Method for adjustment of an automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit in a vehicle

• US 8,392,078 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Anders, Bjernetun, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US12/602,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 701 51- 56, 701/58, 701/60, 701/62, 477/34, 477/111, 477/165
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0225 Modifying of shift maps by manual control, e.g. by learning values from the driver during manual shift mode
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0204 for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A method is provided for adjustment of an automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit when an automatic step geared vehicle transmission is in an automatic gear shifting drive mode, and where the transmission includes a drive mode selector for selection of at least the automatic gear shifting drive mode and a neutral mode. The adjustment of the automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit is performed temporarily by a driver of the vehicle when the automatic gear shifting drive mode is selected. Driving flexibility in automatic drive mode increases.

Claims

1. A method for adjustment of an automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit when an automatic step geared vehicle transmission is in an automatic gear shifting drive mode, and where the transmission comprises a drive mode selector, for selection of at least the automatic gear shifting drive mode and a neutral mode, the method comprising

performing adjustment of the automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit by a driver of the vehicle when the automatic gear shifting drive mode is selected.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver adjusts an automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit for an upshift.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver adjusts an automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit for a down shift.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver performs the adjustment via at least an adjustment control.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first adjustment control is used for the upshift limit and a second adjustment control is used for the down shift limit.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second adjustment controls are also controls for manual gear selection, which manual gear selection function is active only when a manual drive mode is selected with the drive mode selector.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustment is performed by the driver giving input to the adjustment control step wise, where each step corresponds to a predetermined adjustment interval of the automatically selected gear shifting rotational speed limit.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustment is performed as long as the driver is giving input to the adjustment control, so that a coming gear shift is postponed at least as long as the driver is giving the input to the adjustment control.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear shifting mode selector is a gear shift lever.

10. A method as in claim 4, wherein the adjustment control is at leas button arranged on the gear shift lever.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear shifting mode selector is at least one button for selecting different gear shifting modes.

12. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustment starts first after the driver has given input to the adjustment control during a predetermined time.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adjustment, when activated, is a gear shift adjustment in one first direction, which adjustment continues until it is inactivated by a gear shift command in an opposite direction to the first direction.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a program code for executing the method as claimed in claim 1.

15. A computer comprising a program code for executing the method as claimed in claim 1.

16. A computer program product loaded into an internal memory in a computer, which computer program product comprises a computer program for executing the method as claimed in claim 1.