Electrical control apparatus including retrievable stored operationing program

A method comprising:

• providing a communication bus;
• providing a plurality of control modules each having:
• a plurality of input terminals each arranged for receiving at least one input from a respective one of a plurality of sources of input signals;
• a plurality of output terminals arranged for connection to a respective one of a plurality of controlled elements;
• a plurality of switches each associated with a respective one of the output terminals for effecting control of the respective controlled element;
• a processor arranged so as to actuate the switches in response to data from the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined operating program;
• a communications port connected to the communications bus for communication of data to and from the processor;
• the operating program being stored independently in each of the control modules;
• the operating program including a set of logic steps in an operating program format by which the switches are actuated in dependence upon predetermined characteristics of one or more of the input signals;
• providing a personal computer having:
• a communications port for communication with the processor through the communications port of the control module;
• an operator interface for displaying data to the operator and for receiving commands from the operator;
• providing a programming and diagnostic program in the personal computer;
• on receipt of a command from the operator through the personal computer, causing one of the control modules to output the set of logic steps in operating program format to the personal computer;
• causing the personal computer to receive and store the set of logic steps;
• causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to convert the set of logic steps in operating program format stored in the personal computer from the operating program format into an operator viewable graphic display in ladder logic format and to display the graphic display of the logic steps on the operator interface;
• causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to allow the operator to generate and/or modify the set of logic steps stored in the personal computer and viewed in the operator viewable graphic display;
• and causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to convert the operator viewable graphic display of the generated logic steps into the operating program format and to transmit the generated logic steps in the operating program format to the control modules for storage therein.

A method of controlling controlled elements in a vehicle comprising:

• providing a plurality of controlled elements;
• providing a plurality of sources of input signals;
• providing a communication bus;
• providing a plurality of control modules each having:
• a plurality of input terminals each arranged for receiving at least one input from a respective one of the plurality of sources of input signals;
• a plurality of output terminals arranged for connection to a respective one of a plurality of the controlled elements;
• a plurality of switches each associated with a respective one of the output terminals for effecting control of the respective controlled element;
• a processor arranged so as to actuate the switches in response to data from the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined operating program;
• a communications port connected to the communications bus for communication of data to and from the processor;
• the operating program being stored independently in each of the control modules;
• the operating program including a set of logic steps in an operating program format by which the switches are actuated in dependence upon predetermined characteristics of one or more of the input signals;
• providing a personal computer having:
• a communications port for communication with the processor through the communications port of the control module;
• an operator interface for displaying data to the operator and for receiving commands from the operator;
• providing a programming and diagnostic program in the personal computer;
• on receipt of a command from the operator through the personal computer, causing one of the control modules to output the set of logic steps in operating program format to the personal computer;
• causing the personal computer to receive and store the set of logic steps;
• causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to convert the set of logic steps in operating program format stored in the personal computer from the operating program format into an operator viewable graphic display in ladder logic format and to display the graphic display of the logic steps on the operator interface;
• causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to allow the operator to generate and/or modify the set of logic steps stored in the personal computer and viewed in the operator viewable graphic display;
• and causing the personal computer using the programming and diagnostic program to convert the operator viewable graphic display of the generated logic steps into the operating program format and to transmit the generated logic steps in the operating program format to the control modules for storage therein.