Display system for automotive vehicle

A display system for an automotive vehicle, said display system operating in a highly effective manner by selective partitioning of functions to display status information to a vehicle operator, to receive input signals from the operator and to supply control signals to the vehicle, said system comprising:

• (1) a CRT display means for displaying graphics and text to the operator;
• (2) a video graphics adapter (VGA) for controlling operation of said CRT display means and for generating video signals, said video graphics adapter including a video storage means and video buffers for generating graphics and text, the video buffers being reconfigurable to generate different styles of graphics and text;
• (3) touch switches mounted in conjunction with said CRT display means for entry of desired function information by the operator and generation of touch input signals;
• (4) discrete switches for entry of additional function information by the operator, said switches supplying discrete input signals;
• (5) circuit matrices responsive to input signals from said touch switches and said discrete switches to supply function signals to said system;
• (6) a Display controller for controlling system operations;
• (7) an input/output (I/O) channel incorporated in said Display controller;
• (8) an interprocessor data link for transferring data and commands in said system;
• (9) a Poll/Response bus for transmitting monitoring and control signals involving Poll-Response devices in said vehicle such as for example, engine control, body control and instrument panel modules;
• (10) a Random Access bus for transmitting control and monitoring signals involving Random Access devices in said vehicle such as for example, entertainment and climate control modules;
• (11) a master microprocessor incorporated in said Display controller for issuing control signals and responding to control signals representative of major system functions, said master microprocessor having associated storage means for storing master data and commands and a major control program to control master functions in said system, said major functions including control of graphics and text for display on said CRT display means and, said circuit matrices being responsive to said touch switches and discrete switches for supplying signals to said master microprocessor;
• (12) a slave microprocessor incorporated in said Display controller for issuing and receiving control and data signals involving communication with said master microprocessor in said Display controller via said input/output channel and said interprocessor data link, and said slave microprocessor having associated storage means for storing slave data and commands and a slave control program to control slave functions in said system, said slave functions including control and monitoring of communications internally within said Display controller and externally of said Display controller with devices attached to said Poll/Response bus and said Poll/Response bus and said Random Acces bus.