Automatic power door lock system

For a vehicle equipped with power door locks and an ignition system, an automatic door locking system, which provides a first mode of operation for vehicles having automatic transmissions and a second mode of operation for vehicles having manual transmissions, the system comprising:

• means for detecting an off-to-on transition of the vehicle ignition system;
• means for sensing whether the vehicle front doors are closed;
• means for deriving an indication of vehicle speed;
• means for determining whether the vehicle has the automatic type of transmission, which includes means for indicating when a shift selector associated with the automatic transmission is positioned in either one of a park range and a neutral range;
• means for issuing a door locking signal to lock the power locks of the vehicle determined to have the automatic type of transmission, after the off-to-on ignition system transition is detected, when the automatic transmission is shifted from either one of the park and neutral ranges with the vehicle front doors closed;
• and
• means for issuing a door locking signal to lock the power locks of the vehicle determined not to have the automatic type of transmission, after the off-to-on ignition system transition is detected, when the indicated vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold speed with the vehicle front doors closed.

For a vehicle equipped with power door locks, a method for automatically locking the vehicle doors, which provides a first mode of operation for vehicles having automatic transmissions and a second mode of operation for vehicles having manual transmissions, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing vehicle operating conditions necessary for automatically locking vehicle doors in accordance with the first and second modes of operation;
• determining whether the vehicle is equipped with the automatic type of transmission;
• issuing a door locking signal to lock the vehicle power door locks after sensing the necessary operating conditions associated with the first mode of operation, when the vehicle is determined to be equipped with the automatic type of transmission;
• and
• issuing a door locking signal to lock the vehicle power door locks after sensing the necessary operating conditions associated with the second mode of operation, when the vehicle is determined not to be equipped with the automatic type of transmission.

A method for automatically locking the doors of a vehicle equipped with power door locks, that provides a first mode of operation for vehicles having automatic transmissions and a second mode of operation for vehicles having manual transmissions, the steps of the method comprising:

• detecting an off-to-on vehicle ignition system transition;
• sensing whether the vehicle front doors are closed;
• deriving an indication of vehicle speed;
• determining whether the vehicle has the automatic type of transmission, which includes sensing when a shift selector associated with the automatic transmission is positioned in either one of a park range and a neutral range;
• issuing a door locking signal to lock the power locks of the vehicle determined to have the automatic type of transmission, after the off-to-on ignition system transition is sensed, when the automatic transmission is shifted from either one of the park and neutral ranges with the vehicle front doors closed;
• and
• issuing a door locking signal to the power locks of the vehicle determined not to have the automatic type of transmission, after the off-to-on ignition system transition is detected, when the indicated vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold speed with the vehicle front doors closed.