Drive control device, drive control method, and computer-readable storage medium

1 . A drive control device comprising a plurality of drive instruction systems, each of the plurality of drive instruction systems including:

a communication unit receiving an instruction about a position of a pitman arm from a higher-level device;

an angle detection unit detecting an angle of the pitman arm;

a calculation unit calculating a drive torque for the pitman arm based on the instruction and the angle of the pitman arm;

a distribution unit distributing the drive torque according to a predetermined ratio; and

a drive control unit controlling a drive unit,

wherein one of the plurality of drive instruction systems performs a torque distribution process including a calculation process by the calculation unit and a distribution process by the distribution unit, and

wherein the drive control unit in each of the plurality of drive instruction systems synchronously controls the drive unit with a torque distributed by the torque distribution process,

wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes

a configuration unit that sets the drive instruction system to a master mode or a slave mode, the drive instruction system performs the torque distribution process in the master mode, and the drive instruction system does not perform the torque distribution process in the slave mode,

a calculation abnormality detection unit detects a calculation abnormality indicating that the torque distribution process is unable to be performed, and

a drive control abnormality detection unit that detects a drive control abnormality indicating occurrence of an abnormality in the drive control unit,

wherein the configuration unit is configured to:

set own drive instruction system to the slave mode, when the calculation abnormality is detected by the calculation abnormality detection unit, and

set the own drive instruction system to a termination mode to terminate operation of the own drive instruction system, when the drive control abnormality is detected by the drive control abnormality detection unit.

2 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the calculation abnormality detection unit is configured to detect the calculation abnormality, which includes at least one of an abnormality in the angle detection unit and an abnormality related to the receiving of the instruction by the communication unit.

3 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the configuration unit is configured to set the own drive instruction system to the slave mode, before the detection of an abnormality, including the calculation abnormality and drive control abnormality, continues for a certain period of time or longer, when the abnormality is detected, and

wherein the abnormality is confirmed when the detection of the abnormality continues for the certain period of time or longer, and the drive unit of the own drive instruction system is stopped.

4 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes a calculation abnormality obtaining unit that obtains calculation abnormality information, the calculation abnormality information indicates that the calculation abnormality has been detected in at least one of the plurality of drive instruction systems other than the own drive instruction system, and

wherein, when the calculation abnormality information is obtained by the calculation abnormality obtaining unit, the configuration unit sets the own drive instruction system to the master mode.

5 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes:

a drive control abnormality obtaining unit that obtains drive control abnormality information, the drive control abnormality information indicates that a drive control abnormality has been detected in at least one of the plurality of drive instruction systems other than the own drive instruction system; and

a reduction unit reducing the drive torque calculated by the calculation unit,

wherein the master mode includes a reduction mode,

wherein, when the drive control abnormality information is obtained by the drive control abnormality obtaining unit, the configuration unit sets the own drive instruction system to the reduction mode,

wherein, in the reduction mode, the reduction unit prohibits the distribution process by the distribution unit and reduces the drive torque to a third torque, and

wherein the drive control unit controls the drive unit with the third torque in the reduction mode.

6 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes:

a rotation angle detection unit configured to detect a rotation angle of the drive unit; and

an abnormality detection unit configured to detect, based on the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection unit and the angle detected by the angle detection unit, occurrence of at least one of an abnormality in the rotation angle detection unit or an abnormality in the angle detection unit.

7 . The drive control device of claim 6 , wherein the rotation angle detection unit is concentric with an output shaft of the drive unit,

wherein the drive unit includes a plurality of motor windings corresponding to the drive control units in the plurality of drive instruction systems,

wherein the plurality of motor windings are offset from each other by a predetermined angle, and

wherein each of the drive control units controls the drive unit by generating a control signal corresponding to the offset of the predetermined angle.

8 . The drive control device of claim 6 , wherein, when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit, the configuration unit switches the mode before the abnormality is confirmed.

9 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a coil unit, and

wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems includes a disconnection unit that, when the own drive instruction system is set to the termination mode, stops supplying power to the drive unit and disconnects a wiring connection to which an end of the coil unit is wired.

10 . The drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit receives a mode command from the higher-level device according to a mode of the higher-level device, and

wherein the configuration unit sets a mode indicated by the mode command to the own drive instruction system.

11 . A drive control method of a drive control device that includes a plurality of drive instruction systems,

each of the plurality of drive instruction systems including:

a communication unit receiving an instruction about a position of a pitman arm from a higher-level device;

an angle detection unit detecting an angle of the pitman arm;

a calculation unit calculating a drive torque for the pitman arm based on the instruction and the angle of the pitman arm;

a distribution unit distributing the drive torque according to a predetermined ratio; and

a drive control unit controlling a drive unit,

wherein the drive control method includes

performing, by one of the plurality of drive instruction systems, a torque distribution process including a calculation process by the calculation unit and a distribution process by the distribution unit, and

synchronously controlling, by the drive control unit in each of the plurality of drive instruction systems, the drive unit with a torque distributed by the torque distribution process,

wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes

a configuration unit that sets the drive instruction system to a master mode or a slave mode, the drive instruction system performs the torque distribution process in the master mode, and the drive instruction system does not perform the torque distribution process in the slave mode,

a calculation abnormality detection unit detects a calculation abnormality indicating that the torque distribution process is unable to be performed, and

a drive control abnormality detection unit that detects a drive control abnormality indicating occurrence of an abnormality in the drive control unit,

wherein the drive control method further includes

setting, by the configuration unit, own drive instruction system to the slave mode, when the calculation abnormality is detected by the calculation abnormality detection unit, and

setting, by the configuration unit, the own drive instruction system to a termination mode to terminate operation of the own drive instruction system, when the drive control abnormality is detected by the drive control abnormality detection unit.

12 . A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program causing a computer to function as a drive control device, the drive control device including a plurality of drive instruction systems,

each of the plurality of drive instruction systems including:

a communication unit receiving an instruction about a position of a pitman arm from a higher-level device;

an angle detection unit detecting an angle of the pitman arm;

a calculation unit calculating a drive torque for the pitman arm based on the instruction and the angle of the pitman arm;

a distribution unit distributing the drive torque according to a predetermined ratio; and

a drive control unit controlling a drive unit,

wherein the program causes one of the plurality of drive instruction systems to perform a torque distribution process including a calculation process by the calculation unit and a distribution process by the distribution unit, and

wherein the program causes the drive control unit in each of the plurality of drive instruction systems to synchronously control the drive unit with a torque distributed by the torque distribution process,

wherein each of the plurality of drive instruction systems further includes

a configuration unit that sets the drive instruction system to a master mode or a slave mode, the drive instruction system performs the torque distribution process in the master mode, and the drive instruction system does not perform the torque distribution process in the slave mode,

a calculation abnormality detection unit detects a calculation abnormality indicating that the torque distribution process is unable to be performed, and

a drive control abnormality detection unit that detects a drive control abnormality indicating occurrence of an abnormality in the drive control unit,

wherein the program causes the configuration unit in each of the plurality of drive instruction systems to

set own drive instruction system to the slave mode, when the calculation abnormality is detected by the calculation abnormality detection unit, and

set the own drive instruction system to a termination mode to terminate operation of the own drive instruction system, when the drive control abnormality is detected by the drive control abnormality detection unit.