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:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2000
Steven John Horton, West Midlands, GB;
TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering Ltd., West Midlands, GB;
Abstract
In an electric power assisted steering system, the output signal from a motor position sensor ( ) comprising a number of Hall effect devices (A,B,C) or the like is combined with an index signal from a sensor ( ) connected to the steering column shaft ( ) or the rack ( ) or a yaw sensor or other angular position dependent device to produce an accurate measure of steering angle relative to the straight ahead position. In a preferred arrangement, transitions in the Hall effect sensor output are used to drive a counter ( ) which is reset whenever the index signal is produced to ensure it does not drift out over a period of time. Most conveniently, the index signal corresponds to the steering gear straight ahead position.