IP Library Granted Patent US 11,299,197
Granted Patent B2
US 11,299,197 · App. 16/833,760 · Granted Apr 12, 2022

Steering system

Inventors: Naoki Shoji (Shiki-gun, JP); Robert Fuchs (Nara, JP); Mitsuko Yoshida (Nara, JP)
Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
B62D6/007B62D5/0463B62D6/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,299,197
App. No.
16/833,760
Granted
Apr 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A steering system includes an electric motor, a detector, and a controller of a vehicle. The controller is configured to control the electric motor by switching an autonomous steering mode, a manual steering mode, and a cooperative steering mode. The controller is configured to control the electric motor in the cooperative steering mode unconditionally or when a predetermined condition is satisfied in a case where a situation to switch a steering mode to the manual steering mode during control in the autonomous steering mode is predicted and a manual steering request is transmitted at a time point that is prior, by a first predetermined time, to occurrence of the situation, or is transmitted when the vehicle arrives at a point that is located a first predetermined distance before a point where the situation is to occur.

Claims (14)

1. A steering system comprising:

an electric motor configured to turn a steered wheel of a vehicle;

a detector configured to detect a steering operation performed by a driver; and

a controller configured to:

control the electric motor by switching an autonomous steering mode in which the electric motor is controlled based on an autonomous steering command value, a manual steering mode in which the electric motor is controlled based on a manual steering command value corresponding to the steering operation performed by the driver, and a cooperative steering mode in which the electric motor is controlled based on a cooperative steering command value incorporating both the autonomous steering command value and the manual steering command value;

control the electric motor in the cooperative steering mode when a manual steering request is transmitted:

at a time point that is prior, by a first predetermined time, to occurrence of predicted switching from the autonomous steering mode to the manual steering mode, or

when the vehicle arrives at a point located a first predetermined distance before a point where the predicted switching is to occur; and

output an automatic stop request for generating an autonomous steering command value that causes the vehicle to move to and stop at a predetermined stop position, after the manual steering request is transmitted, and when the steering operation by the driver is not detected before:

a time point that is prior, by a second predetermined time, to the occurrence of the predicted switching, or

the vehicle arrives at a point that is located a second predetermined distance before the point where the predicted switching is to occur.

2. The steering system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured such that, when the manual steering request is transmitted, the manual steering command value is weighted based on a driver arousal level and the electric motor is controlled in the cooperative steering mode using the weighted manual steering command value.

3. The steering system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the electric motor in the cooperative steering mode when a driver arousal level is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

4. The steering system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to switch a control mode for the electric motor to the manual steering mode based on an operation performed by the driver.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 18, 2022
From: JTEKT CORPORATION
To: JTEKT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059230/0125 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: SHOJI, NAOKI; FUCHS, ROBERT; YOSHIDA, MITSUKO
To: JTEKT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052255/0769 →