Control of a multi-speed vehicle transmission

• US 10,400,888 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Jerger, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): Hlavka, David J
• Application Number:
  US15/318,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20170138466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/3015 Optical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/663 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0227 Shift map selection, i.e. methods for controlling selection between different shift maps, e.g. to initiate switch to a map for up-hill driving
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A vehicle (10) has a camera recognition system to detect and interpret a road sign (14) indicative of a gradient. A gradient related shift map of an automatic vehicle transmission is pre-selected upon recognition of the road sign, and implemented upon detection that the gradient has commenced. The invention provides for rapid and consistent implementation of a suitable shift map on a gradient.

Claims

1. A method of selecting one of a plurality of vehicle transmission shift points, the method comprising:

pre-selecting an alternative transmission shift point appropriate to a gradient indicated on a road sign recognized from an indication from a forward facing camera device;

detecting a parameter indicative of a change of road gradient; and

upon detection immediately implementing said pre-selected alternative transmission shift point.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

there are a plurality of speed ratio shifts;

pre-selecting said alternative transmission shift point further comprises pre-selecting a plurality of alternative transmission shift points; and

the method comprises providing one of the pre-selected alternative transmission shift points for each of the plurality of speed ratio shifts.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

pre-selecting a standard transmission shift point appropriate to a level road;

detecting a parameter indicative of a level road; and

immediately implementing said pre-selected standard transmission shift point.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein

there are a plurality of speed ratio shifts;

pre-selecting the standard transmission shift point further comprises pre-selecting a plurality of standard transmission shift points; and

the method comprises providing one of the plurality of pre-selected standard transmission shift points for each of the plurality of speed ratio shifts.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising storing said plurality of vehicle transmission shift points in a plurality of shift maps in a memory.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising:

recognizing alpha-numeric information on said road sign, and pre-selecting one of the plurality of shift maps according to a value of said alpha-numeric information.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said alpha-numeric information comprises a numerical indication of gradient.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter indicative of the change of road gradient is one of:

a real-time comparison of tractive effort with rate of change of road speed,

braking of the vehicle, and

attitude of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing the forward facing camera device adapted to recognize the road sign indicative of the change of road gradient.

10. A transmission controller configured to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A computer program stored on a non-transitory medium which, when run on a processor, causes the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A vehicle comprising an automatic transmission configured to be controlled using the method of claim 1 and wherein the alternative transmission shift point of said automatic transmission is selected in advance of the change of road gradient.

13. A system for selecting one of a plurality of transmission shift points of a vehicle transmission, said system comprising:

a camera device configured for forward facing mounting on a vehicle, said camera device being adapted to recognize a road sign indicative of a change of road gradient;

a transmission controller in communication with said camera device, for determining a transmission shift point between speed ratios of the vehicle transmission, wherein the transmission shift point is one of the plurality of transmission shift points; and

a detection device in communication with said transmission controller for detecting the change of road gradient;

said transmission controller being configured to pre-select an alternative transmission shift point upon recognition of said road sign, and to immediately implement said alternative transmission shift point upon detection of said change of road gradient.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said camera device has a digital output and said system comprises image recognition software for recognizing said road sign.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said image recognition software is configured to recognize alpha-numeric information of said road sign.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said transmission controller is configured to pre-select the alternative transmission shift point from a plurality of alternative transmission shift points according to said alpha-numeric information.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said transmission controller comprises an electronic processor incorporating said image recognition software.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said camera device comprises an electronic processor incorporating said image recognition software.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said transmission controller includes an electronic processor comprising said detection device.

20. A vehicle comprising the system of claim 13.