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US 6,548,969 B2Granted
Redundant steer-by-wire system
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsStephen E. Ewbank, Craig A Hennings, Scott A. Millsap, Kevin Michael Deasy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automotive steer-by-wire system is disclosed that includes a first network. The first network connects a first set of controllers for controlling a first set of motors. The steer-by-wire system further includes a second network that is independent of the first network and connects a second set of controllers for controlling a second set of motors. The steer-by-wire system includes a third network that connects the first set of controllers and the second set of controllers for controlling the first or second set of motors if the first or second network is inoperative, whereby information is transmitted via the third network independent of the first network and the second network.
Claims31
An automotive steer-by-wire system comprising:
- a distributed control system including:
- a master controller responsive to the torque acting upon a set of road wheels;
- a first local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a first motor coupled to a first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- and
- a second local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a second motor coupled to a second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- a third local controller, independent of the first and second local controllers, in signal communication with the master controller for driving a third motor coupled to the first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- a fourth local controller, independent of the first and second local controllers, in signal communication with the master controller for driving a fourth motor coupled to the second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- and
- a backup controller in signal communication with the first, second, third and fourth local controllers;
- wherein the backup controller is operative to drive the first, second, third and fourth motors if the first, second, third and fourth local controllers become inoperative or the master controller becomes inoperative.
7 more elements
An automotive steer-by-wire system comprising:
- a distributed control system including:
- a master controller responsive to the torque acting upon a set of road wheels;
- a master controller responsive to the torque acting upon a set of roadwheel;
- a first control area network including
- a first local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a first motor coupled to a first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- and
- a second local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a second motor coupled to a second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- a second control area network independent of the first control area network including
- a third local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a third motor coupled to the first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- and
- a fourth local controller in signal communication with the master controller for driving a fourth motor coupled to the second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- a backup control area network in signal communication with the first, second, third and fourth local controllers;
- wherein the backup control area network is operative to drive the first, second, third and fourth motors if the first and second control area networks become inoperative or the master controller becomes inoperative.
10 more elements
An automotive steer-by-wire system comprising:
- a master controller responsive to the torque acting upon a set of roadwheel;
- a first control area network including
- a first local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a first motor coupled to a first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- and
- a second local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a second motor coupled to a second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- a second control area network independent of the first control area network including
- a third local controller in signal communication with the master controller and responsive thereto for driving a third motor coupled to the first road wheel thereby steering the first road wheel;
- and
- a fourth local controller in signal communication with the master controller for driving a fourth motor coupled to the second road wheel thereby steering the second road wheel;
- a backup control area network in signal communication with the first, second, third and fourth local controllers;
- wherein the backup control area network is operative to drive the first, second, third and fourth motors if the first and second control area networks become inoperative or the master controller becomes inoperative.
8 more elements
An automotive steer-by-wire system comprising:
- a distributed control system including:
- a master controller responsive to the torque acting upon a set of road wheels;
- a first control area network interconnecting a first set of controllers for controlling a first set of motors;
- a second control area network interconnecting a second set of controllers for independently controlling a second set of motors;
- and
- a backup control area network interconnecting the first set of controllers and the second set of controllers for independently controlling the first and second sets of motors;
- wherein the backup control area network is operative to control the first and second set of motors if the first and second control area networks become inoperative or the master controller becomes inoperative.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.