Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The engine is configured to generate power. The transmission is configured to transfer power from the engine to at least one drive wheel to propel the vehicle. The controller is programmed to, in response to a command to shift the transmission and a corresponding command to decrease a torque of the engine to less than a threshold corresponding to a spark retard limit during the shift, (i) increase the pressure of an oncoming clutch to engage the oncoming clutch, (ii) retard an engine spark at the spark retard limit to reduce the torque of the engine to the threshold during the engagement of the oncoming clutch, and (iii) shutdown at least one cylinder of the engine to further reduce the torque of the engine to less than the threshold during the engagement of the oncoming clutch.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The transmission is configured to transfer power from the engine to at least one drive wheel to propel the vehicle. The controller programmed to, in response to a command to shift the transmission, reduce a torque of the engine from a desired engine torque to a reduced value based on a flare at an input to the transmission during the shift. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the reduced value exceeding a threshold, retard an engine spark and maintain operation of all cylinders of the engine to reduce the torque of the engine during the shift. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the reduced value being less than the threshold, retard the engine spark and shutdown at least one cylinder of the engine to reduce the torque of the engine during the shift.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The engine is configured to generate power to propel the vehicle. The transmission has gears and clutches configured to shift between the gears. The controller is programmed to operate the clutches during wide-open throttle events to upshift the gears at shift points corresponding to engine speeds. The controller is further programmed to adapt the shift points by increasing the shift points over a series of the wide-open throttle events from initial values to mature values.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes a transmission, a brake pedal, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to an upshift of the transmission, a driver-demanded torque being zero, and the brake pedal being released, command a first pressure, that is greater than zero, to an oncoming shift element associated with the upshift such that the oncoming shift element has a torque capacity of zero, in response to the brake pedal being applied during the upshift of the transmission, command a second, larger pressure to the oncoming shift element to increase the torque capacity to a non-zero value, and, in response to expiration of a threshold time from the brake pedal being applied, command a series of sequentially ramping pressures to the oncoming shift element to further increase the torque capacity and lock the oncoming shift element.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a transmission having a plurality of friction elements selectively engageable to establish power flow paths within the transmission. A controller of the vehicle is programmed to, during a boost phase of a shift, command a first hydraulic boost pressure for a plurality of control loop cycles to an oncoming one of the friction elements (oncoming friction element) and subsequently command a second hydraulic boost pressure less than the first hydraulic boost pressure for only a single control loop cycle that defines an end of the boost phase to the oncoming friction element.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a transmission having a plurality of friction elements selectively engageable to establish power flow paths within the transmission. A controller of the vehicle is programmed to, during a boost phase of a shift, command a first hydraulic boost pressure for a plurality of control loop cycles to an oncoming one of the friction elements (oncoming friction element) and subsequently command a second hydraulic boost pressure less than the first hydraulic boost pressure for only a single control loop cycle that defines an end of the boost phase to the oncoming friction element.

Abstract: In a transmission hydraulic control system, a gain control valve may be used to switch between a low gain and a high gain based on line pressure. Line pressure may be controlled as a function of turbine torque. If the gain of a holding element or oncoming element changes during a shift as a result of changing turbine torque, shift quality may degrade. If the gain is set low at the beginning of the shift, the controller limits engine torque to ensure that the line pressure is not increased beyond a level that would cause a gain switch. If the gain is set high at the beginning of a shift, the controller maintains the line pressure high enough to prevent a switch to low gain, even if turbine torque drops.

Abstract: A controller commands an engine torque level in response to a driver demanded torque based on an accelerator pedal position. If the driver demanded torque decreases rapidly during or just prior to a torque phase of a shift, the controller commands the engine to temporarily generate torque exceeding the driver demand. The controller sets a nominal engine torque equal to the driver demand torque before the rapid decrease, slowly decreases the nominal engine torque during the torque phase, and decreases the nominal torque at progressively faster rates during the inertia phase to bring the nominal torque back into agreement with the driver demanded torque. The commanded engine torque is based on the nominal torque, but may be less than the nominal torque during the inertia phase to permit the engine speed to decrease faster.

Abstract: In order to pre-stage a clutch piston in preparation for clutch engagement, a controller commands a high current to a Casting Integrated Direct Acting Solenoid (CIDAS) valve. This staging is performed in two distinct phases wherein the current is higher in the first phase than in the second phase. Staging the piston in this manner reduces the staging time and reduces the variability of the staging time. The duration of the first phase may be adjusted based on a number of parameters including, the length of a preceding engine off period, the number of clutch applications since the engine off period, a fluid temperature, and a length of time since a preceding engagement of the clutch.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a transmission and a controller. The transmission has clutches and multiple speed ratios that are established during gear upshifts upon torque being transferred from off-going to oncoming clutches. The controller is programmed to, in response to a difference between actual and target times of a desired flare at a transmission input exceeding a threshold during an upshift, adjust the torque of the off-going clutch during a torque transfer phase of a subsequent upshift based on the difference.

Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes an engine and a transmission, each controlled by controllers that communicate with one another. When the vehicle is coasting in certain gears, a one-way clutch over-runs. When the driver depresses the accelerator pedal (tips in), the transmission controller adjusts a transmission torque demand limit which is communicated to the engine controller. In response, the engine controller adjusts the engine torque, resulting in a smooth re-engagement of the one-way clutch.

Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes an engine and a transmission, each controlled by controllers that communicate with one another. When the vehicle is coasting in certain gears, a one-way clutch over-runs. When the driver depresses the accelerator pedal (tips in), the transmission controller adjusts a transmission torque demand limit which is communicated to the engine controller. In response, the engine controller adjusts the engine torque, resulting in a smooth re-engagement of the one-way clutch.

Abstract: In order to pre-stage a clutch piston in preparation for clutch engagement, a controller commands a high current to a Casting Integrated Direct Acting Solenoid (CIDAS) valve. This staging is performed in two distinct phases wherein the current is higher in the first phase than in the second phase. Staging the piston in this manner reduces the staging time and reduces the variability of the staging time. The duration of the first phase may be adjusted based on a number of parameters including, the length of a preceding engine off period, the number of clutch applications since the engine off period, a fluid temperature, and a length of time since a preceding engagement of the clutch.

Abstract: A controller commands an engine torque level in response to a driver demanded torque based on an accelerator pedal position. If the driver demanded torque decreases rapidly during or just prior to a torque phase of a shift, the controller commands the engine to temporarily generate torque exceeding the driver demand. The controller sets a nominal engine torque equal to the driver demand torque before the rapid decrease, slowly decreases the nominal engine torque during the torque phase, and decreases the nominal torque at progressively faster rates during the inertia phase to bring the nominal torque back into agreement with the driver demanded torque. The commanded engine torque is based on the nominal torque, but may be less than the nominal torque during the inertia phase to permit the engine speed to decrease faster.

Abstract: In a transmission hydraulic control system, a gain control valve may be used to switch between a low gain and a high gain based on line pressure. Line pressure may be controlled as a function of turbine torque. If the gain of a holding element or oncoming element changes during a shift as a result of changing turbine torque, shift quality may degrade. If the gain is set low at the beginning of the shift, the controller limits engine torque to ensure that the line pressure is not increased beyond a level that would cause a gain switch. If the gain is set high at the beginning of a shift, the controller maintains the line pressure high enough to prevent a switch to low gain, even if turbine torque drops.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a transmission and a controller. The transmission has clutches and multiple speed ratios that are established during gear upshifts upon torque being transferred from off-going to oncoming clutches. The controller is programmed to, in response to a difference between actual and target times of a desired flare at a transmission input exceeding a threshold during an upshift, adjust the torque of the off-going clutch during a torque transfer phase of a subsequent upshift based on the difference.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an accelerator pedal moveable across a plurality of predefined positions and a controller programmed to, responsive to the pedal reaching a tip-in position, command a downshift to a downshift gear from an initial gear. A difference between the initial and downshift gears exceeds a number of predefined positions crossed upon moving to the tip-in position when a rate of change of pedal position exceeds a predefined threshold.

Abstract: During the inertia phase of a shift, the oncoming clutch is controlled to alleviate shift quality degradation due variability of clutch friction coefficient. The friction coefficient sometimes increases as the slip speed nears zero. The commanded clutch pressure is a sum of an open loop term and a closed loop term. The open loop term decreases as the clutch slip decreases. Thus, when the friction coefficient increases at the end of the inertia phase, the clutch torque remains nearly constant. When the friction coefficient does not increase at the end of the inertia phase, the closed loop term responds to the resulting decreasing rate of slip speed reduction.

Abstract: A mobile point-of-sale system includes a cart frame and a battery housed in the cart frame. The cart frame includes a front having a bottom, a back having a bottom edge and a bottom. The bottom includes a pair of upper flanges and a lower housing. The pair of upper flanges have components for receiving wheels for supporting the cart frame and the lower housing includes at least one aperture for venting heat from the battery that is supported by the lower housing. At least a portion of the lower housing and the battery are located below the pair of upper flanges and are located below the bottom edges of the front and the back.

Abstract: A lockable electronic tablet stand is described that fixes the tablet in a locked relation to the stand. The stand actuates between a locked and unlocked position and provides an intuitive locking system. Use of a key is required for removal of the tablet from the stand.