Feedback, Transfer Function Or Proportional And Derivative (p& D) Control Patents (Class 701/42)
  • Patent number: 10808798
    Abstract: A motor control device of a vehicle including an engine and a motor generator, a transmission transmitting an engine torque and/or a motor torque to a wheel, and a damper reducing vibration of a crankshaft of the engine includes: a damper torque calculation unit calculating a damper torque generated by the damper according to fluctuation in engine torque based on a difference between a crank angle and a motor angle; a reverse-phase torque calculation unit calculating a reverse-phase torque with a reverse phase to the damper torque; a correction amount calculation unit calculating a first value calculated at least based on the crank angle and the motor angle; and a motor torque command output unit outputting a motor torque command given to the motor generator based on the reverse-phase torque corrected by the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotaka Mizuguchi, Satoshi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 10807635
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus of a vector control system that drives and controls a motor by an inverter and applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle, including the first compensation function to perform a dead time (DT) compensation based on respective phase motor terminal voltages and respective phase duty command values, the second compensation function to perform a DT compensation based on steering assist command values, the third compensation function to perform the DT compensation based on dq-axis current command values, and a temperature detecting section to detect temperature of ECU, wherein the correction of the DT compensation is performed based on the temperature, wherein switches of the compensation functions are performed by using a conditional branch due to software and a gradual-changing switch, wherein the dq-axis DT compensation values after the conditional branch and the gradual-changing switch are performed are calculated, and wherein the dq-axis voltage command val
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takase, Ryo Minaki, Hideki Sawada, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10809783
    Abstract: A power source device includes a switching circuit configured to switch the power supply mode between a first power supply mode, in which power is supplied to a drive circuit for an electric motor by only a main power source, and a second power supply mode, in which power is supplied to the drive circuit utilizing both the main power source and an auxiliary power source. A control device includes: a determination unit that determines whether the operation state of the electric motor is a regeneration state or a power-running state; and a unit configured to limit power to be supplied to the drive circuit when the power supply mode is the second power supply mode and it is determined by the determination unit that the operation state of the electric motor is the regeneration state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fumihiko Sato
  • Patent number: 10800264
    Abstract: A vehicle control unit (e.g., a control unit for an automobile) receives feedback from an intelligent voltage/current sensor and a DC/DC controller. The DC/DC controller comprises a first switch for controlling power from a primary power source (e.g., low voltage power supplied from a high voltage battery). The intelligent voltage/current sensor senses power output from the primary power source. The vehicle control unit processes feedback from the intelligent voltage/current sensor and/or the DC/DC controller to determine if a failure has occurred in the primary power source. In response to determining the failure in the primary power source, the vehicle control unit disables the power from the primary power source using a second switch (e.g., a switch in a relay).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Liu, Bo Guo
  • Patent number: 10793190
    Abstract: This assist device for pulling out of a parking spot includes: an assist control unit for performing assist control to change the steering angle of a vehicle to a target steering angle; and a pulling out possibility determination unit for determining whether or not the vehicle can pull out on the basis of the detection result of a forward obstacle detected by forward detection unit. If it is determined that the vehicle can pull out, the assist control unit performs assist control to change the steering angle of the vehicle from the target steering angle to a neutral angle or a neutral vicinity angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwami, Katsuhiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 10696323
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a command value setting processing portion configured to set a current command value based on a detection value of steering torque; a feedback processing portion configured to control a voltage applied to a motor so as to control a current flowing through the motor to the current command value, based on an output value of an integral element obtained by using a difference between the current and the current command value; an end determination processing portion configured to determine whether a turning angle of steered wheels has reached a limit angle; and an end-time limit processing portion configured to perform correction to increase a magnitude of the difference, based on a degree of a decrease in a magnitude of a rotational speed of the motor when the end determination processing portion determines that the turning angle has reached the limit angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Toko, Hiromasa Tamaki, Jun Hasegawa, Shohei Fujita, Kohei Yanai, Tatsuya Suzuki, Tatsuya Miyake, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10668925
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a lane assistant system is configured to provide lane assistance to a driver of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) based on the driver's intention determined at the point in time by capturing and analyzing user actions and driving environment surrounding the ADV. By analyzing the user actions and the driving environment surrounding the vehicle, the driver's intention can be determined. The driver's intention can be utilized to interpret whether the driver indeed intends to change lane. Based on the driver's intention, the lane assistance can be provided, either allowing the vehicle change or exit the current lane, or automatically providing warning or correction of the moving direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Fan Zhu, Qi Kong
  • Patent number: 10668941
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus compensates a dead time of an inverter without tuning operation, improves distortion of a current waveform and responsibility of a current control, and suppresses sound, vibration and ripple. The apparatus calculates dq-axes steering-assist command values based on at least a steering torque, calculates dq-axes current command values from the dq-axes steering-assist command values, converts the dq-axes current command values into 3-phase duty command values, driving-controls a 3-phase brushless motor by an inverter of a PWM control, and applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle. Dead time reference compensation values are calculated based on a motor rotational angle. Dead time compensation of the inverter adds dead time compensation values in which the dead time reference compensation values are processed by using a gain, a sign and the like, to dq-axes voltage command values or to 3-phase voltage command values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takase, Ryo Minaki, Hideki Sawada, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10640148
    Abstract: A driving support ECU is configured to, when a specific recognition state occurs where a lane marker recognized changes from a left lane marker to a right lane marker or vice versa under a one side lane marker recognizable state, set a steering angle guard value to a second steering angle guard value smaller than a first steering angle guard value and set a steering angle speed guard value to a second steering angle speed guard value smaller than a first steering angle speed guard value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 10604181
    Abstract: A control unit of an electric power steering apparatus including a feedforward control section, that inputs input angle information and calculates a first compensation signal compensating the current command value, a feedback control section, that inputs output angle information and calculates a second compensation signal compensating the current command value, and a response control section that adjusts the current command value based on the first compensation signal and the second compensation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Shuji Endo
  • Patent number: 10597071
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus of vector control system that calculates steering assist command values of dq axes based on at least a steering torque, calculates dq-axes current command values from the steering assist command values, converts the dq-axes current command values into 3-phase duty command values, driving-controls a 3-phase brushless motor by an inverter of a PWM control, and applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle, wherein the electric power steering apparatus has plural dead time compensating functions of which efficiencies to respectively perform a dead time compensation of the inverter are different each other, and performs the dead time compensation by switching from one of the plural dead time compensating functions to an another dead time compensating function with a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takase, Ryo Minaki, Hideki Sawada, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10597036
    Abstract: The vehicle driving force control device comprises: a behavior control mechanism for reducing a driving force of an engine according to a steering speed; a driving force distribution mechanism for distributing the driving force of the engine to rear road wheels; and an ECU for controlling the mechanisms. The behavior control mechanism reduces the driving force by a target torque reduction amount set based on the steering speed, to thereby generate a deceleration, and the driving force distribution mechanism distributes the driving force to the front road wheels and the rear road wheels based on a distribution rate set for the rear road wheels depending on a traveling state, and the ECU corrects the distribution rate based on the target torque reduction amount during cornering of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yasumasa Imamura, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Naoki Nobutani
  • Patent number: 10597072
    Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that achieves manual steering even if steering intervention is performed by a driver during automatic steering, ensures more safety when the driver steers urgently, and enables both assist control and steering angle control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Tsubaki, Tomoyuki Kikuta
  • Patent number: 10589787
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a power steering apparatus control device in which it is possible to suppress generation of the canceling of the automatic steering unintended by the driver. The present invention provides a control device controlling the operation of a power steering apparatus in which there is selected either an assist control (28) in which a steering force is assisted based on a steering torque input through the operation of a steering wheel or an automatic steering control (29) in which a steering angle of a turning wheel is controlled based on a steering angle command value. When, in the state in which the automatic steering control (29) is selected, the steering torque exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the automatic steering control (29) is canceled and the assist control (28) is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Itou, Kenta Maeda, Kazuya Yamano, Yasuhito Nakakuki
  • Patent number: 10562562
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that easily obtains equivalent steering torques to vehicle information such as a steering angle without being affected by a road surface state and aging-changes of mechanism characteristics of a steering system. The apparatus includes a torsion bar provided in a column shaft of a steering wheel of a vehicle, and assist-controls a steering system by driving and controlling a motor connected to the column shaft based on a current command value. A target steering torque generating section generates a target steering torque based on vehicle driving information, a converting section converts the target steering torque into a target torsional angle, and a torsional angle control section calculates the current command value so that a torsional angle of the torsion bar follows the target torsional angle; and performs a control so that a detection torque of the torsion bar follows a value depending on driving information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 10549778
    Abstract: A method for determining a neutral position of a MDPS (Motor Driven Power Steering) system may include: determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle is driving; determining, by the controller, whether a steering torque is smaller than a preset break point on a boost curve, when the vehicle is driving; and determining, by the controller, that the vehicle is in a neutral state, when the steering torque is smaller than the preset break point on the boost curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Hong Kim
  • Patent number: 10532764
    Abstract: A motor driving device is operable with low current consumption at low cost and can be started up without delay. The motor driving device includes inverter circuits, relay circuits, power supply stabilizing capacitors, pre-charge circuits, and a control unit. The inverter circuits individually drive coil sets of a motor. Each relay circuit is provided between a power supply and a corresponding one of the inverter circuits. Each capacitor is provided between a corresponding one of the relay circuits and a corresponding one of the inverter circuits. The pre-charge circuits, which are provided corresponding individually to the capacitors, each charge a corresponding one of the capacitors before the relay circuits are driven. The control unit controls the pre-charge circuits so that the pre-charge circuits charge the capacitors at mutually different timings or alternately when failure diagnosis is performed on the relay circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomio Sakashita
  • Patent number: 10532767
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining steering performance. The method includes: generating a torque disturbance signal; applying the torque disturbance signal to a torque command of the steering system; measuring a value of torque on the steering system; recording the measured value and a value associated with the torque disturbance signal; computing at least one performance metric of the steering system based on the recorded measured value and the recorded value associated with the torque disturbance signal; and selectively improving a steering system based on the at least one performance metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ian Y. Hwa, Bo Yu
  • Patent number: 10518807
    Abstract: A steering display device of a work vehicle visually displaying a steering state of control wheels of the work vehicle, includes a display and an image generation unit. The display displays a rectangular frame representing a vehicle width of the work vehicle and a pointer representing a state of a steering of the control wheels as graphic information, and the image generation unit rotates the pointer about a rotation axis of the pointer and widens or narrows the rectangular frame based on the steering of the control wheels. The image generation unit generates the pointer and the rectangular frame in a manner such that when a steering angle of the control wheels exceeds a predetermined value, part of the pointer protrudes from the rectangular frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ito, Ichiro Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10518801
    Abstract: Examples of techniques for estimating stability margins in a steer-by-wire system are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method for open-loop steer-by-wire (SbW) system linearization includes linearizing, by a processing device, an open-loop SbW system at different operating points. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, an open-loop transfer function of the op en-loop SbW system. The method further includes estimating, by the processing device, margins of stability for the open-loop SbW system. The method further includes implementing the margins of stability into a vehicle to reduce instability in a steering system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Bo Yu, Ibrahim A. Badiru, Scott R. Kloess
  • Patent number: 10471992
    Abstract: A system and method for guiding an articulated vehicle having at least a first section and a second section includes one or more sensors positioned separately from the vehicle and adapted to detect the positions of and the angle between the first and second sections. The system also may include one or more position sensors located on the vehicle. A computing system that may be on the vehicle or positioned separately from the vehicle receives the position data and includes a pose-determining algorithm for determining the position and orientation of the vehicle and a guidance-determining algorithm for determining guidance commands to guide the vehicle to a target position. A communications device communicates the guidance commands or sensed position and/or angle information to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean Nicholas Brennan, James Theodore Dorris
  • Patent number: 10450000
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a vehicle speed, a motor driving circuit configured to supply power to an electric motor, a main power supply and a capacitor that can supply power to a driving circuit, a charging circuit configured to charge the capacitor based on the main power supply, and an ECU for power source control that controls the charging circuit. The ECU for power source control drives the charging circuit to charge the capacitor only when the vehicle speed is lower than a first predetermined value and an inter-terminal voltage of the capacitor is lower than a second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toyoki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10384674
    Abstract: A vehicle turning control device mounted on a vehicle includes a control device that calculates a control yaw moment for increasing turning performance of the vehicle and uses a yaw moment generation device to generate the control yaw moment. A limit control yaw moment, which is an upper limit of an allowable range of the control yaw moment in which the vehicle does not spin, is a function of a lateral jerk equivalent and decreases as the lateral jerk equivalent increases. The control device calculates the limit control yaw moment based on the lateral jerk equivalent and the function, updates a hold control yaw moment with a latest value of the limit control yaw moment when the latest value is less than the hold control yaw moment, and determines the control yaw moment so as not to exceed the hold control yaw moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Kambe
  • Patent number: 10377411
    Abstract: In a steering control apparatus, a basic assistance torque calculating unit calculates a basic assistance torque. A correction torque calculating unit calculates a correction torque to be added to the basic assistance torque. In the correction torque calculating unit, a returning state determining unit determines whether a steering wheel is turning or returning. A returning speed stabilization control unit calculates a returning speed stabilization torque to stabilize a returning speed of the steering wheel, as the correction torque. The returning speed stabilization control calculates the returning speed stabilization torque such as to bring a second-order time differential value of steering wheel position-related information correlated with a steering wheel position closer to zero, and such that an absolute value of the returning speed stabilization torque when the steering wheel is returning is relatively greater than that when the steering wheel is turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Aoki
  • Patent number: 10372134
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to implement nonlinear control of vehicles moved using multiple motors, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a logic circuit configured to calculate virtual position control variables for a vehicle moved using multiple motors. The virtual position control variables calculated based on an application of a control law to position information of the vehicle. The control law is derived from a nonlinear model of movement of the vehicle. The logic circuit is configured further to calculate control inputs based on the virtual position control variables. The control inputs are to control the motors to navigate the vehicle along a designated path of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rodrigo Aldana Lopez, Jose I. Parra Vilchis, Rafael De La Guardia Gonzalez, David Gomez Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 10343718
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a vehicle executes, as steering control using an EPS device, automated steering control for causing an actual steering angle of a wheel to approach a target steering angle and steering angle return control for returning the actual steering angle to a neutral point in response to a steering operation by a driver being ended during non-automated steering control. Under comparison in a condition where a first angle difference is equal to a second angle difference, the driver assistance system is configured, in reverting to the automated steering control after a steering intervention of the driver is performed during the automated steering control and causing the actual steering angle to approach the target steering angle, to change the actual steering angle with a change rate that is lower than that in returning the actual steering angle to the neutral point during the steering angle return control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Kudo, Yoji Kunihiro, Satoru Yabe
  • Patent number: 10345813
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the at least semi-autonomous maneuvering of a motor vehicle (1), in which a relative position between the motor vehicle (1) and at least one object (10, 11) in a surrounding area (7) of the motor vehicle (1) is detected by means of a sensor device (9) of the motor vehicle (1), a travel trajectory (12) for travel of the motor vehicle (1) past the at least one object (10, 11) is determined on the basis of the detected relative position, and a collision distance, which describes a distance between the motor vehicle (1) and the at least one object (10, 11) during the travel along the determined travel trajectory (12), is determined, wherein before the travel of the motor vehicle (1) along the travel trajectory (12) an uncertainty area (a, a?) is determined between the motor vehicle (1) and the at least one object (10, 11), and the collision distance is adjusted as a function of the determined uncertainty area (a, a?), and the travel of the motor vehicle (1) along the travel t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Bariant, Nicole Wagemann
  • Patent number: 10336363
    Abstract: A power steering system includes a gain module that generates an estimated driver torque, and a blending module for determining a blend value. The blend value is based at least in part on a derivative of the estimated driver torque, and the blend value is applied to a return torque of a handwheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chang Wang, Anthony J. Champagne, Michael K. Hales
  • Patent number: 10308283
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus includes: a peripheral image generation portion that generates an overhead image of a periphery viewed from above based on a captured image of a periphery of a vehicle; and a display image generation portion that generates a display image by superimposing a host vehicle image displaying a host vehicle on one of left and right sides in the overhead image and superimposing a target frame displaying a target of a movement destination of the vehicle on the other of the left and right sides in the overhead image in an assist mode of a forward parking or a backward exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Inagaki
  • Patent number: 10300945
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: a clocking section which clocks time after an operation section is operated until a certain period of time elapses; and a vehicle control section which starts a first control in a case where a vehicle is stopped within the certain period of time after the operation section is operated, the first control corresponding to a control executed in a case where the operation section is operated in a state where the vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kiyokawa, Tomoyuki Matsuba
  • Patent number: 10293851
    Abstract: An electric motor can be accurately drive-controlled even when a failure occurs in a motor electric angle detection unit. When at least one of a resolver and an angle computation unit is diagnosed as abnormal in an initial diagnosis after a system restart, a motor electric angle initial value is estimated on a basis of a response output of a three-phase electric motor in response to input of a motor drive signal to the three-phase electric motor, a motor electric angle estimation value is calculated on a basis of an output shaft rotation angle detection value detected by an output-side rotation angle sensor and a relative offset amount estimated on a basis of the estimated motor electric angle initial value, and the three-phase electric motor is drive-controlled on a basis of the calculated motor electric angle estimation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuo Ukai
  • Patent number: 10286953
    Abstract: A system and strategy for reducing rapid steering wheel movement at the end of an autopark maneuver. The strategy includes maintaining or ramping-out power-steering motor torque to reduce steering wheel movement that may occur due to tire windup that has occurred up to that point in the autopark maneuver. The strategy may include the stopping of an autopark maneuver at any time during the maneuver, or functioning at the end of an autopark maneuver. The autopark event may be a park-out maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes
  • Patent number: 10279837
    Abstract: A vehicle steering angle detecting apparatus and an electric power steering apparatus equipped therewith. The apparatus connects a motor, which assist-controls a steering system of a vehicle, to the steering shaft via a reduction mechanism, and includes a first angle sensor which detects the steering shaft angle of the steering shaft and the second angle sensor which detects the motor shaft angle of the motor, including: a function that updates a static characteristic map and a dynamic characteristic map by iteratively learning a static characteristic and a dynamic characteristic of the nonlinear elements including the reduction mechanism, and mutually estimates the steering shaft angle and the motor shaft angle by using the static characteristic map and the dynamic characteristic map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Minaki, Hideki Sawada, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10259500
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus includes: a peripheral image generation portion that generates an overhead image of a periphery viewed from above based on a captured image of a periphery of a vehicle; and a display image generation portion that generates a display image by superimposing a host vehicle image displaying a host vehicle on one of left and right sides in the overhead image and superimposing a target frame displaying a target of a movement destination of the vehicle on the other of the left and right sides in the overhead image in an assist mode of a forward parking or a backward exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Inagaki
  • Patent number: 10259489
    Abstract: An electric steering control device controls a steering characteristic by outputting an assist torque using a motor, and the assist torque corresponds to a detection value of a steering torque which is applied to a steering shaft. The electric steering control device includes a steering target value generation unit generating a target value of the steering torque based on a state amount estimated from the target value of the steering torque and the assist torque, a command value generation unit generating a command value for controlling the motor to reduce a deviation between the target value of the steering torque and the detection value of the steering torque to a level lower than a predetermined threshold, and a motor drive unit driving the motor based on the command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuichi Minamiguchi, Motoaki Kataoka, Yosuke Hirate
  • Patent number: 10232873
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to identify non-uniformity in a vehicle steering system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first sensor to measure a steering wheel angle relative to a first universal joint, a second sensor to measure a pinion angle relative to a second universal joint, and a third sensor to measure a torque relative to a torsion bar. The apparatus further includes a non-uniformity manager to determine a non-uniformity angle associated with a steering column, the non-uniformity angle based on the torque and comparing the steering wheel angle to the pinion angle, map the non-uniformity angle to a first position of the steering column, and determine an offset to adjust a steering response based on the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lodewijk Wijffels, Sergio Codonesu, David Michael Russell, Cornelius Macfarland, Oliver Nehls, Jan Bremkens
  • Patent number: 10220878
    Abstract: A backing system for a vehicle-trailer unit includes an input device for providing a input used to determine a first and second requested hitch angle. The first hitch angle is disposed within a standard range of motion of the input device while the second hitch angle is disposed within a maximum range of motion, different from the standard range of motion. Movement of the input device in the standard range of motion limits the requested hitch angle to a first maximum value to prevent jack-knifing of the vehicle-trailer unit. However, movement of the input device in the maximum range of motion does not limit the actual hitch angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Herzog, Ibro Muharemovic
  • Patent number: 10173717
    Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that can accurately suppress a vibration, a noisy sound and so on whose vibration source is a power spectrum occurring from a relationship between an operation period of torque control and an operation period of current control, and which occur regardless of presence or absence of a mechanical resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 10160488
    Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle includes at least two wheels configured to be steered independently of each another. A steering setpoint generator is configured to steer the at least two wheels according to a steering program. An operating element is configured to rotate the vehicle during travel about a center of rotation which moves with a principal movement vector. The steering program is configured so that a direction of the principal movement vector of the center of rotation can be changed with the steering setpoint generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: HUBTEX MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Achim Otterbein
  • Patent number: 10160481
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that achieves a desired steering characteristic in minutely steering at on-center, suppresses frictional feeling, and improves linear steering feeling at on-center, and a control apparatus that determines a parameter. The apparatus calculates a current command value by using an assist map related to a steering torque and a vehicle speed, drives a motor based on the current command value, and assists and controls a steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 10144446
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes a power steering adjuster that adjusts an amount of an assistance in a steering to be provided by a power steering in accordance with a change in a state quantity related to an ease of a steering, and a steering stability controller that controls a control amount to perform a driving force control on a wheel of a vehicle in accordance with the change in the state quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshisada Anma, Takeshi Torii
  • Patent number: 10124807
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a skill level module that determines a skill level of a driver of the vehicle based on both (i) a lateral acceleration of the vehicle and (ii) a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle. A handling module determines a handling type based on a rate of change of a steering wheel angle. An actuator control module, based on the skill level of the driver and the handling type, selectively actuates a dynamics actuator of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Petrucci, Alexander J. MacDonald, Christopher J. Barber
  • Patent number: 10099721
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that reduces an uncomfortable feeling due to a noise at a steering holding and a low-speed steering time, and can smoothly steers so as to prevent a phase-lag at a high-speed steering time. The apparatus has a torque control section to calculate a current command value based on at least a steering torque, and assist-controls a steering system by driving a motor using a current control system based on the current command value. A motor angular velocity calculating section calculates a motor angular velocity from a motor rotational angle; a motor angular acceleration calculating section calculates a motor angular acceleration from the motor angular velocity; and a stability compensating section calculates a steering torque for compensation and a current command value for compensation based on the motor angular velocity and the motor angular acceleration. The steering torque compensates the steering torque, and the current command value compensates the current command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Yoshida, Yousuke Imamura, Masahiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 10099722
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus is provided which suppresses possible vibration of a steering system resulting from differential steering processing when a steering angle or a steered angle has a large value. A differential steering processing circuit calculates a differential steering correction amount based on a difference value of a target steering angle, and increases or reduces the target steering angle using the calculated amount to obtain a target steered angle. A limiting reaction force setting processing circuit increases a limiting reaction force when a maximum value of the target steering angle and the target steered angle is equal to or larger than a common threshold. When the maximum value approaches the common threshold, an angle-sensitive gain setting processing circuit reduces an angle-sensitive gain so as to correct and reduce the differential steering correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kodera, Naoki Yamano, Hidenori Itamoto, Yoshihiro Yamashita, Koji Anraku
  • Patent number: 10086866
    Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus with high quality and reasonable price that estimates a motor shaft angle and a steering shaft angle with high accuracy by learning nonlinear elements of a mechanism system and a steering system, and can back up the both angle sensors by utilizing the estimating angles of the angle sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Minaki, Takayoshi Sugawara, Hideki Sawada
  • Patent number: 10086829
    Abstract: A method is provided to control a power steering device and an adaptive damping system of a motor vehicle. The power steering device makes available a mechanical steering angle range that is limited by steering stops. The adaptive damping system makes available a variable damping force. The damping force of the adaptive damping system is increased and a maximum achievable steering angle is simultaneously increased in case a steering stop is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Marcus-Andre Reul
  • Patent number: 10059370
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to an electronic power steering device, and relates to a technology for reducing a torque rise resulting from an increase in frictional force in a low-temperature situation of the electronic power steering device. According to the present embodiments, a viscous friction compensation current is calculated using a viscous gain, which has been determined according to a damping coefficient estimated from a temperature sensed in a low-temperature situation of the electronic power steering device, and a steering angular velocity, a Coulomb friction compensation current is calculated using the sensed temperature and the mount of accumulated steering angles, and the calculated viscous friction compensation current and the Coulomb friction compensation current are added to the motor driving current and then supplied such that the driver can have the same feeling of driving, even in the low-temperature situation, as that in the room-temperature situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seung Gi Min
  • Patent number: 10053109
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle including a friction control device are provided. A method of controlling the vehicle includes operating at least one friction control device in a first of a plurality of friction modes, detecting a vehicular speed, changing operation of the at least one friction control device from the first friction mode to a second of the plurality of friction modes in response to the vehicular speed exceeding a first threshold speed value, and changing operation of the at least one friction control device from the second friction mode to the first friction mode in response to the vehicular speed falling below a second threshold speed value that is less than the first threshold speed value. The second friction mode is associated with a higher level of resistance than the first friction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jinghong Yu
  • Patent number: 10000135
    Abstract: A wireless power supply device includes a marker provided closer to a side where a vehicle enters when parked than a power transmission coil unit housing a power transmission coil. The marker includes at least two segments not parallel to each other, and an end portion of one segment is connected to another segment. The power transmission coil is separated by a predetermined distance from a point of intersection of the two segments in a direction in which the one segment extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Yoshida, Masaki Konno, Yoshitake Fukushima
  • Patent number: 9988074
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus controls steering characteristics by controlling a motor to output assist torque, which is generated corresponding to a steering torque applied to a steering shaft. The steering control apparatus includes a torque deviation generator generating a torque deviation between the steering torque applied to the steering shaft and a target steering torque and a command value generator generating an assist torque command value for controlling the motor based on a basic command value. The basic command value controls the torque deviation to become zero. The command value generator includes an integrator integrating and outputting the torque deviation and an output limiter setting an output limit to an immediately previous basic command value obtained immediately before the basic command value. The output limiter generates the assist torque command value using the immediately previous basic command value to which the output limit is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Hirate, Motoaki Kataoka