Transmission/engine control system for a motor vehicle with automatic transmission

• US 6,554,738 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Bek, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright; Dirk
• Application Number:
  US09/936,966
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 477/906,107
• US Class Current: 477/107
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/038 Limiting the input power, torque or speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1208 with diagnostic check cycles; Monitoring of failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/105 consisting of electrical switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/12 Detecting malfunction or potential malfunction, e.g. fail safe in control of hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4192; Circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/906 Means detecting or ameliorating the effects of malfunction or potential malfunction

Abstract

A transmission/engine control (1) for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission (2) having a warning apparatus (3) for a disturbance of a signal transmission from an electrical position recognition apparatus (4) of a selection lever (5) which acts on the regulating device of the automatic transmission, via an electronic transmission control. The warning apparatus (3) has the purpose of notifying the driver that no further change in the direction of travel can be executed and the warning apparatus (3) coacts with a program module of a transmission independent processing unit (6) which, upon occurrence of the disturbance of the signal transmission, initiates an emergency operating mode of the automatic transmission (2) and determines a vehicle speed which is less than a specified threshold value. The processing unit (6) communicates a maximum allowable motor torque and/or a maximal allowable motor speed of rotation to a program module of a motor control (7). Alternatively, the warning apparatus (3) can provide a signal to a control apparatus (10) of a vehicle brake system for the activation of the brake system or signal to a locking apparatus (12) to lock the selection lever in its existing position, or the warning apparatus can provide the driver with an optical or an acoustic advisory indication.

Claims

1. A transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission, the transmission/motor control having a warning apparatus (3) for indicating a disturbance of a signal transmission from a position recognition apparatus (4) of a selector lever (5), by which a desired one of a plurality of gear positions (P, R, N, D, I, II, III, IV) can be selected by a driver, the selector lever (5) acting through an electronic transmission control on a regulating means of the automatic transmission;

wherein the warning apparatus (3), in order to indicated that a change in a travel direction no longer can occur, has a program module of a transmission independent processing unit (6), and said processing unit (6), upon occurrence of said disturbance of the signal transmission, initiates an emergency operating mode of the automatic transmission (2) determines a vehicle speed for the vehicle, which is less than a threshold value, and communicates to at least one of a maximum allowable motor torque, a maximum allowable motor speed of rotation and a maximum allowable vehicle speed to a program module of a motor control (7) for the emergency operating mode of the vehicle.

4. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the warning apparatus (3) has one of an optical advisory apparatus and an acoustic advisory apparatus which notifies the driver by one of an optical signal and an acoustic signal, upon initiation of the emergency operating mode of the automatic transmission (2) due to the occurrence of the disturbance of the signal transmission, that the change in travel direction no longer can be executed.

5. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of one of:

a disturbance,

a dropout of an electronic transmission control apparatus (9),

a dropout of a CAN-data base, and

a dropout of the position recognition apparatus (4) of the selector lever (5), the application of the emergency operating mode is made known.

6. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transmission controller normally outputs an output signal which denotes normal operation, and the emergency operating mode is recognized when the warning apparatus (3) indicates an absence of the output signal outputted by the electronic transmission controller.

7. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the warning apparatus (3) remains active at least for a predetermined period after the occurrence of the disturbance and operation under the emergency operating mode of the vehicle.

8. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the transmission independent processing unit (6), in which the program module of the of the warning apparatus (3) is integrated, is a separate processor.

9. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the transmission independent processing unit (6), in which the program module of the of the warning apparatus (3) is integrated, is a component of the motor control (7).

10. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the transmission independent processing unit (6), in which the program module of the of the warning apparatus (3) is integrated, is a component of the control apparatus (10) of the vehicle brake system.

11. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the maximum motor torque;

the maximum motor speed; and

activation of the braking of the vehicle brake system is provided in such a manner that the vehicle speed, upon startup from rest, while in the emergency operating mode, corresponds to a creeping velocity of the vehicle.

2. A transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission, the transmission/motor control having a warning apparatus (3) for indicating a disturbance of a signal transmission from a position recognition apparatus (4) of a selector lever (5), by which a desired one of a plurality of gear positions (P, R, N, D, I, II, III, IV) can be selected by a driver, the selector lever (5) acting through an electronic transmission control on a regulating means of the automatic transmission;

wherein the warning apparatus (3), in order to indicate that a change in travel direction no longer can be executed, has a program module of a transmission independent processing unit (6), and said processing unit (6), upon occurrence of said disturbance of the signal transmission, initiates an emergency operating mode of the automatic transmission (2) and determines a vehicle speed, which is less than a threshold value, and sends a signal to a program module of a control apparatus (10) for activation of a vehicle braking system of the vehicle.

12. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle brakes are electrically controlled.

3. A transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission, the transmission/motor control having a warning apparatus (3) for indicating a disturbance of a signal transmission from a position recognition apparatus (4) of a selector lever (5), by which a desired one of a plurality of gear positions (P, R, N, D, I, II, III, IV) can be selected by a driver, the selector lever (5) acting through an electronic transmission control on a regulating means of the automatic transmission;

wherein the selector lever (5) includes a locking device (12), and the warning apparatus (3), in order to indicated that a change in travel direction change no longer can be executed, interacts with the locking device (12) which locks the selector lever (5) in its existing position, upon occurrence of the disturbance of a signal transmission, during for the emergency operating mode of the automatic transmission (2).

13. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 3, wherein the locking device (12) is a magnet which, when supplied with electrical current, fixes the selector lever (5) in its existing position.

14. The transmission/engine control for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission according to claim 3, wherein the locking device (12) is constructed as a magnet which, when a supplied of electrical current thereto is interrupted, fixes the selector lever (5) in its existing position.