# US 10,871,221 B2 · Shift by wire gear shift actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,221 B2 - Document ID: US10871221B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/927,812 - Filed: 2018-03-21 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-21 - Assignees: Fico Triad, S.A. - Applicants: Fico Triad, S.A. - Inventors: Marc Dominguis Botella; Jaume Ferre Ripoll - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871221B2 ## CPC - F16H 59/08: Range selector apparatus - F16H 63/3491: {Emergency release or engagement of parking locks or brakes} - F16H 63/42: Ratio indicator devices - F16H 63/48: Signals to a parking brake {or parking lock; Control of parking locks or brakes being part of the transmission} - F16H 2059/0295: {with mechanisms to return lever to neutral or datum position, e.g. by return springs} - F16H 2059/081: {using knops or discs for rotary range selection} - F16H 2061/223: {Electrical gear shift lock, e.g. locking of lever in park or neutral position by electric means if brake is not applied; Key interlock, i.e. locking the key if lever is not in park position} - F16H 2063/423: {Range indicators for automatic transmissions, e.g. showing selected range or mode} - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract The shift by wire gear shift actuator includes a selector knob rotatable by the user for selecting a gearshift position for controlling a vehicle transmission, and a display arrangement associated with the selector knob for sequentially and dynamically providing optical indications according to gearshift positions simulating a rotational movement of the selector knob. This informs the user about an auto park feature when the vehicle transmission is being automatically driven into a park gearshift position under a determined condition such as for example when a person intends to exit the car, when the vehicle is turned off, when the driver's door is open with the safety belt unlatched, etc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shift by wire gear shift actuator comprising: a selector knob rotatable for selecting one of a plurality of gearshift positions among at least Park (P), Reverse (R), Neutral (N), and Drive (D) gearshift positions for controlling a vehicle transmission; and a display arrangement associated with the selector knob comprising a plurality of display units arranged to be sequentially on according to the plurality of gear positions for sequentially and dynamically providing optical indications according to the plurality of gearshift positions having the effect of simulating a rotational movement of the selector knob informing a user that the vehicle transmission is being automatically driven into the Park (P) gearshift position when a determined condition is met. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display units is located on the selector knob. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The actuator of claim 2, wherein the plurality of display units are separate display units. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the display arrangement comprises a progress band located on the selector knob arranged for sequentially displaying different gearshift positions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the display arrangement is arranged surrounding the selector knob. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the display arrangement is arranged on a periphery of the selector knob. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the condition, under which the vehicle transmission is automatically driven into the Park (P) gearshift position and optical indications are sequentially and dynamically provided by the display arrangement simulating the rotational movement of the selector knob is at least one selected from: when a person intends to exit the vehicle, when the vehicle is turned off, when an ignition key has been removed, when a vehicle door is open, and when a safety belt is unlatched. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the selector knob is of a multi-dial type or of a monostable type. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1, wherein the display arrangement further includes a gearshift display for displaying a current gearshift position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A shift by wire shifter device for motor vehicles including an arrangement for automatically driving a vehicle transmission into a park gearshift position when the determined condition is met, wherein the shift by wire shifter device further comprises the shift by wire gear shift actuator according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10 comprising a bezel and the selector knob is rotatable mounted to the bezel and the display arrangement is arranged on a periphery of the bezel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the determined condition is at least one selected from: when a person intends to exit the vehicle, when the vehicle is turned off, when an ignition key has been removed, when a vehicle door is open, and when a safety belt is unlatched. ### Claim 13 A method for informing that a vehicle transmission is being automatically driven into a Park (P) gearshift position when a determined condition is met, the method comprising: detecting a gearshift position, detecting the determined condition, determining optical information to be dynamically provided via a plurality of display units, according to different gearshift positions simulating a rotational movement of a selector knob until the Park (P) gearshift position is reached, and displaying, via the plurality of display units, the optical information through a shift by wire gear shift actuator when the vehicle is in the condition and the transmission is not in park. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprises locking the selector knob of the shift by wire gear shift actuator when the park gearshift position has been reached. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the determined condition is at least one selected from: when a person intends to exit the vehicle, when the vehicle is turned off, when an ignition key has been removed, when a vehicle door is open, and when a safety belt is unlatched. ### Claim 16 A shift by wire gear shift actuator comprising: a selector knob rotatable to select one of a plurality of gearshift positions among at least Park (P), Reverse (R), Neutral (N), and Drive (D) gearshift positions for controlling a vehicle transmission; and a display arrangement associated with the selector knob comprising a plurality of display units arranged to be sequentially on according to the plurality of gear positions to sequentially provide optical indications according to the plurality of gearshift positions having the effect of simulating a rotational movement of the selector knob to inform a user that the vehicle transmission is being automatically driven into the Park (P) gearshift position when a determined condition is met. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The actuator of claim 16, wherein the display arrangement comprises a number of display units located on the selector knob arranged to be sequentially switched on according to different gearshift positions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The actuator of claim 17, wherein the number of display units are separate display units. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The actuator of claim 16, wherein the display arrangement comprises a progress band located on the selector knob arranged for sequentially displaying different gearshift positions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The actuator of claim 16, wherein the condition, under which the vehicle transmission is automatically driven into the park gearshift position and optical indications are sequentially and dynamically provided by the display arrangement simulating the rotational movement of the selector knob is at least one selected from: when a person intends to exit the vehicle, when the vehicle is turned off, when an ignition key has been removed, when a vehicle door is open, and when a safety belt is unlatched.