By Changing Shift Map, Schedule, Or Pattern Patents (Class 701/55)
  • Patent number: 8165766
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicles drivetrain including an engine and automatic transmission, such that transmission ratios are shifted within a range of transmission ratios in a continuous and/or stepped manner as function of preset target speeds that are adjustable via a vehicle speed control and actual vehicle inclinations in relation to the vehicles longitudinal axis. When the actual speed of the vehicle differs from a preset threshold speed, a request to change an actual ratio of the transmission is generated, if it has been determined that the output torque is smaller than a threshold value or an output torque required to adjust the preset threshold speed of the vehicle. The ratio of the transmission is shifted so the torque applied to the output is modified toward the output torque required to adjust the threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Norbert Müller, Franz-Josef Schuler, Clemens Kuhn
  • Patent number: 8160781
    Abstract: A vehicular control system which includes a user parameter input module, an external parameter input module, a plurality of objective functions, a policy setting module, and a policy node. The user parameter input module Inputs a user parameter. The external parameter input module inputs an external parameter resulting from an outside environment. The objective functions are set for each control characteristic, respectively, so as to calculate an internal parameter of each control target from the user parameter and the external parameter. The policy setting module sets policies indicating a control index of the user for the objective functions respectively. The policy node weights the objective functions on the basis of the policies, adjusts the internal parameter in accordance with the policy so that the internal parameter is optimized among the objective functions, and issues a command to a control node corresponding to the internal parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Naono, Masaaki Shimizu, Fumio Arakawa, Nobuyasu Kanekawa, Kohei Sakurai, Masatoshi Hoshino, Kentaro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8160787
    Abstract: The control system comprises detectors or estimators capable of supplying electrical signals or data indicative of the values of predetermined state variables including the angular velocity of the crankshaft of the engine, the difference between this angular velocity and the angular velocity of the primary shaft of the gearbox, and the torque delivered by the engine crankshaft and the torque transmitted by the friction clutch; calculating devices capable of supplying signals indicating the errors between the values of the state variables and respective reference values; filter devices capable of incrementing, within a predetermined frequency band, the relative weight selectively of the error of angular velocity of the crankshaft of the engine, and of the error of the abovementioned difference of angular velocity; processing devices capable of generating, in accordance with predetermined transfer functions, output signals or data indicating a torque partial value or contribution to be delivered by the engin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: CRF Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Emanuel Corigliano, Attilio Porta, Giancarlo Osella, Pandeli Borodani
  • Publication number: 20120089308
    Abstract: A method for actuating an automated transmission, in particular an automated transmission of a commercial vehicle, which is coupled to a drive motor, where data and/or signals are supplied to a controller of the automated transmission via an interface. When a defined event occurs, a temporally predictive non-steady profile of the drive motor torque for this event is transmitted to the controller of the automated transmission. The transmission controller ascertains and/or specifies a transmission shifting strategy on the basis of the transmitted data. There is also provided an apparatus for actuating an automated transmission, and also a test bench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventors: WOLFGANG HUDELMAIER, WOLFGANG ZIEGLMAIER, CLAUS HELLBERG, MARTIN WEINER, GEORG GREPPMEIER, MAXIMILIAN HUBER
  • Publication number: 20120083979
    Abstract: One control mode is selected from a plurality of control modes each setting a target value of a primary pulley revolution speed NIN and prioritized in a predetermined order. When the control mode is changed, the target value of the primary pulley revolution speed NIN is set so as to vary from the target value set in the control mode before change to the target value set in the control mode after change in accordance with the control mode that is higher in priority among the control modes before and after change. A continuously variable transmission is controlled such that the primary pulley revolution speed NIN reaches the set target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Inoue, Akihide Ito, Seji Kuwahara, Shinya Toyoda, Motonori Kimura
  • Publication number: 20120083978
    Abstract: A control device for an automatic transmission configured with a command output portion that outputs a command that causes an electric pump to be driven so that oil pressure generated by the mechanical pump and the electric pump becomes greater than or equal to a needed oil pressure for a speed change mechanism when the oil pressure generated by the mechanical pump is smaller than the needed oil pressure. A determination portion determines whether or not a predetermined heat generation condition is met when the command is output by the command output portion. A shift control portion that, in a case where the determination portion has determined that the heat generation condition is met, performs a shift control of causing the speed ratio of the speed change mechanism to become higher than the speed ratio occurring when the determination portion determines that the heat generation condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Tajima, Yomei Hakumura
  • Publication number: 20120083976
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for adjusting a gear map. The present invention can be an automobile including a continuously variable transmission system, an ignition detecting ignition data, and/or a display unit. The continuously variable transmission system can include a continuously variable transmission, a memory storing a gear map including virtual gears, a gear adjustment mode input unit detecting gear adjustment mode data, and/or a processor. The processor can control the continuously variable transmission to operate at a desired engine speed for a specific automobile speed using the gear map. The processor can adjust the gear map using the gear adjustment mode data, and/or the ignition data. The processor can control the display unit to display information to prompt the user to supply the gear adjustment mode data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Matthew Eugene Fleming, Avernethy Francisco, Christopher Bartlett Gregg
  • Publication number: 20120083977
    Abstract: Continuously variable transmission includes: a variator; a stepwise auxiliary transmission mechanism; and a shift controller configured to set a desired through transmission ratio based on the calculated desired target rotational speed, the shift control section including; a slope road upshift prohibiting section configured to prohibit upshift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism when the vehicle runs on a slope road, and a slope road upshift section configured to upshift the auxiliary transmission mechanism when the vehicle runs in a predetermined running state when the slope road upshift prohibiting section prohibits upshift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism, and to perform the shift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism while the transmission ratio of the variator is varied in accordance with the variation of the transmission ratio of the auxiliary transmission mechanism to prevent varying the through transmission ratio even when the vehicle runs on the slope road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Hiroyasu TANAKA, Takuichiro Inoue, Ryousuke Nonomura, Takashi Eguchi, Mamiko Inoue, Seiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8150584
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including plurality of engines, a plurality of mechanical loads, a plurality of electrical generators, a plurality of electrical loads, at least one load sensor, and a controller. The plurality of engines includes a first engine and a second engine. The plurality of mechanical loads includes a first mechanical load and a second mechanical load. The first mechanical load is coupled to the first engine and a second mechanical load is coupled to the second engine. The plurality of electrical generators includes a first generator and a second generator. The first generator is coupled to the first engine and the second generator is coupled to the second engine. The plurality of electrical loads can be separately coupled to the first generator or the second generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Ryan Patrick Mackin, Daniel James Burke, Glenn E. Pope, Alan David Sheidler, Jim Milton Shoemaker, Ronnie Dean Stahlhut
  • Publication number: 20120078479
    Abstract: A control device for an automatic transmission including a neutral control unit that executes neutral control for bringing the automatic transmission into a neutral state by reducing an engagement force for an engaged frictional engagement element; a speed ratio specifying unit that specifies an actual speed ratio of the automatic transmission on the basis of a rotating speed of an input shaft and a rotating speed of an output shaft; and a first failure determination unit that determines whether or not a failure is occurring in the automatic transmission on the basis of the actual speed ratio during execution of the neutral control. The first failure determination unit determines that a failure is occurring in the automatic transmission in the case where the actual speed ratio coincides with the speed ratio of any one of a plurality of shift speeds over a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio SUGIURA, Masaki NISHIDE
  • Publication number: 20120072085
    Abstract: A method of determining the size of a gear interval from a currently engaged gear to a target gear in a transmission. The method includes the steps of, for each current gear and for each possible gear interval from the current gear, recording a limit value for an acceleration or a deceleration in the target gear corresponding to the current gear and the respective gear interval used; for the current gear, starting with the smallest gear interval, applying a loop with successive increases of the gear interval to determine, depending on the current driving situation and characteristic parameters of the vehicle, the acceleration or the acceleration theoretically obtainable in the target gear produced by using the gear interval, which is compared with the respective recorded limit value until the acceleration or the deceleration theoretically obtainable no longer contravenes the limit value. The gear interval is then selected for a gearshift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Maik WÜRTHNER, Joachim STAUDINGER, Johannes KEMLER
  • Publication number: 20120072084
    Abstract: The described system and method provide improved transmission performance and response with closed loop torque feedback by implementing situational gain scheduling and nonlinear control techniques for continuously variable transmissions. The system uses contextual information regarding the operation of the machine to determine a gain to be applied in associated PID control logic. In an embodiment, the determined gain is applied in the integral portion of the closed loop controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Jason Stoller, Adam Vaccari
  • Patent number: 8140231
    Abstract: In an abnormal-period automatic shift control apparatus of an automated manual transmission (AMT), a controller includes a first state detecting section configured to detect whether the AMT is in a first state where the AMT is thrown into a shift stage during an engine starting period, and a second state detecting section configured to detect whether the AMT is in a second state where a clutch failure that an automatic clutch, employed in the AMT for engine power transmission, remains engaged undesirably, occurs. Also provided is a neutral-range-period abnormality countermeasure section configured to inhibit a supply of working oil from an engine-drive oil pump, serving as a working medium for automatic-clutch engagement-and-disengagement control and automatic gear shifting, for preventing an automotive vehicle from beginning to move, while a selected operating range is a neutral range, under a condition where the first and second states occur simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Futamura
  • Patent number: 8140253
    Abstract: A shift map switching control unit includes a fuel level sensor 72, plural shift maps for deriving the shift timing of an automatic transmission 1b, and a controller 101 that selects one shift map out of the plural shift maps and controls the shift of the automatic transmission 1b according to the selected shift map. The controller 101 switches a standard shift map 103 to a high fuel economy shift map 104 in which fuel consumption is reduced when it is sensed that the residual quantity of fuel is equal to or below a predetermined value. An operational mode display lamp 99 displays the selected shift map. As the residual quantity of fuel is sensed, based upon a mean value of output signals from the fuel level sensor 72 in predetermined time, the shift maps can be prevented from being frequently switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Yoshiaki Nedachi
  • Publication number: 20120065852
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling an automatic freewheeling function in a vehicle where a freewheeling function is active due to a prevailing freewheeling condition and where a control unit is programmed to: predict that the vehicle soon will travel in a steep downhill slope that is steeper compared to a prevailing downhill slope; simulate if less fuel will be consumed if the freewheeling function is inactivated in a a further position before the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope, compared to if the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope with the freewheeling function active; and inactivate the freewheeling function in the further position, that is, before the vehicle enters the steeper downhill slope if the simulation shows that less fuel will be consumed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: VOLVO LASTVAGNAR AB
    Inventors: Anders Eriksson, Niklas Öberg
  • Patent number: 8135521
    Abstract: A control device for an automatic transmission capable of operating in an automatic shift mode in which a gear ratio is automatically selected based on driving conditions of a vehicle, and also capable of operating in a manual shift mode in which the gear ratio is changed based on an upshift command or a downshift command by manual operation of a manual operation device, the control device includes a manual shift control unit that changes and sets the gear ratio after downshift depending on a degree of requirement for deceleration based on a driving operation when the downshift command has been operated by the manual operation device in the manual shift mode, and performs the downshift to the gear ratio that has been changed and set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Sugiura, Yosuke Takei, Hideaki Ogasawara, Hiroshi Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 8135519
    Abstract: A hybrid transmission includes a torque machine and an energy storage device connected thereto. The hybrid transmission is operative to transfer power between an input member and an output member and the torque machines in a fixed gear operating range state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Anthony H. Heap, Tung-Ming Hsieh, Bin Wu
  • Patent number: 8131437
    Abstract: A powertrain system includes a multi-cylinder engine coupled to a hybrid transmission. The engine is selectively operative in one of a plurality of main engine states to transfer engine torque to the hybrid transmission. A method for operating a powertrain system includes monitoring an operator torque request, determining a preferred main engine state and a preferred engine torque associated with the preferred engine state, determining an engine state transition path from a present main engine state to the preferred main engine state including an engine transition state, and executing the engine state transition path between the present main engine state and the preferred main engine state and adjusting engine torque to the preferred engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Anthony H. Heap, Wilfried Brunssen
  • Publication number: 20120053799
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes signaling a transmission to shift into a first gear ratio and sensing a current gear ratio of the transmission after signaling the transmission to shift into the first gear ratio. The method further includes implementing a diagnostic transmission shift control strategy to override a normal transmission shift control strategy when the current sensed gear ratio is not equal to the requested first gear ratio to verify proper functionality of a mode control valve that is responsible for shifting the transmission into the first gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Emmanuel V. Yabes, Brian J. Pellerito, Michael Chernyak, Craig J. Hawkins, Cheol W. Kim
  • Patent number: 8126623
    Abstract: A shifting device is provided for the gear selection in a manual transmission that includes, but is not limited to a shift/selector lever that can be moved in a shifting degree of freedom and a selection degree of freedom, a measuring sensor for measuring a current position (s, w) of the shift/selector lever in the two degrees of freedom, a two-dimensionally controllable actuator device and a control circuit for the controlling of the actuator device in a position (S, W) which is associated with the sensed position (s, w) of the shift/selector lever, which depicts the movement region of the shift/selector lever on a region of possible positions of the actuator device. The movement region of the shift/selector lever included, but is not limited to a two-dimensional prohibited part region, in which the shift/selector lever is simultaneously moveable in both degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christian Rübsam, Jan Sporleder
  • Patent number: 8126624
    Abstract: A powertrain system includes an engine mechanically coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission at an input thereto selectively operative in one of a plurality of transmission operating range states and one of a plurality of engine states. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes combining sets of preferability factors inputted from engine sensors in a microprocessor or computer with other preferability factors generated during engine and vehicle operation to provide an output for a transmission control module, which may execute an operating range or engine state change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Anthony H. Heap, Kee Yong Kim
  • Publication number: 20120046841
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle in a freewheel mode or a rolling mode, in which the vehicle has a drive train comprising a controllable drive engine, an automatic or automated transmission, and a controllable shifter for interrupting a flow of power in the drive train. To enable fuel-efficient and low-emission, as well as safe and comfortable driving, it is intended that the freewheel mode or the rolling mode is prognostically activated, deactivated or retained by performing a plausibility check of a currently active, automatic driving speed control function or a driving speed and a distance control function and/or other current driving operation or driving state data. The method includes coordinating and adapting relevant marginal conditions of the active driving speed control function or the driving speed and the distance control function, and of the freewheel mode or the rolling mode, according to the driving situation, and initiating control measures by a transmission control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Maik Wurthner, Johannes Kemler, Joachim Staudinger, Ingo Sauter
  • Patent number: 8116951
    Abstract: A transmission has an input member and an output member, first and second intermediate shafts having substantially identical gear sets with gears concentric with and selectively connectable for rotation with the first and second intermediate shafts, respectively. Output gears are concentric with and rotatable with the output member and mesh with the substantially identical gear sets. First and second torque-transmitting devices are operable for transmitting torque from the input member to the first and second intermediate shafts, respectively. Torque-transmitting mechanisms are mounted concentric with, rotatable about and selectively engagable with the gears mounted on the intermediate shafts. A controller is operatively connected to the torque-transmitting mechanisms and to at least one of the torque-transmitting devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Alan G. Holmes
  • Publication number: 20120029776
    Abstract: A transmission control device (6) for an automatic or automated transmission (2). A shifting strategy of the transmission control device (6) controls and/or regulates the operation of the transmission (2) based on driving condition data such as vehicle mass, driving resistance, vehicle inclination, vehicle velocity, vehicle acceleration, engine rotational speed and/or engine torque, and based on data about the driver's wishes. The transmission control device (6) continuously calculates the driving condition data of the vehicle mass, driving resistance and/or vehicle inclination based on topographic data of a current position of the motor vehicle, and/or the shifting strategy determines a gear change from an actual gear into a target gear based on topographic data of a defined distance ahead of a motor vehicle. The defined distance ahead of the motor vehicle depends on the currently velocity of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Staudinger, Ingo Sauter, Maik Wurthner, Johannes Kemler
  • Publication number: 20120022753
    Abstract: A method for anticipating downshifting upon uphill driving on a vehicle including an automatic transmission and including change laws imposing a change to a lower gear based on pre-established downshifting curves. The method imposes a change to the lower gear to the transmission independently from the gear set point established by the change laws when the acceleration that can be reached at the maximum torque on the current gear is lower than an acceleration threshold necessary for maintaining the vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Renault s.a.s.
    Inventor: Remi Vandekerkhove
  • Publication number: 20120016559
    Abstract: It is provided a vehicle shift control apparatus that electrically controls switchover of a shift range of a transmission based on a position signal corresponding to an operational position in a shift operating device, the vehicle shift control apparatus being capable of storing therein a determination result of whether the position signal is normal or abnormal, the shift range being switched based on the position signal acquired when a vehicle electric power supply is turned on if a memory of the determination result is retained when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the shift range not being switched based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on if the memory of the determination result is not retained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Koki Ueno, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hiroatsu Endo
  • Patent number: 8099219
    Abstract: A hybrid powertrain system includes a transmission operative in a plurality of operating range states. An operating range state can be secured, including assigning each operating range state to a group that can be verified, monitoring a transition path from a first to a second operating range state, and monitoring a torque equation for the present operating range state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hanne Buur, Lawrence A. Kaminsky
  • Patent number: 8095284
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control unit determines whether or not a constantly open failure, in which a switch valve cannot switch a pressure regulating valve and a second hydraulic chamber to a non-communicative state, has occurred on the basis of a parameter (an inertia phase time, for example) representing a dynamic characteristic during a shift from a first gear position to a second gear position. The determination of the constantly open failure is begun after initial variation in the parameter representing the dynamic characteristic during the shift has been eliminated through learning control in which the dynamic characteristic during the shift is caused to approach a target dynamic characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Fumitaka Nagashima, Hajime Tasaka, Yoshihide Shinso
  • Patent number: 8095286
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle's automated transmission, which is arranged in a drive train in the force flow between a engine and a drive axle or a transfer box, depending on certain operating parameters and control actions of an adaptive cruise control system (ACC) that can be operated using engine and brake mechanisms to regulate speed and distance from a car in front. The method controls the transmission when an engine torque demand differs from the torque demand of the ACC. The operating mode of the ACC, which is active at the time, and the load direction of the torque demand of the ACC are determined, and the torque demand, used for controlling the transmission when speed or distance regulation is activated, is determined depending on the ACC operating mode and the load direction of the torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Werner Wolfgang, Maik Wurthner
  • Patent number: 8086379
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission capable of operating in an automatic shift mode in which a speed ratio is automatically selected based on driving conditions of a vehicle, and a manual shift mode in which the speed ratio is changed based on an upshift command and a downshift command by manual operation of a manual operation unit, the control apparatus includes a controller that operates in a jumping shift mode that is included in the manual shift mode and that is composed of a smaller number of shift speeds than a number of shift speeds of the automatic shift mode; wherein the controller performs a downshift from a shift speed of the jumping shift mode at a time when the downshift command is issued by an operation of the manual operation unit based on the shift speed of the jumping shift mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Sugiura, Yosuke Takei, Hideaki Ogasawara, Hiroshi Tsutsui
  • Publication number: 20110313629
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a speed determination module, a buffer module, and a speed prediction module. The speed determination module determines changes in measured vehicle speed. The buffer module stores the determined changes in measured vehicle speed. The speed prediction module predicts a speed of the vehicle when the measured vehicle speed is less than a predetermined threshold, wherein the predicted vehicle speed is based on an average of the stored changes in measured vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Justin Louie, Xuefeng Tim Tao
  • Patent number: 8082085
    Abstract: A method for shifting a gear into a gear position in an automated shift transmission with several gears and an automated shift transmission adapted to perform said method are suggested. Via a shifting fork, a shifting sleeve can be shifted from a neutral position into respective gear positions and reaches on its way a pull-in position where the shifting sleeve is automatically forced in direction of the gear position. It is achieved that the pull-in position is safely reached by checking whether the shifting fork has reached a first threshold value, a second threshold value, and whether it has come to a standstill therebetween. Accordingly, an increased shifting force can be applied. Albeit allowing production tolerances in the transmission, the respective gear position is safely reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Getrag Ford Transmissions GmbH
    Inventor: Helmuth Bosch
  • Patent number: 8078370
    Abstract: A hydraulic or pneumatic control device for an automated shift transmission including actuating devices with actuating cylinders (15, 16) having pressure spaces (19a, 19b; 20a, 20b). The pressure spaces (19a, 19b; 20a, 20b) of the actuating cylinders (15, 16) can be connected by a respective control valve (22a, 22b; 32a, 32b) to a pressure line (26), which can be selectively connected to or cut off from a main pressure line (8) by a main shut-off valve (45a). At least one additional main shut-off valve (45b) is arranged in parallel with the first main shut-off valve (45a) between the main pressure line (8) and the pressure line (26) to improve the control characteristics and increase the operational reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rainer Petzold, Mario Steinborn, Markus Deeg, Friedbert Roether
  • Patent number: 8073603
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control method in which at least one of a starting clutch, a clutch coupling and transmission elements, for selection as well as engagement and disengagement of a gear step, are determined as a function of respectively existing variables representing the driving situation as well as the driver's wishes can be activated by actuators which are controlled by a control and regulation device. The method comprising the steps of collecting and normalizing the input variable into standard input variables; weighting with weighting factors and summarizing; converting the weighted input variables into intermediate variables; selecting a specific range of values which represents a specific shifting sequence; and implementing the shifting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Norbert Wiencek, Andelko Vesenjak, Thomas Jäger, Mario Steinborn, Ramon Cordt, Peter Herter
  • Patent number: 8068964
    Abstract: A method for determining the driving resistance of a motor vehicle simultaneously with a shift of an automated shift transmission from a load gear to a target gear such that if a difference between a first driving resistance value F_fw_1 and a second driving resistance value F_fw_2 is large, the shift operation can be corrected. The second driving resistance value F_fw_2 is determined during the shift operation. a time interval ?t which contains the traction-force-free phase of the shift, a plurality of acceleration values a_i of the motor vehicle are measured to obtain the minimum acceleration a_min if the shift operation is a traction shift or the maximum acceleration a_max if it is thrust shift. With the mass m of the vehicle, the second driving resistance value F_fw_2 is calculated with one of the formula F_fw_2=?m*a_min or F_fw_2=?m*a_max.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Werner Wolfgang, Maik Würthner, Ingo Sauter
  • Publication number: 20110288733
    Abstract: An automatic transmission may be coupled to an internal combustion engine. A shift selector may be coupled to the transmission and may have a plurality of user selectable inputs for controlling operation of the transmission that are electrically connected to a control circuit. The control circuit may include a memory having a value stored therein that relates to operation of the transmission. The memory may further include instructions stored therein that are executable by the control circuit to change the value stored in the memory to a different value upon detection of user selection of a predefined sequence of two or more of the plurality of user selectable inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Mark A. Rains
  • Patent number: 8057354
    Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently and effectively controlling the rate of change of ratio, not simply the ratio, in a CVT. By controlling the rate of change of ratio, the acceleration or deceleration of a vehicle can be controlled in an efficient manner. Furthermore, the rate of change of ratio can be controlled by controlling the clamping pressure of the pulleys and/or differential pressure between the pulleys with minimal slip by using a servo control mechanism adapted for control by a system controller based on equilibrium mapping and other control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Andrew A. Frank, Thomas Dreumont
  • Publication number: 20110270499
    Abstract: A transmission control device for an automatic transmission that changes the speed of rotation output from an engine having a turbocharger includes intake-state detecting means detecting an engine intake state; intake-state determining means determining whether or not a predetermined target intake state is satisfied based on a detection result of the intake-state detecting means; transmission-pattern selecting means having a first transmission pattern for setting a transmission gear ratio in accordance with an operational state and a second transmission pattern for setting the transmission gear ratio such that an engine rotation speed is higher than that in the first transmission pattern, and selecting the first transmission pattern or the second transmission pattern when the target intake state is satisfied or not satisfied, respectively; and transmission control means controlling a transmission mechanism unit of the automatic transmission based on the selected transmission pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi SAITO
  • Patent number: 8050834
    Abstract: Information pertaining to a first zone set ahead of a host vehicle and a second zone farther ahead than the first zone is acquired. Based on the information, if a distance between an end point of the first zone and a start point of the second zone is shorter than a distance within which the host vehicle can be slowed at a predetermined deceleration to a second target vehicle speed for traveling the second zone at the start point of the second zone, a second acceleration gear ratio is acquired for accelerating the host vehicle in a second acceleration zone following the second zone. The gear ratio of the host vehicle is set to the second acceleration gear ratio in a first deceleration zone for slowing the host vehicle before reaching the first zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Kondou, Takayuki Miyajima, Atsushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8050831
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method for controlling a vehicle transmission is provided. The vehicle has at least one wheel and a positionable acceleration device. The vehicle includes an engine being responsive to the position of the acceleration device, wherein the engine provides torque to the wheel. In one embodiment, a transmission is coupled to the engine and the wheel, wherein the transmission provides multiple speed ratios and is configured to operate in a continuously variable mode. The vehicle also includes a controller that communicates with the engine and the transmission. The controller senses the position of the acceleration device, determine a shift schedule based on the position of the acceleration device, and set an engine speed limit for the engine. The controller also generates signals for the transmission to provide the speed ratio based on the engine speed limit while the transmission operates in the continuously variable mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Martin, Edward Badillo, John Shanahan
  • Patent number: 8046141
    Abstract: An automatic gear shifting control device of a vehicle can execute an automatic gear shifting control in response to a larger rotational speed. The automatic gear shifting control device includes a gear shifting control instruction part that executes an automatic gear shifting operation of an AMT in response to at least vehicle-speed information. First and second sensors detect rotational speed of front and rear wheels. A rotational-speed-difference detector detects the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels based on information from the first and second sensors. The control part is configured to execute an automatic gear shifting control in response to the vehicle-speed information calculated based on the larger rotational speed out of the rotational speed of the front wheel and the rotational speed of the rear wheel when the difference in rotational speed is detected by the rotational-speed-difference detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nedachi, Takashi Ozeki, Yoshiaki Tsukada, Hiroyuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 8041488
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a motion transmission value that provides security of motion transmission between two components that transfer motion through frictional engagement. The motion transmission value provides security of motion transmission through the reaction of the motion transmitted to a change in the contact force between the components that are frictionally engaged. The contact force is modulated in a predetermined frequency range during the motion transmission, and the change in the motion transmitted during the modulation of the contact force is detected. The change in the motion transmitted is evaluated using a filtering process, and the motion transmission value is determined as the result of the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Betelligungs KG
    Inventor: Michael Reuschel
  • Patent number: 8036801
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including a differential mechanism including an electric motor. The drive system includes a switching clutch and switching brake to switch the transmission mechanism between a continuously-variable shifting state and a step-variable shifting state. A shifting control mechanism changes a manner of controlling shifting action of the transmission mechanism during shifting action of an automatic transmission portion, for reducing a shifting shock, depending upon whether a differential portion is placed in the continuously-variable shifting state in which engine speed is variable due to differential function irrespective of rotating speed of power transmitting member, or the non-continuously-variable shifting state in which the engine speed is more difficult to be variable than in the continuously-variable shifting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Yuji Inoue, Atsushi Kamada
  • Patent number: 8032288
    Abstract: An upshift control system and method of an automatic transmission. The system includes a vehicle speed detector outputting a vehicle speed signal; a transmission control unit for receiving the signal, calculating a target hydraulic pressure based on a change of the vehicle speed, and outputting a control signal corresponding to the target hydraulic pressure; and an actuator for controlling an actual hydraulic pressure of an on-coming element based on the control signal. The method includes determining whether a vehicle speed changes during an upshift; calculating the change of the vehicle speed; calculating a target hydraulic pressure based on the change of the vehicle speed; and controlling an actual hydraulic pressure of an on-coming element based on the target hydraulic pressure. The target hydraulic pressure may be calculated by adding a modified hydraulic pressure, proportional to the rate of change of the vehicle speed, to a constant reference hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Hoegab Kim
  • Publication number: 20110238272
    Abstract: A requested cruise-control horsepower calculator obtains a requested cruise-control horsepower from a speed difference between a target cruising vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed. A requested cruise-control torque calculator obtains a requested cruise-control torque on the basis of the requested cruise-control horsepower and an engine rotation speed. A cruise-control accelerator-opening calculator sets a cruise-control accelerator opening by referring to an engine torque map in which a cruise-control accelerator-opening characteristic curve is set along an equal horsepower line on the basis of the requested cruise-control torque and the engine rotation speed. A target primary rotation-speed calculator sets a target primary rotation speed by referring to a shift-line map on the basis of the cruise-control accelerator opening and the actual vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kato
  • Publication number: 20110218720
    Abstract: A transmission control apparatus for an automatic transmission to change a shift position automatically includes a cornering-state judging device, a modified shift-up table generator, and a gear-shift controller. The cornering-state judging device is configured to judge whether a vehicle has transitioned to a cornering state from a normal running state. The modified shift-up table generator is configured to generate a modified shift-up table when the vehicle is judged to have transitioned to the cornering state. The modified shift-up table makes a shift-up more difficult to occur than a reference shift-up table does. The gear-shift controller is configured to perform gear-shift control by using the reference shift-up table during the normal running state. The gear-shift controller is configured to suppress a gear shift by using the modified shift-up table instead of the reference shift-up table when the vehicle is judged to have transitioned to the cornering state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dai ARAI, Hiroyuki KOJIMA, Yoshiaki NEDACHI, Masataka TANAKA, Shigeru TAJIMA
  • Patent number: 8014926
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for executing the following control are provided. When a driving mode is input, a CPU of an ECU outputs an instruction for shifting a power transfer mechanism in accordance with the input driving mode, and controls a power control mechanism in accordance with a stored driving mode. When it is determined that shifting of the power transfer mechanism has been completed, the CPU switches the characteristic of the power control mechanism in accordance with the input driving mode. On the other hand, when it is determined that a predetermined period of time has elapsed without completing the shifting from when the instruction for shifting the power transfer mechanism is issued, the CPU maintains the characteristic of the power control mechanism at a characteristic corresponding to the stored driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sawada
  • Patent number: 8014925
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes an operational condition detecting unit for detecting a vehicle operational condition, a slope detecting unit for detecting a road surface slope, and a shift characteristic selecting unit for selecting one of a plurality of shift maps preliminarily set according to the road surface slope. The control apparatus further includes an acceleration/deceleration calculating unit for calculating an acceleration or deceleration from the degree of increase or decrease in vehicle speed per unit time, a deceleration shift characteristic for deciding a gear position according to the deceleration and the vehicle speed, and a brake detecting unit for detecting a brake operation. When the road surface slope is determined to be a downhill slope and the brake operation is detected, the selected shift map is changed to the deceleration shift characteristic and the gear position is decided according to the deceleration shift characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Saitou, Ryuji Murata
  • Patent number: 8010264
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle is arranged such that a driving force of an engine and a driving force of an electric motor can be transmitted to driving wheels through an automatic transmission having a plurality of forward gears. When it is detected that the vehicle is in a predetermined state in which it is difficult for the electric motor to output an upper limit torque predetermined as a generable maximum torque, a vehicle ECU controls the automatic transmission using a gear shift map configured such that the automatic transmission is downshifted earlier in accordance with a change in the operating state of the vehicle and upshifted later in accordance with a change in the operating state of the vehicle in comparison with a gear shift map that is used when it is not detected that the vehicle is in the predetermined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ogata, Tatsuo Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 8010265
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the slip of a torque converter for a plurality of selected engine speeds, transmission gears and engine torque. A sensor is used to determine vibrations transmitted through the torque converter to the driveline of the vehicle. The sensor signal is sent to a controller where it is converted to the frequency domain. If the amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a threshold, then the algorithm increases/decreases the converter slip until the driveline vibrations equal a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Farzad Samie, Chunhao J. Lee, Paul G Otanez