# US 11,440,580 B2 · Electric power steering apparatus and control method for the same, apparatus for synchronization dual steering motor and method i'hereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,580 B2 - Document ID: US11440580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/425,895 - Filed: 2019-05-29 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-01 - Assignees: Mando Corporation - Applicants: Mando Corporation - Inventors: Jung-Yeol Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440580B2 ## CPC - B62D 5/0406: {including housing for electronic control unit} - B62D 5/0409: {Electric motor acting on the steering column} - B62D 3/04: of worm type - B62D 5/0463: {calculating assisting torque from the motor based on driver input} - 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) ## Abstract An electric power steering apparatus includes a first motor configured to provide a force for movement of a rack; a second motor configured to provide a force for movement of the rack in synchronized with the first motor; a torque angle sensor configured to detect a torque value and a steering angle according to steering of a steering wheel; at least one sensor configured to detect an operation state of the first motor and an operation state of the second motor; and a controller configured to control the operation of the first motor and the second motor in accordance with the steering of the steering wheel and to control the operation of the first motor and the second motor based on the torque value, the steering angle, the operation state of the first motor and the operation state of the second motor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric power steering apparatus comprising: a first motor configured to provide a force for movement of a rack; a second motor configured to provide a force for movement of the rack in synchronized with the first motor; a torque angle sensor configured to detect a torque value and a steering angle according to a steering of a steering wheel; at least one sensor configured to detect an operation state of the first motor and an operation state of the second motor; and a controller configured to control an operation of the first motor and the second motor in accordance with the steering of the steering wheel and to control the operation of the first motor and the second motor based on the torque value, the steering angle, the operation state of the first motor and the operation state of the second motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric power steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first motor and the second motor is operable to transmit a force to a ball screw of a second reducer having a power transmission structure using the ball screw and a ball nut through a first reducer having a power transmission structure by an engagement of a worm and a worm wheel, so that the force is transmitted to the rack. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric power steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller drives only the first motor by increasing an assist torque for the first motor if only the first motor among the first motor and the second motor is required to be driven according to the torque value and the steering angle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric power steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to drive the second motor by ramping up or exponentially increasing the current applied to the second motor if it is detected that the operation state of the first motor is abnormal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electric power steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to drive the second motor by ramping up or exponentially increasing the current applied to the second motor if output of the first motor is extinguished. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric power steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to, if output of one of the first motor and the second motor is reduced, ramps up or exponentially increase the current applied to the other motor whose output is not reduced thereby increasing the output of the other motor. ### Claim 7 A control method of an electric power steering apparatus comprising: operating a first motor for providing a force for movement of a rack and a second motor for providing a force for movement of the rack in synchronized with the first motor; detecting a torque value and a steering angle according to a steering of a steering wheel; detecting an operation state of the first motor and an operation state of the second motor; and controlling an operation of the first motor and the second motor based on the torque value, the steering angle, the operation state of the first motor and the operation state of the second motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control method of the electric power steering apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controlling the operation of the first motor and the second motor is configured to drive only the first motor by increasing an assist torque for the first motor if only the first motor among the first motor and the second motor is required to be driven according to the torque value and the steering angle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control method the electric power steering apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controlling the operation of the first motor and the second motor is configured to drive the second motor by ramping up or exponentially increasing the current applied to the second motor if it is detected that the operation state of the first motor is abnormal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The control method of the electric power steering apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controlling the operation of the first motor and the second motor is configured to drive the second motor by ramping up or exponentially increasing the current applied to the second motor if output of the first motor is extinguished. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The control method of the electric power steering apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controlling the operation of the first motor and the second motor is configured to, if output of one of the first motor and the second motor is reduced, ramps up or exponentially increase the current applied to the other motor whose output is not reduced thereby increasing the output of the other motor. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for synchronizing a steering assist motor comprising: a receiver configured to receive a steering angle speed information, a first motor RPM information and a second motor RPM information for a first motor and a second motor as steering assist motors from a sensor mounted to a vehicle; an abnormality occurrence determiner configured to determine an RPM synchronization of the first motor and the second motor according to a comparison result of the first motor RPM information and the second motor RPM information, to determine an existence of an abnormality occurrence motor, and to determines the abnormality occurrence motor; an additional torque determiner configured to determine, if one of the first motor and the second motor is the abnormality occurrence motor, an additional torque to be applied to the abnormality occurrence motor based on at least one of steering angle speed motor output matching table information predetermined for each motor, the first motor RPM information, the second motor RPM information or the steering angle speed information; and a motor current controller configured to control a current to be applied to the abnormality occurrence motor based on the additional torque. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 12, wherein the abnormality occurrence determiner determines the second motor to be the abnormality occurrence motor if the first motor RPM information exceeds the second motor RPM information, and the abnormality occurrence determiner determines the first motor to be the abnormality occurrence motor if the first motor RPM information is less than the second motor RPM information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 12, wherein the steering angle speed motor output matching table information includes a normal motor output torque information and a normal motor output RPM information mapped by each steering angle speed which may be generated in the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 14, wherein the additional torque determiner determines the additional torque based on the steering angle speed motor output matching table information so that the RPM information output from the abnormality occurrence motor is matched with the normal motor output RPM information mapped to the steering angle speed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 15, wherein the additional torque determiner verifies the normal motor output RPM information and the normal motor output torque information corresponding to the steering angle speed information using the steering angle speed motor output matching table information of the abnormality occurrence motor, the additional torque determiner calculates an RPM difference information which is a difference between the first motor RPM information and the second motor RPM information and determines the additional torque based on the RPM difference information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 16, wherein the additional torque determiner determines the additional torque as a value multiplying the value obtained by dividing the RPM difference information by the normal motor output RPM information into the normal motor output torque information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 12, wherein the motor current controller controls to convert the additional torque into an additional current to be applied to the abnormality occurrence motor by using a predetermined conversion value for the vehicle and supply the additional current to the abnormality occurrence motor. ### Claim 19 A method for synchronizing a steering assist motor comprising: Receiving a steering angle speed information, a first motor RPM information and a second motor RPM information for a first motor and a second motor as steering assist motors from a sensor mounted to a vehicle; determining an RPM synchronization of the first motor and the second motor according to a comparison result of the first motor RPM information and the second motor RPM information, determining an existence of an abnormality occurrence motor, and determining the abnormality occurrence motor; determining, if one of the first motor and the second motor is the abnormality occurrence motor, an additional torque to be applied to the abnormality occurrence motor based on at least one of steering angle speed motor output matching table information predetermined for each motor, the first motor RPM information, the second motor RPM information or the steering angle speed information; and controlling current to be applied to the abnormality occurrence motor based on the additional torque. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method apparatus for synchronizing the steering assist motor of claim 19, wherein the steering angle speed motor output matching table information includes a normal motor output torque information and a normal motor output RPM information mapped by each steering angle speed which may be generated in the vehicle, and the determining the additional torque further comprising: verifying the normal motor output RPM information and the normal motor output torque information corresponding to the steering angle speed information using the steering angle speed motor output matching table information of the abnormality occurrence motor; calculating an RPM difference information which is a difference between the first motor RPM information and the second motor RPM information; and determining the additional torque based on the RPM difference information.