MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A DISPLAY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

In a method for adjusting a display device and a motor vehicle having such a display device, the display device is arranged on a dashboard of the motor vehicle. The display device has at least two rimless screens. Each of the screens is connected to the dashboard by an adjustment element. The respective adjustment element can move the respective screens into a plurality of adjustment positions in all spatial directions. In a combined adjustment position, the screens are arranged as a combined display surface, and the screens are designed to display a uniform display image on the combined display surface. In at least one separated adjustment position, a first screen is assigned to a driver's position and a second screen is assigned to a passenger's position.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A motor vehicle comprising: a display device on a dashboard of the motor vehicle, the display device comprising at least two screens, each of the at least two screens being rimless and connected to the dashboard by a respective adjustment element, each respective adjustment element to move a respective screen of the at least two screens into a plurality of adjustment positions and in all spatial directions, wherein, in a combined adjustment position, the at least two screens are arranged as a combined display surface and the at least two screens to display a uniform display image on the combined display surface, and in at least one separated adjustment position, a first screen of the at least two screens is assigned to a driver's position and a second screen of the at least two screens is assigned to a passenger's position.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the respective adjustment element to move the respective screen of the at least two screens electromotively into the respective adjustment positions.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the motor vehicle to determine a seat occupancy of the passenger's position, wherein the display device to move the at least two screens into the combined adjustment position and to the driver's position when the passenger's position is not occupied.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the display device to determine whether the motor vehicle is operated in a manual or an autonomous driving mode and to adjust the at least two screens on the basis of the determined driving mode.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display device to determine whether the motor vehicle is operated in a manual or an autonomous driving mode and to adjust the at least two screens on the basis of the determined driving mode.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display device to block at least the first screen in the separated adjustment position for entertainment displays when the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display device to block at least the first screen in the separated adjustment position for entertainment displays when the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display device, in the separated adjustment position, to position the first screen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the driver's position such that a viewing angle of the second screen from the driver's position is substantially obscured by the first screen when an entertainment display is displayed on the second screen and the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display device, in the separated adjustment position, to position the first screen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the driver's position such that a viewing angle of the second screen from the driver's position is substantially obscured by the first screen when an entertainment display is displayed on the second screen and the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the display device, in the separated adjustment position, to position the first screen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the driver's position such that a viewing angle of the second screen from the driver's position is substantially obscured by the first screen when an entertainment display is displayed on the second screen and the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode.

21. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the display device, in the separated adjustment position, to position the first screen in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the driver's position such that a viewing angle of the second screen from the driver's position is substantially obscured by the first screen when an entertainment display is displayed on the second screen and the motor vehicle is operated in the manual driving mode.

22. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display device to move the at least two screens into the combined adjustment position when the motor vehicle is operated in the autonomous driving mode.

23. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display device to move the at least two screens into the combined adjustment position when the motor vehicle is operated in the autonomous driving mode.

24. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the display device to move the at least two screens into the combined adjustment position when the motor vehicle is operated in the autonomous driving mode.

25. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the display device to move the at least two screens into the combined adjustment position when the motor vehicle is operated in the autonomous driving mode.

26. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least the second screen has a visual protection function to prevent a display image from being displayed from the direction of the driver's position on the second screen when the second screen is assigned to the passenger's position.

27. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least the second screen has a visual protection function to prevent a display image from being displayed from the direction of the driver's position on the second screen when the second screen is assigned to the passenger's position.

28. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least two screens are micro-LED screens.

29. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least two screens are micro-LED screens.

30. A method for adjusting a display device, with a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, the method comprising: determining a seat occupancy of the passenger's position; determining whether the motor vehicle is operated in a manual or an autonomous driving mode; and moving a respective screen of the at least two screens of the display device electromotively into predefined adjustment positions by a respective adjustment element on the basis of the determined seat occupancy and on the basis of the determined driving mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a motor vehicle having a display device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a display device of the motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a further perspective view of the display device of the motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0032] The exemplary embodiments discussed below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that should be considered independently of one another and also develop the invention in each case independently of one another. The disclosure is therefore also intended to comprise combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those illustrated. Furthermore, the described embodiments may also be supplemented by further features of the invention that have already been described.

[0033] In the figures, identical reference signs each denote elements of identical function.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a motor vehicle 10 having a display device 12 according to an exemplary embodiment. The display device 12 may comprise at least a first screen 14 and a second screen 16. The screens 14, 16 are rimless, for example, such that an entire surface forms a display surface of the screens 14, 16. For this purpose, micro-LED screens can be used, in which lighting for a display comes from the LEDs themselves, and in which no separate lighting control, which is usually located in the edge of the screens, is required. In addition, the two screens 14, 16 may be in the form of touch-sensitive screens which enable control via touch inputs.

[0035] The two screens 14, 16 are connected to a dashboard 20 or an instrument panel of the motor vehicle 10 via a respective adjustment element 18, wherein the respective adjustment element 18 is designed to move the respective screens 14, 16. The screens 14, 16 can thus be moved in all spatial directions within the motor vehicle 10, which means that the screens 14, 16 can each be moved independently of each other in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle 10, in a lateral direction of the motor vehicle 10 and in a height direction of the motor vehicle 10. A rotational movement around these axes can also be performed. The adjustment elements 18 can comprise swivel arms and/or threaded rods, in which case these can be driven electromotively. This means that the adjustment elements 18 can be in the form of robot arms, for example. A movement in the width of the vehicle can be carried out additionally or alternatively by a displacement along the dashboard 20.

[0036] In particular, the adjustment elements 18 can be used to move the screens 14, 16 into predefined adjustment positions which are explained by way of example below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a display device of the motor vehicle 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. In this figure, the screens 14, 16 are arranged in a separated adjustment position. In the separated adjustment position, the first screen 14 may be assigned to a driver's position, which means that the first screen is arranged within the sight and reach of a driver of the motor vehicle 10. The second screen 16 may be assigned to a passenger's position in this adjustment position and may be directly in front of a passenger. The first screen 14 and the second screen 16 can be controlled with different display images and contents, with the result that each vehicle occupant receives their individual display image.

[0038] The motor vehicle 10 may be designed to be operated in a manual and/or autonomous driving mode, wherein the display device 12 can determine which driving mode is carried out. Depending on the determined driving mode, the display device 12 can then make adjustments for the screens 14, 16. For example, the display device 12 may block at least the first screen 14 during the manual driving mode for entertainment displays. Thus, a driver can use the first screen 14 for driving tasks, such as navigation. The second screen 16 may still be enabled for entertainment displays for the passenger.

[0039] To prevent the driver from being distracted by the entertainment display displayed on the second screen 16, provision may be additionally made for a visual protection function to be provided for the second screen 16. The visual protection function can be achieved in particular by a visual protection filter or a shutter film which is glued to the second screen 16. A shutter film prevents light radiation at a predefined angle, wherein this angle may be selected such that a viewing angle of the second screen 16 from the driver's position is prevented when the second screen 16 is in front of the passenger's position. If the second screen 16 is moved closer to the driver's position, the angle can change in such a way that a display image is again visible to the driver.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, the display device 12 can move the first screen 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the driver's position such that a viewing angle of the second screen 16 from the driver's position is substantially obscured by the first screen 14 when the driver is controlling the motor vehicle 10 and the passenger is watching a movie on the second screen, for example.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a further perspective view of the display device 12 of the motor vehicle 10. In this representation, the screens 14, 16 can be moved into a combined adjustment position, whereby a combined display surface with a uniform display image can form on the combined display surface. Since the screens 14, 16 are rimless, a barely perceptible transition between the first screen 14 and the second screen 16 can be achieved.

[0042] This adjustment can be selected, for example, when it is determined that the motor vehicle 10 is in an autonomous driving mode and, for example, a driver and a passenger in the motor vehicle request an entertainment display during the journey. In particular, for this purpose, the combined display of the screens 14, 16 can be moved into a central position between the driver's position and the passenger's position, and increased in the vehicle height direction. This results in a large display surface that can be easily viewed from both positions. Since the screens 14, 16 may be further away from the driver and passenger, provision may be made for an operating element 22 of the display device 12 to be additionally arranged in a center console 24 of the motor vehicle.

[0043] However, the combined adjustment position can also be generated automatically when a driver is sitting alone in the motor vehicle. This can be done by checking a seat occupancy of the passenger's position and, when it is determined that the passenger's position is not occupied, the screens 14, 16 can move into the combined adjustment position and the combined display surface thus created can move in the direction of the driver's position, with the result that the driver has improved access to the screens 14, 16.

[0044] Thus, an aspect of the invention makes it possible for a representation by display surfaces to be optimally matched to a particular case. In particular, the display device can make a respective adjustment which provides optimal operation for a driver and at the same time an optimal display position for the passenger. Furthermore, freedom from visual distraction for the driver during a manual drive can be achieved, an optimal display surface for individually or jointly used display surfaces during an autonomous drive can be achieved, and ergonomic positioning of the displays (screens 14, 16) in different seating positions can be achieved.

[0045] In a further exemplary aspect, provision is made for two displays (first screen 14 and second screen 16) to be mounted on the instrument panel (dashboard 20) of the vehicle 10. Both displays 14, 16 have an electromechanical system which can be provided by the adjustment elements 18. The first display 14 is assigned to the driver. It can be moved forward in the direction of the vehicle (x) and up (z). The second display 16 is more likely to be assigned to the passenger. It can be moved back in the direction of the vehicle (x) and toward the driver's side (y).

[0046] A shutter film can also be applied to the second display 16. This allows the driver to not perceive any visual content on the passenger's display (second display 16) during manual driving. Since the film can be designed for this special angle, in particular can be designed to darken, the second display 16 would still work in all other positions for the driver.

[0047] Overall, the examples show how the invention can provide combined displays via an integrated mechanism, which displays can be converted into a wide variety of positions.

[0048] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase at least one of A, B and C as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).