ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ARCHITECTURE WITH MAXIMIZED AVAILABILITY

• US 20090298645A1
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Wang, Orson S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/111
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/122 Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/126 the failing part is the controller
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1268 Electric parts of the controller, e.g. a defect solenoid, wiring or microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/08 Range selector apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/12 Detecting malfunction or potential malfunction, e.g. fail safe in control of hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4192; Circumventing or fixing failures

Abstract

A system comprises a shifter module, an engine control module, and a transmission control module. The shifter module generates a position signal based on a position of a driver input. The engine control module controls an engine, selects one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges based on a mapping of the position signal to the plurality of transmission gear ranges, and generates a range request signal based on the selected transmission gear range. The transmission control module controls a transmission based on the range request signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a shifter module that generates a position signal based on a position of a driver input;

an engine control module that controls an engine, that selects one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges based on a mapping of said position signal to said plurality of transmission gear ranges, and that generates a range request signal based on said selected transmission gear range; and

a transmission control module that controls a transmission based on said range request signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said driver input includes a lever and wherein said position signal is based on a position of said lever.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said position of said lever is based on an angle of said lever.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said shifter module comprises:

said driver input;

a sensor that generates a first signal based upon said position of said driver input;

an encoding module that encodes said first signal to generate said position signal; and

a transmitting module that transmits said position signal to said engine control module.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said engine control module comprises:

a receiving module that receives said position signal;

a decoding module that decodes said received position signal; and

an interpretation module that selects said selected transmission gear range and that generates said range request signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said engine control module controls said transmission when said transmission control module is malfunctioning.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a backup transmission control module that controls said transmission when said transmission control module is malfunctioning.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said engine control module generates a status signal based on said range request signal and a status of said transmission control module.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a driver information center that selectively produces at least one of a visual indicator and an auditory indicator based on said status signal.

10. A method comprising:

generating a position signal using a shifter module based on a position of a driver input;

controlling an engine using an engine control module;

selecting one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges using said engine control module based on a mapping of said position signal to said plurality of transmission gear ranges;

generating a range request signal using said engine control module based on said selected transmission gear range; and

controlling a transmission based on said range request signal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said driver input includes a lever and wherein said position signal is based on a position of said lever.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said position of said lever is based on an angle of said lever.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a first signal using said shifter module based on said position of said driver input;

encoding said first signal using said shifter module;

generating said position signal using said shifter module based on said encoding; and

transmitting said position signal to said engine control module.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving said position signal using said engine control module;

decoding said received position signal using said engine control module; and

selecting said selected transmission gear range using said engine control module based on said decoding.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling said transmission using said engine control module based on a status of a transmission control module.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling said transmission using said engine control module when said transmission control module is malfunctioning.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling said transmission using a backup transmission control module based on a status of a transmission control module.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising controlling said transmission using said backup transmission control module when said transmission control module is malfunctioning.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating a status signal using said engine control module based on said range request signal and a status of a transmission control module.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising selectively producing at least one of a visual indicator and an auditory indicator using a driver information center based on said status signal.