Transmission control system using road data to control the transmission

• US 6,070,118 A
• Filed: 03/04/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Takashi, Iwatsuki, Kunihiro, Fukumura, Kagenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/810,472
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 701/55, 701/56, 701/65, 701/59, 701/208, 477/97, 477/34, 477/78
• US Class Current: 701/65
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0066 responsive to vehicle path curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/506 Wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/663 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/666 Determining road conditions by using vehicle location or position, e.g. from global navigation systems [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0087 Adaptive control, e.g. the control parameters adapted by learning
• 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 2312/022 Preparing to drive off
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/24 dependent on the throttle opening
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/54 dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/58 dependent on signals from the steering
• 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: F16H 61/16 Inhibiting or initiating shift during unfavourable conditions, e.g. preventing forward reverse shift at high vehicle speed, preventing engine over speed unintentional control input F16H61/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 : specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A control system for a transmission, comprises a shift control function to output a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern and a road data detecting function to detect the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle. This control system further comprises a start detecting function to detect the start of the vehicle; and a shift pattern control function to set a shift pattern for a curve, as having a control content for making it liable to set a larger gear ratio, as the shift pattern when the vehicle start is detected by the start detecting function and when a curved road is detected in the route to be followed, by the road data detecting function.

Claims

1. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

start detecting means for detecting the start of said vehicle; and

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern for a curve, as having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when the vehicle start is detected by said start detecting means and when a curved road is detected in the route to be followed, by said road data detecting means.

2. A control system for a transmission according to claim 1, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

3. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

brake detecting means for detecting the execution of a wheel braking operation in said vehicle; and

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern for a curve, as having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when the execution of the wheel braking operation is detected by said brake detecting means and when a curved road is detected in the route to be followed, by said road data detecting means.

4. A control system for a transmission according to claim 3, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

5. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern for entering to a freeway, as having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when it is detected by said road data detecting means that an actual position of the vehicle on the route to be followed by said vehicle is an entrance of the freeway.

6. A control system for a transmission according to claim 5, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

7. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern for a low-μ

road, as having a control content for making it ready to set a gear ratio smaller than the highest gear ratio, as said shift pattern when it is detected by said road data detecting means that the route to be followed by said vehicle is a road having a low coefficient of road surface friction.

8. A control system for a transmission according to claim 7, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

9. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when it is detected by said road data detecting means that the route to be followed by said vehicle is a downslope having a downward gradient larger than a reference value, and

downslope decision changing means for changing said reference value when it is decided by said road data detecting means that said downslope is a curved road.

10. A control system for a transmission according to claim 9, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

11. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

brake detecting means for detecting the execution of a wheel braking operation in said vehicle;

shift inhibiting means for inhibiting the shift in said transmission when it is detected by said brake detecting means that the route to be followed by said vehicle is a curved road and when the wheel braking operation is detected by said brake detecting means; and

shift inhibition releasing means for allowing the shift in said transmission when the end of the curved road is detected by said road data detecting means.

12. A control system for a transmission according to claim 11, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

13. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when it is detected by said road data detecting means that the route to be followed by said vehicle is a curved road, and

straight road run detecting means for detecting at least one of the distance of a straight road between curved portions in the route to be followed by said vehicle and the time required for passing said straight road,

wherein said shift pattern control means includes means for setting a shift pattern for an intermediate straight road, as having a control content for making it ready to set a higher gear ratio, as said shift pattern at the time of running said straight road when at least one of said distance and said required time, as detected by said straight road run detecting means, is less than a predetermined reference value.

14. A control system for a transmission according to claim 13, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

15. A control system for a transmission, comprising:

shift control means for outputting a shift instruction signal on the basis of a predetermined shift pattern;

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

shift pattern control means for setting a shift pattern for an upslope/downslope, as having a control content for making it ready to set a larger gear ratio, as said shift pattern when an upslope/downslope is detected in the route to be followed by said vehicle;

upslope/downslope run detecting means for detecting any one of the distance of a flat road between the upslopes/downslopes in the route to be followed, the time required for passing said flat road, the distance of an upslope/downslope between flat roads and the time required for passing said upslope/downslope, on the basis of at least one of the road data obtained by said road data detecting means and a running state; and

upslope/downslope control decision means for deciding the beginning or end of the shift instruction control, as based on said upslope/downslope shift pattern, in accordance with at least one of the distance and the required time, as detected by said upslope/downslope run detecting means.

16. A control system for a transmission according to claim 15, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.

17. A control for a transmission, comprising:

road data detecting means for detecting the road data of a route to be followed by a vehicle;

comparison means for comparing a first gear ratio which is determined by a first shift control based on the road data obtained by said road data detecting means, and a second gear ratio which is determined by a second shift control based on one of an actual running state and road situations; and

shift instructing means for selecting one of said shift controls, which determines the higher gear ratio between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio, on the basis of the comparison result and for instructing a shift output by the selected shift control.

18. A control system for a transmission according to claim 17, further comprising:

driving tendency decision means for deciding the driving tendency of the driver of said vehicle; and

shift correction control means for correcting the control content of said gear ratio on the basis of the driving tendency, as decided by said driving tendency decision means.