Parking control circuit

A parking brake control circuit for a vehicle, comprising:

• an engine oil pressure switch which detects an operating status of the vehicle;
• a transmission park switch which detects a transmission status of the vehicle;
• a control valve which controls application of a parking brake;
• a control switch, set as a function of the engine oil pressure switch and the transmission park switch, which supplies control signals to the valve, the control switch drawing power for a limited time after the valve receives one of the control signals for applying and enabling release of the parking brake;
• a solenoid;
• and
• a first relay for communicating one of the control signals, for applying the parking brake, to the solenoid for the limited time if the operating status of the vehicle is “off” and the transmission status of the vehicle is “park.”

A parking control circuit for a vehicle, comprising:

• an engine detector for detecting an operating state of an engine of the vehicle;
• transmission detector for detecting an operating state of a transmission of the vehicle;
• and
• control means, including a time-delay relay and a switch, for selectively enabling release of a parking brake of the vehicle in response to the engine operating state and the transmission operating state, the time-delay relay communicating electrical power to the switch, during a limited time period when the engine operating state is “on” and the transmission operating state is “park,” for causing the parking brake to be selectively enabled for release both while the electrical power is communicated to the switch and after the electrical power is no longer communicated to the switch.

A method for selectively applying and enabling release of a parking brake of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• detecting an operating state of an engine;
• detecting an operating state of a transmission;
• supplying electrical power to a switch for a limited time period, via a time-delay relay means, for selectively applying and enabling release of the parking brake as a function of the engine operating state and the transmission operating state;
• and
• maintaining the parking brake as one of applied and enabled for release after the limited time period when the electrical power is no longer being applied to the switch.