Robert Boschgmbh

Hartmut Zobl

Georg Haubner

Jurgen Wesemeyer

Werner Meier

Albert Weckenmann

Reinhard Fassel

Rolf Brautigam

Hans Petermann

Electrical switching and control apparatus

A microcomputer (10) in a motor vehicle is supplied with regulated operating voltage through a regulator (12) and a semiconductor (11) for the microcomputer is supplied with voltage from the same vehicle battery, through a voltage divider including a Zener diode, for its chip-select input (CSA) which feeds in through a Schmitt trigger circuit such as to enable writing into the memory (11) when the voltage at that chip-select input lies between upper and lower threshold values. Capacitances connected in parallel to ground where these voltages are respectively connected to the microcomputer and semiconductor memory are so dimensioned that any data statement transfer, begun before the longest delay the microcomputer might have in detecting the voltage drop-off, can be completed in the semiconductor memory before its chip-select input disables any further writing in. In order to keep the stabilizing capacitor (C.sub.4) for the operating voltage supply for the memory down to reasonable size, a separate battery can be advantageous for that voltage supply, although this precaution is less necessary when the memory is a EPROM for recording a one-time message from a crash sensor identifying operating conditions at the beginning of a crash.

Coordinated circuit for supplying power from a D-C source to a

Electric switching device

A modular, space-saving vehicle data acquisition and dashboard display system, comprising analog and/or digital sensors (30, 31, 32) connected to a central control logic (14) which is in turn connected over a single digital data line to a plurality of control modules (26) including microprocessors (28) and connected to individual display elements (29) such as liquid-crystal displays. The system includes a travel data read-out (21) which can be interrogated using a keyboard (27).

Vehicle data acquistion and dashboard display system

To eliminate separate clock, control, and acknowledgment communication lines in a ring-connected remote-control operating system, for example a system applied to a vehicle in which switches (29) or command signals derived from a central station (10) generate code signals to which receivers (11, 12) are responsive to carry out commands, such as energization of a relay (18), a lamp (17), a motor (16, 20) or the like, or cause retransmission to the central station of a sensed operating signal, for example fuel level, for display on a display unit (28), only a single communication line (8), preferably in form of a light guide (15), is provided coupled to the central station (10) and to the respective receivers. The coding is effected by applying to the single line (15) cyclical pulse sequences. The pulse sequences are arranged to form codes which are derived by making the pulses of different pulse widths, and the pulse gaps of respectively different pulse gap widths, and sensing the number of pulses, the pulse widths, and the duration of the pulse gaps between the pulses to thereby obtain coding which is related to clock signals (B), synchronization signals (C), control signals (0, 1), as well as acknowledgment signals (B'). The decoding system includes timing circuits which respond respectively, to the timing pulse pauses and to the time duration of individual pulses.

Remote-control operating system and method for selectively addressing

A diaphragm having a plurality of apertures each associated with a title block on the front panel of an indicator unit is provided to cause the various title blocks to be illuminated evenly from a light source positioned behind the diaphragm. The size, number and shape of the apertures is so chosen that all of the title blocks are equally illuminated regardless of their size and regardless of their distance to the light source. Indirect light is used to prevent the formation of shadows and light spots on the title blocks.

Apparatus for creating an even illumination of a plurality of title

A plurality of receivers which can be respectively addressed by addressing pulses provide reply pulses on a separate reply signal bus indicative of a single digit, or multi-digit binary response condition. To permit extended indication, the central station includes a holding stage which holds the output received from the reply receivers for the duration of a selection cycle during which the plurality of loads can be addressed, for example during a predetermined counted number of such cycles or during a predetermined counted number of pulses to permit averaging-type instruments to respond to said number of pulses --if present--or to permit extended indication of single digit binary output--if present.

Growing community of inventors

Furth, Germany

Hartmut Zobl