Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation

Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Michael S Wyciechowski

Scott T Sanford

Clinton Lee Schumann

Joseph A Labarbera

Emmanuel Garcia

Tejas M Varunjikar

Omkar Karve

Iulian Ungureanu

Sarin Kodappully

Anthony J Champagne

Scott Alan Millsap

Mariam Swetha George

Rangarajan Ramanujam

Gustavo M Nunes

Gregory J Katch

Karthik Rengarajan

Alexander Jennings

Todd Bowman

Alex Jennings

A number of variations may include a system, method, a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon executable by an electronic processor to implement functionality comprising enhancing the curvature capability of a tertiary rack and pinion actuator by using brake-to-steer while the tertiary rack and pinion actuator is operating.

Brake-to-steer for steer-by-wire control algorithm using support from tertiary steering actuation

A number of variations are disclosed including a computer program product and method of modifying brake-to-steer brake pressure commands, based on brake temperature, in real time as well as to create temperature dependent powertrain control and temperature dependent brake cooling.

Temperature dependent enhancement for brake-to-steer

Disclosed is a number of variations that may include a method, system, or computer product useful in determining an intended yaw or yaw rate that a driver desires using a model, comparing the yaw or yaw rate with the actual vehicle yaw or yaw rate to determining a yaw error or yaw rate error, using the yaw error or yaw rate error in a model predictive control to determine the brake pressure required to minimize or reduced to zero the yaw error or the yaw rate error.

Driver directional control during brake-to-steer manual driving using model predictive control

Disclosed is a method, product, and system including the use of or using differential braking to determine a surface type or friction level under a road wheel of a vehicle and communicating the determined surface type or friction level under the road when to another system or component of the vehicle.

Surface recognition during differential braking

A number of variations may include a method including pre-charging at least a portion of a vehicle brake system.

System and method of preemptively readying a brake system

Technical solutions described herein include a method of controlling an electric power steering system includes determining that one or more hand wheel torque sensors of electric power steering system are not operational and in response generating an assist torque command by estimating a front slip angle based on a motor angle of a motor of the electric power steering system and a vehicle speed. The method also includes converting the front slip angle to a rack force. The method also includes determining an amount of assist torque based on the rack force and controlling the electric power steering system using the generated assist torque command.

Providing assist torque in steering systems operating without a torque sensor

A number of variations may include a method including using at least one of brakes or propulsion energy to steer an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle if a primary, secondary or other redundant steering system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle has failed or is insufficiently unhealthy to perform a desired function, the method including determining if a primary, secondary or other redundant steering system of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle has failed or is not sufficiently healthy to perform a desired function, and if so, converting a steer request into a desired yaw rate, curvature, curvature over time, radius, radius or time or yaw rate acceleration, calculating a brake pressure sufficient to produce the desired yaw rate, curvature, curvature over time, radius, radius or time or yaw rate acceleration, delivering brake pressures signals via a lateral control module to an actuator for at least one brake connected to a wheel of the vehicle so that the brake pressure causes the vehicle yaw at the desired yaw rate, curvature, curvature over time, radius, radius or time or yaw rate acceleration.

Method of using brakes to steer a vehicle

A number of illustrative variations may include a system that may manage torque overlay scenarios in a vehicle where the brakes and propulsion system are providing both lateral and longitudinal movement commands and there is a change in longitudinal acceleration requested from a driver or autonomous driving system. The system may manage driver brake inputs and brake-to-steer brake inputs to maintain brake-to-steer functionality while also applying sufficient braking as requested by the driver.

Longitudinal overlay while using brake-to-steer

A system and method of hands-off signature detection may include applying a unique sinusoidal motor command to an EPS or handwheel actuator of a vehicle and monitoring attenuation of the unique sinusoidal motor command to determine if a user's hands are on or off of a handwheel of a vehicle. Attenuation of the unique sinusoidal motor command may occur due to the physical presence of a driver's hand(s) on the steering wheel.

Hands-off signature detection

A number of illustrative variations may include a system including brake-to-steer algorithms may achieve lateral control of a vehicle without longitudinal compensation but may also force a vehicle to slow down too rapidly before appropriate lateral movement can be achieved and may deliver an unnatural driving experience for vehicle occupants. A more natural feeling deceleration may be achieved by optimally selecting appropriate transmission shifts to allow for optimal engine speed or electric motor speed and torque based on current vehicle speed thereby reducing undesirably longitudinal disturbance.

Longitudinal control feedback compensation during brake-to-steer

A number of illustrative variations may include a system and method of controlling vehicle slowing while implementing brake-to-steer functionality that may include providing a feed-forward gain on vehicle propulsion torque to achieve or maintain target longitudinal acceleration and replicate the behavior of a vehicle not using brake-to-steer. The system may manipulate propulsion of the vehicle to manage longitudinal acceleration disturbance and speed disturbance during brake-to-steer.

Feed-forward compensation to manage longitudinal disturbance during brake-to-steer

A number of illustrative variations may include a method of providing a reliable driving surface friction coefficient estimate.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

Michael S Wyciechowski