Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Sequential or selective
Reexamination Certificate
1996-07-01
2003-02-18
Trammell, James P. (Department: 3621)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Generic control system, apparatus or process
Sequential or selective
C700S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06522935
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control-specification design management system. A control-specification design management system may be used for load control devices. In the control-specification design management system, each of the load control devices includes a rewritable storage which stores control-specification information. The control-specification information relates to the connection correspondence of control switches, arrayed on an operation panel, to loads as objects to be controlled. Loads are controlled by using load control information based on the control-specification information.
More particularly, the invention relates to a control-specification design management system used for load control devices for vehicles. In the vehicle load control devices, each includes a rewritable storage which stores control-specification information on the connection correspondence between the vehicle's electric components, such as lamps or an air conditioner, which are loads that constitute objects to be controlled, and the plurality of control switches arrayed on the vehicle's operation panel. The vehicle has a master multiplex communication unit for carrying out a process of multiplexing load control information, based on the control-specification information, through a multiplex transmission line. The vehicle also has a plurality of slave multiplex communication units for carrying out a process of multiplexing load control information, based on the control-specification information, through a multiplex transmission line. The control of the loads is accomplished by using the multiplexed load control information, with the master multiplex communication unit being interconnected with the slave multiplex communication units by multiplex transmission lines.
2. Related Art
A control-specification design management system used for load control devices as shown in
FIG. 23
is known to the inventors.
As shown, a control-specification design management system
5
is used for load control devices
2
. In the system, the control-specification information on the connection correspondence of a plural number of control switches
6
a
arrayed on an operation panel
6
to loads
3
, as objects to be controlled, are respectively stored in the load control devices
2
b
, which are designed to be exclusively used for those pieces of control-specification information, respectively. Accordingly, the load control devices
2
, the number of which is equal to the number of kinds of control-specification information, are provided in the control-specification design management system. The design of the control-specification information is manually performed.
The exclusive load control devices
2
respectively control the loads
3
. Loads
3
are each connected to the control units
2
using load control information
1
. The load control information is formed on the basis of the control-specification information.
Also in a control-specification design management system
5
used for load control devices
2
, each load control device
2
includes a master multiplex communication unit for carrying out a multiplexing process of load control information
1
, based on the control-specification information, through a multiplex transmission line
8
. Each load control device
2
also includes a slave multiplex communication unit
2
b
, connected to the master multiplex communication unit, for carrying out a multiplexing process of load control information
1
and for controlling loads
3
by the multiplexed load control information
1
.
The respective control-specification information, for each exclusive master multiplex communication unit and each slave multiplex communication unit
2
b
, are stored. Accordingly, the exclusive master multiplex communication units and the slave multiplex communication units
2
b
, are provided in equal number to the kinds of the control-specification information. As already mentioned, however, the design of control-specification information is wholly manual.
The exclusive master multiplex communication units of load control devices
2
and the slave multiplex communication units
2
b
control the loads
3
connected thereto by using the load control information
1
, which is based on the control-specification information.
The foregoing arrangement is provided because the control-specification information may be different for every user and every type of motor vehicle.
The load control information
1
includes the details of the control of the loads
3
, the types of the loads
3
(e.g., lamps and an air conditioner), and control methods (e.g., the control of light intensities of lamps, and the on/off supply of electric power to the air conditioner).
As described above, in the conventional control-specification design management system, it is necessary to provide the exclusive load control devices (or the exclusive master multiplex communication units and the slave multiplex communication units) of which the number is equal to the number of kinds of the control-specification information. It is difficult to standardize the load control devices in their design. The difficulty of the standardization makes it difficult to improve the productivity and to realize cost reduction.
As referred to above, the design of the control-specification information is done solely by manual work. Because of this, it is difficult to add necessary information to control-specification information that already has been determined. It also is difficult and alter the control-specification information. Accordingly, this makes it difficult to reduce the number of steps in the design process, to improve productivity, and to reduce manufacturing costs. The same problems arise in standardizing the wire harness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For the foregoing reasons, an object of the present invention is to provide a control-specification design management system which is capable of readily standardizing the design of the load control devices and the wire harness, and hence reducing the number of steps of the design process, improving productivity, and achieving cost reduction.
In the present invention, in designing the connection correspondence of the control switches to the loads, the control-specification design management system refers to a look-up table or a slip file, prepared in the preceding design, and presents to a designer candidates for the loads that can be controlled when these are connected to the control switches, thereby to impel the designer to select the most suitable candidate from those presented. In this way, the designer forms control-specification information. The contents of the slip file are printed out.
As an aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a control-specification design management system used for load control devices. Each load control device has a rewritable storage which stores control-specification information on the connection correspondence between a plurality of control switches arrayed on an operation panel, and loads, as objects to be controlled. Each load control device is capable of controlling the loads by using load control information which is based on the control-specification information. The control-specification design management system is characterized in that a look-up table is provided. The look-up table includes the connection correspondence of loads that can be controlled when such loads are connected to the control switches. In designing the connection correspondence of the control switches to the loads, the control-specification design management system refers to the look-up table. The system presents to the designer candidates for the loads that can be controlled when these are connected to the control switches. Thereby, the designer may select the most suitable one from among those presented candidates, thus forming or defining the control-specification information.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control-specification design m
Imaizumi Nobuhiro
Oniishi Tatsuaki
Greene Daniel L.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Trammell James P.
Yazaki -Corporation
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