Apparatus and method for controlling operation of reaction force motor

1 . An apparatus for controlling an operation of a reaction force motor having multi-phases and included in a system for providing a reaction force by using the reaction force motor and an elastic member which is deformed by a rotation of a steering wheel in a direction of a rotation axis of the steering wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a first motor control unit connected to multi-phases of a first winding part of the reaction force motor; and

a second motor control unit connected to multi-phases of a second winding part of the reaction force motor,

wherein each of the multi-phases of the first winding part and each of the multi-phases of the second winding part are connected to each of multi-phases of the reaction force motor,

wherein the first and second motor control units receive a steering angle and a steering torque of the steering wheel from a steering angle sensor and a steering torque sensor, and

wherein the first and second motor control units calculate a torque for the reaction force motor based on a reaction force torque associated with the deformation of the elastic member, the steering angle of the steering wheel received by the steering angle sensor, and the steering torque of the steering wheel received from the steering torque sensor, and control turning-on or turning-off of switches included therein so that the reaction force motor generates the torque corresponding to the calculated torque,

wherein the first and second motor control units are configured such that, when a fault occurs in one of the motor control units, another of the motor control units continues to control the reaction force motor,

wherein when any one of the multi-phases of the first winding part is open-circuited, a first switch driver of the first motor control unit is programmed to turn off first switches included in the first motor control unit, and a second switch driver of the second motor control unit is programmed to turn on second switches included in the second motor control unit, and

wherein when any one of the multi-phases of the first winding part is short-circuited or when a short circuit occurs between the multi-phases of the first winding part, the first switch driver is programmed to turn on the first switches, and when a magnitude of the torque generated by the reaction force motor is equal to or smaller than a preset magnitude, the second switch driver is programmed to turn on the second switches.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first motor control unit comprises:

a first controller;

the first switch driver; and

a first inverter including the first switches connected to the multi-phases of the first winding part, respectively, and

wherein the first switch driver controls the turning-on or turning-off of the first switches on the basis of a control signal outputted from the first controller.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second motor control unit comprises:

a second controller;

the second switch driver; and

a second inverter including the second switches connected to the multi-phases of the second winding part, respectively, and

wherein the second switch driver controls the turning-on or turning-off of the second switches on the basis of a control signal outputted from the second controller.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein when a short circuit occurs between the multi-phases of the first winding part, the first switch driver controls the turning-on of the first switches.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein when a magnitude of the torque generated by the reaction force motor is equal to or smaller than a preset magnitude, the second switch driver controls the turning-on of the second switches.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the motor control unit adjusts a duty ratio of the switches on the basis of a velocity of a vehicle.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the motor control unit increases the duty ratio of the switches according to an increase in velocity.

8 . A method performed by an apparatus for controlling an operation of a reaction force motor, which is included in a system for providing a reaction force by using the reaction force motor and an elastic member which is deformed by a rotation of a steering wheel in a direction of a rotation axis of the steering wheel, the apparatus comprising a first motor control unit connected to multi-phases of a first winding part of the reaction force motor, and a second motor control unit connected to multi-phases of a second winding part of the reaction force motor, wherein each of the multi-phases of the first winding part and each of the multi-phases of the second winding part are connected to each of multi-phases of the reaction force motor, the method comprising:

receiving a steering angle and steering torque of the steering wheel from a steering angle sensor and a steering torque sensor;

calculate a torque for the reaction force motor based on a reaction force torque associated with the deformation of the elastic member, the steering angle of the steering wheel received by the steering angle sensor, and the steering torque of the steering wheel received from the steering torque sensor; and

controlling turning-on or turning-off of switches included in the first and second motor control units so that the reaction force motor generates the torque corresponding to the calculated torque,

wherein the first and second motor control units are configured such that, when a fault occurs in one of the motor control units another of the motor control units continues to control the reaction force motor, and

wherein the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches comprises:

when any one of the multi-phases of the first winding part is open-circuited, by a first switch driver of the first motor control unit, turning off first switches included in the first motor control unit and, by a second switch driver of the second motor control unit, turning on second switches included in the second motor control unit; and

when any one of the multi-phases of the first winding part is short-circuited, by the first switch driver, turning on the first switches, and when a magnitude of the torque generated by the reaction force motor is equal to or smaller than a preset magnitude, by the second switch driver, turning on the second switches.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first motor control unit comprises a first controller, the first switch driver, and a first inverter including the first switches connected to the multi-phases of the first winding part, and in the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches, the first switch driver controls the turning-on or turning-off of the first switches on the basis of a control signal outputted from the first controller.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second motor control unit comprises a second controller, the second switch driver, and a second inverter including the second switches connected to the multi-phases of the second winding part, and in the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches, the second switch driver controls the turning-on or turning-off of the second switches on the basis of a control signal outputted from the second controller.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein in the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches, the first switch driver controls the turning-on of the first switches when a short circuit occurs between the multi-phases of the first winding part.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches, the second switch driver controls the turning-on of the second switches when a magnitude of the torque generated by the reaction force motor is equal to or smaller than a preset magnitude.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the controlling of the turning-on or turning-off of the switches comprises:

adjusting a duty ratio of the switches on the basis of a velocity of a vehicle; and

controlling the turning-on or turning-off of the switches on the basis of the adjusted duty ratio.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the adjusting of the duty ratio comprises increasing the duty ratio of the switches according to an increase in velocity.