Jogwheel device and powered feedback and caster effect for drive-by-wire jogwheel design

A drive-by-wire steering system for a power equipment machine, comprising:

• a steering interface system comprising:
• a steering interface configured to receive rotational input from a user;
• a steering interface position encoder configured to determine a control angular displacement of the steering interface relative to a center angle of the steering interface;
• a steering interface motor configured to rotate the steering interface;
• and
• a steering interface motor controller configured to control activation of the steering interface motor to apply a torque to the steering interface;
• a power steering system comprising:
• a steerable wheel;
• a steering position encoder configured to determine a wheel angular displacement of the steerable wheel relative to a center angle of the steerable wheel;
• a steering motor configured to change the wheel angular displacement between the center angle and a maximum wheel angular displacement;
• and
• a steering motor controller configured to control activation of the steering motor to turn the steerable wheel toward a target wheel angular displacement, wherein the target wheel angular displacement is proportional to the control angular displacement, wherein the steering interface system and the power steering system communicate via a communication link;
• and
• a speed determination device configured to measure or calculate a ground speed of the power equipment machine, wherein:
• the torque is applied by the steering interface motor to the steering interface in response to the control angular displacement being non-zero and the ground speed of the power equipment machine being non-zero;
• and
• a magnitude of the torque is variable in response to change in the ground speed of the power equipment machine and change in the wheel angular displacement of the steerable wheel.

An outdoor turf maintenance and mowing vehicle, comprising:

• a frame defining a front end and a rear end separated from the front end by a frame length;
• a mow deck secured to the frame;
• a rear drive wheel secured to the rear of the frame;
• a front steerable wheel secured to a front end of the frame;
• a prime mover secured to the frame that generates power to drive the rear drive wheel or to power the mow deck, or both;
• a transmission that receives power from the prime mover to drive the left and right rear drive wheels, wherein the transmission is configured to drive the left and right drive wheels concurrently in a different direction and a different speed;
• a steering interface system comprising:
• a steering interface configured to receive rotational input from a user;
• a steering interface position encoder configured to determine a control angular displacement of the steering interface relative to a center angle of the steering interface;
• a steering interface motor configured to rotate the steering interface;
• and
• a steering interface motor controller configured to control activation of the steering interface motor to apply one or more torques to the steering interface;
• a power steering system comprising:
• the front steerable wheel;
• a steering position encoder configured to determine a wheel angular displacement of the front steerable wheel relative to a center angle of the front steerable wheel;
• a steering motor configured to turn the front steerable wheel;
• a steering motor controller configured to control activation of the steering motor to turn the front steerable wheel toward a target wheel angular displacement, wherein the target wheel angular displacement is the control angular displacement divided by a steering ratio, and wherein:
• the steering interface system and the power steering system communicate via a communication link.

A steering interface system, comprising:

• a steering interface configured to receive rotational input from a user;
• a steering interface position encoder configured to determine a control angular displacement of the steering interface relative to a center angle of the steering interface;
• a steering interface motor configured to rotate the steering interface;
• a steering interface motor controller configured to control activation of the steering interface motor to apply one or more torques to the steering interface;
• and
• a communication interface configured to output first data that indicates the control angular displacement and receive second data that indicates a heading of a power equipment machine and a wheel angular displacement associated with the heading, wherein:
• in response to the power equipment machine entering a manual mode from one of an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode, the steering interface position encoder is configured to redefine the center angle of the steering interface such that the control angular displacement becomes the wheel angular displacement multiplied by a steering ratio.