Method and apparatus for determining the center position of a steering system
First Claim
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1. A method for determining a current center position of a steering system installed in a vehicle, which comprises the steps of:
- establishing a vehicle velocity and generating a vehicle velocity signal;
estimating a steering assist force and generating a steering assist force signal;
sensing an instantaneous steering position and generating an instantaneous steering position signal;
determining a new center position of said vehicular steering system as a function of said instantaneous steering position signal when both said vehicle velocity signal exceeds a velocity threshold and said steering assist force signal is less than a force threshold;
incrementing a loop counter each time said determining step is performed until said loop counter exceeds a loop counter threshold; and
updating the current center position with the new center position when said loop counter exceeds said loop counter threshold.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining a center position of the vehicular steering system includes a vehicle speed sensor, a steering sensor and a control unit. The control unit uses a strategy to determine an estimate of the steering assist force. When the steering assist force is below a force threshold and a vehicle speed is above a speed threshold, the controller filters data from the steering sensor so as to rapidly determine a precise center position for the steering system.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for determining a current center position of a steering system installed in a vehicle, which comprises the steps of:
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establishing a vehicle velocity and generating a vehicle velocity signal; estimating a steering assist force and generating a steering assist force signal; sensing an instantaneous steering position and generating an instantaneous steering position signal; determining a new center position of said vehicular steering system as a function of said instantaneous steering position signal when both said vehicle velocity signal exceeds a velocity threshold and said steering assist force signal is less than a force threshold; incrementing a loop counter each time said determining step is performed until said loop counter exceeds a loop counter threshold; and updating the current center position with the new center position when said loop counter exceeds said loop counter threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for determining a center position of a steering system installed in a vehicle, which comprises the steps of:
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establishing a vehicle velocity and generating a vehicle velocity signal; monitoring a motor current supplied to an electrical motor in the vehicular steering system and generating a motor current signal; monitoring a motor speed supplied to an electrical motor in the vehicular steering system and generating a motor speed signal; calculating a pump load using said motor current and speed signals and generating a pump load signal therefrom; sensing an instantaneous steering position and generating an instantaneous steering position signal; determining a center position of said vehicular steering system as a function of said instantaneous steering position signal when both said vehicle velocity signal exceeds a velocity threshold and said pump load signal is less than a pump load threshold. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for determining a new center position of a steering system installed in a vehicle, comprising:
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vehicle velocity sensor means for establishing a vehicle velocity and generating a vehicle velocity signal; steering sensor means for sensing an instantaneous steering position and generating an instantaneous steering position signal; force estimating means for estimating a steering assist force and generating a steering assist force signal; and
processor means operatively connected with said vehicle velocity and steering sensor means and said force estimating means for determining said instantaneous steering position signal when both said vehicle velocity signal exceeds a velocity threshold and said steering assist force signal is less than a force threshold, incrementing a loop counter each time said determining step is performed until said loop counter exceeds a loop counter threshold, updating the current center position with the new center position when said loop counter exceeds said loop counter threshold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification