System, method, and apparatus for operating a high efficiency, high output transmission

A transmission, comprising:

• an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover;
• a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;
• a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;
• an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
• a shift actuator configured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;
• a clutch configured to selectively decouple the prime mover from the input shaft;
• a progressive actuator operationally coupled to the clutch, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch;
• a controller, comprising:
• a shaft displacement logic configured to interpret a shaft displacement angle, the shaft displacement angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from the angles consisting of:
• an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the countershaft;
• a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and the output shaft;
• and
• an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft;
• a torque input determination logic configured to determine a prime mover torque value in response to the shaft displacement angle;
• a clutch characterization logic configured to interpret a clutch torque profile, the clutch torque profile providing a relation between a position of the clutch and a clutch torque value;
• a clutch control logic configured to command a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile;
• and
• wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to:
• interpret a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque;
• wherein the interpreting the indicated clutch torque is in response to the prime mover torque value;
• and
• to update the clutch torque profile in response to the position of the progressive actuator and the indicated clutch torque;
• a torque state description logic configured to determine, in response to the shaft displacement angle, that the transmission is in one of:
• a zero torque region;
• or an imminent zero torque region;
• and
• a displacement response logic configured to perform a transmission operation in response to at least one of:
• the shaft displacement angle, the zero torque region, or the imminent zero torque region.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a shaft displacement logic configured to interpret a shaft displacement angle, the shaft displacement angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of a transmission, and wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from the angles consisting of:
• an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft;
• a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft;
• and
• an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft;
• a torque input determination logic configured to determine a prime mover torque value in response to the shaft displacement angle;
• a clutch characterization logic configured to interpret a clutch torque profile, the clutch torque profile providing a relation between a position of a clutch and a clutch torque value;
• a clutch control logic configured to command a position of a progressive actuator of a transmission, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch, in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile;
• and
• wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to:
• interpret a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque;
• wherein the interpreting the indicated clutch torque is in response to the prime mover torque value;
• and
• to update the clutch torque profile in response to the position of the progressive actuator and the indicated clutch torque.