US 11,628,874 B2 · Method and apparatus for “hands-on” identification on steering systems

Abstract

A method for “hands-on” identification on a steering system having two subsystems connected to one another by an elastic connection. The elastic connection has a static friction state and a sliding friction state for a respective set of external state variables. The steering system is excited by an excitation vibration, which is generated by a controllable vibration generator and has a respective excitation amplitude and a respective excitation frequency, for a respective set of external state variables, in which the respective excitation amplitude and the respective excitation frequency for the currently present set of external state variables are taken from a prescribed table and the vibration generator is controlled with them. A reaction torque to the excitation vibration is measured using a sensor. A phase difference between the excitation vibration and the reaction torque is calculated to identify a “hands-off” state as well as a “hands-on” state.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for hands-on identification on a steering system having at least two subsystems which are connected to one another by at least one elastic connection, in which the at least one elastic connection has at least one respective static friction state and one respective sliding friction state for a respective set of external state variables, the method comprising:

exciting the steering system by an excitation vibration, which is generated by a controllable vibration generator and has a respective excitation amplitude and a respective excitation frequency, for a respective set of external state variables,
taking the respective excitation amplitude and the respective excitation frequency from a table for a currently present set of external state variables;
controlling the vibration generator based on the respective excitation amplitude and the respective excitation frequency,
measuring a reaction torque to the excitation vibration using a sensor,
calculating a phase difference between the excitation vibration and the reaction torque, and
either identifying a hands-off state by a value of the phase difference that is between 0° and 90°, or identifying a hands-on state by a value of the phase difference that is between 90° and 180°.

3 more elements

An apparatus for hands-on identification on a steering system, said apparatus comprising:

a vibration generator, a vibration sensor and at least two subsystems, wherein the at least two subsystems are connected to one another by at least one elastic connection, wherein the at least one elastic connection has at least one respective static friction state and one respective sliding friction state for a respective set of external state variables,
wherein the apparatus is configured to (i) excite the steering system by an excitation vibration, which is generated by the controllable vibration generator and has a respective excitation amplitude and a respective excitation frequency, for a respective set of external state variables, (ii) take the respective excitation amplitude and the respective excitation frequency from a table for the currently present set of external state variables and to control the vibration generator with the respective excitation amplitude and the respective excitation frequency, (iii) measure a reaction torque to the excitation vibration using the vibration sensor, (iv) calculate a phase difference between the excitation vibration and the reaction torque, and (v) either establish a hands-off state by a value of the phase difference of between 0° and 90°, or establish a hands-on state by a value of the phase difference of between 90° and 180°.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for “hands-on” identification on steering systems

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for “hands-on” identification on steering systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10