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:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 13, 2001
Masahiko Kurishige, Tokyo, JP;
Noriyuki Inoue, Tokyo, JP;
Ryoji Nishiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Shunichi Wada, Tokyo, JP;
Takayuki Kifuku, Tokyo, JP;
Mitsubushi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electric power steering controller and a control method for assisting a driver during handling a steering wheel in a condition of a small road surface reaction torque of a tire by generating an auxiliary return torque for letting the steering wheel return to its original position. A first road surface reaction torque is estimated from a steering torque of a driver detected by a steering torque detector, a motor acceleration detected by a motor acceleration detector, and a motor current detected by a motor current detector. A second road surface reaction torque is estimated from a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor, and a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detector. Then, first and second auxiliary return torque signals of the steering wheel are computed from a road surface reaction torque, and, based on the computed result, a torque of the motor is controlled in direction so the steering wheel is returned to its original position.