# US 12,007,020 B1 · Transmission shift torque characteristics and optimized engine torque control using predictive shift request management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,020 B1 - Document ID: US12007020B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/362,536 - Filed: 2023-07-31 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-31 - Assignees: Fca US LLC - Applicants: Fca US LLC - Inventors: Pedro V. D. Bianchi; Godla Sagar Naidu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007020B1 ## CPC - F16H 61/0437: {by using electrical signals (F16H61/0403 and F16H61/061 take precedence)} - F02D 41/023: {in relation with the gear ratio shifting (conjoint control for improving gear change B60W30/19)} - F16H 59/14: Inputs being a function of torque or torque demand - F16H 59/74: Inputs being a function of engine parameters (F16H59/14 takes precedence) - F02D 2200/50: said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components - F16H 2059/147: {Transmission input torque, e.g. measured or estimated engine torque} - F16H 2063/504: {for bringing engine into special condition by transmission control, e.g. by changing torque converter characteristic to modify engine set point to higher engine speed for better acceleration performance} - F16H: GEARING - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) ## Abstract Predictive transmission shift request and engine torque control techniques include transmitting, from an engine control module (ECM) to a transmission control module (TCM), engine torque information and receiving back a predictive shift request for a transmission generated based on a set of known time delays and the engine torque information, controlling, by the ECM, engine torque actuators in response to and based on the predictive torque request to prepare the engine for the transmission shift operation, receiving, from the TCM, an actual shift request indicative the TCM and the transmission beginning to execute transmission shift operation, and controlling, by the ECM, the engine torque actuators in response to and based on the actual shift request to adjust a torque output of the engine during the transmission shift operation to provide a faster and smoother transmission shift. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A predictive transmission shift request and engine torque control system for a vehicle, the system comprising: an engine comprising engine torque actuators and configured to generate drive torque that is transferred to a driveline of the vehicle via an automatic transmission controlled by a transmission control module (TCM); and an engine control module (ECM) configured to communicate with the TCM via a controller area network (CAN) and to control the engine to: transmit, to the TCM, a set of engine torque information indicative of a status of the engine, statuses of the engine torque actuators, and torque capabilities of the engine; receive, from the TCM, a predictive shift request generated by the TCM based on a set of known time delays and the set of engine torque information after determining, by the TCM, to perform a shift operation of the transmission; control the engine torque actuators in response to and based on the predictive torque request to prepare the engine for the transmission shift operation; receive, from the TCM, an actual shift request indicative the TCM and the transmission beginning to execute transmission shift operation; and control the engine torque actuators in response to and based on the actual shift request to adjust a torque output of the engine during the transmission shift operation to provide a faster and smoother transmission shift. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic transmission and the TCM are produced by a third-party supplier and the internal signals utilized by the TCM are not accessible by the ECM. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the set of known time delays includes CAN latency and engine torque actuator actuation delays. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the set of known time delays further includes at least one of software processing delays and sensor measurement delays. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the engine torque capabilities include current engine torque capability at the current engine torque actuator statuses and minimum/maximum engine torque capabilities by varying the engine torque actuator statuses between minimum and maximum values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive and actual shift requests each indicate (i) a requested engine torque increase or decrease, (ii) a requested engine torque profile, and (iii) a requested priority of the engine torque actuators. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the ECM controls the engine torque actuators based on the predictive shift request to prepare the engine for the future shift operation by adjusting air and spark engine torque actuators to create a torque reserve without impacting the engine's output torque. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the ECM controls the engine torque actuators based on the actual shift request by controlling the engine torque actuators according to the requested engine torque increase/decrease, the requested engine torque profile, and the requested priority of the engine torque actuators to adjust the engine output torque during the transmission shift operation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic transmission is a step-gear torque converted automatic transmission. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic transmission does not have an electric motor associated therewith for shift management assistance. ### Claim 11 A predictive transmission shift request and engine torque control method for a vehicle, the method comprising: providing an engine control module (ECM) configured to communicate with a transmission control module (TCM) via a controller area network (CAN) and to control an engine comprising engine torque actuators and configured to generate drive torque that is transferred to a driveline of the vehicle via an automatic transmission controlled by the TCM; transmitting, from the ECM and to the TCM, a set of engine torque information indicative of a status of the engine, statuses of the engine torque actuators, and torque capabilities of the engine; receiving, by the ECM and from the TCM, a predictive shift request generated by the TCM based on a set of known time delays and the set of engine torque information after determining, by the TCM, to perform a shift operation of the transmission; controlling, by the ECM, the engine torque actuators in response to and based on the predictive torque request to prepare the engine for the transmission shift operation; receiving, by the ECM and from the TCM, an actual shift request indicative the TCM and the transmission beginning to execute transmission shift operation; and controlling, by the ECM, the engine torque actuators in response to and based on the actual shift request to adjust a torque output of the engine during the transmission shift operation to provide a faster and smoother transmission shift. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the automatic transmission and the TCM are produced by a third-party supplier and the internal signals utilized by the TCM are not accessible by the ECM. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the set of known time delays includes CAN latency and engine torque actuator actuation delays. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the set of known time delays further includes at least one of software processing delays and sensor measurement delays. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the engine torque capabilities include current engine torque capability at the current engine torque actuator statuses and minimum/maximum engine torque capabilities by varying the engine torque actuator statuses between minimum and maximum values. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the predictive and actual shift requests each indicate (i) a requested engine torque increase or decrease, (ii) a requested engine torque profile, and (iii) a requested priority of the engine torque actuators. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the ECM controls the engine torque actuators based on the predictive shift request to prepare the engine for the future shift operation by adjusting air and spark engine torque actuators to create a torque reserve without impacting the engine's output torque. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the ECM controls the engine torque actuators based on the actual shift request by controlling the engine torque actuators according to the requested engine torque increase/decrease, the requested engine torque profile, and the requested priority of the engine torque actuators to adjust the engine output torque during the transmission shift operation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the automatic transmission is a step-gear torque converted automatic transmission. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the automatic transmission does not have an electric motor associated therewith for shift management assistance.