IP Library Granted Patent US 7,161,317
Granted Patent B2
US 7,161,317 · App. 11/211,577 · Granted Jan 9, 2007

Electromotive power steering controller

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,161,317
App. No.
11/211,577
Granted
Jan 9, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

An objective is to provide a specific realization means for easily determining malfunction of a system in an electromotive power steering controller. The electromotive power steering controller includes: a voltage controller for controlling voltage applying to a motor based on a d-axis current command value and a q-axis current command value that are set by a d-q-command-value setting unit, and a d-axis current detection value and a q-axis current detection value that are obtained by, using the d-q coordinate system, transforming three-phase ac current that has been actually flowing in the motor and has been detected by a current detector; and a malfunction determining unit for determining that malfunction has occurred in the control system if at least one of the phase-current detection value is out of a first predetermined permissible range.

Claims (17)

1. An electromotive power steering controller for performing power-assisted steering by applying to a steering mechanism torque generated by a motor, the controller comprising:

a d-q command value setting unit for determining, for current to be applied to the motor, d-axis and q-axis current command values in a d-q coordinate system;

a current detector for detecting a phase current actually flowing in the motor;

a three-phase/d-q coordinate transformer for transforming each of phase-current detection values detected by the current detector into a d-axis current detection value and a q-axis current detection value in the d-q coordinate system;

a voltage controller for controlling a voltage applied to the motor, based on the d-axis current command value and the q-axis current command value determined by the d-q command value setting unit, and on the d-axis current detection value and the q-axis current detection value outputted from the three-phase/d-q coordinate transformer; and

a malfunction determining unit for determining that malfunction has occurred in the control system if at least one of the phase-current detection values is out of a permissible range according to first predetermination.

2. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 1 , wherein the malfunction determining unit determines that malfunction has occurred in the control system, if, in time according to third predetermination, a state in which at least one of the phase-current detection values is out of the first predetermined permissible range continues for not less than a time according to second predetermination.

3. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 2 , wherein given that a sine-wave frequency of the three-phase ac current is f, the third predetermined time is set not more than ½ f.

4. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 1 , wherein the malfunction determining unit determines that malfunction has occurred in the control system, if a state in which at least one of the phase-current detection values is out of the first predetermined permissible range continues for not less than a time according to second predetermination.

5. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 4 , wherein the malfunction determining unit determines that malfunction has occurred in the control system, if, in a time according to third predetermination, a state in which at least one of the phase-current detection values is out of the first predetermined permissible range continues for not less than the second predetermined time.

6. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 5 , wherein given that a sine-wave frequency of the three-phase ac current is f, the third predetermined time is set not more than ½ f.

7. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 1 , wherein the malfunction determining unit determines that malfunction has occurred in the control system, if one of the detection values, when current does not flow through a conducting path provided with the current detector, is out of a permissible range according to fourth predetermination.

8. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 1 , wherein malfunction determination is forbidden when rotational speed of the motor is not lower than a value according to fifth predetermination.

9. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 1 , wherein motor driving is stopped if malfunction is determined.

10. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 9 , wherein electric power supplying to a driving-motor circuit is forbidden if malfunction is determined.

11. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 9 , wherein electric power supplying to a pre-driver of a driving-motor circuit is forbidden if malfunction is determined.

12. An electromotive power steering controller as recited in claim 9 , wherein electric power supplying to the motor from a driving-motor circuit is forbidden if malfunction is determined.

Assignments (2)
COMPANY SPLIT Recorded Sep 4, 2024
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC MOBILITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068834/0585 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 3, 2024
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068829/0954 →