System for determining a vehicle mass-based breakpoint for selecting between two different transmission shift schedules

A system for selecting between economy mode and performance mode transmission shift schedules, comprising:

• a transmission having a number of automatically selectable gear ranges,
• a transmission control circuit configured to control operation of the transmission,
• an engine control circuit configured to control operation of an internal combustion engine operatively coupled to the transmission, and
• a data link established between the engine control circuit and the transmission control circuit,
• wherein the transmission control circuit includes a memory having the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules stored therein, the memory of the transmission control circuit further having instructions stored therein that are executable by the transmission control circuit to determine a desired vehicle acceleration profile, determine a cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle over the desired vehicle acceleration profile, determine a change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile, compute a vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint as a function of the cumulative net tractive force of the vehicle and the change in vehicle speed over the desired vehicle acceleration profile, compare the vehicle mass-based shift schedule breakpoint to a current vehicle mass indicator, select one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules for operation of the transmission based on the comparison, and control shifting between gear ranges of the transmission according to the selected one of the economy mode and performance mode shift schedules.