Granted Patent B2

US 7,278,952 · App. 10/953,783 · Granted Oct 9, 2007

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A throttle control system comprising:

a throttle having a throttle actuator coupled to a throttle plate; and

a control module that is coupled to the throttle actuator that sends a first signal within a gear change time period to the throttle actuator to position the throttle plate for an increased throttle opening, that terminates the first signal after the gear change time period, that sends a second signal to the throttle actuator to position the throttle plate, that positions the throttle plate by the throttle actuator to attain a lower throttle opening limit, and that downshifts from a higher gear to a lower gear, wherein the gear change time period extends to one of a commanded gear change, a maximum time limit, and an actual gear change and wherein the control module determines a throttle opening limit based upon a difference between a transmission commanded gear turbine revolutions per minute (RPM) and an engine RPM.

2. A method for regulating a throttle in a clutch-to-clutch transmission of a vehicle during a coast downshift under power, comprising:

sending a first signal within a gear change time period from a control module to the clutch-to-clutch transmission;

attaining a maximum time;

terminating the first signal after the gear change time period; and

shifting a throttle opening limit from a first throttle opening limit to a second throttle opening limit at the maximum time wherein the maximum time is reached when an average throttle opening request exceeds a low throttle opening limit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first throttle opening limit is a high throttle opening limit and the second throttle opening limit is a low throttle opening limit.

4. A method for regulating a throttle in a clutch-to-clutch transmission of a vehicle during a coast downshift under power, comprising:

sending a first signal within a gear change time period from a control module to a throttle actuator to increase a throttle opening;

determining a first throttle opening limit based upon a difference between a transmission commanded gear turbine RPM and an engine RPM;

attaining the first throttle opening limit;

transitioning from the first throttle opening limit based upon an engine to vehicle speed ratio;

terminating the first signal within a gear change time period; and

decreasing the throttle opening to a second throttle opening limit.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising transitioning from the first throttle opening limit based upon a high throttle opening profile and a low throttle opening profile.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

selecting the second throttle opening limit such that a speed of a vehicle consists essentially of an idle speed, a maximum idle speed, a speed greater than the maximum idle speed.

7. A method for controlling a throttle of a vehicle, comprising:

sending a first signal within a gear change time period from a control module to a throttle actuator to position a throttle plate for an increased throttle opening, wherein the gear change time period extends to one of a commanded gear change, a maximum time limit, an actual gear change and the first signal being generated;

terminating the first signal by the control module after the gear change time period;

sending a second signal from the control module to the throttle actuator to position the throttle plate;

determining the throttle opening limit based upon a difference between a transmission commanded gear turbine revolutions per minute (RPM) and an engine RPM;

positioning the throttle plate by the throttle actuator to attain a lower throttle opening limit; and

downshifting from a higher gear to a lower gear.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the gear change time period extends from the first signal until a maximum time limit.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

sensing an increased speed in an engine during the gear change period to an adequate level for downshifting from a higher gear to a lower gear.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

allowing the throttle opening to increase for a maximum time period determined by one of a timer and a selection of a time period from a look-up table; and

decreasing the throttle opening after the maximum time period.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

scheduling a throttle opening limit to comprise a profile having a first profile limit and a second profile limit.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first profile limit is a high profile limit and the second profile limit is a low profile limit.

Assignments (13)