Control device for vehicle and control method thereof

1. A control device for a vehicle having an automatic transmission which includes a plurality of friction elements, switches between a plurality of gear positions by using an oil pressure to set a part of the friction elements in an engaged state and the remainder of the friction elements in a disengaged state, shifts a rotation speed of an input shaft, and outputs the shifted rotation speed from an output shaft, comprising:

a downshift determining unit that determines whether to perform a downshift;

a fuel cut determining unit that determines whether the downshift is to be performed in a fuel cut state or a post-fuel cut recovery state when the downshift is performed in a coasting state; and

an oil pressure control unit that performs a piston stroke in an engagement side friction element when the downshift is performed in the coasting state by increasing a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element to a first oil pressure and then setting the command oil pressure at a second oil pressure that is lower than the first oil pressure,

wherein the oil pressure control unit controls the second oil pressure to be lower in the post-fuel cut recovery state than in the fuel cut state.

2. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

an engine rotation speed detecting unit that detects an engine rotation speed;

an engine control unit which, in the coasting state, performs a fuel cut when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a first rotation speed and performs a fuel cut recovery when the engine rotation speed is lower than the first rotation speed; and

a coasting lockup control unit which, in the coasting state, engages a lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a second rotation speed, which is greater than the first rotation speed, and disengages the lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed,

wherein, when the downshift is performed in the coasting state and the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed, the fuel cut determining unit determines that the post-fuel cut recovery state is established.

3. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 1 , wherein the oil pressure control unit engages the engagement side friction element by raising a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element from the second oil pressure along a predetermined increase gradient, and

when the downshift is performed in the coasting state, the increase gradient upon determination of the post-fuel cut recovery state is smaller than the increase gradient in the fuel cut state.

4. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 2 , wherein the fuel cut determining unit determines whether the fuel cut state or the post-fuel cut recovery state is established on the basis of an engagement/disengagement state of the lockup clutch.

5. A control method for a vehicle having an automatic transmission which includes a plurality of friction elements, switches between a plurality of gear positions by using an oil pressure to set a part of the friction elements in an engaged state and the remainder of the friction elements in a disengaged state, shifts a rotation speed of an input shaft, and outputs the shifted rotation speed from an output shaft, comprising:

determining whether to perform a downshift;

determining whether the downshift is to be performed in a fuel cut state or a post-fuel cut recovery state when the downshift is performed in a coasting state; and

performing a piston stroke in an engagement side friction element when the downshift is performed in the coasting state by increasing a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element to a first oil pressure and then setting the command oil pressure at a second oil pressure that is lower than the first oil pressure,

wherein the second oil pressure in the post-fuel cut recovery is controlled by lower pressure than the second oil pressure in the fuel cut state.

6. The control method for a vehicle as defined in claim 5 , further comprising:

detecting an engine rotation speed;

performing a fuel cut when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a first rotation speed in the coasting state, and performing a fuel cut recovery when the engine rotation speed is lower than the first rotation speed in the coasting state; and

engaging a lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a second rotation speed, which is greater than the first rotation speed in the coasting state, and disengaging the lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed in the coasting state,

wherein, when the downshift is performed in the coasting state and the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed, a vehicle state is determined as the post-fuel cut recovery state.

7. The control method for a vehicle as defined in claim 5 , wherein a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element is raised from the second oil pressure along a predetermined increase gradient, and

when the downshift is performed in the coasting state, the increase gradient upon determination of the post-fuel cut recovery state is smaller than the increase gradient in the fuel cut state.

8. The control method for a vehicle as defined in claim 6 , wherein a determination as to whether the fuel cut state or the post-fuel cut recovery state is established is made on the basis of an engagement/disengagement state of the lockup clutch.

9. A control device for a vehicle having an automatic transmission which includes a plurality of friction elements, switches between a plurality of gear positions by using an oil pressure to set a part of the friction elements in an engaged state and the remainder of the friction elements in a disengaged state, shifts a rotation speed of an input shaft, and outputs the shifted rotation speed from an output shaft, comprising:

downshift determining means for determining whether to perform a downshift;

fuel cut determining means for determining whether the downshift is to be performed in a fuel cut state or a post-fuel cut recovery state when the downshift is performed in a coasting state; and

oil pressure control means for performing a piston stroke in an engagement side friction element when the downshift is performed in the coasting state by increasing a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element to a first oil pressure and then setting the command oil pressure at a second oil pressure that is lower than the first oil pressure,

wherein the oil pressure control means controls the second oil pressure to be lower in the post-fuel cut recovery state than in the fuel cut state.

10. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 9 , further comprising:

engine rotation speed detecting means for detecting an engine rotation speed;

engine control means which, in the coasting state, perform a fuel cut when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a first rotation speed and perform a fuel cut recovery when the engine rotation speed is lower than the first rotation speed; and

coasting lockup control means which, in the coasting state, engages a lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is equal to or higher than a second rotation speed, which is greater than the first rotation speed, and disengages the lockup clutch when the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed,

wherein, when the downshift is performed in the coasting state and the engine rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed, the fuel cut determining means determines that the post-fuel cut recovery state is established.

11. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 9 , wherein the oil pressure control means engages the engagement side friction element by raising a command oil pressure of the engagement side friction element from the second oil pressure along a predetermined increase gradient, and

when the downshift is performed in the coasting state, the increase gradient upon determination of the post-fuel cut recovery state is smaller than the increase gradient in the fuel cut state.

12. The control device for a vehicle as defined in claim 10 , wherein the fuel cut determining means determines whether the fuel cut state or the post-fuel cut recovery state is established on the basis of an engagement/disengagement state of the lockup clutch.