Apparatus for indicating an optimum shift position for a manual transmission installed in a vehicle

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said parameters representing engine load are generated by a fuel injection pulse which controls a fuel injection valve, the fuel injection pulse having a width which is proportional to a load on the engine.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said indication means comprises a lamp.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said delay means comprises a timer.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said parameters representing engine load are generated by a fuel injection pulse which controls a fuel injection valve, the fuel injection pulse having a width which is proportional to a load on the engine.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said indication means comprises a lamp.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said delay means comprises a timer.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of optimum upshift conditions comprises an upshift zone formed from a relationship between the actual engine speed and a pulse width from a signal pulse for a fuel injection valve.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of timers comprises at least one timer selected from the group consisting of: a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when a gearshift position for said manual transmission is determined, a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the vehicle commences to accelerate under a large engine load, a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when a throttle valve begins to be fully closed, a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when an engine brake is released, a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when a throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position, and a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine have been within said optimum upshift conditions for said predetermined amount of time.

Claim 15

The method of claim 9, wherein said calculating an actual frequency of the engine speed is determined by examining an interval between consecutive signal pulses being inputted to a fuel injection valve.

Claim 16

The method of claim 9, wherein said calculating an actual frequency of a speed of the vehicle is determined by counting a pulse signal from a vehicle speed sensor.

Claim 17

The method of claim 9, wherein said reading a plurality of outputs corresponding to actual operating conditions of the vehicle comprises reading at least one output selected from the group consisting of: a reversing light lamp detector, a clutch switch detector, an engine idle switch detector, a vehicle speed sensor detector and an engine coolant temperature detector.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of outputs are inputted to an interface.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15, wherein said interface outputs a signal to a microcomputer which in turn outputs a signal to an indicator lamp when the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine have been within the optimum upshift conditions for a predetermined amount of time.

Claim 20

The method of claim 9, wherein said determining an actual gear ratio of the manual transmission comprises: calculating a gear ratio from a relationship between the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual frequency of the speed of the vehicle; comparing the calculated gear ratio with a plurality of specific gear ratios stored in a memory means; determining if said calculated gear ratio is within a permissible scope of said plurality of stored specific gear ratios and storing the calculated gear ratio when within said permissible scope; determining an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope and comparing the determined amount of elapsed time with a first stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether a throttle valve is fully closed when said determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope is greater than said first stored predetermined amount of time; setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, to zero; determining an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is fully closed and comparing the determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the throttle valve is fully closed with a second stored predetermined amount of time; and outputting a value resulting in an engine brake flag being set when said determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the throttle valve is fully closed is greater than said second stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17, wherein when said calculated gear ratio is not within said permissible scope, said determining an actual gear ratio of the manual transmission further comprises: setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope, to zero; setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is fully closed, to zero; storing a value indicating that said calculated gear ratio is not within said permissible scope; comparing an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, with a third stored predetermined amount of time; and resetting an engine brake flag when said amount of elapsed time from the moment when the engine is acting as a brake is greater than said third stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18, wherein said third stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.5 seconds.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17, wherein said first stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.1 seconds.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17, wherein said second stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.5 seconds.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: resetting a timer which determines an amount of elapsed time from the moment when the throttle valve is fully closed, to zero, when it is determined that the throttle valve is not fully closed; comparing an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, with a third stored predetermined amount of time; and resetting an engine brake flag when said amount of elapsed time from the moment when the engine is acting as a brake is greater than said third stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 26

The method of claim 9, wherein said actuating an upshift indicating means comprises: determining if said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed when said actual frequency of the engine and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions; setting a first timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, to zero, when the throttle valve is completely closed; setting a second timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position, to zero; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 27

The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises: comparing a first stored predetermined amount of time with the amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, when the throttle valve is not completely closed; determining whether an engine brake flag is equal to a predetermined value when the amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions is greater than said first predetermined amount of time; determining whether a width of a pulse inputted into a fuel injection valve is greater than or equal to a second stored predetermined amount of time when said engine brake flag is determined to be equal to said predetermined value; determining whether an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to a third stored predetermined amount of time, when the width of the pulse inputted into the fuel injection valve is less than said second predetermined amount of time; setting an upshift flag when said amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to said third stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 28

The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises: determining whether an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to a fourth stored predetermined amount of time, when the width of the pulse inputted into the fuel injection valve is greater than or equal to said second stored predetermined amount of time; setting an upshift flag when said amount of elapsed time from a moment when the thottle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to said fourth stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 29

The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises: setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, to zero; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25, wherein said fourth stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 1.0 second.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises: setting said first timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, to zero, when the engine brake flag is not equal to said predetermined value; setting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises: setting the second timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time from the moment when the throttle valve is open from a fully closed position, to zero, when said amount of elapsed time that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, is less than said first stored predetermined amount of time; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in a highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 33

The method of claim 24, wherein said first stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.2 seconds.

Claim 34

The method of claim 24, wherein said second stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 1.6 milliseconds.

Claim 35

The method of claim 24, wherein said third stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 2.0 seconds.

Claim 36

The method of claim 23, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in the highest gear ratio.

Claim 37

The method of claim 23, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when said temperature of the engine coolant is less than said predetermined temperature.

Claim 38

The method of claim 23, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when speed speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 39

The method of claim 9, wherein said actuating an upshift indicating means comprises: determining if said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions; setting a first timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, to zero, when it is determined that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are not within said optimum upshift conditions; setting a second timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position, to zero; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 40

The method of claim 9, wherein said determining an actual gear ratio of the manual transmission comprises: calculating a gear ratio from a relationship between the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual frequency of the speed of the vehicle; comparing the calculated gear ratio with a plurality of specific gear ratios stored in a memory means; determining if said calculated gear ratio is within a permissible scope of said plurality of stored specific gear ratios and storing the calculated gear ratio when within said permissible scope; determining an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope and comparing the determined amount of elapsed time with a first stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether a width of a pulse inputted into a fuel injection valve is greater than or equal to a predetermined value when said determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope is greater than said first stored predetermined amount of time;

Claim 41

setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, to zero; determining an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate under a large engine load and comparing the determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate with a second stored predetermined amount of time; and outputting a value corresponding to an acceleration flag being set when said determined amount of elapsed time when the moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate under a large engine load is greater than said second stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 42

setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, to zero; determining an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate under a large engine load and comparing the determined amount of elapsed time from the moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate with a second stored predetermined amount of time; and outputting a value corresponding to an acceleration flag being set when said determined amount of elapsed time when the moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate under a large engine load is greater than said second stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 43

The method of claim 37, wherein when said calculated gear ratio is not within said permissible scope, said determining an actual gear ratio of the manual transmission further comprises: setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the calculated gear ratio is within said permissible scope, to zero; setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the vehicle begins to accelerate under a large engine load, to zero; storing a value indicating that said calculated gear ratio is not within said permissible scope; comparing an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is acting as a brake with a third stored predetermined amount of time; and resetting an acceleration flag when said amount of elapsed time from the moment when the engine is acting as a brake is greater than said third stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 44

The method of claim 38, wherein said third stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.5 seconds.

Claim 45

The method of claim 37, wherein said first stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.1 seconds.

Claim 46

The method of claim 37, wherein said second stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 1.0 second.

Claim 47

The method of claim 37, wherein the method further comprises: resetting a timer which determines an amount of elapsed time from the moment when the throttle valve is fully closed, to zero, when it is determined that the throttle valve is not fully closed; comparing an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, with a third stored predetermined amount of time; and resetting an engine brake flag when said amount of elapsed time from the moment when the engine is acting as a brake is greater than said third stored predetermined amount of time.

Claim 48

The method of claim 9, wherein said actuating an upshift indicating means comprises: determining if said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions; setting a first timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, to zero, when it is determined that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are not within said optimum upshift conditions; setting a second timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position, to zero; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 49

The method of claim 43, whrein the method further comprises: comparing a first stored predetermined amount of time with an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, when it is determined that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions; determining whether an acceleration flag is equal to a predetermined value when the amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine speed and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions is greater than said first stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether a width of a pulse inputted into a fuel injection valve is less than or equal to a second stored predetermined amount of time when said acceleration flag is determined to be equal to said predetermined value; determining whether an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to a third stored predetermined amount of time, when the width of the pulse inputted into the fuel injection valve is greater than said second predetermined amount of time; setting an upshift flag when said amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to said third stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 50

The method of claim 44, wherein the method further comprises: determining whether an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to a fourth stored predetermined amount of time, when the width of the pulse inputted into the fuel injection valve is less than or equal to said second stored predetermined amount of time; setting an upshift flag when said amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position is greater than or equal to said fourth stored predetermined amount of time; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 51

The method of claim 45, wherein the method further comprises: setting a timer which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the engine is released from acting as a brake, to zero; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 52

The method of claim 45, wherein said fourth stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 1.0 second.

Claim 53

The method of claim 44, wherein the method further comprises: setting said first timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time that the actual frequency of the engine and the actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions, to zero, when the acceleration flag is not equal to said predetermined value; setting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 54

The method of claim 44, wherein the method further comprises: setting the second timer, which counts an amount of elapsed time from a moment when the throttle valve is opened from a fully closed position, to zero, when said amount of elapsed time that said actual frequency of the engine speed and said actual load on the engine are within said optimum upshift conditions is less than said first stored predetermined amount of time; resetting an upshift flag; determining whether the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in a highest gear ratio; determining whether a throttle valve is completely closed, when said actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is not in said highest gear ratio; comparing a temperature of an engine coolant with a predetermined temperature when the throttle valve is not completely closed; comparing a speed of the vehicle with a predetermined vehicle speed when the detected temperature of the engine coolant is greater than or equal to said predetermined temperature; and outputting an instruction to upshift the manual transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than said predetermined vehicle speed.

Claim 55

The method of claim 44, wherein said first stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 0.2 seconds.

Claim 56

The method of claim 44, wherein said second stored predetermined amount of time is approximately 1.6 milliseconds.

Claim 57

The method of claim 44, wherein said third stored predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to 2.0 seconds.

Claim 58

The method of claim 44, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when the actual gear ratio of the manual transmission is in the highest gear ratio.

Claim 59

The method of claim 44, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when said throttle valve is fully closed.

Claim 60

The method of claim 44, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when said temperature of the engine coolant is less than said predetermined temperature.

Claim 61

The method of claim 44, wherein no instruction to upshift is given when said speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to said predetermined vehicle speed.