EP0289271A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Intelligent wiring system
Assignee: Group Lotus PLC
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Filing: 1988-04-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-04-27
Abstract
Abstract An intelligent wiring system for a road vehicle has a master unit (1) linked to slave units (4) in communication with vehicle equipment by a dedicated multiplex highway (2). The system operates to bring the equipment to a failsafe condition, selectively or in response to detection of a fault, in which the vehicle can be operated manually, the equipment being preferably then grounded. The slave units can be of modular construction so as to facilitate adaptation to different items of vehicle equipment and the system can be operated at a speed such that the highway can be constituted by conventional automobile cable.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter David Norris
- 👤 Anthony Malcolm Macdonald
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:52
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08C; G08C25/00; B; B60; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/03; B60R16/0315
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
An intelligent wiring system comprising a master unit (1) in communication by means of a highway (2) with at least one slave unit (4), associated with an equipment unit (5,5a), wherein the or each equipment unit is arranged to be brought to a predetermined failsafe condition in the event of a system failure and/or to a manual override control input.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
An intelligent wiring system comprising a master unit (1) in communication by means of a highway (2) with at least one slave unit (4), associated with an equipment unit (5,5a), wherein the or each equipment unit is arranged to be brought to a predetermined failsafe condition in the event of a system failure and/or to a manual override control input.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each equipment unit (4) is arranged to be earthed in the predetermined failsafe condition thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 having in the control unit (1) default logic in communication by means of the highway (2) with default logic in the or each slave unit (4).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 having a manual override control device (9) for causing the or each equipment unit (5,5a) to assume the failsafe condition thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the or each slave unit (4) is of modular form and comprises means (6) adapting the unit for communication with the associated equipment unit (5).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A wiring system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein system timing functions, switch logic and processing are performed in the master unit (1) only.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A wiring system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the highway (2) comprises a three-wire highway (19,26,27) of which one wire (19) carryies information signals, another wire (26) carries clock pulses for co-ordinating master and slave unit operations, and the third wire (27) carries default information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the third wire (27) carries status information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wiring system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one of the slave units (4) is integrally constructed with the associated equipment unit (5a).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A wiring system as claimed in any preceding claim when incorporated in a road vehicle, the system operating at a rate such that the highway (2) can be constituted by standard automobile cable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
An intelligent wiring system comprising a control unit (1) in communication with a plurality of slave units (4) each associated with a respective equipment unit (5,5a), at least one of the slave units being of modular form for ready adaptation to equipment unit requirements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
An intelligent wiring system comprising a control unit (1) in communication with a plurality of slave units (4) each associated with a respective equipment unit (5,5a), at least one of the slave units being of modular form for ready adaptation to equipment unit requirements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 5 or 11 wherein the or each modular slave unit (4) comprises a plug-in module (6) for adaptation to the associated equipment unit (5).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A vehicle wiring system comprising a control unit (1), at least one slave unit (4) positioned remotely therefrom, and a dedicated highway (2) for communication between the units, the communication being conducted in such a way that the highway can be constituted by conventional automobile cable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A vehicle wiring system comprising a control unit (1), at least one slave unit (4) positioned remotely therefrom, and a dedicated highway (2) for communication between the units, the communication being conducted in such a way that the highway can be constituted by conventional automobile cable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A wiring system as claimed in claim 10 or 13 wherein the communication is conducted at approximately 1,500 bits per second.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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