SYSTEM FOR SIMULATING MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPERATION IN A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the acceleration and speed of a vehicle so as to produce user sensations simulating the experience of a vehicle having a user-selectable one of a plurality of manually-controlled transmissions, the method comprising the following steps:
- providing a system including a controller having an electronic memory and a gear selector movable between a plurality of unique positions;
loading one of a plurality of different transmission profiles into the electronic memory of the controller, each transmission profile includinga plurality of simulated gear ratios ranging from a lowest simulated gear ratio to a highest simulated gear ratio;
a gear selector table correlating each of the plurality of simulated gear ratios with a unique position of the gear selector;
each of the simulated gear ratios including a maximum speed value and a maximum acceleration value;
wherein the lowest simulated gear ratio has a lowest maximum speed value, and the corresponding maximum speed value for each simulated gear ratio increases for successively higher simulated gear ratios;
wherein the lowest simulated gear ratio has a highest maximum acceleration value, and the corresponding maximum acceleration value for each simulated gear ratio decreases for successively higher simulated gear ratios;
providing a gear selector position signal to the controller that is indicative of a current position of the gear selector selected from the unique positions;
using the gear selector position signal received by the controller and the gear selector table to determine a current simulated gear ratio corresponding to the current position of the gear selector;
using the current simulated gear ratio to determine a current maximum speed value and a current maximum acceleration value corresponding to the current simulated gear ratio;
controlling, by the controller, the torque output between a motor and a drive wheel of the vehicle to limit the acceleration of the vehicle to the current maximum acceleration value; and
controlling, by the controller, the torque output between the motor and the drive wheel of the vehicle to limit the speed of the vehicle to the current maximum speed value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of a method for simulating manual transmission operation in a vehicle having an automatic transmission includes receiving a selection of a transmission model profile which includes a simulated manual transmission model. The method further includes receiving a gear position user input signal indicative of a position of a user gear selection of the vehicle, receiving a throttle position user input signal indicative of a position of user throttle control of the vehicle, and receiving a clutch position user input signal indicative of a position of a user clutch control of the vehicle. The method still further includes determining a simulated manual transmission response using the selected transmission model profile and at least one of the gear position user input signal, the throttle position user input signal, and the clutch position user input signal, and outputting at least one vehicle control signal corresponding to the simulated transmission response.
35 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the acceleration and speed of a vehicle so as to produce user sensations simulating the experience of a vehicle having a user-selectable one of a plurality of manually-controlled transmissions, the method comprising the following steps:
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providing a system including a controller having an electronic memory and a gear selector movable between a plurality of unique positions; loading one of a plurality of different transmission profiles into the electronic memory of the controller, each transmission profile including a plurality of simulated gear ratios ranging from a lowest simulated gear ratio to a highest simulated gear ratio; a gear selector table correlating each of the plurality of simulated gear ratios with a unique position of the gear selector; each of the simulated gear ratios including a maximum speed value and a maximum acceleration value; wherein the lowest simulated gear ratio has a lowest maximum speed value, and the corresponding maximum speed value for each simulated gear ratio increases for successively higher simulated gear ratios; wherein the lowest simulated gear ratio has a highest maximum acceleration value, and the corresponding maximum acceleration value for each simulated gear ratio decreases for successively higher simulated gear ratios; providing a gear selector position signal to the controller that is indicative of a current position of the gear selector selected from the unique positions; using the gear selector position signal received by the controller and the gear selector table to determine a current simulated gear ratio corresponding to the current position of the gear selector; using the current simulated gear ratio to determine a current maximum speed value and a current maximum acceleration value corresponding to the current simulated gear ratio; controlling, by the controller, the torque output between a motor and a drive wheel of the vehicle to limit the acceleration of the vehicle to the current maximum acceleration value; and controlling, by the controller, the torque output between the motor and the drive wheel of the vehicle to limit the speed of the vehicle to the current maximum speed value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A reconfigurable transmission control system for a vehicle configured to produce user sensations simulating the experience of a vehicle having a user-selectable one of a plurality of manually-controlled transmissions comprising:
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at least one memory, the at least one memory configured to store at least one of a plurality of different transmission profiles; a controller in communication with the at least one memory; and a transmission control interface in communication with the controller, the transmission control interface adapted to be configured in accordance with a selected one of the plurality of different transmission profiles. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification