# US 12,600,407 B2 · Steering control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,407 B2 - Document ID: US12600407B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/668,503 - Filed: 2024-05-20 - Published: 2024-12-05 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-29 - Assignees: Jtekt Corporation; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Jtekt Corporation; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kaishi Monobe; Kenichi Abe; Yuuta Kajisawa; Kazuma Hasegawa; Takashi Koudai; Mika Ikeya; Masaharu Yamashita; Shintaro Takayama; Yosuke Yamashita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600407B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/04: operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor - B62D 6/008: {Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications} - B62D 1/28: non-mechanical {, e.g. following a line or other known markers} - B62D 5/0457: {characterised by control features of the drive means as such} - B62D 5/0481: {monitoring the steering system, e.g. failures} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 A steering control device includes a control circuit that controls driving of a reaction force motor that generates steering reaction force that is given to a steering wheel, dynamic power transmission being not performed between the steering wheel and a turning wheel of a vehicle. The control circuit requests a vehicle control device to stop operation of a powertrain in a case where a vehicle electric power source has been turned on and where exchange of information has been performed with the vehicle control device so as not to follow a preset pattern. The vehicle control device controls traveling of the vehicle. The powertrain includes a traveling drive source of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering control device comprising a control circuit configured to control driving of a reaction force motor that generates steering reaction force that is given to a steering wheel, dynamic power transmission being not performed between the steering wheel and a turning wheel of a vehicle, wherein: the control circuit is configured to request a vehicle control device to stop operation of a powertrain in a case where a vehicle electric power source has been turned on and where exchange of information has been performed with the vehicle control device so as not to follow a preset pattern, the vehicle control device controlling traveling of the vehicle, the powertrain including a traveling drive source of the vehicle; the control circuit is configured to determine whether it is necessary to request the vehicle control device to stop start-up of the powertrain of the vehicle by determining whether the vehicle is in a state that is capable of traveling by the dynamic power transmission; and the control circuit is configured to not request the vehicle control device to stop the operation of the powertrain, even when the vehicle electric power source has been turned on and the exchange of the information has been performed with the vehicle control device so as not to follow the preset pattern, in a case where the control circuit has determined that it is not necessary to stop the start-up of the powertrain based on a result of the determination on whether the vehicle is in the state that is capable of traveling by the dynamic power transmission. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering control device according to claim 1, wherein; the control circuit determines that it is not necessary to stop the start-up of the powertrain upon determining that the vehicle is not in the state that is capable of traveling by the dynamic power transmission, and the control circuit determines that the vehicle is not in the state that is capable of traveling by the dynamic power transmission when a current shift range of the vehicle is not a shift range that allows traveling by the dynamic power transmission. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The steering control device according to claim 2, wherein the shift range that allows traveling by the dynamic power transmission includes a reverse range and a drive range and does not include a parking range or a neutral range. ### Claim 4 A steering control device comprising a control circuit configured to control driving of a reaction force motor that generates steering reaction force that is given to a steering wheel, dynamic power transmission being not performed between the steering wheel and a turning wheel of a vehicle, wherein: the control circuit is configured to request a vehicle control device to stop operation of a powertrain in a case where a vehicle electric power source has been turned on and where exchange of information has been performed with the vehicle control device so as not to follow a preset pattern, the vehicle control device controlling traveling of the vehicle, the powertrain including a traveling drive source of the vehicle; the control circuit is configured to not request the vehicle control device to stop the operation of the powertrain, even when the exchange of the information has been performed with the vehicle control device so as not to follow the preset pattern in a case where the vehicle electric power source has been turned on and where the vehicle is not in a state of being capable of traveling; the vehicle has a remote function to remotely operate an electronic apparatus equipped in the vehicle using wireless communication when the vehicle is in a parked state; and the case where the vehicle is not in the state of being capable of traveling is a case where the remote function has been turned on. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering control device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to permit the vehicle control device to start up the powertrain in a case where execution of a preparation process has been completed, the preparation process being executed at a time when the vehicle electric power source has been turned on, and transition to an ordinary control state in a case where the control circuit has recognized start-up of the powertrain through the vehicle control device, the ordinary control state being a state where a reaction force control to cause the reaction force motor to generate the steering reaction force is executed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The steering control device according to claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to request the vehicle control device to stop the operation of the powertrain in a case where the control circuit has not permitted the vehicle control device to start up the powertrain and where the control circuit has recognized the start-up of the powertrain through the vehicle control device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The steering control device according to claim 6, wherein: the vehicle has a remote function to remotely operate an electronic apparatus equipped in the vehicle using wireless communication when the vehicle is in a parked state; and the vehicle control device is configured to start up the powertrain without permission by the control circuit in a case where the remote function has been turned on. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The steering control device according to claim 5, wherein the preparation process includes: a middle-point learning process of learning a steering neutral position of the steering wheel by causing the steering wheel to operate to a first operation end and thereafter causing the steering wheel to reversely operate to a second operation end; and a rudder angle synchronization process of correcting a rotational position of the steering wheel such that the rotational position of the steering wheel corresponds to a turning position of the turning wheel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The steering control device according to claim 4, wherein the case where the vehicle is not in the state of being capable of traveling includes a case where a shift range of the vehicle is a parking range or a neutral range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The steering control device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to permit the vehicle control device to start up the powertrain in a case where execution of a preparation process has been completed, the preparation process being executed at a time when the vehicle electric power source has been turned on, and transition to an ordinary control state in a case where the control circuit has recognized start-up of the powertrain through the vehicle control device, the ordinary control state being a state where a reaction force control to cause the reaction force motor to generate the steering reaction force is executed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The steering control device according to claim 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to request the vehicle control device to stop the operation of the powertrain in a case where the control circuit has not permitted the vehicle control device to start up the powertrain and where the control circuit has recognized the start-up of the powertrain through the vehicle control device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The steering control device according to claim 11, wherein: the vehicle has a remote function to remotely operate an electronic apparatus equipped in the vehicle using wireless communication when the vehicle is in a parked state; and the vehicle control device is configured to start up the powertrain without permission by the control circuit in a case where the remote function has been turned on. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The steering control device according to claim 10, wherein the preparation process includes: a middle-point learning process of learning a steering neutral position of the steering wheel by causing the steering wheel to operate to a first operation end and thereafter causing the steering wheel to reversely operate to a second operation end; and a rudder angle synchronization process of correcting a rotational position of the steering wheel such that the rotational position of the steering wheel corresponds to a turning position of the turning wheel.