Fail-safe System Patents (Class 701/43)
  • Patent number: 11891059
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one camera configured to capture an image of a traffic lane in front of a vehicle. The apparatus also includes a path tracking controller configured to detect lane boundaries and a path curvature for the traffic lane from the image, determine a lateral offset of the vehicle from a reference path for the traffic lane and a heading offset for the vehicle from the path curvature, determine a yaw rate maintaining the vehicle within the traffic lane using a kinematics control, determine a steering angle maintaining the vehicle within the traffic lane using a dynamics control and the yaw rate determined by the kinematics control, and activate a steering control based on the determined steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Canoo Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kilsoo Kim, Aviral Singh, David R. Arft
  • Patent number: 11780426
    Abstract: A method for estimating a longitudinal force difference ?Fx acting on steered axle wheels of a vehicle, the method comprising obtaining data from the vehicle related to an applied steering torque Msteer associated with the steered axle wheels, obtaining a scrub radius value rs associated with the steered axle wheels, and estimating the longitudinal force difference ?Fx, based on the obtained data and on the scrub radius rs, as proportional to the applied steering torque Msteer and as inversely proportional to the scrub radius rs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Leon Henderson, Leo Laine
  • Patent number: 11726474
    Abstract: Systems of an autonomous vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. Autonomous vehicles may rely on data inputs, processes, and output commands. Errors due to translation errors, failed or faulty equipment, connections, and other components may cause a dynamic vehicle path to approach a dynamic safe zone or vice versa. If so, a warning message may be sent and processed by the motion control system, when the vehicle is responding to commands correctly, or actuator control, when the vehicle is not responding to commands correctly. Should a safe zone be redrawn to exclude the vehicle's path, a failure message is sent to the appropriate system for mitigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NIO TECHNOLOGY (ANHUI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Guo, Xiaodong Liu
  • Patent number: 11560106
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle-mounted apparatus, the control device includes: a second CPU state judging section provided to the first CPU, and configured to judge a state of the second CPU based on a state of the inter-CPU communication and a voltage value of the electric power supplied from the first electric power supply section, or the second reset signal; and a first CPU state judging section provided to the second CPU, and configured to judge a state of the first CPU based on the state of the inter-CPU communication and a voltage value of the electric power supplied from the second electric power supply section, or the first reset signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Sasaki, Masaki Itabashi, Tadashi Suganuma
  • Patent number: 11521615
    Abstract: A vehicular apparatus having at least one of a voice calling function and a voice recognition function, the apparatus comprising a voice input unit including a plurality of microphones, the voice input unit being disposed between a driver's seat and a passenger seat with respect to a vehicle width direction; and a control unit configured to control a directionality direction and a gain level of each of the plurality of microphones, wherein the control unit controls the directionality directions of the plurality of microphones in two directions, the two directions being a driver's seat side and a passenger seat side, and controls a gain level on the passenger seat side to be lower than a gain level on the driver's seat side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoto Furuyama
  • Patent number: 11492040
    Abstract: Described herein are steer-by-wire systems and methods of operating these systems in vehicles. A steer-by-wire system comprises a steering wheel assembly, comprising a steering wheel, sensors, and a torque generator. The system comprises a rack assembly, comprising a steering rack, sensors, and a rack actuator. The steering wheel assembly and the rack assembly are communicatively coupled by a steer-by-wire system controller, without having any direct mechanical links between the assemblies. In some examples, the controller instructs the rack assembly to control the steering rack position based on the steering input, such as changes in the steering wheel position. A steering map is used to determine the desired steering rack position based on the current steering wheel position. In some examples, a steering map is selected from a steering map set based on, e.g., the vehicle speed, vehicle direction, driver preference, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Canoo Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ganesh Narasimhan, Paolo E. Pucci
  • Patent number: 11493362
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting magnetic turn counter errors are provided herein. In one aspect, there is provided a magnetic field turn sensor system including: a magnetic field angle sensor, a signal processing path configured to receive an output from the magnetic field angle sensor and generate an angle measurement based on the output, a turn count path configured to process the output from the magnetic field angle sensor and output a quadrant measurement based on the output and a processor. The processor is configured to: receive the angle measurement from the signal processing path and the quadrant measurement from the turn count path, determine that the angle measurement deviates from the expected transition angle by more than a threshold value, and indicate a fault in response to determining that the angle measurement deviates from the expected transition angle by more than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Gavin Patrick Cosgrave, Jeremy Richard Gorbold
  • Patent number: 11418423
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for virtualizing communications within a plurality of telematics channels operatively connected to a target machine. The method includes (i) generating a virtualized channel in addition to the plurality of telematics channels operatively connected to the target machine; (ii) predicting one or more values for the virtualized channel based on a mathematical function derived from a first set of telematics channels of a source machine; (iii) receiving measurements from the plurality of telematics channels from the target machine; and (iv) applying the mathematical function to the target machine based upon the one or more predicted values of the virtualized channel and the received measurements from the plurality of telematics channels from the target machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Armel Hounyo, Vijay Krishna Yalamanchili, Darin J. McCoy, Tyler Jewell
  • Patent number: 11247721
    Abstract: Determining a sealing integrity of a steering assembly determining when the steering assembly is performing a steering event, determining an expected pressure change associated with the steering event, and receiving data from the pressure sensing member. During performance of the steering event, the controller analyzes the data from the pressure sensing member and determines when the pressure sensing member detects the expected pressure change and reduces an incident counter. When the pressure sensing member does not detect the expected pressure change, the incident counter is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Travis S. Larson, George E. Doerr
  • Patent number: 11133771
    Abstract: An electric drive system of a vehicle comprises a motor, a position sensor, an inverter, sensors to sense current and voltage supplied to the motor, and a controller to control the motor by controlling the inverter based on data from the position sensor and the sensors and a torque command. The controller estimates a motor torque using a motor model, calculates the motor torque, and generates a first state of health for the electric drive system based on a difference between the estimated and calculated motor torques. The controller generates, in response to the first state of health being less than or equal to a first threshold, a second state of health for at least one of the position sensor, the sensors, and the motor, and determines whether one of the position sensor, the sensors, and the motor is faulty based on the first and second states of health.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jiyu Zhang, Siddharth Ballal, Lei Hao, Wesley G. Zanardelli, Bojian Cao, Mutasim Salman
  • Patent number: 11009365
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for lane marking localization that may be utilized by autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles traveling within the lane. In an embodiment, the system comprises a locating device adapted to determine the vehicle's geographic location; a database; a region map; a response map; a camera; and a computer connected to the locating device, database, and camera, wherein the computer is adapted to: receive the region map, wherein the region map corresponds to a specified geographic location; generate the response map by receiving information from the camera, the information relating to the environment in which the vehicle is located; identifying lane markers observed by the camera; and plotting identified lane markers on the response map; compare the response map to the region map; and generate a predicted vehicle location based on the comparison of the response map and the region map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Mingdong Wang, Chenzhe Qian, Xue Mei
  • Patent number: 11008004
    Abstract: A vehicular lane keeping assist system includes a camera and a control having an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera to determine lane boundaries defining a traffic lane of a road traveled by the vehicle. The control adjusts control of steering of the vehicle responsive to determination that the vehicle is traveling along a curved section of the road traveled by the vehicle. The control controls steering of the vehicle at a first degree responsive to determination that the vehicle is at or near a determined first lane boundary of the traffic lane at an inboard region of the curved section of the road, and the control controls steering of the vehicle at a second degree responsive to a determination that the vehicle is at or near a determined second lane boundary of the traffic lane at an outboard region of the curved section of the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: John Fiaschetti, Pranav Bhatkhande, Tarig Mahameed, G. Edzko Smid
  • Patent number: 10994770
    Abstract: Provided are a vehicle control apparatus and method. A vehicle control apparatus for controlling an angle overlay operation of a vehicle includes a reception unit configured to receive a target steering angle from a target steering angle transmission apparatus, a resetting unit configured to reset an input steering angle sensor when an abnormality has occurred in the input steering angle sensor, and a control unit configured to control the angle overlay operation based on the target steering angle, whether an abnormality has occurred in the input steering angle sensor, and a steering angle received from the input steering angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyeon Heo, Jong Hyun Pyo
  • Patent number: 10862305
    Abstract: A device according to one mode of the present disclosure relates to a device for controlling the output of a power storage device that is chargeable and dischargeable. This output control device includes: an obtainment section configured to obtain a remaining charged power amount at a present time point of the power storage device; and a control section configured to set an operation range of the remaining charged power amount of the power storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 10858037
    Abstract: A power steering apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a steering mechanism having a steering shaft and a rack bar which steers steer steerable wheels by a movement in an axial direction of the rack bar in association with a rotation of steering shaft; an electrically driven motor having a stator, a rotor, and a drive shaft integrally rotated with the rotor; a worm gear transmitting the rotation of the drive shaft to the steering mechanism; a housing member having a reduction gear housing section, a rack bar housing section, and a motor ECU housing section in which the electrically driven motor and the control circuit are housed; and a moisture detection sensor having a moisture detection section disposed within the reduction gear housing section and a transmission section connected with the control circuit passing through an inner part of the motor ECU housing from the moisture detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Murakami, Kohtaro Shiino
  • Patent number: 10807636
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that drives and controls a motor which applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle and has a function switching between an assist mode and an automatic mode, including a torsion bar torsional angle calculating section to calculate a torsion bar torsional angle based on a torque information, an output-side column shaft relative angle generating section to output an output-side relative angle from an electrical angle signal of the motor, an actual handle angle calculating section to calculate an actual handle angle based on the torsion bar torsional angle and the output-side relative angle, a resonance filter to obtain an estimated handle angle in a hands-off state from the output-side relative angle, and a hands-on/off judging section to judge a hands-on state when a time that a deviation angle between the actual handle angle and the estimated handle angle is equal to or more than a predetermined angle is continued for the predetermined time or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Sawada, Yukie Fujiwara, Ryo Minaki, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10704682
    Abstract: A transmission control system, which is adapted to be installed in a vehicle body of a two-wheeler, includes a transmission assembly, a mobile device and a transmission controller. The transmission assembly is configured to be disposed on the vehicle body and to perform a gear-shifting operation. The mobile device is configured to be detachably disposed on the vehicle body. The mobile device includes an orientation sensor capable of detecting a current center-of-gravity of the vehicle body to generate a current center-of-gravity datum. The transmission controller is configured to be disposed on vehicle body, to receive the current center-of-gravity datum, to calculate a roll angle variation according to the current center-of-gravity datum, and to output a gear-shift control command according to the roll angle variation. The transmission controller is configured to indicate the transmission assembly whether to perform the gear-shifting operation according to the gear-shift control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Yi Shin Chen
  • Patent number: 10464605
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle steering control device capable of suppressing influence of a torque generated during driving support by an EPS device on steering of a steering wheel performed by a driver. The vehicle steering control device includes an EPS controller (first controller) that controls a speed reduction mechanism and a differential mechanism controller (second controller) that controls a differential mechanism. In addition, the vehicle steering control device has a first steering assist mode of assisting driver's steering and a second steering assist mode of performing steering independently from the driver's steering. In the second steering assist mode, the second controller controls the differential mechanism so as to cancel a torque applied to a rack-and-pinion side of the differential mechanism from the speed reduction mechanism controlled by the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonori Sato, Sakae Nejo, Nobuhiro Mitsuishi, Sumio Sugita
  • Patent number: 10315692
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for a rotary machine including: a power feed unit configured to feed electric power in accordance with a power feed command to a rotary machine; a rotation-state detecting unit configured to detect a rotation state of the rotary machine; a torque detecting unit configured to detect an output torque output from the rotary machine; an abnormality determining unit configured to determine an abnormality in the rotation-state detecting unit or the torque detecting unit; and an excitation-command generating unit configured to generate an excitation command for oscillating the rotary machine, in which the power feed command is generated based at least on the excitation command, and the abnormality determining unit is configured to determine the abnormality in the detecting units based on a response of the rotation state and a response of the output torque to the excitation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Kezobo, Yoshihiko Kimpara, Akira Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10315689
    Abstract: A correction circuit receives a steering torque and an electric signal indicative of an operating state of a clutch. The correction circuit selectively uses a first correction value and a second correction value in accordance with the operating state of the clutch. The first correction value is set to correct deviation of the steering torque relative to its zero point when an exciting coil of the clutch is not energized. The second correction value is set to correct deviation of the steering torque relative to its zero point, caused by magnetic flux generated by energization of the exciting coil of the clutch. Adding the first correction value or the second correction value to the steering torque in accordance with the operating state of the clutch suitably corrects deviation of the steering torque relative to its zero point in accordance with the operating state of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Kodera
  • Patent number: 10300940
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that can suppress deterioration of steering feeling by changing a current command value of a normal system in motor control by two systems when an abnormality occurs in any of the systems. The steering apparatus calculates a current command value to a motor having two-system motor windings for each system, comprises a current command value adjusting section that calculates the current command value by using a steering assist command value and a compensation current command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 9821836
    Abstract: Restriction values (upper limit and lower limit) for an assist control amount are set individually for each of state amounts including steering torque ? used to compute the assist control amount. A value obtained by summing such restriction values is set as a final restriction value for the assist control amount. Even though the assist control amount with an abnormal value is computed, the assist control amount is restricted to an appropriate value by the final restriction value. In addition, a transition is made from a primary assist control amount which is restricted to a secondary assist control amount computed separately from the primary assist control amount at the timing when a certain time elapses since the assist control amount is restricted. As the steering torque ? is increased, the speed of transition from the primary assist control amount to the secondary assist control amount is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenori Itamoto, Terutaka Tamaizumi, Shingo Maeda
  • Patent number: 9758172
    Abstract: A status determination apparatus determining a driver status in a movable body is provided. The status determination apparatus includes a behavior acquisition portion, a check portion, a determination portion, and a range change portion. The behavior acquisition portion obtains behavior information as present behavior information. The behavior information represents behavior of the movable body. The check portion collates the present behavior information with a threshold region representing a range of the behavior information at time when a driver drives absentmindedly. When the threshold region includes the present behavior information, the determination portion determines that the driver drives absentmindedly. The range change portion changes the threshold region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Naito, Katsuyoshi Nishii, Yoshinori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9660561
    Abstract: A motor drive device having drive controller to control a motor for driving an electric vehicle wheel depending on position of magnetic poles using angle detection value sensed by a motor angle sensor; motor angle estimator to estimate an angle of a motor rotor without a rotation sensor; sensor malfunction determiner to determine malfunction of the sensor; sensor switcher to cause the controller to control using an estimation value of the rotor angle estimated by the estimator instead of the angle detection value sensed by the sensor once the determiner determines that the sensor malfunctions; and start-up rotor angle calculator to calculate an angle of the rotor from a counter electromotive voltage of the motor and to cause the controller to control using the calculated angle, when the motor is started up after stop of the motor in a state where the sensor is determined as malfunctioning by the determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9555829
    Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a power steering system and to such a power steering system. A motor torque is computed by an electronic processor and is established by suitable motor actuation, wherein a plausibility check of the computed motor torque is carried out, taking a measured manual torque into consideration. A value of the additional torques of at least one special function is further considered in the plausibility check.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Sprinzl
  • Patent number: 9469341
    Abstract: In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for controlling a steering aid for a steering system of a vehicle. Upon activation of a vehicle in which a steering aid has been deactivated, a signal instructing a driver to rotate a steering wheel of the steering system without a steering assist motor can be generated. Whether rotation of the steering assist motor occurs during rotation of the steering wheel can be determined. The steering aid can be activated when the steering assist motor has rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jens Dornhege
  • Patent number: 9234331
    Abstract: An articulation control system for a machine may include an actual steering sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of an actual steering angle, a timer configured to provide a signal indicative of an elapsed predetermined period of time, and a controller in communication with the actual steering sensor and the timer. The controller may be configured to regulate automatic articulation to zero based on signals received from the actual steering sensor and the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Sharma, Steven C. Budde
  • Patent number: 9221492
    Abstract: A computer and function architecture for operating an electrical power-assisted steering system, comprises a control path and a monitoring path that has a diverse design in relation thereto and which are processed basically parallel to each other in each case on two associated cores of a redundant microcomputer, and arithmetic differences that occur within the control path or the monitoring path are detected at the functional level by way of a comparator, and the results of individual computing steps are detected at the granular level by way of a core comparator, and as a result of a detected difference of the comparator at the functional level, a transition is made into an emergency operating mode in the event that the core comparator has not diagnosed an arithmetic error, so as to ensure further availability of at least some of the steering assistance function or of the steering functions over at least a certain time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Brenner
  • Patent number: 9221491
    Abstract: There is provided an electric power steering system that makes it possible to reduce an uncomfortable feeling given to a driver even when a detected steering torque value is held. The controller computes a detected steering torque value based on the detection signal, and provides compensation based on a compensation value to a basic current command value to compute a current command value. The controller executes feedback control for causing a current value of the motor to follow the current command value. The controller executes normal control in which the detected steering torque value is periodically updated and backup control in which periodic updating of the detected steering torque value and holding of the detected steering torque value are alternately executed. The controller switches compensation value between a compensation value used during execution of the normal control and a compensation value used during execution of the backup control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Kodera
  • Patent number: 9203332
    Abstract: A motor drive device is provided which allows control to be performed depending on a position of magnetic poles of a rotor even when a motor rotor angle sensor malfunctions. The device controls a motor for driving a wheel of an electric vehicle, depending on the position of the magnetic poles by using an angle sensed by the angle sensor provided at the motor. The device includes an estimator estimating an angle of a rotor of the motor without using a rotation sensor; a sensor malfunction determiner determining a malfunction of the angle sensor; and a switcher causing control to be performed using a angle estimated by the estimator instead of the angle sensed by the angle sensor once the determiner determines that the angle sensor malfunctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9193352
    Abstract: An engine shaft of an engine, rotatable shafts of motor generators and a drive force output shaft are interconnected with each other through a drive force transmission arrangement. An ECU computes a torque command value of each of the motor generators through use of an equation of torque equilibrium, which corresponds to the drive force transmission arrangement, based on an engine shaft demand motor generator torque and an output shaft demand motor generator torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youhei Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9174675
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a history holding unit recording a zero point maximum value and a zero point minimum value of a steering angle of a steering wheel, a precursor determination unit, and a characteristic variation determination unit. The history holding unit cancels the recorded zero point maximum value and the recorded zero point minimum value respectively, when a predetermined period elapses following the update of the recorded value. When the precursor determination unit determines that the system is in a precursory condition to characteristic variation, the characteristic variation determination unit determines whether or not characteristic variation has occurred in the steering transmission system on the basis of at least one of an amount of increase in the zero point maximum value and an amount of decrease in the zero point minimum value following a point at which the system is determined to be in the precursory condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryouchi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9156464
    Abstract: In a method of steering a vehicle by a steering assistance system, a steering-wheel angle of a steering wheel is set by a driver. The steering assistance system checks whether the set steering-wheel angle is maintained during a predefined time period and checks whether the driver has taken the hands from the steering wheel. The vehicle is then operated according to the set steering-wheel angle, when the driver maintains the set steering-wheel angle during the predefined time period, or the steering assistance system is switched off, when the driver has released the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Stefan Schuberth, Alexander Breu
  • Patent number: 9038764
    Abstract: A motor control circuit includes a power relay, a converter division, a smoothing condenser, a control circuit and a motor drive circuit, and is connected to a battery as high voltage power and to an electrical motor. The battery is connected with a driving battery having the high voltage such as 288V etc. A step down circuit reduces the high voltage to a low voltage such as 36V etc., charges a low voltage charge device and supplies drive power to the motor drive circuit. When the vehicle collision is occurred, the control circuit detects the collision by a value of detected acceleration, a power change relay is turned on to change to the power source from the low voltage charge device after voltage of the smoothing condenser is reduced, thereby connecting the low voltage to the motor drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motoo Nakai
  • Patent number: 9043091
    Abstract: When a partial malfunction is detected, a sensor malfunction determination unit changes a control mode from a first control mode to a second control mode. When the control mode is changed from the first control mode to the second control mode, a steered system motor is rotated in a direction corresponding to a rotation direction of a steering wheel immediately before the partial malfunction occurs in the angle sensor. When the absolute value of a steering angular velocity of the steering wheel exceeds a threshold, it is determined that a driver has operated the steering wheel in a direction opposite to a current steered direction, and the rotation direction of the steered system motor is reversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryouhei Hayama
  • Patent number: 9031713
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle from a plurality of motor vehicles includes the steps of determining, by a central point, that a systematic malfunction is present in a plurality of motor vehicles; providing a communication link between the central point and the motor vehicle; and putting at least one electronic control unit of the motor vehicle into a safe operating mode to ensure the operational safety of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Nordbruch, Armin Koehler
  • Publication number: 20150120145
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to fault management apparatus and method for an independently controlled steering system in a four wheel drive system. The apparatus includes: a steering system unit that is disposed at four wheels of a vehicle, controls steering of the wheels, and collects and transmits the state information of the wheels; and a control unit that controls the steering system unit in accordance with the state information transmitted from the steering system unit. According to the present disclosure, when there is a fault in one or more wheels of a four wheel drive vehicle, it is possible to stabilize the vehicle body by actively adjusting the steering angles of the wheels that normally work and the speed of the vehicle in accordance with the fault environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Dong Seog HAN, In Seok YANG
  • Patent number: 9020704
    Abstract: An electronic control apparatus includes a control unit, a plurality of power supply units for supplying the control unit with power, and a power supply fault detector unit for detecting a fault in the plurality of power supply units. The control unit operates in a normal mode on electric power supplied from the plurality of power supply units when none of the plurality of power supply units is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Kanekawa, Ryoichi Kobayashi, Tomonobu Koseki, Keisuke Honda, Atsushi Uehara
  • Patent number: 8996254
    Abstract: A vehicle motion control apparatus which is configured to control a motion of a vehicle comprising a plurality of apparatuses, each of which is configured to selectively control a slip angle or a yaw rate, is provided with: a behavior controlling device which is configured to perform behavior control in which a plurality of apparatuses are controlled such that a slip angle and a yaw rate are a set target slip angle and a target yaw rate, respectively; a turning state quantity specifying device which is configured to specify a turning state quantity of the vehicle; and a selecting device which is configured to select at least one of the slip angle and the yaw rate to be prioritized, on the basis of the specified turning state quantity in a case where the behavior control needs to be performed by one of the plurality of apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Nishikawa, Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Yoshitaka Fujita, Toru Takashima, Tetsuhiro Narita, Go Inoue, Takahiro Kojo
  • Patent number: 8989965
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a steering torque detector for detecting a steering torque applied to a steering mechanism, a motor for generating an assist force that assists steering of a steering wheel, a power voltage detector for detecting a power voltage of a power supply, a power voltage monitoring section for determining a power voltage detection value detected by the power voltage detector and a motor drive controller for calculating an assist amount based on the steering torque and controlling drive of the motor through a driving section. Assist control is maintained based on a drive possible characteristic corresponding to a reduction level of the power voltage of FETs when the power voltage monitoring section determines that the power voltage detection value is less than or equal to an assist operation possible power voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Abe, Yoshiki Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8989966
    Abstract: An ECU controls the operation of an EPS actuator in order to periodically apply instantaneous motor torque to a steering system when assist continuation control is executed using a sensor signal (residual sensor signal) that is output by a sensor element in which an abnormality has not been detected, regardless of the application of an assist force. The ECU also detects an abnormality in the residual sensor signal based on whether the application of instantaneous motor torque is reflected in the residual sensor signal, which is the basis of the assist continuation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Itamoto, Akira Ito, Hirozumi Eki, Gempei Nakasone
  • Patent number: 8983730
    Abstract: An electric motor has a stator and a rotor that are used in common between two systems. An ECU controls the motor torque by supplying drive electric power to the motor coils independently of each other. When the ECU determines that the vehicle is traveling on a uneven road, the ECU causes the electric motor to perform a braking operation by short-circuiting at least two phases of the electric motor of one of the two systems that is other than the system that is executing a torque control of controlling the assist torque according to the steering torque and the vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150066304
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a left-right independent steering control system and a method thereof, particularly a left-right independent steering control system that controls the other steering system such that the steering angles of both wheels satisfy Ackerman condition, when the steering angle of a vehicle is not controlled in accordance with steering input from a driver due to a breakdown in any one of left wheel and right wheel steering systems of the vehicle, and a method thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Dong Seog HAN, In Seok YANG
  • Publication number: 20150066306
    Abstract: There is provided an electric power steering system that makes it possible to reduce an uncomfortable feeling given to a driver even when a detected steering torque value is held. The controller computes a detected steering torque value based on the detection signal, and provides compensation based on a compensation value to a basic current command value to compute a current command value. The controller executes feedback control for causing a current value of the motor to follow the current command value. The controller executes normal control in which the detected steering torque value is periodically updated and backup control in which periodic updating of the detected steering torque value and holding of the detected steering torque value are alternately executed. The controller switches compensation value between a compensation value used during execution of the normal control and a compensation value used during execution of the backup control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Takashi KODERA
  • Publication number: 20150066305
    Abstract: There is provided an reliable electric power steering system. The electric power steering system includes a torque sensor that outputs a detection signal corresponding to a steering torque, and a controller. The controller computes a detected steering torque value based on the detection signal, and a torque differential value, which is a first-order time differential value of the detected steering torque value. The controller computes a current command value by providing compensation to a basic current command value based on the detected steering torque value with the use of a compensation value based on the torque differential value. When the detected steering torque value is held for a predetermined period, the controller holds the torque differential value at a value computed before the detected steering torque value is held, during the period in which the detected steering torque value is held.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Takashi KODERA
  • Patent number: 8972114
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a left-right independent steering control system and a method thereof, particularly a left-right independent steering control system that controls the other steering system such that the steering angles of both wheels satisfy Ackerman condition, when the steering angle of a vehicle is not controlled in accordance with steering input from a driver due to a breakdown in any one of left wheel and right wheel steering systems of the vehicle, and a method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Dong Seog Han, In Seok Yang
  • Patent number: 8972115
    Abstract: A motor driven power steering (MDPS) may include: a vehicle speed sensor configured to sense vehicle speed; a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a power pack; a current sensor configured to sense an amount of current applied to the MDPS; a storage unit configured to store a thermal resistance value based on the vehicle speed with respect to the temperature of the power pack; and a control unit configured to calculate an estimated temperature by reflecting the thermal resistance value based on the vehicle speed with respect to the temperature of the power pack and the current amount applied to the MDPS into a temperature estimation function, and drive a motor according to the calculated estimated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Se Wook Oh
  • Patent number: 8965633
    Abstract: One or more vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle may be measured. One or more expected vehicle steering measurements may be calculated, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements. At least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement may be calculated. A speed of the vehicle may be measured. One or more current threshold values may be calculated based on the measured speed, each of the current threshold values corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement. An automatic vehicle control system may be deactivated when one or more of the calculated differences exceeds its corresponding current threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Lee, Bakhtiar Brian Litkouhi
  • Patent number: 8960363
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric power steering device capable of applying a prescribed steering assist force to a steering assembly, even when a torque sensor is out of order and the electric power steering device is in a state of being unable to sense steering torque by the torque sensor. Using an angle of rotation of a rotating element, which is detected by a resolver that serves as a rotating element angle of rotation sensing unit of a motor, a steering angle and a steering angular velocity are estimated, and a prescribed steering assist force is applied to a steering assembly by the motor, on the basis of an estimated steering angle and/or an estimated steering angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Morishita, Takuji Wada, Hiroaki Horii, Hiroki Sagami, Kyoji Hamamoto, Shinji Hironaka
  • Patent number: 8958953
    Abstract: A method for influencing the direction of travel of a vehicle. In order to lower the risk of accidents in driving situations in which the driver reacts incorrectly, for example because of being surprised, it is provided that the driving operation be monitored in reference to the occurrence of an event due to which the travel direction of the vehicle changes, deviating from the travel direction specified at the steering wheel, and when such an event is detected that an automatic intervention in the driving operation be performed whereby the vehicle is moved back approximately into the original direction of travel in which it was moving before the event occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Stephan Stabrey