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:
Mar. 13, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2011
Imre Benyo, Budapest, HU;
Marton Kuslits, Sopron, HU;
Sandor Szucs, Parasznya, HU;
ThyssenKrupp Presta AG, Eschen, LI;
Abstract
A method for controlling a steering device with steering power support means for a motor vehicle with at least one steerable road wheel, where the steering device may include a steering shaft with a first end to adopt a steering wheel, a control device controlling said power support means, sensing means detecting steering shaft torque introduced in said steering shaft, and means to determine a hands-off situation in which the driver does not introduce a torque into said steering shaft, wherein the steering power support means support the driver on the basis of a driver demand introduced into the steering shaft, may comprise determining a steering wheel torque on basis of the steering shaft torque; determining a time derivative of the detected steering wheel torque; if the absolute value of the steering wheel torque is lower than a threshold torque limit and if the absolute value of the derivative of steering wheel torque is lower than a threshold derivative torque limit, a counter is increased by one count; if the absolute value of the steering wheel torque is higher or equal than a threshold torque limit, or/and if the absolute value of the derivative of steering wheel torque is higher or equal than a threshold derivative torque limit−, said counter is decreased by one count; and if said counter has a value equal to or higher than a threshold count limit the hands-off state is determined.