Chrysler Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Group LLC

Gary K Lowe

John W Degeorge

Maurice B Leising

Howard L Benford

Gerald L Holbrook

Hemang S Mehta

Mark J Poublon

John M Rzepecki, Ii

Javed Dada

Gary Binienda

Peter G Hartman

Dennis W Fett

Weijia Cui

Libo Fan

John Merritt

Larry Joseph Kirn

Harish Sivasubramanian

Binqiu Xu

The present disclosure utilizes Non-linear Proportional and Derivative (NLPD) control on a duty cycle of an applying clutch for stationary and rolling vehicle garage shifts. The applying clutch can be engaged by as electrically activated solenoid valve, and the present disclosure utilizes NLPD control to adjust the duty cycle of the solenoid to provide a smooth vehicle garage shift engagement. The present disclosure utilizes a control algorithm based on turbine speed, turbine acceleration, and output speed. The present disclosure can utilize an existing vehicle control unit, such as an engine control unit (ECU), transmission control unit (TCU), or the like, to receive turbine speed measurements, to calculate the solenoid duty cycle using NLPD control on the turbine speed acceleration error, and to adjust the solenoid driver on the solenoid valve.

Systems and methods for non-linear proportional and derivative control during vehicle garage shifts

A system for controlling a torque converter clutch in a vehicle powertrain includes a controller having an input for receiving powertrain operating parameter information. The controller is configured to determine a torque converter speed ratio based on the powertrain operating parameter information and to compare the speed ratio to a specified speed ratio limit. The controller is further configured to determine a target torque converter slip when the speed ratio exceeds or meets or exceeds the specified speed ratio limit; to compare the target slip with a desired slip value based on an vehicle noise, vibration or harshness (NVH) limit; and to control torque transmission of the torque converter clutch based on comparison of the target slip and the desired slip value. A method for controlling a torque converter clutch is also provided.

Torque converter clutch control

In a method for characterizing a road surface beneath a moving vehicle whose powertrain includes a torque converter coupling the engine to a driven wheel, a set of successive values for the torque converter's slip error rate is generated using filtered values for engine speed and torque converter turbine speed. The road surface characteristic is identified based on the set of slip error rate values, as through a comparison of the set with a plurality of case statements, wherein each case statement corresponds with a different road characteristic and/or general surface type. Weighted average values are calculated based on subsets of the values within the set, for use in identifying transitions from one type of surface to another, or one surface characteristic to another. Indicated slip error rates generated in response to changes in an engine torque demand request are also identified to avoid a false indication.

Method and code for determining characteristic of road surface beneath moving vehicle

A vehicle powertrain has an engine coupled to an electronically-controlled automatic transmission. A method for controlling the vehicle powertrain during a transmission shift from a neutral gear to a drive gear detects a change in a signal indicative of a desired transmission gear change from a neutral gear to a drive gear. An engine idle speed is reduced by a predetermined RPM in response to the change in the signal. The transmission is shifted from the neutral gear into the drive gear upon the engine idle speed being reduced by the predetermined RPM.

Interactive gear engagement

A method for synchronizing a plurality of pedal position sensors in a motor vehicle. A series of voltages are accumulated from each of a plurality of pedal position sensors. Representative voltages are determined from the series of voltages. The representative voltages are assigned to linear relationships from which an offset is determined.

Method for synchronizing the zero position of pedal position sensors

A method and system for sharing a hardware resource in a multistate system is provided. The method includes the steps of monitoring changes in state in the multistate system using a pickup device, accessing a memory containing control parameters required by the hardware resource in response to a state signal from the pickup device, applying a control signal that is related to the accessed control parameters to the hardware resource, and connecting the hardware resource to a selected one of several output devices. The system for sharing a hardware resource includes a memory for storing control parameters, a microprocessor in communication with the memory for updating the control parameters, a pickup device for generating a state signal corresponding to the state of the system, a selection device, for example, a multiplexer, that is responsive to the state signal for selecting one of the control parameters from the memory, a device for applying a control signal related to the selected control parameter to the shared hardware resource, and a switch in communication with the shared hardware resource and selectively in communication with one of a plurality of input or output drivers. The input/output devices for both the method and the system are selected in relation to the state signal, and may be selected based on the present state (Nth state) of the system or a previous state, for example, the Nth-1 state.

Method and system for sharing a hardware resource

A method of sensing and determining open circuits and short circuits to the solenoid-actuated valves for the electronic automatic transmission.

Method of diagnostic protection for an electronic automatic transmission

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Gary K Lowe