Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the rate of engagement of a clutch in response to an indication provided by the driver, such as the depression of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle. The apparatus includes an electronic controller which initially determines a start rate as the minimum duty cycle which is required to modulate an engage valve in order to cause movement of a release bearing of the clutch in the engagement direction. The start rate is determined by initially moving the release bearing to the disengaged position. Then, the engage valve is modulated incrementally modulated until the release bearing begins moving in the engaged direction from the disengaged position. When a predetermined amount of such movement has been detected, the electronic controller sets the start rate as the current duty cycle of the engage valve.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the engagement rate of a clutch in a partially or fully automated mechanical transmission in response to an indication provided by the driver, such as the depression of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle. The apparatus includes an electronic controller which initially sets a desired speed for the vehicle engine during the shifting process, determines a rate of engagement movement of a release bearing of the clutch, and actuates appropriate valves to initiate the gradual engagement of the clutch. The electronic controller is responsive to the position of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle for adjusting the rate of engagement of the release bearing of the clutch. In a first embodiment, the electronic controller is responsive to movement of the accelerator pedal in a first direction (depressed for further acceleration) for incrementing the rate of engagement of the release bearing.

Abstract: An electronic controller for use in a partially or fully automatic vehicle transmission. The transmission includes an automatic shifting mechanism for partially or fully automating the shifting thereof to select and engage gear ratios. The automatic shifting decisions are made by an electronic control circuit including an electronic controller which receives electrical signals representative of the rotational speeds of the input and output shafts of the transmission. An algorithm is performed by the electronic controller to identify the structure of the underlying transmission and adopt an appropriate shifting strategy based upon the rotational speeds of the input and output shafts of the transmission. Initially, the electronic controller determines if the transmission is, in fact, engaged in a gear ratio. Once it has been determined that the transmission is engaged in a gear ratio, the electronic controller determines what the specific magnitude of that gear ratio is.