Chrysler Corporation

John Merritt

Gary K Lowe

Larry Joseph Kirn

A method and system for sharing a hardware resource in a multistate system is provided. The method includes the steps of monitoring changes in state in the multistate system using a pickup device, accessing a memory containing control parameters required by the hardware resource in response to a state signal from the pickup device, applying a control signal that is related to the accessed control parameters to the hardware resource, and connecting the hardware resource to a selected one of several output devices. The system for sharing a hardware resource includes a memory for storing control parameters, a microprocessor in communication with the memory for updating the control parameters, a pickup device for generating a state signal corresponding to the state of the system, a selection device, for example, a multiplexer, that is responsive to the state signal for selecting one of the control parameters from the memory, a device for applying a control signal related to the selected control parameter to the shared hardware resource, and a switch in communication with the shared hardware resource and selectively in communication with one of a plurality of input or output drivers. The input/output devices for both the method and the system are selected in relation to the state signal, and may be selected based on the present state (Nth state) of the system or a previous state, for example, the Nth-1 state.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

John Merritt