Patent ID: 8663067

Claim:
A method of operating an automatic transmission incorporated into a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: driving the motor vehicle with an accelerator actuated and a starting clutch of the automatic transmission engaged; upon removing actuation of the accelerator, commencing motor vehicle coasting with the starting clutch remaining engaged; during coasting, preventing downshifting when crossing a shift line and maintaining engagement of the starter clutch and maintaining the vehicle in a same gear in which the motor vehicle was driving with the accelerator actuated; continuously monitoring a transmission input speed of the automatic transmission; if, during coasting, the transmission input speed of the automatic transmission drops below a limit value, where the limit value is independent of the gear engaged, then disengaging the starter clutch and initiating a clutchless coasting; and during clutchless coasting with the starting clutch disengaged, shifting to a gear matching a current speed of the motor vehicle so that when the starting clutch is subsequently re-engaged, the gear matching a current speed of the motor vehicle is available and will match a prevailing speed of the motor vehicle, upon re-engagement of the starting clutch.