Patent ID: 6446522
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: F16H,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
An automated transmission system for a motor vehicle with a transmission having a plurality of gear ratios and a gear-engaging mechanism, the gear-engaging mechanism comprising a selector member, a first actuator, and a second actuator, the first actuator being operable to move the selector member in a first direction and thereby select a gear ratio, the second actuator being operable to move the selector member in a second direction and thereby engage the selected gear ratio, each actuator having a position-sensing means to provide a position signal indicative of a position of the selector member and thus of the gear ratio engaged, the transmission having forward and reverse start-up gears in which the motor vehicle may be started from stand-still, the positions of the selector member at which the start-up gears are selected being end positions of a range of movement of the selector member; the transmission system comprising control means to automatically select a start-up gear to start the motor vehicle from stand-still, the control means being configured such that, at start-up from stand-still of the vehicle, the control means will drive the first actuator towards an end position of a first actuator movement range in a direction corresponding to the selector-member position of the selected start-up gear and further, the control means will drive the second actuator within a second actuator movement range in a direction corresponding to the engagement of the selected start-up gear, wherein the control means is configured such that, when a start-up gear has been selected, the control means will compare actual position signals delivered by the position sensing means to predetermined position data and, if a discrepancy is found between the actual position signals and the predetermined position data, the control means will inhibit start-up from stand-still.