Patent ID: 8482140

Claim:
A starter control system, comprising: a power source; a starter motor in operative communication with the power source; a starter relay operatively interposed between the power source and the starter motor, the starter relay including a high side node and a low side node and being controllable to selectively enable power delivery from the power source to the starter motor responsive to activation of the high side node and the low side node; where the high side node is activated according to a predetermined control logic to operate the starter motor, and where the high side node is activated directly responsive to an operator action that is not subject to the predetermined control logic to operate the starter motor; a control module including a high side driver in operative communication with the high side node of the starter relay and a low side driver in operative communication with the low side node of the starter relay; an ignition switch in operative communication with the high side node of the starter relay and in operative communication with the control module; where the control module includes a processor that activates the low side driver responsive to receiving a start request from the ignition switch; and where the starter relay initially enables power delivery from the power source to the starter motor based on the low side driver activating the low side node of the starter relay and the ignition switch activating the high side node of the starter relay via operator action of the ignition switch.