# US 8,751,118 B2 · Method and system for driving of a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,118 B2 - Document ID: US8751118B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/515,909 - Filed: 2010-12-16 - Published: 2012-10-04 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-17 - Assignees: Scania CV AB - Applicants: Roger Hälleberg; Anders Jensen - Inventors: Roger Hälleberg; Anders Jensen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751118B2 ## CPC - F16H 61/0213: {characterised by the method for generating shift signals} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/11: Stepped gearings - B60W 30/1882: {characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart} - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction - B60W 2552/20: Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments - B60W 2710/0677: Engine power - F16H 59/44: dependent on machine speed {, e.g. the vehicle speed} (F16H59/46 takes precedence) - F16H 59/66: Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery - F16H 2059/405: {Rate of change of output shaft speed or vehicle speed} - F16H 2059/663: {Road slope} - F16H: GEARING - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A method for control of a vehicle's gearbox which is connected to a combustion engine and can be set to a number of different transmission ratios. When the vehicle is running in a low transmission ratio and at an engine speed below that at which the torque plateau for the low ratio is reached, in a situation where there is a reduced need for power output to propel the vehicle, determine a speed parameter for the vehicle, switch the gearbox to a higher transmission ratio than the low ratio when the speed parameter fulfills a first criterion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for control of a gearbox of a vehicle wherein the gearbox is connected to a combustion engine of the vehicle and the gearbox can be set to a number of different transmission ratios, wherein the method is performed: when the vehicle is running in a low transmission ratio and at a speed of the engine below a minimum speed of the engine at which a maximum torque plateau for the low transmission ratio is reached, and when there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output to propel the vehicle, the method comprising: determining a speed parameter for the vehicle; and switching the gearbox to a higher transmission ratio, which is higher than the low transmission ratio, when the speed parameter fulfills a first criterion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the speed parameter is performed by comparing a speed of the vehicle with a reference speed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein the first criterion is fulfilled when the speed of the vehicle deviates from the reference speed by a threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein the first criterion is fulfilled when the speed of the vehicle is below a first speed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the speed parameter is performed by determining a change in a speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein determining the change in the speed of the vehicle is performed by determining a derivative for the speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the first criterion is fulfilled when the change in the speed of the vehicle deviates from a threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle is running in a transmission ratio, which is higher than the low transmission ratio, determining if a first state exists in which there is or will within a predetermined time be a reduced need for power output for propulsion of the vehicle, and setting the gearbox to the low transmission ratio based on the determination of the existence of the first state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, further comprising: determining if a second state exists in which there is or will within a predetermined time be a reduced need for engine power output below a threshold value for propulsion of the vehicle, and switching the gearbox to the low transmission ratio upon determining that the second state exists. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, further comprising determining that there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output for propulsion of the vehicle based upon data concerning a gradient of a road ahead of the vehicle and/or data concerning topography of a road ahead of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein control signals to and/or from the engine are used to determine if there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output for propulsion of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising continuously monitoring whether there is and/or will be need for driving power from the engine and, if there is and/or will be such need, switching the gearbox to a higher transmission ratio. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox comprises a plurality of distinct gears, and switching to a lower/higher transmission ratio comprises changing the gearbox to a higher/lower gear. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the low transmission ratio comprises a gear or a transmission ratio setting for the gearbox at which the vehicle at its cruising speed or maximum permissible speed runs at a speed of the engine which is below the speed of the engine at which the torque plateau for the gear or the transmission ratio setting is reached. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the speed parameter for the vehicle is performed by use of a control system of the vehicle, and the method further comprises determining a timing for setting the gearbox to a transmission ratio which is higher than the low ratio by use of the control system on the basis of the determined speed parameter. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor to apply a method for control of a gearbox of a vehicle wherein the gearbox is connected to a combustion engine of the vehicle and the gearbox can be set to a number of different transmission ratios, wherein the method is performed: when the vehicle is running in a low transmission ratio and at a speed of the engine below a minimum speed of the engine at which a maximum torque plateau for the low transmission ratio is reached, and when there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output to propel the vehicle, the method comprising: determining a speed parameter for the vehicle; and switching the gearbox to a higher transmission ratio, which is higher than the low transmission ratio, when the speed parameter fulfills a first criterion. ### Claim 17 A system for control of a gearbox of a vehicle wherein the gearbox is connected to a combustion engine and the gearbox can be set to a number of different transmission ratios, the system comprising: a speed determining device configured to determine a speed parameter for the vehicle; and a device configured to switch the gearbox to a transmission ratio which is higher than a low transmission ratio when the speed parameter fulfills a first criterion, the system being configured to run the vehicle in the low transmission ratio and at a speed of the engine below a minimum speed of the engine at which a maximum torque plateau for the low transmission ratio is reached when there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output to propel the vehicle. ### Claim 18 A vehicle comprising: a gearbox of the vehicle wherein the gearbox is connected to a combustion engine and the gearbox can be set to a number of different transmission ratios; a speed determining device configured to determine a speed parameter for the vehicle; and a device configured to switch the gearbox to a transmission ratio which is higher than a low transmission ratio when the speed parameter fulfills a first criterion, wherein the vehicle is configured to run in the low transmission ratio and at a speed of the engine below a minimum speed of the engine at which a maximum torque plateau for the low transmission ratio is reached when there is or will, within a predetermined time, be a reduced need for power output to propel the vehicle.