Patent ID: 6375596
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B60W,B60Y,F16D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system (10) for a vehicle comprising a fuel-controlled engine (12) having a known idle speed (ESIDLE) and known direction of rotation, a multiple-speed transmission (14) coupled to the engine by a master friction clutch (16), a clutch control device (50) for controlling said master friction clutch and a controller (28) for receiving input signals (30) including a non-directional signal (IS) indicative of input shaft rotational speed and one or more of signals indicative of engine speed (ES), engaged gear ratio (GR), operator throttle setting (THL), clutch engagement and vehicle speed (OS), and to process said input signals in accordance with with logic rules to issue command output signals (32) to transmission system actuators including said clutch control device, said method comprising:determining a requirement to engage said clutch during vehicle launch conditions, and, prior to fully engaging said clutch: (i) causing the master friction clutch to be partially engaged (ii) sensing the value of said signal indicative of input shaft speed immediately before and after partially engaging said master friction clutch to determine a change in said value caused by partially engaging said master friction clutch; and (iii) if said change is positive, determining said input shaft is rotating in the same direction of rotation as the engine and, if said change is negative, determining said input shaft is rotating in the opposite direction of rotation as the engine.