Current control system for linear solenoid

• US 5,951,616 A
• Filed: 03/24/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kenji, Saito, Masao, Chiba, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US08/823,199
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/58, 701/60, 701/62, 701/63, 701/65, 701/66, 477/98, 477/906, 361/143, 361/146, 361/159, 361/160, 361/152
• US Class Current: 701/58
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0258 Proportional solenoid valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0251 Elements specially adapted for electric control units, e.g. valves for converting electrical signals to fluid signals

Abstract

A current control system for a linear solenoid for feedback-controlling an output voltage value on the basis of a difference between a command current value to the linear solenoid, as set according to a vehicle running state, and a feedback current value, as produced by monitoring a current value to be really fed to the linear solenoid, including: a decision circuit that decides whether or not the resistance value of the linear solenoid can be calculated; a real resistance value calculating circuit that calculates a real resistance value on the basis of a signal coming from the decision circuit, the command current value and the output voltage value; a comparison circuit that compares the calculated real resistance value and a resistance value in a memory unit; and a correction circuit that corrects the resistance value in the memory unit on the basis of the comparison result from the comparison circuit. The output voltage value is outputted on the basis of the corrected resistance value.

Claims

1. A current control system for a linear solenoid for feedback-controlling an output voltage value on the basis of a difference between a command current value to the linear solenoid, as set according to a vehicle running state, and a feedback current value, as produced by monitoring a current value actually passing through the linear solenoid, comprising:

decision means for deciding whether or not the resistance value of the linear solenoid can be calculated;

real resistance value calculating means for calculating a real resistance value of said linear solenoid on the basis of a signal coming from said decision means, said command current value and said output voltage value;

comparison means for comparing the calculated real resistance value and a resistance value in a memory unit; and

correction means for correcting the resistance value in said memory unit on the basis of the comparison result of said comparison means,

wherein said output voltage value is outputted on the basis of the corrected resistance value.

2. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 1,

wherein said decision means decides whether or not the difference between said command current value and said feedback current value is within a predetermined range, and

wherein said real resistance value calculating means calculates the resistance value when the difference between said command current value and said feedback current value is within the predetermined range.

3. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 2,

wherein the correction of said resistance value is set according to the difference between the calculated real resistance value and the resistance value in said memory unit.

4. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 1,

wherein a current is provided to said linear solenoid immediately after an engine start, even if the linear solenoid is inoperative, in order to maintain the inoperative state of the linear solenoid.

5. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 2,

wherein a current is provided to said linear solenoid immediately after an engine start, even if the linear solenoid is inoperative, in order to maintain the inoperative state of the linear solenoid.

6. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 3,

wherein a current is provided to said linear solenoid immediately after an engine start, even if the linear solenoid is inoperative, in order to maintain the inoperative state of the linear solenoid.

7. A current control system for a linear solenoid according to claim 4,

wherein said correction means corrects the resistance value by an increased number of corrections per unit time for a predetermined time period after the engine start.

8. A current control system for a linear solenoid for feedback-controlling an output voltage value on the basis of a difference between a command current value to the linear solenoid, as set according to a vehicle running state, and a feedback current value, as produced by monitoring a current value actually passing through the linear solenoid, comprising:

temperature detecting means for detecting an oil temperature of an automatic transmission;

real resistance value setting means for setting a real resistance value of the linear solenoid on the basis of the detected oil temperature;

comparison means for comparing the set real resistance value and a resistance value in a memory unit; and

correction means for correcting the resistance value in said memory unit on the basis of the comparison result of said comparison means,

wherein said output voltage value is outputted on the basis of the corrected resistance value.

9. A current control system for a linear solenoid, comprising:

a solenoid current monitoring circuit;

a command current setting circuit that receives input from a vehicle running state sensor and that outputs a command current value;

a resistance calculating circuit that inputs said command current value and that inputs an output voltage value, with said resistance calculating circuit outputting a corrected real resistance value;

a comparison circuit that inputs said corrected real resistance value an d a stored resistance value, and that outputs a difference in resistance between said corrected real resistance value and said stored resistance value; and

a correction circuit that adjusts said stored resistance value based on said difference in resistance and that outputs a corrected output voltage value calculated using said adjusted resistance value to said resistance calculating circuit.

10. The current control system according to claim 9, wherein:

said solenoid current monitoring circuit outputs a feedback current value, and said current control system further including a current comparison circuit with said current comparison circuit inputting said feedback current value and said command current value, and outputting a difference in current to said correction circuit, and

said correction circuit only adjusting said stored resistance value and outputting a corrected output voltage value when said difference in current is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

11. A method of feedback controlling an output voltage provided to a linear solenoid, said method including the steps of:

determining a command current value that must be supplied to the linear solenoid in order to produce a desired transmission oil pressure based on a vehicle running state;

calculating a real resistance value of the linear solenoid based on said command current value and an output voltage value;

comparing said real resistance value with a resistance value of the linear solenoid that is stored in memory;

correcting the stored resistance value based upon comparison results from said comparing step; and

determining an updated output voltage value for use in said calculating step based upon a corrected resistance value produced in said correcting step.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including the steps of:

determining a feedback current value from current actually flowing through the linear solenoid;

comparing said feedback current value with said command current value and determining a difference in current between said feedback current value and said command current value, and

delaying the correcting step until said difference in current is less than or equal to a predetermined value.