Vehicle shift control apparatus

• US 8,620,542 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueno, Koki, Tsutsumi, Takahiko, Endo, Hiroatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/257,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20120016559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 701/55
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1208 with diagnostic check cycles; Monitoring of failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1284 the failing part is a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/105 consisting of electrical switches or sensors
• 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

It is provided a vehicle shift control apparatus that electrically controls switchover of a shift range of a transmission based on a position signal corresponding to an operational position in a shift operating device, the vehicle shift control apparatus being capable of storing therein a determination result of whether the position signal is normal or abnormal, the shift range being switched based on the position signal acquired when a vehicle electric power supply is turned on if a memory of the determination result is retained when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the shift range not being switched based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on if the memory of the determination result is not retained.

Claims

1. A vehicle shift control apparatus including a position sensor that detects an operational position of an operation element included in a shift operating device and operated artificially and an electronic control portion that electrically controls switchover of a shift range of a transmission based on a position signal corresponding to the operational position, output from the position sensor,

the electronic control portion determining whether the position signal output from the position sensor is normal or abnormal and storing a determination result of whether the position signal is normal or abnormal,

the electronic control portion switching the shift range based on the position signal output from the position sensor acquired when a vehicle electric power supply is turned on if the electronic control portion retains a memory of the determination result when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, not switching the shift range based on the position signal output from the position sensor acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on if the electronic control portion does not retain the memory of the determination result.

2. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the electronic control portion does not retain the memory of the determination result, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on a changed position signal, provided that the position signal is changed after the vehicle electric power supply is turned on.

3. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result regardless of a state of the vehicle electric power supply.

4. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result regardless of a state of the vehicle electric power supply.

5. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 1, wherein

even while the vehicle electric power supply is turned off, if the electronic control portion maintains its operation to protect equipments making up the transmission, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on.

6. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 2, wherein

even while the vehicle electric power supply is turned off, if the electronic control portion maintains its operation to protect equipments making up the transmission, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on.

7. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 3, wherein

even while the vehicle electric power supply is turned off, if the electronic control portion maintains its operation to protect equipments making up the transmission, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on.

8. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 4, wherein

even while the vehicle electric power supply is turned off, if the electronic control portion maintains its operation to protect equipments making up the transmission, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on.

9. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

10. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

11. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

12. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

13. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

14. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

15. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

16. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic control portion retains the memory of the determination result until a predetermined time has elapsed after the vehicle electric power supply was turned off.

17. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shift operating device includes a momentary-type operation element returned to an initial position while an external force is not applied, and wherein

if the operation element is located in an operational position other than the initial position when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on whether the memory of the determination result is retained.

18. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shift operating device includes a momentary-type operation element returned to an initial position while an external force is not applied, and wherein

if the operation element is located in an operational position other than the initial position when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on whether the memory of the determination result is retained.

19. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shift operating device includes a momentary-type operation element returned to an initial position while an external force is not applied, and wherein

if the operation element is located in an operational position other than the initial position when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on whether the memory of the determination result is retained.

20. The vehicle shift control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shift operating device includes a momentary-type operation element returned to an initial position while an external force is not applied, and wherein

if the operation element is located in an operational position other than the initial position when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the electronic control portion switches the shift range based on whether the memory of the determination result is retained.