Method and assembly for validity-checking and/or (re)initializing rear wheel steering

A method for performing a plausibility checking of a sensor and, in an event that decalibration of the sensor is detected, performing a reinitializing of the sensor of a rear wheel steering system of a vehicle, the method being carried out with an assembly having a rear wheel steering unit with at least one rear wheel actuator for setting a rear-wheel steering angle of a rear axle and a sensor for detecting a set position of the rear wheel actuator, at least one reference sensor system for detecting a reference signal, and an electronic control unit for carrying out the plausibility checking of the sensor and, when the decalibration of the sensor is detected, the electronic control unit performing reinitialization of the sensor of the rear wheel steering system so that the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator again correctly identifies the rear-wheel steering angle of the rear axle and, when recalibration is not possible, determining that the sensor is faulty, the reference sensor system is part of a vehicle unit, which is separate and distinct from and external to the rear wheel steering unit which is associated with the rear axle, the reference sensor system is designed to detect a reference signal that depends on a status of the vehicle, and by way of the electronic control unit and with reference to the vehicle-status-dependent reference signal, the electronic control unit determining at least one of a reference value and a reference vehicle status which is compared with an actual value of the sensor of the rear wheel steering system, during the at least one of the plausibility check of the sensor and the reinitialization of the sensor of the rear wheel steering system is carried out to determine whether or not the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator is functioning correctly, the method comprising:

• detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator via the sensor;
• detecting the reference signal that depends on the status of the vehicle by the reference sensor system which is part of the vehicle unit but is separate and distinct from and external to the rear wheel steering unit associated with the rear axle;
• determining at least one of a reference value and a reference vehicle status;
• providing the reference sensor system including at least one environment sensor, positioning on each side of a vehicle incorporating the assembly, for providing real-time information about a distance of the vehicle from left-hand and right-hand boundaries of a road, with each environment sensor being associated with the vehicle unit to assist with performing the plausibility checking and calibration;
• carrying out the plausibility check of the sensor with the electronic control unit by comparing at least one of the reference value and the reference vehicle status, determinable by a mathematical model, with an actual value detected by an actual-value sensor to determine whether or not the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator is functioning correctly;
• and
• when the electronic control unit determines, during the plausibility check of the sensor, that the sensor is not functioning correctly, initiating a rough and a fine recalibration of the sensor, via the electronic control unit, so that, following the rough and the fine recalibrations of the sensor, the sensor again correctly detects the set position of the rear wheel actuator, while if the sensor is determined by the electronic control unit to be faulty, then the rear axle steering system is switched off.

An assembly for performing plausibility checking of a sensor and, in an event that decalibration of the sensor is detected, performing a reinitializing of the sensor of a rear wheel steering system of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

• a rear wheel steering unit with at least one rear wheel actuator for setting a rear-wheel steering angle of a rear axle,
• the sensor for detecting a set position of the rear wheel actuator,
• at least one reference sensor system for detecting a reference signal,
• an electronic control unit for carrying out the plausibility checking of the sensor and, when the decalibration of the sensor is detected, the electronic control unit performing reinitialization of the sensor of the rear wheel steering system so that the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator again correctly identifies the rear-wheel steering angle of the rear axle and, when recalibration is not possible, determining that the sensor is faulty,
• the reference sensor system being part of a vehicle unit, which is separate and distinct from and external to and thus not included as part of the rear wheel steering unit which is associated with the rear axle, the reference sensor system being designed to detect a reference signal that depends on a status of the vehicle, the electronic control unit determining, with reference to the vehicle-status-dependent reference signal, at least one of a reference value and a reference vehicle status, and the electronic control unit carrying out the plausibility check of the sensor by comparing one of the reference value and the reference vehicle status with an actual value of the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator to determine whether or not the sensor for detecting the set position of the rear wheel actuator is functioning correctly,
• the reference sensor system including at least one environment sensor, being positioned on each side of a vehicle incorporating the assembly, for providing real-time information about a distance of the vehicle from left-hand and right-hand boundaries of a road, and each environment sensor being associated with the vehicle unit to assist with performing the plausibility checking and calibration, and the at least one environment sensor positioned on each side of a vehicle facilitates detection of an orientation of the vehicle relative to the road so that the assembly can determine whether the vehicle is traveling one of parallel or crabwise relative to the road, and
• when the electronic control unit determines, during the plausibility check of the sensor, that the sensor is not functioning correctly, the electronic control unit initiates recalibration of the sensor so that, following the rough and the fine recalibrations of the sensor, the sensor again correctly detects the set position of the rear wheel actuator, while if the sensor is determined by the electronic control unit to be faulty, then the rear axle steering system is switched off.