RU2178889C1 - Method for displaying information related to readings of pickups and signals of devices of transport vehicles, apparatus for performing the same and process for making indicator of such apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: exploitation of transport vehicles. SUBSTANCE: color is used as parameter for evaluating information received from pickups and devices of transport vehicle. Method comprises steps of smoothly changing color if information changes smoothly at using all colors of spectrum and also purple color. Apparatus for visually displaying information and readings includes several light sources with different spectral characteristics and unit for controlling relation of their visually sensed brightness values. Light sources are in the form of crystals having light emitting p-n junction. Apparatus includes in addition stabilizing unit providing constant total light brightness value of light sources; control units providing possibility for varying laws of change of brightness relation at changing information and readings, for arbitrarily changing color brightness and setting working modes of unit for automatic control of brightness. Process for manufacturing indicators comprises steps of using casting mold as structure member and making its inner surface reflecting; using one mold for making several indicators. Invention allows to reduce time period for attracting attention of drivers to indicators (such time period is necessary for registering in human brain information and readings) up to absolute elimination of such necessity. EFFECT: possibility for making compact and low-cost apparatuses for displaying information and readings. 18 cl, 3 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the field of measuring equipment, and in particular to methods and devices for displaying information about the readings of sensors and other devices, including computing, that are part of the electrical equipment of a vehicle (automobile, water, rail, air, etc.).

 The following method of presenting information about the readings of sensors of a vehicle is known. In the field of view of the person driving the vehicle, a pointer is arranged for displaying said information by means of a scale, digital or arrow indication. On a Zhiguli car, the dashboard displays a speedometer gauge that displays the speed of the car (see V. A. Vershigora et al. Zhiguli Automobiles VAZ-2104, -2105, -2107, Device and Repair, M.: Transport, 1996, p. 170). In the dark, this indicator is illuminated by an electric light source. Wanting to know the speed of the car, the driver switches his attention from the traffic situation and focuses it on the arrow.

 This and similar methods are simple and convenient to use, however, they require the mentioned attention switching.

The instantaneous field of view of a person, within which he can determine the relative position of objects, such as arrows and scales, is small, of the order of 2 ^o . Even less is the field of view, within which the shape of the objects is clearly distinguished. For this reason, the driver practically does not perceive the instrument panel at a time when his attention is focused on the road situation.

 Visual readout, the result of which can be restored in memory after 5 s, takes about 1.5 s. During this time, at a vehicle speed of 110 km / h, the latter travels 45 m. After shifting attention from the instruments to the road situation, the driver will involuntarily scan the field of view, which will take another 1.5 s. Thus, for the total time taken to take the countdown, the car will travel 90 m.

 Obviously, the larger the size of the scale, the more accurate the countdown can be removed on it. Therefore, the scale of the speedometer in size is much larger than the scales of auxiliary indicators (for example, a fuel level indicator).

 A device is known according to the application EP 0379762, where the speedometer includes a set of a limited number of multi-colored indicators mounted on a scale opposite to some divisions. As a result of the operation of such a device, when the speed changes, there is a change from green to red in the light perceived by the said person coming from the speedometer scale. This device is selected as a prototype for the first two objects of the invention. The mentioned indicators successfully complement the speed indicator.

 The disadvantage of the prototype is that the aforementioned person perceives jumps in the change of the mentioned color over time (the human eye distinguishes more than 100 colors and shades. Designer Handbook of Optical-Mechanical Devices, edited by M. Ya. Kruger, L.: Mechanical Engineering, 1968, p. . 211) and in space (the mentioned divisions are at a distance significantly exceeding the linear resolution of the eye). In this regard, at the time of switching the mentioned indicators, the attention of the mentioned person is involuntarily distracted from the traffic situation by the dashboard, which can lead to a traffic accident. This is explained by the nature of the selective attention of a person, activated by any discrete change in the objects of a visually perceived picture of the world.

 As the closest analogue to the third object of the invention, a method of manufacturing pointers is selected in which a crystal with a light emitting pn junction is filled with a compound in a casting form. After that, the said crystal, already in the polymerized compound, is taken out of the mold (see. Collection "Application of Optoelectronic Devices", M.: Radio and Communication, 1981).

 This method has become widespread, for example, in the manufacture of LED indicators. The disadvantage of this method is that the casting with the crystal in some cases must be installed in an additional housing, and this does not allow immediately after the polymerization of the compound to obtain the finished product.

 The objective of the invention is to create a comfortable driving environment and improve road safety.

 The technical result of the invention is to reduce the time required to switch attention to the pointers of devices that display the readings of vehicle sensors, in which the consciousness of the person controlling the said means reflects the values of the said readings (including their values in comparison with each other), up to the complete elimination of the need for the mentioned attention shift. We are talking about reducing the time required to take readings, up to the response time of the primary (according to Pavlov) human signal system. In other words, we are talking about the rapid input of information through the use of genetically incorporated mechanisms for attracting attention, working at the level of peripheral vision. Otherwise, the technical result of the invention is to provide the ability to take samples using peripheral vision without focusing on the corresponding pointer.

 The claimed invention allows to minimize the visual load on the user by reducing the width of the time spectrum of the corresponding visual stimulus, as well as by individually adjusting devices displaying sensor readings.

 They also make it possible to build compact and inexpensive devices for displaying the indicated readings.

 The invention consists in the following.

 A method for visually presenting information from at least one sensor or indicating at least one device, including a computing device, a vehicle in which a pointer displaying said information or said reading is placed in the field of view of the person driving the vehicle, and in accordance with a predetermined functional dependence, the color of said pointer is changed when changing said information or said indication, said color being used as a parameter In order to evaluate said information or the value of said indication, the following distinctive features were introduced: said color change is carried out without visually perceptible surges; the pointer is configured to observe a change in its color through peripheral vision; said color change is carried out, passing from the color of the sea wave to red; with said color change, purple colors are used; change the colors of at least two pointers; provide the ability to compare the colors of the two pointers to evaluate different readings.

 A device for the visual presentation of information from at least one sensor or about the indication of at least one device, including a computing one, a vehicle, containing a pointer located in the field of view of the person driving the vehicle, and including at least two light sources of different colors, as well as a control unit for changing the perceived color of the resulting light from said sources when changing said information or said indication, the following traveling distinctive features: it is equipped with a control body designed to change the relationship between the visually perceived brightness of the mentioned sources when changing the mentioned information or the indicated indication or changing the color of the resulting light corresponding to certain information from the said sensor or a certain value of the indicated indication, and the said block is made with the possibility changes in the ratio of visually perceived brightness of the mentioned sources in accordance with the uniformity established by such a governing body; it includes at least one filter located between the pointer and the person mentioned; an additional control element is introduced into it, designed to arbitrarily change the luminous brightness of the pointer when changing external lighting conditions; it is equipped with a unit for automatically adjusting the light brightness of the pointer when changing external lighting conditions; it is equipped with an additional control element designed to change the operating mode of the unit for automatically adjusting the light brightness of the pointer; said sources are made in the form of crystals with a light emitting pn junction; said crystals are configured to generate radiation in two different spectral ranges, for which two types of crystals are used; said crystals are configured to generate radiation in three different spectral ranges, for which three types of crystals are used; it is equipped with a stabilizing unit designed to ensure the constancy of the luminous brightness of the pointer; the stabilizing unit is configured to limit the total current consumed by the light sources.

 In a method for manufacturing a pointer of a device intended for the color representation of information from at least one sensor or about the indication of at least one device, including a computing one, a vehicle, which means that at least two crystals with light emitting pn are filled with a compound in the form transitions that generate radiation in different spectral ranges, the following distinctive features are introduced: the mentioned form is used as a structural element of the said pointer, when m at least one of its inner surface is performed reflecting light emitted by said crystals with software changes or displaying said information reading said resultant light color when light passes through the crystal from said scattering medium and compound reflection from said inner surface; said form is used as a structural element of at least one more pointer.

 In FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a device in which the invention is implemented.

 In FIG. 2 shows one of the variants of the device circuit, which allows to achieve a color change of the glow of a full-color light-emitting diode without visually perceived jumps in color change.

 In FIG. Figure 3 shows a graph of the operating mode of crystals with light emitting pn junctions, where the dashed line indicates the value of the current passing through the light source with a constant brightness, and the solid line indicates the value of the current passing through the light sources with constant brightness. On the abscissa axis, the vehicle speed is plotted, and on the ordinate axis, the output signal of the amplifier.

Information confirming the possibility of carrying out inventions
A device for visual presentation of information consists of the following elements:
1 - control to change the pattern, in accordance with which there is a change in the color of the indicator window when changing the instantaneous and / or average speed. The same control can set the color of the indicator window, which will correspond to one or another value of the vehicle speed;
2 - an indicator designed to visually present information on average and / or instantaneous speed;
3 - other indicator controls;
4 - filter, providing a quick decrease in the brightness of the indicator window;
5 - a window whose color changes when the instantaneous and / or average speed of movement changes;
6 - window of the photodiode of the automatic brightness control unit of said window;
7 - dispersing compound;
8 - case casting mold;
9 - a crystal with a light emitting pn junction, the working quantum energy of which is equal to hν ₁ ,
where h is the Planck constant; ν ₁ , is the radiation frequency;
10 - the board on which the crystals 9 are located, having different working wavelengths of radiation, that is, a different glow color;
11 - sticky rubber, with which indicator 2 is installed on the dashboard;
12 - control for setting the operating modes of the automatic brightness control unit;
13 - speed sensor;
14 - analog frequency converter in current strength;
15 - analog amplifier;
16 - network adapter;
17 - full color light emitting diode;
18 is a crystal with a light emitting pn junction of a blue color;
19 is a crystal with a light emitting pn junction of a red glow;
20 is a crystal with a light emitting pn junction of a green glow;
i is the output signal of the amplifier — the current passing through crystals 18 or 19;
I _c is the current passing through the crystal 20;
I ₊ is the maximum value of the current passing through the crystal 18;
I _- is the maximum value of the current passing through the crystal 19;
V _max - the maximum allowable value of the vehicle speed;
V _c - vehicle speed value at which the indicator window color is green.

 The implementation of the method of visual presentation of information is illustrated by the operation of the car speedometer.

 On the instrument panel using sticky rubber 11, indicator 2 is installed in the driver’s field of vision. One or two windows 5 are made on indicator 2. Indicator 2 is electrically connected to the vehicle’s battery and speed sensor 13. When indicator 2 is turned on by means of control 3, the color of the left window 5 will characterize the average vehicle speed. The driver will perceive the color of window 5 without focusing on it on purpose. It will be preferable to install indicator 2 directly behind the wheel a little to the right of the driver, since there are limitations in the perception of color of objects by the periphery of a person’s field of view related to the size of the objects.

 The color of the right window 5 (not shown in the drawings), which characterizes the instantaneous speed of movement, is perceived in a similar way. The driver almost instantly also compares the mentioned speeds without switching the visual attention to the indicator 2. Using the control 12, the driver selects the brightness of the windows 5 that is acceptable for him, taking into account the external lighting conditions. If, for example, when entering the tunnel, it is desirable to sharply reduce the brightness of windows 5, then the driver will lower the filter 4 in the direction of arrow A and close both windows 5. The brightness of the glow of windows 5 in accordance with the specified mode can be changed automatically using the automatic brightness adjustment unit, which is connected to the photodiode installed in window 6.

 Crystals 9 that generate radiation in different spectral ranges are located in the medium of the scattering compound 7, which is polymerized in the body of the casting mold 8. The casting mold 8 is a structural element of indicator 2, i.e., it is used as a finished structural element for assembling a speed indicator, which in this case is indicator 2.

 The color change of the window 5, which characterizes the instantaneous speed of the car, occurs due to a change in the ratio of currents passing through the crystals 9. The visually perceptible color of the crystal 9 is formed taking into account the passage of light from the crystal through the medium of the scattering compound 7 and taking into account reflections from the inner surfaces of the casting body forms 8. Crystals 9 are mounted on the board 10.

 For example, at zero instantaneous speed, a crystal with a light emitting pn junction of blue color has maximum brightness. As the speed increases, the green crystal acquires more brightness. When the speed reaches a certain value, for example, 90 km / h, the red crystal has the maximum brightness. In this case, when the brightness of one crystal increases, the brightness of another or other crystals decreases, as a result of which, due to the mixing of light from the crystals, the driver through the window 5 observes the resulting changing color.

 In the described example, at zero speed, window 5 of indicator 2 lights up blue, at a speed of, for example, 30 km / h - the color of the sea wave, at 60 km / h - green, at 70 km / h - yellow, at 80 km / h - orange, at 90 km / h - red, at 110 km / h - saturated pearl color, at 120 km / h - blue with red tint. The transition from one color to another is carried out without visually perceived jumps.

 Similarly, the color of the left window 5 changes, which characterizes the average vehicle speed.

 The principle of operation of one of the variants of the claimed speedometer, in which the color changes analogously, is as follows (Fig. 2).

 The signal from the speed sensor 13 is fed to an analog converter 14. With a linear change in speed, the output signal of the converter is a linearly changing current. The analog amplifier 15 amplifies the power of the signal of the network adapter 16. The network adapter 16 couples the speedometer to the car’s electrical network and provides the offsets necessary to change the polarity of the output signal i of the analog amplifier 15, and also gives a stabilized current signal Ic, which is designed for continuous activation of the crystal 20 With a positive value of the output signal of the analog amplifier 15, crystal 18 is activated, and with a negative value, crystal 19 is activated. All of these crystals are placed in one housing a colorful light emitting diode 17, which is made of a light diffusing compound.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, at speed values less than V _c , crystals 18 and 20 are activated, respectively, of blue and green colors. As the velocity value increases from 0 to V _{c, the} current passing through the crystal 18 changes smoothly. As a result, the luminosity of the crystal 18 gradually decreases and the luminosity of the crystal 20 increases. Thus, the color of the resulting light gradually changes from blue to green.

Similarly, the color of the resulting light will change smoothly from green to red when the speed changes from V _c to V _max .

 The use of light sources with a different color of illumination allows you to get arbitrary overflows of colors, including purple and white colors. In addition to crystals, incandescent lamps with color filters or fluorescent lamps can be used as a light source.

 Practical tests of the device for visual presentation of information confirmed the above technical result.

 Color comparison is a genetically based ultra-fast mechanism for texture selection that does not require the “inclusion” of the second (according to Pavlov) signal system, that is, internal speech fixation of the comparison result. Therefore, changing the color of at least two objects and the ability to compare these colors reduce the time spent on reading the readings of various sensors.

 Smooth color indication does not scatter the driver’s attention and does not irritate his visual analyzer by a discrete change in the optical characteristics of the indicators. To take the count, the driver is not distracted from the traffic situation. He does not need to divert attention to the instrument panel, which contributes to increased traffic safety.

 Changing the color of the indicator without visually perceptible jumps in the color change provides the ability to observe this change through peripheral vision, provides the ability to quickly read readings. Practice shows that with a spasmodic change in color, the driver first pays attention to a change in the brightness of the indicator, then there is an involuntary short-term concentration of the center of visual attention on it, and only then is the perception of the color change. Moreover, the indicated perception of color change occurs only at high levels of brightness of the indicator. At low brightness levels necessary for comfortable reading conditions, all subjects perceived a step-like change in the color of the indicator only as a step-like change in its brightness. At different levels of brightness of the indicator glow in the case of a change in its color without visually perceptible jumps, the subjects perceived precisely the color change, and not the brightness change.

 Using the control 1, you can customize the indicator 2 and provide the specified control color change.

 It should be noted that even without specifically studying the correspondence of color to a certain value of speed, the driver will quickly master this correspondence during the operation of the device. To do this, during the ride, it is necessary to periodically compare the color of the indicator with the readings of a pointer or digital speedometer that is installed on the car. It is important to emphasize here that a color change without visually perceptible jumps can significantly increase the accuracy of taking readings on a color indicator, and therefore it can replace a standard arrow or digital indicator, which can be removed from the field of view after training.

 A device for the visual presentation of information can be used in addition to the speedometer or replace it. You can use the right window 5, which can be called "speedometer with color indication", as a backlight for the scale of the speedometer installed on the car. Or use a speedometer with a color display as a backlight for all devices located on the dashboard.

 The shape, size and location of windows 5 can also be changed. For example, in the center of one window, which reflects the instantaneous speed, place another, reflecting the average speed. The grasping of the first window of the second can be closed or open.

 Inventions regarding the use of crystals with light emitting pn junctions and a method for manufacturing a pointer make it possible to build compact and inexpensive devices for displaying the readings of sensors and other devices of vehicles.

 It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventions disclosed herein can be used on any other type of vehicle, and not just an automobile.

Claims (18)

 1. A method for visually presenting information from at least one sensor or indicating at least one device, including a computing device, a vehicle, wherein a pointer displaying said information or said indication is placed in the field of view of the person driving the vehicle, and in accordance with a predetermined functional dependence, the color of said indicator is changed when said information or said indication changes, said color being used as a parameter ra for the assessment of said information or the value of said indication, characterized in that said color change is carried out without visually perceived jumps in color change.  2. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the pointer is configured to observe a change in its color through peripheral vision.  3. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the said color change is carried out, passing from the color of the sea wave to red.  4. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that with the said color change using purple colors.  5. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that the colors change at least two pointers.  6. The method according to p. 5, characterized in that it provides the ability to compare the colors of the two pointers to evaluate different readings.  7. A device for the visual presentation of information from at least one sensor or about the indication of at least one device, including a computing one, a vehicle, containing a pointer located in the field of view of the person driving the vehicle and including at least two light sources of different colors, and also a control unit for changing the visually perceived color of the resulting light from said sources when changing said information or said indication, characterized in that it is equipped with a control body designed to change the relationship between the visually perceived brightness of the sources mentioned when the mentioned information or the indicated indication changes or the color of the resulting light corresponding to certain information from the said sensor or to a certain indication value of the said device is changed, and the said control unit is made with the ability to change the ratio of visually perceived brightness of the mentioned sources in accordance Corollary with regularity, thus installed control authority.  8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that it includes at least one light filter located between the pointer and said person.  9. The device according to p. 7, characterized in that it introduced an additional control element designed to arbitrarily change the light brightness of the pointer when changing external lighting conditions.  10. The device according to any one of p. 7, characterized in that it is equipped with a unit for automatically adjusting the light brightness of the pointer when changing external lighting conditions.  11. The device according to p. 10, characterized in that it is equipped with an additional control element designed to change the operating mode of the unit for automatically adjusting the light brightness of the pointer.  12. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 7-11, characterized in that the said sources are made in the form of crystals with a light emitting pn junction.  13. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that the said crystals are configured to generate radiation in two different spectral ranges, for which two types of crystals are used.  14. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that the said crystals are arranged to generate radiation in three different spectral ranges, for which three types of crystals are used.  15. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 7-14, characterized in that it is equipped with a stabilizing unit designed to provide constant light brightness of the pointer.  16. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that the stabilizing unit is configured to limit the total current consumed by the light sources.  17. A method of manufacturing a pointer of a device intended for the color representation of information from at least one sensor or about the indication of at least one device, including a computing vehicle, which means that at least two crystals with light-emitting p- are filled with a compound in the form n transitions that generate radiation in two different spectral ranges are poured in the form of a compound, characterized in that the said form is used as a structural element of the said decree at the same time, at least one of its inner surface is provided with light reflecting the radiation emitted by the crystals, providing a change displaying said information or said color indication of the resulting light when light from crystals passes through the diffusing medium of the compound and is reflected from said inner surface.  18. The method according to p. 17, characterized in that the said form is used as a structural element of at least one more pointer.

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