Adaptive automatic transmission control system
AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorBradley S. Carlson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adaptive automatic transmission control system responds to stopping of a vehicle for reducing torque absorption by an automatic transmission and movement of and range to obstructions forward from a vehicle for reengaging the automatic transmission after a stop. The torque converter is released from its reduced torque absorption mode under one of three circumstances: 1) the brake pedal is released; 2) the detected obstruction moves outside a first predefined maximum range; and, 3) the detected obstruction moves outside a second predefined maximum range and at greater than a predefined minimum speed.
Claims12
A power train and associated control system for a vehicle, the power train and associated control system comprising:
- an engine;
- a transmission including a torque converter, the transmission having a plurality of forward gears and a plurality of non-forward settings with the transmission being connected to the engine to absorb torque generated by the engine;
- a brake system including an operator brake pedal for application of the brake system;
- means for measuring vehicle speed;
- means for detecting obstructions forward from the vehicle;
- the means for detecting obstructions providing ranges to a detected obstruction and its forward vector velocity;
- a transmission gear selector for generating a current gear requested;
- a transmission controller responsive to the current gear requested and gear specific interlock conditions for setting a current gear achieved and further responsive to selected vehicle conditions and the current gear achieved being a forward gear for placing the transmission in a reduced torque absorption operating mode from a normal operating mode;
- the transmission controller being responsive to release of application of the brake system for placing the transmission in the normal operating mode from the reduced torque absorption mode;
- and
- the transmission controller being responsive to movement of a detected obstruction away from the vehicle or a change in location of a detected obstruction for placing the transmission in the normal operating mode from the reduced torque absorption mode.
An adaptive transmission control system for an automatic transmission installed on a vehicle, the adaptive control system comprising:
- means for detecting obstructions forward from the vehicle, the means for detecting obstructions including means for determining ranges to the obstruction and means for determining a forward vector velocity of the obstruction;
- a source for a current gear selection;
- a vehicle brake system;
- means responsive to stopping the vehicle using the vehicle brake system for putting the automatic transmission into a reduced torque absorption mode;
- means responsive to release of the vehicle brake system with the automatic transmission in the reduced torque absorption mode for returning the automatic transmission to a normal operating mode;
- means responsive to movement of a detected obstruction outside a predefined range at greater than a predefined minimum velocity away from the vehicle for returning the automatic transmission to the normal operating mode from the reduced torque absorption mode;
- and
- the means responsive to movement of a detected obstruction being further responsive to relocation of the detected obstruction outside a predefined maximum range for returning the automatic transmission to the normal operating mode from the reduced torque absorption mode.
A method for operating a automatic transmission on a vehicle, the vehicle including an engine;
- the automatic transmission where the automatic transmission has a plurality of forward gears and non-forward gears, the transmission being connected to the engine to absorb torque generated by the engine, a brake system including an operator brake pedal, and a driver operated transmission gear selector, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of transmission interlocks for operation of the transmission in the forward gears;
- responsive to the driver operated transmission gear selector, determining a current gear selected;
- responsive to the current gear selected being a forward gear and the interlocks for any forward gear being met making one of the plurality of forward gears a current gear achieved;
- measuring vehicle speed;
- detecting an obstruction forward from the vehicle including range to the obstruction and velocity of the obstruction away from the vehicle;
- responsive to stopping the vehicle using the brake system while the current gear requested is a forward gear and the current gear achieved is a forward gear, placing the automatic transmission in a reduced engine load operating mode;
- and
- responsive to one of a plurality of triggering events terminating the reduced engine load operating mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.