# US 8,751,119 B2 · Vehicle control device and vehicle control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,119 B2 - Document ID: US8751119B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/320,713 - Filed: 2009-08-27 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-06-19 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Yosuke Takashiro - Inventors: Yosuke Takashiro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751119B2 ## CPC - F16H 59/08: Range selector apparatus - F16H 59/12: comprising push button devices - F16H 2059/0247: {with lever or paddle behind steering wheel} - F16H 2059/082: {for different transmission modes} - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract An ECU executes a program including the steps of changing a target shift stage when a current shift change mode is set to an automatic shift change mode and when a driver has intention to change a shift stage, changing a shift range to an N range when he/she has intention for neutral, maintaining the automatic shift change mode when it is determined that he/she does not have intention for neutral but he/she has intention to switch the shift change mode and when such determination is made for the first time after return from the N range, and switching the shift change mode to a manual shift change mode when such determination is not made for the first time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle incorporating an automatic transmission that selects as a shift change mode, any of an automatic shift change mode for automatically changing a speed ratio in accordance with a state of the vehicle and a manual shift change mode for changing stepwise a speed ratio in response to a driver's request, said automatic transmission switching a shift range between a power cut-off range for cutting off transfer of power from a power source and a power transfer range for transferring power from said power source, and for said automatic transmission, a plurality of shift stages that are changed in response to a request operation by said driver while said manual shift change mode is selected are set, comprising: a range switching unit for switching said shift range in response to said driver's request; and a mode selection unit for causing return from said power cut-off range to said power transfer range and holding said automatic shift change mode in response to a first request operation by said driver for changing a stage of said shift stage after said shift range is switched to said power cut-off range from a state of selection of said automatic shift change mode, and selecting said manual shift change mode in response to a second request operation for changing a stage of said shift stage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein said mode selection unit causes temporary storage of the shift change mode that has been selected when switching from said power transfer range to said power cut-off range is made by said range switching unit and selects stored said shift change mode when said range switching unit indicates return from said power cut-off range to said power transfer range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes a first operation member and a second operation member for said driver to request any of selection of said shift change mode, switching of said shift range, and change in a stage of said shift stage, said vehicle control device further comprises a shift stage change unit for changing a stage of said shift stage when said driver operates any one of said first operation member and said second operation member while said manual shift change mode is selected, said mode selection unit selects said manual shift change mode when said driver operates any one of said first operation member and said second operation member while said automatic shift change mode is selected, and said range switching unit switches said shift range from said power transfer range to said power cut-off range when said driver operates both of said first operation member and said second operation member in parallel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and said mode selection unit refrains from changing said shift change mode at least until both of said first operation member and said second operation member enter said operated state in parallel while any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is in said operated state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and said mode selection unit changes said shift change mode when any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is set to said normally-off state from said operated state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and said shift stage change unit starts to change a stage of said shift stage when any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is set to said operated state. ### Claim 7 A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle incorporating an automatic transmission that selects as a shift change mode, any of an automatic shift change mode for automatically changing a speed ratio in accordance with a state of the vehicle and a manual shift change mode for changing stepwise a speed ratio in response to a driver's request, said automatic transmission switching a shift range between a power cut-off range for cutting off transfer of power from a power source and a power transfer range for transferring power from said power source, and for said automatic transmission, a plurality of shift stages that are changed in response to a request operation by said driver while said manual shift change mode is selected are set, comprising the steps of: switching said shift range in response to said driver's request; and returning from said power cut-off range to said power transfer range and holding said automatic shift change mode in response to a first request operation by said driver for changing a stage of said shift stage after said shift range is switched to said power cut-off range from a state of selection of said automatic shift change mode, and selecting said manual shift change mode in response to a second request operation for changing a stage of said shift stage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle control method according to claim 7, wherein in said step of selecting said manual shift change mode, the shift change mode that has been selected when switching from said power transfer range to said power cut-off range is made is temporarily stored and stored said shift change mode is selected when return from said power cut-off range to said power transfer range is indicated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle control method according to claim 7, wherein said vehicle includes a first operation member and a second operation member for said driver to request any of selection of said shift change mode, switching of said shift range, and change in a stage of said shift stage, said vehicle control method further comprises the step of changing a stage of said shift stage when said driver operates any one of said first operation member and said second operation member while said manual shift change mode is selected, in said step of selecting said shift change mode, said manual shift change mode is selected when said driver operates any one of said first operation member and said second operation member while said automatic shift change mode is selected, and in said step of switching said shift range, said shift range is switched from said power transfer range to said power cut-off range when said driver operates both of said first operation member and said second operation member in parallel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and in said step of selecting said shift change mode, change in said shift change mode is refrained at least until both of said first operation member and said second operation member enter said operated state in parallel while any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is in said operated state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and in said step of selecting said shift change mode, said shift change mode is changed when any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is set to said normally-off state from said operated state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein said first operation member and said second operation member are switched between an operated state in which each of said first operation member and said second operation member has been operated by said driver to a predetermined position and a normally-off state in which an operation by said driver has been canceled, and in said step of changing a stage of said shift stage, a stage of said shift stage starts to be changed when any one of said first operation member and said second operation member is set to said operated state.