Multiplex information handling system

A vehicle incorporating a multiplex information handling system, said system comprising:

• a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers, all interconnected by a signal bus and by a power bus;
• pieces of vehicle control equipment associated with the transmitters and receivers, and responsive to signals received by an associated receiver along the signal bus;
• and
• signal priority establishing means for establishing a priority among the signals transmitted over and received from the signal bus;
• wherein the transmitters trasmit said signals along the signal bus, said signals being representative of the operational state of at least one of associated vehicle control equipment and pieces of vehicle equipment controlled by the vehicle control equipment, each said transmitter normally being operative to transmit periodically and after detecting a first predetermined time period of quiet conditions on the signal bus, and at least one of the transmitters being additionally operative, in an priority mode under control of the signal priority establishing means, to transmit after detecting quiet conditions on the signal bus for a second predetermined time period less than the first predetermined time period.