Method and apparatus for initializing a controller module

A method of associating a permanent identity with a set of controllable units, the method comprising:

• A) receiving an identifying data signal to a communications input of a circuit including the set of controllable units and respective set of controller modules arranged in a communication sequence;
• B) supplying the identifying data signal to one of the set of controller modules;
• C) permanently identifying the one of the set of controller modules with a unique identity;
• D) supplying the identifying data signal to a next one of the set of controller modules in the communication sequence;
• E) permanently identifying the next one of the set of controller modules with a unique identity;
• F) repeating steps D) and E) sequentially for each controller module of the set of controller modules in the communication sequence;
• G) receiving identifying information of each controller module of the set of controller modules at a communication input port of a first of the controller modules arranged in the communication sequence from a communication output port of a last controller module arranged in the communication sequence;
• and
• H) supplying identifying data to a common communication bus from a communication output port of the first controller module of the set of controller modules in the communication sequence.

A control module circuit programming assembly comprising:

• a circuit communication input port, and a circuit communication output port;
• a control module circuit having a set of controllable units, each controllable unit including a controller module having a communication input port and communication output port, wherein the set of controllable units are sequentially arranged such that the circuit communication input port is connected with a first of the sequentially arranged controller modules, and each successive controller module input communication input port is connected with the communication output port of the preceding controller module, wherein the first of the sequentially arranged controller modules further includes an additional communication input port connected with a communication output port of a last controller module of the sequentially arranged controller module, and wherein the first of the sequentially arranged controller modules further includes an additional communication output port connected with the circuit communication output port;
• and
• a programming controller module configured to generate a programming data signal supplied to the circuit communication input port, wherein the programming data signal is configured to sequentially identify each of the set of controllable units with a permanent identity.