An electro-hydraulic steering assist motor controller and control method

Abstract

The application discloses an electronic hydraulic steering assist motor controller and a control method, and belongs to the technical field of automobile design and manufacturing. The controller comprises a power supply module assembly, an output module assembly arranged below the power supply module assembly, a heat dissipation module arranged between the power supply module assembly and the output module assembly, and a PCB board assembly arranged below the output module assembly. The power supply module assembly, the output module assembly and the PCB board assembly are electrically connected with each other, and a controller shell is arranged outside. The controller is formed by combining the power supply module assembly, the output module assembly and the PCB board assembly with connectors, is used for voltage monitoring and protection, supports external vehicle power supply monitoring, inside power supply monitoring of a safety state switch, three-phase bridge bus capacitor voltage monitoring, internal circuit module power supply monitoring, three-phase phase voltage real-time monitoring, external sensor power supply monitoring and phase current monitoring, and provides hardware foundation support for advanced technologies such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive design and manufacturing technology, specifically relating to an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller and control method. Background Technology

[0002] As cars become increasingly popular and their functions become more diverse, the commercial vehicle sector is also moving towards intelligent development. Correspondingly, electronic control technologies and products are constantly iterating and innovating, injecting new vitality into traditional technologies. In commercial vehicle applications, the main components of a traditional hydraulic power steering (HPS) system include an oil pump, a hydraulic distribution valve, and a power booster. The hydraulic distribution valve and oil pump are integrated, and the power booster and steering gear are mounted together, connected by an oil circuit. Electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) overcomes the shortcomings of traditional hydraulic power steering systems. Its hydraulic pump is no longer directly driven by the engine belt, but rather uses an electric pump. All its operating states are calculated by the electronic control unit based on signals such as vehicle speed and steering angle to determine the optimal state. At low speeds and large turns, the electronic control unit drives the electro-hydraulic pump to operate at high speed, outputting greater power and making steering easier for the driver. When the vehicle is traveling at high speeds, the hydraulic control unit drives the electro-hydraulic pump to operate at a lower speed, saving engine power without affecting the need for high-speed steering. Unlike passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles have significantly different power supply conditions (passenger vehicles mainly use 12V, while commercial vehicles mainly use 24V) and torque requirements (commercial vehicles are an order of magnitude higher than passenger vehicles). This results in new design input and output requirements for the power steering system assembly design, motor selection, and controller adaptation.

[0003] Currently, in the commercial vehicle sector, there are already electro-hydraulic power steering motor controllers. Square controllers have the problem of being too large in size. Existing products with columnar axial distances are too large, making them inconvenient for vehicle layout and installation. They are also suitable for the vehicle's 12V system, and their power and torque are relatively small, making them unsuitable for the high power and high torque requirements of commercial vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller and control method, so as to solve the problems that the square controller is too large in size and the column controller has too large axial distance, which is inconvenient for vehicle layout and installation, and does not meet the high power and high torque requirements of commercial vehicles.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0006] An electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller includes: a power supply module assembly, an output module assembly disposed below the power supply module assembly, and a heat dissipation module disposed between the power supply module assembly and the output module assembly; a PCB board assembly disposed below the output module assembly; the power supply module assembly, the output module assembly and the PCB board assembly are electrically connected to each other, and a controller housing is disposed externally.

[0007] Preferably, the power supply module assembly includes: a power supply module injection molded part, a filter module, an axial capacitor, and a safety status main switch. The filter module, axial capacitor, and safety status main switch are soldered onto the power supply module injection molded part and connected to an external power supply through connectors. The safety status main switch is electrically connected to the PCB board assembly. The power supply module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module and the output module assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the filtering module includes a capacitor and an inductor, which are assembled on the injection-molded part of the power supply module and electrically connected to each other to form a filtering circuit.

[0009] Preferably, the output module assembly includes: an output module injection molded part, a three-phase bridge power device, and a three-phase disconnect device; the output module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module and the power supply module assembly, and the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are respectively welded below it; the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are electrically connected to the PCB board assembly and the power supply module assembly.

[0010] Preferably, the PCB assembly includes a PCB board and a main control chip. The main control chip is mounted on the PCB board and is connected to a power supply unit, a three-phase drive module, a communication module, a motor rotor sensor, and a crystal oscillator. The three-phase drive module is connected to the output module assembly and the power supply module assembly, and the power supply unit is connected to the power supply module assembly.

[0011] Preferably, the power supply unit includes a power supply management module and a power supply module. The power supply module is connected to the power supply management module and is also connected to the power supply module assembly. The power supply management module is connected to both the main control chip and the power supply module assembly.

[0012] This invention also discloses a method for controlling an electro-hydraulic power steering motor, comprising:

[0013] S1: Obtain the status information of the steering wheel and feed it back to the PCB assembly;

[0014] S2: The PCB assembly sends control signals to the output module assembly based on the steering wheel's status information;

[0015] S3: Output module assembly outputs electrical signals to the motor;

[0016] S4: The motor outputs mechanical power based on the received electrical signal.

[0017] Preferably, the acquisition of the steering wheel status information and its feedback to the PCB assembly in step S1 is achieved through a torque angle sensor.

[0018] Preferably, the PCB assembly includes a main control chip and a three-phase drive module; in S1, the steering wheel status information is fed back to the main control chip; in S2, the main control chip determines the operation requirements based on the steering wheel status information and outputs the corresponding control signal to the output module assembly through the three-phase drive module.

[0019] The present invention also discloses an automobile comprising the electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] This invention discloses an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller, which comprises a power supply module assembly, an output module assembly, and a PCB board assembly combined with connectors to form the controller. It is used for voltage monitoring and protection, supporting external vehicle power supply monitoring, internal power supply monitoring of safety status switches, three-phase bridge bus capacitor voltage monitoring, internal circuit module power supply monitoring, real-time three-phase phase voltage monitoring, external sensor power supply monitoring, and phase current monitoring; thus meeting the high power and high torque requirements of commercial vehicles. The output module assembly and PCB board assembly achieve independent three-phase current monitoring and protection. Furthermore, the top-down arrangement of the power supply module assembly, output module assembly, and PCB board assembly ensures high safety and high integration in the controller's internal structure layout, solving the technical problems of excessively large square controllers and inconvenient vehicle layout and installation for columnar controllers in existing technologies. Through a complete and comprehensive top-level circuit architecture design and bottom-level modular hardware circuit design, the controller's functions and performance indicators are achieved, while also meeting L2 functional safety requirements, providing hardware foundation support for advanced technologies such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the power supply module assembly structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the output module assembly structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the PCB board assembly structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the controller of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the CAN-8pin connector structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the TAS-12PIN connector structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the controller housing structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation module structure of the present invention.

[0031] The components are as follows: 1-Main control chip; 2-Power supply management module; 3-Power supply module; 4-Safety main switch; 5-Three-phase inverter module; 6-Three-phase disconnect module; 7-Three-phase drive module; 8-Motor rotor sensor; 9-Communication module; 10-Torque angle sensor; 11-Motor; 12-Axial capacitor; 13-Crystal oscillator; 14-TAS-12Pin connector; 15-DC power supply-2pin connector; 16-CAN-8pin connector; 17-Controller housing; 18-Power supply module assembly; 19-Heat dissipation module; 20-Output module assembly; 21-PCB board assembly; 22-Capacitor. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0034] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0035] Traditional controller architectures typically use a single PCB containing all components for the circuit design. The logic control section (low power, low voltage, low current) and the power output section (high power, high voltage, high current) are only separated into different areas on the PCB assembly. Firstly, for the EHPS controller, a motor controller operating at low supply voltage (24V for the vehicle) and high power output (around 1000W rated), considering the power dissipation of the motor and controller itself, its rated operating current can reach 45-50A, and the maximum current for short periods (within 1 minute) can reach 70-80A. Secondly, to achieve matching and integration between the motor and controller, the PCB assembly area is limited. In this situation, it is difficult to ensure that the logic control section and the power output section on the PCB do not interfere with each other, leading to many unfavorable and uncontrollable factors affecting the stable operation of the internal system. Furthermore, within the limited PCB assembly space, excessively large output circuits result in large PCB wiring widths and a large footprint, making it difficult to achieve the required current carrying capacity while ensuring safety. Finally, the low-voltage, high-current output mode will cause the power output-related components to generate significant heat, which will affect the thermal environment of other materials in the entire PCB assembly, especially the main control chip, power management module, power module and other ICs, leading to problems such as system function risks and performance difficulties.

[0036] This paper presents a dedicated EHPS motor controller for commercial vehicles, designed to meet the requirements of a 24V vehicle power supply system and high-torque power steering. It provides a highly safe, highly integrated, highly efficient EHPS controller with strong overall architecture compatibility, easy and comfortable steering, and rich functionality (supporting lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, etc.). This paper also presents a method for achieving a highly safe and highly integrated internal structure layout for an electronic control system controller. The purpose of this invention is to achieve controller functionality and performance indicators through a complete and comprehensive top-level circuit architecture design and bottom-level hardware modular circuit design, while also meeting functional safety level L2 requirements, providing hardware foundation support for advanced technologies such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist. Furthermore, this invention aims to provide an innovative, highly integrated, and highly safe internal structure layout implementation scheme for a controller, based on the simplified internal structure of traditional controllers.

[0037] See Figure 5The present invention discloses an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller, comprising: a power supply module assembly 18, an output module assembly 20 disposed below the power supply module assembly 18, and a heat dissipation module 19 disposed between the power supply module assembly 18 and the output module assembly 20; and a PCB board assembly 21 disposed below the output module assembly 20. The output module assembly 20 and the PCB board assembly 21 are used to achieve independent three-phase current monitoring and protection. Furthermore, by arranging the power supply module assembly 18, the output module assembly 20, and the PCB board assembly 21 from top to bottom, the controller achieves high security and high integration in its internal structural layout. This is achieved through a complete and comprehensive top-level circuit architecture design and a modular hardware circuit at the bottom level. The controller is designed to implement the functions and performance indicators of the controller while also meeting the functional safety level L2 requirements. It provides hardware support for advanced technologies such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping. The power supply module assembly 18, output module assembly 20, and PCB board assembly 21 are electrically connected to each other. The controller is formed by combining the power supply module assembly, output module assembly, and PCB board assembly with connectors. It is used for voltage monitoring and protection, and supports external vehicle power supply monitoring, internal power supply monitoring of safety status switches, three-phase bridge bus capacitor voltage monitoring, internal circuit module power supply monitoring, real-time monitoring of three-phase phase voltage, external sensor power supply monitoring, and phase current monitoring. The controller is externally equipped with a controller housing 17.

[0038] See Figure 5 First, install the power supply module assembly 2 into the controller housing 17 and secure it with bolts. Then, insert the output module assembly 20 into the controller housing 17. Next, insert the DC power supply 2-pin connector 15 from the outside of the controller housing 17 into the corresponding position and solder it. Then, install the PCB board assembly 21 into the housing. Finally, insert the CAN 8-pin connector 16 and the TAS 12-pin connector 14 from the outside of the controller housing 17 into the PCB board assembly 21 and solder them to complete the assembly.

[0039] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 , Figure 5 The power supply module assembly 18 includes: a power supply module injection molded part, a filter module, an axial capacitor 12, and a safety status main switch 4. The filter module, axial capacitor 12, and safety status main switch 4 are soldered onto the power supply module injection molded part and connected to an external power supply through connectors. The safety status main switch 4 is electrically connected to the PCB board assembly 21. The power supply module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module 19 and the output module assembly 20.

[0040] As a preferred embodiment, the filter module includes a capacitor (22) and an inductor, see [reference needed]. Figure 1 The capacitor (22) and the inductor are assembled on the injection molded part of the power supply module and electrically connected to each other to form a filter circuit.

[0041] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 9 The output module assembly 20 includes: an output module injection molded part, a three-phase bridge power device, and a three-phase disconnect device; the output module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module 19 and the power supply module assembly 18, and the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are respectively soldered below it; the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are electrically connected to the PCB board assembly 21 and the power supply module assembly 18.

[0042] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The PCB assembly 21 includes a PCB board and a main control chip 1. The main control chip 1 is mounted on the PCB board and is connected to a power supply unit, a three-phase drive module 7, a communication module 9, a motor rotor sensor 8, and a crystal oscillator 13. The three-phase drive module 7 is connected to the output module assembly 20 and the power supply module assembly 18. The power supply unit is connected to the power supply module assembly 18.

[0043] As a preferred embodiment, the power supply unit includes a power management module 2 and a power supply module 3, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 The power module 3 is connected to the power management module 2, and the power module 3 is connected to the power module assembly 18. The power management module 2 is connected to the main control chip 1 and the power module assembly 18 respectively.

[0044] This invention also discloses a method for controlling an electro-hydraulic power steering motor, comprising:

[0045] S1: Obtain the status information of the steering wheel and feed it back to the PCB assembly 21;

[0046] S2: The PCB assembly 21 sends a control signal to the output module assembly 20 based on the steering wheel status information;

[0047] S3: Output module assembly 20 outputs an electrical signal to the motor;

[0048] S4: The motor outputs mechanical power based on the received electrical signal.

[0049] As a preferred embodiment, the torque angle sensor 10 is used to acquire the steering wheel status information and feed it back to the PCB assembly 21.

[0050] As a preferred embodiment, the status information of the steering wheel is fed back to the main control chip 1. The main control chip 1 determines the operation requirements based on the status information of the steering wheel and outputs the corresponding control signal to the output module assembly 20 through the three-phase drive module 7.

[0051] The present invention also discloses an automobile comprising the electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0052] For a circuit connection diagram of the present invention, please refer to... Figure 1 ,in:

[0053] Main control chip 1: MCU chip, meeting ASIL_D level. It plays the role of the main control chip in the control architecture and is the core control IC of the controller. It receives signals from other components of the EHPS system via the vehicle's CAN (communication module) and hardwired connections (torque & angle sensors) for centralized processing and control.

[0054] Power Management Module 2: Converts the power supply from the power module into a stable and accurate power supply required by other circuits and ICs in the controller system, and uses it as a voltage reference value;

[0055] Power module 3: The external 24V vehicle power is modulated by the EMI filter circuit and then converted into a stable low DC voltage by this module, which serves to provide power to the power management module.

[0056] Safety status switch 4: As the main power supply switch for the three-phase inverter module, it is controlled by the main control chip to ensure effective protection of the controller under conditions such as overcurrent, short circuit, and abnormal power supply.

[0057] Three-phase inverter module 5: The core power device that converts the controller's electrical signal from DC to AC. It achieves the inverter function by alternately turning on / off the upper and lower tubes of the bridge arm. It is equipped with current sampling circuits to ensure that the main control chip can detect the working status in real time and perform protection actions in a timely manner.

[0058] Related module 6: Switching devices on the three-phase independent power supply path of the motor UVW are jointly controlled by the main control chip and the three-phase drive module to achieve effective protection function under short-circuit conditions of the motor;

[0059] Three-phase drive module 7: Receives signals from the main control chip, sends control signals to the three-phase inverter module according to system requirements, and collects voltage and current feedback information. It has protection functions and can participate in the control of related disconnection modules.

[0060] Motor rotor sensor 8: As a functional circuit on the controller to detect the motor speed and angle, the information is fed back to the main control chip for processing.

[0061] Communication Module 9: The main control chip receives CAN signals from the vehicle.

[0062] Other circuits include: internal power supply voltage monitoring, current acquisition circuit, chip debugging and flashing circuit, etc.

[0063] Additionally, the torque and angle sensor 10 and the motor 11 are components separate from the EHPS controller. The torque and angle sensor 10 collects real-time status information from the steering wheel and feeds it back to the EHPS controller's main control chip 1. The MCU sends control signals to the motor 11 to output corresponding UVW three-phase power according to the driver's operating requirements. The motor 11, as the controlled object of the controller, is electrically connected to the controller through the UVW three-phase interface and outputs mechanical power.

[0064] See Figure 5 Regarding the implementation of the controller's highly integrated and highly secure internal structure, the overall structural scheme is as follows:

[0065] The controller includes: controller housing 17, TAS-12Pin connector 14, CAN-8Pin connector 16, DC power supply-2Pin connector 15, power supply module assembly 18, heat dissipation module 19, output module assembly 20, and PCB board assembly 21.

[0066] See Figure 8 Controller housing 17: As the outer enclosure of the controller, it protects the internal components. It has three bolt fixing holes inside for fixing internal components. The upper end face of the housing has three openings and surrounding bolt holes for assembling and fixing three types of connectors.

[0067] See Figure 6 , Figure 7 Connectors (male): Vehicle power supply, CAN communication signals and TAS sensor signals from outside the controller are connected to the internal control system via 2-pin, 8-pin and 12-pin connectors respectively; Special note: The 2-pin connector has a fixed position and soldering point for the TVS device (circuit principle belongs to the controller's front-end EMI filter module).

[0068] See Figure 2 Power supply module assembly 18: As a core component of the internal structure, it serves as the pre-stage EMI filter module for the controller in the circuit diagram. It includes capacitor 22, inductor 2-pin connector, and corresponding fixed positions and soldering points. External vehicle power passes through DC power supply 2-pin connector 15 and the power supply module sub-assembly (composed of the power supply module injection molded part and its electronic components), and is output to subsequent components after filtering.

[0069] See Figure 9The heat dissipation module 19, made of aluminum alloy, has good heat dissipation properties. It serves as the rear end of the power supply module assembly 18 and the front end of the output module assembly 20, sandwiched between them in the assembly structure. It has mounting slots and bolt holes for three-phase bridge power devices, which are tightly fitted to its back surface (applied with thermal adhesive); bolt mounting holes for assembly with the housing; and mounting slots for safety switch devices, also tightly fitted for heat dissipation.

[0070] See Figure 3 Output module assembly 20: As the core component of the internal structure, it is combined with the three-phase bridge power devices and the three-phase disconnection devices in the circuit principle as a three-phase inverter module and a disconnection module. The heat dissipation module 19 is located at the rear end of the assembly structure. It has pin soldering points corresponding to the three-phase bridge power devices, the three-phase disconnection devices, and the safety status switch devices; it has three-terminal metal terminals for motor UVW; it has openings adapted to CAN-8pin connector 16 and TAS-12pin connector 14; it has bolt fixing holes for assembly with the housing; it has PCB height limiting positioning posts; and it has signal lead-out terminals corresponding to the soldering through holes of the PCB assembly 21, connecting the control and output pin signals of each power device to the PCB.

[0071] See Figure 4 PCB assembly 21: Contains most electronic components (all control components). Over 90% of the internal path is for low-voltage, low-current signals, with only the freewheeling section serving as the sole high-current signal path. It features solder through-holes that mate with the power supply / signal leads of the power supply module injection molded parts, safety status switches, and output module injection molded parts (the leads pass through the PCB assembly surface and are soldered to the pads); it also has positioning openings that match the height-limiting positioning posts of the output module assembly 20 PCB to fix the PCB's spatial position.

[0072] Other electronic components include: capacitor 22, inductor, and safety switch devices in the filter module of the circuit diagram; three-phase bridge power devices and three-phase circuit breakers in the power output section; and TVS devices embedded in the DC power supply -2pin connector 15. These other electronic components belong to the power output section of the circuit diagram, operating under high power, high voltage, and high current conditions, and are arranged in different structural components outside the PCB in various forms.

[0073] EHPS controller assembly method:

[0074] The "other electronic components" are respectively assembled and fixed with the power supply module injection mold, the heat dissipation module, and the 2-pin connector. Among them, capacitor 22, inductor, and safety status switch device are fixedly welded to the power supply module injection mold; three-phase bridge power device and three-phase circuit breaker device are fixed to the heat dissipation module with bolts; and TVS device is assembled and welded with DC power supply - 2-pin connector 15.

[0075] The power supply module assembly, heat dissipation module 19, and output module injection molded parts are combined according to matching angles and positions. Then, the safety status switch device, three-phase bridge power device, and three-phase disconnect device pins are fixed to the corresponding terminals on the output module injection molded parts by resistance welding.

[0076] The power supply module assembly, heat dissipation module 19, and output module injection molded parts are assembled with the housing and secured with three bolts. After the assembly is completed, the PCB board assembly 21 is combined with the output module injection molded parts. The leads of the output module injection molded parts are then soldered to the corresponding signal soldering through holes on the PCB.

[0077] Insert the TAS-12Pin connector 14, CAN-8Pin connector 16, and DC power supply-2Pin connector 15 into the controller through the three openings on the upper surface of the controller housing 17. The metal pins of the connectors should be accurately inserted into the corresponding soldering through holes on the PCB. After confirming that there are no errors, solder the pins to the PCB pads and then tighten the connector fixing screws to complete the assembly process of the entire controller.

[0078] In practical use, the controller and motor are assembled by positioning and plugging through the UVW power supply terminals to realize the integrated assembly of the controller and motor. The external power supply, TAS sensor signals and CAN communication signals are connected to the controller connector (male terminal) through the vehicle wiring harness (with female terminal).

[0079] The hardware circuit architecture of this controller has multiple levels of circuit protection, including main shutdown, three-phase output shutdown, three-phase independent current monitoring, three-phase independent phase voltage monitoring, axial capacitor voltage monitoring, external vehicle power supply monitoring, overcurrent and short circuit protection, and over / under voltage protection. It is compatible with 24V vehicle power supply systems and has a maximum output power of over 1kW, meeting the high power supply voltage and high assist torque requirements of commercial vehicles.

[0080] Regarding the implementation of functional safety, the overall hardware design scheme for the EHPS controller is as follows:

[0081] Vehicle CAN communication: Dual redundancy, which can perform redundancy and mutual detection on torque and speed commands sent from the vehicle through two CAN transmission channels, thereby improving system operation stability and reducing controller failure rate;

[0082] Three-phase independent current monitoring and protection: Real-time current signals are fed back to the main control chip and the three-phase drive module through two feedback paths, respectively, to achieve redundant double protection for fault monitoring. When either the main control chip or the three-phase drive module fails to receive overcurrent information feedback or fails to output protection control signals normally after receiving feedback, the other module or IC can independently control the safety status switch or related disconnect module to complete the power supply disconnection operation (the main control chip controls the safety status switch, and the three-phase drive module controls the related disconnect module), thus achieving redundant double protection for protection response;

[0083] Voltage monitoring and protection: Supports external vehicle power supply monitoring, internal power supply monitoring of safety status switches, three-phase bridge bus capacitor voltage monitoring, internal circuit module power supply monitoring (main control chip, power management module, power supply module, etc.), real-time monitoring of three-phase phase voltage, external sensor power supply monitoring, and phase current monitoring. The protection design employs a combination of multiple switching devices and nested AND gate control logic, ensuring that normal power output is only possible when all components of the entire system are in normal condition, thereby guaranteeing the completeness of system monitoring and high system safety.

[0084] Other: Control signals related to control and safety are equipped with redundant positive and negative logic control, and all functions related to motor control and status feedback have redundant design.

[0085] In achieving and identifying functional safety level objectives, the hardware circuit architecture of this EHPS controller includes, but is not limited to, the following measures: design and detailed verification (starting from analyzing and determining the hardware functional architecture block diagram, all elements and internal interfaces are analyzed according to the system safety level requirements, and then the specific circuit scheme design and implementation begins).

[0086] Verify potential hardware architecture failures using both deductive reasoning (FTA) and inductive reasoning (FMEA).

[0087] Calculate single point failure (single point failure metric) and potential failure probability (potential failure metric);

[0088] Failure rate rating of hardware components;

[0089] Following a development process comprising three phases—preliminary design considerations, mid-term evaluation and verification, and final calculation and analysis—the controller hardware design achieves redundancy and mutual verification for multiple functions including communication, feedback, data acquisition, and protection. It also meets requirements such as a single-point fault metric (SPFM) greater than or equal to 99% and a latent fault metric (LFM) greater than or equal to 90%. The overall hardware functional safety level is deemed to meet ASIL-D standards.

[0090] The EHPS controller's hardware design achieves ASIL-D functional safety level, placing it at the forefront domestically and on par with leading international companies in the industry. From a hardware perspective, it supports emerging functions in the commercial vehicle sector, such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist, and provides fundamental hardware support for the future development of autonomous driving technology. It is an advanced and novel EHPS controller that is entirely independently developed in China.

[0091] The advantages of this controller structure design are:

[0092] To the greatest extent possible, the logic control components and power output components are separated at the physical structure level, thereby reducing the impact of power on the stability and safety of system control.

[0093] The three-phase bridge power devices and three-phase circuit breakers are placed outside the PCB and backed by the heat dissipation module, which ensures high heat dissipation performance while reducing the thermal interference effect on the control system circuit on the PCB and optimizing the normal operating temperature environment of the control system.

[0094] This structure achieves a high degree of matching with the motor in terms of shape, breaking the deadlock of the traditional "square and flat" controller design, and has a greater advantage in the overall vehicle space layout. At the same time, it lays a solid design foundation for the future realization of true "motor + controller" integration.

[0095] This invention compares with similar products both domestically and internationally:

[0096] Benchmarking against similar products from leading international manufacturers, and with the same high integration and motor compatibility, this invention features a more comprehensive functional safety design with high fault coverage and achieves a higher hardware functional safety rating (ASIL-D). Horizontal analysis shows that the EHPS controller has approximately 100% more electronic components, approximately 70% more diagnostic, protection, and feedback circuits, 100% higher power supply voltage, approximately 100% higher output power, approximately 30% larger volume, and approximately 50% higher power density. Overall, under the operating conditions and application requirements of vehicle power supply and power assist torque output in the commercial vehicle sector, the EHPS controller of this invention outperforms similar products from leading international manufacturers in terms of overall hardware performance.

[0097] Compared with existing similar products from domestic manufacturers, it leads in hardware design, component selection, and hardware functional safety level. In terms of controller structure design, it breaks through the traditional domestic controller structure design and innovates the development concept. The design concept improves the integration and matching degree with the motor by a level higher than other products, achieving a generational lead over the generally homogeneous domestic products.

[0098] Overall, the EHPS controller of this invention, as a domestically developed controller with high integration and meeting the application needs of commercial vehicles, boasts advantages such as high safety, high integration, high efficiency, strong overall architecture compatibility, easy and comfortable steering, and rich functionality. It meets the common needs of the current commercial vehicle sector and supports advanced technologies such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist. Simultaneously, it lays the hardware foundation for future autonomous driving in commercial vehicles (same series of products can reach L2 / L4 levels depending on requirements). Its comprehensive product strength and advanced design are generation-leading among similar domestic products and at a first-tier level internationally.

[0099] The above content is only for illustrating the technical concept of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications made to the technical solution based on the technical concept proposed in this invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. An electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller, characterized in that, include: The power supply module assembly (18) is provided below the power supply module assembly (18), and a heat dissipation module (19) is provided between the power supply module assembly (18) and the output module assembly (20). A PCB board assembly (21) is provided below the output module assembly (20). The power supply module assembly (18), the output module assembly (20) and the PCB board assembly (21) are electrically connected to each other, and a controller housing is provided on the outside. The power supply module assembly (18) includes: a power supply module injection molded part, a filter module, an axial capacitor (12) and a safety status main switch (4). The filter module, the axial capacitor (12) and the safety status main switch (4) are welded on the power supply module injection molded part and connected to an external power supply through a connector. The safety status main switch (4) is electrically connected to the PCB board assembly (21). The power supply module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module (19) and the output module assembly (20). The output module assembly (20) includes: an output module injection molded part, a three-phase bridge power device and a three-phase disconnect device; the output module injection molded part is fixedly connected to the heat dissipation module (19) and the power supply module assembly (18), and the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are respectively welded below it; the three-phase bridge power device and the three-phase disconnect device are electrically connected to the PCB board assembly (21) and the power supply module assembly (18); Both the power supply module injection molded part and the output module injection molded part are injection molded components that are separate from the controller housing.

2. The electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filtering module includes a capacitor (22) and an inductor. The capacitor (22) and the inductor are assembled on the injection molded part of the power supply module and electrically connected to each other to form a filtering circuit.

3. The electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PCB assembly (21) includes: a PCB board and a main control chip (1). The main control chip (1) is mounted on the PCB board and is connected to a power supply unit, a three-phase drive module (7), a communication module (9), a motor rotor sensor (8), and a crystal oscillator (13). The three-phase drive module (7) is connected to the output module assembly (20) and the power supply module assembly (18). The power supply unit is connected to the power supply module assembly (18).

4. The electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power supply unit includes a power management module (2) and a power module (3). The power module (3) is connected to the power management module (2), and the power module (3) is connected to the power supply module assembly (18). The power management module (2) is connected to the main control chip (1) and the power supply module assembly (18) respectively.

5. A control method based on the electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, include: S1: Obtain the status information of the steering wheel and feed it back to the PCB assembly (21); S2: The PCB assembly (21) sends a control signal to the output module assembly (20) based on the steering wheel status information. S3: Output module assembly (20) outputs electrical signals to the motor; S4: The motor outputs mechanical power based on the received electrical signal.

6. The control method for an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to claim 5, characterized in that, The state information of the steering wheel is obtained in S1 and fed back to the PCB assembly (21) through the torque angle sensor (10).

7. The control method for an electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller according to claim 5, characterized in that, The PCB assembly (21) includes a main control chip (1) and a three-phase drive module (7); in S1, the steering wheel status information is fed back to the main control chip (1); in S2, the main control chip (1) judges the operation requirements based on the steering wheel status information and outputs the corresponding control signal to the output module assembly (20) through the three-phase drive module (7).

8. A car, characterized in that, Includes the electro-hydraulic power steering motor controller as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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