The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 06, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1999
Hussein A Dourra, Dearborn Heights, MI (US);
Roy S Nassar, Rochester, MI (US);
Gerald L Holbrook, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A sensing system for detecting the position of a manually operated shift lever in an automatic transmission. The sensing system includes a plate member movable in response to movement of a shift lever. The plate member includes a generally flat contact surface having a predetermined pattern of electrically conductive and non-conductive areas. An electrical sensor unit is mounted in the transmission and positioned to communicate with the contact surface of the plate member. At least five electrical contact members engage the conductive and non-conductive areas on the contact surface generate binary codes having combinations that are indicative of the shift lever position in each of the predetermined operating modes. The engagement between the contact members and the contact surface further generates at least four unique binary codes indicative of the transitions between the predetermined operating modes. These four unique binary codes indicate to a controller the specific transition zone the shift lever is positioned within.