Patent ID: 8401755

Claim:
In a torque converter having a pump that is rotatably driven by an internal combustion engine and that is fluidly coupled to a turbine, and a lockup clutch connected between pump and the turbine, a method for detecting lockup clutch on-coming capacity, the method comprising: retrieving from memory a dynamic model that defines torque transmitted by the lockup clutch as a function of a plurality of torque converter operating parameters, asserting a lockup clutch command to initiate engagement of the lockup clutch, monitoring a number of the plurality of torque converter operating parameters after asserting the lockup clutch command, continually over time solving the model using the monitored operating parameters to determine torque transmitted by the lockup clutch and compare the determined torque transmitted by the lockup clutch to a torque threshold, producing a lockup clutch on-coming capacity signal in response to the torque transmitted by the lockup clutch exceeding the torque threshold, and executing a lockup clutch control routine in response to the torque transmitted by the lockup clutch exceeding the torque threshold.