Steering control apparatus and method

• US 9,205,866 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Mando Corporation (Halla Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mando Corporation (Halla Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Sung Gun
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/308,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/70, 180/409, 303/140
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/003 in order to control vehicle yaw movement, i.e. around a vertical axis B62D6/007 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed are steering control apparatus and a steering control method which are capable of determining a turning state of a vehicle, and controlling a steering control signal so that the vehicle maintains a normal turning state, thereby improving safety of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A steering control apparatus, comprising:

a determining unit which calculates a first Yaw rate value based on a steering angle measured by a torque sensor and compares the first Yaw rate value with a second Yaw rate value measured by a Yaw rate sensor to determine a turning state of a vehicle according to a result of the comparison; and

a controller configured to adjust a control amount for a control disturbing an alignment of tires to return the vehicle to a normal turning state if it is determined that the vehicle is in an abnormal state,

wherein the control amount for the control disturbing the alignment of the tires is a value of an electric current for damping-control or returning-control, and

the electric current is a damping-control current for restricting a rapid movement of a gear or a returning-control current for aligning the tires at the steering angle of 0 degree.

2. The steering control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining unit calculates the first Yaw rate value based on at least one of a longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, a mass of the vehicle, a cornering rigidity of a tire, a distance from a center of the vehicle to an axle of front wheels, a distance from a center of the vehicle to an axle of rear wheels, lateral acceleration, and an inertia moment of a Yaw direction.

3. The steering control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines that the vehicle is in an over-steering state which is an abnormal turning state, if the measured the second Yaw rate value is larger than the first Yaw rate value, as a result of the comparison.

4. The steering control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller reduces a control amount for a control disturbing an alignment of front wheels of the vehicle in a direction in which rear tires slip, in order to enable the vehicle to return to the normal turning state, if it is determined that the vehicle is in the over-steering state.

5. A steering control method, comprising:

calculating, by a determining unit, a first Yaw rate value based on a steering angle measured by a torque sensor and comparing the first Yaw rate value with a second Yaw rate value measured by the Yaw rate sensor, so as to determine a turning state of a vehicle according to a result of the comparison; and

adjusting, by a controller, a control amount for a control disturbing an alignment of tires to return the vehicle to a normal turning state if it is determined that the vehicle is in an abnormal state,

wherein the control amount for the control disturbing the alignment of the tires is a value of an electric current for damping-control or returning-control, and

the electric current is a damping-control current for restricting a rapid movement of a gear or a returning-control current for aligning the tires at the steering angle of 0 degree.