# US 2014/0190302 A1 · Shift-by-wire selector control system for a motor vehicle transmission > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190302 A1 - Document ID: US20140190302A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/132,975 - Filed: 2013-12-18 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-08-23 - Assignees: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Applicants: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Inventors: Rob Jerger; Pete Stares; Darren Vincent; Hardev Mandair - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190302A1 ## CPC - F16H 61/22: Locking {of the control input devices} (constructional features of locking or disabling mechanisms F16H63/34) - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - F16H 59/08: Range selector apparatus - F16H 59/54: dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes - F16H 61/0204: {for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal} - F16H 61/24: Providing feel, e.g. to enable selection - F16H 61/68: specially adapted for stepped gearings - F16H 63/42: Ratio indicator devices - B60K 2360/126: Rotatable input devices for instruments - 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} - Y10T 74/2003: Electrical actuator - F16H: GEARING - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method for operating a multi-stable shift-by wire selector control system of a motor vehicle transmission. The multi-stable shift-by wire selector control system includes a multi-stable selector which is operable by the driver of the vehicle to select a respective one of the operating modes of the transmission, an arrangement of illuminated labels indicating the selector mode and an indexing mechanism for maintaining the immobilization of the selector in its different positions. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-5. (canceled) ### Claim 6 A multi-stable shift-by-wire selector control system for a motor vehicle transmission having a number of operating modes, the control system comprising: a rotary selector which is operable by a driver of the vehicle to select a respective one of the number of operating modes; and an indexing mechanism for maintaining an immobilisation of the rotary selector in one of a plurality of indexed positions corresponding to a respective operating mode, wherein the indexing mechanism is configured to provide a dead-band between each of the plurality of indexed positions so as to enable driver perception of the transition from the one of the plurality of indexed positions to another of the plurality of indexed positions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein each of said dead-bands is sized so as to emulate the operation of a conventional automatic selector lever. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of indexed positions are equiangularly spaced. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein each of said dead-bands are sized so as to at least one of reduce and avoid any premature wear of the system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, comprising a transmission control unit (TCU) configured to control a ratio of the transmission. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A system according to claim 10, comprising an electronic transmission selector (ETS) for sensing a selected indexed position of the rotary selector and sending a command to the TCU to control a corresponding operating mode of the transmission in dependence thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein the transmission has at least four operating modes, the operating modes including a Park mode, a Drive mode, a Neutral mode and a Reverse mode, the Park mode and the Neutral mode being categorized as non drive modes and the Reverse mode and the Drive mode being categorized as drive modes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, comprising an arrangement of illuminated labels, the indication of a specific illuminated label corresponding to a selected respective one of the number of operating modes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A system according to claim 13, wherein the illuminated labels are arranged around the rotary selector such that the spacing between adjacent labels substantially corresponds to the spacing of the respective plurality of indexed positions of the rotary selector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, comprising a warning device to inform the driver that the rotary selector is not in an indexed position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A system according to claim 15, wherein the warning device is at least one of a luminous system, a vibration system and a sound making system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A system according to claim 12, comprising an arrangement of illuminated labels, the indication of a specific illuminated label corresponding to a selected respective one of the number of operating modes, and a warning device in order to inform the driver that the rotary selector is not in an indexed position, wherein the warning device comprises at least a part of the illuminated labels, and wherein the system is operable to flash the illuminated label corresponding to the operating mode susceptible of being selected. ### Claim 18 A multi-stable shift-by-wire selector control system of a motor vehicle transmission having a number of operating modes, the control system comprising a rotary selector which is operable by a driver of the vehicle to select a respective one of the operating modes of the transmission and which is arranged so as to emulate, by rotary motion, the perception of the transition between operating modes in a conventional automatic selector lever. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18, comprising an indexing mechanism for maintaining an immobilisation of the selector in one of a plurality of indexed positions corresponding to a respective operating mode, wherein the indexing mechanism is conformed in such a way as to provide a dead-band between each indexed position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of indexed positions are equiangularly spaced. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein each of said dead-bands are sized so as to at least one of reduce and avoid any premature wear of the system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18, comprising an arrangement of illuminated labels, the indication of a specific illuminated label corresponding to a selected respective one of the number of operating modes. ### Claim 23 A method for operating a multi-stable shift-by wire selector control system of a motor vehicle transmission, the vehicle having an engine and a foot brake pedal, the transmission having a number of operating modes, at least four of the operating modes being a Park mode, a Drive mode, a Neutral mode and a Reverse mode, the Park mode and the Neutral mode being categorized as non drive modes and the Reverse mode and the Drive mode being categorized as drive modes, a transmission control unit (TCU) which in use controls a ratio of the transmission, a multi-stable rotary selector which is operable by a driver of the vehicle to select a respective one of the operating modes of the transmission, an electronic transmission selector (ETS) for sensing an indexed position of the selector and sending a command to the TCU to control a corresponding operating mode of the transmission in dependence thereon, an arrangement of illuminated labels, the indication of a specific illuminated label corresponding to a selected operating mode, an indexing mechanism for maintaining an immobilisation of the rotary selector in one of a plurality of indexed positions corresponding to a respective operating mode and for enabling the driver to perceive the transition from one indexed position to another indexed position, and a warning device, the method comprising, when a position of the selector has been detected as being in an intermediate position between two indexed positions whereby no command is sent to the TCU: a1) determining whether the selector has been moved from a non drive mode to a drive mode; a2) detecting the magnitude of the motion of the selector; b) if the selector has been moved from a non drive mode to a drive mode, checking that the foot brake pedal is depressed; and c1) if the brake pedal is not depressed and the magnitude of the motion of the selector is below a predetermined threshold speed value, providing a warning signal to the warning device in order to inform the driver that the selector is not in an indexed position and that a drive mode may be selected by sending a control signal to the illuminated labels in order to flash the illuminated label corresponding to the operating mode susceptible of being selected. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein step c1 further comprises sending an instruction command to the TCU so as to maintain a current gear mode and inhibit any gear change until the selector is detected in a new indexed position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A method according to claim 24, comprising; c2) if the brake pedal is not depressed and the magnitude of the motion of the selector is above the predetermined threshold speed value, inhibiting the warning signal and maintaining of the current gear position of step c1).