Abstract: An automatic driving control device changes the degree of automation during an automatic control or the degree of change to the vehicle behavior during the automatic control, on the basis of the peripheral monitoring state of a driver, and on the basis of how easy it is to perform a switching operation for prioritizing manual control over automatic control. Thus, the automatic driving control device makes it possible to ensure the convenience of automatic control, by dynamically changing the degree of automation or the degree of change to the vehicle behavior, without uniformly stopping automatic control of steering and acceleration.

Abstract: An automatic driving control device changes the degree of automation during an automatic control or the degree of change to the vehicle behavior during the automatic control, on the basis of the peripheral monitoring state of a driver, and on the basis of how easy it is to perform a switching operation for prioritizing manual control over automatic control. Thus, the automatic driving control device makes it possible to ensure the convenience of automatic control, by dynamically changing the degree of automation or the degree of change to the vehicle behavior, without uniformly stopping automatic control of steering and acceleration.

Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a steering angle reference yaw rate calculation section that calculates a steering angle reference yaw rate by using a speed of a vehicle and a steering angle of a steering wheel, a torque estimation device that estimates a self-aligning torque (SAT) generated in a turning wheel of the vehicle on the basis of a measured yaw rate or the steering angle reference yaw rate, the absolute value of which is smaller, and the speed of the vehicle, and estimates a required assist torque on the basis of the estimated SAT, and an abnormality determination section that determines whether or not a steering torque sensor is abnormal. If the steering torque sensor is abnormal, an EPS control device controls drive of an assist motor using the required assist torque estimated by the torque estimation device, in place of a steering torque.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system can keep the comfort of steering feeling for a driver, even in a situation, such as traveling on a cant road or in a crosswind, where a unidirectional-drift behavior of a vehicle occurs, and includes an electric motor, a steering angle sensor, a steering torque sensor, and an EPS_ECU that controls driving power of the electric motor, when the vehicle is traveling straight, based on vehicle information including a steering torque and a steering angle, to perform a control for applying an assist torque to a steering system. The EPS_ECU includes an integrating unit for calculating an integrated torque value obtained by integrating the steering torque, and a steering effort assist controlling unit for performing an anti-unidirectional-drift control over the driving power of the electric motor, when the integrated torque value exceeds the threshold value, so as to cancel the unidirectional-drift behavior of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a steering angle reference yaw rate calculation section that calculates a steering angle reference yaw rate by using a speed of a vehicle and a steering angle of a steering wheel, a torque estimation device that estimates a self-aligning torque (SAT) generated in a turning wheel of the vehicle on the basis of a measured yaw rate or the steering angle reference yaw rate, the absolute value of which is smaller, and the speed of the vehicle, and estimates a required assist torque on the basis of the estimated SAT, and an abnormality determination section that determines whether or not a steering torque sensor is abnormal. If the steering torque sensor is abnormal, an EPS control device controls drive of an assist motor using the required assist torque estimated by the torque estimation device, in place of a steering torque.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes an electric motor configured to apply an assist torque to an steering system of a motor vehicle, a rotational quantity detection unit for detecting a rotational quantity of the electric motor while the rotational quantity detection unit is in a wake-up state, and a counter electromotive voltage detection unit for detecting a counter electromotive voltage of the electric motor. When a main power supply of the electric power steering apparatus is turned off, the rotational quantity detection unit enters into a sleep state, and when a prescribed condition is established based on the counter electromotive voltage detected by the counter electromotive voltage detection unit, the rotational quantity detection unit transitions from the sleep state to the wakeup state.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system can keep the comfort of steering feeling for a driver, even in a situation, such as traveling on a cant road or in a crosswind, where a unidirectional-drift behavior of a vehicle occurs, and includes an electric motor, a steering angle sensor, a steering torque sensor, and an EPS_ECU that controls driving power of the electric motor, when the vehicle is traveling straight, based on vehicle information including a steering torque and a steering angle, to perform a control for applying an assist torque to a steering system. The EPS_ECU includes an integrating unit for calculating an integrated torque value obtained by integrating the steering torque, and a steering effort assist controlling unit for performing an anti-unidirectional-drift control over the driving power of the electric motor, when the integrated torque value exceeds the threshold value, so as to cancel the unidirectional-drift behavior of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes an electric motor configured to apply an assist torque to an steering system of a motor vehicle, a rotational quantity detection unit for detecting a rotational quantity of the electric motor while the rotational quantity detection unit is in a wake-up state, and a counter electromotive voltage detection unit for detecting a counter electromotive voltage of the electric motor. When a main power supply of the electric power steering apparatus is turned off, the rotational quantity detection unit enters into a sleep state, and when a prescribed condition is established based on the counter electromotive voltage detected by the counter electromotive voltage detection unit, the rotational quantity detection unit transitions from the sleep state to the wakeup state.

Abstract: An electric motor is driven with high output at the time of low-speed running, and a steering at a high resolution is enabled at the time of fast-speed running. An electric power steering device causes the electric motor to generate auxiliary torque in accordance with the largeness of steering wheel torque by the steering operation of a wheel made by a driver and reduces the steering wheel torque to the driver. A control device drives, based on a vehicle-speed signal (Vs) from a speed sensor, the electric motor with high output at the time of low-speed running, and enables steering at a high resolution at the time of fast-speed running without increasing an electric-motor output.

Abstract: The rotation angle detection device detects the rotation angle of a rotary member by employing, at the least, either a sine wave signal or a cosine wave signal that is generated as the rotary member is rotated, and employs a change per unit time in the sine wave signal or cosine wave signal to determine whether an output abnormality has occurred in the rotation angle detection device. Further, this rotation angle device is employed to detect the motor angle of an electric power steering apparatus.

Abstract: An electric motor (7) is driven with high output at the time of low-speed running, and a steering at a high resolution is enabled at the time of fast-speed running. An electric power steering device (1) causes the electric motor (7) to generate auxiliary torque in accordance with the largeness of steering wheel torque by the steering operation of a wheel (9) made by a driver and reduces the steering wheel torque to the driver. A control device (10) drives, based on a vehicle-speed signal (Vs) from a speed sensor (11), the electric motor (7) with high output at the time of low-speed running, and enables steering at a high resolution at the time of fast-speed running without increasing an electric-motor output. Moreover, large steering wheel torque is requisite at the time of low-speed running, and a steering at a high resolution is requisite at the time of fast-speed running. Accordingly, this does not affect the steering feeling to the driver.

Abstract: In a steering handle grasped and rotated by both hands of a driver, an axis of a steering shaft included in the steering handle is inclined so as to be higher in level in a forward direction of a vehicle body, and a left grip grasped by a left hand and a right grip grasped by a right hand are rotatable in opposite directions about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the steering shaft. Accordingly, an upper half of the driver's body sitting on a seat and leaning backwards and a plane of rotation of the steering handle are substantially parallel to each other, thereby ensuring that the driver can rotate the steering handle without stretching and withdrawing his or her arms. Moreover, when the steering handle is rotated, the driver's wrists can be prevented from being twisted unnaturally, leading to an easy steering operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steering handle for a vehicle, in which no burden is imposed on a driver's arms and wrists during operation of the steering handle. In the steering handle (23) grasped and rotated by both hands of a driver, an axis (Ls) of a steering shaft included in the steering handle is inclined so as to be higher in level in a forward direction of a vehicle body, and a left grip (24L) grasped by a left hand and a right grip (24R) grasped by a right hand are rotatable in opposite directions about an axis (Lg) perpendicular to the axis (Ls) of the steering shaft. Thus, an upper half of the driver's body sitting on a seat and leaning backwards and a plane of rotation of the steering handle (23) are substantially parallel to each other, thereby ensuring that the driver can rotate the steering handle (23) without stretching and withdrawing his or her arms.

Abstract: The rotation angle detection device detects the rotation angle of a rotary member by employing, at the least, either a sine wave signal or a cosine wave signal that is generated as the rotary member is rotated, and employs a change per unit time in the sine wave signal or cosine wave signal to determine whether an output abnormality has occurred in the rotation angle detection device. Further, this rotation angle device is employed to detect the motor angle of an electric power steering apparatus.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an electric power steering system is provided, which controls a motor for applying assist steering torque to a steering line of a vehicle at least according to steering torque signal of the steering line, vehicle velocity signal and motor current signal. The control apparatus includes a target current controller for setting target current signal for driving the motor, a deviation calculator for computing a deviation between the target current and motor current signals, a deviation adjuster for adjusting the deviation with a variable gain according to the vehicle velocity signal, a proportional element for executing proportional control for the motor, an integral element for executing integral control for the motor and an gain adjuster for adjusting the gain according to a differential of the steering torque signal.

Abstract: An electric power steering control device includes a memory. The memory is accommodated in the electric power steering control device mounted on a vehicle, and permits rewrite and storage of data. Transmitting a signal from an external of the vehicle allows the data stored in the memory to be rewritten.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus using a brushless motor is disclosed. The electric power steering apparatus has a microcomputer for calculating a target current to the brushless motor on the basis of a torque signal outputted from a steering torque detecting part. The microcomputer has a table stored in ROM. The microcomputer calculates the angular position of the brushless motor by referring to the table on the basis of a signal outputted by a resolver.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus using a brushless motor is disclosed. The electric power steering apparatus has a microcomputer for calculating a target current to the brushless motor on the basis of a torque signal outputted from a steering torque detecting part. The microcomputer has a table stored in ROM. The microcomputer calculates the angular position of the brushless motor by referring to the table on the basis of a signal outputted by a resolver.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus is provided, which includes a steering torque sensor for detecting steering torque exerted on a steering system, a motor for exerting assist steering torque on the steering system, a motor current sensor for detecting drive current of the motor, a target current setting section for determining target current to be supplied for the motor based on the steering torque, a feedback control section for executing feedback control based on a deviation between the target current and the drive current of motor and a feedforward control section for executing feedforward control based on the target current. The apparatus has a feature that gain of the feedforward control is adapted to be greater as the speed of a vehicle increases.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an electric power steering system is provided, which controls a motor for applying assist steering torque to a steering line of a vehicle at least according to steering torque signal of the steering line, vehicle velocity signal and motor current signal. The control apparatus includes a target current controller for setting target current signal for driving the motor, a deviation calculator for computing a deviation between the target current and motor current signals, a deviation adjuster for adjusting the deviation with a variable gain according to the vehicle velocity signal, a proportional element for executing proportional control for the motor, an integral element for executing integral control for the motor and an gain adjuster for adjusting the gain according to a differential of the steering torque signal.