Gear shift control apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission, comprising:
- a vehicle speed sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a first sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed;
an engine load sensor sensitive to engine load for producing a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed engine load;
means responsive to the second sensor signal for calculating a rate of change of the engine load;
means for calculating an estimated engine load as a function of the sensed engine load and the calculated engine load rate of change to reflect a driver'"'"'s expectation for gear shift operation on the gear shift control; and
means for selecting a gear position based upon the sensed vehicle speed and the estimated engine load.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission. An estimated engine load is calculated as a function of engine load and engine load rate of change to reflect a driver'"'"'s expectation for gear shift operation on the gear shift control. A shift pattern is used to select an appropriate gear position based upon the vehicle speed and the estimated engine load.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission, comprising:
-
a vehicle speed sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a first sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed; an engine load sensor sensitive to engine load for producing a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed engine load; means responsive to the second sensor signal for calculating a rate of change of the engine load; means for calculating an estimated engine load as a function of the sensed engine load and the calculated engine load rate of change to reflect a driver'"'"'s expectation for gear shift operation on the gear shift control; and means for selecting a gear position based upon the sensed vehicle speed and the estimated engine load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission, comprising:
-
a vehicle speed sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a first sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed; an engine load sensor sensitive to engine load for producing a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed engine load; means responsive to the second sensor signal for calculating a rate of change of the engine load; means for calculating an acceleration of change of the engine load; means for producing a command signal indicative of a driver'"'"'s expectation for gear shift operation when the sensed engine load is in a first range specified therefor, the calculated rate of change of the engine load is in a second range specified therefor, and the calculated acceleration of change of the engine load is in a third range specified therefor; and control means using a shift pattern to select a gear position based upon the sensed vehicle speed and engine load in the absence of the command signal, the control means being responsive to the command signal for selecting a gear position indicated by the command signal. - View Dependent Claims (5)
-
-
6. A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission, comprising:
-
a vehicle speed sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a first sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed; an engine load sensor sensitive to engine load for producing a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed engine load; means responsive to the second sensor signal for calculating a rate of change of the engine load; means for producing a detection signal when an interrupt is detected in accelerator pedal depressing or releasing operation based upon the calculated engine load rate of change; means responsive to the detection signal for producing a command signal when a distance of a position specified by sensed vehicle speed and vehicle load on a shift pattern from a gear shift line is in a predetermined range; and control means using the shift pattern to select a gear position based upon the sensed vehicle speed and engine load in the absence of the command signal, the control means being responsive to the command signal for selecting a gear position indicated by the command signal. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A gear shift control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission to control gear shift operation in the automatic transmission, comprising:
-
a vehicle speed sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a first sensor signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed; an engine load sensor sensitive to engine load for producing a second sensor signal indicative of a sensed engine load; means responsive to the second sensor signal for calculating a rate of change of the engine load; means for calculating an acceleration of change of the engine load; means for producing a first detection signal when the sensed engine load is in a first range specified therefor, the calculated rate of change of the engine load is in a second range specified therefor, and the calculated acceleration of change of the engine load is in a third range specified therefor; means for producing a second detection signal when an interrupt is detected in accelerator pedal depressing or releasing operation based upon the calculated engine load rate of change; means responsive to the second detection signal for producing a third detection signal when a distance of a position specified by sensed vehicle speed and vehicle load on a shift pattern from a gear shift line is in a predetermined range; means for producing a command signal in the presence of the first and third detection signals; and control means using a shift pattern to select a gear position based upon the sensed vehicle speed and engine load in the absence of the command signal, the control means being responsive to the command signal for selecting a gear position indicated by the command signal. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
Specification