System for and method of detecting clutch engagement of a manual transmission
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorNathaniel Ellis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of detecting clutch engagement of a manual transmission of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The system and method include a clutch switch for detecting clutch engagement and a backup method for detecting clutch engagement. The backup method includes varying a target speed of an engine drive shaft of the motor vehicle and comparing the speed of the engine drive shaft with the speed of a mainshaft of the motor vehicle.
Claims12
A method of detecting clutch engagement of a manual transmission in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including an electronic control unit that is programmed to perform the steps of:
- starting an initial mode timer;
- controlling an engine speed associated with a drive shaft to substantially equal an initial mainshaft speed of a mainshaft;
- starting a primary mode timer and a clutch switch backup timer when the engine speed is approximately equal to the initial mainshaft speed;
- changing the engine speed to a temporary engine speed that is substantially different from the initial mainshaft speed when the primary mode timer expires;
- receiving information related to a current mainshaft speed after the engine speed is changed from a mainshaft speed sensor in communication with the electronic control unit;
- determining if a clutch is engaged by comparing the temporary engine speed and the current mainshaft speed;
- and
- wherein the clutch is determined to be engaged when the initial mode timer expires.
A method of operating a drive train for a motor vehicle with a manual transmission, the motor vehicle including an electronic control unit that is programmed to perform the steps of:
- starting an initial mode timer;
- automatically controlling an engine speed associated with a drive shaft to substantially equal an initial mainshaft speed of a mainshaft while a clutch of the manual transmission is disengaged and following a gear shift;
- receiving information from a clutch switch, the clutch switch being associated with a clutch pedal;
- determining an engagement state of the clutch according to the information from the clutch switch;
- starting a primary mode timer and a clutch switch backup timer when the engine speed is approximately equal to the initial mainshaft speed;
- changing the engine speed to a temporary engine speed that is substantially different from the initial mainshaft speed when the primary mode timer expires;
- receiving information related to a current mainshaft speed after the engine speed is changed;
- checking the engagement state of the clutch by comparing the temporary engine speed with the current mainshaft speed;
- stopping automatic control of the engine speed when the clutch is engaged;
- and
- wherein if the engagement state of the clutch is not determined to be engaged, determining the clutch to be engaged when the initial mode timer expires.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.