Method for determining the engaged gear in a manual gearbox

A method for operating a vehicle comprising an engine, a gearbox with a number of gears, and at least one clutch, the method comprising:

• deriving characteristic curves of a revolution rate of the engine as a function of time for each of the number of the gears, the characteristic curves based on a revolution rate of the engine, a differential of the revolution rate of the engine, and a speed of the vehicle;
• disengaging the at least one clutch;
• determining a rate of decrease in the speed of the vehicle as a function of time;
• determining the revolution rate of an engine of the vehicle as a function of time;
• differentiating the determined revolution rate of the engine against time;
• determining the speed of the vehicle;
• determining an engaged gear based on mapping the revolution rate of the engine, the differential of the revolution rate of the engine, and the speed of the vehicle to a first of the characteristic curves;
• engaging a clutch of the at least one clutch up to a specified position;
• and
• outputting a determined gear to be engaged.