Steering assist device and method, and steering system

1. A steering assist device, comprising:

first and second input-side steering control modules controlling an input-side steering motor to allow an input-side mechanism connected with a steering wheel to be assisted; and

first and second output-side steering control modules controlling an output-side steering motor to allow an output-side mechanism mechanically separated from the input-side mechanism and connected with a wheel to be assisted, wherein the first and second input-side steering control modules and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate role assignment and control a corresponding steering motor of the input-side steering motor and the output-side steering motor according to a result of arbitrating the role assignment.

2. The steering assist device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second input-side steering control modules arbitrate input-side role assignment, if the input-side role assignment succeeds, control the input-side steering motor according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration and, if the input-side role assignment fails, control the input-side steering motor according to the result of input-side role assignment arbitration through the first and second output-side steering control modules.

3. The steering assist device of claim 2 , wherein the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate output-side role assignment, if the output-side role assignment succeeds, control the output-side steering motor according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration and, if the output-side role assignment fails, control the output-side steering motor according to the result of output-side role assignment arbitration through the first and second input-side steering control modules.

4. The steering assist device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first internal communication channel connecting the first input-side steering control module and the second input-side steering control module;

a second internal communication channel connecting the first output-side steering control module and the second output-side steering control module;

a first external communication channel connecting the first input-side steering control module and the first output-side steering control module and connected with a vehicle; and

a second external communication channel connecting the second input-side steering control module and the second output-side steering control module and connected with the vehicle.

5. The steering assist device of claim 4 , wherein the first and second input-side steering control modules monitor their mutual states through the first internal communication channel to arbitrate the input-side role assignment, if the input-side role assignment succeeds, control the input-side steering motor according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration and, if the input-side role assignment fails, control the input-side steering motor according to the result of input-side role assignment arbitration by the first and second output-side steering control modules, received through the first and second external communication channels.

6. The steering assist device of claim 5 , wherein the first and second input-side steering control modules, if the first internal communication channel is in a normal state so that their mutual states are identified, and the identified mutual states are in a normal state, determine that one is an input-side primary steering control module and the other is an input-side redundant steering control module and control the input-side steering motor, and if the first internal communication channel is in an abnormal state so that their mutual states are not identified, but each state is in a normal state, determine that one is the input-side primary steering control module and the other is the input-side redundant steering control module according to the result of input-side role assignment arbitration by the first and second output-side steering control modules, received through the first and second external communication channels and control the input-side steering motor.

7. The steering assist device of claim 4 , wherein the first and second output-side steering control modules monitor their mutual states through the second internal communication channel to arbitrate the output-side role assignment, if the output-side role assignment succeeds, control the output-side steering motor according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration and, if the output-side role assignment fails, control the output-side steering motor according to the result of output-side role assignment arbitration by the first and second input-side steering control modules, received through the first and second external communication channels.

8. The steering assist device of claim 7 , wherein the first and second output-side steering control modules, if the second internal communication channel is in a normal state so that their mutual states are identified, and the identified mutual states are in a normal state, determine that one is an output-side primary steering control module and the other is an output-side redundant steering control module and control the output-side steering motor, and if the second internal communication channel is in an abnormal state so that their mutual states are not identified, but each state is in a normal state, determine that one is the output-side primary steering control module and the other is the output-side redundant steering control module according to the result of output-side role assignment arbitration by the first and second input-side steering control modules, received through the first and second external communication channels and control the output-side steering motor.

9. The steering assist device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an input-side steering motor including a single winding-type input-side steering motor or a dual-winding-type input-side steering motor; and

an output-side steering motor including a single winding-type output-side steering motor or a dual-winding-type output-side steering motor.

10. The steering assist device of claim 9 , wherein if the input-side steering motor includes the single winding-type input-side steering motor, and the output-side steering motor includes the single winding-type output-side steering motor, the first and second input-side steering control modules arbitrate input-side role assignment and determine that one is an input-side primary steering control module and the other is an input-side redundant steering control module according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the input-side primary steering control module controls the single winding-type input-side steering motor and, if the input-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the input-side redundant steering control module controls the single winding-type input-side steering motor instead of the input-side primary steering control module, and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate output-side role assignment and determine that one is an output-side primary steering control module and the other is an output-side redundant steering control module according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the output-side primary steering control module controls the single winding-type output-side steering motor and, if the output-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the output-side redundant steering control module controls the single winding-type output-side steering motor instead of the output-side primary steering control module.

11. The steering assist device of claim 9 , wherein if the input-side steering motor includes the single winding-type input-side steering motor, and the output-side steering motor includes the dual winding-type output-side steering motor, the first and second input-side steering control modules arbitrate input-side role assignment and determine that one is an input-side primary steering control module and the other is an input-side redundant steering control module according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the input-side primary steering control module controls the single winding-type input-side steering motor and, if the input-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the input-side redundant steering control module controls the single winding-type input-side steering motor instead of the input-side primary steering control module, and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate output-side role assignment and determine that one is an output-side primary steering control module and the other is an output-side redundant steering control module according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the output-side primary steering control module and the output-side redundant steering control module control the dual winding-type output-side steering motor and, if the output-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the output-side redundant steering control module controls the dual winding-type output-side steering motor.

12. The steering assist device of claim 9 , wherein if the input-side steering motor includes the dual winding-type input-side steering motor, and the output-side steering motor includes the single winding-type output-side steering motor, the first and second input-side steering control modules arbitrate input-side role assignment and determine that one is an input-side primary steering control module and the other is an input-side redundant steering control module according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the input-side primary steering control module and the input-side redundant steering control module control the dual winding-type input-side steering motor and, if the input-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the input-side redundant steering control module controls the dual winding-type input-side steering motor, and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate output-side role assignment and determine that one is an output-side primary steering control module and the other is an output-side redundant steering control module according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the output-side primary steering control module controls the single winding-type output-side steering motor and, if the output-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the output-side redundant steering control module controls the single winding-type output-side steering motor instead of the output-side primary steering control module.

13. The steering assist device of claim 9 , wherein if the input-side steering motor includes the dual winding-type input-side steering motor, and the output-side steering motor includes the dual winding-type output-side steering motor, the first and second input-side steering control modules arbitrate input-side role assignment and determine that one is an input-side primary steering control module and the other is an input-side redundant steering control module according to a result of input-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the input-side primary steering control module and the input-side redundant steering control module control the dual winding-type input-side steering motor and, if the input-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the input-side redundant steering control module controls the dual winding-type input-side steering motor, and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate output-side role assignment and determine that one is an output-side primary steering control module and the other is an output-side redundant steering control module according to a result of output-side role assignment arbitration, wherein the output-side primary steering control module and the output-side redundant steering control module control the dual winding-type output-side steering motor and, if the output-side primary steering control module switches to an abnormal state, the output-side redundant steering control module controls the dual winding-type output-side steering motor.

14. A steering assist method for assisting an input-side mechanism connected with a steering wheel and an output-side mechanism connected with a wheel, through first and second input-side steering control modules controlling an input-side steering motor connected with the input-side mechanism and first and second output-side steering control modules controlling an output-side steering motor connected with the output-side mechanism, the steering assist method comprising:

arbitrating role assignment through the first and second input-side steering control modules and the first and second output-side steering control modules; and

controlling a corresponding steering motor of the input-side steering motor and the output-side steering motor according to a result of role assignment arbitration through the first and second input-side steering control modules and the first and second output-side steering control modules.

15. A steering system, comprising:

a steering device including an input-side mechanism connected with a steering wheel and an output-side mechanism mechanically separated from the input-side mechanism and connected with a wheel; and

a steering assist device including first and second input-side steering control modules controlling an input-side steering motor to allow the input-side mechanism to be assisted; and first and second output-side steering control modules controlling an output-side steering motor to allow the output-side mechanism to be assisted, wherein the first and second input-side steering control modules and the first and second output-side steering control modules arbitrate role assignment and control a corresponding steering motor of the input-side steering motor and the output-side steering motor according to a result of arbitrating the role assignment.