Transmission control system

• US 6,319,167 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hori, Toshio, Yoshida, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, SHERRY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/526,478
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 477/3, 477/5, 477/6, 477/20, 477/107
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

A transmission control system can reduce degradation of engine characteristics upon shifting operation and can reduce a load on the side of a clutch and a transmission due to delay of response. The transmission control system includes an engine generating a driving force, a transmission having a plurality of gear positions for transmitting the driving force developed by the engine to driving wheels, a clutch for connecting said engine and said transmission, engine control means for controlling the engine, transmission control unit for switching gear positions of the transmission, and clutch control unit for controlling disengagement and engagement of the clutch. The transmission control system further includes an electric motor connected to a drive shaft of the engine and capable of performing regenerating operation, and motor control unit for controlling said electric motor for driving the electric motor for generating a driving force or for performing regenerating operation. The motor control unit transmits said driving force to the driving wheel upon shifting operation by the transmission and performs regenerating portion by an energy from the driving wheels.

Claims

1. A transmission control system comprising:

an engine generating a driving force;

a transmission having a plurality of gear positions for transmitting the driving force developed by said engine to driving wheels;

a clutch for connecting said engine and said transmission;

engine control means for controlling said engine;

transmission control means for switching gear positions of said transmission;

clutch control means for controlling disengagement and engagement of said clutch;

an electric motor connected to a drive shaft of said engine and capable of performing regenerating operation;

motor control means for controlling said electric motor for driving said electric motor for generating a driving force or for performing regenerating operation,

said motor control means transmitting said driving force to said driving wheels upon shifting operation by said transmission and performing regenerating portion by an energy from said driving wheels.

2. A transmission control system as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises general control means for making judgment of share of operation of torque generation by said engine and torque generation by said electric motor,

one of said engine control means and said motor control means controls one of said engine and said electric motor according to a command from said general control means.

3. A transmission control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said general control means controls said electric motor by said motor control means when a difference between a torque demanded by a next gear position and a current gear torque is within a torque control range of said electric motor, during shifting of gear position by shifting operation.

4. A transmission control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said motor control means derives a target revolution speed of said electric motor variable according to elapsed time after shifting and controls revolution speed of said electric motor on the basis of said target revolution speed.

5. A control system for controlling a transmission connected between an output of an engine and driving wheels, comprising:

a regeneratable electric motor connected to an output shaft of said engine for transmitting and receiving driving force to and from said output shaft;

motor control means for selectively controlling operation for converting a driving energy from said driving wheels into electric energy by said regeneratable electric motor; and

transmission control means for controlling operation of transmission of a driving force of said engine to said driving wheels and operation of transmission of a driving force of said regeneratable electric motor to said output shaft of said engine.