Automotive electrical system and method for coupling power to such systems
First Claim
1. An electrical system for controlling a plurality of vehicle functions in an automobile comprising:
- at least one remote module coupled to a power bus and a signal bus;
said remote module coupled to at least one wake-up input switch; and
a central module coupled to said remote module by said signal bus, said central module controlling electrical power from a power source to said power bus in response to a detection of an activation of said wake-up input switch thereby coupling power to said remote module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive electrical system and method for coupling power to such a system in which current cumulatively drawn by the various modules of the system during its inactive state is minimized. In one aspect of the invention, the electrical system (10) comprises at least one remote module (14a-n) coupled to a power bus (21) and a signal bus (16), at least one of the remote modules (14a-n) is coupled to at least one wake-up input switch (28A-I); a central module (12) coupled to the remote module (14a-n) by the signal bus (16), the central module (12) coupling electrical power from a power source (20) to the power bus (21) in response to a detection of an activation of any of the wake-up input switches (28A-I). In another aspect of the invention, a method for awakening an automotive electrical system (10) from an inactive state, the electrical system (10) having a central module (12) for coupling power from a power source (20) to a power bus (21), at least one remote module (14a-n) coupled to the power bus (21), and the remote module (14a-n) coupled to at least one wake-up input switch (28A-I), the method comprising the steps of: generating a current transient upon activation of the wake-up input switch (28A-I), sensing the current transient, generating a power control signal in response to the sensed current transient and coupling power to the power bus (21) in response to the power control signal.
35 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electrical system for controlling a plurality of vehicle functions in an automobile comprising:
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at least one remote module coupled to a power bus and a signal bus;
said remote module coupled to at least one wake-up input switch; anda central module coupled to said remote module by said signal bus, said central module controlling electrical power from a power source to said power bus in response to a detection of an activation of said wake-up input switch thereby coupling power to said remote module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An electrical system for controlling a plurality of vehicle functions in an automobile comprising:
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at least one remote module having wake-up input switch interface means coupled to a wake-up input switch for generating a current transient upon closure of said wake-up input switch; a central module having wake-up sense means for sensing said current transient; a wake-up signal bus coupling said wake-up sense means to said wake-up input switch interface means; a power bus coupled to said remote module; and power control means responsive to said wake-up sense means for coupling said power bus to a power source. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for awakening an automotive electrical system from an inactive state, the electrical system having a central module for coupling power from a power source to a power bus, a plurality of remote modules coupled to the power bus, and each remote module respectively coupled to at least one corresponding wake-up input switch, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a current transient upon activation of one of said wake-up input switches; sensing said current transient; generating a power control signal in response to said sensed current transient; and coupling power to the power bus in response to said power control signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification