Patent ID: 7017083

Claim:
A method for testing an inhibit function of an inhibit device coupled to a transmission line at a first node, the transmission line being coupled to a network component at a transmission port, a feedback line being coupled to the network component at a feedback port, and the feedback line being coupled to the transmission line at a second node, the method comprising: applying a logical signal to the first node from the inhibit device, wherein the logical signal is applied by closing a switch located between the first node and a supply potential, and wherein the state of the logical signal indicates whether the inhibit function is active; transmitting a test signal message onto the transmission line at the transmission port while the logical signal is applied to the first node; and analyzing a feedback signal at the feedback port; wherein the network component is a microcontroller having an interrupt function that can be controlled via the feedback port, and wherein the inhibit function is tested by analyzing whether the interrupt function is triggered when the inhibit function is active.