Paddle-shift logic for down-shifting automatic vehicle transmissions
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorAndrew W. Pekema
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for shifting an automatic or continuously variable transmission of a vehicle. The system includes a plurality of wheels, an engine, a transmission, a memory, a processor, and a paddle shifter. The engine provides a torque to the plurality of wheels through the transmission. The transmission has a plurality of set gear ratios to shift through. The processor detects when the paddle shifter is pressed and held, to instruct the transmission to perform a first half shift. When the paddle shifter is subsequently released, the processor instructs the transmission to perform a second half shift, completing a full shift.
Claims26
A system for performing a gear shift in an automobile comprising:
- a transmission configured to shift gears;
- a paddle shifter configured to transmit a first signal when the paddle shifter is moved from a released position to an actuated position and to transmit a second signal when the paddle shifter returns to the released position from the actuated position;
- and
- a processor coupled to the transmission and the paddle shifter and that:
- starts a timer in response to receiving the first signal,
- instructs the transmission to perform a full shift in response to receiving the second signal before the timer reaches a predetermined amount of time,
- instructs the transmission to perform a first half-shift in response to the timer reaching the predetermined amount of time before receiving the second signal, and
- instructs the transmission to perform a second half-shift in response to receiving the second signal after the timer reaches the predetermined amount of time to complete a full shift.
A system for performing a gear shift in an automobile comprising:
- a transmission configured to shift gears;
- a paddle shifter configured to transmit a first signal when the paddle shifter is moved from a released position to an actuated position and to transmit a second signal when the paddle shifter returns to the released position from the actuated position;
- and
- a processor coupled to the transmission and the paddle shifter and that:
- starts a timer in response to receiving the first signal,
- instructs the transmission to perform a first shift and a second shift in response to receiving the second signal before the timer reaches a predetermined amount of time,
- instructs the transmission to perform the first shift in response to the timer reaching the predetermined amount of time before receiving the second signal, and
- instructs the transmission to perform the second shift in response to receiving the second signal after the timer reaches the predetermined amount of time.
A method for shifting a gear in an automobile comprising:
- receiving a first signal in response to a paddle shifter being moved from a released position to an actuated position and held in the actuated position for a predetermined amount of time;
- instructing a transmission to perform a first shift operation in response to receiving the first signal;
- receiving a second signal in response to the paddle shifter returning to the released position from the actuated position;
- instructing the transmission to perform a second shift operation in response to receiving the second signal;
- receiving a third signal in response to the paddle shifter being moved from the released position to the actuated position and returning to the released position from the actuated position before the predetermined amount of time;
- and
- instructing the transmission to perform the first shift operation and the second shift operation in response to receiving the second signal before the timer reaches the predetermined amount of time.
A system for performing a gear shift in an automobile comprising:
- a transmission configured to shift gears;
- a paddle shifter configured to transmit a first signal when the paddle shifter is moved from a released position to an actuated position and held in the actuated position for a predetermined amount of time that corresponds to a time duration to complete a first half-shift and to transmit a second signal when the paddle shifter returns to the released position from the actuated position;
- and
- a processor connected to the paddle shifter and the transmission and that instructs the transmission to perform the first half-shift in response to receiving the first signal and instructs the transmission to perform a second half-shift in response to receiving the second signal, the second half-shift completing a full shift.
A method for shifting a gear in an automobile comprising:
- receiving a first signal in response to a paddle shifter being moved from a released position to an actuated position and held in the actuated position for a predetermined amount of time that corresponds to a time duration to complete a first shift operation;
- instructing a transmission to perform the first shift operation in response to receiving the first signal;
- receiving a second signal in response to the paddle shifter being released from the actuated position to the released position;
- and
- commanding the transmission to perform a second shift operation in response to the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.