Patent ID: 6991584

Claim:
A system for controlling gear ratio changes, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an engine speed and engine torque; an automatic transmission driveably coupled to the engine, the transmission having an input, input speed, output, and output torque at the output, an offgoing friction element, an oncoming friction element, a current gear, and a next gear, produced by disengaging the offgoing friction element and engaging the oncoming friction element; a torque sensor secured to the output for producing an indication of the magnitude of a current output torque; and a controller for determining a target output torque, increasing a torque capacity of the oncoming friction element toward a magnitude of torque carried by the oncoming friction element when the target output torque is produced at the output in the next gear, decreasing a torque capacity of the offgoing friction element clutch to a predetermined torque capacity, and in response to the indication, adjusting an operating parameter of the engine to control the engine torque such that the output torque is maintained at or below the target output torque.