Loading patent…
AssigneeRolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited
InventorsPhilip Grant, Michael Christopher Becker, David Brassington, Philip Samuel Butler, Steven Graham Hutson, Nicholas Jonathan Fullalove, Leslie Douglas Preston
Estimating the term…
Apparatus for controlling the electrical functions in a plurality of different locations of a vehicle comprises a plurality of electrical control units connected to a data bus (23) and distributed throughout the vehicle. All control units are identical and all are programmed to carry out all the electrical functions of the vehicle. Each unit incorporates means to detect the resistance at the point at which it is connected into the circuitry and to compare that resistance with the stored table of resistance and to select on the basis of that comparison the program for operation appropriate to the particular location in which the unit is disposed. In this way only one unit needs to be certified and units may be switched from location to location to provide a "get you home" service should one of the units fail in a particularly critical location.
Apparatus for controlling the electrical functions in a plurality of different locations of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of electronic control units, each of which is operable to control at least one electrical function in a particular one of those locations, and a plurality of activation devices disposed to feed control signals to one or more of the units under the control of a vehicle occupant wherein the control units are all identical and include programs to control all the functions in all the locations of the vehicle and comprise means for identifying which program to activate in dependence upon the particular location of the unit whereby one unit may be substituted for another where necessary.
Apparatus for controlling the electrical functions in a plurality of different locations of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of electronic control units, each of which is operable to control at least one function in a particular one of those locations, and a plurality of activation devices disposed to feed control signals to one or more of the units under the control of a vehicle occupant and wherein the control units are all identical and include programs to control all the functions in all the locations of the vehicle and include means for identifying which program to activate in dependence upon the particular location of the unit whereby one unit may be substituted for another where necessary, and in which each control unit includes a circuit having a resistance and the means for identifying comprises a comparator for comparing the resistance of the circuit at the location of the unit with a table of resistances stored in the unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.