US 12233871

Here's a concise summary of US patent 12233871:

Title: Vehicle gear selection control

Assignee: Bulletproof Property Management LLC

Inventor: Bennet Langlotz

Filing Date: 2024-10-27

Issue Date: 2025-02-25

Abstract: A motor vehicle is described for operation by a driver, comprising a frame with wheels and a motor. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, motor, and wheels, and is capable of selectively driving the wheels forward in a drive mode or rearward in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without requiring the operator to indicate a specific direction.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a motor vehicle equipped with a drive system that can automatically switch between drive (forward) and reverse gears. This automated shift occurs in response to a specific sequence of detected steering and brake inputs while the vehicle is already in one of the drive or reverse modes, and importantly, it does not require the driver to explicitly indicate the desired new direction.
• Independent Claim 8: Similar to Claim 1, this claim outlines a motor vehicle with a controller that performs the same automatic gear selection functionality. The controller is configured to change between drive and reverse modes based on a sequence of detected steering and brake inputs, without the driver needing to provide a directional input. This claim essentially re-frames the core invention of Claim 1 by specifying a "controller" as the operative component for the drive system.

Litigation Status:
US patent 12233871 is currently involved in litigation. A case has been filed in the Texas Western District Court (case number 1:25-cv-00665). Additionally, a PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case, IPR2026-00222, has been filed and is currently pending.