Electronic controller having automatic self-configuration capabilities

Claim 1

A network of electronic controllers comprising a plurality of electronic controllers electrically connected to one another, wherein each of said controllers is programmed with an algorithm which causes said controller to analyze external connections of said controller to identify assigned tasks and functions of said controller, thereby allowing said controller to automatically configure itself for use, and wherein each of said controllers is programmed with instructions for performing assigned tasks and functions of all of said controllers, wherein updated instructions for performing assigned tasks and functions of all of said controllers are automatically loaded from a new controller which is added to said network into said remaining controllers.

Claim 21

A method of selecting one of a plurality of operating programs stored in an electronic controller for execution, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electronic controller including a memory, a plurality of input ports adapted to be selectively connected to respective input sources, a plurality of output ports adapted to be selectively connected to respective output devices, and a plurality of sensing ports adapted to receive signals representing the presence of any of the input sources connected to the input ports or any of the output devices connected to the output ports; (b) storing a plurality of operating programs in the memory of the electronic controller; (c) sampling the signals supplied to the sensing ports; and (d) selecting one of the plurality of operating programs stored in the memory of the electronic controller for execution from the sampled signals.

Claim 22

A method of selecting one of a plurality of operating programs stored in an electronic controller for execution, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electronic controller including a memory, a plurality of input ports adapted to be selectively connected to respective input sources, a plurality of output ports adapted to be selectively connected to respective output devices, and a plurality of sensing ports adapted to receive signals representing the presence of any of the input sources connected to the input ports or any of the output devices connected to the output ports; (b) storing a plurality of operating programs in the memory of the electronic controller; (c) sampling the signals supplied to the sensing ports; and (d) selecting one of the plurality of operating programs stored in the memory of the electronic controller for execution from the sampled signals.