Patent ID: 8915343

Claim:
A method of controlling a dual clutch and a plurality of synchronizers in a transmission, the method comprising: selectively actuating the dual clutch with a first clutch actuator subsystem that is in downstream fluid communication with a clutch pressure control solenoid, the clutch pressure control solenoid being in downstream fluid communication with a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid; selectively actuating the dual clutch with a second clutch actuator subsystem that is in downstream fluid communication with the clutch pressure control solenoid; controlling the pressure of the hydraulic fluid to the first and the second clutch actuator subsystems so that each clutch of the dual clutch engages with a desired torque; and actuating the plurality of synchronizers with a plurality of actuators, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is in downstream communication with a single synchronizer pressure control solenoid and each of the plurality of actuators is in downstream communication with a respective one of first, second, third, and fourth synchronizer control solenoids, each of the first, second, third, and fourth synchronizer control solenoids being in downstream fluid communication with the synchronizer pressure control solenoid, and wherein each of the plurality of synchronizers is engaged by controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from the first, second, third, and fourth synchronizer control solenoids to the plurality of actuators, wherein when pressure of the hydraulic fluid reaches a maximum value, the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid turns off to reduce the pressure of the hydraulic fluid, and when pressure of the hydraulic fluid falls below a predetermined recharge pressure value, the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid turns on to recharge the pressure of the hydraulic fluid, and wherein a reserve volume of hydraulic fluid is determined as a volume of hydraulic fluid stored in an accumulator when the pressure of the hydraulic fluid is between the predetermined recharge value and a minimum pressure value.