Patent ID: 7810626

Claim:
A method of controlling a transmission ( 4 ) of a vehicle having multiple frictionally engageable shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) and a parking brake ( 8 ), which has a positive locking element for engaging an output ( 5 ) of a drive train ( 1 ), the method being initiated upon a driver's control action for disengagement of the parking brake ( 8 ) from the output ( 5 ) and when a roadway gradient (grad) is one of greater than a preset first positive threshold value or smaller than a preset first negative threshold value, the method comprising the steps of: slidably engaging one of a combination of a first shifting element (A) and a fourth shifting element (D) and a combination of a second shifting element (B) and a fourth shifting element (D) depending on the roadway gradient (grad) such that the output ( 5 ) rotates in a direction opposite to a strain force acting between the engaged positive locking element of the parking brake ( 8 ) and the output ( 5 ) until the strain force is at least partially eliminated; engaging at least one of a third shifting element (C), the first shifting element (A) and the second shifting, element (B) to lock the output ( 5 ); disengaging the positive locking element of the parking brake ( 8 ) from the output ( 5 ); and controllably disengaging at least one of the third shifting element (C), the first shifting element (A) and the second shifting element (B) from the output ( 5 ) such that the output ( 5 ) is rotatable in a direction corresponding to the driver's control action.