Variable operation of vehicle transmissions using rough road sensing

• US 7,720,587 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: McDonald, Mike M., Albertson, William C., Van Maanen, Keith D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sriraman; Nikhil
• Application Number:
  US11/375,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 701/65, 701/51, 701 55- 56, 701 67- 69, 743/35, 192/3.51, 180337-338, 477/97, 477/115, 477/902
• US Class Current: 701/65
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0227 Shift map selection, i.e. methods for controlling selection between different shift maps, e.g. to initiate switch to a map for up-hill driving
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism

Abstract

A method for variable operation of a vehicle transmission using rough road sensing includes defining a first set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for a smooth road condition and a second set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for a rough road condition. The method includes sensing a road condition, generating a road condition signal corresponding to the road condition, and measuring a magnitude of the road condition signal. The method includes switching from the first set of parameters to the second set of parameters to operate the vehicle transmission when the magnitude of the road condition signal exceeds a first predetermined threshold. The method includes switching from the second set of parameters to the first set of parameters to operate the vehicle transmission when the magnitude of the road condition signal is less than a second predetermined threshold that is different than the first predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A system for variable calibration of a vehicle transmission using rough road sensing, comprising:

computer readable memory that stores a first set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for a smooth road condition and a second set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for a rough road condition;

a road sensing module that comprises a road sensor that senses a road roughness and generates a road condition signal based on the roughness;

a signal processing module that measures a magnitude of the road condition signal; and

a control module that switches from the first set of parameters to the second set of parameters when the magnitude of the road condition signal exceeds a first predetermined threshold and from the second set of parameters to the first set of parameters when the magnitude of the road condition signal is less than a second predetermined threshold that is different than the first predetermined threshold, wherein the first set of parameters includes a first gear shift schedule associated with shifting the vehicle transmission to achieve a first fuel consumption rate and the second set of parameters includes a second gear shift schedule associated with shifting the vehicle transmission to achieve a second fuel consumption rate and the first fuel consumption rate is greater than the second fuel consumption rate.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module comprises at least one of said computer readable memory and said signal processing module.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module determines whether the vehicle transmission is calibrated using one of the first and the second sets of parameters.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module compares the magnitude of the road condition signal to one of the first and the second predetermined thresholds stored in the computer readable memory.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module determines whether the magnitude of the road condition signal exceeds the first predetermined threshold.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module determines whether the magnitude of the road condition signal is less than the second predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module calibrates the vehicle transmission using one of the first and the second sets of parameters.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said first set of parameters further includes a first torque converter clutch lockup schedule and a first torque converter clutch release schedule, and

wherein said second set of parameters further includes a second torque converter clutch lockup schedule and a second torque converter clutch release schedule.

8. A transmission calibration system for a vehicle, comprising:

a road sensor that senses a road roughness and that generates a road condition signal based on said road roughness;

a signal processing module that measures a magnitude of said road condition signal; and

a control module that selects one of a first set and a second set of parameters based on said magnitude of said road condition signal and that calibrates a vehicle transmission based on said one of said first and second sets of parameters,

wherein said control module switches from selecting said first set to selecting said second set when said magnitude exceeds a first predetermined threshold and switches from selecting said second set to selecting said first set when said magnitude falls below a second predetermined threshold that is different than said first predetermined threshold, and

wherein said first and second sets of parameters each include a gear shift parameter, a torque converter lockup parameter, and a torque converter release parameter.

9. The transmission calibration system of claim 8 wherein said first set of parameters is associated with shifting said vehicle transmission based on a first fuel consumption rate and said second set of parameters is associated with shifting said vehicle transmission based on a second fuel consumption rate that is less than said first fuel consumption rate.

10. The transmission calibration system of claim 8 wherein said first set of parameters corresponds to a smooth road condition and said second set of parameters corresponds to a rough road condition.