Abstract: A degree of sporty driving, or degree of load on tires of a vehicle, is detected based on a usage degree of tire performance. A horizontal force exerted on a tire is calculated and estimated based on longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration. Then a ratio, of the horizontal force to a maximum limit gripping force of the tire, is determined to enable detection of the load on a tire at all times.

Abstract: A method/system for controlling an automated transmission is provided wherein upon assembly of a vehicle, the intercept (A) and slope (B) values defining the presumed linear relationship between engine deceleration rate and engine accessory torque (dES/dt rate=A+(B * T.sub.ACCES)) and/or the value of engine rotational moment-of-inertia (I) for that particular vehicle are determined and memorized. Thereafter, the transmission is controlled as a function of these determined values.

Abstract: A speed change control method controls changeover between gearshift positions of an automotive automatic transmission using a detected running condition parameter and a detected degree of necessity of engine braking. The degree of necessity of engine braking is detected using a neural network receiving the detected parameter as an input. Then, a shift pattern is preferably selected by fuzzy inference based on the detected parameter and degree of necessity of engine braking.

Abstract: A change gear control device is provided for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine which is operated with an air/fuel mixture having air/fuel ratios ranging from a fuel rich air/fuel ratio to a fuel lean air/fuel ratio depending on driving conditions of the motor vehicle. In this device a first detector detects an engine torque of the internal combustion engine and a second detector detects a vehicle speed of the motor vehicle. A processor processes transmission gear ratios for the automatic transmission.

Abstract: In order to improve steering performance and braking performance specifically on a low .mu. road surface during operation of engine braking, there are provided, in a shift control system of a continuously variable transmission, a sensor for determining a wheel deceleration, and a shift controller for changing a shift pattern adequately. When an engine brake range such as a 2 range or an L range is selected, and the wheel deceleration becomes greater than a predetermined deceleration level, the shift controller changes an upshift limit of the engine brake range, to a smaller transmission ratio. By reducing the transmission ratio in this way, the shift control system can reduce an engine braking force applied to the drive wheels and an inertia torque of the transmission against the driving force applied to the drive wheels by the road surface, so that the wheel speed can readily increase to achieve a desirable degree of wheel slip.

Abstract: An adaptive control system/method for an at least partially automated vehicular mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for determining the value of a control parameter (T.sub.ACCES) indicative of accessory torque when the vehicle is in motion and the value of a control parameter (dES/dt rate) indicative of engine deceleration rate when the vehicle is not in motion. A relationship (dES/dt rate=A+B * T.sub.ACCES) between engine deceleration rate and accessory torque is determined and allows derivation of one parameter from the other parameter during vehicle operating conditions wherein the other parameter may be directly determined from sensed inputs (T.sub.EG, T.sub.BEF, ES).

Abstract: Flare control is provided for downshifts in a computer controlled automatic transmission by providing an adaptive pressure term which is adjusted in response to detected flare conditions. During a downshift, engine acceleration is monitored and flare is detected when negative engine acceleration remains below a predetermined level for a predetermined duration. The level of engine acceleration indicative of flare changes with vehicle speed.

Abstract: Shift control system and method are provided for use in a vehicle automatic transmission in which a desired speed range is achieved in accordance with the state of driving of a vehicle. The degree of meandering of a running road on which the vehicle is running is detected. The downhill grade of the running road is also detected. Based on the detection results, it is determined whether or not the running road is a meandering downhill road. When it is determined that the vehicle is running on the meandering downhill road, it is then determined whether or not a downshift is needed. When the downshift has been determined to be necessary, the speed range of the vehicle automatic transmission is shifted from a current speed range to a speed range lower than the current speed range.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for controlling an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle driven by an internal-combustion engine, in which the position of a throttle valve of the motor vehicle and the acceleration of the vehicle as the reaction thereto are determined and are related to one another. Subsequently, this relationship is compared with the relationship as it occurs during a normal drive on a level surface. As a function of the deviation between the actual relationship and the normal relationship, the ratios of the transmission are displaced in the direction of higher rotational engine speeds, which means that the ratio assigned to a throttle valve position and to a rotational engine speed will now be achieved at a lower rotational engine speed, or the rotational engine speed level is raised. For a stepped transmission, several characteristic shifting diagrams are provided and the displacement of the ratio is carried out by changing the characteristic shifting diagram according to the deviation.

Abstract: A control method/system for controlling engagement of a target gear ratio (GR.sub.T)in a vehicular automated mechanical transmission system (10) is provided. The control causes engine speed (ES) to be alternately greater than and then less than synchronous engine speed (ES=IS=OS*GR.sub.T) to cause torque reversals across the engaging positive jaw clutch associated with the target gear ratio to minimize or prevent partial engagement caused by torque lock conditions.

Abstract: A control system and method for a semi-automatic mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for allowing operator request for a direct downshift or upshift into a preselected start ratio, under certain predefined conditions. The preselected start ratio is that ratio actually utilized in the immediately preceding vehicle start from stop operation.

Abstract: A system/method of resetting the value of a control parameter (GCW.sub.CP indicative of vehicular gross combined weight and determined as a filtered/averaged value, to a predetermined default value, or to a test value, upon sensing vehicle operating conditions (OS=Oand t>REF) deemed indicative of a change in vehicle loading is provided. A vehicle automated system, such as an automated mechanical transmission system, is controlled as a function of the value of the control parameter.

Abstract: An adaptive control system/method for an at least partially automated mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for determining if selected upshifts into a target gear ratio are feasible (208) or not feasible (210) under current vehicle operating conditions and for prohibiting the initiation of not feasible selected upshifts. If upshifts determined to be feasible are not completed by the system, the logic rules by which upshift feasibility is determined are modified to render such rules less aggressive.

Abstract: A control system/method for determining vehicular gross combined weight (GCW) is provided. GCW is determined immediately after upshifts of a transmission (10) and requires only input signals indicative of engine or driveline torque (DL), vehicle acceleration (dOS/dt) and currently engaged gear ratio (GR).

Abstract: A control system/method for controlling a vehicular, at least partially automated system (110) separate from the vehicular transmission system (10), such as a CTIS or ABS, is provided. The at least partially automated system is controlled as a function of a value (GCW) approximating vehicle gross combined weight and determined as a function of information on the vehicle electronic data link (DL).

Abstract: A change gear control device is provided for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine which is operated with an air/fuel mixture having air/fuel ratios ranging from a fuel rich air/fuel ratio to a fuel lean air/fuel ratio depending on driving conditions of the motor vehicle. In this device a first detector detects an engine torque of the internal combustion engine and a second detector detects a vehicle speed of the motor vehicle. A processor processes transmission gear ratios for the automatic transmission.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling the gear-shifting comfort in motor vehicles having automatic transmissions. The method provides for pressure controllers for controlling clutches affecting the gear-shifting operations of the transmission. The preset values for the torque and/or the torque curves of the clutches are stored in dependence upon the particular gear-shifting operations and the transmission rpms in a characteristic field. The actual acceleration of the motor vehicle is detected with the aid of an acceleration sensor and a very low desired acceleration is used as a guide quantity for the torque control at the clutches. The preset values for the clutches corrected by this control are stored in the characteristic field.

Abstract: A control for a motor vehicle drive having an automatic transmission includes a circuit configuration for generating an output signal adapting shifting points to a load state of the motor vehicle from an evaluation of a power takeoff rpm of the transmission or of a variable equivalent to it. The circuit configuration ascertains a deviation between a calculated and a measured power takeoff rpm in successive time intervals and forms a correction term by multiplication with a factor. At least one characteristic curve memory stores shifting points of the transmission. The at least one characteristic curve memory receives the correction term as an output signal for adapting a characteristic curve to the load state. In a method for controlling a vehicle drive having an automatic transmission, shifting points or characteristic curves for shifting are varied as a function of driving parameters.

Abstract: A torque split control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle including an engine for producing a drive. The automotive vehicle is supported on a pair of primary drive wheels and a pair of secondary drive wheels. The drive is transmitted from the engine to the primary drive wheels and to the secondary drive wheels through a torque distributing clutch capable of varying a torque transmitted to the secondary drive wheels. A control torque is calculated based upon a difference between the primary and secondary drive wheel rotational speeds. The control torque is transmitted through the torque distributing clutch to provide a desired turning characteristic to the vehicle. At least one vehicle condition dependent torque, which is dependent on a specified vehicle operating condition, is calculated. Vehicle operating conditions are monitored to produce a command signal when a 4WD control is demanded.

Abstract: A control system (104)/method for semi-automatically executing automatically and manually selected upshifts and downshifts of a mechanical transmission system (10) is provided. The control system includes a central processing unit (106) for receiving input signals indicative of transmission input shaft (16) and output shaft (90) speeds and from a driver control console (108) and processing the same in accordance with predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to a transmission actuator (112, 70, 96) to implement the selected shifts. The control is effective to initiate a shift by automatically preselecting a shift from the currently ratio into neutral and to then await a manually caused torque break of the transmission to complete the shift to neutral. The control is effective to minimize wear by issuing repetitive shift prompts if transmission neutral is not sensed within predetermined times from preselection of a shift frown a currently engaged ratio (GR) into neutral(N).

Abstract: A control apparatus for an engine and an automatic transmission controls a starting timing, a terminating timing, or methods of torque reduction of the engine during gear shifts. Using stored information such as a turbine speed signal, a gear shift signal, a degree to which a throttle valve is opened, a vehicle speed, an engine speed and so on, the control apparatus calculates an appropriate torque reduction which is performed by either retarding ignition timing or cutting fuel supplied to fuel injection valves. According to one embodiment of the invention, by detecting a variation ratio or differential value of turbine speed, a period of the torque reduction is started, ended, and kept within a proper timing. According to another embodiment of the invention, based on a "chasing" state of an input torque of the transmission against the variation of engine load, the timing of torque reduction is changed.

Abstract: When a vehicle is traveling on a descending slope, the gearshift position of an automatic transmission is set to a position selected in accordance with driver's intention to accelerate the vehicle based on the accelerator opening. A decision is preferably made as to whether the gearshift position should be set to a low-speed gearshift position where an engine brake can be applied, in accordance with the magnitude comparison between a threshold value and at least one value of a gradient of a road and a timedependent change in vehicle speed. The threshold value may be changed to a value that causes the low-speed gearshift position to be easily selected if the frictional resistance of the road surface is judged to be low. Further, the threshold value may be preset corresponding to the degree of gradient and/or winding of the road.

Abstract: A control system/method for an at least partially automated mechanical transmission system (10), inclading a controller (106) operated engine brake (EB), is provided. The control system/method is effective to determine if selected upshifts into a target gear ratio are feasible (212, 214) or not feasible (216) under current vehicle operating conditions and to prohibit the initiation of not feasible selected upshifts. The transmission system includes an engine brake actuator (23A) operable by the system controller (106). selected upshifts are evaluated and will be implemented, if feasible, in a sequence wherein feasibility is a function of engine deceleration (dES/dt), and engine deceleration is assigned expected values at minimum to progressively greater engine braking.

Abstract: In a control system for controlling a gear ratio of a multi-step geared or continuously variable automatic transmission, the driver's intention to decelerate is inferred by carrying out a first fuzzy reasoning using a degree of throttle opening or the like and then the target gear ratio is determined by carrying out a second fuzzy reasoning using parameters including the inferred driver's intention to decelerate. The first fuzzy reasoning is carried out using fuzzy production rules classified by operating conditions such as a road profile and a vehicle speed. The inferred driver's intention to decelerate is canceled if braking is discontinued. Thus the control ascertain the intention of the driver and is thus possible to achieve sophisticated shift scheduling well matched to the sensibilities of the driver.

Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine and a continuously variable transmission of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises the continuously variable transmission disposed between the internal combustion engine and driving wheels and enables controlling the output of the internal combustion engine. In particular, objective driving torque Tet is set according to driving torque Td applied to a vehicle, driving torque correcting amount T.sub.IV which serves as a first running resistance of the vehicle according to vehicle acceleration, transmission torque fluctuation correcting amount Tcv which serves as a second running resistance due to being consumed in the transmission operation mode of the continuously variable transmission, and vehicle body correcting torque Tv, which is necessary for eliminating a deviation .DELTA.v between an objective vehicle speed Vt and an actual vehicle speed Vc, required for eliminating this deviation .DELTA.

Abstract: A control system/method for an at least partially automated mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for determining if selected upshifts into a target gear ratio are feasible (208) or not feasible (210) under current vehicle operating conditions and for prohibiting the initiation of not feasible selected upshifts.

Abstract: In a system for controlling a gear ratio of a multi-step geared or continuously variable automatic transmission of a vehicle based on determined parameter indicative of operating condition of the vehicle including a driving resistance, the driving resistance is calculated in an equation in which motive force-driving resistance=vehicle mass.times.acceleration using the law of motion. In the first embodiment, the calculation is carried out, without using a torque sensor, by applying an adjustment for torque consumption by a device such as an air conditioner and a torque loss caused by braking. In the second and third embodiments, the driving resistance is calculated using a torque sensor. Thus, with the arrangement, the driving resistance can be accurately determined applying appropriate adjustment, a gear ratio to be shifted is properly determined in any traveling condition including hill climbing.