Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Veoneer Us, Inc.

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Nexteer (beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.

Jon Dee Demerly

Farhad Bolourchi

Hsin-Hsiang Yang

Scott Alan Millsap

Siddharth H D'Silva

Suat Ali Ozsoylu

Sanket S Amberkar

Troy B Jones

Scott Lennox

Tomy Sebastian

Timothy Wesley Kaufmann

Brian Jerome Magnus

Karen Ann Boswell

Steven L Tracht

James Myrl Card

Michael J Augustine

Nicholas Alexander Zervoglos

Afrah Faiz Naik

Kyra Horne

Stephen Sheldon Strong

John Sgueglia

Matthew Graham

A system and method for controlling the velocity of a vehicle includes a processor, a velocity sensor in communication with the processor, a throttle actuator in communication with the processor, and a brake actuator in communication with the processor. The processor is set either the throttle position of the vehicle via the throttle actuator or the brake pedal position of the vehicle via the brake actuator based whether the augmented acceleration is greater than or equal to a gear acceleration, whether the actual velocity is above a crawl speed, and a lookup table.

System and method to control the velocity of a vehicle

A system and method for controlling the steering of a vehicle includes a processor, a velocity sensor in communication with the processor a steering angle sensor in communication with the processor, accelerometer in communication with the processor and a steering angle controller in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to receive the acceleration of the vehicle from the accelerometer and the velocity from the velocity sensor, determine the estimated tie-rod force utilizing the lookup table tie-rod force estimation lookup table, and instruct the steering wheel angle controller to apply an additional force substantially equal to the estimated tie-rod force to the steering torque.

System and method to estimate a tie-rod force and control the steering of a vehicle

Previous self-driving car systems can detect objects separately with either vision systems, RADAR systems or LIDAR systems. In an embodiment of the present invention, an object fusion module normalizes sensor output from vision, RADAR, and LIDAR systems into a common format. Then, the system fuses the object-level sensor data across all systems by associating all objects detected and predicting tracks for all objects. The present system improves over previous systems by using the data from all sensors combined to develop a single set of knowledge about the objects around the self-driving car, instead of each sensor operating separately.

Autonomous vehicle: object-level fusion

A power steering control system is provided. The control system includes an actual module that determines an actual load torque associated with a vehicle chassis. A steering module generates a steering control signal based on the actual load torque.

Algorithm for tie rod force shaping

An architecture for an autonomous vehicle uses a top-down approach to enable fully automated driving. The architecture is modular and compatible with hardware from different manufacturers. Each modular component can be tailored for individual cars, which have different vehicle control subsystems and different sensor subsystems.

Autonomous vehicle: modular architecture

The present invention provides an improved method and system for compensation of inertial sensors. In one implementation a modified moving average is applied to provide dynamic offset compensation for an inertial sensor output that is calculated when a vehicle is in motion.

System and method for inertial sensor offset compensation

A steering control method is provided. The method includes determining a dynamic load on a steering system based on a dynamic model; and controlling the steering system based on the dynamic load.

Algorithm for estimation of tie-rod loads

Systems and methods for determining an absolute position of a motor of an active front steering system of the vehicle are provided. In particular, the systems and methods accurately determine an absolute position of the motor upon startup of the active front steering system.

Systems and methods for determining an absolute position of a motor in an active front steering system of a vehicle

Disclosed is a method for assisting the parking of a vehicle. The method includes determining a vehicle position relative to an obstacle. When the relative position meets a first set of criteria, a first torque pulse is delivered to the steering wheel in the first direction to cue an operator of the vehicle to turn the steering wheel in the first direction. When the relative position meets a second set of criteria, a second torque pulse is delivered to the steering wheel in the second direction, opposite to the first direction to cue the operator to turn the steering wheel in the second direction. A system for assisting the parking of a vehicle is also disclosed.

Parking assist system with steering cues

A steering system with reduced coupling between a position overlay unit and a torque overlay unit may include a remote valve assembly for controlling a hydraulic assist force or an electric motor for providing torque overlay and electric assist to a rack of a rack and pinion steering system. In one embodiment, the position overlay unit may provide the assist force and the torque overlay unit may provide a motor command signal to the motor of a differential positioned on a steering shaft. In another embodiment, the position overlay unit may provide the motor command signal and the torque overlay unit may provide the assist force. In either embodiment, the position overlay unit may include variable ratio gain that uses a position signal to output a variable ratio command.

Force and position control for active front steering

An electric power steering system, comprising: a steering wheel in operable communication with a mechanical linkage; a steering shaft in operable communication with the mechanical linkage, and in operable communication with at least one road wheel; a first transmission in operable communication with the steering shaft; a unidirectional electric motor in operable communication with the first transmission; wherein the electric power steering system is configured such that when the steering wheel is turned in a first direction, the motor's power is transmitted in the first direction to the steering shaft, and when the steering wheel is turned in a second direction, the motor's power is transmitted in the second direction to the steering shaft. A method for providing power assist for an electric power steering system, the method comprising: rotating a first body in a first direction with a unidirectional motor; rotating a second body in a second direction with the unidirectional motor; providing a power assist from the first body when a steering wheel is turned in a first direction; and providing a power assist from the second body when a steering wheel is turned in a second direction.

Method and system for electric power steering

A method for implementing directional control of a motor vehicle is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes determining whether a failure of a primary steering system of the motor vehicle exists. If a failure of the primary steering system exists, then a yaw moment is created on the vehicle by causing a differential longitudinal force to be applied with respect to a first wheel on one side of the vehicle and a second wheel on an opposite side of the vehicle, thereby causing the vehicle to turn in a commanded direction.

Method and system for providing secondary vehicle directional control through braking

An independent steering and/or braking control to improve motor vehicle stability and stopping utilizes a steer-by-wire system that includes a steering input system, a controller in electronic communication with the steering input system, and a plurality of roadwheel systems. Each of the roadwheel systems is in electronic communication with the controller, and each roadwheel system includes a steering actuator and a steerable wheel rotatably and operably connected to the steering actuator. The steerable wheel is configured to be angled independent of other steerable wheels and relative to a direction of travel of the motor vehicle. A method of stopping the motor vehicle as it travels includes angling a pair of the steerable wheels thereof in opposing directions. The direction of the motor vehicle can also be controlled by angling the pair of steerable wheels in opposing directions and adjusting the angle of the pair of steerable wheels If the motor vehicle is articulating a turn, its direction of travel can also be controlled by angling one of the steerable wheels and steering with the other of the steerable wheels. In addition, the angle of the steerable wheels can be adjusted to compensate for lateral disturbance without driver involvement.

Control of independent steering actuators to improve vehicle stability and stopping

Disclosed herein is steer-by-wire control systems comprising: a road wheel unit responsive to a road wheel command signal including a road wheel position sensor and a road wheel force sensor. The steer-by-wire control system also includes a steering wheel unit responsive to a steering wheel torque command signal, including a steering wheel position sensor and a torque sensor. The steer-by-wire control system further includes a vehicle speed sensor, and a master control unit operatively connected to the vehicle speed sensor, the steering wheel unit, and the road wheel unit. The steering wheel unit is also responsive to the steering wheel position signal.

Growing community of inventors

Byron, MI, United States of America

Jon Dee Demerly