Patent ID: 6963796

Claim:
A motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle system power source; a controller area network; a modular power unit coupled to the controller area network to receive control signals, the modular power unit comprising signal decoding means for generating switching signals in response to the control signals and power application switches responsive to the switching signals for controlling selective translation of power from the vehicle system power source to a load; at least a first vocational controller coupled to the controller area network for communication; a modular power take off manager having an operator interface and being coupled to the vocational controller for transmitting control signals for the modular power unit over the controller area network; a vehicle system controller coupled for communication over the controller area network, the vehicle system controller being programmed to execute a load management program using the load data from the modular power unit as input data; an engine controller coupled for communication over the controller area network; the load management program providing requests for increasing engine output for the engine controller with increases in load; and the load management program providing for load shedding when output demand exceeds predetermined limits.