System, method, and apparatus for operating a high efficiency, high output transmission

1. A computer product in a non-transitory memory for controlling a vehicle based on a shaft displacement angle and a zero or imminent zero torque region of a transmission, wherein the computer product configures a processor when implemented from the memory to:

determine that the transmission is in one or more of: a zero torque region, an imminent zero torque region, a backlash region, and an imminent backlash region;

wherein the determination is based at least in part upon a shaft displacement angle that comprises an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of a transmission; and

selectively control a transmission operation based at least in part upon the determination.

2. The computer product of claim 1 ,

wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:

an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;

a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission;

an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

3. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

4. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

5. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

6. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region.

7. The computer product of claim 6 , wherein the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:

determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the gear mesh;

determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;

determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the gear mesh;

determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and

determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event.

8. An apparatus comprising a torque state description logic that selectively controls a transmission operation based at least in part upon a determination that a shaft displacement angle between at least two shafts of a transmission meets a predetermined program code that indicates the transmission is in one or more of:

a zero torque region;

an imminent zero torque region;

a backlash region; and

an imminent backlash region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 ,

wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:

an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;

a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission; and

an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:

determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the gear mesh;

determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;

determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the gear mesh;

determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and

determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event.

15. A method for controlling a vehicle based on shaft displacement angle and a zero or imminent zero torque region of a transmission, comprising:

determining that the transmission is in one of: a zero torque region, an imminent zero torque region, a backlash region and an imminent backlash region;

wherein the determining is based at least in part upon a shaft displacement angle that comprises an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of a transmission; and

selectively controlling a transmission operation based at least in part upon the determination.

16. The method of claim 15 ,

wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:

an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;

a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission;

an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determining that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region, and wherein the determining that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:

determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the gear mesh;

determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;

determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the gear mesh;

determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and

determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event.