Patent ID: 6530862
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: F02D,Y10T

Abstract:
A system for braking a vehicle having a transmission, said system comprising:a variable compression ratio engine which is selectively operable in a high compression ratio mode and in a low compression ratio mode; a compression braking system which selectively provides a compression braking torque; and a controller which is communicatively coupled to said variable compression ratio engine, to said compression braking system, and to said transmission, said controller being effective to activate said compression braking system and to selectively cause said variable compression ratio engine to switch between said high compression ratio mode and said low compression ratio mode while said compression braking system is activated, thereby selectively varying said compression braking torque, wherein said controller further determines whether said variable compression ratio engine is operating in a low compression ratio mode and whether the speed of said vehicle is increasing and, upon said determination that said vehicle is operating in said low compression ratio mode and said speed of said vehicle is increasing, said controller downshifts said transmission only if said compression braking system is activated.