Method to determine an optimized shift point, in particular upshift point, for a manual transmission

• US 7,917,267 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bailliard, Laurent, Aigner, Stefan, Schopp, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib; Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/210,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/51, 701/53, 701/54, 701 57- 61, 701/64, 701/123, 477/110, 477/120, 477/77, 477/84, 477/109, 477/107, 477/62, 477/908, 477/79, 477/80, 477/83, 477/86, 731/180.1, 731/180.2, 731/150.3, 340/439, 340/441, 340/456, 434/71
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/426 with means for advising the driver for proper shift action, e.g. prompting the driver with allowable selection range of ratios
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5018 Robes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5022 Tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5035 Bag

Abstract

In order to determine an optimized upshift point, it is proposed that a control circuit, on the basis of a current engine operating point (TQ_CUR;N) calculates a new engine operating point (TQ_NEW; N_NEW) produced when shifting up at approximately the same vehicle speed, wherein the current engine operating point is determined as the optimized upshift point if the calculated new engine operating point is below a preset upper torque limit (TQ_MAX_LIM) and is at the same time above a preset lower engine speed limit (N_MIN_x+1) for the higher gear.

Claims

1. A method for determining an optimized upshift point for a vehicle with a combustion engine and a manual transmission, comprising the step of:

determining a current engine operating point defined by a current clutch torque and a current engine speed,

using a control circuit to calculate a new engine operating point corresponding to a new transmission gear based on the current engine operating point and preset gear ratios in the transmission, including calculating a new clutch torque and a new engine speed that define the new engine operating point,

evaluating the validity of the new engine operating point by;

comparing the calculated new clutch torque to a preset upper torque limit, the stored upper torque limit comprising a predefined curve in engine characteristic graph that is offset from a curve representing a maximum available clutch torque in the engine,

comparing the calculated new engine speed to a stored minimum engine speed corresponding to the new transmission gear,

determining the new engine operating point as valid if (a) the calculated new clutch torque is below the stored upper torque limit and (b) the calculated new engine speed is above the stored minimum engine speed, and

determining the current engine operating point as an optimized upshift point if the new engine operating point is determined as valid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the preset upper torque limit in the engine characteristic graph runs at a presettable, essentially constant distance below the curve representing the maximum available clutch torque.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit regularly calculates whether new calculated engine operating points are valid as the optimized shift point to be determined.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit calculates whether new calculated engine operating points are valid at an interval of about 100 ms.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit issues a shift recommendation in the form of an optical signal by means of a display connected to one of its outputs, if the current engine operating point is determined by the control circuit as an optimized shift point.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control circuit only issues the shift recommendation if at least one additional activation condition is met, containing a limit value relating to the driving style and/or the current engine operation.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein a switching on and/or switching off of the shift recommendation is linked to an additional condition, containing a time criterion.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, after each new engine start, an initial shift recommendation is only allowed to be switched on after an adjustable delay period.

9. A method for determining an optimized downshift point for a combustion engined vehicle with manual transmission, comprising the step of

determining a current engine operating point defined by a current clutch torque and a current engine speed,

using a control circuit to calculate a new engine operating point corresponding to a new transmission gear based on the current engine operating point and preset gear ratios in the transmission, including calculating a new clutch torque and a new engine speed that define the new engine operating point,

evaluating the validity of the new engine operating point by:

comparing the calculated new clutch torque to a preset lower torque limit, the stored upper torque limit,

comparing the calculated new engine speed to a stored maximum engine speed corresponding to the new transmission gear,

determining the new engine operating point as valid if (a) the calculated new clutch torque is above the stored lower torque limit and (b) the calculated new engine speed is below the stored maximum engine speed, and

determining the current engine operating point as an optimized downshift point if the new engine operating point is determined as valid.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the preset lower torque limit in the engine characteristic graph runs at a presettable, essentially constant distance above the curve representing the minimum available clutch torque.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit regularly calculates whether new calculated engine operating points are valid as the optimized shift point to be determined.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the control circuit calculates whether new calculated engine operating points are valid at an interval of about 100 ms.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit issues a shift recommendation in the form of an optical signal by means of a display connected to one of its outputs, if the current engine operating point is determined by the control circuit as an optimized shift point.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the control circuit only issues the shift recommendation if at least one additional activation condition is met, containing a limit value relating to the driving style and/or the current engine operation.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein a switching on and/or switching off of the shift recommendation is linked to an additional condition, containing a time criterion.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, after each new engine start, an initial shift recommendation is only allowed to be switched on after an adjustable delay period.