The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 1994
Filed:
Jan. 03, 1992
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokohama, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus for use with a vehicle dynamic characteristic control system employing a vehicle speed sensor, a steering handle position sensor and a steering handle neutral position sensor to control the dynamic characteristics of an automotive vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor is sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a vehicle speed signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed. The steering handle position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle position signal indicative of a sensed steering handle position. The steering handle neutral position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle neutral position signal having a first level when the sensed steering handle position is in a predetermined neutral range and a second level when the sensed steering handle position is out of the predetermined neutral range. A steering handle neutral position is estimated based upon the steering handle position signal and the steering handle neutral position signal. A steering angle, which corresponds to an absolute value of a difference of the sensed steering handle position from the estimated steering handle neutral position, is calculated. A failure signal is produced to indicate that at least one of the steering handle position sensor and the steering handle neutral position sensor is subject to failure when the calculated steering angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and when the vehicle speed is held above a predetermined value normal for vehicle running in an urban area for a predetermined interval of about 60 seconds.