IP Library Granted Patent US 9,404,575
Granted Patent B2
US 9,404,575 · App. 11/968,974 · Granted Aug 2, 2016

Transmission upshift flare detection and mitigation

Inventors: James Robert Somerville (West Bloomfield, MI); John J. Koenig (Howell, MI); Christopher A. Spangler (Shanghai, CN); Andriy Nikitin (Hartland, MI)
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
F16H63/502F02D41/023F02P5/1504F16H61/04F02D41/1497F02D2250/21F16H61/0437F16H2061/0477F16H2306/42Y02T10/46Y10T477/688
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,404,575
App. No.
11/968,974
Granted
Aug 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transmission control module comprises an actuation module and a flare control module. The actuation module controls actuation of a friction device used in shifting from a first transmission ratio to a second transmission ratio. The transmission ratio is based on an input speed of a transmission divided by an output speed of the transmission. The first transmission ratio is greater than the second transmission ratio. The flare control module selectively generates an engine torque reduction request when a measured transmission ratio is greater than a threshold during a shift from the first transmission ratio to the second transmission ratio.

Claims (34)

1. A transmission control module comprising:

an actuation module that controls actuation of a friction device used in shifting from a first value of a transmission ratio to a second value of the transmission ratio, wherein the transmission ratio is based on an input speed of a transmission divided by an output speed of the transmission and wherein the first value is greater than the second value;

a flare control module, wherein in response to a measurement of the transmission ratio exceeding a threshold during a torque phase of a shift from the first value to the second value, (i) the flare control module selectively generates an engine torque reduction request and (ii) the actuation module increases a hydraulic pressure applied to the friction device; and

a timer that times the torque phase of the shift, wherein the timer starts at a beginning of the shift and expires after a predetermined period,

wherein the predetermined period corresponds to a duration of the torque phase,

wherein the flare control module maintains a count that is incremented each time the transmission ratio measurement is greater than the threshold,

wherein, while the timer has not expired, in response to each measurement of the transmission ratio that exceeds the threshold, the actuation module further increases the hydraulic pressure applied to the friction device,

wherein in response to the count exceeding a predetermined number, the actuation module increases a default hydraulic pressure to the friction device for future shifts from the first value to the second value, and

wherein the predetermined number is an integer greater than zero.

2. The transmission control module of claim 1 wherein the engine torque reduction request instructs an engine control module to retard spark delivery to an engine.

3. The transmission control module of claim 2 wherein the flare control module determines an amount of spark retard from a lookup table.

4. The transmission control module of claim 3 wherein the lookup table is indexed by a speed of the engine.

5. The transmission control module of claim 1 wherein the flare control module determines the threshold from a lookup table.

6. The transmission control module of claim 5 wherein the lookup table is indexed by a speed of an engine.

7. The transmission control module of claim 1 wherein the actuation module determines the hydraulic pressure increase from a lookup table.

8. The transmission control module of claim 7 wherein the lookup table is indexed by shift torque and transmission fluid temperature.

9. The transmission control module of claim 1 wherein the transmission includes four forward transmission ratios, the first value corresponds to a second-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios, and the second value corresponds to a third-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios.

10. The transmission control module of claim 9 wherein the friction device comprises a band that is used to engage the second-highest gear ratio and a fourth-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios, and further comprising a second friction device that comprises a clutch that is used to engage the third-highest gear ratio and the fourth-highest gear ratio.

11. A method comprising:

controlling actuation of a friction device used in shifting from a first value of a transmission ratio to a second value of the transmission ratio, wherein the transmission ratio is based on an input speed of a transmission divided by an output speed of the transmission and wherein the first value is greater than the second value;

in response to a measurement of the transmission ratio exceeding a threshold during a torque phase of a shift from the first value to the second value, (i) selectively generating an engine torque reduction request and (ii) increasing a hydraulic pressure applied to the friction device;

starting a timer at a beginning of the shift, wherein the timer expires after a predetermined period, and wherein the predetermined period corresponds to a duration of the torque phase for the shift;

maintaining a count of occurrences of the transmission ratio measurement being greater than the threshold, including incrementing the count each time the transmission ratio measurement is greater than the threshold;

while the timer has not expired, in response to each measurement of the transmission ratio that exceeds the threshold, further increasing the hydraulic pressure applied to the friction device; and

in response to the count exceeding a predetermined number, increasing a default hydraulic pressure to the friction device for future shifts from the first value to the second value, wherein the predetermined number is an integer greater than zero.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the engine torque reduction request instructs an engine control module to retard spark delivery to an engine.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining an amount of spark retard from a lookup table.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the lookup table is indexed by a speed of the engine.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the threshold from a lookup table.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the lookup table is indexed by a speed of an engine.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the hydraulic pressure increase from a lookup table.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the lookup table is indexed by shift torque and transmission fluid temperature.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the transmission includes four forward transmission ratios, the first value corresponds to a second-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios, and the second value corresponds to a third-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the friction device comprises a band that is used to engage the second-highest gear ratio and a fourth-highest gear ratio of the four forward transmission ratios.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034185/0587 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0035 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0475 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0780 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0187 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0215 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0880 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0670 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0479 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2008
From: SOMERVILLE, JAMES ROBERT; KOENIG, JOHN J.; SPANGLER, CHRSTOPHER A; NIKITIN, ANDRIY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020375/0809 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 60958002 · Jun 29, 2007
Related Publication 20090005217A1 · Jan 1, 2009