Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

General Motors France

Jean-Paul Grange

Olivier Lecomte

The transmission control module of an automatic transmission includes a shift control module adapted to command a gear or gear range increment or decrement in dependence upon the switching of an enable switch and of an upshift switch and a downshift switch, the switches being provided on the vehicle steering wheel. The performance of the engine can thereby be controlled by the driver. The transmission control module can also be operated in an automatic mode, a semiautomatic mode and a manual mode in dependence upon the mode selected by selecting means.

Transmission control module responsive to steering-wheel-mounted

Engine torque is managed, particularly during a gear change, so as to improve comfort and reduce wear of the engine and components associated therewith. A transmission control module is adapted to determine start and end times for torque management on the basis of a plurality of look-up tables stored in memory which are accessed via one or more engine operating parameters determined from a plurality of sensors. The contents of the look-up tables are determined experimentally to give the most appropriate start and end times for the given conditions, and not on the basis of any mathematical formula.

Growing community of inventors

Illkirch Graffenstaden, France

Jean-Paul Grange