System and method for controlling multiple serial control devices in an emergency vehicle

A method of configuring and operating multiple serial devices in an emergency response vehicle, comprising steps of:

• selecting a plurality of peripheral devices, each of the plurality of peripheral devices configured to receive addressable commands and receive and store an address, wherein at least three of the plurality of peripheral devices have a same device type and each are identified as a primary device, a secondary device, or an ancillary device;
• connecting each of the plurality of peripheral devices to a network in the emergency response vehicle;
• detecting, via a computer executing configuration software, each of the plurality of peripheral devices;
• displaying, via the computer, data indicative of each of the detected plurality of peripheral devices including a device type for each of the detected plurality of peripheral devices, and wherein the data indicative of each of the plurality of peripheral devices in communication with the controller is collectively displayed at the same time on an interactive display;
• receiving an input via the computer indicative of an address and an installation ID and a vehicle location for at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices having the same device type;
• storing the address in a storage medium associated with the at least one of plurality of peripheral devices;
• and
• creating a configuration indicative of each of the plurality of peripheral devices, including the address for each of the plurality of peripheral devices;
• and
• transferring the configuration to the controller of the emergency response vehicle.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions, the computer readable program instructions read and executed by at least one processor for performing a configuration method, the method comprising:

• detecting each of a plurality of peripheral devices connected to a serial network in an emergency response vehicle, three or more of the peripheral devices having a same device type, wherein each of the plurality of peripheral devices is configured to receive addressable commands;
• displaying, via a user interface, data indicative of each of the plurality of peripheral devices connected to the serial network, the data including a device type for each of the plurality of peripheral devices, and wherein the data indicative of each of the plurality of peripheral devices in communication with the controller is collectively displayed at the same time on the user interface;
• receiving, via the user interface, a user selection of one of the three or more peripheral devices having the same device type;
• receiving, via the user interface, user input indicative of an address and an installation ID and a vehicle location to assign to the one of the plurality of peripheral devices having the same device type for receiving commands from a controller;
• receiving an identifier, being one of primary, secondary, or ancillary, for each of the three or more of the plurality of peripheral devices having the same device type;
• associating the address and the identifier with the one of the plurality of peripheral devices and storing the address;
• and
• creating a configuration indicative of each of the plurality of peripheral devices, including an address for each of the plurality of peripheral devices;
• and
• transferring the configuration to the controller of the emergency response vehicle.