Granted Patent B2

US 7,247,124 · App. 10/973,689 · Granted Jul 24, 2007

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. An automated method for controlling a vehicle having an engine and a transmission, said method comprising:

sensing knock activity in the engine;

based on an intensity of the knock activity, selecting a knock level from a plurality of predetermined knock levels; and

selecting a transmission ratio applicable to the transmission based on the knock level.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a transmission ratio comprises:

selecting a transmission ratio map that optimizes fuel economy when the sensed knock activity is at a low level; and

selecting a transmission ratio map that restricts fuel economy optimization when the sensed knock activity exceeds the low level.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling a shift from one transmission gear to another based on the transmission ratio.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a transmission ratio comprises:

selecting a transmission gear that optimizes fuel economy when the sensed knock activity is at a low level; and

selecting a transmission gear that restricts fuel economy optimization when the sensed knock activity exceeds the low level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting the transmission ratio comprises:

selecting a transmission ratio map based on the knock level; and

determining the transmission ratio based on the transmission ratio map.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of selecting the transmission ratio map comprises changing the transmission ratio map when a change in knock levels is detected.

7. A method of calibrating a transmission of a vehicle including a control module and one or more modules that can detect knock, said method comprising:

determining a plurality of levels of knock detectable in the vehicle;

determining a plurality of transmission ratios applicable in the transmission; and

associating the determined transmission ratios with the determined knock levels such that, when one of the knock levels is detected during operation of the vehicle, a transmission ratio associated with the detected knock level may be applied in the transmission.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising including one or more of the determined transmission ratios in a ratio map.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising associating the determined knock levels with the determined transmission ratios such that:

when a low knock level is detected, one or more of the determined transmission ratios is applied to optimize fuel economy; and

when a knock level higher than the low knock level is detected, one or more of the determined transmission ratios is applied to restrict fuel economy optimization.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein to optimize fuel economy comprises to reduce an engine speed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein to restrict fuel economy optimization comprises to increase an engine speed.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein to restrict fuel economy optimization further comprises to reduce a manifold air pressure.

13. A system for controlling a vehicle having an engine and a transmission, said system comprising:

one or more modules that detect knock activity in the engine;

a control module that selects a transmission ratio map based on the knock activity and controls the transmission based on a transmission ratio from the transmission ratio map;

wherein said control module determines a knock level based on said detected knock activity and selects the transmission ratio map based on the determined knock level; and

wherein said control module compares said detected knock activity to at least one of a plurality of predetermined knock levels.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said control module detects a change in knock levels and changes the transmission ratio map based on said change in knock levels.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said control module:

selects the transmission ratio map that optimizes fuel economy when said detected knock activity is at a low level; and

selects the transmission ratio map that restricts fuel economy optimization when said detected knock activity exceeds the low level.

Assignments (12)