Apparatus for discriminating anomaly of detecting device

• US 6,078,851 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugitani, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/019,547
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/34
• US Class Current: 701/34
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/02 Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown

Abstract

An anomaly discriminating apparatus of the present invention comprises: first and second detecting devices for detecting state values of one event; and a processing device storing occurrence probability distribution group data which is a set of occurrence probability distributions of state values probably detected by the second detecting device against an arbitrary state value detected by the first detecting device, the processing device reading an occurrence probability on an occurrence probability distribution determined by a first state value detected by the first detecting device and a second state value detected by the second detecting device, the processing device determining whether at least either one of the first and second detecting devices is anomalous, based on a plurality of occurrence probabilities read out at different timings.

Claims

1. An anomaly discriminating apparatus comprising:

first and second detecting means for detecting state values of one event; and

processing means storing occurrence probability distribution group data which is a set of occurrence probability distributions of state values probably detected by said second detecting means against an arbitrary state value detected by said first detecting means, said processing means reading an occurrence probability on a said occurrence probability distribution determined by a first state value detected by said first detecting means and a second state value detected by said second detecting means, said processing means determining whether at least either one of said first and second detecting means is anomalous, based on a plurality of said occurrence probabilities read out at different timings.

2. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing means is arranged so that a probability threshold value T1 is set for each of said occurrence probability distribution data stored, said processing means calculates a product β

of values α

i (i=1, . . . , n), each being a ratio of either of the n occurrence probabilities read at said different timings to a corresponding one of said probability threshold values T1 of the respective distributions, and said processing means determines that at least either one of said first and second detecting means is anomalous when the product β

is smaller than a predetermined value.

3. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first detecting means and said second detecting means are sensors constructed in mutually different structures.

4. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first and second detecting means are steering angle sensors mounted on a vehicle.

5. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein either one of said first detecting means and said second detecting means being said steering angle sensors of the vehicle is a rotation angle sensor mounted in a steering system of said vehicle and wherein the other detecting means is steering angle calculating means for calculating a steering angle from wheel speeds of said vehicle.

6. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said processing means is arranged so that second occurrence probability distribution group data, which is a set of occurrence probability distributions of state values probably detected by said first detecting means against an arbitrary state value detected by said second detecting means, is further stored and so that a probability threshold value T2 is set for each occurrence probability distribution in said second occurrence probability distribution group data stored, said processing means reads an occurrence probability on an occurrence probability distribution in said second occurrence probability distribution group determined by a first state value detected by said first detecting means and a second state value detected by said second detecting means, said processing means calculates a product δ

of values γ

i (i=1, . . . , m), each being a ratio of either of m said occurrence probabilities read at different timings to a corresponding one of said probability threshold values T2 of the respective distributions, and said processing means determines which of the f irst and second detecting means is anomalous from magnitudes of said product β and

said product δ

when at least either one of said first and second detecting means is anomalous.

7. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first detecting means and said second detecting means are sensors constructed in mutually different structures.

8. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first and second detecting means are steering angle sensors mounted on a vehicle.

9. An anomaly discriminating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein either one of said first detecting means and said second detecting means being said steering angle sensors of the vehicle is a rotation angle sensor mounted in a steering system of said vehicle and wherein the other detecting means is steering angle calculating means for calculating a steering angle from wheel speeds of said vehicle.