Driver Interface For Shift-By-Wire Transmission
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorTerry Richard Reames
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A family of transmission driver interfaces utilize a rotary knob for selecting among Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and Low transmission modes. These driver interfaces obviate the need for a knob brake or knob motor to support features such as brake interlock and an auto-park. Brake interlock prevents shifting out of Park without depressing a brake pedal. Auto-park changes the transmission state to Park in response to conditions other than driver requests. Some of the driver interfaces use a button in addition to the rotary knob. In some of the driver interfaces, the knob may be rotated indefinitely without encountering a stop.
Claims18
A vehicle comprising:
- a transmission having a park mode and a reverse mode;
- a rotary shift selector knob;
- and
- a controller programmed to
- shift from the park mode to the reverse mode in response to the knob being rotated from a first position to a second position, and
- shift from the park mode to the reverse mode in response to the knob being rotated from the second position to a third position.
A vehicle comprising:
- a transmission having a reverse mode and a drive mode;
- a rotary knob;
- a select button;
- and
- a controller programmed to
- shift from the reverse mode to the drive mode in response to selection of drive with the knob followed by activation of the select button, and
- shift from the drive mode to the reverse mode in response to selection of reverse with the knob followed by activation of the select button.
A vehicle comprising:
- a transmission having park, reverse, neutral, and drive modes;
- a continuous rotary shift selector knob having a plurality of detent positions without stops;
- a plurality of symbols in fixed positions, each corresponding to a transmission mode and configured to indicate whether the transmission is presently in the corresponding transmission mode;
- and
- a controller programmed to shift the transmission among the reverse, neutral, and drive modes in response to rotation of the knob.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.