Automatic transmission calibration method

1. A method of calibrating an automatic transmission for a vehicle design comprising:

acquiring laboratory-generated vehicle engine and transmission data;

acquiring user-generated drivability data;

determining upshift throttle levels from acquired laboratory-generated data and from drivability data;

determining target engine speeds before upshift throttle levels from the laboratory-generated data and the drivability data; and

generating upshift scheduling curves in a throttle level/transmission output speed plane based upon determined target engine speeds.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating downshift schedule curves from generated upshift scheduling curves by calculating throttle and speed offsets from breakpoints on a corresponding upshift schedule curve, the offsets based on the drivability data.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating torque converter lock-up scheduling curves from generated upshift scheduling curves by selecting transmission output speed offsets from breakpoints on a corresponding upshift scheduling curve, the offsets based on the drivability data.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

generating torque converter unlock scheduling curves from corresponding generated upshift scheduling curves and downshift scheduling curves by positioning breakpoints of an unlock scheduling curve between breakpoints on corresponding upshift and downshift scheduling curves at positions determined from the drivability data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining upshift throttle levels further comprises:

using vehicle input data to determine a light throttle boundary and a middle throttle boundary.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining target engine speeds before upshifts further comprises:

calculating minimum and maximum engine speed for each upshift event for throttle levels lower than the light throttle boundary and for throttle levels lying between the light throttle boundary and the middle throttle boundary; and

selecting a target engine speed for upshift events at all throttle levels based on drivability data and calculated minimum and maximum engine speeds.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the vehicle input data includes acceleration versus throttle data including a choke point above which throttle increases have substantially no effect on vehicle acceleration and wherein the light throttle boundary comprises a throttle setting generating 25% of available vehicle acceleration, and the middle throttle boundary comprises a throttle setting corresponding to the choke point.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein generating downshift scheduling curves further comprises:

selecting a speed offset for 100% throttle to insure that a minimum preselected time period elapses when accelerating the vehicle on level terrain from a vehicle speed corresponding to a transmission speed at 100% throttle to a vehicle speed corresponding to a wide open throttle upshift transmission output speed.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein generating torque converter lock-up scheduling curves further comprises:

selecting first and second threshold turbine speeds for each gear in which the torque converter can lock up, the first and second thresholds determining one of partial and full lockup of the torque converter.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein generating torque converter unlock scheduling curves further comprises:

positioning breakpoints of the unlock scheduling curve according to a preselected tolerance for dead pedal; and

truncating the unlock scheduling curve in accordance with preselected turbine speed thresholds.