Failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor

• US 6,429,780 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nisshinbo Industries, Inc. (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nisshinbo Industries, Inc. (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Miyashita, Naoki, Yazawa, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/598,362
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.3, 340/686.1, 340/686.2, 340/438, 340/671, 340/672, 180/412, 180/429, 180/432, 180/442, 180/6.28, 701/41, 701/43, 702/104, 702/116, 702/150, 702/151, 702/183, 702/185
• US Class Current: 340/686.3
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/3473 Circular or rotary encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/36 Forming the light into pulses

Abstract

A failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor which includes a center sensor determining a position of a steering wheel center and a steering wheel angle sensor determining a steering wheel angle. A steering wheel center is first determined by the center sensor. The steering wheel angle is determined at said steering wheel center by the steering wheel sensor. A failure of the steering wheel sensor is considered to occur if no steering wheel center is determined by the center sensor when the steering wheel turns 360 degrees from the first determined steering wheel angle.

Claims

1. A failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor which includes a steering wheel angle sensor determining a steering wheel angle and a center sensor determining a position of a steering wheel center, which comprises the steps of:

(a) determining said steering wheel angle at a point of time when a steering wheel center sensor determines said steering wheel center, and

(b) detecting a failure of said steering wheel sensor if no steering wheel center is determined by said center sensor when said steering wheel makes a 360-degree turn.

2. A failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor which includes a steering wheel angle sensor determining a steering wheel angle and a center sensor determining a position of a steering wheel center, which comprises the steps of:

(a) determining said steering wheel angle at a point of time when a steering wheel center sensor determines said steering wheel center, and

(b) detecting a failure of said steering wheel sensor if no steering wheel center is determined by said center sensor when said steering wheel angle sensor determines the steering wheel angle which is exactly same as the steering wheel angle previously determined in step (a).

3. A failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor which includes a steering wheel angle sensor determining a steering wheel angle and a center sensor determining a position of a steering wheel center, which comprises the steps of:

(a) determining said steering wheel angle at a point of time when a steering wheel center sensor determines said steering wheel center, and

(b) detecting a failure of said steering wheel sensor if no steering wheel center is determined by said center sensor either when said steering wheel angle sensor determines the steering wheel angle which is exactly same as the steering wheel angle previously determined in step (a) or when said steering wheel angle sensor determines a 360-degree turn from said steering wheel angle previously determined in step (a).

4. A failure detection method for a steering wheel sensor which includes a steering wheel angle sensor determining a steering wheel angle and a center sensor determining a position of a steering wheel center, which comprises the steps of

(a) determining said steering wheel angle at a point of time when a steering wheel center sensor determines said steering wheel center, and

(b) detecting a failure of said steering wheel sensor if said steering wheel angle determined by said steering wheel angle sensor does not match said steering wheel angle previously determined in step (a) when said steering wheel center is determined by said steering wheel center sensor.