Patent ID: 6927671
Filing Date: 2005-08-09
Classification: B60R,F16H

Abstract:
1. A biometric shifter lever lock override control device for controlling a gear shifter lever and releasing the gear shifter lever upon recognition of biometrically measurable information of an authorized individual, the device comprising: a biometric sensing means for sensing a biometrically measurable characteristic of an individual, the sensing means attached in proximity to a shifter means to enable the individual to input the biometrically measurable characteristic to the sensing means; a programmable information processing means programmed with information about at least one biometrically measurable characteristic of at least one individual and programmed for receiving biometrically measurable characteristic information from the biometric sensing means and comparing the received biometrically measurable characteristic information with the programmed biometrically measurable characteristic information and programmed for outputting an activation signal in response to a match in the biometrically measurable characteristic information; a shifter lever lock override control means for controlling activation of a locking means for a gear shifter lever on an existing shifter lock as found on a vehicle with an automatic transmission and a simple solenoid lock installed on an existing shifter lever on a vehicle with a standard transmission by providing a switch override which must be opened by signals from the biometric sensing means and the programmable information processing means verifying the matching of biometric sensing information of the user compared with stored biometric sensing information of the authorized user to maintain the gear shifter lever in a stationary locked position and prohibit the movement of the gear shifter lever from that locked position, the gear shifter lever lock override control means adapted for receiving the activation signal from the information processing means releasing the override control means to permit actuation of the gear shifter lever upon receiving the activation signal so that overriding of the near shift lever locking means is controlled and not other regular operations of the vehicle so that all other operations of the vehicle function normally and when the override of the locking means for the gear shift lever is released the means for locking the shift lever operates in a normal mode enabling normal use of the shift lever.