An illustrative example embodiment of a display includes a cover, a plurality of display panels that collectively establish a display area, and a polarizer between the display panels and the cover. The polarizer is coextensive with the entire display area.

BACKGROUND

The trend in modern automotive vehicle interiors includes an increasing amount of electronic technology, such as in-vehicle displays, which are useful for showing a driver or passenger a variety of types of information. One issue associated with typical displays is the relatively limited screen space. Instead of presenting visual information regarding multiple systems or features a typical display shows only one type of information at a time. One approach to providing more visual display information includes placing multiple displays within a vehicle but this presents aesthetic challenges. Another possibility includes a single, larger display but increasing the size of a display tends to increase cost, which is undesirable.

SUMMARY

An illustrative example embodiment of a display includes a cover, a plurality of display panels that collectively establish a display area, and a polarizer between the display panels and the cover. The polarizer is coextensive with the entire display area.

In an example embodiment having one or more features of the display of the previous paragraph, the cover is a monolithic single piece that is coextensive with the entire display area and the polarizer is a monolithic single piece.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a prism situated along an interface between a first one of the display panels and a second one of the display panels, the prism having reflective surfaces situated at an oblique angle relative to the display panels.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes at least one controller that controls visual content on the display panels, the at least one controller causing at least some of the visual content near the prism to have at least one of a lower resolution or a lower intensity relative to a resolution or intensity of another portion of the visual content further from the prism.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a single backlight module on a first side of the display panels, the backlight module being configured to provide lighting for the entire display area.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a light blocking member situated along an interface between two of the display panels, the light blocking member preventing light from the backlight module from being visible on a second side of the display panels that is opposite the first side.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a case and wherein the backlight module is situated in the case.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a ¼ wavelength retarder between the polarizer and the display panels.

In an example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs, at least one of the display panels comprises a liquid crystal display panel, the at least one of the display panels includes an active area and an inactive area, the inactive area is closer to an edge of the at least one of the display panels than the active area, the active area includes a plurality of pixels having a first resolution, the inactive area includes a plurality of pixels having second resolution, and the second resolution is lower than the first resolution.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes at least one controller that controls visual content on the display panels, the at least one controller causing a first portion of the visual content with a first resolution to appear on the active area and a second portion of the visual content with a second resolution to appear on the inactive area, and wherein the second resolution is lower than the first resolution.

In an example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs, the display panels comprise frameless transparent panels.

In an example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs, a size of at least one of the display panels is different than a size of another one of the display panels.

Another illustrative example embodiment of a display includes a cover, a plurality of display panels that collectively establish a display area, and a prism situated along an interface between a first one of the display panels and a second one of the display panels. The prism has reflective surfaces situated at an oblique angle relative to the display panels.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes a prism situated along each interface between adjacent ones of the display panels.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes at least one controller that controls visual content on the display panels, the at least one controller causing at least some of the visual content near the prism to have at least one of a lower resolution or a lower intensity relative to a resolution or intensity of another portion of the visual content further from the prism.

Another illustrative example embodiment of a display includes a cover and a plurality of display panels that collectively establish a display area. At least one of the display panels comprises a liquid crystal display panel and includes an active area and an inactive area. The inactive area is closer to an edge of the at least one of the display panels than the active area. The active area includes a plurality of pixels having a first resolution, the inactive area includes a plurality of pixels having second resolution, and the second resolution is lower than the first resolution.

An example embodiment having one or more features of the display of any of the previous paragraphs includes at least one controller that controls visual content on the display panels, the at least one controller causing a first portion of the visual content with a first resolution to appear on the active area and a second portion of the visual content with a second resolution to appear on the inactive area, and wherein the second resolution is lower than the first resolution.

The various features and advantages of at least one disclosed example embodiment will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a display20including a plurality of display panels22,24, and26. The display panels22,24and26collectively establish or define the display area of the display20, which is the area in which visual information may be presented. The display20includes features that provide a visual appearance of a single display panel across the entire display20even though the display20includes multiple display panels22-26.

The display20is situated within an interior28of a vehicle and can be referred to as an in-vehicle display. The display20is useful for providing a variety of types of visual information. For example, part of the display may be used for instrument panel information including representations of a speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge. Other parts or sections of the display may be used to provide other types of information regarding vehicle status, navigation, infotainment, or vehicle system settings.

The shape or configuration of the display20may vary depending on the style of vehicle or the type of information that will be displayed. In the illustrated example, the individual display panels have different sizes or shapes. In particular, the display panel26has larger dimensions than the display panels22and24. A variety of configurations are possible and those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will realize how to arrange multiple display panels to achieve an overall display that meets their particular needs.

FIG. 2schematically illustrates a plurality of features included in an example embodiment of a display20that achieve a visual appearance of the display20consistent with or corresponding to a single display panel even though multiple display panels22,24, and26are included. The example display20includes a cover30that extends over the entire display area collectively established by the display panels22,24, and26. In this example, the cover30is a monolithic, single piece of material that provides a continuous, uninterrupted visual appearance across an exposed surface of the cover30.

In this example, the display panels22,24, and26are frameless panels of glass or a suitable polymer material. The display panels22-26respectively do not include a polarizer on one side of the panels. Typical display panels include two polarizers; one near the backlight side and another on the top or viewable side. The display panels22-26in the disclosed example embodiment include the polarizer near the backlight side but do not include the one near the top or viewable side. Instead, the display20includes a single polarizer32that is coextensive with the entire display area established collectively by the display panels22-26. The individual display panel polarizers near the respective backlight sides will be aligned with the polarizer32, which may be at an angle of approximately 90° from the polarizer32.

In the illustrated example, the polarizer32is coextensive with the cover30. The polarizer32comprises a single, monolithic piece or layer in this example. Including a single cover lens30and a single polarizer32across the entire display area minimizes or eliminates visual discontinuities that otherwise would be apparent when utilizing multiple display panels adjacent each other. Including a single polarizer32over the entire display area and the active and inactive areas of each display panel22-26contributes to or establishes a visual appearance of the display20that is consistent with a single display panel rather than multiple panels even though multiple display panels22-26are included.

One aspect of using a single polarizer32is that the illustrated embodiment does not require paint on the underside of the cover30or on the display panels22-26along regions corresponding to or aligned with the inactive areas of the display panels22-26. The traditional approach of including paint along those areas of a display would interrupt the continuity of a single display effect when multiple display panels are placed adjacent each other. For example, even though black paint is typically used, the appearance of the display panel when it is turned off is not identical to the appearance of the black paint and that would lead to discontinuities in the appearance of the display20under those conditions. Utilizing a single polarizer32without such painted regions avoids that effect and, instead, provides a more uniform, single-display visual effect across the entire display20.

The embodiment ofFIG. 2also includes a prism34having reflective surfaces36at each interface38between adjacent display panels22-26. In this example, the reflective surfaces36comprise a mirror surface. The surfaces36are oriented at an oblique angle relative to the forward or display surface of the display panels22-26. In some embodiments, the surfaces36are situated at an angle that is at least 80° relative to the surface of the corresponding display panel. In some embodiments, having the reflective surfaces36situated at an angle as close as possible to 90° reduces or minimizes distortion of the displayed visible information on the portion of the display panel adjacent the prism34.

Referring toFIG. 3, an example arrangement of display panels22,24, and26and prisms34includes the prisms34covering over or being coextensive with the inactive areas40of each of the display panels22-26. As known, displays such as liquid crystal displays include active areas42and inactive areas40. The prisms34effectively cover the inactive areas40and reflect some of the visual display in a manner that provides an appearance of a visual display over the inactive areas40. Without the prisms34, the inactive areas40may appear as borders or blank regions within a display, which would tend to reveal the presence of multiple display panels instead of appearing as a single or continuous display panel across the entire display20. With the prisms34, on the other hand, some displayed content will appear on the surfaces36and an observer of the display20is less likely to notice that there are multiple display panels within the display20.

In this example, a controller44that controls or drives backlight modules46of the displays22-26controls the content of the displayed images so that the effects of the presence of the prisms34can be minimized. The reflective surfaces36will affect the brightness of the display compared to that which is shown on the active area of the adjacent display panel. There will also be some distortion on the reflective surface36compared to that which appears on the display panel immediately adjacent the prism36. The controller44controls the manner in which information or graphics are displayed on the panels22-26so that at least some of the visual content near the prisms36has at least one of a lower resolution, lower intensity, or lower brightness relative to the resolution, intensity, or brightness of another portion of the visual content that is further from the prisms36. For example, the position of certain visual features that will appear on certain ones of the display panels22-26can be strategically placed relative to the edges of the active areas42to minimize the visual effect of the prisms34. Controlling the displayed information or graphical content in this manner enhances the single-display appearance and avoids a driver or passenger in the vehicle interior28noticing the presence of multiple display panels22-26within the display20.

Another feature ofFIG. 3is that the cover30is curved. Utilizing multiple display panels22-26allows for orienting them relative to each other to generally follow the curvature of the cover30without requiring the panels22-26, themselves, to be curved. Using flat display panels22,24, and26in an arrangement as schematically shown inFIG. 3with a curved cover30provides cost savings compared to using one or more curved display panels when a curved display20is desired.

In the example embodiment ofFIG. 3, the display panels22-26are low temperature polysilicon liquid crystal display panels. They are configured in a chip on board manner, which means that the timing controller (schematically represented by the controller44) is off-glass to reduce the size of the inactive area bordering the edges of the display panels. The timing controller is the integrated circuit that drives the timing of the display panel in order to display an image based upon appropriate data.

The prisms34provide a feature to mask or eliminate the effects of the interfaces38between the display panels22-26and the corresponding inactive areas40.FIG. 4illustrates another feature included in some embodiments that is useful for addressing the issues presented by the gaps or interfaces38between the display panels. This example includes a circular polarizer to reduce air-surface specular Fresnel reflections and color shifts between components when the display20is turned off. In this example, a one-quarter wavelength retarder50is situated adjacent the polarizer32. The polarizer32and the quarter wavelength retarder50can be laminated with the cover30. The display panels22and24include a one-quarter wavelength retarder52. The angular arrangement of the polarizer32and the quarter wavelength retarders50,52are set to provide a desired level of contrast and brightness. Given this description, those skilled in the art will be able to arrange the particular components that are included in an embodiment having the features ofFIG. 4.

The arrangement ofFIG. 4minimizes reflections of surrounding or nearby light passing through the cover30and reflecting back out. As schematically shown at56, stray or ambient light may penetrate through the cover30, but will not reflect out because of the presence of the circular polarizer, which is realized through the combination of a linear polarizer32and the one-quarter wavelength retarder50on the underside of the cover30. The arrangement ofFIG. 4assists in hiding different deflections that would occur from the mirrored reflective surfaces36of the prism34compared to reflections from the display panels.

FIG. 5schematically illustrates a portion of a display panel configuration having another feature for minimizing the appearance of gaps in displayed content on the display20along the edges of the display panels22-26. The active area42includes a plurality of pixels60that are high resolution pixels. The driver circuits62associated with the pixel60are schematically represented inFIG. 5. The inactive area40in this example, which may be along the borders of a display panel, includes low resolution pixels64and associated driver circuitry66. The inactive area40typically has to accommodate the gate drivers, routing and the glass-to-glass bonding features for the display panel so it is not possible to include pixels60in the inactive area40like those that are in the active area42. The example arrangement inFIG. 5includes low resolution pixels64that can be accommodated within the limited space of the inactive area40. Including lower resolution pixels64in the portions where the display panel would otherwise be completely inactive allows for providing some low resolution graphic content along the borders or edges of a display panel22-26. This feature reduces or minimizes any visible gap between adjacent display panels.

Since the low resolution pixels64cannot display graphics or information at the same resolution as the pixels60, the controller44(seeFIG. 2for example) strategically controls the graphical content of the display20so that lower resolution information is located in the areas where the low resolution pixels64are situated. The graphical content of the display20is arranged in a manner that takes advantage of the low resolution pixels64while avoiding a difference in appearance in those areas of the display20because a typical observer will not or is less likely to notice the lower resolution if the graphical content is strategically arranged.

The arrangement inFIG. 5is another feature for minimizing or eliminating the appearance of interruptions within the display20associated with the edges of the display panels22-26and the interfaces between them.

Referring again toFIG. 2, that illustrated example embodiment includes the display panels22,24, and26as separate panels with a single backlight module70instead of having individual backlight modules for each panel. The backlight module70includes light emitting diodes, a light diffuser, and films to achieve a display using techniques and components that are known in the art. Utilizing a single backlight module70for all of the example display panels provides a more consistent image quality and appearance throughout the display20. If different backlight modules were used for each of the panels, there is an increased possibility that slight differences in color or lighting, for example, may appear on different portions of the display20because of the differences in such display panels. Utilizing a single backlight module70allows for having the same type of light emitting diodes, films, and diffuser components so that the same type of lighting and viewing angle exists for all of the display panels22-26. Another aspect of utilizing a single backlight module70is that a single electrical interface and a single driver circuit, which is represented by the controller44, is all that is needed for operating the display20.

Another feature of the example embodiment ofFIG. 2is a single case72that houses the backlight module70and the display panels22-26. The single case72supports edges of the polarizer32and cover30in the illustrated embodiment. Utilizing a single case72may assist in positioning the display panels22-26closer together because there is no need to accommodate individual cases for each of those panels.

With the single backlight module70, it may be possible that light from that module would be visible through the interfaces38between the display panels22-26. The example embodiment includes light blocking elements74that prevent any light emission through those interfaces. While the light blocking elements74are shown distinct from the prisms34, some embodiments include the light blocking features of the light blocking elements74in the prisms34. In other words, in some embodiments the prisms34provide the reflective visual features described above and the light blocking features to prevent any light from passing through the interfaces38between the display panels22-26in a manner that may be visible to an observer of the display20.

Various features for providing a consistent and uniform appearance across a display20that includes a plurality of display panels22-26are shown in the figures and described above. The different features are useful in various combinations. For example, the polarizer features shown inFIG. 4may be used in an embodiment that includes a pixel arrangement like that shown inFIG. 5. Alternatively, an embodiment may not include one or both of those features. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will realize how to combine the disclosed features to achieve a display that meet the needs of their particular situation.