초록 ▼

A military vehicle comprises a vehicle power distribution and control system which includes a plurality of input and output devices and a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules that collect data from the plurality of input devices and that distribute power to the plurality of output dev

A military vehicle comprises a vehicle power distribution and control system which includes a plurality of input and output devices and a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules that collect data from the plurality of input devices and that distribute power to the plurality of output devices. The interface modules are distributed throughout the vehicle and are locally placed with respect to the plurality of input and output devices. In one embodiment, the control system is capable of dynamically reconfiguring itself in the event that a master interface module is damaged. In another embodiment, the control system includes an additional layer of fault management that is utilized when the input states of one or more input devices is undetermined.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wrecker vehicle comprising:(A) a power source; (B) a power transmission link; (C) a communication network; (D) a chassis; (E) a first plurality of input devices, said first plurality of input devices being mounted on said chassis; (F) a first plurality of output devices, said first plurality of

1. A wrecker vehicle comprising:(A) a power source; (B) a power transmission link; (C) a communication network; (D) a chassis; (E) a first plurality of input devices, said first plurality of input devices being mounted on said chassis; (F) a first plurality of output devices, said first plurality of output devices being mounted on said chassis; (G) a first microprocessor-based interface module, said first interface module being mounted on said chassis, said first interface module being coupled to said communication network, said first interface module being coupled to said power source by way of said power transmission link, said first interface module being coupled to said first plurality of input devices and said first plurality of output devices by way of a first set of respective dedicated communication links, and said first interface module receiving power from said power source and controlling distribution of power to said first plurality of output devices based at least in part on signals received by way of said communication network; (H) a wrecker variant module, said wrecker variant module being mounted on said chassis and the weight of said variant module being supported by said chassis, said wrecker variant module including a mechanical drive device capable of imparting motion to a towed vehicle to provide said vehicle with a first type of functionality, said wrecker variant module being removable and replaceable with other variant modules having other different types of mechanical drive devices to form other vehicles with other different types of functionality; (I) a second plurality of input devices, said second plurality of input devices being mounted on said wrecker variant module; (J) a second plurality of output devices, said second plurality of output devices being mounted on said wrecker variant module; (K) a second microprocessor-based interface module, said second interface module being mounted on said wrecker variant module, said second interface module being coupled to said communication network, said second interface module being coupled to said power source by way of said power transmission link, said second interface module being coupled to said second plurality of input devices and said second plurality of output devices by way of a second set of respective dedicated communication links, and said second interface module receiving power from said power source and controlling distribution of power to said second plurality of output devices based at least in part on signals received by way of said communication network; and (L) a plurality of additional microprocessor-based interface modules, said plurality of interface modules being coupled to said power source by way of said power transmission link, said plurality of additional interface modules being interconnected to each other and to said first and second interface modules by way of said communication network, and each of said plurality of additional interface modules being coupled to respective ones of a plurality of additional input devices and a plurality of additional output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links.