FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is a vehicle speedometer display to avoid abrupt changes of numbers.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In an existing speedometer, there is a digital display where numbers are replaced one over the other.

[0003] US 3868570 A titled D Electronic digital speedometer^ disclose an electronic digital speedometer having a liquid crystal display for displaying the speed of a motor vehicle. The speedometer is responsive to a plurality of speed pulses generated by a magnetic transducer and a tone wheel located in the transmission. There are, however, difficulties with this kind of display. Whenever there is a speed change, there is an abrupt change in numbers in the display. It is evident that the user sees a sudden transition of speed in the display. This sudden change creates difficulty for the user to understand the transformations between speed, and hence not very friendly and appealing to the user.

[0004] US 4788539 A titled D Digital display deviceW discloses a digital device for a visually displaying the value of a continuously varying function, such as car speed. The device displays sub-ranges of a full scale, putting them individually in a viewing area. The displayed sub-ranges in the viewing area will be replaced as required to permit representation of the input function over the full scale. The device allows selection of a new sub-range with the property that the input function value initially will be at an interior position in the new sub-range, thereby preventing repeated rapid switching between sub-ranges. The sub-range display can be defined using scale markers in just a few fixed locations in the viewing area.

[0005] US 6844811 B2 titled D Speedometer display and method for motor vehiclesW provides an apparatus and method for display of speed that acts as a speedometer for an automobile. The apparatus includes a display coupled to an interior portion of a motor vehicle, which faces a driver. The display is paired with an output for recognizing a velocity rate of the motor vehicle. A first graphical display section of the display for outputting a first current speed indication of the motor vehicle using the first convention is also involved. The first graphical display portion is coupled to the output. A second graphical display portion of the display to output second current speed indication of the motor vehicle using a second convention is also included. The second graphical display portion is coupled to the first display portion such that the first current speed indication in the first convention is aligned to the second current speed indication in the second convention.

[0006] As mentioned in the above patents there are numerous flaws in the conventional digital display. Since the change in speed is rapid, there may be a flickering effect. The flickering can be a distracting visual flashing. For example, five of seven segments are changing in a transition between a D ID and a D 2D digit and several digits may be changing simultaneously. This can be dangerous, as in the case of driving an automobile. To reduce this, a delay can be implemented between the changes in digits, but this may cause difficulty in the accurate display of current values. There is a trade-off between the visual stability of the display and the accuracy.

[0007] A method that avoids the problems of a numeral display is to use digital components to simulate the appearance of an analog meter. For example, a bar display, made with numerous display segments arranged in picket fence fashion that can be activated to produce a bar of varying length, is used in conjunction with a scale. This pseudo-analog display allows rapid viewing, as compared to the digit decoding required in the above numeral display.

[0008] However, there are difficulties with this bar display. Firstly, the bar display must be large enough to show the entire scale, as with the analog meter it simulates. More space is required for the display which will weigh more, and in general, the cost will be higher for the higher quantity of materials in the device. Secondly, the more precision is used to achieve a smooth simulation of an analog display, as with the number of segments in the bar display, the costlier the device will be. Another way to reduce the above problem is to have sets of the bar such as 0-20, 20-40, and so on. The bar indication is changed according to speed. But, the problem with the design is that the change between the bars will be quick, and becomes harder for the user to follow.

[0009] To avoid the above difficulties US Patent 4788539A, introduced a digital device wherein there is only one digital bar with start and end points were varied. For example, if the speed is 25, the start and end point changes to 0 and 35, respectively. If the speed is 45, then the start and end point changes to 35 and 50, and so on. Different indications for the speed like an arrow, bar, etc., can be used.

[00010] The above digital device also has some drawbacks. The change in start and end points in short time intervals may be confusing. Since it is a bar display, the space required to be displayed is large. The values may be incorrect while representing the bar display. The cost of building such a bar display is comparatively higher.

[00011] The objective of this invention is to overcome the problems associated with the above mentioned prior art and provide a digital display that communicates digital information to the user in a clear, precise and comfortable manner. The present invention accomplishes this by showing the existing number display with some animation. The present invention involves the change in number in a smooth manner, where the transition is not abrupt and is evidently seen by the user. Since the number display is used, the space involved is comparatively small, and there is a minimal computation power and memory increase when compared with the existing display.

[00012] These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of detailed embodiments thereof. SUMMARY

[00013] A digital display with a numerical transition in speedometer is disclosed which avoids the abrupt changes of numbers. The digital display includes a set of control points which forms numbers by twisting, winding, moving, and so on, to create digits. The transition of this type provides the user a pleasant display, and a smooth transition between figures is observed. The space of display is also reduced, and the cost of implementing the same is minimal. The presentation of the number transition is further extended to various forms like a thread forming into digits, bursting and converging of digits, dots joining to form digits, smoky digits, and calendar type (flipping) of numbers.

[00014] The speedometer can be used in all systems with digital display units, and all the vehicles using a digital display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00015] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.

[00016] . Figure 1 illustrates number three control points of a Thread type transition.

[00017] Figure 2 illustrates the process and components for the Thread type transition.

[00018] Figure 3 illustrates the flowchart for the Thread type transition from 50 to 69.

[00019] Figure 4 illustrates an example of control points in number three, in a Burst Transition.

[00020] Figure 5 illustrates bursting of numbers.

[00021] Figure 6 illustrates an example of control points in number in a Dots Transition. [00022] Figure 7 illustrates an example of smoky effect in number three in a Smoke away Transition.

[00023] Figure 8 illustrates speed display in a Flipping in Transition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00024] The below description illustrates number transition for displaying the transformation of information such as a vehicle speed. Although the vehicle speed is used in the preferred embodiment, the invention applies to other variables such as engine speed, fuel level, battery state of charge, distance traveled, acceleration, etc.

Thread type transition

[00025] When there is a speed change, a shift in numbers is displayed as a thread forming numbers.

[00026] A speed sensor generates a signal 10 indicative of vehicle speed. The speed sensor output is provided to an instrument cluster. The instrument cluster has a logic block, in which the speed is split into units, tens and hundreds. The previous speed is also stored in the logic block as units, tens and hundred. For example, say the old speed is 50, and current speed is 69. So, the old speed 50 is split into 5 units, 0 tens and no hundreds. The current speed is 69, so 6 units, 9 tens and no hundreds. The units and tens are compared separately, and if they are same, no change is brought. If the units and tens are different then the new units and tens control points 13 are calculated and stored in a database 15. The new number (unit or hundred) starts to take shape, and a delay of X ms is provided for the transformation from one number to another. Let us consider, the only unit as an example, from 5 to 6. The Bezier curve is drawn from the start point of 6 to its first control point 20. Once it is drawn, the first control point becomes the start point, and the next control point becomes the end point 21. This continues until the end point 21 of six are achieved, and hence a smooth transition is witnessed from 5 to 6. The procedure is followed for tens digit and hundreds also, if available.

Briefed Logic

[00027] A set of end points and control points are chosen. The idea is to draw four cubic Bezier curves Al, A2, A3, A4 as shown in Figure 1. A path is created and moved to the first end point. From there, a Bezier curve is drawn to the second end point using the given control points. This end point will be the D firstO end point for the next segment, and so on. The logic would draw the numbers without any animation. To include some animation bits, each transition is defined by X number of frames, called at Y millisecond interval. The first two and last two frames are static as like the number stops for a heartbeat. The in-between n frames map the end points and control points for the segments between the numbers and draws a part of the transition based on the interpolated value. This would change the curves from one to another, with in-between curves looking twisted and turned. Figure 1 displays the control points set for number three.

[00028] Figure 2 explains the flow of thread transition wherein a speed sensor generates a signal 10 indicative of vehicle speed. The speed is always checked with the previous speed 11. If the speed is not the same, the speed sensor output is provided to an instrument cluster. The instrument cluster has a logic block 12, in which the speed is split into units, tens and hundreds. The previous speed is also stored in the logic block as units, tens and hundred. For example, say the old speed is 50, and current speed is 69. So, the old speed 50 is split into 5 units, 0 tens and no hundreds. The current speed is 69, so 6 units, 9 tens and no hundreds. The units and tens are compared separately and if they are same, no change is brought. If the units and tens are different then the new units and tens control points 13 and end points 14 are calculated and stored in a database 15. These calculated control and end points are then stored in a common repository for future use 22. The new number (unit or hundred) starts to take shape which is done using a canvas drawing tool 17, and a delay of X ms is provided by the delay unit 16 for the transformation from one number to another. [00029] Let us consider, the only unit as an example, from 5 to 6. The Bezier curve is drawn from the start point of 6 to its first control point 20. Once it is drawn, the first control point becomes the start point, and the next control point becomes the end point 21. This continues until the end point 21 of six are achieved and hence a smooth transition is witnessed from 5 to 6. Finally, all the points are joined in a seamless manner 18. The procedure is followed for tens digit and hundreds also, if available. If the required transition is achieved the loop comes out of logic block 19, and the speed sensor continues to check for speed change.

[00030] Figure 3 explains the number transition from 50 to 69. A Bezier curve is a parametric curve frequently used in computer graphics and related fields. Generalizations of Bezier curves to higher dimensions are called Bezier surfaces. Bezier curves are used in the time domain, particularly in animation, user interface design, and smoothing cursor trajectory in eye gaze controlled interfaces. For example, a Bezier curve can be used to specify the velocity over time of an object such as an icon moving from A to B, rather than merely moving at a fixed number of pixels per step.[l]

[00031] When animators or interface designers talk about the "physics" or "feel" of an operation, they may be referring to the particular Bezier curve used to control the velocity over time of the move. [1]

[00032] Using the above procedure, the transitions can be done in different forms inside a speedometer as discussed below.

Burst Transition

[00033] During a change in speed, the number is hidden for a few seconds, burst the particles at that interval and then display the next speed after the explosion. This gives a feeling of bursting the numbers while there is a change in speed.

[00034] The Concept of an explosion: An explosion is nothing more than a bunch of particles (be them pixels, small shapes or images) scattered across the screen, originating from a single point. Assuming, that all particles originate from a single point, for simplification, will create a few particles and place them in one place (the origin), and give them random forces. A force is a vector quantity which means that contains magnitude and direction. The magnitude will determine the speed, and the direction will direct the particle to select a path.

[00035] Figure 4 explains the control points set for number three. Figure 5 explains how the burst of numbers is shown.

Dots Transition

[00036] During a change in speed, the number transition is represented as dots forming numbers.

[00037] Figure 6 explains the display of numbers in dots transition. The logic is similar to alphanumeric display. The dots are placed as in alphanumeric display and are hidden, and made visible according to the change in number. The animation is very smooth between the speed changes.

Smoke away Transition

[00038] During a change in speed, the number transition is represented as smoke forming numbers.

[00039] Figure 7 shows the display of numbers in smoke transition. The numbers are broken down into particles and using the particle system, the smoke effect is rendered. Each particle is presented as an alpha masked image. Hence, the user gets a smoky feeling of number transition.

Flipping in Transition

[00040] Figure 8 shows the flipping of numbers. The flipping transition of numbers during speed change is obtained by animating a spinner with a set of predetermined values. The spinner is rotated according to the change in speed.

[00041] An information display system such as a vehicle speedometer could also have a combination of the above-mentioned number transition methods. For example, vehicle speed could change using thread-type transition, engine speed could change using burst transition, distance traveled could change using dots transition, etc.

[00042] These and other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

REFERENCES

[00043] D Bezier curveD ,Wikipedia,https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/B%E9zier_curve.