# US 2022/0032997 A1 · Systems and methods for vehicle travel speed dependent steering ramp rates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032997 A1 - Document ID: US20220032997A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/943,153 - Filed: 2020-07-30 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-30 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: SCOTT R. STAHLE; KEVIN W. CAMPBELL; MATTHEW J. SBAI; JOEL D. BANNINGA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032997A1 ## CPC - B62D 5/065: characterised by specially adapted means for varying pressurised fluid supply based on need, e.g. on-demand, variable assist - B62D 5/07: Supply of pressurised fluid for steering also supplying other consumers {; control thereof} - B62D 5/12: Piston and cylinder - B62D 6/001: {the torque NOT being among the input parameters} - B62D 6/02: responsive only to vehicle speed - 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 Systems and methods for steering a vehicle that adjust how quickly a selected steering input is achieved based on a speed at which the vehicle is traveling are disclosed. The systems and methods include receiving a steering input, detecting a vehicle speed, and selecting a steering ramp rate that defines how quickly a steering amount corresponding to the steering input is achieved by one or more steerable components of the vehicle. In some implementations, the steering ramp rate may be affected as a result of whether the steering input is greater than or less than a previous steering input. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering system for a vehicle comprising: a steering input device operable to receive a steering input and generate a steering input electrical signal in response to the received steering input; a controller operable to: receive the steering input electrical signal; receive a vehicle speed; determine a steering ramp rate based on the received vehicle speed; and output a steering control signal that incorporates the steering ramp rate; and a steering apparatus operable to receive the steering control signal and articulate at least one steerable component based on the steering control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine the ramp rate based on both the steering input and the vehicle speed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein the steering control signal controls a rate at which the steering apparatus articulates the at least one steerable component and wherein the ramp rate defines how quickly the steering apparatus changes the rate of articulation of the at least one steerable component from a first rate to a second rate different from the first rate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, further comprising a flow control valve, wherein the flow control valve is operable to receive the steering control signal and adjust a position of the flow control valve according to the received steering input and at a rate according to the determined steering ramp rate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering system of claim 4, wherein the flow control valve is a variable valve, and wherein a position of the variable valve defines a fluid flow through the variable valve and wherein ramp rate defines the rate at which the variable valve changes from a first position to a second position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor operable to detect the vehicle speed and transmit the vehicle speed to the controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a lookup table that correlates vehicle speed to steering ramp rates, and wherein the controller is operable to select the steering ramp rate based on the received vehicle speed using the lookup table. ### Claim 8 A method for steering a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a steering input from a steering input device; receiving a vehicle speed from a vehicle speed sensor; determining, with a controller, a desired steering response based on the steering input and a steering ramp rate that defines the rate at which the desired steering response is to be achieved by a steering assembly based on the received vehicle speed; and articulating at least one steerable vehicle component at the steering ramp rate to the desired steering response using the steering assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the steering response is a rate of articulation of the steering assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining, with a controller, a desired steering response based on the steering input and a steering ramp rate that defines the rate at which the desired steering response is to be achieved by a steering assembly based on the received vehicle speed comprises selecting the steering ramp rate from a lookup table based on the received vehicle speed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: outputting a steering control signal that incorporates the steering ramp rate and the desired steering response from the controller; and transmitting the steering control signal to the steering assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the steering assembly comprises a flow control valve and further comprising controlling a size of an opening formed in the flow control valve and at a rate according to the determined steering ramp rate using the steering control signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: comparing the steering input to a previously received steering input; and adjusting the steering ramp rate based on the comparison between the steering input and the previously received steering input. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein, for a particular vehicle speed, the adjusted steering ramp rate is greater when the steering input is less than the previously received steering input than the adjusted steering ramp rate when the steering input is greater than the previously received steering input. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein for a particular vehicle speed, the adjusted steering ramp rate is greater when the steering input is greater than the previously received steering input than the adjusted steering ramp rate when the steering input is less than the previously received steering input. ### Claim 16 A vehicle comprising: at least one steerable component; a steering input device operable to receive a steering input and generate a steering input electrical signal in response to the steering input; a controller operable to: receive the steering input electrical signal; receive a vehicle speed; determine a steering ramp rate based on the received steering input electrical signal and the received vehicle speed; and output a steering control signal that incorporates the steering ramp rate; and a steering apparatus operable to receive the steering control signal and articulate the at least one steerable component based on the steering control signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the steering apparatus is operable to articulate the at least one steerable component to provide a steering response corresponding to the received steering input at a rate corresponding to the determined steering ramp rate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a flow control valve, wherein the flow control valve receives the steering control signal, and wherein a position of the flow control valve is altered in response to the steering control signal and a rate at which a position of the flow control valve is altered is controlled according to the determined steering ramp rate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the steering apparatus comprises a hydraulic cylinder in fluid communication with the flow control valve, wherein the hydraulic cylinder moves the at least one steerable component from a first rate of movement to a second rate of movement in response to the received steering input, and wherein a rate at which of the hydraulic cylinder changes from the first rate of movement to the second rate of movement corresponds to the determined steering ramp rate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises a lookup table that correlates vehicle speed to steering ramp rates, and wherein the controller is operable to select the steering ramp rate based on the received vehicle speed using the lookup table.