Adaptive shift sequencing

• US 6,874,383 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Meritor LLC (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ZF Meritor LLC (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Muetzel, Ronald P., Devore, James H., Steinborn, Mario, Kramer, Rupert, Sayman, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, SHERRY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/602,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 743/35, 477/121
• US Class Current: 74/335
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0226 for selecting particular shift speeds, e.g. a fast shift speed with aggressive gear change
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2302/04 Determining a modus for shifting selection of shift speed modus F16H2059/0226
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0437 by using electrical signals F16H61/0403 and F16H61/061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism

Abstract

The inventive transmission has at least two different shift modes for shifting between the same two gear ratios. A control unit electronically senses various vehicle conditions and based on this information selects the appropriate shift mode suited for the particular driving situation. The transmission then shifts from one gear ratio to another based on this selection.

Claims

1. A method of shifting a vehicle transmission, comprising the steps of:

(a) having at least a first shift mode and a second shift mode, each of the modes permitting a transition from a first gear ratio to a second gear ratio of a transmission;

(b) electronically sensing at least one vehicle condition;

(c) electronically evaluating the sensed at least one vehicle condition;

(d) electronically identifying an appropriate shift mode from among at least the first shift mode and the second shift mode based on the evaluation of step (c); and

(e) shifting from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio in the shift mode identified in step (d), wherein the first shift mode permits shifting from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio at a first predetermined speed and the second shift mode permits shifting from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio at a second predetermined speed that is less than the first predetermined speed.

2. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the at least first shift mode and the second shift mode of step (d) further includes a third shift mode and a fourth shift mode, the third shift mode, shifting from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio at a third predetermined speed and the fourth shift mode shifting from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio at a fourth predetermined speed, the third predetermined speed less than the second predetermined speed and the fourth predetermined speed less than the third predetermined speed.

3. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the first shift mode permits the reaching of a predetermined engine torque faster than the second shift mode.

4. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the first shift mode results in faster engine braking than the second shift mode.

5. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein a transmission actuator acts faster in the first shift mode to drive between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio than in the second shift mode.

6. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the first shift mode offers a wider range of engine speeds in which the transmission will shift between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio than the second shift mode.

7. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the first shift mode offers a different clutch configuration for a clutch associated with the transmission than the second shift mode.

8. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the first shift mode offers a different engine configuration for an engine associated with the transmission than the second shift mode.

9. The method of shifting of claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle condition comprises a plurality of vehicle conditions.

10. The method of shifting of claim 9 including the steps of assigning a ranking value to each of said vehicle conditions and assessing the ranking value to identify the appropriate shift mode.

11. A method of shifting a vehicle transmission, comprising the steps of:

having at least a first shift mode and a second shift mode, each of the modes permitting a transition from a first gear ratio to a second gear ratio of an automatic manual transmission;

electronically sensing a plurality of vehicle conditions;

electronically evaluating the sensed plurality of vehicle conditions by assigning a ranking value to each of the sensed plurality of vehicle conditions and assessing the ranking value;

electronically selecting from among at least the first shift mode and the second shift mode based on the evaluated vehicle conditions; and

transitioning from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio based on the selection wherein the first shift mode transitions the transmission from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio faster than does the second shift mode.

12. The method of shifting of claim 11 wherein the first shift mode permits the reaching of a predetermined engine torque faster than the second shift mode.

13. The method of shifting of claim 11 wherein the first shift mode results in faster engine braking than the second shift mode.

14. The method of shifting of claim 12 wherein a transmission actuator acts faster in the first shift mode to drive between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio than in the second shift mode.

15. The method of shifting of claim 12 wherein the first shift mode offers a wider range of engine speeds in which the transmission will shift between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio than the second shift mode.

16. The method of shifting of claim 12 wherein the first shift mode offers a different clutch configuration for a clutch associated with the transmission than the second shift mode.

17. The method of shifting of claim 12 wherein the first shift mode offers a different engine configuration for an engine associated with the transmission than the second shift mode.

18. A vehicle transmission system, comprising:

an automatic manual transmission including a plurality of gear ratios;

at least one vehicle condition sensor; and

a control unit in communication with said at least one vehicle condition sensor to control shifting of said automatic manual transmission between said plurality of gear ratios, said control unit selecting from a plurality of shift modes including at least a first shift mode and a second shift mode based on data received from said vehicle condition sensor with said first shift mode shifting from a first gear ratio to a second gear ratio at a first predetermined speed and with said second shift mode shifting from said first gear ratio to said second gear ratio at a second predetermined speed that is less than said first predetermined speed.