Stall thermal protection for force feedback actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227235-B2
Application number	US-202217843477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 18, 2021
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A method includes receiving motor velocity data, and, in response to a determination that the motor velocity data indicates that a velocity of a motor is below a threshold velocity: calculating a thermal metric corresponding to a phase imbalance of the motor; identifying at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric; generating at least one thermal management motor position command based on the at least one thermal mitigation parameter; and selectively controlling the motor according to the thermal management motor position command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preventing motor operation in motor positions having unbalanced phase currents, the method comprising:
receiving motor velocity data; and
in response to a determination that the motor velocity data indicates that a velocity of a motor is below a threshold velocity:
calculating a thermal metric corresponding to a phase imbalance of the motor;
identifying at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric;
generating at least one thermal management motor position command based on the at least one thermal mitigation parameter; and
selectively controlling the motor according to the thermal management motor position command.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using an open loop control to generate a motor torque command based on the thermal management motor position command, and selectively controlling the motor further according to the motor torque command.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the thermal management motor position command by combining the thermal management motor position command with a measured handwheel position.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
using the modified thermal management motor position command to generate a motor torque command; and
selectively controlling the motor further according to the motor torque command.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively controlling the motor according to the thermal management motor position command includes modifying at least one phase voltage of the motor based on the thermal management motor position command.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold velocity includes a calibratable threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric includes using at least one look-up table associated with the thermal metric.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motor is associated with a steering system of a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the steering system includes a steer-by-wire steering system.

10. A system for preventing motor operation in motor positions having unbalanced phase currents, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive motor velocity data; and
in response to a determination that the motor velocity data indicates that a velocity of a motor is below a threshold velocity:
calculate a thermal metric corresponding to a phase imbalance of the motor;
identify at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric;
generate at least one thermal management motor position command based on the at least one thermal mitigation parameter; and
selectively control the motor according to the thermal management motor position command.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to use an open loop control to generate a motor torque command based on the thermal management motor position command, and selectively control the motor further according to the motor torque command.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
modify the thermal management motor position command by combining the thermal management motor position command with a measured handwheel position;
use the modified thermal management motor position command to generate a motor torque command; and
selectively control the motor further according to the motor torque command.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein selectively controlling the motor according to the thermal management motor position command includes modifying at least one phase voltage of the motor based on the thermal management motor position command.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the threshold velocity includes a calibratable threshold.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein identifying the at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric includes using at least one look-up table associated with the thermal metric.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the motor is associated with a steering system of a vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the steering system includes a steer-by-wire steering system.

18. An apparatus for preventing motor operation in motor positions having unbalanced phase currents, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive motor velocity data; and
in response to a determination that the motor velocity data indicates that a velocity of a motor is below a threshold velocity:
calculate a thermal metric corresponding to a phase imbalance of the motor;
identify, using at least one look-up table associated with the thermal metric, at least one thermal mitigation parameter based on the thermal metric;
generate at least one thermal management motor position command based on the at least one thermal mitigation parameter;
modify the thermal management motor position command by combining the thermal management motor position command with a measured handwheel position; and
selectively control the motor according to the modified thermal management motor position command.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the motor is associated with a steering system of a vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the steering system includes a steer-by-wire steering system.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Stutts Thomas J
• Eickholt Michael A
• Collier-Hallman Steven J
• Kleinau Julie A
• Pramod Prerit

Classifications

• B62D5/046

  Controlling the motor · CPC title

• B62D6/008

  Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications · CPC title

• B62D5/006

  power actuated · CPC title

• B62D6/00

  Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) · CPC title

• B62D5/0469

  End-of-stroke control · CPC title