Patent ID: 8620537
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
1. A shift-by-wire system comprising: an electric motor that generates a rotational output to be used to switch a range of an automatic transmission in a vehicle that includes in succession at least a parking range, a reverse range, a neutral range and a drive range; and a by-wire control circuit that is configured to electrically control rotation of the electric motor to a target rotational position to comply with an inputted shift command, wherein the actual rotational position of the electric motor lies in a neutral region when a rotational region of the electric motor brings the automatic transmission to a neutral state, wherein the actual rotational position of the electric motor lies in a non-neutral region when a rotational region of the electric motor brings the automatic transmission to a non-neutral state, wherein said control circuit is configured such that: when a re-shift command is inputted during a rotation control operation that switches the range, the rotation control operation applied to the electric motor so as to generate the rotational output to comply with the inputted shift command according to the actual rotational position of the electric motor attained when the re-shift command is inputted, the by-wire control circuit modifies the rotation control operation until the rotational position of the electric motor reaches a new target rotational position to comply with the re-shift command; and when the new target rotational position lies in a direction opposite to the actual rotational direction of the electric motor at the time of the input of the re-shift command with respect to the actual rotational position, the by-wire control circuit selects one of first and second operations according to a relationship between (a) the actual rotational position and (b) the neutral position, wherein the first and second operations include: