Control By Sensed Ambient Condition, Pattern Indicia, External Signal, Or Temperature Patents (Class 477/97)
-
Patent number: 5596496Abstract: A combined transmission assembly and monitoring system for indicating the operating condition of the transmission assembly includes a transmission assembly having an input shaft, an output shaft, and a plurality of components for connecting the output shaft for rotation at a predetermined speed relative to the input shaft, a sensor attached to a portion of the transmission assembly, the sensor being responsive to vibration of the portion of the transmission assembly for generating signals indicative of the sensed vibration, and a controller for receiving the signals from the sensor and generating an indication of the operating condition of the transmission assembly based on the vibration of the portion of the transmission assembly. Preferably the sensor is adapted to detect both the frequency and magnitude of vibration of the transmission assembly and to generate signals indicative of the sensed frequency and magnitude of vibration.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1996Date of Patent: January 21, 1997Assignee: Dana CorporationInventor: John M. Loeffler
-
Patent number: 5556349Abstract: A shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission provides a normal-temperature shift pattern and a high-temperature shift pattern. The high-temperature shift pattern is selected when a transmission fluid temperature satisfies a predetermined condition. The switching of the shift pattern is inhibited if the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed, even when the temperature related to the transmission or engine has been judged to be higher than a predetermined temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1995Date of Patent: September 17, 1996Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Ishii, Yoshihide Shinso, Takeki Jozaki, Shigeki Shimanaka, Shuji Kurokawa, Hideharu Yamamoto
-
Patent number: 5526261Abstract: An electronic transmission control system for a self-propelled off-road vehicle having an internal combustion engine and multiple gear powershift transmission controls the powershift transmission and provides the at least on control signal to the engine for selecting the speed at which the engine is to operate. The system preferably includes a first electronic controller that provides transmission control signals required to command the powershift transmission to shift to and operate in any particular one of its forward gears, and a second electronic controller that provides at least one engine control signal required to command the engine to operate at one of a number of different desired engine speeds and to monitor the actual engine speed.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1995Date of Patent: June 11, 1996Assignee: Phoenix International CorporationInventors: Adrian G. Kallis, Charles D. Needham, Kevin L. Brekkestran, Barry D. Batcheller
-
Patent number: 5514050Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle such as a passenger car, which is equipped with a motor and an electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission includes the steps of: detecting a driving state defined by downhill travel; detecting the speed of the vehicle at the start of the downhill travel and storing the vehicle speed; continuously changing the transmission in such a manner that the vehicle speed is substantially maintained while utilizing the braking action of the motor thereby defining a downhill travel motor braking mode of operation; and/or, detecting possible slip at the wheels of the motor vehicle and adjusting a corresponding other, lower gear ratio continuously on the transmission so that the slip is reduced or is entirely eliminated thereby defining a slip-adjustment mode of operation; and/or, detecting if a braking operation is present and, during braking operation, continuously adjusting the transmission by changing the gear ratio to support the brakes of the motor vehicle toType: GrantFiled: March 31, 1994Date of Patent: May 7, 1996Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Peter Bauerle, Gerhard Keuper, Joachim Luh, Karl-Heinz Senger, Peter Weiberle
-
Patent number: 5501644Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for actuating an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle which is equipped with a drive unit wherein fuel is consumed. The transmission ratios are then so adjusted that the drive unit is driven in its operating range wherein consumption is optimal. The adjustment of the transmission ratio takes place in dependence upon at least a first signal (nab) representing the transmission output rpm and/or the engine rpm and/or the transmission input rpm. Furthermore, the adjustment of the transmission ratio is dependent upon a second signal (moab) which represents a desired value for the torque outputted by the transmission. The adjustment of the transmission ratio then takes place with the aid of a comparison of the first signal and/or the second signal to at least one threshold value (moabstst). According to the invention, the one threshold value is at least dependent upon parameters which influence the maximum torque to be outputted by the drive unit to the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 1994Date of Patent: March 26, 1996Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Hong Zhang
-
Patent number: 5484350Abstract: A control system of a vehicle automatic transmission in which an engine load and a vehicle speed are detected and used to determine a vehicle acceleration in accordance with the preestablished characteristics. An actual vehicle acceleration is at the same time calculated in response to the detected vehicle speed. The difference therebetween is then calculated and the calculated value is added to a difference calculated earlier to obtain an average therebetween. Five gear shifting scheduling maps, for example one for moderate hill climbing, one for level-road running, one for steep hill descent, are preestablished and in response to the average obtained, one of the maps is selected. A gear shifting is controlled based on the selected map. The actual vehicle acceleration is corrected by the altitude where the vehicle is traveling so as to compensate for the engine output decrease due to the charging efficiency drop.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Ishikawa, Hideo Furukawa, Masatoshi Shimizu, Norio Nakauchi
-
Patent number: 5481456Abstract: An electronic control system for a motor vehicle, having multiple sensors (M1) for detecting the operating condition parameters of the motor vehicle; a master controller (M4) from and to which communication lines are laid; and a plurality of slave controllers (M2) which convert the operating condition parameters detected by the sensors (M1) and various data items processed in the control system, into serial data items and transmit them to the master controller (M4) through the communication lines, and which control a plurality of components (M3) installed on the motor vehicle, on the basis of data items received from the master controller (M4); the master controller (M4) being connected with the plurality of slave controllers (M2) through the communication lines, to calculate controlling data items on the basis of various data items received as inputs from the respective slave controllers (M2), and converting the controlling data items into the serial data items and transmitting them to the respective slave cType: GrantFiled: December 28, 1994Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Akira Ogura
-
Patent number: 5468196Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling a car equipped with an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch. According to the control method of the present invention, when the lockup clutch is in the lockup state, a variation of a generated torque is detected. When the range of the torque variation detected exceeds a predetermined value, an engine torque is reduced by controlling the engine, and the automatic transmission is controlled to compensate for a reduction of the driving torque due to a reduction of the engine torque. Thus, the speed change ratio is changed to the low gear side.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1993Date of Patent: November 21, 1995Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Toshimichi Minowa, Yutaka Nishimura, Ken'ichi Kawashima, Hiroshi Kuroiwa, Masahiko Ibamoto
-
Patent number: 5452208Abstract: A device for optically providing information pertaining to the value of the quotient of the rates of revolution of two axles contains converters connected to the axles, which converters generate electrical signals which are a measure for the rate of revolution of the respective axles. At least one of the signals is fed to a ladder network of resistances which contains tap-off points which are connected to similar inputs of comparator circuits. The other inputs of the various amplifiers receive as input the signal which is a measure for the rate of revolution of the other axle. The comparator circuits are each coupled to light-emitting elements of which a few, depending upon the quotient of the revolution rates, illuminate. When applied in a vehicle which is provided with a continuously variable transmission, optical information pertaining to the current value of the transmission ratio is thus provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 1993Date of Patent: September 19, 1995Assignee: Van Doorne's Transmissie B.V.Inventor: Chi C. Choi
-
Patent number: 5428531Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1992Date of Patent: June 27, 1995Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazuya Hayafune
-
Patent number: 5425687Abstract: A shift control system controls an automatic transmission of a vehicle wherein half-lock-up control for a lock-up clutch is executed when the running state of the vehicle is in a predetermined operative range.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1994Date of Patent: June 20, 1995Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yutaka Taga, Yasuo Hojo, Atsushi Tabata
-
Patent number: 5416700Abstract: A control system and method for a semi-automatic mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for allowing operator request for a scrolling display of allowable ratios in either the upshift or downshift direction, and for a direct shift into the selected one of the displayed ratios. In one embodiment, retaining the control (1) lever in a displaced position for one or two seconds will initiate the scrolling display, while retaining the transmission engaged in the initial ratio, and subsequently release of the control lever to its centered position will cause a direct shift into the then displayed ratio.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1993Date of Patent: May 16, 1995Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Ian R. J. Bates, John E. Stainton, Robert S. Wheeler, Keith Wright
-
Patent number: 5408895Abstract: A control method/system is provided for controlling start from stop shifting operations of a vehicular semi-automatic transmission system (10) of the type automatically implementing selected gear changes of a mechanical change gear transmission (12) and requiring manual operation (3) of the vehicle master clutch (16) in start from stop conditions is provided. During engagement of a selected start ratio, the system controller (38) monitors for gear butt conditions and will warn the operator if such conditions are sensed.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 1993Date of Patent: April 25, 1995Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Kwok W. Chan, Anthony Stasik, Robert S. Wheeler, Keith Wright
-
Patent number: 5391127Abstract: A control apparatus with a fail-safe function not only serves to enhance acceleration performance of a motor vehicle but also prevents a runaway upon occurrence of a failure in a throttle control system. An accelerator pedal actuation detector detects a magnitude of depression of an accelerator pedal by the driver. A vehicle speed detector detects a running speed of the vehicle. A gear ratio detector detects a gear ratio or gear position of a transmission. A plurality of target throttle opening patterns representing relations between target values of throttle opening degree and depression magnitudes of the accelerator pedal are stored in a memory. A first controller selectively determines an optimum target throttle opening pattern on the basis of the vehicle speed and the gear ratio to thereby control a throttle actuator for actuating a throttle in accordance with the selected pattern. An intake air quantity detector detects a quantity of intake air fed to an engine of the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1993Date of Patent: February 21, 1995Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yukinobu Nishimura
-
Patent number: 5382206Abstract: A method of and system for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle based on a control characteristic so that the speed of the vehicle follows a target speed. The system estimates a dynamic characteristic of the motor vehicle to adjust the control characteristic when the motor vehicle is under a cruising control. The system includes a sensor for detecting a speed of the motor vehicle and a sensor for detecting an operating position of an actuator which adjusts a travelling speed of the motor vehicle. In the system, the detected vehicle speed and actuator operating position are converted into data in terms of an imaginary operating point. The imaginary operating point remains constant because it is not affected by variations of a static characteristic of the motor vehicle. The dynamic characteristic of the motor vehicle is estimated on the basis of the conversion data. This arrangement can accurately estimate the dynamic characteristic of the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1992Date of Patent: January 17, 1995Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kyoji Oda, Hitoshi Takeuchi, Masao Tsujii, Masahiro Ohba
-
Patent number: 5361207Abstract: In a speed change control method for setting the gearshift position of an automatic transmission for vehicles with a plurality of gearshift positions, to a position selected on the basis of vehicle speed and engine load, in accordance with a preset shift pattern for a first control mode, one of the gearshift positions is selected by fuzzy inference in accordance with at least one of parameter values which represent operating conditions of the vehicle, parameter values which represent driver's driving intention, and parameter values which represent road conditions. Further, the gearshift position of the automatic transmission is set to the position selected by the fuzzy inference only if the gearshift position selected by the fuzzy inference provides a lower speed than that provided by the gearshift position selected in accordance with the shift pattern for the first control mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1992Date of Patent: November 1, 1994Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazuya Hayafune
-
Patent number: 5341295Abstract: An apparatus automatically shifts a vehicle transmission, according to a shift pattern and on the basis of a detected parameter of the pattern. The shift pattern or the detected parameter is compensated by a compensating coefficient determined from an actual intake air quantity of the engine, and a required intake air quantity calculated from the throttle opening and the engine speed. The apparatus includes an arrangement for adjusting the compensating coefficient so as to prevent busy shifting actions of the transmission upon changing of the throttle opening, or an arrangement for determining the compensating coefficient so as to reflect the driver's desire for accelerating the vehicle, preferably depending upon the vehicle running condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1992Date of Patent: August 23, 1994Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Norihisa Nakagawa, Hiroki Matsuoka
-
Patent number: 5323318Abstract: A system for controlling multi-step geared continuously variable automatic transmission in which a gear ratio to be shifted to is determined by retrieving a conventional preestablished shift diagram by an engine load and a vehicle speed. A fuzzy reasoning is carried out using parameters such as a driving resistance to correct the gear ratio obtained by retrieved. Alternatively, the fuzzy reasoning is carried out to correct one of the engine load and vehicle speed detected and using the corrected value, the shift diagram is retrieved to determine a gear ratio to be shifted to. Further, another fuzzy reasoning is carried out to ascertain the driver's intention to decelerate and the first fuzzy reasoning is carried out using the inferred value so as to reflect the driver's intention in the shift control.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1992Date of Patent: June 21, 1994Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yusuke Hasegawa, Yoshihisa Iwaki, Ichiro Sakai