Abstract: Current control values are established for an electric motor including providing a table of motor current control values as a function of motor operating angle, providing a torque request signal indicative of the desired amount of torque to be supplied by the motor, and providing a torque command signal having a value functionally related to the torque request signal and a feed-forward torque signal. The motor operating angle is monitored and the motor is energized using current control values from the table in response to the torque command signal. The amount of torque ripple experienced by the motor is measured when the motor is energized. The measured torque ripple is filtered using a time domain filter and a time domain filtered torque ripple signal is provided.

Abstract: A control arrangement for an electric assist steering system having a variable reluctance motor (26) includes a motor position sensor (54) and an applied steering torque sensor (110). A controller determines a desired motor torque assist value in response to the applied steering torque. The controller modifies the desired torque assist value to linearize the gain relationship between the desired torque assist value and motor torque output. A plurality of look-up tables have a plurality of motor current values versus motor position values stored therein. The controller selects a first (T1) look-up table corresponding to a torque value less than the modified motor torque assist value and a second (T2) look-up table corresponding to a torque value greater than the modified motor torque assist value. A first motor current value (I1) and second motor current value (I2) are determined by interpolation.