Method and a system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751557-B2
Application number	US-200913381227-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2009
Priority date	Jun 29, 2009
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation by providing the driver with a desired steering feel. The method includes determining a desired steering device guiding force including a part representing a desired friction in a steering arrangement, and providing the driver with the desired steering feel based on the determined steering device guiding force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation by providing the driver with a desired steering feel in a mechanical steering arrangement, where the mechanical steering arrangement comprises a steering device, at least one ground engagement member, and a mechanical connection between the steering device and the at least one ground engagement member, comprising the steps of
determining a desired steering device guiding force comprising a part representing a desired friction in a steering arrangement, wherein the desired steering device guiding force is determined by at least one predetermined friction model of the desired friction in the vehicle steering arrangement, and
providing the driver with the desired steering feel based on the determined steering device guiding force,
wherein the friction model represents friction between a flexible element and the steering device in the steering arrangement, wherein the flexible element is configured for a relative displacement in a circumferential direction about a steering axis, which displacement is generated between an upper and a lower shaft of the steering arrangement.

2. A method according to claim 1 , comprising providing the driver with the desired steering feel by applying a final steering device guiding force based on the desired steering device guiding force to a manually operated steering device.

3. A method according to claim 2 , comprising the step of
determining an actual force to the steering device resulting from an actual vehicle steering arrangement during operation, and
determining a value of a final steering device guiding force to be applied to the steering device by subtracting a value of the determined actual force from a value of the determined desired steering device guiding force.

4. A method according to claim 1 , comprising at least suppressing a driver steering feel from the influence of friction in a steering arrangement in the vehicle, which is configured to steer at least one ground engaging member.

5. A system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation by providing the driver with a desired steering feel in a mechanical steering arrangement, the mechanical steering arrangement comprising a steering device, at least one ground engagement member, and a mechanical connection between the steering device and the at least one ground engagement member, comprising
means for determining a desired steering device guiding force comprising a part representing a desired friction in a steering arrangement, wherein the means for determining the desired steering device guiding force comprises at least one predetermined friction model of the desired friction in the vehicle steering arrangement, and means for providing the driver with the desired steering feel based on the determined steering device guiding force,
wherein the friction model represents friction between a flexible element and the steering device in the steering arrangement, wherein the flexible element is configured for a relative displacement in a circumferential direction about a steering axis, which displacement is generated between an upper and a lower shaft of the steering arrangement.

6. A method according to claim 1 , comprising the step of determining the steering device guiding force based on an input representing a steering angle.

7. A system according to claim 5 , comprising means for suppressing a driver steering feel from the influence of friction in a steering arrangement in the vehicle, which is configured to steer at least one ground engaging member.

8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for suppressing a driver steering feel comprises a feedback loop.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the friction model is configured to not represent the friction between an actuator for applying the steering device guiding force to the steering device and the flexible element in the steering arrangement.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible element forms a torsion bar.

11. A system according to claim 5 , wherein the means for determining the desired steering device guiding force comprises a controller and the means for providing the driver with the desired steering feel comprises an actuator.

Assignees

• Svensson Jan-Inge
• Pohl Jochen
• Ragnhult Sten
• Hultén Johan
• Volvo Lastvagnar Ab

Inventors

• Svensson Jan-Inge
• Pohl Jochen
• Ragnhult Sten
• Hultén Johan

Classifications

• B62D5/0463

  calculating assisting torque from the motor based on driver input · CPC title

• B62D6/008 Primary

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

• B62D5/001

  Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup · CPC title