TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The subject matter described herein, in general, relates to a display system and, in particular, relates to a display system for rendering content on-board a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In order to ensure a safe and comfortable ride for a user, vehicles generally include various devices, for example, a horn and a display unit. The display unit provides information related to vehicle parameters, such as head lamp indicator, side lamp indicator, vehicle speed, distance travelled by the vehicle, and level of fuel available in a fuel tank of the vehicle.

[0003] Typically, the display unit includes various display devices, for example, a speedometer for indicating vehicle speed, an odometer for indicating distance travelled by the vehicle and a fuel indicator for indicating the level of fuel available in a fuel tank of the vehicle. The display unit is generally provided near a steering means of the vehicle for easy access of the user. The user, while riding the vehicle, may glance at the display unit to check information related to a desired vehicle parameter. For example, the user, while riding, may glance at the display unit to check the level of fuel, thus saving user's effort of stopping the vehicle and manually checking the level of fuel in the fuel tank. Additionally, a user, while driving the vehicle or during a temporary stop, may also wish to operate a personal device, such as a mobile phone and/or a music player. In such a case, the user may have to carry the personal devices, making it inconvenient for the user to handle such devices while travelling.

SUMMARY

[0004] The present subject matter described herein relates to method for rendering content on a display unit on-board a vehicle. In one implementation, the method includes determining whether a user input is received for rendering selected content. In response to receipt of the user input, at least one of a vehicle condition of the vehicle and the selected content for rendering is ascertained. Additionally, based on the ascertaining, it is determined whether the user input to the display unit is to be rejected, and the content is rendered based on the identifying.

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to method for rendering content on a display unit on-board a vehicle. These concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying figures.
In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.

[0007] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram representation of a display system
implementing a display unit of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0008] Fig. 2 illustrates a detailed block diagram representation of the display unit for
rendering content on-board the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0009] Fig. 3 illustrates a method for rendering content on the display system on-board
the vehicle, according to an implementation of the present subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present subject matter relates to a display system having a display unit for
rendering content on-board a vehicle.

[0011] The display unit generally incorporates various display devices for rendering
basic parameters and operational parameters, for example, a speedometer for indicating vehicle speed, a fuel indicator for indicating the level of fuel available in a fuel tank of the vehicle, and a side lamp indicator. However, the display devices are analog devices and are thus not able to provide precise value of the vehicle parameters. For example, in case of an analog speedometer the user may not be able to know the precise vehicle speed and may thus need to guess the speed when a needle of the analog speedometer is between two numbers indicating speed on the analog speedometer. Additionally, reading the value of the vehicle parameters in the analog devices requires the user to focus on the analog device thus distracting the driver's attention from surrounding traffic and road conditions. Such distractions can be detrimental to traffic safety.

[0012] In order to provide precise values of the vehicle parameters certain digital
display devices, such as digital speedometer and digital odometer are available. Although, conventional digital display devices provide precise values of the vehicle parameters; however such digital display devices may cause inconvenience to the users. For instance, reading values of the vehicle parameters may become difficult in strong sunlight or bright light. Further, font size of values of the vehicle parameters may be smaller or larger than the font size preferred by a user, thus making it strenuous for the user to read the values. Additionally, the display units still include few analog display devices due to which a user of the vehicle may need to continuously shift between reading on analog display devices and digital display devices.

[0013] Integrating the various display devices in the display unit often clutters the area
around the steering means, especially in the handlebar of a two-wheeled vehicle as the handlebar also includes various other switches, such as an ignition switch. Further, as the conventional display systems lack any interactive and entertainment devices, the user may need to carry additional user devices, such as music players for entertainment and global positioning system (GPS) devices or maps for navigation. Carrying the user device while riding the vehicle creates a hassle for the user. The user may thus need to attach device holders, such as mobile holder, music player holders, and GPS device holders on the handlebar to carry the user devices. Using such device holders, however, further clutters the handlebar.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, a display system for a
vehicle is described herein. The display system includes a display unit for rendering content on-board the vehicle. In an example, the content can include various elements of a dashboard of the vehicle, showing digitized values of vehicle parameters. A display system of a vehicle is configured typically for providing content related to the vehicular information and other information regarding the vehicle operation. The display system can integrate various sensors with a display unit for sensing values of the certain parameters related to the vehicle and rendering the content to a user of the vehicle.

[0015] The content can include default content and secondary content. In an example,
the default content can include parameters which are essential for safe driving of the vehicle, including head lamp indicator, side lamp indicator, gear indicator, battery use indicator, anti-lock braking system (ABS) indicator, and service indicator. Additionally, the default content can be content which is to be provided mandatorily on the display or dashboard of the vehicle, say in accordance with regulatory policies. Accordingly, in an example, the default content can include vehicle speed, fuel level, distance travelled by the vehicle, the rotation per minute (rpm) of the vehicle, brake oil indicator, and engine check indicator.

[0016] The secondary content on the other hand can include the content, which is
provided for the convenience of the user. According to an aspect of the present subject matter, such secondary content can be customizable. In an example, the secondary content can include ambient temperature, humidity, audio or video content being accessed by the display unit, and indicators coupled to parking sensor. Additionally, the secondary content can include user interactive information. In an example, the user interactive information can be the content associated with a user of the vehicle, and can include navigation display, audio display, and Short Message Service (SMS) or call information related to a mobile phone.

[0017] In one embodiment, the display unit includes a display panel for rendering the
values of the vehicle parameters and the user interactive information to a user of the vehicle. The display panel is configured to provide digitized values of the operational parameters, thus eliminating the use of analog display devices. The display panel may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), electroluminescent displays (ELDs), plasma display panels. In another embodiment, the display unit may render the content using audio output devices, such as speaker systems.

[0018] In an implementation, the display system can be configured to be an automated
unit, which is configured to automatically render content to the user of the vehicle. In such implementation, the display system may be configured to include predefined theme selection parameters. Such parameters can be, in an example, provided as part of factory settings with the vehicle and can be further modified by the user to suit his preferences. The predefined theme selection parameters can include, for example, parameters related to climate, ambience, day-light, terrain, and vehicle conditions, say vehicle speed and fuel level.

[0019] Further, in another implementation, the display system can be configured to
operate based on user inputs. The user inputs can include inputs to select content for rendering on an output device, such as the display panel or a speaker system. Accordingly, the display panel can serve as a graphical user interface (GUI). The graphical user interface allows the user of the vehicle to interact with the display unit of the vehicle and provide inputs and select the content for rendering. For example, the display panel may be a touch sensitive screen that allows the user to operate and interact with the display system by touching the display panel.

[0020] The display panel can be configured to display various content indicators as part
of content rendering, with each content indicator corresponding to display information. Further, to render display information associated with the content indicator, the user may touch the content indicator corresponding to the display information, which can then be displayed on the display panel. For example, to access a road map of a city the user may touch a content indicator, say, a global positioning system (GPS) navigation icon corresponding to the navigation display. The display unit may then display the road map on the display panel for the user. In another implementation, the display system can include audio input devices, such as microphones, for the user to interact with the display system, using audio input and obtain the above mentioned information. Additionally, in accordance with said implementation, the display system can use an audio output device, such as speaker systems, to render content to the user in an audio form. For example, the navigation system of the vehicle can provide audio directions based on the user input of the source and destination.

[0021] Further, in one implementation, the display unit is a self adapting unit configured
to render content to the user in various modes, based on say different vehicle conditions. In one implementation, the mode may include a switch ON mode, an engine start mode, and a riding mode. The switch ON mode can be understood as the mode when a battery of the vehicle is switched ON, but an engine of the vehicle is switched OFF. The engine start mode can be understood as the mode when the vehicle engine is turned ON but the vehicle is moving at a speed below a threshold speed. The riding mode can be understood as the mode when the vehicle is moving at a speed above the threshold speed. The display panel is configured to render a mode content defined for each of the modes. The mode content on the display panel may be defined as the content, such as information sets, corresponding to each mode rendered and made available to the user in that mode. For example, the mode content in a switch ON mode may include a display menu, audio display, navigation display, basic parameters, fuel level, and distance travelled by the vehicle. Similarly, the mode content in a riding mode may include the vehicle parameters, and an audio track display.

[0022] The self adapting feature of the display unit facilitates easy access to information
for the user as display panel displays only the content that is accessible to the user during a certain condition of the vehicle. Further, in one implementation, the display system is configured to determine whether the vehicle condition is conducive for accepting the user input to access or select content for rendering, and based on the determining, the display system may allow or block access of the selected content to the user. In an example, the vehicle condition can be conducive when the vehicle is in the switch ON mode or in the engine start mode. Further, in said example, the user interactive information may not be displayed in a riding condition of the vehicle. During such vehicle condition, the user inputs provided to the display unit may be rejected, thereby providing for an additional safety feature of the vehicle as the user will then not be distracted by the user interactive information when riding the vehicle.

[0023] In addition, content on the display panel may be customized according to the
user's preferences, for example, by changing font size of the values of vehicle parameters, and backlight of the screen. According to an implementation, the display unit can be configured to check whether the customization is permissible or not. For example, the user may request to remove the default content from the display panel, and instead select secondary content, such as information regarding surrounding environment including temperature and humidity, for rendering on the display panel. In such a case, the display system may determine that such content rendering is not permissible and may not allow the user to customize the content. On the other hand, if the content selected by the user is such that the customization to render the selected content is permissible, then the selected content is provided to the user. In an example, the selected content is provided, based on adequate available resources, say adequate space available on the display panel to render the selected content. In said example, in case adequate resources are not available, then current content, say the secondary content, on the display panel is replaced to render the selected content.

[0024] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram representation of a display system 100 of a
vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. Examples of the vehicle include, but are not limited to, two-wheeled vehicles and three wheeled-vehicles. In operation, the display system 100 can be configured to render content to a user on-board the vehicle. In one implementation, the display system 100, hereinafter referred to as the system 100 includes a display unit 102, one or more sensor(s) 104, an audio/video (AAA) device 106, and communication interfaces 108.

[0025] The display unit 102 is configured to provide and render content to the user
operating the vehicle. The content can include, for example, vehicle parameters and user interactive information, say navigation display, audio display, and SMS or call information related to a mobile phone associated with a user of the vehicle. The content can be understood to include default content and secondary content. In an example, the default content can include indicators that are compulsorily to be provided on the display system as part of a policy issued by a regulatory authority. Additionally, the default content can also include indicators and vehicle parameters that assist the user in safe driving. In said example, the default content can include speedometer; fuel level indicator; odometer to indicate a distance travelled by the vehicle; and tachometer to indicate revolutions per minute (rpm) of the vehicle, i.e., vehicle rpm. Additionally, the default parameters can include, for example, side lamp indicator, head lamp indicator, gear indicator, battery use indicator, anti-lock braking system (ABS) indicator, service indicator, engine check indicator, and brake oil indicator. From the above, it can be understood that the content can include content indicators with each content indicator corresponding to certain information. In the above examples, the indicators, say the speedometer, the tachometer, the gear indicator, can be the content indicators, which can display the information regarding vehicle speed, engine rpm, and the operational gear of the vehicle, respectively.

[0026] The secondary content, on the other hand, can include indicators and parameters
that facilitate the user in a convenient ride while operating the vehicle. In an example, the secondary content can include a clock display, information regarding the audio and video files, climate control, and ambient temperature. Additionally, in said example, the secondary content can also include user interactive information as mentioned above.

[0027] As part of rendering the information associated with the various content
indicators, the sensors 104 associated with the display unit 102 are configured to sense values of the various parameters, such as speed, engine rpm, temperature, humidity, terrain, and provide values of these parameters to the display unit 102. It will be understood that to measure a value of a vehicle parameter, the sensors 104 may be connected to a part of the vehicle for which value of a vehicle parameter has to be calculated. For example, a speed sensor may be connected to a front wheel of the vehicle to provide information to the speedometer; an rpm sensor may be connected to a vehicle transmission to provide content to the tachometer; and a head lamp beam sensor may be connected to a head lamp of the vehicle. The information associated with content can be stored in a data repository (not shown in figure) in the display system 100 and be provided to the display unit 102.

[0028] In an implementation, for rendering the content to the user, the display unit 102
can include a display controller 110 and a display panel 112. In an implementation, the display controller 110 is configured to render the content indicators, for both default content as well as secondary content, and digitized values of associated information with the content indicators on the display panel 112. For example, the display controller 110 can receive the values of vehicle parameters, say speed and engine rpm, and other parameters, say temperature and humidity, from the sensors 104 and convert the values into digital values to be displayed on the display panel 112 on the speedometer, the tachometer, the temperature indicator, and the humidity indicator, respectively. The display panel may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an electroluminescent display (ELD), and a plasma display panel. In one implementation, the display panel 112 may be a graphical user interface (GUI) which allows touch-inputs. In another implementation, the display panel 112 can also include an audio input device, such as a microphone to allow the user to interact with the display system 100 using audio inputs.

[0029] Further, the display controller 110 of the display unit can be communicatively
coupled to the audio/video (A/V) device 106 and the communication interfaces 108 and control the operation thereof, and also to render content relating to the audio and video files being accessed by the user. The A/V device 106 can be provided as part of the display system for on vehicle entertainment of the user. In one embodiment, the A/V device 106 may be a microcontroller configured to play audio/video files stored in a memory device, for example, a flash drive and mobile phone connected to the vehicle.

The user may control the A/V device 106 using an audio symbol corresponding to the audio display. Providing control options for the A/V device 106 on the display panel 112, facilitates in ensuring that the user does need to operate music players while riding on the vehicle. Additionally, providing the A/V device 106 prevents the user from the hassle of carrying additional music players while riding the vehicle. The display system 100 thus provides interactive and user friendly on-vehicle entertainment and display. Further, the display unit 102 provides an interactive, user configurable, and self adapting display panel 112 configured to provide digitized values of various types of content, such as default and secondary content associated with the vehicle.

[0030] The display unit 102 may be further provided with one or more Universal Serial
Bus (USB) ports (not shown in the figure) for connecting the memory device. The display unit 102 may be further provided with an auxiliary input/output (I/O) port to connect auxiliary devices, for example, a mobile phone to play A/V files stored in the mobile phone; earphones or headphones to listen to audio files being played by the A/V device 106. Further, the system 100 may include speaker systems (not shown in the figures) configured to provide as an output the audio files being played by the A/V device 106. Providing speaker systems prevents the user from the hassle of connecting and carrying headphones for entertainment.

[0031] Further, the communication interfaces 108 may be a microcontroller configured
to provide wireless connectivity to the user for, say, listening to audio files or generating an alert notifying that some voice/data is received on a mobile phone connected to the vehicle. The communication interfaces 108 may include, but are not limited to, a Bluetooth transceiver, a Wi-Fi transceiver, and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver. The provision of providing wireless connectivity, for example, Bluetooth and infra red connectivity facilitates the user in listening to the audio files being played by the A/V device 106 thus preventing the user from the hassle of connecting and carrying headphones. Further, Wi-Fi transceiver may be used for connecting to a wireless network, for example, internet. Wi-Fi connectivity facilitates in regular updation of the display unit 102. For example, a maintenance service provider may update the display controller 110 to display a notice indicating time left for next servicing. Additionally, a vehicle tracking system (not show in the figure) may be coupled to the Wi-Fi transceiver for on-road tracking of the vehicle.

[0032] In one implementation, the display controller 110, the A/V device 106, and the
communication interfaces 108 may be provided on a single chip. In another implementation, the display controller 110, the A/V device 106, and the communication interfaces 108 may be provided on different chips placed in a vertical architecture to provide a compact structure of the display unit 102.

[0033] Further, in an implementation, the display unit 102 can be configured to automatically render content, default as well as secondary, to the user. In an implementation, the data repository can include predefined theme selection parameters, which can provide the default and the secondary content to be rendered automatically, during operation of the vehicle. In an example, the predefined theme selection parameters can be provided in the data repository as part of factory settings. In said example, the display controller 110 can receive inputs regarding the predefined theme selection parameters from the sensors 104, and based on the inputs, the display controller 110 can render the content to the user.

[0034] In another example, the user can customize the predefined theme selection
parameters as part of standard settings, based on which the display unit 102 can select the secondary parameters for automatic rendering during the operation of the vehicle. Hence, as will be understood, in said implementation, the display system 100 is configured to provide the default parameters perpetually during the operation of the vehicle, and hence the user can customize the secondary content as part of modification of predefined theme selection parameters.

[0035] As will be understood from the foregoing description, that in said example, the
display controller 110 can render the default content by taking inputs from the sensors 104. Say, the display controller 110 may render the content indicators, such as the speedometer, the odometer, and the tachometer, which are associated with the default content, and further provide the information on the content indicators in the form of digitized values to the user on-board the vehicle. Further, the display controller 110 is also configured to provide the information associated with the default content based either on the information obtained from the sensors 104, or from previously stored information regarding the default content in the system 100. For example, the display controller 110 can access the previously stored information and provide the time due for servicing of the vehicle as part of the default content.

[0036] Additionally, according to an implementation of the present subject matter,
during the operation of the vehicle, the display unit 102 can be configured to allow the user to customize the content to be rendered on the display panel 112. Accordingly, the display controller 110 can receive user inputs to select content for rendering. Based on the user inputs, the display controller 110 can retrieve information obtained by the sensors 104 and provide the information on the display panel 112 for the user. It will be understood that the user inputs can include touch inputs provided by the user on the display panel 112, or voice inputs provided by the user, say using the audio input device provided in the display panel 112. For example, the user of the vehicle can request the display unit to provide navigational information, and accordingly provide the source and destination locations.

[0037] According to an implementation of the present subject matter, the display unit
102 is configured to accept or reject the user inputs to the display unit for rendering selected content on the display panel 112. In said implementation, the display controller 110 can determine a vehicle condition, and based on whether the vehicle condition is conducive for accepting the user inputs or not, the display controller 110 can accept or reject the user inputs for rendering the selected content. In an example, the vehicle condition can include vehicle speed and battery condition. According to said example, when a user is driving the vehicle above a threshold speed, or the level of charging of the battery is below a threshold level or the battery is older than a threshold period, then in such conditions, the display controller 110 can reject the user inputs. As a result, the display system 100 provides additional safety features for the user as well as facilitates longevity of the vehicle peripherals, such as the battery in this case.

[0038] In another implementation, the display controller 110 can determine whether the
selected content requested to be rendered by the user is permissible or not, and based on the determining, the display controller 110 can accept or reject the user input. In an example, if the user input requests to provide information associated with secondary content and remove information relating to default content from the display panel 112, then such a content selection may not be permissible. In such a case, the display controller 110 can reject the user input for rendering the selected content and provide an error message to the user.

[0039] Further, according to an aspect of the present subject matter, after the acceptance
of the user input for rendering the selected content, the display controller 110 can further check whether adequate resources are available for the selected content to be rendered and displayed on the display panel 112. For example, the resources can include space on the display panel or memory space in the cache of the display controller 110. In case adequate resources are not available for displaying the selected content, then the display controller 110 can further check whether the current content being displayed on the display panel 112 can be replaced by the selected content. In an example, the display controller 110 can prompt the user to decide whether the user would like to replace the current secondary content on the display panel 112 with the selected content. It will be understood that if the current content on the display panel 112 is default content, then the user input can be directly rejected. Further, if the user would like to replace the current secondary content, then the display controller 110 can render the selected content, say the content indicator and the associated information with the selected content.

[0040] Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram representation of the display unit 102, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. As previously described, the display unit 102 includes the display controller 110 for providing content to the user on the display panel 112 on-board the vehicle. The display controller 110, during operation, can be configured to render content, for example, content relating to vehicle parameters, user interactive information, and content indicators or information as made mandatory by a regulatory authority.

[0041] The display controller 110 may be a microcontroller configurable for performing
one or more predetermined functionalities, such as obtaining content to be rendered, the information being, say content indicators and appropriate information, and providing such content for display to the display panel 112. In one implementation, the display controller 110 includes a rendering module 206, an analysis module 207, a user interface module 208, parameter data 210, and interactive information data 212.

[0042] In one implementation, the display panel 112 can include a display module 202
and a touchpad sensor 204. Further, in an example, the display panel 112 is a touch sensitive screen that allows the user to operate and interact with the system 100. The display panel 112, in an embodiment, may be segmented into a number of zones such that each segmented zone displays default content and secondary content, including the content indicators and the associated information. The display module 202 may include light emitting diode (LED) indicators, bulbs, incandescent lamps, etc., for displaying the aforementioned information indicators on the display panel 112.

[0043] In an implementation, during the start of operation of the vehicle, the rendering
module 206 can render the default information and content rendered during the previous operation of the vehicle. As will be understood that the previously rendered content can include secondary content associated with the vehicle. The rendering module 206 can provide the rendered default content and previous content to the display module 202, and the display module 202 may display the content in the form of values of, say the vehicle parameters and user interactive information, using various content indicators. For example, in case of default content, a beam light indicator may be used to display that the head lamp in on or off, a left and a right arrow head may be used for side lamp indicators, a battery indicator may be indicate battery use and condition, a gear indicator may be used to indicate gear in which the vehicle is driving. Further, the content indicators may be LED based indicators that switch ON/OFF for a certain predefined value of, say the vehicle parameters.

[0044] As mentioned earlier, the rendering module 206 of the display controller 110 can
be communicatively coupled to the sensors 104, say speed sensors, for receiving information and values of the vehicle parameter as part of the default content, and further converts the values into digital values. Based on the received information, the rendering module 206 may provide an LED control command to the display module 202 to turn ON/OFF the LED indicator for the region corresponding to the content indicator for that vehicle parameter. For example, the rendering module 206 may convert the values for the vehicle speed and odometer reading into numerical values and provide the numerical values to the display module 202.

[0045] Alternatively, the rendering module 206 may be configured to provide one or
more built-in messages, provided in the parameter data 210, to the display module 202 based on the received values. The built-in messages may include, for example, "time for servicing", "indicator light not working", and "battery not charged". Additionally, the rendering module 206 may also provide the LED control command based on information stored previously stored in the parameter data 210.

[0046] Further, the display module 202 may display the content in the form of the
rendered digitized values of the vehicle parameters using numerical digits and/or block markings. For example, the vehicle speed may be indicated using numerical digits; and the fuel level may be indicated using a plurality of block markings with each block marking indicating a particular amount of fuel. The display module 202 may include an LED display panel having one or more LED indicators corresponding to each block marking.

[0047] Further, in a similar manner as explained with reference to the default content,
the rendering module 206 can be configured to render the secondary content on the display panel 112. For example, the rendering module 206 can render the user interactive information and the display module 202 can provide the user interactive information to the user using menu icons. Say, a GPS icon may be displayed to indicate navigation display, an audio icon may be used to indicate audio display, and a main menu icon may be used to indicate user menu display.

[0048] Further according to an implementation, to access certain selected content, the
user may provide a user input, say in the form of a request, to the display controller 110. For example, the user may provide the user input by touching a menu icon on the display panel 112, corresponding to a certain user interactive information, with the help of a finger or a stylus pen. In said example, the user may wish to access a road map of a city and the user may touch the GPS icon. In yet another example, the user may wish to control the A/V device 106 and may make a point contact with the audio icon displayed on the display panel 112. In addition, in one implementation, the display panel 112 may be further configured to be customized according to the user's preferences, for example, by changing display properties like font size of the values of vehicle parameters and backlight of the screen. In another example, the user may wish to access additional information regarding the audio or video file being accessed by the display module. For customizing the display panel 112, the user provide the user input to the display user interface module 208, say by touching the main menu icon on the display panel 112, and provide input to customize the display panel 112 as part of rendering and accessing selective content.

[0049] In an implementation, the touchpad sensor 204 recognizes the segmented zone,
touched by the user and generates a touch command. The touch command may be transmitted to the user interaction module 208 that determines a particular icon touched by the user. The user interaction module 208 serves as a bridge between the display panel 112 and the display controller 110. In another example, the user provides the user input in the form of an audio request and the request is received by the user interaction module 208 through the audio input device provided in the display panel 112.

[0050] The user may provide the user input to access a selected content, and according
to an implementation, the analysis module 207, can determine whether the user input is acceptable or not and accordingly the rendering module 206 renders the selected content for the user's access. In an implementation, to determine whether the user input is acceptable or not, the analysis module 207 can determine a vehicle condition, and based on whether the vehicle condition is conducive for accepting the user inputs or not, the display controller 110 can accept or reject the user inputs for rendering the selected content. In an example, the vehicle condition can include vehicle speed and battery condition. According to said example, when a user is driving the vehicle above a threshold speed, or the level of charging of the battery is below a threshold level or the battery is older than a threshold period, then in such conditions, the display controller 110 can reject the user inputs. As a result, the display system 100 provides additional safety features for the user as well as facilitates longevity of the vehicle peripherals, such as the battery in this case.

[0051] In another implementation, the display controller 110 can determine whether the
selected content requested to be rendered by the user is permissible or not, and based on the determining, the display controller 110 can accept or reject the user input. In an example, if the user input requests to provide information associated with secondary content and remove information relating to default content from the display panel 112, then such a content selection may not be permissible. In such a case, the display controller 110 can reject the user input for rendering the selected content and provide an error message to the user.

[0052] Further, according to an aspect of the present subject matter, after the acceptance
of the user input for rendering the selected content, the display controller 110 can further check whether adequate resources are available for the selected content to be rendered and displayed on the display panel 112. For example, the resources can include space on the display panel and memory space in the cache of the display controller 110. In case adequate resources are not available for displaying the selected content, then the display controller 110 can further check whether the current content being displayed on the display panel 112 can be replaced by the selected content. In an example, the display controller 110 can prompt the user to decide whether the user would like to replace the current secondary content on the display panel 112 with the selected content. It will be understood that if the current content on the display panel 112 is default content, then the user input can be directly rejected.

[0053] Further, if the user would like to replace the current secondary content, then the
display controller 110 can render the selected content, say the content indicator and the associated information with the selected content. Additionally, based on user input for rendering selected content and based on the validity of the user input, the rendering module 206 can provide various types of secondary content to the user, such as navigation details say a road map layout, distance between two places on the road map and so on.

[0054] In an example, in case the user input is for customizing the display panel 112,
the user may wish to access the audio and video files by customizing the content on the display panel 112. The user can, accordingly provide the user input to request the display controller 110 to provide the selected content, i.e., A/V (audio-video) menu on the display panel for access of the audio and video files to the user. In said example, first, the analysis module 207 can check that whether the vehicle is above a threshold speed or not, and when the vehicle speed is less than the threshold speed will the analysis module 207 accept the user input. Further, the analysis module 207 can also check that whether, in the event of modifying the content on the display panel 112, certain default content will have to remove or made unavailable to the user. In such a case, the analysis module 207 may reject the user input. In case the analysis module 207 determines on the contrary, then the rendering module 206 the A/V menu on the display panel 112.

[0055] Further, once the A/V is made available to the user, in one implementation, the
A/V menu may provide the user with an option of switching between a radio mode and a music player mode. On receiving a command for playing a radio mode, the user interaction module 208 may switch ON the A/V device 106 to operate in a radio mode and provide a list of available radio channels on the display panel. On receiving a command for playing an A/V file the user interaction module 208 may switch ON the A/V device 106 to operate in a music player mode and provide a list of A/V files available in a memory device connected to the vehicle. Additionally, based on the user input request, the display panel 112 may include an audio track section to show information related to an audio track being played by the A/V device 106. The display panel 112 may also provide control options, such as play, pause, next track, previous track, fast forward, and rewind to control the A/V device 106.

[0056] In another example of customization of the display panel 112, the user may wish
to modify the display on the display panel 112. Then based on the acceptance of the selected content, in the same manner as described above, the user interaction module 208 may provide a list of options for the display properties. The options selected from the list may then be used by the display module 202 to generate a user interface template for customizing the display panel 112. Further, the interactive information data 212 can include one or more default user interface templates that may be used for customization of the display panel 112.

[0057] On the other hand, in case the display controller 110 does not receive a user
input, say during the start of operation of the vehicle, then the vehicle can automatically select content and render the content to the user. In an implementation, the rendering module 206 can obtain the predefined theme selection parameters, say from the parameter data 210, and based on these parameters, retrieve, and render content. For example, the rendering module 206 can retrieve and obtain content from the sensors 104 and provide the information along with the content indicators for displaying on the display panel 112 In an example, the predefined theme selection parameters can include climate change, day-light conditions, terrain on which the vehicle is travelling, vehicle conditions, say vehicle speed, battery condition, and fuel level, based on which the content can be automatically rendered.

[0058] The automatic rendering of the content by the rendering module 206 can be
understood with the help of the following description. The display unit 102 can be understood to be a self adapting unit configured to automatically change display of the display panel 112 for various modes, the modes being based on the predefined theme selection parameters. In said example, the modes may be based on vehicle condition and may include a switch ON mode, an engine start mode, and a riding mode. The switch ON mode can be understood as the mode when a battery of the vehicle is switched ON, but an engine of the vehicle is switched OFF. The engine start mode can be understood as the mode when the vehicle engine is turned ON but the vehicle is moving at a speed below a predetermined speed. The riding mode can be understood as the mode when the vehicle is moving at a speed above the predetermined speed. In said example, the analysis module 207 is configured to determine the mode, based on the vehicle conditions, for example, switching ON of the battery of the vehicle, switching ON of the vehicle engine, and achieving a predetermined speed.

[0059] Further, when the vehicle achieves a predefined condition for a certain mode, the
rendering module 206 can provide a standard content command to the display module 202 to render the content predefined for that mode. The standard content of the display panel may be include the screen displaying content indicators corresponding to default content and secondary content predefined for that mode. For example, when a user of the vehicle switches ON the vehicle, the sensors 104 provide a mode signal to the analysis module 207, to determine the mode of the vehicle. Based on the vehicle mode, the rendering module 206 provides a display menu, audio display, navigation display, basic parameters, fuel level, distance travelled by the vehicle, and a user personalized data, for example, user name or a logo of a vehicle manufacturer as standard content for the switch ON mode, on the display panel for access to the user.

[0060] Similarly the content predefined for rendering in a riding condition, i.e., when
the vehicle is moving at a speed above a predetermined speed, may include the vehicle parameters, and an audio track display. Self adapting capability of the display unit facilitates easy access of information for the user as the display panel 112 displays only the information required for a particular predefined condition. Further, not displaying the user interactive information during riding mode provides an additional safety information of the vehicle as the user will then not be distracted by the user interactive information when riding the vehicle.

[0061] Fig. 3 illustrates a method 300 for rendering content on-board a vehicle,
according to an implementation of the present subject matter. Although, description for the method 200 is provided below with reference to display system 100 and its various components, it will be understood that the method 300 can be carried out by other systems and devices.

[0062] The method 300 may be described in the general context of computer executable
instructions embodied on a computer-readable medium. Generally, computer executable instructions can include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, which perform particular functions or implement particular abstract data types.

[0063] The order in which the method 300 is described is not intended to be construed
as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method 300, or an alternative method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the method 300 without departing from the spirit and scope of the methods, systems and devices described herein. Furthermore, the method 300 can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.

[0064] Referring to Fig. 3, at block 302, default content associated with the display
system 100 of the vehicle is rendered, at the beginning of operation of the vehicle, for example, when the vehicle is started. The default content can include, for example, content related to the diagnostics of the vehicle and content that may be accessed by a user of the vehicle for safe operation of the vehicle. Further, in said example, the default content can include content indicators which may be compulsorily provided to the user of the vehicle as part of a regulatory policy issued by an appropriate authority. According to said example, the default content includes content indicators like speedometer; fuel level indicator; odometer to indicate a distance travelled by the vehicle; and tachometer to indicate revolutions per minute (rpm) of the vehicle, i.e., vehicle rpm, side lamp indicator, head lamp indicator, gear indicator, battery use indicator, anti-lock braking system (ABS) indicator, service indicator, engine check indicator, and brake oil indicator. From the above, it can be understood that the content can include content indicators with each content indicator corresponding to certain information. In the above examples, the indicators, say the speedometer, the tachometer, the gear indicator, can be the content indicators, which can display the information regarding vehicle speed, engine rpm, and the operational gear of the vehicle, respectively.

[0065] Additionally, a previously rendered content, say content rendered during the
previous operation of the vehicle, can be rendered to the user. As will be understood that the previously rendered content can include secondary content associated with the vehicle. The secondary content can include indicators and parameters that facilitate the user in a convenient ride while operating the vehicle. In an example, the secondary content can include a clock display, information regarding the audio and video files, climate control, and ambient temperature. Additionally, in said example, the secondary content can also include user interactive information, such as navigation display, audio display, and SMS or call information related to a mobile phone associated with a user of the vehicle.

[0066] The default content and the previously rendered content are rendered by the
rendering module 206 of the display controller 110, on the display panel 112.

[0067] At block 304, it is determined whether a theme change for the display system
100 of the vehicle is activated or not. In an example, the analysis module 207 can determine whether the theme change is activated or not. In an implementation, the theme change can be incorporated in the display system 100 as part of factory settings. In another implementation, the user may enable or disable the theme change ability of the display system 100, based on requirements. In case the theme change is not activated (No branch from block 304), then the rendering module 206 renders the content as described with reference to block 302, and continually polls to check whether the theme change has been activated or not.

[0068] In case the theme change is activated (Yes branch from block 304), then at block
306 it is determined whether a user input is received for rendering selected content. In an example, the user may provide inputs using the interfaces, such as the touch pad of the display panel 112 or the audio input device, to select content for rendering on the display panel 112. In case the user input is not received (No branch from block 306), then at block 308, content is automatically selected and rendered to the user of the vehicle, based on predefined theme selection parameters. As will be understood that the rendering module 206 automatically selects the content and renders the automatically selected content on the display panel 112 in addition to the default content already present on the display panel 112. In one scenario, the rendering module 206 can replace existing secondary content on the display panel 112 with automatically rendered content.

[0069] In an example, the predefined theme selection parameters can be provided in the
data repository as part of factory settings. In said example, the rendering module 206 can receive inputs regarding the predefined theme selection parameters from the sensors 104, and based on the inputs, the display controller 110 can render the content to the user. In said example, the predefined theme selection parameters can include climate change, day-light conditions, terrain on which the vehicle is travelling, vehicle conditions, say vehicle speed, battery condition, and fuel level, based on which the content can be automatically rendered.

[0070] In case the user input is received for the rendering selected content (Yes branch
from block 306), further the display controller 110 determines whether the user input for rendering the selected content is acceptable or not. Accordingly, at block 310, it is determined whether the vehicle condition is conducive for accepting the user input or not. In an example, the vehicle condition for determining the acceptability of the user input can include vehicle speed or battery condition, or a combination thereof. In an implementation, the determining that whether the vehicle condition is conducive or not for the acceptability of the user input at block 310, is achieved by the analysis module 207.

[0071] Further, in case the vehicle condition is determined to not be conducive (No
branch from block 310), then at block 312, the user input is rejected and the content, as being rendered at block 308 or at block 302, is rendered to the user. In continuation to the above example, when a user is driving the vehicle above a threshold speed, or the level of charging of the battery is below a threshold level or the battery is older than a threshold period, then in such conditions, then the user input can be rejected. In an implementation, the rendering module 308 can reject the user input, based on the determining at block 310, and render the content being previously rendered to the user.

[0072] In case the vehicle condition is determined to be conducive, as would be
understood in reference to the above example (Yes path from block 310), then at block 314, another check for the acceptability of the user input for rendering the selected content is achieved.

[0073] At block 314, it is determined as to whether the rendering of the selected content,
as requested by the user, is permissible or not. In an example, if the user input requests to provide information associated with secondary content and remove information relating to default content from the display panel 112, then such a content selection may not be permissible. In an implementation, the determining of whether the rendering of the selected content is permissible or not, is achieved by the analysis module 207.

[0074] Further, in case the requested rendering of the selected content is not permissible
(No branch from block 314), then at block 316 an error message is provided to the user on the display panel 112 and the rendering of the selected content is not achieved. In such a situation, the user input for rendering the selected content is rejected, as would be understood from the above example. In an implementation, the error message is rendered to the user by the rendering module 206.

[0075] On the other hand, in case the rendering as requested by the user is permissible
(Yes branch from block 314), then the user input for rendering the selected content is accepted. Accordingly, at block 318, it is determined whether adequate resources are available for achieving the rendering of the selected content, as requested by the user. In an example, the resources for achieving the rendering can include space on the display panel or memory space in the cache of the display controller 110. In an implementation, the determining of the availability of adequate resources at block 318 is achieved by the analysis module 207.

[0076] In case adequate resources are available (Yes branch from block 318), then at
block 320, the selected content is rendered to the user. In an example, the selected content is rendered to the user on the display panel 112 by the rendering module 206. Further, as will be understood that the selected content can be provided on the display panel in addition to the default content already available to the user.

[0077] On the other hand, in case adequate resources are not available for rendering the
selected content (No branch from block 318), then at block 322, it is determined whether the current content on the display panel can be replaced by the selected content. For example, in case the space is not available on the display panel 112 or enough memory is not available in the cache memory of the display controller, then it is determined whether some content from the display panel 112 can be replaced by the selected content, or some data relating to the existing content being rendered by the display controller 110 can be deleted and the selected content rendered instead using the freed memory space. According to the foregoing description and examples, it will be understood that if the current content on the display panel 112 is default content, then the user input can be directly rejected. Accordingly, the option for replacement of current content is available for replacement for current secondary content on the display panel 112. In an example, the analysis module 207 can determine whether the option of replacement is available or not, say by prompting the user.

[0078] In case the current content cannot be replaced by the selected content (No branch
from block 322), then the instructions at block 316 are executed and an error message is provided to the user.

[0079] On the other hand, in case the current content is replaceable (Yes branch from
block 322), then at block 324 the current content is replaced by the selected content, as will be understood with reference to the above example, and the selected content is rendered to the user on the display panel 112 by the rendering module 206.

[0080] Although implementations for rendering content on-board a vehicle have been
described in language specific to structural features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the present subject matter (and not appended claims) is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods for rendering content on-board a vehicle are disclosed as implementations of the present subject matter.

I/We claim:

1. A method for rendering content on a display unit (102) on-board a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether a user input is received for rendering selected content;

ascertaining, in response to receipt of the user input, at least one of a vehicle condition of the vehicle and the selected content for rendering;

identifying, based on the ascertaining, whether the user input to the display unit (102) is to be rejected; and

rendering the content based on the identifying.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises determining whether the selected content for rendering is permissible.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising automatically selecting content for rendering, based on the determining, wherein the automatic selection of content is based on predefined theme selection parameters.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rendering comprises:
rejecting the user input to the display unit (102); and providing at least default content to a user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rendering comprises providing the selected content to a user, based on the user input accepted by the display unit (102).

6. A display unit (102) for rendering content on-board a vehicle, the display unit (102) comprising:

a display controller (110) comprising:

an analysis module (207) configured to:

identify whether a user input is received for rendering selected content; and

determine, in response to receipt of the user input, at least one of a vehicle condition of the vehicle and the selected content; and a rendering module (206) configured to:

perform one of rejection and acceptance of the user input provided to the display unit (102) for rendering the selected content, based on the determination made by the analysis module; and

render the content, based on one of the acceptance and rejection.

7. The display unit (102) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rendering module (206) is further configured to automatically select content for rendering, based on the identification that the user input for rendering the selected content is not received.

8. The display unit (102) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rendering module (206) is further configured to automatically select the content for rendering based on predefined theme selection parameters.

9. The display unit (102) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the analysis module (207) is further configured to:

determine whether the vehicle condition is conducive for accepting the user input; and
ascertain whether the selected content for rendering, received along with the user input, is permissible.

10. The display unit (102) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the analysis module (207) is further configured to:

determine, upon acceptance of the user input, whether adequate resources are available for rendering the selected content; and

ascertain, based on the determining, whether a current content on the display unit (102) can be replaced by the selected content for rendering the selected content.