Electronic transmission shifting architecture with maximized availability

• US 8,155,847 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Orson S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US12/178,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 701/48, 701/51, 701/54, 701/62, 701/123, 477/5, 477/96, 477/127
• US Class Current: 701/54
• 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 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/122 Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/126 the failing part is the controller
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1268 Electric parts of the controller, e.g. a defect solenoid, wiring or microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/08 Range selector apparatus
• 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

Abstract

A system comprises a shifter module, an engine control module, and a transmission control module. The shifter module generates a position signal based on a position of a driver input. The engine control module controls an engine, selects one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges based on a mapping of the position signal to the plurality of transmission gear ranges, and generates a range request signal based on the selected transmission gear range. The transmission control module controls a transmission based on the range request signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a shifter module that generates a position signal based on a position of a driver input;

an engine control module that controls an engine, that selects one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges based on a mapping of the position signal to the plurality of transmission gear ranges, and that generates a range request signal based on the selected transmission gear range; and

a transmission control module that controls a transmission based on the range request signal,

wherein the engine control module controls the transmission when the transmission control module is malfunctioning.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the driver input includes a lever and wherein the position signal is based on a position of the lever.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the position of the lever is based on an angle of the lever.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the shifter module comprises:

the driver input;

a sensor that generates a first signal based upon the position of the driver input;

an encoding module that encodes the first signal to generate the position signal; and

a transmitting module that transmits the position signal to the engine control module.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the engine control module comprises:

a receiving module that receives the position signal;

a decoding module that decodes the received position signal; and

an interpretation module that selects the selected transmission gear range and that generates the range request signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine control module generates a status signal based on the range request signal and a status of the transmission control module.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a driver information center that selectively produces at least one of a visual indicator and an auditory indicator based on the status signal.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the transmission control module is malfunctioning, the engine control module turns the engine off once the selected transmission gear range is park.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the engine control module is malfunctioning, the engine turns off and the transmission reverts to park.

8. A method comprising:

generating a position signal in a shifter module based on a position of a driver input;

controlling an engine in an engine control module;

selecting one of a plurality of transmission gear ranges in the engine control module based on a mapping of the position signal to the plurality of transmission gear ranges;

generating a range request signal in the engine control module based on the selected transmission gear range;

selectively controlling a transmission in a transmission control module based on the range request signal; and

selectively controlling the transmission in the engine control module when the transmission control module is malfunctioning.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the driver input includes a lever and wherein the position signal is based on a position of the lever.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the position of the lever is based on an angle of the lever.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating a first signal in the shifter module based on the position of the driver input;

encoding the first signal in the shifter module;

generating the position signal in the shifter module based on the encoding; and

transmitting the position signal to the engine control module.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving the position signal in the engine control module;

decoding the received position signal in the engine control module; and

selecting the selected transmission gear range in the engine control module based on the decoding.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating a status signal in the engine control module based on the range request signal and a status of the transmission control module.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising selectively producing at least one of a visual indicator and an auditory indicator in a driver information center based on the status signal.

17. The method of claim 8 further comprising, when the transmission control module is malfunctioning, turning the engine off once the selected transmission gear range is park.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising, when the engine control module is malfunctioning, turning off the engine and controlling the transmission to enter park.