Patent ID: 8012061

Claim:
A vehicle overspeed system, comprising: a power source; a transmission unit; at least one of a impeller clutch or a lockup clutch operatively coupling the power source to the transmission unit; an input device configured to produce a first signal indicative of a requested amount of coupling between the power source and the transmission unit via the at least one of the impeller clutch or the lockup clutch; a travel speed sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a vehicle speed; and a controller in communication with the torque converter assembly, the input device, and the travel speed sensor, the controller being configured to: receive the first signal, wherein the first signal is configured to indicate a request for at least a first degree of coupling or a second degree of coupling, the second degree of coupling being less than the first degree of coupling; when the at least one of the impeller clutch or the lockup clutch is set at the first degree of coupling, maintain the at least one of the impeller clutch or the lockup clutch at or above the first degree of coupling based on the first signal from the input device requesting the second degree of coupling and based on the second signal indicative of vehicle speed.