A method for operating a vehicle drive train (1) includes, during a downshift, disengaging at least one shift element (A through F) from a power flow of the transmission (5), guiding a power transmission capacity of a torque converter lockup clutch (4) to a level at which the torque converter lockup clutch (4) is in a non-slip operating condition during a positive engine override when a rotational speed of a prime mover (2) is guided towards a synchronous speed of a demanded desired ratio, and guiding the power transmission capacity of the torque converter lockup clutch (4)—no later than a point in time of the downshift at which the rotational speed of the prime mover (2) is equal to the synchronous speed of the desired ratio—to a level at which the torque converter lockup clutch (4) is transferred into a continuous slip operation due to torque.

This vehicle control device 10 is provided with: a current gear stage selection unit 13 which selects a current gear stage, which is the gear stage of the vehicle in the present travel state; a travel segment determination unit 15 which determines the next travel segment forwards in the direction of travel of the vehicle V; and a shift control unit 17 which, in the case that the current gear stage selection unit 13 has newly selected a target gear stage lower than the current gear stage during travel of the vehicle V in the current gear stage in the current travel segment, if the next travel segment can be traveled in the current gear stage and the amount the vehicle V will lose speed after traveling the current travel segment is less than or equal to a prescribed threshold value, controls shifting of the gear stage such that downshifting from the current gear stage to the target gear stage is suppressed and the current gear stage is maintained. Even in a state in which downshifting is suppressed, if the state of the vehicle the satisfies a prescribed condition, then the shift control unit 17 controls shifting of the gear stage so as to downshift to the target gear stage without suppression of downshifting.

This vehicle control device 10 is provided with: a current gear stage selection unit 13 which selects a current gear stage, which is the gear stage of the vehicle in the present travel state; a travel segment determination unit 15 which determines the next travel segment forwards in the direction of travel of the vehicle V; and a shift control unit 17 which, in the case that the current gear stage selection unit 13 has newly selected a target gear stage lower than the current gear stage during travel of the vehicle V in the current gear stage in the current travel segment, if the next travel segment can be traveled in the current gear stage and the amount the vehicle V will lose speed after traveling the current travel segment is less than or equal to a prescribed threshold value, controls shifting of the gear stage such that downshifting from the current gear stage to the target gear stage is suppressed and the current gear stage is maintained. Even in a state in which downshifting is suppressed, if the state of the vehicle the satisfies a prescribed condition, then the shift control unit 17 controls shifting of the gear stage so as to downshift to the target gear stage without suppression of downshifting.

A control device performs upshifting in a state in which an operating point of a rotating electrical machine for outputting requirement-based torque at wheel-based rotational speed falls within an operable range of the rotating electrical machine both before and after shifting a shift speed by the upshifting, and in which before shifting the shift speed, output torque from the rotating electrical machine is less than or equal to determination torque (T1), the wheel-based rotational speed being rotational speed of the rotating electrical machine based on rotational speed (V) of a wheel, the requirement-based torque being output torque from the rotating electrical machine based on required wheel transmission torque, and the determination torque (T1) being torque obtained by subtracting an amount of increased torque (ΔTmg) resulting from torque increase control from maximum torque (Tmax) that can be outputted from the rotating electrical machine at the wheel-based rotational speed.

There is provided a control device for vehicles which can improve quietness and fuel economy, while maintaining high responsiveness to acceleration of a vehicle. Therefore, the control device 100 for vehicles includes a gear ratio control unit 10 that controls a gear ratio of a vehicle V, and a determination unit 20 that determines whether or not there is an acceleration limit of the vehicle V. The gear ratio control unit 10 is configured to limit an increase in gear ratio R.sub.t, when the determination unit 20 determines that there is an acceleration limit.

A solenoid assembly includes a solenoid adapted to be coupled to a solenoid connecting member extending from a support member. The solenoid assembly also includes a retaining bracket having a body portion and a securing portion. The body portion is adapted to be removably coupled to the support member. The securing portion is removably coupled to the solenoid. The retaining bracket is moveable between an unsecured position, and a secured position. The securing portion of the retaining bracket provides a spring force to the solenoid when the retaining bracket is in the secured position such that the solenoid is biased toward the solenoid connecting member to secure the solenoid between the solenoid connecting member and the securing portion of said retaining bracket.

A solenoid assembly includes a solenoid adapted to be coupled to a solenoid connecting member extending from a support member. The solenoid assembly also includes a retaining bracket having a body portion and a securing portion. The body portion is adapted to be removably coupled to the support member. The securing portion is removably coupled to the solenoid. The retaining bracket is moveable between an unsecured position, and a secured position. The securing portion of the retaining bracket provides a spring force to the solenoid when the retaining bracket is in the secured position such that the solenoid is biased toward the solenoid connecting member to secure the solenoid between the solenoid connecting member and the securing portion of said retaining bracket.

A vehicle control apparatus for controlling a control-subject component provided in a vehicle, by using a learning value of a control parameter which is obtained by a learning operation. The control apparatus includes an obtaining portion for obtaining information related to converged values of learning values of control parameters in a plurality of vehicles provided with respective control-subject components which are the same in type as the control-subject component provided in the vehicle, and a variation determination portion for determining whether a degree of variation among the converged values in the respective vehicles is smaller than a threshold value. The vehicle control apparatus causes the learning value to be converged by a smaller number of times of execution of the learning operation when the degree of the variation is smaller than the threshold value, than when the degree of the variation is not smaller than the threshold value.

A vehicle control apparatus for controlling a control-subject component provided in a vehicle, by using a learning value of a control parameter which is obtained by a learning operation. The control apparatus includes an obtaining portion for obtaining information related to converged values of learning values of control parameters in a plurality of vehicles provided with respective control-subject components which are the same in type as the control-subject component provided in the vehicle, and a variation determination portion for determining whether a degree of variation among the converged values in the respective vehicles is smaller than a threshold value. The vehicle control apparatus causes the learning value to be converged by a smaller number of times of execution of the learning operation when the degree of the variation is smaller than the threshold value, than when the degree of the variation is not smaller than the threshold value.

This vehicle control devices provided with: a travel segment determination unit 15 which determines a next travel segment, forwards in the travel direction of the vehicle, which has a different road slope from the current travel segment where the vehicle is currently traveling; a next gear stage selection unit 16 which, on the basis of the road slope of the next travel segment, selects a next gear stage, which will be the gear stage of the vehicle in the next travel segment; and a shift control unit 17 which upshifts to the next gear stage in the current travel segment in the case that the travel resistance in the next travel segment is less than the travel resistance of the current travel segment, the value obtained by subtracting the travel resistance of the vehicle in the current travel segment from the drive force at the current speed of the vehicle in the next gear stage is less than a first prescribed value, and the value obtained by subtracting the travel resistance of the vehicle in the next travel segment from the drive force at the current vehicle speed in the next gear stage is less than a second prescribed value.