Steering controller

An improved vehicular steering controller for controlling the angular position of a first set of vehicle wheels as a function of the angular position of a second set of wheels and including:

• a computing section having embedded therein reference data representing the centered position of the first set of wheels;
• a visual display coupled to the computing section, said display being of the alpha-numeric type for displaying a signal representing one of at least two operational modes, one of which is for calibrating the controller;
• and,
• a visual indicator coupled to the computing section, said indicator being of the "stepped" quasi-analog type for indicating the approximate magnitude of angular displacement of the first set of wheels from the centered position,
• whereby an operator of the vehicle is apprised of the approximate angular position of the first set of wheels and of the operational mode selected and wherein:
• the controller detects errors in components associated therewith and the visual display selectively displays the last error detected by the controller, thereby decreasing time required to diagnose and remedy the error.

In combination, a wheeled vehicle having first and second sets of wheels and an improved vehicular steering controller to regulate the angular position of the first set of wheels as a function of the angular position of the second set of wheels, and wherein the vehicle includes:

• at least one hydraulic cylinder to position the first set of wheels, the cylinder being coupled to a control valve operable over an input power range;
• and wherein the controller includes:
• a setup sequence to operate the control valve in sequential increments of increasing input power until a wheel movement signal is produced;
• a computing section having embedded therein reference data representing the centered position of the first set of wheels;
• a visual display of the alpha-numeric type to receive signals from the computing section and display an operational mode;
• and
• a visual indicator of the quasi-analog type to receive signals from the computing section and provide a signal representing the approximate magnitude of angular displacement of the first set of wheels from the centered position.

An improved vehicular steering controller for regulating the angular position of a first set of vehicle wheels as a function of the angular position of a second set of wheels and including:

• plural control components;
• a computing section having embedded therein reference data representing the centered position of the first set of wheels;
• a error detector coupled to the computing section for detecting errors in the control components;
• a visual display of the alpha-numeric type to receive signals from the computing section and selectively display the last error detected;
• and,
• a visual indicator of the quasi-analog type to receive signals from the computing section and provide a signal representing the approximate magnitude of angular displacement of the first set of wheels from the centered position.