Vehicle steering apparatus and method for controlling the same

1. A steering apparatus used in a vehicle having a steering wheel and a steering rod, the apparatus comprising:

a steering mechanism mechanically unconnected with the steering wheel, wherein the steering mechanism includes a plurality of steering actuators for actuating the steering rod, and a plurality of counter force actuators for applying steering counter force to the steering wheel;

a plurality of control systems, wherein each control system controls at least one of the steering actuators and at least one of the counter force actuators, wherein each control system includes at least one detecting means, which detects a physical quantity related to the control of the steering mechanism and generates a detection signal representing the physical quantity, and control means, which controls the corresponding steering actuator and the corresponding counter force actuator in accordance with the detection signal;

determining means for determining whether there is an abnormality in each control system, wherein, in accordance with a determination result of the determining means, normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator and the corresponding counter force actuator; and

adding means, wherein, when the determining means determines that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means causes at least one of the steering mechanism and the steering wheel to behave in a manner different from that when all the systems are functioning normally.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in accordance with a determination result of the determining means, the control means of the normally functioning control system deactivates the control system having an abnormality.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control means of the normally functioning control systems stops current supply to the control system having an abnormality.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means controls the corresponding counter force actuator such that a counter force is applied to the steering wheel, which counter force is greater than a counter force that is applied to the steering wheel by the counter force actuator when all the systems are functioning normally.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means controls the corresponding counter force actuator such that an oscillating counter force is applied to the steering wheel.

6. The-steering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the steering rod is coupled to a steered wheel, wherein, when all the systems are functioning normally, the control means of at least one of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator such that a transmission ratio, which is a ratio of an angle of the steered wheel to an angle of the steering wheel, changes according to a vehicle speed, and wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means controls the corresponding steering actuator such that the transmission ratio is different from that when all the systems are functioning normally at the same vehicle speed.

7. The steering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means controls the steering actuator that is controlled by normally functioning control system such that an oscillating driving force is applied to the steering rod.

8. A steering apparatus used in a vehicle having a steering wheel and a steering rod, the apparatus comprising:

a steering mechanism mechanically unconnected with the steering wheel, wherein the steering mechanism includes a plurality of steering actuators for actuating the steering rod, and a plurality of counter force actuators for applying steering counter force to the steering wheel; and

a plurality of control systems, wherein each control system controls at least one of the steering actuators and at least one of the counter force actuators, wherein each control system includes at least one detector, which detects a physical quantity related to the control of the steering mechanism and generates a detection signal representing the physical quantity, and a controller, which controls the corresponding steering actuator and the corresponding counter force actuator in accordance with the detection signal, and

wherein each controller determines whether there is an abnormality in the corresponding control system or in another control system;

wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the controller of normally functioning one of the control systems causes at least one of the steering mechanism and the steering wheel to behave in a manner different from that when all the systems are functioning normally.

9. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the controller of the normally functioning control systems stops current supply to the control system having an abnormality.

10. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the controller of normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding counter force actuator such that a counter force is applied to the steering wheel, which counter force is greater than a counter force that is applied to the steering wheel by the counter force actuator when all the systems are functioning normally.

11. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the controller of normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding counter force actuator such that an oscillating counter force is applied to the steering wheel.

12. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the steering rod is coupled to a steered wheel, wherein, when all the systems are functioning normally, at least one of the controllers of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator such that a transmission ratio, which is a ratio of an angle of the steered wheel to an angle of the steering wheel, changes according to a vehicle speed, and wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the controller of normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator such that the transmission ratio is different from that when all the systems are functioning normally at the same vehicle speed.

13. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, when there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the controller of normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator such that an oscillating driving force is applied to the steering rod.

14. A method for controlling a steering apparatus used in a vehicle having a steering wheel, a steering rod mechanically unconnected with the steering wheel, and a plurality of control systems, wherein each control system performs steps of:

detecting a physical quantity related to the control of the steering rod, and generating a detection signal representing the physical quantity;

actuating the steering rod in accordance with the detection signal;

applying a steering counter force to the steering wheel in accordance with the detection signal; and

determining whether there is an abnormality in each control system,

wherein, when it is determined that that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, at least one of the steering mechanism and the steering wheel is controlled to behave in a manner different from that when all the systems are functioning normally.

15. The controlling method according to claim 14 , wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, any of the control systems that has an abnormality is deactivated.

16. The controlling method according to claim 15 wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, current supply to any of the control systems that has an abnormality is stopped.

17. The controlling method according to claim 14 , wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, a counter force is applied to the steering wheel, which counter force is greater than a counter force that is applied to the steering wheel when all the systems are functioning normally.

18. The controlling method according to claim 14 , wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, an oscillating counter force is applied to the steering wheel.

19. The controlling method according to claim 14 , wherein the steering rod is coupled to a steered wheel,

wherein, when all the systems are functioning normally, a transmission ratio, which is a ratio of an angle of the steered wheel to an angle of the steering wheel, is changed according to a vehicle speed, and

wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the transmission ratio is different from that when all the systems are functioning normally at the same vehicle speed.

20. The controlling method according to claim 14 , wherein, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, an oscillating driving force is applied to the steering rod.