# US 8,571,770 B2 · Automatic transmission control system and control method

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- Number: US 8,571,770 B2
- Document ID: US8571770B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/042,514
- Filed: 2008-03-05
- Published: 2008-09-11
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-03-06
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Taihei Wakamatsu; Shojiro Suga
- Inventors: Taihei Wakamatsu; Shojiro Suga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571770B2

## CPC

- F16H 61/0213: {characterised by the method for generating shift signals}
- F16H 61/18: Preventing unintentional or unsafe shift {, e.g. preventing manual shift from highest gear to reverse gear}
- F16H 59/0204: {for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic}
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

Automatic transmission control system and control method have the functions or steps of: controlling shifting of an automatic transmission installed on a vehicle, in one of an automatic shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is carried out based on a shift diagram, and a manual shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is manually carried out; detecting at least one shift command of an upshift command for shifting up the automatic transmission and a downshift command for shifting down the automatic transmission, the shift command being manually entered; measuring a shift command time for which the shift command is detected; and switching from the automatic shift mode to a shift inhibition mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is inhibited, without switching to the manual shift mode, based on the measured shift command.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automatic transmission control system, comprising:
a shift control device that controls shifting of an automatic transmission installed on a vehicle, in one of an automatic shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is carried out based on a shift diagram, and a manual shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is manually carried out;
a shift command detecting device that detects at least one shift command of an upshift command for shifting up the automatic transmission and a downshift command for shifting down the automatic transmission, said shift command being manually entered; and
a command time measuring device that measures a shift command time for which the shift command is detected by the shift command detecting device, wherein
when the shift control device controls shifting of the automatic transmission in the automatic shift mode, the shift control device switches from the automatic shift mode to a shift inhibition mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is inhibited, without switching to the manual shift mode, when the shift command time measured by the command time measuring device exceeds a specified time, and
when the shift command time is equal to or less than the specified time, the shift control device switches from the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automatic transmission control system according to claim 1, wherein the specified time is varied based on at least one running condition of the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The automatic transmission control system according to claim 1, wherein when the shift command ceases to be detected by the shift command detecting device after the shift control device switches to the shift inhibition mode, the shift control device returns from the shift inhibition mode to the automatic shift mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automatic transmission control system according to claim 1, wherein the shift command is generated from a momentary switch mounted on a steering wheel.

### Claim 5

An automatic transmission control method, comprising:
controlling shifting of an automatic transmission installed on a vehicle, in one of an automatic shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is carried out based on a shift diagram, and a manual shift mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is manually carried out;
detecting at least one shift command of an upshift command for shifting up the automatic transmission and a downshift command for shifting down the automatic transmission, said shift command being manually entered;
measuring a shift command time for which the shift command is detected; and
when controlling shifting of the automatic transmission in the automatic shift mode, switching from the automatic shift mode to a shift inhibition mode in which shifting of the automatic transmission is inhibited, without switching to the manual shift mode, when the measured shift command time exceeds a specified time, and
when the shift command time is equal to or less than the specified time, the shift control device switches from the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The automatic transmission control method according to claim 5, further comprising:
returning from the shift inhibition mode to the automatic shift mode when the shift command ceases to be detected after switching to the shift inhibition mode.