Apparatus and method for detecting motor failure

1. An apparatus for detecting a motor failure, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of position sensors each configured to output signals related to a position of a motor;

a torque sensor configured to detect a torque of the motor according to rotation of a steering wheel; and

a controller configured to, when all of the signals related to the position of the motor which have been output from the plurality of position sensors indicate that the motor is stuck, detect whether the motor has failed by using a variation of the torque of the motor,

wherein the plurality of position sensors are mounted on different positions of the motor, sense rotation of a magnet mounted on a rotor of the motor, and output signals related to the position of the motor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when some of the signals related to the position of the motor which have been output from the plurality of position sensors indicate that the motor is stuck, the controller detects the position sensor which has detected that the motor is stuck as an error and detects whether the motor has failed by using the position sensor which has not detected that the motor is stuck.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when all of the signals related to the position of the motor which have been output from the plurality of position sensors indicate that the motor is stuck, the controller changes steering of a vehicle clockwise or counterclockwise, detects whether the vehicle has moved according to the variation of the torque of the motor and a variation of the steering, and detects whether the motor is stuck.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when all of the signals related to the position of the motor which have been output from the plurality of position sensors indicate that the motor is stuck, the controller rotates the steering wheel in a first direction and senses the variation of the torque of the motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, when the variation of the torque of the motor is not sensed, the controller detects that the motor has failed, and when the variation of the torque of the motor is sensed, the controller detects whether a vehicle moves in the first direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, when the vehicle moves in the first direction, the controller detects the motor as normal, and when the vehicle does not move in the first direction, the controller rotates the steering wheel in a second direction which is opposite the first direction and detects whether the vehicle moves in the second direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, when the vehicle moves in the second direction, the controller detects the motor as normal, and when the vehicle does not move in the second direction, the controller detects that the motor has failed.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the controller is further configured to control a vehicle on the basis of detection,

wherein, when the motor failure is detected, the controller cuts off a power supply of the vehicle.

9. A method for detecting a motor failure, the method comprising:

outputting signals related to a position of a motor by using a plurality of position sensors;

detecting whether all of the signals related to the position of the motor indicate that the motor is stuck; and

detecting whether the motor has failed on the basis of a variation of steering and a variation of a torque of the motor detected by a torque sensor,

wherein the outputting signals related to a position of a motor includes:

sensing rotation of a magnet mounted on a rotor of the motor by using the plurality of position sensors mounted on different positions of the motor, and

outputting the signals related to the position of the motor on the basis of the sensed rotation of the magnet.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, when all of the signals related to the position of the motor indicate that the motor is stuck after the detecting whether the motor has failed;

changing steering of a vehicle, and

detecting the variation of the torque of the motor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting whether the motor has failed includes:

rotating a steering wheel in a first direction, and

detecting whether the torque of the motor is varied.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after the detecting whether the motor has failed:

when the torque of the motor is not varied, determining the motor as having failed, and

when the torque of the motor is varied, detecting whether the vehicle moves in the first direction and determining the motor as normal when the vehicle moves in the first direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein, when the vehicle does not move in the first direction after rotating the steering wheel in the first direction,

rotating the steering wheel in a second direction which is opposite the first direction, and

detecting whether the vehicle moves in the second direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein, in the detecting whether the motor has failed, the motor is detected as normal when the vehicle moves in the second direction, and the motor is detected as having failed when the vehicle does not move in the second direction.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein, when the motor is detected as normal, controlling a vehicle such that the vehicle keeps traveling according to instructions of a driver.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, when the motor is detected as having failed, cutting off a power supply of a vehicle.