Patent ID: 6202017
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B60T

Abstract:
A circuit configuration for controlling a major number of electric or electromechanical consumers of an automotive vehicle control system where control signals generated by an electronic control unit responsive to sensing signals can be delivered to the consumers via amplifier stages,wherein the amplifier stages are designed as ""intelligent power drivers"" comprising a power amplifier with integrated electronic controls and status monitors for producing status signals, and the amplifier stages are interconnected and connected to the control unit via a synchronous serial interface,wherein a data transfer flows in a closed loop or chain from a serial exit of the control unit via the amplifier stages and back to a serial entry of the control unit, and comprises the control signals delivered to the amplifier stages and status signals returned from the amplifier stages,and wherein the circuit configuration provides for an operating cycle and for an activation instruction or a transfer instruction for controlling connections of the data transfer through the closed loop or chain between the amplifier stages and control unit.