Control and method for controlling amt system including in-gear fault detection and tolerance

Claim 1

A method for controlling a vehicle automated mechanical transmission system for devices having an operator actuated throttle, a throttle-controlled engine, a transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engagable between a transmission input shaft and a transmission output shaft, said transmission input shaft being operatively connected to said engine by means of a selectably engagable and disengagable friction coupling, said automatic mechanical transmission system including an information processing unit (42) having means for receiving a plurality of input signals including (i) an input signal (OS) indicative of output shaft speed, (ii) an input signal independent of said shaft speed and (iii) an input signal independent of said shaft speed signals indicative of a currently engaged gear ratio; said processing unit including means for processing said input signals in accordance with a program for generating output signals whereby said transmission system is operated in accordance with said program, and means associated with said transmission system effective to actuate said transmission (34) to effect engagement of one (GR) of said gear ratio combinations in response to said output signals, said method characterized by: if the output shaft speed (OS) is greater than a predetermined reference and if the processing unit has determined that the transmission is engaged in a known predetermined gear ratio, periodically confirming that the transmission is engaged in the predetermined gear ratio (GR) by determining if, within predetermined limits, IS=OS*GR; and if IS does not equal OS*GR, the following steps are then performed: determining if a ratio (GR±N) close to GR satisfies the expression IS=OS X (GR±N), and (i) if so, inhibiting further ratio changes and signaling a fault and (ii) if not, commanding a shift into a target gear ratio (GR T ) satisfying the expression OS*GR.sub.T =ES.sub.A and then inhibiting further shifting and signalling a system fault, where: IS=the value of the input signal indicative of rotational input shaft speed, OS=the value of the input signal indicative of rotational output shaft speed, GR=the numerical reduction ratio of the predetermined currently engaged gear ratio; and ES A =an acceptable engine speed.

Claim 2

A method for controlling a vehicle automated mechanical transmission system for devices having an operator actuated throttle, a throttle-controlled engine, a transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engagable between a transmission input shaft and a transmission output shaft, said transmission input shaft being operatively connected to said engine by means of a selectably engagable and disengagable friction coupling, said automatic mechanical transmission system including an information processing unit (42) having means for receiving a plurality of input signals including (i) an input signal (OS) indicative of output shaft speed, (ii) an input signal independent of said shaft speed and (iii) an input signal independent of said shaft speed signals indicative of a currently engaged gear ratio; said processing unit including means for processing said input signals in accordance with a program for generating output signals whereby said transmission system is operated in accordance with said program, and means associated with said transmission system effective to actuate said transmission (34) to effect engagement of one (GR) of said gear ratio combinations in response to said output signals, said method characterized by: if the output shaft speed (OS) is greater than a predetermined reference and if the processing unit has determined that the transmission is engaged in a known predetermined gear ratio, periodically confirming that the transmission is engaged in the predetermined gear ratio (GR) by determining if, within predetermined limits, IS=OS*GR; and if IS does not equal OS*GR, the following steps are then performed: determining if a ratio (GR±N) close to GR satisfies the expression IS=OS X (GR±N), and (i) if so, inhibiting further ratio changes and signaling a fault and (ii) if not, commanding a shift into a target gear ratio (GR T ) satisfying the expression OS*GR.sub.T =ES.sub.A and then inhibiting further shifting and signalling a system fault, where: IS=the value of the input signal indicative of rotational input shaft speed, OS=the value of the input signal indicative of rotational output shaft speed, GR=the numerical reduction ratio of the predetermined currently engaged gear ratio; and ES A =an acceptable engine speed.