Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An outstation arrangement for a vehicle electrical system comprising an outstation responsive to incoming data signals and arranged to produce a set of signals for controlling a set of loads (44) associated with the outstation, a set of switch means (41) each of which is arranged to control the flow of current to an associated load (44) in response to a respective one of said control signals, characterised in that the arrangement includes a set of fault detectors (43) each of which is associated with one of said loads (44), said outstation being responsive to said fault detectors (43) and arranged, upon detection of a fault by one of said fault detectors, to remove the control signal for the load associated with that fault detector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An outstation arrangement for a vehicle electrical system comprising an outstation responsive to incoming data signals and arranged to produce a set of signals for controlling a set of loads (44) associated with the outstation, a set of switch means (41) each of which is arranged to control the flow of current to an associated load (44) in response to a respective one of said control signals, characterised in that the arrangement includes a set of fault detectors (43) each of which is associated with one of said loads (44), said outstation being responsive to said fault detectors (43) and arranged, upon detection of a fault by one of said fault detectors, to remove the control signal for the load associated with that fault detector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
An outstation arrangement as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the outstation comprises a logic circuit (35) responsive to the incoming signals, a shift register (40) driven by the logic circuit (35) and having a set of outputs for producing said set of control signals, and a circuit (50 to 53, T2, R7) which is responsive to said fault detectors (43) and which, upon detection of a fault, supplies a signal to the shift register (40) for temporarily disabling its outputs and supplies a signal to the logic circuit (35) indicative of the fault.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
An outstation arrangement as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the logic circuit (35) supplies a series of data signals at periodic intervals to said shift register and in that said circuit (50 to 53, T2, R7) responsive to the fault detectors (43) includes a second shift register (50) having a set of inputs connected to respective ones of fault detectors (43), said second shift register (50) supplying a series of signals representative of its contents to an input of said first shift register (40) in phase with the data signals from the logic circuit (35).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
An outstation arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said circuit (50 to 53, T2, R7) responsive to the fault detectors (43) includes a latch (52,53) for supplying said signal for temporarily disabling the output of the first shift register (40), said latch (52,53) being set upon detection of a fault and being reset after each series of data signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An outstation arranged as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the logic circuit is a computer (35).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An outstation arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the outstation is arranged to re-supply the control signal for a load at the end of an interval following the detection of a fault by a fault detector associated with that load.