Electronic control unit and method for the automatic activation of the parking brake in motor vehicles

• US 6,802,574 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Ehrmaier, Rudolf, Schmerer, Reinhard, Sappler, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US09/920,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 188/105, 188/106.R, 188/106.P, 188/106.F, 188/110, 188/156, 188/158, 188/159, 303/3, 303/15, 303/16, 303/20, 303/89, 192/219.4, 701/112, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 303/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/746 Engine running state, e.g. on-off of ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/483 Circuits for controlling engagement of parking locks or brakes

Abstract

An electronic control unit is provided for automatically activating a parking brake in dependence of at least one specified operating parameter or operating mode of a motor vehicle, which can be started without a mechanical key. The operating mode for the basic automatic activation of the parking lock is the fact that the internal combustion engine is shut off.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit for automatically activating a parking brake in a motor vehicle startable without a mechanical key, wherein said electronic control unit automatically activates the parking brake in dependence on at least one specified operating parameter of the motor vehicle, said at least one specified operating parameter for the automatic activation of the parking brake being a shutting-off of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle;

wherein said electronic control unit includes;

an electronic authorization verification device having a wireless code transmission operatively arranged in the motor vehicle to start the motor vehicle; and

a holding shaft in which the authorization verification device is inserted by the user for triggering arbitrarily the prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake when said activation would otherwise occur based on the shutting-off of the engine.

2. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, further comprising a key button, connected with said electronic control unit, said key button being directly manually actuatable in the form of an OFF switch for arbitrarily preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake.

3. A method for automatically activating a parking brake in a motor vehicle startable without a mechanical key, the method comprising the acts of:

determining an operating mode in which an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle is being shut-off; and

automatically activating the parking brake in dependence on the determined operating mode, said parking brake being automatically activated when the internal combustion engine is being shut-off;

inserting an authorization verification device having a wireless code transmission into a holding shaft in the motor vehicle, said inserting act triggering arbitrarily the prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake when said activation would otherwise occur based on the engine being shut-off.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the act of preventing arbitrarily the automatic activation of the parking brake by directly manually actuating an OFF switch in the form of a key button for triggering arbitrarily the prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake.