Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Takuji Wada

Hiroaki Horii

Fumihiro Morishita

Kyoji Hamamoto

Shinji Hironaka

Hiroki Sagami

Hiroyuki Koibuchi

Takashi Kuribayashi

Yoshitake Sakai

Yuki Shiga

A steering apparatus and a steering assist method are capable of being preferably used for a first curve and a second carve which are different in cornering direction and which are sequentially provided. When a vehicle travels through the first curve and the second curve, a controller in the steering apparatus shifts a steering angle control value with respect to a steering angle detection value in response to returning of a steering wheel and decrease of steering assist torque to a torque threshold value while the vehicle is running in the first curve and starts generation of the steering assist torque for the second curve before the steering angle detection value returns to a sensor median due to returning of the steering wheel.

Steering apparatus and steering assist method

In a vehicle travel support system or a vehicle travel support method, a control apparatus estimates a travel path of a vehicle on the basis of the present position of the vehicle and map information, acquires from a map information storage apparatus a curve radius that is of a curve included in the travel path and that is contained in the map information, performs a vehicle turning support or a deceleration support prior to entry to the curve on the basis of a start point of the curve which is detected on the basis of front images, and performs the vehicle turning support for the curve by using the curve radius contained in the map information.

Vehicle travel support system and vehicle travel support method

An electric power steering device provides an appropriate power assist from the motor even when torque sensors have failed and the steering torque is no longer detected. If an error is detected in a torque sensor, the motor is driven based on the rotor rotation angle detected by a resolver and assist characteristics. When the absolute value of the rotor turning angle velocity calculated based on the rotor rotation angle falls to or below a prescribed value, a process is started for reducing the current driving the motor, and if the state in which the absolute value of the rotor turning angle velocity has fallen to or below the prescribed value continues over a prescribed length of time, the process for reducing the current is interrupted and, because an assist current was flowing at said time of interruption, an appropriate power assist can be given during a steering retention period.

Electric power steering device

Disclosed is an idle stop control device capable of relieving reaction force (kickback) of a handle occurring at idle stop controlled by the control of the idle stop control device. Specifically, an EPSECU () detects the rotational speed of an electric motor by detecting the rotational angle (&#x3b8;) of the electric motor using a resolver (), and at the same time, detects the steering torque using a torque sensor (). Subsequently, the EPSECU determines whether or not the rotational speed of the electric motor and the steering torque are inside an idle stop transition area (P) by referring to a table () stored in a memory () in advance. When either or both of the rotational speed of the electric motor and the steering torque are outside the idle stop transition area (P), a signal requesting the prohibition of idle stop transition is output to an idle stop control device () via a cable (). Upon receiving the signal requesting the prohibition of idle stop transition, the idle stop control device () prohibits the control of transition to idle stop even when conditions for idle stop are met.

Idle stop control device

Disclosed is an electric power steering device capable of applying a prescribed steering assist force to a steering assembly, even when a torque sensor is out of order and the electric power steering device is in a state of being unable to sense steering torque by the torque sensor. Using an angle of rotation of a rotating element, which is detected by a resolver that serves as a rotating element angle of rotation sensing unit of a motor, a steering angle and a steering angular velocity are estimated, and a prescribed steering assist force is applied to a steering assembly by the motor, on the basis of an estimated steering angle and/or an estimated steering angular velocity.

An electric power steering apparatus detects, as an abnormal phase, a phase other than a combination of phases whose interphase voltage is of nearly zero volts if a q-axis current is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value though a q-axis voltage is being applied. Alternatively, the electric power steering apparatus calculates a base electric angle at which the q-axis current is equal to or smaller than a third threshold value though the q-axis voltage is being applied, and determines an abnormal phase based on the base electric angle.

Growing community of inventors

Utsunomiya, Japan

Takuji Wada