Patent ID: 6978691

Claim:
A shift control apparatus for an automated twin clutch transmission including a first input shaft on which a drive-side gear for attaining a first forward gear ratio and a drive-side gear for attaining a third forward gear ratio are supported, a first engine clutch operable to establish a releasable drive connection between an engine and the first input shaft, a second input shaft on which a drive-side gear for attaining a second forward gear ratio and a drive-side gear for attaining a fourth forward gear ratio are supported, a second engine clutch operable to establish a releasable drive connection between the engine and the second input shaft, an output shaft on which driven-side gears meshed with the respective drive-side gears are supported, and a plurality of shift clutches operable to establish releasable drive connections between the drive-side gears and the first and second input shafts and between the driven-side gears and the output shaft, the shift control apparatus comprising: a shift controller operable to control engagement and release of the first and second engine clutches and the shift clutches thereby attaining a desired gear ratio; a shift instructing device operable to instruct a gearshift when operated by a vehicle driver so as to move a predetermined amount from a neutral position; a shift instruction outputting device operable to output a shift instruction when the shift instructing device is caused to move the predetermined amount from the neutral position; and a shifting movement detecting device operable to detect shifting movement of the shift instructing device before the shift instruction is outputted by the shift instruction outputting device and output a shift starting instruction representative thereof; the shift controller being configured to perform, in response to the shift starting instruction from the shifting movement detecting device, a pre-shift control by releasing one of the first and second engine clutches from a power transmission route of a pre-shift gear ratio and engaging one of the shift clutches corresponding to a post-shift gear ratio, and perform, in response to the shift instruction form the shift instruction outputting device, a gearshift by releasing the other of the first and second engine clutches from the power transmission route of the pre-shift gear ratio and engaging said one of the first and second engine clutches.