Multiplexing of accessories in a vehicle

Multiplex apparatus for control of accessories of a vehicle, including at least one of power-operated door locks, an ignition switch, adapted for use with a body computer module, comprising:

• a door module on the driver side of the vehicle;
• at least one output module connected with said door module;
• bus means for multiple excommunication among said modules;
• actuator means for locking a door;
• means for sensing when an ignition key is in said ignition switch;
• means for sensing when said ignition switch is OFF;
• means for sensing when a door is ajar;
• means receiving signals from said sensor means for inhibiting door locking when said key is in said ignition switch, said ignition switch is OFF, and said door is ajar.

A method for control of accessories of a vehicle, including power-operated seats;

• said vehicle having a body module, a door module on the driver side, a door module on the passenger side, and at least one output module connected with each of said door modules;
• said seat being movable by motors over a range to mechanical limits of travel;
• comprising the automatic and much seat-initialization procedure steps of:
• loading into a memory predetermined FORWARD and UP seat positions that are beyond said mechanical limits of travel and therefore unreachable;
• commanding said seat to move toward said positions of said predetermined values by manually actuating first and second memory recall switches simultaneously;
• moving said seat in response to said command until it reaches said mechanical limits and said motors stall and the stall conditions are detected;
• recording the positions at which said stall conditions were detected as FORWARD limits and UP limits for the respective axes;
• loading a second set of predetermined values into said memory and repeating said process for the directions BACK and DOWN;
• moving said seat until BACK and DOWN stalls occur and have been detected,
• recording the positions at which the stalls occurred for each of the axes as BACK limits and DOWN limits;
• when the last axis has stalled and had its stall position determined and recorded, moving the seat to a center position based on the limits just determined.

A method for control of accessories of a vehicle, including power-operated seats;

• said vehicle having a body module, a door module on the driver side of the vehicle, a door module on the passenger side of the vehicle, and at least one output module connected with each of said door modules;
• said seat being movable by motors over a range to mechanical hard limits of travel;
• comprising the automatic and manual steps of:
• manually initiating performance of an initialization procedure to set limits including moving said seat as far as it can go, to a stall condition, along various axes of motion;
• recording the positions at which motor stalls were detected as FORWARD hard and soft limits, and UP hard and soft limits for the respective axes, said soft limits being at least temporarily equal to said hard limits;
• subsequently setting a soft limit different from a hard limit if an obstruction subsequently causes a stall,
• thereafter, when a new seat command is received, comparing the then-current position of the seat with said hard limits;
• inhibiting turn-on of the motor if the seat is already at a hard limit in the commanded direction;
• if a soft limit that is not equal to a hard limit has previously been set and has been reached by said seat, stopping the seat motion there, but enabling any second actuation of the seat switch in that direction to start the motor in order to try to overridge the soft limit;
• if the overridge attempt is successful because the prior soft limit condition no longer exists, resetting the soft limit so as to equal the corresponding hard limit.

Apparatus for control of accessories of a vehicle having a PARK position of its transmission, said accessories including a power-operated seat with seat belt, comprising:

• a door module on the driver side of the vehicle;
• at least one output module connected with said door module;
• at least one of said seats being movable through a range of travel;
• power means for moving said seat;
• set-switch means for setting a memory position of said seat;
• memory-recall switch means for, upon subsequent actuation, operating said seat to go to said memory position;
• means for sensing that said set-switch means was not actuated within a predetermined number of seconds before said memory-recall switch;
• sensor means for sensing safety conditions and providing safety condition input signals, including means for sensing, that said vehicle's transmission is in said PARK position, and that said seat belt is not fastened;
• means responsive to said memory-recall switch means for driving said seat to said memory position when said safety conditions are fulfilled.