CLIAMS:We claim:
1. An Electronic Control Module (ECM) (100) for a transmission (104) of a vehicle, said ECM (100) adapted to:
define a zone of confidence (222) around an End of Line (EOL) position coordinates of at least one gear of said transmission (104), determine current position coordinates (204) of a selected gear in said transmission (104), verify presence of said current position coordinates (204) within said defined zone of confidence (222), and shift said zone of confidence (222) around said current position coordinates (204) such that said current position coordinates (204) is considered to be said EOL position coordinates (220) in a next learning cycle.

2. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said zone of confidence (222) around an EOL position coordinates (220) defines an area in which said current position coordinates (204) of said at least one gear of said transmission (104) are expected during said learning cycle.

3. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said position coordinates of said at least one gear of said transmission (104) is obtained by at least one position sensor (102) mounted in proximity to at least one of a transmission (104), connecting means (106) and said gear lever (108).

4. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission (104) is selected from a group comprising a manual transmission, semi-automatic transmission and an automatic transmission.

5. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an alert is raised when said current position coordinates (204) is found to be present outside said zone of confidence (222).

6. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said current position coordinates (204) are learned and adapted for next learning cycle.

7. A method for learning and adapting a changed position coordinates of at least one gear of a transmission (104), said method comprising:
defining a zone of confidence (222) around an End of Line (EOL) position coordinates of at least one gear of said transmission (104);
determining current position coordinates (204) of a selected gear in said transmission (104);
verifying the presence of said current position coordinates (204) within said defined zone of confidence (222); and
shifting said zone of confidence (222) around said current position coordinates (204) such that said current position coordinates (204) is considered to be said EOL position coordinates (220) in next learning cycle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein an Engine Control Module (ECM) (100) automatically learns said EOL position coordinates (220) of at least one gear of said transmission (104) and defines a zone of confidence (222) using manufacturing tolerances.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said current position coordinates (204) of said at least one gear of said transmission (104) is verified to be within said zone of confidence (222) before learning the current position coordinates (204) for said next learning cycle.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said zone of confidence (222) is shifted in at least one dimension of said current position coordinates (204). ,TagSPECI:The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Field of the invention:
[001] The present disclosure relates to an Electronic Control Module (ECM) for a transmission of a vehicle, and specifically relates to a method for learning and adapting deviations while determining position of at least one gear of a transmission.

Background of the invention:
[002] According to a patent literature US6351699, an electronic control unit for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and method for adjusting a position detection sensor in the automatic transmission of the motor vehicle is provided. A control unit for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle has a position detection sensor that supplies an analog output signal that is dependent on a position of a selector slide. The position detection sensor is adjusted using a self-learning algorithm in an electronic control system of the control unit during operation of the motor vehicle.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings:
[003] An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings,
[004] Fig. 1 illustrates a system block diagram of a gear lever, transmission and the ECM of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,
[005] Fig. 2 illustrates a virtual representation of position learning mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and
[006] Fig. 3 illustrates a flow chart for a method for learning and adapting a changed position coordinates of at least one gear of a transmission, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed description of the embodiments:
[007] Fig. 1 illustrates a system block diagram of a gear lever, transmission and the ECM of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A gear lever 108 arranged in a housing 112 for changing gear of a transmission 104 is shown. The gear lever 108 is allowed to be moved in a gear shift layout 110. The gear shift layout 110 comprises but not limited to an “H” pattern, a linear (straight) pattern, a staggered pattern and the like. The gear lever 108 is linked to the transmission 104 through engagement rods or connecting means 106 as known in the art. The transmission 104 also known as a gearbox, comprises arrangement of plurality of gears to obtain a desired gear ratio. The movement of gear lever 108 results in selection of a specific gear ratio in the transmission 104 as per the final position in the gear shift layout 110 selected by an operator (driver) of the vehicle. As the gear lever 108 is moved by the operator, the corresponding motion is sensed by at least one position sensor 102 in the transmission 104. The at least one position sensor 102 is mounted in proximity to at least one of the transmission 104, the connecting means 106 and the gear lever 108. Further, the at least one position sensor 102 is either mounted on the connecting means 106 outside the transmission 104, or inside the housing 112 of the transmission 104.
[008] The at least one position sensor 102 detects movement/motion of any one of the connecting means 106, the gear lever 108 or within the transmission 104, whenever there is a change in gear lane, and/or a change in selected gear within the lane. Each lane of the gear shift layout 110 comprises at least one gear. Considering an “H” gear shift pattern, a first lane comprises first gear and a second gear, a second lane comprises a third gear and a fourth gear, and a third lane comprises a fifth gear and a reverse gear. Based on the gear shift layout 110 of the vehicle, the at least one position sensor 102 detects and measures position coordinates of the selected gear in terms of the motion occurring in the connecting means 106, the changes occurring in the transmission 104 or movement of the gear lever 108. The at least one position sensor 102 provides analog or digital signal based positions. The movement or motion detected by the at least one position sensor 102 is at least one of but not limited to linear, rotational, oscillatory and the like. The positions are processed in terms of voltage bands/ limits/ boundaries/ ranges, or change in distance, or percentage change in a selected unit of measurement and the like. The transmission 104 is selected from a group comprising a manual transmission, semi-automatic transmission and an automatic transmission.
[009] The at least one position sensor 102 communicates with an Electronic Control Module (ECM) 100 through a wired or a wireless means. The ECM 100 is provided either as a dedicated module for the learning and adapting the deviation in the at least one position sensor 102 signals/outputs or is provided as an add-on feature to the existing ECMs (also known as ECUs) 100 of the vehicle. The ECM 100 is set to automatically check the output of the at least one position sensor 102 after a predetermined usage. The predetermined usage describes vehicle parameters indicating a possible wear and tear of the transmission 104 and of the corresponding mechanical parts comprising but not limited to distance travelled, duration of travel, last service, periodically, continuously and an impact on the vehicle such as an accident, and the like. Alternatively, the operator of the vehicle is allowed to manually start the learning process with a command to the ECM 100 from a dashboard.
[0010] Fig. 2 illustrates a virtual representation of position learning mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the virtual representation of the position learning mechanism for an “H” type gear shift layout, the block comprising crisscross pattern represents a zone of confidence 222. The block comprising white space represents a zone of uncertainty 224. The block comprising diagonal lines represents safety margin 226. Similarly, position learning mechanism is adapted for other types of gear shift layouts 110.
[0011] The ECM 100 for the transmission 104 of a vehicle as described above performs the position learning of the at least one gear. The ECM 100 is adapted to define a zone of confidence 222 around an End of Line (EOL) position coordinates 220 of at least one gear of the transmission 104. The EOL corresponds to the last step in a vehicle manufacturing process or production cycle, where the positions coordinates of the at least one gear is calibrated and stored, apart from calibration of other sensors of the vehicle.
[0012] By defining a zone of confidence 222 around the EOL position coordinates 220, the ECM 100 defines an area/boundary, within which the EOL position coordinates 220 lie. Alternatively, the zone of confidence 222 around an EOL position coordinates 220 defines an area in which the current position coordinates 204 of the at least one gear of the transmission 104 are expected during a learning cycle. The EOL position coordinates 220 lie well within and inside the zone of confidence 222. The EOL position coordinates 220 preferably lie at the center of the zone of confidence 222. Alternatively, the EOL position coordinates 220 lie at a specific distance from at least one side of the zone of confidence 222. The ECM 100 defines the zone of confidence 222 by considering possible tolerances in the mechanical parts due to factors comprising but not limited to mechanical tolerances, manufacturing tolerances, tolerances of components made of different materials and the like.
[0013] The ECM 100 then determines current position coordinates 204 of a selected gear in the transmission 104. The current position coordinates 204 refer to actual position coordinates after the vehicle has undergone the predetermined usage. The predetermined usage is inferred when the vehicle parameters reaches to respective set threshold, which triggers the ECM 100 to start learning the new/ current position coordinates 204 of the at least one gear. After the current position coordinates 204 is acquired by the ECM 100, the ECM 100 verifies the presence of the current position coordinates 204 within the defined zone of confidence 222. If the current position coordinates 204 are found to be out of the zone of confidence 222, then an alert is raised to the operator indicating fault or an incipient fault in the transmission 104. If the verification is successful, the ECM 100 shifts the zone of confidence 222 around the current position coordinates 204 such that the current position coordinates 204 is considered to be the new EOL position coordinates 220 in a next learning cycle. The current position coordinates 204 are learned and adapted for next learning cycle.
[0014] The first lane comprises a zone of confidence 222 for first gear 202 and for second gear 218. The second lane comprises a zone of confidence 222 for third gear 208 and fourth gear 216. The third lane comprises a zone of confidence 222 for a fifth gear 210 and a reverse gear 214. The zone of confidence 222 for the neutral gear 212 is shown at the center.
[0015] An EOL position coordinates 220 is learned and adapted during end of line calibration. The EOL position coordinates 220 is learnt only once (during end of line of the vehicle production cycle). Once the vehicle is in the market, self learning starts and the EOL position coordinates 220 starts drifting as new “self learnt” value. After learning, the current position coordinates 204 are referred to as self learnt position coordinates instead of EOL position coordinates 220. Considering that the vehicle has undergone the threshold usage to trigger the new learning of the position coordinates of the at least one gear of the transmission 104. The ECM 100 detects the current position coordinates 204 within the zone of confidence 222 of the first gear 202. After successful verification of the presence of the current position coordinates 204 to be within the zone of confidence 222, the ECM 100 shifts the zone of confidence 222 around the current position coordinates 204. The block 206 with dashed boundary represents the new zone of confidence 222 for the new/current position coordinates 204. The modified or newly learned zone of confidence 222 for the first gear 202 is shown separately in the dotted block 228. The zone of confidence 222 for the first gear 202 is move/ drifts as the new or current position coordinates 204 is learned. The zone of uncertainty 224 defines an area, where the zone of confidence 222 of a particular gear is allowed to be shifted before the transmission 104 completely wears out. Alternatively, the zone of uncertainty 224 provides an area within which the zone of confidence 222 drifts during the usage of the transmission 104. Beyond the zone of uncertainty 224, the probability of overlapping with zone of confidence 222 of other gears increases.
[0016] The zone of confidence 222 and the zone of uncertainty 224 for the first gear 202 are separated with others by an overall safety margin 226. Further, as per the Fig. 2, the zone of confidence 222 of the first gear 202, second gear 218, fifth gear 210 and the reverse gear 214 moves or drifts or expands only from two of its sides which are adjacent to their respective zone of uncertainty 224. In the case of the third gear 208 and the fourth gear 216, the zone of confidence 222 is allowed to drift to three of its sides which are adjacent to respective zone of uncertainty 224. The drifting/ expansion of the zone of confidence 222 happens only from the specific side is because, when a gear lever 108 is moved in those sides which are not adjacent to the zone of uncertainty 224, there is no possibility of detecting or sensing a wrong gear.
[0017] Further, after continuous usage if the zone of confidence 222 of a particular gear reaches very close to the safety margin 226, then the possibility of detecting a wrong gear increases. In order to prohibit wrong gear detection, the ECM 100 raises an alert to the operator through means known in the art such as audible, visual, light, messages to the mobile phone and the like. The operator gets the vehicle serviced and with new set of position coordinates of the at least one gear of the transmission 104.
[0018] Fig. 3 illustrates a flow chart for a method for learning and adapting a changed position coordinates of at least one gear of a transmission, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method comprises the step 302 of defining a zone of confidence 222 around an End of Line (EOL) position coordinates 220 of at least one gear of the transmission 104. The step 304 comprises determining current position coordinates 204 of a selected gear in transmission 104. The step 306 comprises verifying the presence of the current position coordinates 204 within the defined zone of confidence 222. The step 308 comprises shifting the zone of confidence 222 around the current position coordinates 204 such that, that the current position coordinates 204 is considered to be the EOL position coordinates 220 in the next learning cycle.
[0019] The Engine Control Module (ECM) 100 automatically learns the EOL position coordinates 220 of at least one gear of the transmission 104 and defines a zone of confidence 222 using manufacturing tolerances and/or other tolerances.
[0020] The current position coordinates 204 of the at least one gear of the transmission 104 is verified to be within the zone of confidence 222 before learning the current position coordinates 204 for the next learning cycle.
[0021] The zone of confidence 222 is shifted around the current position coordinates 204 in at least one dimension of the current position coordinates 204.
[0022] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.