Electronic control unit for automatically activating a parking brake and method for preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake in motor vehicles

• US 7,011,377 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• 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): Siconolfi, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRAMER, DEVON C
• Application Number:
  US09/920,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20020024258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 188/110, 188/105, 188/106.R, 188/106.P, 188/106.F, 188/156, 188/158, 188/159, 303/3, 303/89, 303/15, 303/16, 303/20, 192/219.4, 701/112, 807/10.4, 807/10.5, 807/10.6, 180/271, 180/275
• 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 unit 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, is equipped with a device for arbitrarily preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake. In a first alternative, the unit is connected with a key button, which can be directly manually actuated, in the form of an OFF switch for the arbitrary prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake. In a second alternative, the electronic unit in a motor vehicle, which can be started through an electronic authorization verification device with wireless code transmission, is equipped with a mechanism with which the arbitrary prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake can be triggered by inserting the authorization verification device in a holding shaft that is provided for this purpose.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a motor vehicle startable without a mechanical key;

an automatically activated parking brake system for said motor vehicle startable without the mechanical key including;

(a) an electronic control unit for automatically activating a parking brake in dependence on at least one specified operating parameter of the motor vehicle; and

(b) means for arbitrarily preventing the electronic control unit from automatically activating the parking brake when said activation would otherwise occur based on the at least one specified operating parameter, said means being operatively coupled with the electronic control unit;

wherein the motor vehicle includes an electronic authorization verification device with a wireless code transmission, said means for arbitrarily preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake making use of the electronic authorization verification device such that the automatic activation of the parking brake is arbitrarily prevented by inserting the authorization verification device in a holding shaft.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one operating parameter is a shutting-off of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle.

3. A system, comprising:

a motor vehicle startable without a mechanical key;

an automatically activated parking brake system for said motor vehicle startable without the mechanical key, including;

(a) an electronic control unit for automatically activating a parking brake in dependence on at least one specified operating parameter of the motor vehicle; and

(b) means for arbitrarily preventing the electronic control unit from automatically activating the parking brake when said activation would otherwise occur based on the at least one specified operating parameter, said means being operatively coupled with the electronic control unit;

wherein said means for arbitrarily preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake comprises a key button in the form of an OFF switch coupled with said electronic control unit, said key button being directly manually actuatable via the driver to arbitrarily prevent the automatic activation of the parking brake by the electronic control unit; and

wherein the motor vehicle includes an electronic authorization verification device with a wireless code transmission, said means for arbitrarily preventing the automatic activation of the parking brake making use of the electronic authorization verification device such that the automatic activation of the parking brake is arbitrarily prevented by inserting the authorization verification device in a holding shaft.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said at least one specified operating parameter is a shutting-off of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle.

5. A method of operating an automatically activated parking brake system, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting at least one specified operating parameter of a motor vehicle startable without a mechanical key;

automatically activating a parking brake of the motor vehicle in dependence on the detected at least one specified operating parameter; and

triggering an arbitrary prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake when said activation would otherwise occur based on the at least one specified operating parameter upon a signal from a user of the motor vehicle;

wherein said triggering act occurs by a direct manual actuation of a key button switch signaling the arbitrary prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake; and

wherein the act of triggering is carried out by inserting an authorization verification device having a wireless code transmission in a holding shaft in the vehicle, said insertion signaling the arbitrary prevention of the automatic activation of the parking brake.