Method of controlling a network of electronic stations including a sleep mode when no active function is activated

A method of controlling a network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function, said method for a network of electronic stations in which at least some of the functions generated by the electronic stations are "wake-up" functions, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) at at least some of the stations:
• i) generating an activation signal when a previously inactive "wake-up" function is requested;
• ii) generating a deactivation signal when an associated and previously active "wake-up" function is to be deactivated;
• b) at at least a first control station including a counter:
• i) detecting the activation and deactivation signals generated by all of the stations;
• ii) incrementing the counter by one step each time an activation signal is detected;
• iii) decrementing the same counter by one step each time a deactivation signal is detected;
• and
• iv) generating a "go to sleep" signal for all of the stations when the counter reaches a count of zero on being decremented.

A method for controlling a network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle, said electronic stations suitable for generating at least one "wake-up" function of a first type which requires an operator to activate it and an operator to deactivate it, and at least one "wake-up" function of a second type which is of limited duration and which requires an operator to activate it, but which is designed to be deactivated automatically, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) at at least some of the stations:
• i) generating an activation signal of a first type when an associated and previously inactive "wake-up" function of the first type is requested by the operator;
• ii) generating a deactivation signal when an associated and previously active "wake-up" function of the first type is to be deactivated;
• iii) generating an activation signal of a second type when an associated and previously inactive limited duration "wake-up" function of the second type is requested by the operator;
• b) and at at least a first control station including a counter and a timer:
• i) detecting the activation and deactivation signals generated by all of the stations;
• ii) incrementing the counter by one step each time an activation signal is detected;
• iii) decrementing the same counter by one step each time a deactivation signal is detected;
• and
• iv) initializing the timer each time an activation signal of the second type is detected;
• and
• v) generating a "go to sleep" signal for all of the stations when the counter reaches a count of zero and simultaneously the timer is not timing.

A method of controlling a network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function, said method for a network of electronic stations in which at least some of the stations are suitable for generating at least one function of a first type and which requires an operator to activate it and an operator to deactivate it, and at least one function of a second type which is of limited duration and which requires an operator to activate it, but which is designed to be deactivated automatically, the method comprising the following steps at each of the stations:

• generating an activation signal of a first type when a previously inactive function of the first type of the station is requested by the operator;
• generating a deactivation signal when a previously active function of the first type of said station is to be deactivated;
• generating an activation signal of a second type when a previously inactive limited duration function of the second type of the station is requested by the operator;
• detecting the activation and deactivation signals generated by said station;
• incrementing the counter incorporated in aid station by one step each time an activation signal of the first type generated by said station is detected;
• decrementing the same counter by one step each time a deactivation signal generated by said station is detected;
• initializing a timer incorporated in said station each time an activation signal of the second type generated by said station is detected;
• and
• generating a "go to sleep" signal for said station whenever the counter reaches a count of zero and simultaneously the timer is not timing.

A network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function, the network comprising:

• means suitable for generating an activation signal when an associated and previously inactive function is requested;
• means suitable for generating a deactivation signal when an associated and previously active function is to be deactivated;
• means suitable for detecting the generated activation and deactivation signals;
• a counter designed to be incremented by one step each time an associated activation signal is detected and to be decremented by one step each time an associated deactivation signal is detected;
• and
• means suitable for generating a "go to sleep" signal each time a counter reaches a zero count on being decremented.

A network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function, comprising:

• a) at at least some of the stations:
• means suitable for generating an activation signal when an associated and previously inactive "wake-up" function is requested;
• means suitable for generating a deactivation signal when an associated and previously active "wake-up" function is to be deactivated;
• b) at at least a first control station:
• means suitable for detecting the activation and deactivation signals generated by all of the stations;
• a counter designed to be incremented by one step each time an activation signal is detected and to be decremented by one step each time a deactivation signal is detected;
• and
• means suitable for generating a "go to sleep" signal for all of the stations when the counter reaches a zero count on being decremented.

A network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function, said stations suitable for generating at least one "wake-up" function of a first type which requires an operator to activate it and an operator to deactivate it, and at least one "wake-up" function of a second type which is of limited duration and which requires an operator to activate it, but which is designed to be deactivated automatically, the network comprising:

• a) at at least some of the stations:
• means suitable for generating an activation signal of a first type whenever an associated and previously inactive "wake-up" function of the first type is requested by an operator;
• means suitable for generating a deactivation signal whenever an associated and previously active "wake-up" function of the first type is to be deactivated;
• means suitable for generating an activation signal of a second type whenever an associated and previously inactive limited duration "wake-up" function of the second type is requested by the operator;
• b) at at least a first control station:
• means suitable for detecting the activation and the deactivation signals generated by all of the stations;
• a counter designed to be incremented by one step each time an activation signal of the first type is detected and to be decremented by one step each time a deactivation signal is detected;
• a timer designed to be initialized each time an activation signal of the second type is detected;
• and
• means suitable for generating a "go to sleep" signal for all of the stations whenever the counter reaches a zero count and simultaneously the timer is not timing.

A network of electronic stations in a motor vehicle each suitable for generating at least one function wherein the network comprises stations suitable for generating at least one function of a first type and which requires an operator to activate it and an operator to deactivate it, and at least one function of a second type which is of limited duration and which requires an operator to activate it, but which is designed to be deactivated automatically, the network comprising at each of its stations:

• means suitable for generating an activation signal of a first type when a previously inactive function of the first type of said station is requested by the operator;
• means suitable for generating a deactivation signal when a previously active function of the first type of said station is to be deactivated;
• means suitable for generating an activation signal of the second type whenever a previously inactive limited duration function of the second type of said station is requested by the operator;
• means suitable for detecting the activation and deactivation signals generated by said station;
• a counter designed to be incremented by one step each time an activation signal of the first type generated by said station is detected and to be decremented by one step each time a deactivation signal generated by said station is detected;
• a timer designed to be initialized each time an activation signal of the second type generated by said station is detected;
• and
• means suitable for generating a "go to sleep" signal for said station when the counter reaches a zero state and simultaneously the timer is not timing.