Patent ID: 8437928

Claim:
A method for operating a multi-step automatic transmission, having several gear ratios, of a drive train of a vehicle, with a combustion engine, the steps comprising: detecting a demand for a coasting downshift in which a greater mass moment of inertia must be shifted in a coasting downshift from a third gear ratio to a second gear ratio than in a coasting downshift from the third gear ratio to a first gear ratio; suppressing, via a transmission control unit, the coasting downshift to the second gear ratio from the third gear ratio when the demand for the coasting downshift from the third gear ratio to one of the second gear ratio or the first gear ratio occurs without a performance demand being placed on the combustion engine, and engaging, via the transmission control unit, the first gear ratio when requirements for the coasting downshift from the third gear ratio to the first gear ratio are met.