Control apparatus and method for shift-position changing mechanism

Abstract

A control apparatus for a shift-position changing mechanism includes a detection unit that is provided on a path along which the operation member with a magnetic member moves, and that detects a change in the magnetic field due to a positional change of the operation member; and a determination unit that determines the shift position corresponding to the operated position of the operation member based on the detected change in the magnetic field and predetermined multiple modes of changes in the magnetic field, which correspond to the respective shift positions. The predetermined modes are set such that, when the detected change in the magnetic field is influenced by a change in the magnetic field due to a factor different from the positional change of the operation member, a likelihood that the determination unit determines that the running shift position, at which a vehicle is able to run, is selected is reduced.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to control of range shifting mechanisms and, more particularly, to control of range shifting mechanisms that provide fail-safe protection if an erroneous range determination is made when the state of a shift lever changes. Background technique [0002] There is a gear switching mechanism that switches gears of an automatic transmission in response to an operation of a shift lever performed by a driver and that is provided with an electric motor as a power source for switching gears (for example, a DC motor). [0003] With this gear shift mechanism, unlike a general shift mechanism that directly switches gears of an automatic transmission using a driver's force applied to a gear shift lever, the gear shift lever and the gear shift mechanism do not need to be mechanically connected to each other. This removes restrictions on the configuration of components within the vehicle, thereby providing greater flexibility ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0007] However, when the position to which the shift lever has been operated is detected based on a change in the magnetic field caused by the operation of the shift lever using, for example, a magnetic field detection sensor, if the range switching device is affected by a change in the magnetic field caused by the outside, the magnetic field Variations Unlike changes in the magnetic field due to operation of the selector lever, the gear shifting device sometimes makes an incorrect determination of the gear represented by the command signal issued in response to the operation of the selector lever

However, the construction of the above-mentioned gear shifting device does not take such erroneous determination into consideration.

[0008] Therefore, there is a possibility that the above-mentioned gear switching device may mistakenly regard a gear in which the vehicle cannot run, such as park or neutral, as a gear in which the vehicle can run, such as forward or reverse.

Conversely, there is a possibility that the gear switching device may mistakenly regard a gear that the vehicle can drive as a gear that the vehicle cannot drive

Therefore, there is a possibility that the gear is shifted to a gear in which the vehicle operates in a manner that does not reflect the driver's intention

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