Patent ID: 6951528

Claim:
A method of operating a parking brake of a motor vehicle, comprising steps: a) detecting a wheel rotational speed of a wheel of said motor vehicle using a wheel rotational speed sensor; b) comparing said wheel rotational speed to a prescribed first threshold; c) detecting a motor operating condition of a motor of said motor vehicle using at least one of a motor rotational speed sensor and a motor torque sensor; d) determining whether said motor operating condition indicates that said motor is running; e) detecting a lever position of a gear shift lever or gear selector lever of said motor vehicle using at least one lever position sensor connected to a shifting linkage or a transmission of said motor vehicle; f) evaluating said lever position to determine therefrom whether a gear of said transmission is engaged; and g) automatically releasing said parking brake if all of at least the following mandatory conditions pertain: said step b) determines that said wheel rotational speed exceeds said first threshold, said step d) determines that said motor is running, and said step f) determines that said gear is engaged.