An embodiment of the invention is to provide a shift apparatus that performs switching of shift ranges of a vehicle, the shift apparatus including: an operation member; a shift control section; and a regulation mechanism, wherein the shift control section is configured to select a second range when the operation member moves from a first position to a second position before being regulated by the regulation mechanism, and the shift control section is configured to select a first range when that a shift mechanism is in a shift restriction state and the operation member moves from the first position to the second position before being regulated by the regulation mechanism, and to allow an operation control section to execute the regulation by the regulation mechanism.

A shift operation determination apparatus includes: an operation member rotatably attached to the vehicle; a position detection section configured to detect a position of the operation member in a rotation direction; a shift determination section configured to determine, based on the position of the operation member, a shift range selected by the operation member; and a regulation section configured to regulate a rotation of the operation member, the regulation section being configured to regulate the rotation of the operation member when the operation member moves to a second position corresponding to the second range from a first position corresponding to the first range or a third position corresponding to the third range and moves to the third position within a predetermined time after being located at the second position.

A shift device and method for coupling with a vehicle including a transmission and an electric parking actuator. The shift device includes a housing, a battery, a display interface, and a shift device connector. The shift device connector is on an end of the housing for electrically coupling the shift device to the vehicle. The shift device also includes a processor operatively connected to the battery, the display interface, and the shift device connector. Upon insertion of a first connector of the vehicle into the shift device connector, the controller receives a shift position of the transmission and controls the electric parking actuator to change the shift position of the transmission.

A shift operation determination apparatus includes: an operation member rotatably attached to the vehicle; an operation detection section configured to detect a position of the operation member; a lock mechanism configured to regulate a rotation of the operation member; a braking operation detection section configured to detect a braking operation of the vehicle; a shift determination section configured to determine any one of a plurality of shift ranges including a first range for parking and a second range different from the first range, based on the position of the operation member; and a lock control section configured to cause the lock mechanism to regulate the rotation of the operation member from a first position corresponding to the first range to a second position corresponding to the second range when the braking operation is not detected.

The present invention comprises: a transmission device that shifts output to a travel unit from an engine by changing the position of a slide gear; a motor that changes the position of a ride gear; a cross-lever main transmission lever that is operable in the front-rear and left-right directions and is biased to return to a neutral operation position; and a control device that is configured so as to actuate the motor in response to the front-rear operation of the main transmission lever to switch the shift position of the transmission device and vary the function to be performed by the left-right operation of the main transmission lever according to the shift position of the transmission device.

An embodiment method of operating a vehicle comprises detecting a first position of a shift lever, determining whether the first position of the shift lever is in a normal state or an abnormal state, and, in response to the first position of the shift lever being in the abnormal state, moving a detent portion of a housing relative to a contact portion of the shift lever in accordance with pre-stored position data..

A rotary shifter having a knob bi-directionally and biasingly supported upon a housing in a monostable and return-to-center orientation. A printed circuit board assembly is incorporated into the housing and includes a sensor and a processor. A spur gear is rotatably supported within the housing and actuated by the knob, the spur gear supporting a magnet in proximity to the sensor. Rotation of the knob causing rotational displacement of the magnet relative to the sensor in order for the processor to instruct a change in shifter position. The knob incorporating a graphical display for indicating a current shifter position of the assembly.

An actuator for activating a plurality of operating functions in a technical system may include one or more of the following: a rotary knob, the rotary knob being rotatable about a rotational axis to an actuation position corresponding to a first operating function of a plurality of operating functions; a first sensor unit, where the actuation position is detectable by the first sensor unit such that a corresponding actuation position signal is sent to a control unit of the technical system causing activation of the first operating function; a second sensor unit for sending a shut-off signal to the control unit, where the technical system is set to a basic function of the plurality of operating functions upon receipt of the shut-off signal; and at least one sliding track partially encircling the rotary knob radially over an angle of less than 360.

A vehicle includes a gearshift command input portion expandable to have a volume corresponding to a gearshift range changed by a gearshift command. The vehicle includes a gearshift command input portion, a volume of which is controlled by a control signal, is configured to receive a gearshift command for changing a gearshift range. The vehicle includes a controller configured to transmit a control signal to the gearshift command input portion in a manner that the gearshift command input portion is expanded to have a volume corresponding to the changed gearshift range. A method of controlling the vehicle includes the gearshift command input portion.

A shift-by-wire system comprising one or more touch sensitive displays, a memory, one or more processors, and one or more modules stored in the memory. The one or more modules are comprised of instructions executable by one or more processors to display a gear selection indicator at a predefined region. The gear selection indicator is displayed in a predefined region as instructed by the transmission control unit. The processor detects a contact with the one or more touch sensitive displays at the predefined region corresponding to a gear selection indicator and determines a gesture performed by a user to associate the gesture with a gear selection. An output signal is then transmitted to the transmission control unit corresponding the gear selection and affects a vehicle transmission. The newly selected gear is then displayed via the gear selection indicator on the predefined region.