Patent ID: 7517301

Claim:
A method for controlling an automotive powertrain to achieve a vehicle speed in response to a driver demand signal, wherein the powertrain includes an engine having an output shaft, driven at an engine speed, that is selectively coupled and decoupled to a driven wheel through at least a transmission having a plurality of manually-selectable gearsets providing predetermined gear ratios, and a differential having a pinion factor, the method comprising: determining a current transmission output speed based on the vehicle speed and the pinion factor; determining an effective transmission gear ratio based on the engine speed and the transmission output speed; comparing the effective transmission gear ratio to each of the predetermined gear ratios; determining that a transmission shift is in progress when the effective transmission gear ratio is not within a predetermined tolerance of any of the predetermined gear ratios; determining that the transmission is in neutral if the transmission shift has been in progress for at least a minimum time period; generating a torque request signal based on the driver demand signal, the torque request signal having a minimum value; and adjusting the minimum value for the torque request signal when the transmission is in neutral.