Abstract: A driver assistance system aids a driver in charging one or more trailer-mounted batteries in a trailer being towed by an electrified passenger vehicle. Many existing charging facilities for electric vehicles have charging stalls with a layout configured to accommodate single vehicles. Charging facilities having drive-through or elongated charging stalls able to accommodate larger vehicles which are towing an electrified trailer are much scarcer. When attempting to charge a trailer-mounted battery in a charging stall meant for a single vehicle, it may be necessary to unhitch (i.e., decouple) the trailer while in the charging stall so that the passenger vehicle does not block the aisles of a charging station. Sensors in the vehicle perform a sensor sweep of a selected charging stall, and after unhitching, the trailer uses an independent drive system to park itself in the selected charging stall using driving commands which are calculated from the sensor sweep.

Abstract: Battery-powered electrified vehicles towing one or more trailers carrying additional rechargeable batteries results in a multi-battery system for which the act of charging the batteries becomes more challenging. A vehicle driver assistance system hereof aids a driver for identifying recharging stations meeting a desired recharging objective for the combined vehicle/trailer having a main battery and a secondary battery to be recharged. The system guides the driver to a parking location and provides instructions for obtaining a hookup to a recharging station.

Abstract: An electronic control unit monitors pressure conditions present at the input to the steering system and other vehicle data signals and then provides override control of a hydro-mechanical flow control device. An electro-hydraulic valve is connected to the supply side of the hydro-mechanical flow control device and reacts to the electronic monitoring of pressure and other vehicle data to alter the counter-balancing forces within the hydro-mechanical flow control device. This causes a by-pass diversion of steering fluid to the source by the hydro-mechanical flow control device and thereby relieves backpressure on the pump when relatively little steering assist is required to be provided by the steering system. The control of steering fluid diversion at such times results in a significant reduction in parasitic losses within the steering system and improves the operating and fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for actively cancelling steering nibble and/or brake judder in an electric power steering system using a controller and an electric motor by converting a selected wheel speed to a frequency, selecting a nibble order, determine nibble enable frequencies for cancellation, selecting a damping factor based on changes in vehicle velocity, calculating filter coefficients based on the selected damping factor, the selected nibble order and the wheel frequency, applying a gain scheduler to a steering column torque signal for the nibble enable frequencies, applying a tuned resonator filter to an output of the gain scheduler and using the filter coefficients to produce a nibble signal, calculating an active nibble cancelling torque signal from the nibble signal and applying the active nibble cancelling torque signal to the electric motor to cancel steering wheel nibble vibration.

Abstract: A method and algorithm for determining a steering wheel angle of a vehicle steering mechanism upon power up of a vehicle using a single-turn steering wheel angle sensor by eliminating plausible steering wheel angles until one and only one steering wheel angle possibility remains.

Abstract: A method and algorithm for determining a steering wheel angle of a vehicle steering mechanism upon power up of a vehicle using a single-turn steering wheel angle sensor by eliminating plausible steering wheel angles until one and only one steering wheel angle possibility remains.

Abstract: An electronic control unit monitors pressure conditions present at the input to the steering system and other vehicle data signals and then provides override control of a hydro-mechanical flow control device. An electro-hydraulic valve is connected to the supply side of the hydro-mechanical flow control device and reacts to the electronic monitoring of pressure and other vehicle data to alter the counter-balancing forces within the hydro-mechanical flow control device. This causes a by-pass diversion of steering fluid to the source by the hydro-mechanical flow control device and thereby relieves backpressure on the pump when relatively little steering assist is required to be provided by the steering system. The control of steering fluid diversion at such times results in a significant reduction in parasitic losses within the steering system and improves the operating and fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting and identifying friction in a vehicle having an electric power steering system comprising the steps of measuring predetermined vehicle states, estimating vehicle states using predetermined signals to define idealized vehicle states, calculating a confidence factor to be applied to the idealized vehicle states to determine valid idealized vehicle states, comparing the measured predetermined vehicle states to the valid idealized vehicle states to isolate signal data of interest and define an estimate of friction present in the steering system, applying friction boundaries to the estimate of friction present in the steering system, qualifying the estimate of friction, and setting an internal software flag for the purpose of acknowledging the presence of high friction in the event the estimate of friction exceeds the friction threshold boundaries for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A system and method for actively cancelling steering nibble and/or brake judder in an electric power steering system using a controller and an electric motor by converting a selected wheel speed to a frequency, selecting a nibble order, determine nibble enable frequencies for cancellation, selecting a damping factor based on changes in vehicle velocity, calculating filter coefficients based on the selected damping factor, the selected nibble order and the wheel frequency, applying a gain scheduler to a steering column torque signal for the nibble enable frequencies, applying a tuned resonator filter to an output of the gain scheduler and using the filter coefficients to produce a nibble signal, calculating an active nibble cancelling torque signal from the nibble signal and applying the active nibble cancelling torque signal to the electric motor to cancel steering wheel nibble vibration.

Abstract: A power steering system includes at least one motor to assist the operator of a vehicle in turning the wheels and steering the vehicle and at least one computer or microprocessor controller. One of the processors adjusts the motor assist torque to reduce the driver effort based on specified requirements defined by boost curves. A second microprocessor controller uses an algorithm to calculate the output of the power steering motor, and compare the relationship between the driver torque and the power assist torque. If the relationship between the two is out of specified bounds, then the power steering assist is deemed inappropriate and the power system may go to a power-off state to assure that the motor does not generate an undesirable torque that has not been requested by the driver.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for disengaging a motor and preventing dynamic braking current loops. The system includes a power circuit, a gate driver circuit, and unidirectional switches attached to each motor winding. Unidirectional switches such as field effect transistors (FETs) can provide current blocking in only one direction when not conducting. Unidirectional blocking according to the present invention is sufficient for preventing the undesirable dynamic braking current loops. The approach of this invention requires N unidirectional switches, where N is the number of motor windings. Thus, on a 3 phase motor, three unidirectional switches are used, each being in series with one on the motor windings.

Abstract: A power steering system includes at least one motor to assist the operator of a vehicle in turning the wheels and steering the vehicle and at least one computer or microprocessor controller. One of the processors adjusts the motor assist torque to reduce the driver effort based on specified requirements defined by boost curves. A second microprocessor controller uses an algorithm to calculate the output of the power steering motor, and compare the relationship between the driver torque and the power assist torque. If the relationship between the two is out of specified bounds, then the power steering assist is deemed inappropriate and the power system may go to a power-off state to assure that the motor does not generate an undesirable torque that has not been requested by the driver.