Patent ID: 7444226

Claim:
An electronic control device for controlling the operation of motor vehicle components, comprising a microcontroller for providing at least one control signal for control of at least one component to be controlled in an operation of the motor vehicle; a monitoring device connected for monitoring a correct operation of said microcontroller, a release control device configured to output a digital release signal, for signaling: a disabling with a first release signal state, if said monitoring device establishes that said microcontroller is not operating correctly; or an enabling of an activation of the component to be controlled with a second release signal state, if said monitoring device establishes that said microcontroller is operating correctly; an output stage for activating and deactivating the component to be controlled based on the control signal and taking into account the release signal state; a modulation device connected to said release control device for periodic modulation of the release signal; and an evaluation device connected to receive and to analyze the release signal fed to said output stage with regard to the periodic modulation, and connected to place said output stage into a predetermined error case state if the periodic modulation is absent.