Patents by Inventor Simon David Stevens
Simon David Stevens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7234564Abstract: An electric assisted steering system for a motor driven road vehicle, having assist torque signal generating means which generates an assist torque signal for the steering system in response to the driver's applied torque and sensed vehicle speed to reduce the driver's steering effort. A yaw rate haptic torque is generated which is based upon vehicle rate error and is arranged to be added to the torque assist signal such that, when the yaw rate error builds up corresponding to increasing steering instability (e.g. understeer or oversteer) of the vehicle, the haptic torque added to the torque assist signal reduces the effective road reaction feedback sensed by the driver in advance of any actual vehicle stability loss whereby to allow the driver to correct appropriately in good time before terminal steering instability is reached.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: James Owen Patrick Farrelly, Simon David Stevens, Andrew Dennis Barton
-
Patent number: 7185731Abstract: An electric assisted steering system for a motor driven road vehicle, having assist torque signal generating means which generates an assist torque signal for the steering system in response to the driver's applied torque and sensed vehicle speed to reduce the driver's steering effort. A yaw rate haptic torque is generated which is based upon vehicle rate error and is arranged to be added to the torque assist signal such that, when the yaw rate error builds up corresponding to increasing steering instability (e.g. understeer or oversteer) of the vehicle, the haptic torque added to the torque assist signal reduces the effective road reaction feedback sensed by the driver in advance of any actual vehicle stability loss whereby to allow the driver to correct appropriately in good time before terminal steering instability is reached.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2003Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: James Owen Patrick Farrelly, Simon David Stevens, Andrew Dennis Barton
-
Publication number: 20040107032Abstract: An electric assisted steering system for a motor driven road vehicle, having assist torque signal generating means which generates an assist torque signal for the steering system in response to the driver's applied torque and sensed vehicle speed to reduce the driver's steering effort. A yaw rate haptic torque is generated which is based upon vehicle rate error and is arranged to be added to the torque assist signal such that, when the yaw rate error builds up corresponding to increasing steering instability (e.g. understeer or oversteer) of the vehicle, the haptic torque added to the torque assist signal reduces the effective road reaction feedback sensed by the driver in advance of any actual vehicle stability loss whereby to allow the driver to correct appropriately in good time before terminal steering instability is reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2003Publication date: June 3, 2004Inventors: James Owen Patrick Farrelly, Simon David Stevens, Andrew Dennis Barton
-
Patent number: 6729434Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” maneuvers but provides enhanced damping in other maneuvers such as a steering flick.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2001Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
-
Patent number: 6637544Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” manoeuvers but provides enhanced damping in other manoeuvers such as a steering flick.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2003Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
-
Patent number: 6631781Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an electric steering assist system, which system provides assist in response to a steering control signal, the apparatus comprising: torque sensing means (20) operatively connected to a vehicle hand wheel (12) for providing a torque signal (Ts) indicative of applied steering torque, blending filter means connected to the torque sensing means (20) for providing a blended filtered torque signal having a first functional characteristic at torque frequencies less than a blending frequency and a second functional characteristic at torque frequencies greater than the blending frequency, the blending filter means including a low pass filter (70) which passes all frequencies below the blending frequency and a high pass filter (71) which passes all frequencies above the blending frequency, steering assist means for providing steering assist in response to a control signal, control means operatively connected to the blending filter means for providing said control signal to the sType: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering, Ltd.Inventors: Andrew James Stephen Williams, Russell Wilson Jones, Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Kevin McLaughlin
-
Patent number: 6597136Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
-
Publication number: 20030132053Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity o) of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” manoeuvres but provides enhanced damping in other manoeuvres such as a steering flick.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2003Publication date: July 17, 2003Applicant: TRW Lucas Varity Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
-
Publication number: 20030024759Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an electric steering assist system, which system provides assist in response to a steering control signal, the apparatus comprising: torque sensing means (20) operatively connected to a vehicle hand wheel (12) for providing a torque signal (TS) indicative of applied steering torque, blending filter means connected to the torque sensing means (20) for providing a blended filtered torque signal having a first functional characteristic at torque frequencies less than a blending frequency and a second functional characteristic at torque frequencies greater than the blending frequency, the blending filter means including a low pass filter (70) which passes all frequencies below the blending frequency and a high pass filter (71) which passes all frequencies above the blending frequency, steering assist means for providing steering assist in response to a control signal, control means operatively connected to the blending filter means for providing said control signal to the sType: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Andrew James Stephen Williams, Russell Wilson Jones, Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Kevin McLaughlin
-
Publication number: 20020125845Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering LimitedInventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
-
Patent number: 6354396Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed which comprises a steering shaft connected at one end to the handwheel and at its other end to at least one roadwheel, while an electric motor is connected to the steering a gearbox having a non-integer reduction gear ratio. Two sensors are also provided with one sensing the angular position of the motor rotor and the other sensing the angular position of the steering shaft. The presence of the non-integer gear ratio produces a beat frequency between the output of the two sensors from which an unambiguous measurement of the angular position of the steering shaft over a range of greater than one complete revolution can be made. The sensors may comprise either absolute position sensors or index-type sensors.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Steven John Horton, Russell Wilson-Jones, Simon David Stevens
-
Publication number: 20020017421Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” maneuvers but provides enhanced damping in other maneuvers such as a steering flick.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Applicant: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
-
Patent number: 6234585Abstract: An electronic braking system for a vehicle wherein control of the vehicle brakes is achieved by the use of electric control signals generated at a brake pedal in response to a driver's braking demand and an electronic controller which is adapted to control the supply of fluid under pressure from a power source to the brakes in accordance with said electronic signals corresponding to the driver's demand, the system being adapted to raise the brake pressure to a first predetermined level(jump-in) at a prescribed level of initial brake pedal travel and to release the brake pressure (reverse jump-in) as a second predetermined level, which is lower than at jump-in. The jump-in brake pressure level can be arranged to be variable with vehicle speed. In some cases, the brakes are arranged to be prefilled to a low pressure at a low pressure at an early stage in the pedal travel and then maintained at that low level until jump-in is triggered, whereupon the braking pressure is raised to the jump-in level.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1999Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Inventors: Alan Leslie Harris, Mark Leighton Howell, Simon David Stevens
-
Patent number: 5715790Abstract: A controller system is provided for controlling the power boost operation of an internal combustion engine by increasing fuelling, the controller means comprising a fuel controller for controlling the rate of fuel supplied to the engine and for supplying an increased rate of fuel in response to a power boost demand signal. The controller system further includes a first timer for measuring a first time period during which the power boost signal is supplied to the fuel controller, a comparator for supplying a prevent boost signal when the first time period exceeds a maximum boost time period, and a second timer for preventing the fuel controller from supplying the increased rate of fuel for a second time period in response to the prevent boost signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1996Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: New Holland North America, Inc.Inventors: Alan Philip Tolley, Simon David Stevens