Integrated vehicle engine/transmission control apparatus

An integrated vehicle engine/transmission control apparatus for an automotive vehicle having an engine capable of changing an operating speed thereof by itself, and an automatic transmission operatively connected to said engine and including a plurality of hydraulically operated frictional coupling devices which include a first and a second frictional coupling device which are respectively released and engaged to effect a required shifting action of said automatic transmission, said apparatus comprising:

• engine-speed-control feasibility determining means for determining whether said automotive vehicle is placed in a state that permits said engine to reduce its operating speed by itself;
• and
• hydraulic pressure control means operable in a first control mode when said engine-speed-control feasibility determining means has determined that the automotive vehicle is not placed in said state, for reducing a hydraulic pressure to be applied to said first frictional coupling device for effecting the releasing action thereof, and increasing a hydraulic pressure to be applied to said second frictional coupling device for effecting the engaging action thereof, to effect said required shifting action, such that there exists a slipping period during which a drive torque is transmitted through both of said first frictional coupling device in the process of its releasing action and said second frictional coupling device in the process of its engaging action, said hydraulic pressure control means being operable in a second control mode when said engine-speed-control feasibility determining means has determined that the automotive vehicle is placed in said state, for first reducing the hydraulic pressure to be applied to said first frictional coupling device and then increasing the hydraulic pressure to be applied to said second frictional coupling device, such that there exists a fully releasing period during which both of said first and second frictional coupling devices are held in fully released states thereof.

An integrated vehicle engine/transmission control apparatus for an automotive vehicle having an engine capable of changing an operating speed thereof by itself, and an automatic transmission operatively connected to said engine, said apparatus comprising:

• engine speed control means for controlling said engine so as to reduce its operating speed by itself, during a shifting action of said automatic transmission;
• running mode detecting means for detecting a running mode of the automotive vehicle;
• and
• engine-speed-reduction-rate changing means for changing a rate of reduction of the operating speed of said engine by said engine speed control means, on the basis of the running mode detected by said running mode detecting means.