Appeal No. 1998-0711
Application 07/989,027
configuration for use in an automotive vehicle control system.
The control system is of the feedback type in which measured
vehicle parameters are used to initiate control changes to
vehicle elements. The effect of the control changes is
detected by a change in the measured vehicle parameters, and
the cycle is continuously repeated. Of particular note in the
invention is that the vehicle elements are controlled by
intelligent power drivers which are themselves connected to
the control processor by way of a serial loop.
Representative claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A circuit configuration for controlling a major
number of electric or electromechanical consumers of an
automotive vehicle control system where control signals
generated by an electronic control unit responsive to sensing
signals can be delivered to the consumers via amplifier
stages,
wherein the amplifier stages are designed as
“intelligent power drivers” comprising a power amplifier with
integrated electronic controls and status monitors for
producing status signals, and the amplifier stages are
interconnected and connected to the control unit via a
synchronous serial interface,
wherein a data transfer flows in a closed loop or
chain from a serial exit of the control unit via the amplifier
stages and back to a serial entry of the control unit, and
comprises the control signals delivered to the amplifier
stages and status signals returned from the amplifier stages,
and wherein the circuit configuration provides for an
2
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