Systems and methods for correcting steering wheel angle errors

• US 9,031,745 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Brown, Andrew, Recker, Darrel Alan, Wijffels, Lodewijk, Bahena, Miguel, Benak, Attila, Condonesu, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/154,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/024 Other means for determination of steering angle without directly measuring it, e.g. deriving from wheel speeds on different sides of the car
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/002 computing target steering angles for front or rear wheels B62D7/159 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/10 characterised by means for sensing or determining torque

Abstract

A system for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle of the present disclosure may include a steering wheel angle sensor, an actuator angle sensor, and at least one of a wheel speed sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor. The system may further include a controller configured to receive signals from the steering wheel angle sensor, actuator angle sensor, and at least one of the wheel speed sensor and lateral acceleration sensor. The controller may be configured to calculate a correction angle based on the signals, and adjust a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel, as observed by a driver of the motor vehicle, based on the correction angle.

Claims

1. A system for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

a steering wheel angle sensor, an actuator angle sensor, and at least one of a wheel speed sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor; and

a controller configured to receive signals from the steering wheel angle sensor, actuator angle sensor, and at least one of the wheel speed sensor and lateral acceleration sensor,

wherein the controller is configured to calculate a correction angle based on the signals, and adjust a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel, as observed by a driver of the motor vehicle, based on the correction angle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a compensated steering wheel angle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the compensated steering wheel angle based on a direction of movement of the motor vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the direction of movement based on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the correction angle based on a steering wheel angle, the compensated steering wheel angle, and an actuator angle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the actuator angle includes a superposition angle provided by an active front steering system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the correction angle represents a deviation angle between the steering wheel angle and the direction of movement of the motor vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller incrementally adjusts the steering wheel angle until the correction angle equals zero degrees.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the steering wheel angle by applying an additional steering wheel angle via an active steering system of the motor vehicle.

10. A system for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

a steering wheel angle sensor, an actuator angle sensor, and at least one of a wheel speed sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor; and

a controller configured to receive signals from the steering wheel angle sensor, actuator angle sensor, and at least one of the wheel speed sensor and lateral acceleration sensor,

wherein the controller is configured to calculate a correction angle based on the signals, and adjust a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel, as observed by a driver of the motor vehicle, based on the correction angle,

wherein the controller is configured to estimate a compensated steering wheel angle based on a direction of movement of the motor vehicle, and

wherein the controller is configured to determine the direction of movement based on a speed of one more or more wheels of the vehicle.

11. A method for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle;

receiving a signal corresponding to an actuator angle generated by an active steering system;

estimating a compensated steering wheel angle; and

calculating a correction angle based on the steering wheel angle, the actuator angle, and the compensated steering wheel angle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein estimating the compensated steering wheel angle comprises determining a direction of movement of the motor vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the direction of movement comprises receiving a signal from one or more vehicle sensors.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein calculating the correction angle comprises subtracting the actuator angle and the compensated steering wheel angle from the measured steering wheel angle.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the steering wheel angle based on the calculated correction angle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the steering wheel angle comprises incrementally adjusting the steering wheel angle over a period of time until the calculated correction angle equals zero degrees.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the steering wheel angle comprises adjusting the steering wheel angle by an angle less than or equal to the correction angle.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the steering wheel angle comprises applying an additional steering wheel angle to the active steering system.

19. A method for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle;

receiving a signal corresponding to an actuator angle generated by an active steering system;

estimating a compensated steering wheel angle; and

calculating a correction angle based on the steering wheel angle, the actuator angle, and the compensated steering wheel angle,

wherein estimating the compensated steering wheel angle comprises determining a direction of movement of the motor vehicle, and

wherein determining the direction of movement comprises comparing respective wheel speeds of two more wheels of the motor vehicle.

20. A method for correcting steering wheel angle errors of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle;

receiving a signal corresponding to an actuator angle generated by an active steering system;

estimating a compensated steering wheel angle;

calculating a correction angle based on the steering wheel angle, the actuator angle, and the compensated steering wheel angle;

determining a correction state of the motor vehicle; and

adjusting the steering wheel angle based on the calculated correction angle when the correction state is within a pre-established window.