Engine fuel control for completing shifts in controller-assisted, manually shifted transmission
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a vehicular control unit-assisted, manually shifted transmission system during an operator attempt to engage a target gear ratio (GRT), said transmission system comprising an operator-set fuel throttle demand device for providing a signal indicative of operator engine fueling demand (THL), a fuel-controlled engine, an engine controller for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine in response to command signals, said engine controller having at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided to achieve a requested engine speed (ES) value, a mechanical change-gear transmission having an input shaft driven by said engine, an output shaft and defining a plurality of selectively engaged and disengaged gear ratios for providing various ratios of input shaft rotational speed to output shaft rotational speed (IS/OS), said gear ratios engaged by engaging at least a selected set of positive jaw clutch members, said control unit receiving input signals indicative of vehicle operating conditions including at least one of (i) throttle demand device setting (THL), (ii) engine rotational speed (ES), (iii) input shaft rotational speed (IS) and (iv) output shaft rotational speed (OS) and processing same according to logic rules to issue command signals to at least said engine controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- determining if the operator is attempting to engage a specific target gear ratio (GRT);
determining if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio;
if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will not prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding the engine controller to fuel said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device; and
if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding said engine controller to cease fueling said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and instead to fuel said engine to achieve a requested engine speed value determined to allow engagement of said target ratio.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control for enhanced manual shifting in a computer (48) -assisted vehicular compound transmission having a main section (16A) shifted by a manually operated shift lever (31) and an engine fuel controller (36). Engine fueling will be in accordance with the operator-set throttle pedal position (THL) unless the control logic determines that such fueling will prevent acceptable engagement of a target gear ratio (GRT), in which case engine fueling will be automatically controlled to complete the shift.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a vehicular control unit-assisted, manually shifted transmission system during an operator attempt to engage a target gear ratio (GRT), said transmission system comprising an operator-set fuel throttle demand device for providing a signal indicative of operator engine fueling demand (THL), a fuel-controlled engine, an engine controller for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine in response to command signals, said engine controller having at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided to achieve a requested engine speed (ES) value, a mechanical change-gear transmission having an input shaft driven by said engine, an output shaft and defining a plurality of selectively engaged and disengaged gear ratios for providing various ratios of input shaft rotational speed to output shaft rotational speed (IS/OS), said gear ratios engaged by engaging at least a selected set of positive jaw clutch members, said control unit receiving input signals indicative of vehicle operating conditions including at least one of (i) throttle demand device setting (THL), (ii) engine rotational speed (ES), (iii) input shaft rotational speed (IS) and (iv) output shaft rotational speed (OS) and processing same according to logic rules to issue command signals to at least said engine controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining if the operator is attempting to engage a specific target gear ratio (GRT); determining if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio; if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will not prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding the engine controller to fuel said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device; and if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding said engine controller to cease fueling said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and instead to fuel said engine to achieve a requested engine speed value determined to allow engagement of said target ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicular control unit-assisted, manually shifted transmission system comprising an operator-set fuel throttle demand device for providing a signal indicative of operator engine fueling demand (THL), a fuel-controlled engine, an engine controller for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine in response to command signals, said engine controller having at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided to achieve a requested engine speed (ES) value, a mechanical change-gear transmission having an input shaft driven by said engine, an output shaft and defining a plurality of selectively engaged and disengaged gear ratios for providing various ratios of input shaft rotational speed to output shaft rotational speed, said gear ratios engaged by engaging at least a selected set of positive jaw clutch members, said control unit receiving input signals indicative of vehicle operating conditions including at least one of (i) throttle demand device setting (THL), (ii) engine rotational speed (ES), (iii) input shaft rotational speed (IS) and (iv) output shaft rotational speed (OS) and processing same according to logic rules to issue command signals to at least said engine controller, said system comprising:
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means for determining if the operator is attempting to engage a specific target gear ratio (GRT); means for determining if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio; means effective, if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will not prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, for commanding the engine controller to fuel said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device; and means effective, if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, for commanding said engine controller to cease fueling said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and instead to fuel said engine to achieve a requested engine speed value determined to allow engagement of said target ratio. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for controlling a vehicular control unit-assisted, manually shifted transmission system during an operator attempt to engage a target gear ratio (GRT), said transmission system comprising an operator-set fuel throttle demand device for providing a signal indicative of operator engine fueling demand (THL), a fuel-controlled engine, an engine controller for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine in response to command signals, said engine controller having at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and at least one mode of operation wherein engine fueling is provided to achieve a requested engine speed (ES) value, a mechanical change-gear transmission having an input shaft driven by said engine, an output shaft and defining a plurality of selectively engaged and disengaged gear ratios for providing various ratios of input shaft rotational speed to output shaft rotational speed, said gear ratios engaged by engaging at least a selected set of positive jaw clutch members, said control unit receiving input signals indicative of vehicle operating conditions including at least one of (i) throttle demand device setting (THL), (ii) engine rotational speed (ES), (iii) input shaft rotational speed (IS) and (iv) output shaft rotational speed (OS) and processing same according to logic rule codes to issue command signals to at least said engine controller, said product having logic rule codes for:
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determining if the operator is attempting to engage a specific target gear ratio (GRT); determining if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio; if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will not prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding the engine controller to fuel said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device; and if current engine speed and throttle demand device setting will prevent engagement of said target gear ratio, commanding said engine controller to cease fueling said engine in accordance with said operator-set fuel throttle demand device and instead to fuel said engine to achieve a requested engine speed value determined to allow engagement of said target ratio. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification