Automatic transmission controller having automatic-shifting-to-neutral control

• US 6,542,804 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Muratomi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/731,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/52, 701/62, 701/53, 701/64, 477/114, 477/120, 477/122, 477/116, 477/125, 477/96, 477/97, 477/124, 477/99, 477/110, 477/127, 746/65.T, 743/36.R, 180/247, 731/12, 731/181, 731/29, 192/222, 192/3.31, 192/3.26, 192/3.61
• US Class Current: 701/62
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/207 by neutral control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/20 Preventing gear creeping ; Transmission control during standstill, e.g. hill hold control

Abstract

An automatic transmission controller having automatic-shifting-to-neutral control is provided, wherein automatic-shifting-to-neutral control is notified to a driver so as not give him a sense of incongruity and it is prohibited on a slope so as to prevent backward moving of a vehicle. In an automatic transmission controller having automatic-shifting-to-neutral control for shifting the automatic transmission to neutral when a vehicle is continuously stopped in an idling state for a predetermined time, the automatic transmission controller comprises automatic-shifting-to-neutral notifying/warning means for notifying the automatic-shifting-to-neutral state, slope detecting means for detecting that the vehicle is on a slope, and automatic-shifting-to-neutral control prohibiting means for prohibiting the automatic-shifting-to-neutral control when it is detected that the vehicle is on the slope.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission controller having automatic-shifting-to-neutral control for shifting the automatic transmission to neutral when a vehicle is continuously stopped in an idling state for a predetermined time, the automatic transmission controller, comprising;

notifying/warning means for notifying that the state has automatically shifted to neutral; and

automatic-shifting-to-neutral control prohibiting means for prohibiting the automatic-shifting-to-neutral control.

2. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 1, wherein an exclusive lamp of the notifying/warning means is operated by either lighting or flashing.

3. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 2, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during control sections which are an entering control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral, a stationary control section thereof, and a canceling control section thereof.

4. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 2, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during a stationary control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral and a canceling control section thereof.

5. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 4, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns the shifting state to neutral for a predetermined time after the completion of the canceling control section.

6. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 1, wherein in the notifying/warning means, a lamp for the N range of a range select display is operated by either lighting or flashing along with a lamp for the present range.

7. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 6, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during control sections which are an entering control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral, a stationary control section thereof, and a canceling control section thereof.

8. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 6, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during a stationary control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral and a canceling control section thereof.

9. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 8, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns the shifting state to neutral for a predetermined time after the completion of the canceling control section.

10. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 1, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during control sections which are an entering control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral, a stationary control section thereof, and a canceling control section thereof.

11. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 1, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns a shifting-to-neutral state during a stationary control section of automatic-shifting-to-neutral and a canceling control section thereof.

12. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 11, wherein the notifying/warning means notifies/warns the shifting state to neutral for a predetermined time after the completion of the canceling control section.

13. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 1, further comprising slope detecting means for detecting that the vehicle is on a slope,

wherein the automatic-shifting-to-neutral control prohibiting means prohibits the automatic-shifting-to-neutral control when the slope detecting means detects that the vehicle is on a slope.

14. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 13, wherein the slope detecting means comprises an inclination angle sensor for detecting the slope from the output of the sensor.

15. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 13, wherein the slope detecting means comprises a suspension stroke sensor for detecting the slope from the output of the sensor.

16. The automatic transmission controller according to claim 13, wherein the slope detecting means comprises a navigation system for detecting the slope from the output of the system.