Mirror device with display function and method of changing direction of mirror device with display function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017193969-A1
Application number	US-201715462575-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mirror device with a display function includes a room mirror with a display function, a direction detection unit, and a switching unit. The room mirror with a display function includes a display panel that displays an image and a half mirror that is provided on a display surface of the display panel. The direction detection unit detects a direction of the room mirror with a display function. The switching unit performs, according to the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit, switching between a mirror mode operation, in which the display of the image on the display panel is stopped and a mirror surface of the half mirror is used, and a display mode operation in which the image is displayed on the display panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mirror device with a display function, comprising:
a room mirror with a display function including a display panel that displays an image, and a half mirror that is provided on a display surface of the display panel; a direction detection unit configured to detect a direction of the room mirror with a display function; and a switching unit configured to perform, according to the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit, switching between a mirror mode operation, in which the display of the image on the display panel is stopped and a mirror surface of the half mirror is used, and a display mode operation in which the image is displayed on the display panel.

2 . The mirror device with a display function according to claim 1 , wherein the switching unit causes the room mirror with a display function to operate as a mirror mode when the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit is a direction in which a user is capable of seeing a desired direction through the mirror surface, and causes the room mirror with a display function to operate in a display mode when the direction of the room mirror with a display function is a direction in which the display surface faces the user.

3 . The mirror device with a display function according to claim 1 , wherein the switching unit causes the room mirror with a display function to operate as a mirror mode when the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit is a direction in which a driver of a vehicle mounted with the room mirror with a display function is capable of seeing a rear side of the vehicle through the mirror surface, and causes the room mirror with a display function to operate in a display mode when the direction of the room mirror with a display function is a direction in which the display surface faces the driver.

4 . The mirror device with a display function according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a driver configured to change the direction of the room mirror with a display function, wherein the direction detection unit detects a direction change instruction of the room mirror with a display function, and drives the driver based on the detection of the direction change instruction.

5 . The mirror device with a display function according to claim 1 , wherein when a display mode is changed to a mirror mode based on the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit, the switching unit changes the mirror mode to the display mode after a predetermined time passes from the change time.

6 . The mirror device with a display function according to claim 1 , wherein when the direction detection unit detects that the direction of the room mirror with a display function is continuously changed even after the mirror mode is switched to the display mode, the switching unit causes the display panel to display an image in a range corresponding to the direction of the room mirror with a display function detected by the direction detection unit.

7 . A method of changing a function of a mirror device with a display function, comprising:
detecting a direction of a room mirror with a display function including a display panel that displays an image and a half mirror that is provided on a display surface of the display panel; and according to the detected direction of the room mirror with a display function, performing switching between a mirror mode operation, in which the display of the image on display panel is stopped and a mirror surface of the half mirror is used, and a display mode operation in which the image is displayed on the display panel.

Assignees

• Jvc Kenwood Corp

Inventors

• Kimura Tomoko

Classifications

• B60R2001/1215

  with information displays · CPC title

• G09G5/38

  with means for controlling the display position · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G09G2320/08

  Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal · CPC title

• B60R1/04 Primary

  mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title