Patent ID: 7561966

Claim:
A vehicle information display system having display means for reflecting an image on a windshield of a vehicle and displaying the image so that an occupant of the vehicle recognizes the image as a virtual image, the system comprising: information collection means for collecting information to be displayed by the display means; circumstance detection means for detecting at least one of a circumstance of the vehicle, a circumstance of surrounding of the vehicle, and a circumstance of the occupant; information classification means for classifying the collected information collected by the information collection means in accordance with a detection result from the circumstance detection means; and display control means for controlling display contents of the display means in accordance with a classification result from the information classification means, wherein the information classification means has first classification means for classifying the collected information into first class information to be immediately recognized by the occupant and second class information other than the first class information; wherein the display control means defines a display area capable of being displayed by the display means as: (i) a center display area enabling the occupant to read information without averting a sight line from a forward driving course while running along a straight course, and (ii) a surrounding display area other than the center display area; wherein the display control means controls display positions of the first class information and the second class information so that the first class information corresponds to the center display area and the second class information corresponds to the surrounding display area; wherein the information classification means has second classification means for classifying the collected information into displayable information to be displayed and undisplayable information to be hidden; wherein the display control means displays only the displayable information; wherein the circumstance detection means detects at least on of a vehicle's right turn operation and a vehicle's left turn operation; wherein, when a right turn is detected by the circumstance detection means, the second classification means classifies, as the undisplayable information, information having a display position specified in a right portion of the surrounding display area adjacent to a right side of the center display area; and wherein, when a left turn is detected by the circumstance detection means, the second classification means classifies, as the undisplayable information, information having a display position specified in a left portion of the surrounding display area adjacent to a left side of the center display area.