System/method for synchronized shifting of a manually shifted transmission

A controller-assisted, manually shifted vehicular transmission system (10) comprising a multiple-ration, non-synchronized transmission (12) having an output shaft (30) and an input shaft (28) connected to a fuel-controlled engine (18) by a non-positive coupling (20), a manually operated shift lever (44) movable in a shift pattern (12A) in a selection direction (X-X) and in an engage/disengage direction (Y-Y) to and from a centered neutral position (62) for disengaging and engaging selected ratios in the transmission, a position sensor (46) for continuously sensing the position of the shift lever in the shift pattern and providing an input signals (56) indicative thereof, a force sensor (50) for sensing the magnitude and direction of forces applied to the shift lever in at least the engage/disengage direction and providing signals (FA and FF) indicative thereof, a shift inhibit mechanism (84) having a first condition for inhibiting movement of the shift lever in the engage/disengage direction and a second condition for not inhibiting movement of the shift lever in the engage/disengage direction, a shift inhibit mechanism actuator (108) for causing said shift inhibit mechanism to assume the selected one of the first and second conditions thereof, an electronic system controller (52) for receiving input signals (54) indicative of system operating conditions, including said signals from said position sensor and said force sensor, and processing same according to logic rules to issue command output signals (56) to system actuators, including said shift inhibit mechanism actuator.

A control system for controlling dynamic shifting in a controller-assisted, manually shifted vehicular transmission system (10) comprising a multiple-ratio, non-synchronized transmission (12) having an output shaft (30) and an input shaft (28) connected to a fuel-controlled engine (18) by a non-positive coupling (20), a manually operated shift lever (44) movable in a shift pattern (12A) in a selection direction (X-X) and in an engage/disengage direction (Y-Y) to and from a centered neutral position (62) for disengaging and engaging selected ratios in the transmission, a position sensor (46) for continuously sensing the position of the shift lever in the shift pattern and providing an input signal (56) indicative thereof, a force sensor (50) for sensing the magnitude and direction of forces applied to the shift lever in at least the engage/disengage direction and providing signals (FA and FF) indicative thereof, a shift inhibit mechanism (84) having a first condition for inhibiting movement of the shift lever in the engage/disengage direction and second condition for not inhibiting movement of the shift lever in the engage/disengage direction, a shift inhibit mechanism actuator (108) for causing said shift inhibit mechanism to assume the selected one of the first and second conditions thereof, and an electronic system controller (52) for receiving input signals (54) indicative of system operating conditions, including said signals from said position sensor and said force sensor, and processing same according to logic rules to issue command output signals (56) to system actuators, including said shift inhibit mechanism actuator, said control system characterized by said logic rules including rules for:

• sensing a position of said shift lever in said shift patter;
• if said shift lever is in the neutral position, sensing a presence or absence of conditions indicative of an intention to engage a selected gear ration by sensing a magnitude and a direction of forces applied to said shift member;
• if (a) said shift member is in the neutral position and (b) one of (i) there is an absence of conditions indicative of an intention to engage a selected gear ration, and (ii) there is a presence of conditions indicative of an intention to engage a selected gear ratio but substantially synchronous conditions for engaging said selected gear ration do not exist, then automatically inhibiting movement of said shift lever in the engage/disengage direction;
• and
• if (a) said shift lever is in the neutral position and (b) if there is a presence of conditions indicative of an intention to engage said selected gear ratio and substantially synchronous conditions for engaging said gear ratio exist, not inhibiting movement of said shift lever in the engage/disengage direction.