Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
318 words
An automatic transmission comprising: a clutch; a clutch actuator for detecting and controlling a position of said clutch; a transmission; a transmission actuator for driving said transmission; a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed; a throttle opening detector for detecting a throttle opening; an automatic shift unit including a gear shift map having a gear shift characteristic which is determined based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening; a computer unit for computing a target gear position of said transmission based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening according to said gear shift map; a gear position selector for controlling said transmission actuator based on said computed target gear position to upshift or downshift said transmission; a shift prohibit unit for determining whether said computed target gear position matches a previous gear position for a predetermined number of times and, if said computed target gear position matches said previous gear position, making said computed target gear position valid for shifting but, if said computed target gear position and said previous gear position do not match for said predetermined number of times, clearing a counter so that said computed target gear position is not made valid for shifting to thereby prohibit any shift operation according to said gear shift map; and a shift determination unit for establishing an upshift prohibits condition when said throttle opening is less than a predetermined opening and the transmission is not set in one of a first and a second gear position but releasing said upshift prohibit condition when said vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed and when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed and said clutch is in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position or said transmission is set in one of a first and a second gear position even if said throttle opening is less than said predetermined opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
318 words
An automatic transmission comprising: a clutch; a clutch actuator for detecting and controlling a position of said clutch; a transmission; a transmission actuator for driving said transmission; a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed; a throttle opening detector for detecting a throttle opening; an automatic shift unit including a gear shift map having a gear shift characteristic which is determined based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening; a computer unit for computing a target gear position of said transmission based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening according to said gear shift map; a gear position selector for controlling said transmission actuator based on said computed target gear position to upshift or downshift said transmission; a shift prohibit unit for determining whether said computed target gear position matches a previous gear position for a predetermined number of times and, if said computed target gear position matches said previous gear position, making said computed target gear position valid for shifting but, if said computed target gear position and said previous gear position do not match for said predetermined number of times, clearing a counter so that said computed target gear position is not made valid for shifting to thereby prohibit any shift operation according to said gear shift map; and a shift determination unit for establishing an upshift prohibits condition when said throttle opening is less than a predetermined opening and the transmission is not set in one of a first and a second gear position but releasing said upshift prohibit condition when said vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed and when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed and said clutch is in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position or said transmission is set in one of a first and a second gear position even if said throttle opening is less than said predetermined opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
342 words
An automatic transmission comprising: a clutch; a clutch actuator for detecting and controlling a position of said clutch; a transmission; a transmission actuator for driving said transmission; a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed; a throttle opening detector for detecting a throttle opening; an automatic shift unit including a gear shift map having a gear shift characteristic which is determined based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening; a computer unit for computing a target gear position of said transmission based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening according to said gear shift map; a gear position selector for controlling said transmission actuator based on said computed target gear position to upshift or downshift said transmission; a shift prohibit unit for determining whether said computed target gear position matches a previous gear position for a predetermined number of times and, if said computed target gear position and said previous gear position do not match for said predetermined number of times, clearing a counter so that said computed target gear position is not made valid for shifting to thereby prohibit any shift operation according to said gear shift map; and a shift determination unit for establishing an upshift prohibit condition when throttle opening is less than a predetermined opening and the transmission is not set in one of a first and a second gear position but releasing said upshift prohibit condition (a) when said vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a predetermined speed, (b) when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed and said clutch is in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position, or (c) when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed, said clutch is not in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position, and said transmission is set in a first or second gear position even if said throttle opening is equal to or less than said predetermined opening,except for a predetermined period of time after said throttle opening is above said predetermined opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
342 words
An automatic transmission comprising: a clutch; a clutch actuator for detecting and controlling a position of said clutch; a transmission; a transmission actuator for driving said transmission; a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed; a throttle opening detector for detecting a throttle opening; an automatic shift unit including a gear shift map having a gear shift characteristic which is determined based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening; a computer unit for computing a target gear position of said transmission based on said vehicle speed and said throttle opening according to said gear shift map; a gear position selector for controlling said transmission actuator based on said computed target gear position to upshift or downshift said transmission; a shift prohibit unit for determining whether said computed target gear position matches a previous gear position for a predetermined number of times and, if said computed target gear position and said previous gear position do not match for said predetermined number of times, clearing a counter so that said computed target gear position is not made valid for shifting to thereby prohibit any shift operation according to said gear shift map; and a shift determination unit for establishing an upshift prohibit condition when throttle opening is less than a predetermined opening and the transmission is not set in one of a first and a second gear position but releasing said upshift prohibit condition (a) when said vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a predetermined speed, (b) when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed and said clutch is in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position, or (c) when said vehicle speed is not lower than a predetermined speed, said clutch is not in a position toward disengagement from a half clutch position, and said transmission is set in a first or second gear position even if said throttle opening is equal to or less than said predetermined opening,except for a predetermined period of time after said throttle opening is above said predetermined opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The automatic transmission of claim 1 or 2, wherein said shift prohibit unit comprises: a memory for storing said gear position computed by said computer unit; and a counter for counting a frequency of matches between said instant gear position and said previous gear position from said memory.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The automatic transmission of claim 1 or 2, wherein said automatic shift unit includes a plurality of gear shift maps for storing different gear shift characteristics based on set gear positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The automatic transmission of claim 1, wherein said predetermined opening is set at an idling opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The automatic transmission of claim 1, wherein said predetermined speed is approximately 5 km/h.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The automatic transmission of claim 2, wherein said predetermined opening is set at an idling opening.