# US 10,870,444 B2 · Control apparatus for power steering apparatus and power steering apparatus using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,444 B2 - Document ID: US10870444B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/079,491 - Filed: 2017-01-27 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-25 - Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Masaki Kashima; Yoshitaka Sugiyama; Masaki Itabashi; Tadashi Suganuma; Kazuya Yamano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870444B2 ## CPC - B62D 5/0463: {calculating assisting torque from the motor based on driver input} - H02M 7/5387: in a bridge configuration - H02M 7/5395: by pulse-width modulation - H02P 6/28: Arrangements for controlling current (H02P6/10 takes precedence) - H02P 21/06: Rotor flux based control involving the use of rotor position or rotor speed sensors - H02P 21/13: Observer control, e.g. using Luenberger observers or Kalman filters - H02P 21/22: Current control, e.g. using a current control loop - H02P 25/03: with brushless excitation - H02P 27/08: with pulse width modulation - H02P 27/12: pulsing by guiding the flux vector, current vector or voltage vector on a circle or a closed curve, e.g. for direct torque control - H03H 17/02: Frequency selective networks {(digital computers for complex mathematical operations G06F17/10)} - H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters - H02M 7/53871: {with automatic control of output voltage or current} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P) ## Abstract Provided is a control apparatus for a power steering apparatus, and a power steering apparatus using it that can reduce electromagnetic noise with the aid of a spread spectrum, thereby realizing stabilized motor control. The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus includes a PWM carrier period setting portion configured to set a natural number of PWM carrier periods within one period of a control period and also changeably set a length of the PWM carrier period, a motor current detection execution portion configured to detect a motor current during the control period, a motor rotational angle detection execution portion configured to detect a motor rotational angle during the control period, and an execution timing setting portion configured to set a timing at which the motor current is detected by the motor current detection execution portion or a timing at which the motor rotational angle is detected by the motor rotational angle detection execution portion, based on the control period set by the control period setting portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus for a power steering apparatus, the control apparatus being configured to drive and control a brushless motor configured to provide a steering force to a steering mechanism configured to turn a turning target wheel according to a steering operation performed on a steering wheel, the control apparatus comprising: a current instruction value calculation portion configured to calculate a current instruction value directed to the brushless motor according to a driving condition of a vehicle; a voltage instruction value calculation portion configured to calculate a voltage instruction value directed to the brushless motor based on the current instruction value; a PWM control portion configured to output a PWM duty signal to each phase of the brushless motor according to the voltage instruction value; a bridge circuit including a switching circuit configured to be driven and controlled by the PWM duty signal, the bridge circuit being configured to drive and control the brushless motor; a control period setting portion configured to changeably set a control period, the control period being a period based on which the control apparatus performs a control operation; a PWM carrier period setting portion configured to set a natural number of PWM carrier periods within one period of the control period, the PWM carrier period being a period based on which the PWM duty signal is switched between on and off, the PWM carrier period setting portion being further configured to changeably set a length of the PWM carrier period; a motor current detection execution portion configured to detect a motor current, which is a current flowing in the brushless motor, during the control period; a motor rotational angle detection execution portion configured to detect a motor rotational angle, which is a rotational angle of a rotor of the brushless motor, during the control period; an execution timing setting portion configured to set a timing at which the motor current is detected by the motor current detection execution portion or a timing at which the motor rotational angle is detected by the motor rotational angle detection execution portion, based on the control period set by the control period setting portion; and a motor rotational angle estimation portion configured to estimate the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected by the motor current detection execution portion, based on the control period set by the control period setting portion and the motor rotational angle detected by the motor rotational angle detection execution portion, wherein the current instruction value calculation portion is configured to calculate the current instruction value based on the motor current and the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a digital filtering processing portion configured to perform filtering processing on a signal of the motor current or a signal of the motor rotational angle, wherein the digital filtering processing portion is configured to set a cutoff frequency to be used when the filtering processing is performed, based on the control period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the current instruction value calculation portion is configured to calculate the current instruction value by PI control based on the motor current, and to set an integration gain in the PI control based on the control period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switching timing setting portion configured to set a timing at which the PWM duty signal is switched between on and off, wherein the switching timing setting portion is configured to set the switching timing based on the control period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the PWM carrier frequency setting portion is configured to set the PWM carrier period according to a state of the steering operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control apparatus for the power steering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the PWM carrier frequency setting portion is configured to set the PWM carrier period to a specific period, and subsequently, set the PWM carrier period so as to change the PWM carrier period into each of a shorter period and a longer period than the specific period across the specific period. ### Claim 7 A power steering apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism configured to turn a turning target wheel according to a steering operation performed on a steering wheel; a brushless motor configured to provide a steering force to the steering mechanism; and a control apparatus configured to drive and control the brushless motor, the control apparatus including a current instruction value calculation portion configured to calculate a current instruction value directed to the brushless motor according to a driving condition of a vehicle; a voltage instruction value calculation portion configured to calculate a voltage instruction value directed to the brushless motor based on the current instruction value; a PWM control portion configured to output a PWM duty signal to each phase of the brushless motor according to the voltage instruction value; a bridge circuit including a switching circuit configured to be driven and controlled by the PWM duty signal, the bridge circuit being configured to drive and control the brushless motor; a control period setting portion configured to changeably set a control period, the control period being a period based on which the control apparatus performs a control operation; a PWM carrier period setting portion configured to set a natural number of PWM carrier periods within one period of the control period, the PWM carrier period being a period based on which the PWM duty signal is switched between on and off, the PWM carrier period setting portion being further configured to changeably set a length of the PWM carrier period; a motor current detection execution portion configured to detect a motor current, which is a current flowing in the brushless motor, during the control period; a motor rotational angle detection execution portion configured to detect a motor rotational angle, which is a rotational angle of a rotor of the brushless motor, during the control period; an execution timing setting portion configured to set a timing at which the motor current is detected by the motor current detection execution portion or a timing at which the motor rotational angle is detected by the motor rotational angle detection execution portion, based on the control period set by the control period setting portion; and a motor rotational angle estimation portion configured to estimate the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected by the motor current detection execution portion, based on the control period set by the control period setting portion and the motor rotational angle detected by the motor rotational angle detection execution portion, wherein the current instruction value calculation portion is configured to calculate the current instruction value based on the motor current and the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power steering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control apparatus further includes a digital filtering processing portion configured to perform filtering processing on a signal of the motor current or a signal of the motor rotational angle, and wherein the digital filtering processing portion is configured to set a cutoff frequency to be used when the filtering processing is performed, based on the control period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power steering apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the current instruction value calculation portion is configured to calculate the current instruction value by PI control based on the motor current, and set an integration gain in the PI control based on the control period. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The power steering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control apparatus further includes a switching timing setting portion configured to set a timing at which the PWM duty signal is switched between on and off, and wherein the switching timing setting portion is configured to set the switching timing based on the control period. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The power steering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the PWM carrier frequency setting portion is configured to set the PWM carrier period according to a state of the steering operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The power steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the PWM carrier frequency setting portion is configured to set the PWM carrier period to a specific period, and subsequently set the PWM carrier period so as to change the PWM carrier period into each of a shorter period and a longer period than the specific period across the specific period. ### Claim 13 A system to control a brushless motor for power steering, the system comprising: a control apparatus configured to calculate a current instruction value for the brushless motor according to a driving condition of a vehicle; calculate a voltage instruction value for the brushless motor based on the current instruction value; output a pulse width modulation (PWM) duty signal to each phase of the brushless motor according to the voltage instruction value; set a control period based on which the control apparatus performs a control operation; set a natural number of PWM carrier periods within one period of the control period, at least one PWM carrier period of the PWM carrier periods being a period based on which the PWM duty signal is switched between an on state and an off state, and set a length of the at least one PWM carrier period; detect a motor current and a motor rotational angle of the brushless motor during the control period; set a timing at which the motor current or the motor rotational angle is detected, based on the set control period; estimate the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected, based on the set control period and the detected motor rotational angle; and calculate the current instruction value based on the motor current and the motor rotational angle when the motor current is detected, and a bridge circuit configured to control the brushless motor, the bridge circuit including a switching circuit configured to be driven and controlled by the PWM duty signal.