Patent ID: 8142331
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: B60K,B60W,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vehicle engine shutdown prevention system comprising: a position determination module adapted to be connected to a transmission of the engine for determining if the transmission is engaged in a position included in a first group of transmission positions or in a second group of transmission positions, the second group including at least one position for which the vehicle remains stationary when the engine is shut down, and the first group including all the transmission positions which are not included in the second group, the position determination module emitting a block signal when the transmission is engaged in one of the first group of positions; and a blocking unit adapted to interconnect a user actuated switch and an engine control unit and to define the only path through which a stop engine signal for turning off the engine may circulate from the user actuated switch and the engine control unit, the blocking unit receiving the block signal from the position determination module, the blocking unit blocking the path between the user actuated switch and the engine control unit when said blocking unit receives the block signal, such as to prevent the stop engine signal from circulating from the user actuated switch to the engine control unit when the transmission is engaged in one of the first group of positions.