Steering control apparatus and method
View Patent ↗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.
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.