Abstract: In executing an ETC cooperative downshift operation based on a driver's intent to decelerate, this system executes an engine output increasing control (e.g. a combination of a throttle opening control and a fuel injection restoring control) for increasing the engine output irrespective of driver's accelerator operation. At the timing a reduction amount in an input shaft rotational speed Nt exceeds a predetermined value K after the ETC cooperative downshift control is started, it is presumed that the hydraulic pressure of a to-be-disengaged clutch is already reduced to a hydraulic pressure level equivalent to a predetermined transmission torque capacity that causes no undesirable acceleration or shock even if the engine output increasing control is started. And, under such assumption, the engine output increasing control is started at this timing.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure of each corresponding one of a plurality of friction elements of a gear shift mechanism of the automatic transmission is controlled to downshift the gear shift mechanism from a current gear stage to a next gear stage, at which an engine brake is operated, upon receiving a driver's demand for deceleration. An engine output of the engine is increased by increasing a throttle opening degree of the engine in at least two steps in an absence of a driver's operation on an accelerator of the vehicle at the time of the downshifting of the gear shift mechanism from the current gear stage to the next gear stage.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control system equipped with a shift lever position sensor which includes a plurality of switches which output binary signals following a shifting motion of a gear shift lever. Patterns of combinations of the switch outputs are preselected so as to represent positions to which the gear shift lever is manually shiftable. The switches are broken down into two groups each of which produces a binary code carrying information about the position of the gear shift lever to monitor a failure in operation of the shift lever position sensor. The control system also works to perform a deemed D-position hydraulic transmission control to ensure the running of the vehicle even if the shift lever position sensor is failing.

Abstract: In executing an ETC cooperative downshift operation based on a driver's intent to decelerate, this system executes an engine output increasing control (e.g. a combination of a throttle opening control and a fuel injection restoring control) for increasing the engine output irrespective of driver's accelerator operation. At the timing a reduction amount in an input shaft rotational speed Nt exceeds a predetermined value K after the ETC cooperative downshift control is started, it is presumed that the hydraulic pressure of a to-be-disengaged clutch is already reduced to a hydraulic pressure level equivalent to a predetermined transmission torque capacity that causes no undesirable acceleration or shock even if the engine output increasing control is started. And, under such assumption, the engine output increasing control is started at this timing.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control system equipped with a shift lever position sensor which includes a plurality of switches which output binary signals following a shifting motion of a gear shift lever. Patterns of combinations of the switch outputs are preselected so as to represent positions to which the gear shift lever is manually shiftable. The switches are broken down into two groups each of which produces a binary code carrying information about the position of the gear shift lever to monitor a failure in operation of the shift lever position sensor. The control system also works to perform a deemed D-position hydraulic transmission control to ensure the running of the vehicle even if the shift lever position sensor is failing.

Abstract: In executing an ETC cooperative downshift operation based on a driver's intent to decelerate, this system executes an engine output increasing control (e.g. a combination of a throttle opening control and a fuel injection restoring control) for increasing the engine output irrespective of driver's accelerator operation. At the timing a reduction amount in an input shaft rotational speed Nt exceeds a predetermined value K after the ETC cooperative downshift control is started, it is presumed that the hydraulic pressure of a to-be-disengaged clutch is already reduced to a hydraulic pressure level equivalent to a predetermined transmission torque capacity that causes no undesirable acceleration or shock even if the engine output increasing control is started. And, under such assumption, the engine output increasing control is started at this timing.

Abstract: An automotive automatic transmission control system is provided which is designed to increase the output of an engine in response to a driver's request to downshift a transmission for setting up the engine braking and to load the amount of working fluid to an on-coming clutch quickly during the downshift. The system works to determine whether the loaded amount of working fluid is excessive or lacking using the speeds of an input shaft of the transmission and the engine to correct the amount of working fluid to be used upon a subsequent downshift request. The use of the two speeds enables the fact that the loaded fluid amount is excessive which arises from a rise in the speed of the input shaft caused by the engine output increasing control, not by completion of the loading of the working fluid to the on-coming clutch to be found accurately.

Abstract: An automotive automatic transmission control apparatus is provided which works to increase the power of an engine in response to a request to down-shift the gear of an automatic transmission for developing the engine braking. The control apparatus includes a fail-safe circuit working to stop increasing the power of the engine when a defect in operation of a transmission hydraulic control circuit is detected after the hydraulic control circuit starts to control the hydraulic pressures to achieve the downshift of the automatic transmission. This eliminates or alleviates a problem, such as unwanted acceleration of the vehicle during the control of the downshift in the transmission.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure of each corresponding one of a plurality of friction elements of a gear shift mechanism of the automatic transmission is controlled to downshift the gear shift mechanism from a current gear stage to a next gear stage, at which an engine brake is operated, upon receiving a driver's demand for deceleration. An engine output of the engine is increased by increasing a throttle opening degree of the engine in at least two steps in an absence of a driver's operation on an accelerator of the vehicle at the time of the downshifting of the gear shift mechanism from the current gear stage to the next gear stage.

Abstract: An automotive automatic transmission control system is provided which is designed to increase the output of an engine in response to a driver's request to downshift a transmission for setting up the engine braking and to load the amount of working fluid to an on-coming clutch quickly during the downshift. The system works to determine whether the loaded amount of working fluid is excessive or lacking using the speeds of an input shaft of the transmission and the engine to correct the amount of working fluid to be used upon a subsequent downshift request. The use of the two speeds enables the fact that the loaded fluid amount is excessive which arises from a rise in the speed of the input shaft caused by the engine output increasing control, not by completion of the loading of the working fluid to the on-coming clutch to be found accurately.

Abstract: In executing an ETC cooperative downshift operation based on a driver's intent to decelerate, this system executes an engine output increasing control (e.g. a combination of a throttle opening control and a fuel injection restoring control) for increasing the engine output irrespective of driver's accelerator operation. At the timing a reduction amount in an input shaft rotational speed Nt exceeds a predetermined value K after the ETC cooperative downshift control is started, it is presumed that the hydraulic pressure of a to-be-disengaged clutch is already reduced to a hydraulic pressure level equivalent to a predetermined transmission torque capacity that causes no undesirable acceleration or shock even if the engine output increasing control is started. And, under such assumption, the engine output increasing control is started at this timing.

Abstract: An automotive automatic transmission control apparatus is provided which works to increase the power of an engine in response to a request to down-shift the gear of an automatic transmission for developing the engine braking. The control apparatus includes a fail-safe circuit working to stop increasing the power of the engine when a defect in operation of a transmission hydraulic control circuit is detected after the hydraulic control circuit starts to control the hydraulic pressures to achieve the downshift of the automatic transmission. This eliminates or alleviates a problem, such as unwanted acceleration of the vehicle during the control of the downshift in the transmission.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control system equipped with a shift lever position sensor which includes a plurality of switches which output binary signals following a shifting motion of a gear shift lever. Patterns of combinations of the switch outputs are preselected so as to represent positions to which the gear shift lever is manually shiftable. The switches are broken down into two groups each of which produces a binary code carrying information about the position of the gear shift lever to monitor a failure in operation of the shift lever position sensor. The control system also works to perform a deemed D-position hydraulic transmission control to ensure the running of the vehicle even if the shift lever position sensor is failing.

Abstract: A vibration damping control system for an automotive vehicle is provided. This system includes a torque generator operating with given operation timing to produce a torque vibration of a preselected frequency and an operation timing controller. The operation timing controller initially determines a phase difference between engine revolution and frequency of vehicle vibration formed of a resultant vector defined by a first vibration component caused by movement of a crankshaft of the engine and a second vibration component caused by movement of a piston of the engine. The controller then modifies the operation timing of the torque generator to provide the torque vibration in an opposite phase relative to the vehicle vibration based on the phase difference determined to compensate the vehicle vibration.

Abstract: A torque control system for engines reduces electric power consumption by appropriately avoiding torque application after the engine starts increasing its torque output. The system detects the ignition timing of an engine and initiates motor mode operation of a motor-generator. The motor-generator continuously applies torque to number of ignitions which occur immediately before the engine torque actually starts increasing under the torque increase command, and then initiates generator operation of the motor-generator. Since the motor operation of the motor-generator terminates almost simultaneously with the increase in engine torque, there is no overlap between torque application by the motor-generator and increase torque output of the engine, and effective torque application and savings of battery power can be achieved.

Abstract: Disclosed is an engine starting apparatus which suppresses engine vibrations and noises during engine cranking and reduces consumption of electric power supplied for engine cranking. When an engine starts to rotate to produce its torque, electric power supplied to a starter motor for engine cranking is reduced gradually so that a sum of torques produced by the starter motor and the engine may be prevented from increasing excessively. In the case a generator/motor is used for engine starting, operation of the generator/motor is switched from motor operation to generator operation for suppressing excessive speed rise when engine starting is completed.

Abstract: A control mechanism for an electric generator motor which can prevent excessive charging and insufficient capacity of an electrical power storage device includes a controller controlling operation of the electric generator motor when a total of restorable electrical power calculated on the basis of vehicle state and a present capacity of the electrical storage device is smaller than a specified reference capacity. The control mechanism effects a motor operation, i.e., application of torque, of the generator motor within a range in which the capacity of the electrical storage device does not fall below a specified minimum charge level required for driving vehicle auxiliary devices. The control mechanism effects motor operation of the electric generator motor with continuously changing restorable electrical power which has a positive correlation with an effective amount of depression of a brake pedal.

Abstract: An auxiliary steering control system in connection with an anti-skid control system for use in a motor vehicle with two parts of left and right wheels, the anti-skid control system being adapted to independently control braking pressures for at least one pair of left and right wheels and including a braking actuator for adjusting braking pressures to be applied to the pair of left and right wheels. The braking actuator is controlled so that the braking pressures therefor approach the target braking forces determined on the basis of the rotational speeds of the wheels. The steering control device includes a steering actuator for adjusting steering angles of the pair of left and right wheels in response to steering control signals from a steering angle control unit.