METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMPROVING DRIVING COMFORT IN A STEERING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

• US 20100010712A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Rubia, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, in which a servo torque, as well as an additional actuating torque that may additionally be exerted on the steering system of the vehicle, are produced in order to cause the driver to make a change in the position of the steering wheel. The steering intervention by the additional required actuating torque may be made significantly more comfortable if the gradient of the actuating torque is limited to a maximum value.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, comprising:

exerting a servo torque and an additional actuating torque on a steering system of the vehicle to cause the driver to make a change in a position of a steering wheel; and

limiting a gradient of the actuating torque to a prespecified maximum value.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the maximum value is a function of a magnitude of the actuating torque.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the maximum value has a different magnitude for positive and negative gradients.

16. A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, comprising:

exerting a servo torque and an additional actuating torque on a steering system of the vehicle to cause the driver to make a change in a position of a steering wheel, the actuating torque being produced as a function of a driving situation; and

limiting a difference between a manual torque applied by the driver and the actuating torque to a prespecified maximum value.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the difference is limited only if a magnitude of the actuating torque exceeds a prespecified threshold value.

18. A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, comprising:

exerting a servo torque and an additional actuating torque on a steering system of the vehicle to cause the driver to make a change in a position of a steering wheel, the actuating torque being produced as a function of a driving situation; and

limiting the actuating torque exerted on the steering system to a prespecified maximum value if a required actuating torque is greater than a threshold value, a driver'"'"'s manual torque has the opposite sign, a magnitude of the driver'"'"'s manual torque has exceeded a prespecified threshold value, and a product of the driver'"'"'s manual torque and its gradient is greater than zero.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the gradient of the driver'"'"'s manual torque is reduced with a dead zone function.

20. A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, comprising:

exerting a servo torque and an additional actuating torque on a steering system of the vehicle to cause the driver to make a change in a position of a steering wheel, the actuating torque being produced as a function of a driving situation; and

reducing the actuating torque when an attempt is made to move the steering wheel in a particular direction and the steering wheel has already exceeded a prespecified speed in a direction of a required actuating torque.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein a sum of a driver'"'"'s manual torque plus the required actuating torque is limited if a magnitude of the sum exceeds a prespecified threshold value.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein a maximum magnitude of the actuating torque exerted on the steering system is limited to a prespecified value.

23. A device for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, comprising:

a control device that exerts a servo torque and an additional actuating torque on a steering system of the vehicle to cause the driver to make a change in a position of a steering wheel, the actuating torque being produced as a function of a driving situation, the control device adapted to limit a gradient of the actuating torque to a predefined maximum value.

24. The device as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

a driver manual torque sensor to measure a driver'"'"'s manual torque.