Controller for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle

• US 6,006,151 A
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Graf, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US09/114,735
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/52, 701/55, 701/56, 701/57, 701/58, 701/59, 701/61, 477/143, 477/155
• US Class Current: 701/57
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/003 Detecting or using driving style of a driver, e.g. for adapting shift schedules
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/006 Overriding automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0081 Fuzzy logic
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0087 Adaptive control, e.g. the control parameters adapted by learning
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66254 controlling of shifting being influenced by a signal derived from the engine and the main coupling

Abstract

The controller is used, in particular, for controlling an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle. An actuation signal is defined and used to determine the gear speed which is to be selected or the transmission ratio which is to be set. The actuation signal is a function of the position of the accelerator pedal, of the vehicle speed or, possibly, of further measured of variables. The controller includes a classification system which receives the measured variables and parameters derived therefrom as input variables and which generates output variables with reference to an evaluation of the measured variables and parameters. The output variables take into account certain assignments of the driving behavior of the driver, the respective driving state or the respective load state of the motor vehicle. The controller contains an evaluation circuit in which an intervention signal, which is generated by manual intervention by the driver, is evaluated and, subsequent thereto, one of the prescribed assignments is modified by emitting an evaluation signal. In this context, subfunctions of the controller can be switched off or important stored parameters of subfunctions can be modified without entirely deactivating them.

Claims

1. A controller for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an input receiving a signal representing a first variable defining an output torque of an automatic transmission desired by a driver of a motor vehicle, and a signal representing a second variable defining one of an engine speed and a motor vehicle speed;

an output outputting an actuation signal for the automatic transmission;

a classification system receiving the first and second variables, or parameters derived therefrom, as input variables, said classification system generating an output variable from said input variables, wherein said output variable defines a selection of a transmission ratio of the automatic transmission in accordance with prescribed assignments of a driver'"'"'s driving behavior to given driver classes, and one of a respective driving state and a respective load state of the motor vehicle; and

an evaluation circuit receiving an intervention signal generated by a manual intervention by the driver, said evaluation circuit evaluating the intervention signal and generating a modified actuation signal for the transmission ratio by modifying one of the prescribed assignments of the driver'"'"'s driving behavior to the given driver class.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation circuit compares an actuation signal of the controller with the intervention signal generated by the driver and, if a deviation is determined, said evaluation circuit generates an intervention evaluation signal bringing about one of a parameterization and a selection of functions of the controller.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation circuit includes a parameterization circuit evaluating the intervention evaluation signal and determining therefrom a circuit component of the controller causing a deviation from the driver'"'"'s wishes.

4. The controller according to claim 3, which further comprises at least one circuit component selected from the group consisting of a signal conditioning circuit, a classification circuit, a strategy selection circuit, a transmission-ratio selection circuit, and a correction circuit, each connected to said parameterization circuit via bidirectional data lines.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation circuit includes a parameterization circuit and a selection circuit evaluating the intervention evaluation signal and determining therefrom a circuit component of the controller causing a deviation from the driver'"'"'s wishes.

6. The controller according to claim 5, which further comprises at least one circuit component selected from the group consisting of a signal conditioning circuit, a classification circuit, a strategy selection circuit, a transmission-ratio selection circuit, and a correction circuit, each connected to said parameterization circuit and to said selection circuit via bidirectional data lines.

7. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation circuit includes a selection circuit evaluating the intervention evaluation signal and determining therefrom a circuit component of the controller causing a deviation from the driver'"'"'s wishes.

8. The controller according to claim 7, which further comprises at least one circuit component selected from the group consisting of a signal conditioning circuit, a classification circuit, a strategy selection circuit, a transmission-ratio selection circuit, and a correction circuit, each connected to said selection circuit via bidirectional data lines.

9. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the intervention signal is adapted to influence brief actuation signals of the controller, as well as medium-term and long-term functions of the controller.

10. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said intervention signal modifies fuzzy rules contained in the controller and thus modifies the actuation signal generated in said evaluation circuit.