System and method for detecting misaligned steering column
AssigneeAtieva, Inc.
InventorDivyendu Narayan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining the center of the rack position of a vehicle including initiating a move rack to first extreme routine, whereby the steering column of a vehicle is turned to its furthest most point in a first direction; initiating a move rack to second extreme routine, whereby the steering column of a vehicle is turned to its furthest most point in a second direction opposite from the first direction; initiating a centering routine, whereby the steering column of a vehicle is turned to its center position; and initiating an evaluation routine whereby a steering angle is queried from the steering angle sensor in the vehicle's steering column control module; and vehicles and non-transitory computer-readable media incorporating same.
Claims21
A method for centering a rack of a vehicle comprising:
- engaging a steering column of the vehicle to turn to a furthest point in a first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a first extreme;
- engaging the steering column to turn to a furthest point in a second direction opposite from the first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a second extreme;
- engaging the steering column of the vehicle to turn to a center position that correlates to the rack being centered relative to the first extreme and the second extreme;
- and
- obtaining, while the steering column is at the center position, a steering angle from a steering angle sensor that is configured to sense a rotational position of a steering wheel which is connected to the steering column of the vehicle;
- and
- in response to determining that an absolute value of the steering angle exceeds a threshold, initiating an error message.
A vehicle comprising:
- a rack;
- a steering column connected to a steering wheel;
- a steering angle sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the steering wheel;
- a power steering system comprising a motor having a rotor position sensor, a gear box, an electronic control unit, and a pinion connected to the steering column;
- wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
- engage the steering column to turn to a furthest point in a first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a first extreme;
- engaging the steering column to turn to a furthest point in a second direction opposite from the first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a second extreme;
- engage the steering column of the vehicle to turn to a center position that correlates to the rack being centered relative to the first extreme and the second extreme;
- and
- obtain, while the steering column is at the center position, a steering angle from the steering angle sensor;
- and
- in response to determining that an absolute value of the steering angle exceeds a threshold, initiate an error message.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:
- engage a steering column of the vehicle to turn to a furthest point in a first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a first extreme;
- engage the steering column to turn to a furthest point in a second direction opposite from the first direction, thereby turning the rack of the vehicle to a second extreme;
- engage the steering column of the vehicle to turn to a center position that correlates to the rack being centered relative to the first extreme and the second extreme;
- and
- obtain, while the steering column is at the center position, a steering angle from a steering angle sensor that is configured to sense a rotational position of a steering wheel which is connected to the steering column of the vehicle;
- and
- in response to determining that an absolute value of the steering angle exceeds a threshold, initiate an error message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.