DISPLAYING A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF INFORMATION

Abstract

A display device for displaying a graphical representation of information includes a first interface for receiving the information via a first transmission path and a second interface for receiving the information via a second transmission path. The display device is designed to provide a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation using the information received by the first interface in a first color and to provide a second part of the complete display of the graphical representation using the information received by the second interface in a second color. The graphical representation is displayed in a complete color to a viewer, with the complete color being formed by adding the first and second colors to one another.

Description

The invention relates to a display device for displaying a graphical representation of information.

Display devices for displaying a graphical representation are known generally. Display devices include for example liquid crystal displays (LCD), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), head-up displays (HUD), etc.

WO 2013/045478 A1 describes a locomotive cab having a front view display for displaying information that is relevant to the rail vehicle in the field of view of the train operator, the front pane of the rail vehicle being a projection surface of the front view display. In this case, an imaging unit receives two information items of the same type from different systems. The imaging unit emits optical signals of various colors on the basis of the information from the different systems. An optical module of the front pane display contains two mirror systems which are oriented in such a way that the optical signals associated with the different information items strike the projection surface in the same place.

In this context, the object of the invention is to specify an improved display device for displaying a graphical representation of information, in particular safety-relevant information.

The object is achieved by the display device for displaying the graphical representation of the information. The display device comprises a first interface for receiving the information via a first transmission path and a second interface for receiving the information via a second transmission path. The display device is designed to provide a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by the first interface, and to provide a second part of the complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by the second interface. The display device is further designed to display the graphical representation for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second color together.

The invention is based on the knowledge that it is desirable to have trustworthy and secure displays which also offer a high degree of flexibility. For example, it is desirable to have a secure display which can be included or hidden by the user at any time without safety-related restrictions.

The invention also makes it known that existing secure displays are characterized by elaborate process safeguards. In this case, it is ensured by means of various communication steps with the information source that the information represented by the display system is correct.

The inventive solution eliminates these problems by providing the information in the form of at least two independent parts, each of a respective partial color, wherein only the combined complete display represents the information in the complete color. This complete color is formed by adding the partial colors together. If one of the two parts of the complete display of the graphical representation is not provided or is provided incorrectly, the viewer is able clearly and easily to identify, on the basis of the color of the representation displayed, that the information is erroneously represented and that little trust can be placed in the display.

The inventive solution also allows the display device to be operated at a higher safety level, it being possible to use components of the display device which do not themselves achieve this safety level. This is because the trustworthiness of the display can immediately be determined by the viewer when viewing the display.

The wording “graphical representation of the information” is primarily understood by a person skilled in the art to mean that the information when displayed is represented in a form that is perceptible to a viewer. For example, a number can be graphically represented as information in the form of a seven-segment display. Equally, the term “graphical representation” can also include the display of a signal lamp, in which the information is graphically represented by the display of a color.

The first transmission path and second transmission path can take the form of two independent communication cables or two independent communication telegrams.

The first part and second part provided preferably form two layers of the complete display when they are added together. The layers are preferably layers of processed data, said layers being combined by means of addition in the context of data processing.

The provision of the first part comprises for example writing the first part into a memory. The addition takes place for example by adding the second part to the first part in said memory. Alternatively, the second part is written into a second memory, wherein the addition of the first part and the second part is written into a third memory.

The addition is preferably an addition in the context of data processing, which results in an additive mixing of colors. For example, this is achieved by mixing RGB colors (RGB: red green blue) as processed data, whereby the RGB color values of the first and second part are added together. Other ways of mixing colors likewise fall within the scope of the inventive idea.

By way of example, a possible RGB color mixture is described below for the complete color yellow. The colors are characterized by their RGB parts (r, g, b) in this case. The complete color yellow as a target color can thus be characterized by yellow=(100%, 100%, 0). For example, the first part can be characterized by olive green=(50%, 50%, 0) and the second part correspondingly characterized by olive green=(50%, 50%, 0). The addition of the first part and second part produces the target color yellow. A further example for the colors of the first and second part could be the colors red=(100%, 0, 0) and green=(0, 100%, 0), which produce the color yellow when mixed.

Although two parts, two interfaces, etc. are described here and in the following, the invention of a display device having more than two parts, more than two interfaces, etc. falls within the scope of the inventive idea.

The first color and second color are preferably selected such that they only form the complete color through addition or superimposition when the displays of the first and second part are related. For example, a dynamic display is conceivable in which, when correctly displayed, the complete color is the color yellow=(100%, 100%, 0) in a first time interval and the color cyan=(0, 100%, 100%) in a second time interval. In this case, as described above, the color yellow is composed for example of the color olive green=(50%, 50%, 0) which is provided as a first part and the color olive green which is provided as a second part correspondingly. The color cyan=(0, 100%, 100%) is composed for example of the color teal=(0, 50%, 50%) which is provided as a first part and the color teal=(0, 50%, 50%) which is provided as a second part correspondingly. In other words: in the first time interval, the first part, which has the color olive green, and the second part, which has the color olive green, represent related displays. In the second time interval, the first part, which has the color teal, and the second part, which has the color teal, represent related displays. For example, if the graphical representation is provided in the color olive green=(50%, 50%, 0) by the first part and in the color teal=(0, 50%, 50%) by the second part, these would add to give a complete display in the color (50%, 100%, 50%). As a result of this complete color, the viewer immediately perceives that an erroneous display is present.

The idea that the overflow is ignored when adding color values which would give a result greater than 100% (for example 75%+75% then make 25% instead of 125%) forms part of the inventive idea.

In a preferred embodiment variant of the inventive display device, the complete color is a color which indicates a validity of the information. The first color and second color are both error colors which indicate that the information is erroneous. The intuitive perception of an erroneous display by the viewer is further increased as a result of this embodiment.

A further preferred embodiment variant of the inventive display device is designed to display the graphical representation in the complete color with a background in a background color. The first part has a marking in a first background color in a partial region of the background, and the second part has the marking in a second background color in the same partial region of the background. In this way, the first background color and the second background color when correctly displayed form the background color of the complete display by means of addition. This embodiment variant has the advantage that an erroneous display can be perceived by the viewer with particular ease and intuitively as a result of the marking. When the information is represented correctly, the first background color and the second background color are added together to form the background color of the complete display and the marking is no longer perceptible to the viewer. Therefore the viewer has no reason to assume an erroneous display.

According to a further preferred embodiment variant of the inventive display device, the information is safety-relevant information which relates to the safety of a rail-guided vehicle. This represents a particularly appropriate use case for the inventive display device. In rail-guided vehicles in particular, the correct representation of safety-relevant information is important for the safety of the passengers and the environment of the vehicle.

The person skilled in the art primarily understands the term “safety-relevant” as relevant for the safety of the rail-guided vehicle.

The information is preferably provided from a single secure information source.

The invention further relates to a display system for displaying a graphical representation of information. The display system comprises an information source which provides information, a first transmission path, this being designed to transmit the information to a first interface of a display device, and a second transmission path, this being designed to transmit the information to a second interface of the display device.

The display device is designed to provide a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by the first interface, and to provide a second part of the complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by the second interface. The display device is further designed to display the graphical representation for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second color together.

The invention further relates to a rail-guided vehicle having a display system of the type described above. The rail-guided vehicle is preferably a rail vehicle, in particular a railcar.

The invention further relates to a method for displaying a graphical representation of information, comprising: receiving the information by means of a first interface via a first transmission path, receiving the information by means of a second interface via a second transmission path, providing a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by the first interface, and providing a second part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by the second interface. The graphical representation is displayed for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second color together.

The information is preferably provided by a single information source. The information is moreover preferably sent from the information source via the first transmission path to the first interface and via the second transmission path to the second interface.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of an inventive display system,

FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of an inventive rail-guided vehicle, and

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of an inventive display of a graphical representation.

FIG. 1 shows a display system 1 having a display device 3. The display system 1 comprises an information source 5, which provides information to be represented. The information is transmitted via two independent transmission paths 7 and 9 to respective interfaces 11 and 13 of the display device 3.

The information received by the first interface 11 is processed by means of a first display control unit 15 in such a way that a first part 19 of a complete display 27 of a graphical representation 14 of the information is provided in a first color 17. The information received by the second interface 13 is processed by means of a second display control unit 21 in such a way that a second part 25 of the complete display 27 of the graphical representation of the information is provided in a second color 23. By way of example, the bottom of FIG. 1 shows a plan view (i.e. a view in the viewing direction 29 of a viewer 31) of the first part 19 (bottom center), the second part 25 (bottom left) and the complete display 27 (bottom right).

The first part 19 and second part 25 form the complete display 27 after they are added together. In other words: as a result of mixing the first color 17 and the second color 23, the complete display 27 of the graphical representation 14 displays the information in a complete color 24. The addition is represented schematically in FIG. 1 as a plus sign in the circle. This can be understood as an addition in the context of data processing, and results in colors being mixed additively. For example, this is achieved by mixing RGB colors from an information technology perspective, whereby the RGB color values of the first and second part are added together.

In preparation for the addition, the first part 19 provided can be written into a memory. The second part 25 is added to the first part 19 in this memory and then displayed. Alternatively, the second part 25 is written into a second memory, the addition of the first part 19 and the second part 25 being written into a third memory. The contents of the third memory are displayed as a complete display 27 by means of the display device 3.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of an inventive rail-guided vehicle 33 in which is installed an inventive display device 3 of the type described above. In this case, identical and functionally identical elements are denoted by the same reference characters as in FIG. 1.

The information source 5 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is a central control unit 35, which provides a braked weight percentage as information. The braked weight percentage is an example of information which relates to the safety of the rail-guided vehicle 33. The information is transmitted to the display device 3 via two independent transmission paths 7 and 9, for example two independent communication cables 37 and 39 or two independent communication telegrams. The independent communication telegrams can be transmitted via a vehicle bus.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a display of the display device shown in FIG. 1. Identical or functionally identical elements are denoted by the same reference characters.

In particular, FIG. 3 shows the plan view of the first part 19 (top right), the plan view of the second part 25 (top left), and the plan view of the complete display 27 (bottom center) in a viewing direction 29.

The graphical representation 14 of the information is provided in the first color 17 for the first part 19 and in the second color 23 for the second part 25. These colors 17 and 23 are added together or superimposed to form the complete color 24.

The complete display 27 shows a background of the graphical representation 14 in a background color 110. The background color 110 is produced for the viewer 31 by adding a background color 112 of the first part 19 to a further background color 114 of the second part 25.

At the same time, the first part 19 has a marking 122 in the background color 114 in a star-shaped partial region 118 and the second part 25 has the marking 122 in the background color 112 in the same partial region 118. The background colors 112 and 114 are superimposed (as a result of addition) in the partial region 118 to give the background color 110 of the complete display 27.

This means that the viewer 31 perceives an erroneous display in a particularly simple and intuitive manner as a result of the marking. When the display is represented correctly, the background colors 112 and 114 are superimposed to form the background color 110 and the marking is no longer perceptible to the viewer. Therefore the viewer has no reason to assume an erroneous display.

Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not restricted by the examples disclosed herein, and other variations may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8. A display device for displaying a graphical representation of information, the display device comprising: a first interface for receiving the information via a first transmission path;a second interface for receiving the information via a second transmission path;the display device being configured:to provide a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by said first interface;to provide a second part of the complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by said second interface; andto display the graphical representation for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second colors to one another.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein: the complete color is a color which indicates a validity of the information; andeach of the first and second colors are error colors which indicate that the information is erroneous.

10. The display device according to claim 8, wherein: the display device is configured to display the graphical representation in the complete color with a background in a background color,the first part has a marking in a first background color in a given partial region of the background, and the second part has the marking in a second background color in the given partial region of the background; andthe first background color and the second background color, when correctly displayed, form the background color of the complete display by addition of the first and second background colors.

11. The display device according to claim 8, wherein the information is safety-relevant information relating to the safety of a rail-guided vehicle.

12. A display system for displaying a graphical representation of information, the display system comprising: an information source for providing information;a first transmission path, which is configured to transmit the information to a first interface of a display device;a second transmission path, which is configured to transmit the information to a second interface of the display device; andwherein the display device is configured:to provide a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by the first interface;to provide a second part of the complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by the second interface; andto display the graphical representation for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second colors to one another.

13. A rail-guided vehicle, comprising a display system according to claim 12.

14. A method for displaying a graphical representation of information, the method comprising: receiving the information by a first interface by way of a first transmission path;receiving the information by a second interface by way of a second transmission path;providing a first part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a first color using the information received by the first interface;providing a second part of a complete display of the graphical representation in a second color using the information received by the second interface; anddisplaying the graphical representation for a viewer in a complete color which is formed by adding the first and second colors to one another.