Steer-by-wire system for automobiles

• US 7,908,056 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Hwang, Sung Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kim T
• Application Number:
  US11/943,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/42, 180/6.2, 180/6.28, 180/406, 180/407, 180/408, 180/410, 180/422, 180/443
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/006 power actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/008 Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a steer-by-wire system for automobiles. The steer-by-wire system includes a steering control unit and a signal input unit. The central control unit includes a reaction force generation unit, a damping force generation unit. The reaction force generation unit generates steering reaction force or restoring force, acting in the reverse direction to that of a steering torque. The damping force generation unit generates damping force, acting in the reverse direction to the steering reaction force or the restoring force (in the same direction as the steering torque). Furthermore, the central control unit generates a current control signal, which is applied to a steering feel generation motor, by combining the resulting values determined by the reaction force generation unit and the damping force generation unit a vehicle velocity signal in response to a steering angle signal, a steering torque signal and a steering angular velocity signal.

Claims

1. A steer-by-wire system for automobiles, comprising:

a steering control unit comprising a steering wheel;

a steering feel generation motor mounted in the steering control unit;

a central control unit for outputting a steering control signal, and a current control signal, which is applied to the steering feel generation motor, according to motion of the steering wheel;

a steering mechanism unit comprising a rack motor for operating vehicle wheels in response to the steering control signal received from the central control unit; and

a signal input unit comprising a vehicle velocity sensor, a steering angle sensor, a torque sensor, and a steering angular velocity sensor, and used to input a sensing signal, which is necessary for the central control unit to control the steering feel generation motor;

wherein the central control unit receives a vehicle velocity signal, a steering angle signal, a steering torque signal and a steering angular velocity signal from the signal input unit, comprises a reaction force generation unit for generating steering reaction force or restoring force, acting in a reverse direction to that of a steering torque, and a damping force generation unit for generating damping force, acting in a reverse direction to the steering reaction force or the restoring force in an identical direction to the steering torque, and generates the current control signal, which is applied to the steering feel generation motor, by combining resulting values determined by the reaction force generation unit and the damping force generation unit.

2. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central control unit further comprises a Proportional-Derivative (PD) control unit for receiving the steering angle signal, performing a proportional-derivative operation on the received steering angle signal, and outputting a resulting value to the reaction force generation unit, in order to more precisely control the steering reaction force or the restoring force.

3. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the central control unit further comprises a feedback signal unit for receiving feedback of a current value of the rack motor, performing operation on the current value along with the steering angular velocity signal, and outputting a resulting value, in order to control steering feel according to road conditions; and

the central control unit outputs the current control signal, which is applied to the steering feel generation motor, through a combination of the resulting value, determined by the feedback signal unit, and the resulting values, determined by the reaction force generation unit and the damping force generation unit.

4. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the reaction force generation unit further comprises a motor correction unit for determining a steering direction from the steering torque signal, determining a magnitude of the steering reaction force to correct a difference between frictional forces, attributable to left and right rotation of the rack motor, based on the steering direction, a vehicle velocity variable unit for determining a magnitude of the steering reaction force, which varies according to a vehicle velocity, from the vehicle velocity signal, and a torque variable unit for determining a magnitude of the steering reaction force, which varies according to steering, from the steering torque signal, in order to more precisely control the steering reaction force.

5. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the central control unit outputs the current control signal, which is applied to the steering feel generation motor, through a combination of the resulting value, received from the PD control unit, and a resulting value, which is determined by the torque variable unit.

6. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the reaction force generation unit further comprises a vehicle velocity restoration unit for determining a magnitude of the restoring force, which varies according to a vehicle velocity, from the vehicle velocity signal, and a steering angle restoration unit for determining a magnitude of the restoring force, which varies according to a steering angle, from the steering angle signal, in order to more precisely control the restoring force.

7. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the reaction force generation unit further comprises a restoration determining function for determining whether the steering wheel is restored, from the steering angle signal.

8. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the damping force generation unit further comprises a vehicle velocity damping unit for determining a magnitude of the damping force, which varies according to a vehicle velocity, from the vehicle velocity signal, a steering angular velocity damping unit for determining a magnitude of the damping force, which varies according to a steering angular velocity, from the steering angular velocity signal, and a steering angle damping unit for determining a magnitude of the damping force, which varies according to a steering angle, from the steering angle signal, in order to more precisely control the damping force.

9. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the damping force generation unit further comprises a steering sign determination function for determining a steering sign from the steering torque signal.

10. The steer-by-wire system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the damping force generation unit combines resulting values, determined by the steering sign determination function, the steering angular velocity damping unit and the steering angle damping unit, and combines a resulting value, determined through a combination thereof, and a resulting value, determined by the vehicle velocity damping unit, thus outputting the current control signal which is applied to the steering feel generation motor.