Method for controlling an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle which is driven by an internal combustion engine having an exhaust-gas catalytic converter

A method for controlling an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine with an exhaust gas catalyst, the method having a warm-up shifting program with a plurality of characteristic curves for gear changes at higher rotational speeds of the motor, than would be the case at an operational temperature of the exhaust gas catalyst, is input into an electronic transmission control module for the more rapid warm-up of the exhaust gas catalyst, the method comprises the steps of:

• calculating a beginning counter value (WLPR(t=0));
• comparing the beginning counter value or a characteristic value (WLPR);
• with a predefined threshold value(WLPRE);
• initiating a warm-up shifting program when the beginning counter value (WLPR(t=0)) is less than or equal to the predefined threshold value;
• maintaining the warm-up shifting program until the characteristic value (WLPR) is greater than the predefined threshold value (WLPRE);
• and
• terminating the warm-up shifting program when the characteristic value (WLPR) is greater than the predefined threshold value (WLPRE).