IP Library Granted Patent US 12,600,403
Granted Patent B2
US 12,600,403 · App. 18/578,051 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Method for checking a steer-by-wire steering system, steering system, and vehicle

Inventor: Habeeb Khan Pathan (Erlangen, DE)
Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
B62D5/0481B62D5/001B62D5/006B62D5/0484B62D5/0487
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,600,403
App. No.
18/578,051
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for checking a steer-by-wire steering system that includes a steering device, a steering wheel, an actuator configured to exert a torque on the steering wheel, and a control unit configured to correlate a steering wheel angle of the steering wheel with a steering angle of the steering device The method comprises the following steps: i) the actuator is controlled in a closed-loop manner such that the steering wheel angle is correlated with a desired angle and a temporal progression of a state variable of the steering wheel and/or of the actuator is determined; ii) a frequency spectrum of the temporal progression of the state variable is determined and an amplitude of a predefined spectral component of the frequency spectrum is determined; and, iii) a state of the mechanical coupling is classified depending on the amplitude of the spectral component.

Claims (34)

1 . A method for checking a steer-by-wire steering system, the steering system comprising a steering device configured to be connected to vehicle wheels, a steering wheel, an actuator configured to exert a torque on the steering wheel via a mechanical coupling, and a control unit configured to adjust a steering wheel angle of the steering wheel to correlate with a steering angle of the steering device via controlling of the actuator, the method comprising:

controlling, in a control step, the actuator of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel angle is correlated with a desired angle and a temporal progression of a state variable of the steering wheel is determined;

determining, in an analysis step, a frequency spectrum of the temporal progression of the state variable and an amplitude of a predefined spectral component of the frequency spectrum, the predefined spectral component corresponding to a state of the mechanical coupling; and

classifying, in a classification step, a state of the mechanical coupling based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in an adjustment step following the classification step, a control parameter for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in a display step following the classification step, a degree of degradation of the mechanical coupling is displayed.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state variable is a torque of the steering wheel.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical coupling is a gear set.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the frequency spectrum is determined via a fast Fourier transformation.

7 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the controlling of the actuator depends on: i) a difference between the steering wheel angle and the desired angle, and ii) a rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the control parameter is a first amplification factor configured to amplify the difference between the steering wheel angle and the desired angle, and, in the adjustment step, a second amplification factor for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle.

9 . A steer-by-wire steering system comprising:

a steering device connected to vehicle wheels,

a steering wheel,

an actuator configured to exert a torque on the steering wheel via a mechanical coupling, and

a control unit configured such that:

in a control step, the actuator is controlled by the control unit such that a steering wheel angle correlates with a desired angle, and the control unit is configured to determine a temporal progression of a state variable of at least one of the steering wheel and the actuator, and controlling of the actuator depends on: i) a difference between the steering wheel and the desired angle, and ii) a rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle;

in an analysis step, the control unit determines a frequency spectrum of the temporal progression of the state variable and determines an amplitude of a predefined spectral component of the frequency spectrum; and

in a classification step, of the control unit classifies a state of the mechanical coupling is carried out based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component; and

in an adjustment step: i) a control parameter for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component, and the control parameter is a first amplification factor configured to amplify the difference between the steering wheel angle and the desired angle, and ii) a second amplification factor for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle.

10 . A vehicle comprising a steer-by-wire steering system according to claim 9 .

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state variable is an angle of rotation of the steering wheel.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical coupling is a worm gear set.

13 . A method for checking a steer-by-wire steering system, the steering system comprising a steering device configured to be connected to vehicle wheels, a steering wheel, an actuator configured to exert a torque on the steering wheel via a mechanical coupling, and a control unit configured to adjust a steering wheel angle of the steering wheel to correlate with a steering angle of the steering device via controlling of the actuator, the method comprising:

controlling, in a control step, the actuator of the steering wheel so that the steering wheel angle is correlated with a desired angle and a temporal progression of a state variable of the actuator is determined;

determining, in an analysis step, a frequency spectrum of the temporal progression of the state variable and an amplitude of a predefined spectral component of the frequency spectrum, the predefined spectral component corresponding to a state of the mechanical coupling; and

classifying, in a classification step, a state of the mechanical coupling based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the state variable is a torque of the actuator.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the state variable is an angle of rotation of the actuator.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the frequency spectrum is determined via a fast Fourier transformation.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein in an adjustment step following the classification step, a control parameter for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the amplitude of the predefined spectral component.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein in a display step following the classification step, a degree of degradation of the mechanical coupling is displayed.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the controlling of the actuator depends on: i) a difference between the steering wheel angle and the desired angle, and ii) a rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the control parameter is a first amplification factor configured to amplify the difference between the steering wheel angle and the desired angle, and, in the adjustment step, a second amplification factor for the controlling of the actuator is adjusted based on the rate of change over time of the steering wheel angle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2024
From: PATHAN, HABEEB KAHN
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 066077/0961 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 118 346.4 · Jul 15, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240317300A1 · Sep 26, 2024
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