[0043] Such an orientation of the display device 1 can be advantageous, for example, in the case of installation of the display device 1 in an area in the center of a dashboard or in the area of the center console. In this case, the second image information, which may be intended on a priority basis for the vehicle driver as observer 6, is represented in a manner so that it is oriented toward the vehicle driver 6 and is therefore particularly easily recognizable from the position of the vehicle driver 6 in the viewing direction 7.

[0044] In FIG. 3, a perspective representation of the display device 1 according to the invention is shown. The orientation of the display device 1 in FIG. 3 corresponds approximately to the viewing direction 7 of an observer 6 of the display device 1.

[0045] The first display device 2 is oriented horizontally and arranged above the second display unit 3 and the combiner 4. The second display unit 3 and the combiner 4 are connected to one another, for example, by optical bonding, and are arranged rotated around an axis by an angle of approximately 45? relative to the first display unit 2. If an observer 6 is looking into the display device 1, then his/her gaze falls on the reflecting surface of the combiner 4, on which the first image information generated by the first display unit 2 is represented. The observer 6 perceives the first image information as an image which to him/her appears to be represented in a virtual plane 8.

[0046] If, in addition to the representation of the first image information, second image information is provided by means of the second display unit 3, then said second image information appears through the combiner 4 and is perceived by the observer 6. The observer 6 sees the position of the second image information in a plane above the representation of the first image information.

[0047] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the display device 1 is represented only with the components necessary for the explanation of the mode of operation. It is understood that the display device 1 is installed in a correspondingly suitable housing and has, for example, a front plate which forms the front closure of the housing. The description and representation of the actuation electronics necessary for the display units 2, 3 have also been dispensed with.

[0048] In FIG. 4, an exemplary representation of image information generated with the display device 1 according to the invention is shown in two different planes.

[0049] In a first image plane, the representation shows the first image information which, in the example, represents information of a navigation system of a vehicle for route guidance. In a second image plane, image information can be represented, which, in addition to status and/or warning messages, can also consist of conventional representations of combination instruments for displaying the speed, the fuel reservoir level, the number of kilometers, the motor rotation speed, the coolant temperature, the cruising range, the gearbox setting and much more additional information on the vehicle status.

[0050] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims.