Patent ID: 8165765

Claim:
A method of configuring a transmission having an engine input for receiving power from a primary power source and a motor input linked to a hydraulic variator comprising a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor driven by the hydraulic pump, the variator further including a pressure-driven actuator for controlling a displacement of the hydraulic pump, the method comprising: establishing a torque-pressure curve of the transmission, wherein the torque-pressure curve relates motor output torque to motor speed, actuator pressure, and pump speed to maximize output torque resolution of the variator with respect to actuator pressure changes while maintaining the curve substantially monotonic in each dimension at any available motor speed, without exceeding a predetermined motor speed limit and without exceeding available actuator pressure limits; and configuring the transmission to output a torque by determining an actuator pressure to be applied based on the established torque-pressure curve, the desired torque, a current motor speed, and a current pump speed.