Electronic controller for identifying and operating an automated manual transmission
First Claim
1. An electronic controller for operating a partially or fully automatically shifted vehicle transmission in accordance with a shifting strategy comprising:
- means for determining a gear ratio for the transmission;
means responsive to the determined gear ratio for identifying a particular structure for the transmission; and
means responsive to the identified transmission structure for adopting a shifting strategy for use by the electronic controller which is appropriate for the identified transmission structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic controller for use in a partially or fully automatic vehicle transmission. The transmission includes an automatic shifting mechanism for partially or fully automating the shifting thereof to select and engage gear ratios. The automatic shifting decisions are made by an electronic control circuit including an electronic controller which receives electrical signals representative of the rotational speeds of the input and output shafts of the transmission. An algorithm is performed by the electronic controller to identify the structure of the underlying transmission and adopt an appropriate shifting strategy based upon the rotational speeds of the input and output shafts of the transmission. Initially, the electronic controller determines if the transmission is, in fact, engaged in a gear ratio. Once it has been determined that the transmission is engaged in a gear ratio, the electronic controller determines what the specific magnitude of that gear ratio is. Next, the electronic controller identifies a particular structure for the transmission based upon a plurality of sensed gear ratios. The electronic controller may employ principles of fuzzy logic to assist in identifying the underlying transmission structure. Lastly, the electronic controller adopts a shifting strategy which is appropriate for the identified transmission structure for use in performing subsequent automatic shifting functions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic controller for operating a partially or fully automatically shifted vehicle transmission in accordance with a shifting strategy comprising:
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means for determining a gear ratio for the transmission; means responsive to the determined gear ratio for identifying a particular structure for the transmission; and means responsive to the identified transmission structure for adopting a shifting strategy for use by the electronic controller which is appropriate for the identified transmission structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automatically shifted vehicle transmission comprising:
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a transmission having a plurality of meshing gears of varying size so as to provide a plurality of gear ratios; an automatic shifting mechanism for selectively and automatically engaging at least two of said plurality of gear ratios, and an electronic controller for controlling said automatic shifting mechanism in accordance with a shifting strategy, said electronic controller comprising; first means for determining an engaged gear ratio for the transmission; second means responsive to the determined gear ratio for identifying a particular structure of the transmission; and third means responsive to the identified transmission structure for selecting a shifting strategy wherein the selected shifting strategy is used by the electronic controller for controlling said automatic shifting mechanism in accordance with the selected shifting strategy associated with the identified transmission structure so as to automatically shift the transmission.
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18. A method for identifying a particular structure of an automatically-shifted transmission, the transmission including a plurality of gear ratios wherein at least two of the plurality of gear ratios are selectively and automatically engaged by an automatic shifting mechanism controlled by an electronic controller, the electronic controller thereby controlling the automatic shifting of the transmission in accordance with a shifting strategy, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) sensing a engaged gear ratio value of the transmission; (b) identifying a particular structure for the transmission in response to the sensed gear ratio value; and (c) selecting a shifting strategy for the transmission in response to the identified transmission structure wherein the selected shifting strategy is used by the electronic controller for controlling said automatic shifting mechanism in accordance with the selected shifting strategy associated with the identified transmission structure so as to automatically shift the transmission. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification