Method and apparatus for controlling a shift-by-wire transmission

A method of controlling a shift-by-wire transmission, the method comprising:

• establishing a fine adjustment window and an associated course adjustment window for each gear of the transmission, the fine adjustment window centered about a nominal target position for each gear, the course adjustment window also centered about the nominal target position for each gear, the course adjustment window being wider than the fine adjustment window but still being within an acceptable range for a respective gear;
• monitoring the setting of a shift assembly while in a desired gear, the shift assembly configured to set the desired gear from gearing of the transmission;
• when the monitoring of the shift assembly indicates that the then current setting of the shift assembly is outside of the course adjustment window of a desired gear setting, activating a motor to adjust the setting of the shift assembly;
• and
• when the monitoring of the setting of the shift assembly indicates the setting is within the fine adjustment window of the desired gear, shutting off the motor.

A shift controlling system for a shift-by-wire transmission, the shift controlling system comprising:

• a shift assembly configured and arranged to place gearing of the transmission in a select gear;
• a sensor to sense a setting of the shift assembly;
• an electric motor coupled to change the setting of the shift assembly;
• and
• a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller further operationally coupled to selectively activate the electric motor to change the setting of the shift assembly, the controller further configured to selectively activate the electric motor to change the setting of the shift assembly while the transmission is in a desired gear when the then current setting of the shift assembly is outside of a course adjustment window set for the desired gear and deactivate the electric motor when the then current setting of the shift assembly is within a fine adjustment window set for the desired gear, wherein the course window is centered about a nominal target position for the desired gear and within an acceptable range for the desired gear and the fine adjustment window is also centered about the nominal target position for the desired gear, the fine adjustment window being narrower than the course adjustment window.