Methods and systems for controlling steering response and steering torque feedback based on steering position

• US 9,889,876 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Russell, David Michael, Wijffels, Lodewijk, Garby, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/948,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41, 701 43, 180402, 180412, 180444, 74493
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/20 Connecting steering column to steering gear
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle
• 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 5/04 electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear
• 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

Abstract

Arrangements (e.g., method; vehicle; non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media embodying a program) for controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics in a vehicle steering system are disclosed. A method of controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics includes determining an actual position of an adjustable steering component of the vehicle, comparing the actual position to a reference position of the component, and based at least in part on the comparison, adjusting at least one of the steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system. In one embodiment, based at least in part on the comparison, a percentage of change in a steering ratio for a range of steering wheel angles is calculated and, based on the percentage of change, at least one of the steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system is adjusted to a nominal value associated with the nominal vehicle steering characteristics.

Claims

1. A method of controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics in a vehicle steering system, comprising:

determining an actual position of an adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column of the vehicle;

comparing the actual position to a reference position of the steering wheel and/or steering column; and

based at least in part on the comparison, adjusting at least one of a steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparing the actual position to the reference position of the steering wheel and/or steering column includes determining a percentage of change of the steering ratio at each steering wheel angle in a range of possible steering wheel angles.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting at least one of the steering ratio and the steering torque feedback includes adjusting the steering ratio or the steering torque feedback to a nominal value associated with the nominal vehicle steering characteristics.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining an actual position of the adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column includes determining an amount of tilt of the steering wheel of the and/or the steering column.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the comparing the actual position to the reference position includes determining a difference between the amount of tilt and a reference tilt value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising identifying a number of universal joints in the steering system.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjusting at least one of the steering ratio and the steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system is based at least in part on the number of universal joints identified.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining an actual position of the adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column includes determining an amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the comparing the actual position to the reference position includes determining a difference between the amount of telescoping and a reference telescoping value.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining an actual position of the adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column includes receiving, at a controller of the vehicle steering system, data indicative of an amount of tilt and an amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising receiving, at the controller, data indicative of number of universal joints in the steering system.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the adjusting at least one of the steering ratio and the steering wheel torque feedback in the vehicle steering system includes adjusting the steering ratio of the vehicle steering system to compensate for a change in steering ratio caused by the amount of tilt and the amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising adjusting the steering ratio with an active front steer system of the vehicle.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the adjusting at least one of the steering ratio and the steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system includes adjusting a steering torque feedback of the vehicle steering system to compensate for a change in steering torque feedback caused by the amount of tilt and the amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising adjusting the steering torque feedback with an electric power assist steering system of the vehicle.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparing the actual position to the reference position includes accessing a table stored in a controller of the vehicle steering system, the table correlating a plurality of non-reference tilt and/or telescoping positions to a plurality of steering ratios and/or steering torque feedback.

17. A method of controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics in a vehicle steering system, comprising:

determining an actual position of an adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column of the vehicle;

comparing the actual position to a reference position of the steering wheel and/or steering column;

based at least in part on the comparison, calculating a percentage of change in a steering ratio for a range of steering wheel angles; and

based on the percentage of change, adjusting at least one of a steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system to a nominal value associated with the nominal vehicle steering characteristics.

18. A system for controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics in a vehicle steering system, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to provide data relating to a position of an adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column of the steering system;

a controller operatively associated with the at least one sensor and configured to;

determine an actual position of the adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column based on the sensor data;

compare the actual position to a reference position of the steering wheel and/or steering column; and

based at least in part on the comparison, adjust at least one of a steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a percentage of change of the steering ratio at each steering wheel angle in a range of possible steering wheel angles.

20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the steering ratio or the steering torque feedback to a nominal value associated with the nominal vehicle steering characteristics.

21. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an amount of tilt of the steering wheel based on sensor data and to determine a difference between the amount of tilt and a reference tilt value stored on a memory associated with the system.

22. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust at least one of the steering ratio and the steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system based at least in part on the number of universal joints in the steering system.

23. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column based on sensor data and to determine a difference between the amount of telescoping and a reference telescoping value stored on a memory associated with the system.

24. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the steering ratio of the vehicle steering system to compensate for a change in steering ratio caused by an amount of tilt and an amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a steering torque feedback of the vehicle steering system to compensate for a change in steering torque feedback caused by the amount of tilt and the amount of telescoping of the steering wheel and/or steering column.

26. The system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a memory associated with the controller, wherein the memory contains a table correlating a plurality of non-reference tilt and/or telescoping positions to a plurality of steering ratios and/or steering torque feedback.

27. A vehicle having controlled nominal vehicle steering characteristics, comprising:

a steering wheel;

a steering column;

at least one sensor configured to provide data relating to a position of the steering wheel and/or steering column;

a controller operatively associated with the at least one sensor and configured to;

determine an actual position of the steering wheel and/or steering column based on the sensor data;

compare the actual position to a reference position of the of the steering wheel and/or steering column; and

based at least in part on the comparison, adjust at least one of the steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system.

28. A non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media embodying a program which, when implemented via a controller, effecting operations for controlling nominal vehicle steering characteristics in a vehicle steering system, the operations comprising:

determining an actual position of an adjustable steering wheel and/or steering column of the vehicle;

comparing the actual position to a reference position of the steering wheel and/or steering column;

based at least in part on the comparison, adjusting at least one of a steering ratio and a steering torque feedback in the vehicle steering system.