Display system and display device
A display device includes a housing with an opening; an electro-optic layer that includes a transmissive-reflective layer and configured to vary reflectivity of incident light; a display provided on the electro-optic layer; a control circuit that controls an operation of the display device; and an actuator that switches the electro-optic layer between first and second postures, wherein the control circuit: controls an operation of the display, generates a trimmed image matching a shape of the opening or a shape of the display, outputs the trimmed image to the display, controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture, and does not control the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and the display is visible to a driver through the electro-optic layer when the control circuit controls the display to display the trimmed image.
1. A display device placeable inside of a vehicle, the display device comprising:
a housing with an opening on a front side;
an electro-optic layer that includes a transmissive-reflective layer and configured to vary reflectivity of incident light, the transmissive-reflective layer transmits a portion of the incident light and reflects another portion of the incident light;
a display provided on a rear side of the electro-optic layer;
a control circuit that controls an operation of the display device; and
an actuator provided in the housing and that switches the electro-optic layer between a first posture and a second posture, wherein
the control circuit:
controls an operation of the display,
generates a trimmed image matching a shape of the opening or a shape of the display by cutting out a part of a rearward image acquired by an image capture device,
outputs the trimmed image to the display,
controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture,
does not control the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and
the display is visible to a driver of the vehicle through the electro-optic layer when the control circuit controls the display to display the trimmed image.
2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first posture is a posture that the driver of the vehicle views rearward of the vehicle by at least a portion of the rearward image displayed on the display, and
the second posture is a posture that the driver of the vehicle views rearward of the vehicle by way of a mirror image that appears on the transmissive-reflective layer.
3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a normal line direction of the electro-optic layer in the first posture is more upward than a normal line direction of the electro-optic layer in the second posture.
4. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control circuit controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer based on a value of at least one of a first illuminance and a second illuminance,
the first illuminance indicates brightness around the vehicle and is detected by a first illuminance sensor, and
the second illuminance indicates intensity of light emitted on a front surface of the display device and is detected by a second illuminance sensor.
5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control circuit controls the display to:
display the trimmed image when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and
display no image when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture.
6. The display device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first illuminance sensor is provided on a rear side of the housing, and
the second sensor is provided near the opening of the housing.
7. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display device is coupled to the image capture device via a network.
8. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the actuator switches the electro-optic layer between the first posture and the second posture by changing a posture of the housing.
9. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the actuator is coupled to the electro-optic layer and switches the electro-optic layer between the first posture and the second posture without changing a posture of the housing.
10. The display device according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first illuminance sensor and the second illuminance sensor includes a silicon photosensor.
11. A display system placeable in a vehicle, the display system comprising:
an image capture device that captures a rearward image of the vehicle; and
a display device that is coupled to the image capture device via a network, and that receives at least a portion of the rearward image, wherein
the display device includes:
a housing with an opening on a front side,
an electro-optic layer that includes a transmissive-reflective layer and configured to vary reflectivity of incident light, the transmissive-reflective layer transmits a portion of the incident light and reflects another portion of the incident light,
a display provided on a rear side of the electro-optic layer,
a control circuit that controls an operation of the display device, and
an actuator provided in the housing and that switches the electro-optic layer between a first posture and a second posture, and
the control circuit:
controls an operation of the display,
generates a trimmed image matching a shape of the opening or a shape of the display by cutting out a part of the rearward image,
outputs the trimmed image to the display,
controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture,
does not control the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and
the display is visible to a driver of the vehicle through the electro-optic layer when the control circuit controls the display to display the trimmed image.
12. The display system according to claim 11 , wherein
the first posture is a posture that the driver of the vehicle views rearward of the vehicle by at least a portion of the rearward image displayed on the display, and
the second posture is a posture that the driver of the vehicle views rearward of the vehicle by way of a mirror image that appears on the transmissive-reflective layer.
13. The display system according to claim 11 , wherein a normal line direction of the electro-optic layer in the first posture is more upward than a normal line direction of the electro-optic layer in the second posture.
14. The display system according to claim 11 , further including:
at least one of a first illuminance sensor that detects brightness around the vehicle; and
a second illuminance sensor that detects intensity of light emitted on a front surface of the display device, wherein
the control circuit controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer based on a value detected by at least one of the first illuminance sensor and the second illuminance sensor.
15. The display system according to claim 11 , wherein
the control circuit controls:
the display to display the trimmed image when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and
the display to display no image when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture.
16. The display system according to claim 14 , wherein
the first illuminance sensor is provided on a rear side of the housing, and
the second sensor is provided near the opening of the housing.
17. The display system according to claim 14 , wherein
the first illuminance sensor is provided on a body of the vehicle, and
the first illuminance sensor and the display device are coupled via a vehicle network.
18. The display system according to claim 11 , wherein
the actuator switches the electro-optic layer between the first posture and the second posture by changing a posture of the housing.
19. The display system according to claim 11 , wherein
the actuator is coupled to the electro-optic layer and switches the electro-optic layer between the first posture and the second posture without changing a posture of the housing.
20. A display device placeable inside of a vehicle, the display device comprising:
a housing with an opening on a front side;
an electro-optic layer that includes a transmissive-reflective layer and configured to vary reflectivity of incident light, the transmissive-reflective layer transmits a portion of the incident light and reflects another portion of the incident light;
a display placed on a rear side of the electro-optic layer;
a control circuit that controls an operation of the display device; and
an actuator provided in the housing and that switches the electro-optic layer between a first posture and a second posture, wherein
the control circuit:
controls an operation of the display,
generates a trimmed image matching a shape of the opening or a shape of the display by cutting out a part of a rearward image acquired by an image capture device,
outputs the trimmed image to the display,
controls the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer when the electro-optic layer is in the second posture,
clamps the reflectivity of the electro-optic layer at a predetermined value when the electro-optic layer is in the first posture, and
the display is visible to a driver of the vehicle through the electro-optic layer when the control circuit controls the display to display the trimmed image.