Reconfigurable vehicle accessory control panel

A vehicle accessory control system for controlling a plurality of vehicle accessories in a vehicle, said control system comprising:

• a plurality of switches that is reconfigurable to provide at least two sets of accessory switch functions;
• a plurality of graphics disposed on said plurality of switches;
• a plurality of illumination elements for illuminating said plurality graphics;
• at least one controller for controlling the selection and activation of said at least two sets of switch functions;
• a first mode selector switch for selecting a first set of accessory switch functions;
• and
• a second mode selector switch for selecting a second set of accessory switch functions;
• wherein said controller receives a control input from said mode selector switches to select a respective set of accessory switch functions, said controller reconfigures said switches to operate in first and second non-simultaneous modes and enables said selected respective set of accessory switch functions in response to said control input and illuminates a respective set of graphics for identifying said respective set of accessory switch functions, and wherein said controller implements a wakeup protocol, wherein said wakeup protocol includes a sequential illumination learning mode scheme for visually identifying of each said respective set of accessory switch functions, said learning mode scheme sequentially illuminates a respective mode selector switch and respective graphics for identifying said respective set of accessory switch functions associated with said respective mode switch.

A method for activating vehicle accessory controls from a vehicle instrument panel using a reconfigurable switch panel, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an accessory control unit disposed in said instrument panel;
• providing a plurality of reconfigurable switches disposed in said accessory control unit including switches operable in first and second non-simultaneous modes;
• providing a plurality of illumination elements for illuminating a plurality of graphics, each respective graphic is identifiable with a respective switch function;
• initiating a wakeup protocol, wherein said wakeup protocol includes a sequential illumination learning mode scheme for visually identifying each said respective set of accessory switch functions according to each respective mode comprising:
• a. energizing said accessory control unit;
• b. illuminating a first mode selector switch and a second mode selector switch;
• c. dimming a first mode selector switch and illuminating a second mode selector switch and said respective set of graphics associated with said second mode selector switch;
• d. dimming a second mode selector switch and said respective set of graphics and illuminating said first mode selector switch and said respective set of graphics associated with said first selector switch;
• e. dimming said first mode selector switch and said respective set of graphics associated with said first mode selector switch;
• and
• reconfiguring said reconfigurable set of switches of said accessory control unit for a respective set of accessory switch functions in response to a control input, wherein a respective set of illumination elements illuminate according to a respective mode for identifying enabled switch functions.