NL9400821A - System for visualizing system variables in vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for displaying values and/or states of system variables such as oil pressure, cooling fluid (coolant) temperature, tank volume (tank level) etc. in vehicles. A system according to the invention comprises at least one sensor 1 designed for measuring at least one system variable and converting it into an electrical measured signal, a control unit 3 for processing system variables which represent measured signals coming from one or more sensors 1, and indicator means 6a, 6b, 6c for rendering visible (visualizing) the status of system variables. The indicator means 6a, 6b, 6c in this arrangement are driven from the control unit 3, the indicator means also - or only - comprising monitor means 10 which, under the control of one or more system variables, visually reproduce corresponding messages, possibly supported by an auditory attention (alarm) system. <IMAGE>

Description

Short designation: System for visualizing system variables in vehicles.

The present invention relates to a system for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in vehicles according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is known per se that in vehicles the condition of certain quantities such as oil pressure, coolant temperature, tank contents, etc. are measured regularly, or even continuously, during operation by suitable sensors and displayed on the dashboard in a suitable manner. This display can be done analogously, i.e. by means of a pointer instrument, digitally, by means of, for example, one or more 7-segment displays, or, if a certain threshold value of the quantity to be monitored is exceeded or exceeded, by means of light signaling. , possibly in combination with audible warning to attract the driver's attention.

Nowadays, in particular, trucks are increasingly provided with all kinds of mechanical devices, which serve to support the driver and / or possible co-driver (s) in performing certain - for example physically demanding - activities. The functioning of such devices can also be determined on the basis of one or more relevant system variables, which system variables can be made visible on the dashboard in the driver's cabin, for example in one or more of the ways described above. With the advancement of technology, but also with the increasing expansion of vehicles with devices for various applications, the number of system variables to be monitored - and possibly to be displayed - is increasing. If all these system variables were displayed separately on the dashboard in the driver's cabin, the overview for the driver will decrease with an increasing increase. This can delay intervention in the event of malfunctions and the like, which in certain cases can lead to serious accidents and significant damage.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a system for displaying values and / or states of system constraints in vehicles which does not have the aforementioned drawback, and is therefore characterized by the features of the feature of claim 1.

Some preferred embodiments of the system according to the invention are described in the subclaims.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the appended drawing.

Herein shows:

Fig. 1 a system for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in prior art vehicles;

Fig. 2 also a system for displaying values and / or states of system variables in prior art vehicles, in combination with an in-vehicle imaging system;

Fig. 3 schematically shows a refuse collection vehicle provided with an image-forming system according to FIG. 2;

Fig. 4 is a first embodiment of a system for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in vehicles according to the invention;

Fig. 5 schematically shows a control circuit for controlling the monitor of the system according to the invention; and

Fig. 6 a second embodiment of a system for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in vehicles according to the invention.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a system for displaying values and / or states of system variables in vehicles of the prior art. Physical quantities or states, such as, for example, the position of a switch or the like, are measured with the aid of sensors 1. After being digitized or not, these quantities and / or states are supplied via a signal connection lines 2 to a controller 3 for processing and interpretation.

On the basis of the signals received via the signal connection lines 2, the control unit 3 can generate control signals, which are sent via the outgoing signal connection lines 4 to the relevant system components (not shown).

Via the outgoing signal lines 5a, 5b and 5c, the signaling members 6a, 6b and 6c are controlled from the control unit 3. In particular, one or more of the signal lamps 6a will light up when a certain state or combination of states occurs, or when a continuous quantity reaches or falls below a certain threshold value.

If a critical condition occurs, the control unit 3 causes the loudspeaker 5b to generate a warning signal, possibly in combination with the lighting of the relevant signal lamps 5a.

Continuous signals which may or may not be derived from signals measured by one or more sensors 1 can be displayed, for example, by means of pointer instruments 5c, but also after being digitized by numerical displays.

Many variations are possible on the system schematically represented here. For example, certain signals can be supplied directly, i.e. without the intervention of a control unit 3, from a sensor 1 to a suitable signaling element.

In Fig. 2, which shows a signaling system corresponding to the system of Fig. 1, corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numbers. In addition to the aforementioned signaling system, this system also comprises an image-forming system 7 with which, for example, a refuse collection vehicle 8 schematically shown in Fig. 3 can be equipped. This imaging system comprises at least a camera 9 and a monitor 10 which are connected to each other via a signal line 11.

Such an imaging system 7 can serve, for example, when placed at the rear of a truck, to provide its driver with an image of what is behind the truck. This is particularly useful when reversing if a driver has only limited visibility through his mirrors.

In the situation outlined here, the imaging system and the signaling system for the system quantities actually co-exist and separate from one another.

Fig. 4 shows a first embodiment of the system according to the invention. Here, the imaging system 7 is combined with the original signaling system for states and values of system quantities. For this purpose, the monitor 10 is connected to an input 12 via a signal line 13 to an output 14 of the control unit 3. The number of signal lamps is considerably less than in the prior art system shown in Fig. 2 in which as many signaling functions are implemented. Optionally, all signaling lamps in a signaling system according to this principle can be omitted.

The operation of the first embodiment of the visualization system according to the invention largely corresponds to the operation as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In addition to signaling by means of the signaling means 6a, 6b, respectively 6c, or in the extreme case instead of these signaling means, at least part of the signaling of the system variables to be monitored is effected by displaying on the monitor 10 messages corresponding to the status of a system variable.

When signaling via the monitor 10, the control unit 3 generates a signal associated with this signaling and sends it over the signal line 13 to the monitor 10, in particular to a control circuit 15 present in the monitor. The control circuit 15 controls the control of the screen of the monitor 10 on the basis of the signals received via the signal lines 11 and 13.

According to an embodiment of a control circuit 15 of the monitor 10, which is very schematically shown in Fig. 5, it comprises at least one arithmetic and logic unit 16 and a reading memory 17, which is preferably of the so-called EPROM type, i.e. programmable and erasable.

In the read memory 17 the messages associated with the states of one or more system variables are stored in coded form. A specific signal generated by the control unit 3 and associated with a particular state of a system variable is received and processed by the arithmetic and logic unit 16, and it calls up from the read memory 17 a message associated with this signal and subsequently transmits this message displayed on the monitor screen 10.

In particular, the aforementioned messages will be messages that replace the original signal lamps, but the display can also show a telier position - which may or may not change - which, for example, gives an indication of a certain temperature measured in the system. The signal generated by the control unit 3 will then, in addition to information about the specific message to be displayed on the screen, also have to contain information indicative of the counter position to be displayed.

In case the control unit 3 outputs digital signals to the signal line 13 for transmission to the control circuit 15, this can be both bit parallel and serial.

The arithmetic and logic unit 16 can control the screen of the monitor 10 such that a message or counter position to be displayed is superimposed on the image generated by the camera 9. On the other hand, it is also possible that the image generated by camera 9 is suppressed and a message is displayed on the screen with a smooth background. A two or more position switch 18 mounted on the monitor 10 or on the cabin dashboard, which is connected via a signal line 19 to the arithmetic and logic unit 16, allows the driver to display the messages on the monitor Select 10. Incidentally, the processing of the signals from the control unit 3 in the arithmetic and logic unit 16 takes place entirely programmatically.

In addition to the functions of the control circuit 15 described above, it can also be arranged or expanded to record the measured system quantities, or a subset thereof. For this purpose, the control circuit 15 is further provided with a write memory.

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of the system for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in vehicles according to the invention. Here, the control circuit 15 is separated from the monitor 10 as a separate unit, but this makes no difference to the operation of the system. In this figure, reference numeral 20 denotes the schematically separated write memory.

In this exemplary embodiment, the control circuit 15 separated in FIG. 6 is provided with a greater number of signal inputs than in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4. In addition to the input for the signal of the image sensor 9 and for the signal from the control unit 3, measured system variables derived signal, the control circuit 15 is provided with a number of inputs which are directly or indirectly connected to sensors 1 for measuring system variables.

Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, shown in FIG. 6, an input unit 21 is provided for manually supplying information to the system, or for selecting a particular mode of the system. With the input unit 21 it is possible, for example, to enter information at the start of a journey that relates to the driver, possible co-drivers, mileage on departure, etc.

After a ride, the contents of the write memory 20 can be read by means of suitable (not shown) reading equipment for further logistic processing of the information outside the vehicle.

In particular, the write memory 20 may be designed as a removable solid-state memory card, such as the so-called PCMCIA cards. Such cards can be easily removed and inserted into a suitable device for reading their contents. In addition, such cards may have implemented some of the hardware of a control circuit.

Existing systems for displaying values and states of system variables in vehicles, as shown, for example, in Figures 1 and 2, can easily be extended to a visualization system according to the invention. For this purpose, in fact, only one output of the control unit 3 needs to be connected to an input of control circuit 15. The (programmatic) operation of the control circuit 15 must then be adapted to the operation of the control unit 3. The exact operation of a control circuit 15 depends not only on the manufacturer of the control unit 3, but also on the wishes of the user of the system according to the invention. The program with the specific operation can be written to read memory 17 during installation.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the program may also be written in a portion of the removable memory card.

Although the control unit 3 and control circuit 15 are arranged as separate elements in the illustrated embodiments, their functions can also be integrated into one device, which is particularly advantageous when installing a visualization system according to the invention in new vehicles.

In the embodiments of the system according to the invention described above and shown in the figures, there is only one image sensor 9. It goes without saying that the system according to the invention is also applicable if more than one image sensor forms part of the image-forming system, as may be the case, for example, with a refuse collection vehicle of Fig. 3, which is provided with a device for emptying a refuse container into a loading bin of the refuse collection vehicle, as described in applicant's Dutch patent application no. 9301719. Selection of one of the the image recorders present image signals for display on the screen can be effected both programmatically and manually.

Claims (11)

System for displaying values and / or states of system quantities in vehicles, at least comprising. a sensor (1) for measuring at least one system variable and converting it into an electrical measuring signal,. a control unit (3) for processing system quantities representing measuring signals from one or more sensors (1),. indicator means (6a, 6b, 6c) for visualizing the state of system variables, the indicator means (6a, 6b, 6c) being controlled from the control unit (3), characterized in that the indicator means comprise display means (10), for visual displaying messages corresponding to the value or state of one or more system variables under the control of the control unit (3). System according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator means further comprise an arithmetic and logic unit (16) connected to the control unit (3), the arithmetic and logic unit (16) of the control unit (3) of the value and / or state of one or more system variables receives derived signals, and generates messages corresponding to the relevant states on the basis of the received signals. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the arithmetic and logic unit (16) reads the messages corresponding to the value and / or state of one or more system quantities from a memory (17). System according to claim 3, characterized in that the memory (17) comprises a non-volatile reading memory. System according to claim 3 or 4, just the expert, the memory (17) comprising a programmable and erasable read memory. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system further comprises image recording means (9) which convert a visual image into one or more electrical image signals and supply these image signals to the indicator means (10, 16) for display. by the display means (10). System according to claim 6, characterized in that the image displayed on the screen means (10) is superimposed on messages corresponding to the value and / or the state of one or more system quantities. System according to claim, characterized in that the display of messages corresponding to the value and / or status of one or more system quantities on the screen means (10) suppresses the image recorded by the image recording means (9). System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the visually displayed messages comprise an expired counter position. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system further comprises memory means (20) for storing measured and observed values, respectively. states of one or more system variables. System according to any one of claims 3-10, characterized in that the arithmetic and logic unit (16), the memory (17) and the memory means (20) are incorporated in one solid state semiconductor card.