Chrysler Corporation

Fca US LLC

Chrysler Group LLC

Michael Mashkevich

Jeffrey C Hendry

James M Burcar

Laura Porrone

Eugene Karpinsky

David A Lescamela

Ron R Peteuil

Saviana Vasu-Demetriade

A dimming circuit for an indicator switch has a control input, a dimming state and a non-dimming state. The dimming circuit is responsive to the presence of a backlight PWM signal at the control input of the dimming circuit to switch to the dimming state and responsive to the absence of the backlight PWM signal at the control input of the dimming circuit to switch to the non-dimming state. In the dimming state a high resistance of the dimming circuit is coupled in series with the indicator LED and a LED drive output of the function control module and in the non-dimming state a low resistance of the dimming circuit is coupled in series with the indicator LED and the LED drive output of the function control module. The high resistance has a resistance higher than the low resistance.

Two stage indicator dimming circuit controlled by PWM backlighting back feed and backlight control

Techniques are provided for deactivating or disabling one or more actuators of a steering wheel of a vehicle to prevent unintended actuation. In one example, the techniques include detecting, at a controller of the vehicle, a deactivation condition, which includes an operating condition of the vehicle indicative of a lack of interaction by a driver with the one or more actuators of the steering wheel. The one or more actuators are configured to receive an input from the driver to control or actuate one or more associated vehicle systems. In response to detecting the deactivation condition, the techniques include deactivating or disabling, by the controller, the one or more actuators of the steering wheel until the deactivation condition is no longer present.

Techniques for deactivating steering wheel actuators to prevent unintended actuation

Limp-home techniques for situations when an electronic shifter of a vehicle malfunctions include detecting, at a controller of the vehicle, a malfunction of the electronic shifter of the vehicle, the electronic shifter being configured to control shifting of a transmission of the vehicle in response to a gear control input provided by operation of the electronic shifter. The techniques include, in response to detecting the malfunction of the electronic shifter, receiving, at the controller, the gear control input from actuation of the one or more actuators of a steering wheel of the vehicle. The techniques also include controlling, by the controller, shifting of the transmission in response to the gear control input received from the one or more actuators of the steering wheel.

Electronic shifter limp-home techniques

A system for shifting a vehicle's transfer case into or out of the neutral position, using an electronic vehicle information center. The system comprises a transfer case control module connected to a transfer case and an electronic vehicle information center connected to the transfer case control module. The electronic vehicle information center instructs the transfer case control module to shift the transfer case into or out of the neutral position by detecting an input signal request from a control panel to shift the transfer case into or out of a neutral position, and sending an instruction signal to the transfer case control module to shift the transfer case into or out of the neutral position.

System and method for shifting the transfer case into and out of the neutral position using an electronic vehicle information center

An electrical switch assembly is provided for an electronically controlled transmission that allows user selection between a plurality of shift schedules for the transmission. The switch assembly provides a signal for selecting among the plurality of shift schedules and has a housing. A first set of electrical contacts are positioned within the housing, and selectively closable to cause the input signal to be indicative of a selection of a first shift schedule. A second set of electrical contacts are positioned within the housing and are selectively closable to cause input signal to be indicative of a selection of a second shift schedule.

Switch assembly for selecting among plurality of shift schedules on an electronically controlled transmission

A deactivation arrangement for a vehicle park assist system is provided. The deactivation arrangement includes a trailer hitch receiver affixed to the vehicle and arranged to receive a trailer hitch. A switch assembly is provided that is associated with the vehicle park assist system and includes a switch arranged to engage the trailer hitch when the trailer hitch is inserted into the trailer hitch receiver. The switch assembly is arranged to deactivate the vehicle park assist system when the trailer hitch is inserted into the trailer hitch receiver and engages the switch.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Michael Mashkevich