# US 9,434,373 B2 · Automatic transmission control device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,434,373 B2
- Document ID: US9434373B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/358,657
- Filed: 2012-10-23
- Published: 2014-11-06
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-18
- Assignees: JATCO Ltd; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Jatco Ltd; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Katsuhiro Matsuo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434373B2

## CPC

- B60W 10/11: Stepped gearings
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- F16H 61/0213: {characterised by the method for generating shift signals}
- F16H 61/16: Inhibiting {or initiating} shift during unfavourable conditions {, e.g. preventing forward-reverse shift at high vehicle speed, preventing engine overspeed} (F16H61/18 takes precedence)
- F16H 59/44: dependent on machine speed {, e.g. the vehicle speed} (F16H59/46 takes precedence)
- F16H 61/684: without interruption of drive
- F16H 2059/006: {Overriding automatic control}
- F16H 2059/186: {Coasting}
- F16H 2061/0225: {Modifying of shift maps by manual control, e.g. by learning values from the driver during manual shift mode}
- F16H 2061/0227: {Shift map selection, i.e. methods for controlling selection between different shift maps, e.g. to initiate switch to a map for up-hill driving}
- F16H 2061/161: {by checking feasibility of shifts, i.e. determine if requested shift can be successfully completed and post shift values are in an acceptable range}
- 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
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

A control apparatus for an automatic transmission is provided with an automatic gearshift mode and a manual gearshift mode. The control apparatus changes a gearshift characteristic of the automatic transmission in response to a situation where an accelerator pedal opening is smaller than a predetermined opening, so that downshifting occurs at higher vehicle speed than in a situation where the accelerator pedal opening is greater than or equal to the predetermined opening. While the manual gearshift mode is being selected, the control apparatus inhibits change of the gearshift characteristic until downshifting is performed once, and permits change of the gearshift characteristic after downshifting is performed once.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automatic transmission control apparatus provided with an automatic gearshift mode and a manual gearshift mode, wherein:
when in the automatic gearshift mode, the automatic transmission control apparatus performs gearshifting automatically based on a relationship between an automatic gearshift line and an operating point, wherein the automatic gearshift line is defined with respect to vehicle speed, and wherein the operating point is determined by a sensed vehicle speed;
when in the manual gearshift mode, the automatic transmission control apparatus performs gearshifting based on a manual operation of a driver and a relationship between a manual gearshift line and the sensed vehicle speed, and rejects an upshift operation of the driver in a situation where the sensed vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed, wherein the manual gearshift line is defined with respect to vehicle speed; and
the automatic transmission control apparatus comprises
a gearshift characteristic change section that changes a gearshift characteristic of an automatic transmission in response to a situation where an accelerator pedal opening is smaller than a predetermined opening, so that downshifting occurs at a higher vehicle speed than in a situation where the accelerator pedal opening is greater than or equal to the predetermined opening; and
a gearshift characteristic change inhibition/permission section, wherein while the manual gearshift mode is being selected, the gearshift characteristic change inhibition/permission section inhibits change of the gearshift characteristic until downshifting is performed once, and permits change of the gearshift characteristic after downshifting is performed once.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automatic transmission control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
when in the manual gearshift mode, the automatic transmission control apparatus rejects a downshift operation of the driver in a situation where the sensed vehicle speed is higher than or equal to another predetermined vehicle speed;
the gearshift characteristic change section obtains an offset vehicle speed by correcting the sensed vehicle speed to a lower vehicle speed side, and changes the gearshift characteristic so that gearshifting is performed based on a relationship between the offset vehicle speed and one of the automatic gearshift line and the manual gearshift line; and
the gearshift characteristic change inhibition/permission section inhibits change of the gearshift characteristic in response to a situation where the downshift operation of the driver occurs while the manual gearshift mode is being selected.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The automatic transmission control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
a lockup clutch control section that controls engagement/disengagement of a lockup clutch of a torque converter based on a relationship between a lockup clutch gearshift line and the sensed vehicle speed, wherein the torque converter is disposed between an engine and the automatic transmission, and wherein the lockup clutch gearshift line is defined with respect to vehicle speed; and
a lockup clutch characteristic change section that changes a lockup clutch control characteristic in response to a situation where the gearshift characteristic is changed, so that disengagement of the lockup clutch occurs at another higher vehicle speed than in a situation where the gearshift characteristic is unchanged.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automatic transmission control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a lockup clutch control section that controls engagement/disengagement of a lockup clutch of a torque converter based on a relationship between a lockup clutch gearshift line and the sensed vehicle speed, wherein the torque converter is disposed between an engine and the automatic transmission, and wherein the lockup clutch gearshift line is defined with respect to vehicle speed; and
a lockup clutch characteristic change section that changes a lockup clutch control characteristic in response to a situation where the gearshift characteristic is changed, so that disengagement of the lockup clutch occurs at another higher vehicle speed than in a situation where the gearshift characteristic is unchanged.