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A method of actuating a gear step in an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle. The gear step of the transmission and a parking lock, which immobilizes the vehicle, can be engaged as a function of a gear step (P, R, N, D) that can be selected by the driver via a controllable selector

A method of actuating a gear step in an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle. The gear step of the transmission and a parking lock, which immobilizes the vehicle, can be engaged as a function of a gear step (P, R, N, D) that can be selected by the driver via a controllable selector device, and as a function of other motor vehicle operating parameters. A separate operating device, which is in addition to the selector device, can activate a holding phase, in which the transmission is in a traction-free neutral position, independently of a predetermined gear step “Park” (P), “Reverse” (R), “Neutral” (N) and/or “Forward” (D) that is specified by the selector device, if the motor vehicle is at least almost at a standstill and at the same time, an ignition circuit acting on a drive motor of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of actuating a gear step in either an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle, wherein the gear step of the transmission and a parking lock, which is provided for immobilizing the vehicle, are engaged as a function of a gear step (P, R, N, D) selected by a selector device

1. A method of actuating a gear step in either an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle, wherein the gear step of the transmission and a parking lock, which is provided for immobilizing the vehicle, are engaged as a function of a gear step (P, R, N, D) selected by a selector device that is operated by a driver of the vehicle, and as a function of other operating parameters of the motor vehicle, and by means of a separate operating device, provided in addition to the selector device, a holding phase is activated independently of at least one of a gear step (P, R, N, D), in which holding phase the transmission is in a traction-free neutral position, if the motor vehicle is at least almost at a standstill and, at the same time, an ignition circuit that acts on a drive engine of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted, the method comprising the steps of: automatically deactivating and ending any previously activated holding phase, if at least one of a current state of charge and a current electrical voltage of an electrical energy source of the motor vehicle, which at least one of supplies electrical power to a transmission control device and starts the drive engine, has a lower value than a predefined discharge threshold value. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of only activating the holding phase when the motor vehicle is in an at least almost a horizontal position. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of only activating the holding phase when either an ignition key has not been removed from one of a mechanical and electromechanical ignition lock, which is assigned to the ignition key, or the ignition key is not outside a defined zone around an electronic ignition lock of the motor vehicle which is assigned to the ignition key. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of only activating the holding phase upon detection that the driver either does not intend to exit the motor vehicle or is not in the process of exiting the motor vehicle. 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of only activating the holding phase, when a determined current speed of the motor vehicle is lower than a predefined low threshold value. 6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of manually deactivating the previously activated holding phase by driver manipulation of the separate operating device. 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, when the previously activated holding phase is manually ended, at least one of automatically engaging the parking lock and automatically actuating a parking brake on a vehicle side independently of the gear step (P, R, N, D) that is selected with the selector device. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, when the previously activated holding phase is manually ended, automatically engaging the gear step (P, R, N, D) that is selected with the selector device, if system-dependently possible. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically ending the previously activate holding phase when an ignition key is either removed from one of its mechanical and electromechanical ignition lock, and is outside a defined zone around its electronic ignition lock. 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically ending the previously activated holding phase when a current speed of the motor vehicle is greater than a predefined speed threshold. 11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of defining the predefined speed threshold as being higher than the predefined low threshold value of the speed that should not have been exceeded during activation of the holding phase. 12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, when the motor vehicle is not in an at least almost horizontal position, automatically ending the previously activated holding phase. 13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, upon detection that the driver of the motor vehicle either intends to exit the vehicle or is in the process of exiting the vehicle, automatically ending the previously activated holding phase. 14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, when a predefined timer stage runs out, automatically ending the previously activated holding phase. 15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of automatically ending the previously activated holding phase, automatically engaging the parking lock, and automatically actuating a parking brake in the motor vehicle, independently of the gear step (P, R, N, D) that is selected with the selector device. 16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling other units of the motor vehicle with the separate operating device which activates the holding phase. 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of giving a command, either simultaneously with or shortly after activation of the holding phase, to close at least one of an electromotorically operated sliding roof, an electromotorically operated folding collapsible roof, electrohydraulically operated folding collapsible roof, and electrically operated windows of the motor vehicle. 18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of activating and deactivating the holding phase by manual operation of a switch by the driver. 19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of activating the holding phase by electrically interrupting the ignition circuit by the ignition lock with the switch for activating and deactivating the holding phase integrated in the ignition lock. 20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of activating and deactivating by operating a remote controlled switch from outside the vehicle. 21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of activating and deactivating by a sensor that interprets signals in the proximity of the vehicle. 22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of activating a key lock, either approximately simultaneously with activation or after activation of the holding phase, to prevent removal of an ignition key from either its mechanical or electromechanical ignition lock, or removal of an electronic ignition key (ID card) too far away from its electronic ignition lock. 23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of triggering an acoustic indicator and displaying an optical indicator either approximately simultaneously with activation or after activation of the holding phase. 24. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of concluding that the driver either does not intend to exit the motor vehicle or is not in the process of exiting the motor vehicle when at least one of: a driver's door of the motor vehicle is open;a driver's safety belt is not fastened; anda driver's seat occupancy detection device reports an unoccupied driver's seat. 25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating, with a transmission control device, at least one of: engagement of a neutral position in the transmission upon activation of the holding phase, engagement of the parking lock on a transmission side; andactuation of the parking brake on the vehicle side upon deactivation of the holding phase. 26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of: initiating engagement of a neutral position in the transmission upon activation of the holding phase; andinitiating at least one of the parking lock on transmission side and actuation of the parking brake on the vehicle side upon deactivation of the holding phase by a control device of the separate operating device of the motor vehicle. 27. A method of actuating a gear step in one of an automatic and an automated transmission of a motor vehicle, wherein the gear step of the transmission and a parking lock, which immobilizes the motor vehicle, are actuated as a function of a gear step (P, R, N, D) that is selected by a driver with a selector device, and as a function of other operational parameters of the motor vehicle, and by means of a separate operating device, which is provided in addition to the selector device, and independently of the gear step (P, R, N, D) that is selected with the selector device, a holding phase in which the transmission is in a traction-free neutral position is activated if the motor vehicle is at least almost at a standstill and, at the same time, an ignition circuit, which acts on drive motor of the motor vehicle, is electrically interrupted, the method comprising the steps of: automatically deactivating and ending any previously activated holding phase, if an electrical energy source of the motor vehicle, which at least one of supplies electrical energy to a control device of the transmission and starts the drive motor, has discharged an amount of electrical energy that is at least equal to or greater than a predefined threshold value. 28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of determining the amount of electrical energy by one of a mathematical integration of actual power consumption of the control device over time and a mathematical integration of the product of an actual operating voltage and an actual power consumption of the control device over time. 29. A motor vehicle having an automatic or automated transmission comprising: a selector device, which is operated by a driver of the motor vehicle, for selecting a gear step (P, R, N, D) of the transmission;at least one of a parking lock on a transmission side and a parking brake on a vehicle side;a control device for controlling at least one of the transmission and the parking brake as a function of the gear step (P, R, N, D) and as a function of other operating parameters of the motor vehicle; andan additional separate operating device for predefining a holding phase in which the transmission is in a traction-free neutral position; the gear step of the transmission and the parking lock, which is provided for immobilizing the vehicle, are engaged as a function of the gear step (P, R, N, D) selected by operation of the selector device by the driver of the vehicle, and as a function of the other operating parameters of the motor vehicle, the additional separate operating device activates the holding phase independently of the gear step (P, R, N, D), in the holding phase the transmission is in the traction-free neutral position, if the motor vehicle is at least almost at a standstill and at the same time, an ignition circuit that acts on a drive engine of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted, according to a method comprising the steps of:automatically deactivating and ending the previously activated holding phase, if at least one of a current state of charge and a current electrical voltage of an electrical energy source of the motor vehicle, which at least one of supplies electrical power to the transmission control device and starts the drive engine, has a lower value than a predefined discharge threshold value. 30. The motor vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the separate operating device for either activating or deactivating the holding phase is a switch that is operated by the driver. 31. The motor vehicle according to claim 30, wherein the switch for either activating and deactivating the holding phase is integrated in the ignition lock. 32. The motor vehicle according to claim 30, wherein the switch is either part of the selector device or integrated in the selector device. 33. The motor vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the separate operating device for either activating and deactivating the holding phase is a remote controlled switch that is operable from outside the vehicle. 34. The motor vehicle according to claim 31, wherein the separate operating device for either activating and deactivating the holding phase is a sensor that interprets signals in a proximity of the vehicle.