Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an absolute position of a motor of an active front steering system of the vehicle are provided. In particular, the systems and methods accurately determine an absolute position of the motor upon startup of the active front steering system.

Abstract: A steering system with reduced coupling between a position overlay unit and a torque overlay unit may include a remote valve assembly for controlling a hydraulic assist force or an electric motor for providing torque overlay and electric assist to a rack of a rack and pinion steering system. In one embodiment, the position overlay unit may provide the assist force and the torque overlay unit may provide a motor command signal to the motor of a differential positioned on a steering shaft. In another embodiment, the position overlay unit may provide the motor command signal and the torque overlay unit may provide the assist force. In either embodiment, the position overlay unit may include variable ratio gain that uses a position signal to output a variable ratio command.

Abstract: A power steering system for a vehicle includes a hydraulic system for controlling resistance of a steering wheel. A valve of the hydraulic system is connected to a coil which varies positioning of the valve. A method for controlling the resistance of the steering wheel includes turning the steerable wheels of the vehicle in response to rotation of the steering wheel. The angle of the steering wheel and the speed of the vehicle are sensed and inputted into a controller. A lateral acceleration is determined based on the sensed signals by the controller. A recommended current rate of the coil is determined based on the lateral acceleration. An adjustment to the recommended current rate of the coil is determined based upon the speed of the vehicle. The recommended current rate is also modified based upon the adjustment. The modified current rate of the coil is then applied to the coil to vary the stiffness of the valve, which in turn varies the resistance to turning the steerable wheels of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for actuating a controlled device in response to a pre-crash condition of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes at least two sensors each of which is capable of generating a signal, wherein the method includes the steps of monitoring the signals, determining a panic index based upon the signals and, when the determined panic index exceeds a predetermined threshold value, actuating the controlled device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an absolute position of a motor of an active front steering system of the vehicle are provided. In particular, the systems and methods accurately determine an absolute position of the motor upon startup of the active front steering system.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling valve stiffness in a power steering system. The method includes the step of engaging a pinion and a spool shaft with respect to one another for turning at least two wheels of a vehicle in response to rotation of a steering wheel from an on-center orientation. The method also includes the step of variably assisting movement of the pinion with a hydraulic power steering device having a valve movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The method also includes the step of moving the valve from the open configuration to the closed configuration in response to rotation of the spool shaft relative to the pinion from an on-center orientation to assist the pinion in rotation for turning the at least two wheels.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing data utilized in a redundant, closed-loop feedback control system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a plurality of control nodes within the control system, with each of the plurality of control nodes transmitting and receiving data through a common communication bus. At each of the plurality of control nodes during a given control loop time T=N, the receipt of externally generated data with respect to each control node is verified, the externally generated data having been generated during a preceding control loop time T=N?1. At each of the plurality of control nodes during the given control loop time T=N, output control data is calculated using the externally generated data. During the given control loop time T=N, the calculated output control data from each individual control node is further transmitted over the communication bus to be later utilized by other control nodes during a subsequent control loop time T=N+1.

Abstract: A controller (32) for a vehicular system (10) that includes a hand-wheel (16) and an electric motor (34) includes a torque-assist function (56) responsive to a signal representing the torque applied to the hand-wheel (16) for providing a torque-assist command to the motor (34), and a steering-pull compensator (52) responsive to a signal representing a valid ignition cycle for modifying the torque-assist command to the motor (34) by an offset corresponding to a detected steering-pull condition; where the method of control includes receiving the signal indicative of the torque applied to the hand-wheel (16), providing a torque-assist command to the motor (34) in response to the received torque signal, detecting an enabling signal related to the signal representing a valid ignition cycle, quantifying a steering-pull condition in response to the received and detected signals, and modifying the torque-assist command to the motor (34) by an offset corresponding to the quantified steering-pull condition.

Abstract: A model-based Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) system and method based on a hierarchical structure for monitoring overall vehicle system performance and diagnosing faults is disclosed. The FDI scheme uses the available sensors in a vehicle system and divides them into subsystems of smaller dimensions containing one or more modules that are related or interconnected. The same module may appear in a different subsystem, but the set of all subsystems does not have to contain all of the modules. For this structure, an FDI scheme comprising several detector units is created. Each detector unit receives information from the sensors and outputs a residual that is sent to a residual evaluation unit which processes the data and performs the residual evaluation for the selected subsystem. Finally, each subsystem outputs a decision that is sent to a supervisor unit performing the final diagnosis.

Abstract: A model-based Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) method and system for monitoring the overall performance in a vehicle system based on a hierarchical structure is disclosed. The FDI scheme uses the available sensors in a vehicle system and divides them into subsystems of smaller dimensions containing one or more modules that are related or interconnected. The same module may appear in a different subsystem, but the set of all subsystems does not have to contain all of the modules. For this structure, an FDI scheme comprising several detector units is created. Each detector unit receives information from the sensors and outputs a residual that is sent to a high-level detector unit which processes the data and performs the residual evaluation for the selected subsystem. Finally, each subsystem outputs a decision that is sent to a supervisor hazard detector performing the final diagnosis.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing data utilized in a redundant, closed-loop feedback control system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a plurality of control nodes within the control system, with each of the plurality of control nodes transmitting and receiving data through a common communication bus. At each of the plurality of control nodes during a given control loop time T=N, the receipt of externally generated data with respect to each control node is verified, the externally generated data having been generated during a preceding control loop time T=N−1. At each of the plurality of control nodes during the given control loop time T=N, output control data is calculated using the externally generated data.

Abstract: A controller (32) for a vehicular system (10) that includes a hand-wheel (16) and an electric motor (34) includes a torque-assist function (56) responsive to a signal representing the torque applied to the hand-wheel (16) for providing a torque-assist command to the motor (34), and a steering-pull compensator (52) responsive to a signal representing a valid ignition cycle for modifying the torque-assist command to the motor (34) by an offset corresponding to a detected steering-pull condition; where the method of control includes receiving the signal indicative of the torque applied to the hand-wheel (16), providing a torque-assist command to the motor (34) in response to the received torque signal, detecting an enabling signal related to the signal representing a valid ignition cycle, quantifying a steering-pull condition in response to the received and detected signals, and modifying the torque-assist command to the motor (34) by an offset corresponding to the quantified steering-pull condition.