Granted Patent B2

US 12,240,545 · App. 18/070,925 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Inventor: Dong Hee Kim (Yongin-si, KR)

Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.

B62D6/002B62D5/0481G01M17/06

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus in a steer-by-wire (SBW) steering system, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor unit configured to detect information for diagnosing a steering angle alignment error between a steer-side upper system and a wheel-side lower system in the SBW steering system through a plurality of sensors provided in the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system; and

one or more processors configured to execute one or more instructions to:

diagnose the steering angle alignment error between the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system on a basis of the information detected by the sensor unit; and

correct the steering angle alignment error in real time,

wherein the instructions further comprise:

detecting a steering angle range during vehicle steering;

comparing the steering angle range with a steerable range, the steerable range including one of a mechanically designed steerable range or a steerable range set by software; and

adjusting the steerable range by an excess amount of the steering angle range in a direction to correct the steering angle alignment error if the steering angle range exceeds the one of the mechanically designed steerable range or the steerable range set by software.

2. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise:

repeatedly adjusting the steerable range by a predetermined angle for safety during a correction of the steering angle alignment error; and

determining that the steering angle alignment error has been corrected if an entire steering angle range matches one of the mechanically designed steerable range or the steerable range set by software.

3. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions to diagnose further comprise:

diagnosing whether the steering angle alignment error occurs when one of a first limit of the mechanically designed steerable range or a second limit of the steerable range set by software is recognized in one of a left direction or a right direction of either one of the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system; and

checking which of the first limit or the second limit was reached first, and

wherein the instructions to correct further comprise:

in a first case in which the first limit was reached, when an excess torque occurs beyond the steering angle of the steer-side upper system in a state of reaching the first limit, commanding a wheel-side steering position to be shifted by a predetermined angle; and

shifting an alignment position of the steer-side upper system by the predetermined angle in an excess torque direction, the excess torque direction being a direction in which the excess torque has occurred, responsive to when a wheel-side steering angle is increased while a steer-side steering angle limit of a steer-side steering angle is maintained according to the commanding.

4. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions further comprise correcting the steering angle alignment error until the wheel-side steering angle is no longer increased while the steer-side steering angle limit is maintained.

5. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions to correct further comprise:

in a second case in which the second limit was reached first and when steer-side excess torque occurs beyond the steering angle of the wheel-side lower system in a state of reaching a wheel-side limit position, allowing the steer-side steering range to be shifted by a predetermined excess limit beyond the wheel-side limit position; and

shifting the alignment position of the steer-side upper system by the predetermined excess limit when the steer-side steering angle is increased while a limit of the wheel-side steering angle is maintained.

6. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the predetermined excess limit for the steer-side steering range is allowed in one of a proportion to a time for which the steer-side excess torque is maintained or by a predetermined angle whenever the steer-side excess torque occurs again in a same direction after the steer-side excess torque is released.

7. The steering angle diagnosis and correction apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the instructions to correct further comprise correcting the steering angle alignment error until the steer-side steering angle is no longer increased while the limit of the wheel-side steering angle is maintained.

8. A steering angle diagnosis and correction method in a steer-by-wire (SBW) steering system, the method comprising:

detecting, by a processor, information for diagnosing a steering angle alignment error between a steer-side upper system and a wheel-side lower system in the SBW steering system through a plurality of sensors provided in the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system; and

diagnosing and correcting, by the processor, the steering angle alignment error between the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system in real time on a basis of the information detected by the plurality of sensors,

wherein, in the diagnosing and correcting of the steering angle alignment error between the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system, the processor is configured to:

detect a steering angle range during vehicle steering;

compare the steering angle range with a mechanically designed steerable range or a steerable range sel by software; and

if the detected steering angle range exceeds the mechanically designed steerable range or the steerable range set by software, adjust the steerable range by an excess amount for a direction and an angle to correct the steering angle alignment error.

9. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 8 , wherein in the correction of the steering angle alignment error, the processor is configured to:

repeatedly adjust the steerable range by a predetermined amount for safety upon the correction of the steering angle alignment error; and

if an entire detected steering angle range matches the mechanically designed steerable range or the steerable range set by software, determine that the steering angle alignment error has been corrected.

10. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 8 , wherein in the correction of the steering angle alignment error, the processor is configured to

diagnose an occurrence of the steering angle alignment error when a limit of the mechanically designed steerable range or the steerable range set by software is recognized in a left or right direction of the steer-side upper system and wheel-side lower system and the steerable range is reduced;

correct the steering angle alignment error by checking which system has reached the limit first; and

in a case the checked system is the steer-side upper system, when excess torque occurs beyond the steering angle of the steer-side upper system in a state of reaching the limit, commanding a wheel-side steering position to be shifted by a predetermined amount; and

when a wheel-side steering angle is increased while the limit of a steer-side steering angle is maintained according to the command, shifting an alignment position of the steer-side upper system by the predetermined amount in a direction in which the excess torque has occurred.

11. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to correct the steering angle alignment error until the wheel-side steering angle is no longer increased while the limit of the steer-side steering angle is maintained.

12. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 10 , wherein in the correction of the steering angle alignment error, when the system that has reached the limit first is the wheel-side lower system, the processor is configured to:

correct the steering angle alignment error by, when steer-side excess torque occurs beyond the steering angle of the wheel-side lower system in a state of reaching the limit, allowing the steer-side steering range to be shifted by a predetermined excess limit beyond a wheel-side limit position; and

when the steer-side steering angle is increased while the limit of the wheel-side steering angle is maintained, shifting the alignment position of the steer-side upper system by the allowed predetermined steer-side excess limit.

13. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 12 , wherein the steer-side excess limit for the steer-side steering range is allowed in proportion to a time for which the steer-side excess torque is maintained, or is allowed by a predetermined angle whenever the steer-side excess torque occurs again in a same direction after the steer-side excess torque is released.

14. The steering angle diagnosis and correction method according to claim 12 , wherein in the correction of the steering angle alignment error, the processor is configured to correct the steering angle alignment error until the steer-side steering angle is no longer increased while the limit of the wheel-side steering angle is maintained.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)