Paddle-shift logic for down-shifting automatic vehicle transmissions
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorAndrew W. Pekema
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for shifting an automatic or continuously variable transmission of a vehicle. The system includes a plurality of wheels, an engine, a transmission, a memory, a processor, and a paddle shifter. The engine provides a torque to the plurality of wheels through the transmission. The transmission has a plurality of set gear ratios to shift through. The processor detects when the paddle shifter is pressed and held, to instruct the transmission to perform a first half shift. When the paddle shifter is subsequently released, the processor instructs the transmission to perform a second half shift, completing a full shift.
Claims20
A system for performing a gear shift in an automobile comprising:
- a transmission capable of shifting gears;
- a paddle shifter configured to send a first signal when the paddle shifter is actuated from a released position to an actuated position for a predetermined amount of time, and configured to send a second signal when the paddle shifter returns to the released position from the actuated position;
- and
- a processor connected to the paddle shifter and configured to receive the first signal and the second signal from the paddle shifter, the processor further configured to command the transmission to perform a first half-shift after receiving the first signal and command the transmission to perform a second half-shift after receiving the second signal to complete a full shift.
A system for performing a gear shift in an automobile comprising:
- a transmission capable of shifting gears;
- a paddle shifter configured to send a first signal when the paddle shifter is actuated from a released position to an actuated position for a predetermined amount of time, and configured to send a second signal when the paddle shifter returns to the released position from the actuated position;
- and
- a processor connected to the paddle shifter and configured to receive the first signal and the second signal from the paddle shifter, the processor further configured to command the transmission to perform a first shift after receiving the first signal and command the transmission to perform a second shift after receiving the second signal.
A method for shifting a gear in an automobile comprising:
- receiving a first signal in response to a paddle shifter being actuated from a released position to an actuated position for a predetermined amount of time;
- commanding a transmission to perform a first shift operation in response to the first signal;
- receiving a second signal in response to the paddle shifter being released from the actuated position to the released position;
- and
- commanding the transmission to perform a second shift operation in response to the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.