Steering wheel pinion angle estimation and sensing verification

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a wheel system having a wheel actuator and at least one pinion angle sensor, and a control module. The control module is configured to receive a wheel actuator command and a rack force, generate a model of the wheel system based on the wheel actuator command and the rack force, estimate, with a state observer, a steering pinion angle based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force, a validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the at least one pinion angle sensor is determined based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold, and in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, a steering function of the vehicle is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

Description

[0001] INTRODUCTION

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the context of the disclosure. The work of the inventors presently named in this specification, in the range of this chapter, and in aspects of the specification that might not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to vehicle systems and methods for steering pinion angle estimation and sensing validation.

[0004] A vehicle includes a steering system for controlling the direction of travel of the vehicle. A driver can rotate a steering wheel by an amount of angle to change the direction of the vehicle. The rotational movement of the steering wheel is transferred to a vehicle steering tie rod or a wheel actuator. For example, the rotational movement of the steering wheel can be transferred to a wheel actuator having a rack and pinion via a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering tie rod and / or via an electrical connection (e.g., a signal). The pinion is actuated based on the rotational movement of the steering wheel with respect to the wheel actuator, causing translation of the rack and movement of the wheel. In some steering systems, one or more steering pinion angle sensors can be used as part of the wheel actuator mechanism in a steer-by-wire system. SUMMARY

[0005] A vehicle system for estimating a steering pinion angle for a wheel system of a vehicle includes a wheel system including a wheel actuator having a rack and a pinion configured to cause movement of the rack, and at least one pinion angle sensor, and a control module in communication with the one pinion angle sensor. The control module is configured to receive a wheel actuator command and a rack force, generate a model of the wheel system based on the wheel actuator command and the rack force, estimate the steering pinion angle based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force using a state observer, determine a validity of a measured steering pinion angle by the at least one pinion angle sensor based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold value, and control a steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid.

[0006] In other features, the control module is configured to compare a difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle to a threshold value and determine that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid in response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being greater than or equal to the threshold value.

[0007] In other features, the threshold value is a variable threshold value based on one or more vehicle parameters.

[0008] Among the other features, one or more vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

[0009] Among other features, the control module is configured to receive a motor position signal associated with the wheel actuator and estimate the rack force based on the received motor position signal.

[0010] Among other features, the control module is configured to be active in response to a determined measured steering pinion angle, and to control the vehicle's steering function based on the measured steering pinion angle.

[0011] Among other features, the at least one pinion angle sensor is a first pinion angle sensor, the wheel system includes a second pinion angle sensor, and the control module is configured to determine the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor based on an estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold, and to control the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the steering pinion angle measured from the first pinion angle sensor and the steering pinion angle measured from the second pinion angle sensor are invalid.

[0012] Among other features, the control module is configured to estimate the steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model, determine the validity of the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and a threshold, and, in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angular rate are invalid, control the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0013] Among other features, the state observer includes a Kalman filter.

[0014] Among other features, the vehicle includes the vehicle system.

[0015] A method for estimating the steering pinion angle for a vehicle's wheel system is disclosed. The wheel system includes a wheel actuator and at least one pinion angle sensor, the wheel actuator having a rack and a pinion configured to cause movement of the rack. The method includes the following operations: receiving a wheel actuator command, a rack force, and a measured steering pinion angle; generating a model of the wheel system based on the vehicle actuator command and the rack force; estimating the steering pinion angle using a state observer based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force; determining the validity of the measured steering pinion angle based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold; and controlling the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid.

[0016] Among other features, determining the validity of a measured steering pinion angle includes comparing the difference between the estimated and measured steering pinion angles with a threshold, and determining the measured steering pinion angle as invalid in response to the difference between the estimated and measured steering pinion angles being greater than or equal to the threshold.

[0017] Among other features, the threshold is a variable threshold based on one or more vehicle parameters.

[0018] Among other features, the one or more vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

[0019] Among other features, the at least one pinion angle sensor is a first pinion angle sensor, the wheel system includes a second pinion angle sensor, and the method further includes determining the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor based on an estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold.

[0020] Among other features, determining the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor includes: comparing the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor with a threshold, and determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid in response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor being greater than or equal to the threshold.

[0021] Among other features, the vehicle steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle includes the vehicle steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to the determination that the steering pinion angle measured from the first pinion angle sensor and the steering pinion angle measured from the second pinion angle sensor are invalid.

[0022] Among other features, the method also includes estimating the steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model and determining the effectiveness of the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and a threshold.

[0023] Among other features, the vehicle steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle includes the function of controlling the vehicle steering based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to the determination of the measured steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angular rate being invalid.

[0024] Among other features, the method further includes receiving a motor position signal associated with the wheel actuator and estimating the rack force based on the received motor position signal.

[0025] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a control module, cause the control module to: generate a model of a wheel system in a vehicle based on wheel actuator commands and rack forces, the wheel system including wheel actuators having racks and pinions; estimate a steering pinion angle based on the generated model, wheel actuator commands, and rack forces using a state observer; determine the validity of a measured steering pinion angle from a pinion angle sensor in the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold; and control the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the sensed steering pinion angle is invalid.

[0026] This disclosure provides the following examples:

[0027] Example 1. A vehicle system for estimating the steering pinion angle for a vehicle's wheel system, the vehicle system comprising:

[0028] A wheel system includes a wheel actuator and at least one pinion angle sensor, the wheel actuator having a rack and a pinion configured to cause movement of the rack; and

[0029] The control module, which communicates with the pinion angle sensor, is configured to:

[0030] Receives commands from the wheel actuator and rack force;

[0031] A model of the wheel system is generated based on the wheel actuator command and the rack force;

[0032] Using a state observer, the steering pinion angle is estimated based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force;

[0033] The validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the at least one pinion angle sensor is determined based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold; and

[0034] In response to the determination that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, the steering function of the vehicle is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0035] Example 2. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0036] The difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle is compared with the threshold; and

[0037] In response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being greater than or equal to the threshold, the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be invalid.

[0038] Example 3. The vehicle system according to Example 2, wherein the threshold is a variable threshold based on one or more vehicle parameters.

[0039] Example 4. The vehicle system according to Example 3, wherein the one or more vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

[0040] Example 5. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0041] Receive the motor position signal associated with the wheel actuator; and

[0042] The rack force is estimated based on the received motor position signal.

[0043] Example 6. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein the control module is configured to: control the steering function of the vehicle based on the measured steering pinion angle in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is valid.

[0044] Example 7. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein:

[0045] The at least one pinion angle sensor is a first pinion angle sensor;

[0046] The wheel system includes a second pinion angle sensor; and

[0047] The control module is configured to determine the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor based on the estimated steering pinion angle and the threshold, and to control the steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the steering pinion angle measured from the first pinion angle sensor and the steering pinion angle measured from the second pinion angle sensor are invalid.

[0048] Example 8. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0049] Estimate the steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model;

[0050] The effectiveness of determining the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and the threshold; and

[0051] In response to the determination that the measured steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angular rate are invalid, the steering function of the vehicle is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0052] Example 9. The vehicle system according to Example 1, wherein the state observer includes a Kalman filter.

[0053] Example 10. A vehicle including the vehicle system according to Example 1.

[0054] Example 11. A method for estimating a steering pinion angle for a wheel system of a vehicle, the wheel system including a wheel actuator and at least one pinion angle sensor, the wheel actuator having a rack and a pinion configured to cause movement of the rack, the method comprising:

[0055] Receives commands from the wheel actuators, rack force, and measured steering pinion angle;

[0056] A model of the wheel system is generated based on the vehicle actuator command and the rack force;

[0057] Using a state observer, the steering pinion angle is estimated based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force;

[0058] The validity of the measured steering pinion angle is determined based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold; and

[0059] In response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, the vehicle's steering function is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0060] Example 12. The method according to Example 11, wherein determining the validity of the measured steering pinion angle includes:

[0061] The difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle is compared with the threshold; and

[0062] In response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being greater than or equal to the threshold, the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be invalid.

[0063] Example 13. The method according to Example 12, wherein the threshold is a variable threshold based on one or more vehicle parameters.

[0064] Example 14. The method according to Example 13, wherein the one or more vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

[0065] Example 15. The method described in Example 12, wherein:

[0066] The at least one pinion angle sensor is a first pinion angle sensor;

[0067] The wheel system includes a second pinion angle sensor; and

[0068] The method further includes: determining the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor based on the estimated steering pinion angle and the threshold.

[0069] Example 16. The method according to Example 15, wherein determining the validity of the measured steering pinion angle of the second pinion angle sensor includes:

[0070] The difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle from the second pinion angle sensor is compared with the threshold; and

[0071] In response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle of the second pinion angle sensor being greater than or equal to the threshold, the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be invalid.

[0072] Example 17. The method according to Example 16, wherein controlling the steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle includes: in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle from the first pinion angle sensor and the measured steering pinion angle from the second pinion angle sensor are invalid, controlling the steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0073] Example 18. The method described in Example 11, wherein:

[0074] The method further includes estimating the steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model and determining the effectiveness of the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and a threshold; and

[0075] Controlling the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle includes: in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angular rate are invalid, controlling the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0076] Example 19. The method described in Example 11 further includes:

[0077] Receive the motor position signal associated with the wheel actuator; and

[0078] The rack force is estimated based on the received motor position signal.

[0079] Example 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a control module, cause the control module to perform the following operations:

[0080] A model of a wheel system in a vehicle is generated based on wheel actuator commands and rack forces, the wheel system including a wheel actuator with a rack and pinion.

[0081] Using a state observer, the steering pinion angle is estimated based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force;

[0082] The validity of the steering pinion angle measured from the pinion angle sensor in the vehicle is determined based on the estimated steering pinion angle and the threshold; and

[0083] In response to determining that the sensed steering pinion angle is invalid, the vehicle's steering function is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0084] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0085] This disclosure will be more fully understood through detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0086] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an example vehicle system for estimating the steering pinion angle of a vehicle and verifying actual measurement results from one or more pinion angle sensors, based on this disclosure.

[0087] Figure 2 It is based on the provisions of this disclosure, including Figure 1 The vehicle system is part of the vehicle.

[0088] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an example steering system for a vehicle according to this disclosure; and

[0089] Figures 4-7 This is a flowchart of an example control process for estimating the steering pinion angle of a vehicle and verifying actual measurement results from one or more pinion angle sensors, based on this disclosure.

[0090] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0091] Vehicles may rely on steer-by-wire systems to control their direction of travel. In such examples, the steer-by-wire system or mechanism is a safety-critical system requiring sufficient redundancy and backup for both actuation and sensing. As an example, pinion angle measurements from one or more steering pinion angle sensors can be converted into steering rack position via a C-factor (e.g., gear ratio). These pinion angle measurements typically play a crucial role in respecting driver-requested steering commands and influencing other vehicle motion control systems. However, under certain circumstances, pinion angle sensors are prone to failure and / or degradation. Therefore, since the sensors are part of a safety-critical system, it is necessary to employ a strategy to compensate for any sensor failure or degradation.

[0092] The vehicle system and method according to this disclosure provide a solution for estimating the steering pinion angle of a vehicle based on an information source independent of characteristics associated with one or more steering pinion angle sensors in the vehicle, and then verifying the actual measurement results of the one or more steering pinion angle sensors based on the estimated angle. For example, and as further explained below, the vehicle system and method generate a model of the wheel system (e.g., wheel actuator) based on wheel actuator commands and rack forces, estimate the steering pinion angle partially based on the generated model using a state observer, and determine the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by at least one pinion angle sensor based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold. Then, based on the validity of the measured steering pinion angle, the vehicle system and method can control the steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle or the measured steering pinion angle.

[0093] This mitigation strategy allows for the identification and compensation of faulty or degraded pinion angle sensors by substituting the measured steering pinion angle with an estimated one, thereby ensuring accurate and safe vehicle control. Furthermore, by estimating the steering pinion angle based on independent characteristics and verified actual steering pinion angles, the mitigation strategy can be readily adapted to unique configurations and sensing systems that allow for a wide variety of vehicle programs. Moreover, the vehicle system and method presented herein ensure that the reconstruction approach remains effective across any operating range, even with generally lower expectations for sensor redundancy in terms of signal response time and robustness compared to the original direct measurement. This ensures that the system remains effective and reliable regardless of operating conditions. Therefore, significant improvements to vehicle systems (e.g., steer-by-wire systems) can be achieved without redundancy (failure of the primary or auxiliary sensor) by providing a reliable and adaptable solution for compensating for or verifying the failure of all steering pinion angle sensors (e.g., primary and auxiliary pinion angle sensors).

[0094] Now for reference Figure 1A block diagram of an example vehicle system 100 is presented, which is used to estimate or otherwise determine the steering pinion angle of a vehicle and to verify the actual measurement results of one or more pinion angle sensors based on the estimated angle. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle system 100 generally includes a control module 102, a vehicle control module 104, a wheel actuator (RWA) control module 106, an RWA 108, a handwheel actuator (HWA) control module 110, and various sensors for detecting or sensing vehicle parameters. Figure 1 In one example, the sensors may include a handwheel angle sensor 112, one or more pinion angle sensors 114, and one or more torque sensors 118. In various embodiments, the vehicle system 100 may include at least two pinion angle sensors 114, such as a primary sensor and an auxiliary (or redundant) sensor.

[0095] although Figure 1 The illustration shows vehicle system 100 including specific modules; however, it should be understood that one or more other modules may be employed if needed. Furthermore, although vehicle system 100 is shown as including multiple separate modules, any combination of these modules (e.g., control module 102, vehicle control module 104, RWA control module 106, HWA control module 110, etc.) and / or their functions can be integrated into one or more modules. Moreover, although... Figure 1 The vehicle system 100 is shown to include specific sensors, but it should be understood that system 100 and / or other systems may include more or fewer sensors, sensors with different functions, etc.

[0096] In various embodiments, the modules and sensors of vehicle system 100 can communicate with each other and share parameters via network 120 (such as a controller area network (CAN)). In such an example, parameters can be shared via one or more data buses of network 120. Therefore, a given module and / or sensor can provide various parameters to other modules and / or sensors via network 120.

[0097] Figure 1 The vehicle system 100 can be used with any suitable vehicle, such as electric vehicles (e.g., pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, etc.) and internal combustion engine vehicles. Furthermore, the vehicle system 100 can be applied to autonomous vehicles, semi-autonomous vehicles, etc. For example, Figure 2 A vehicle 200 is depicted, which includes a control module 102 and a vehicle control module 104, and two pinion angle sensors 114-1 and 114-2 communicating with the control module 102 and / or the vehicle control module 104. In such an example, Figure 2One of the pinion angle sensors, 114-1, can be the main sensor and Figure 2 Another 114-2 in the pinion angle sensor can be an auxiliary (or redundant) sensor.

[0098] Continue to refer to Figure 1 Drivers and vehicles (e.g., Figure 2 Interactions between vehicles (200) occur via steering and pedal inputs. For example, in a steering-by-wire (SbW) control system, a driver steering command is translated into torque values ​​for the electric motors in the wheel system to rotate the steering pinion, move or translate the steering rack, and generate a desired vehicle wheel angle command (e.g., a wheel actuator command). For example, the HWA control module 110 may generate a driver steering command based on input received from a handwheel angle sensor 112 (e.g., a steering wheel angle sensor). In such an example, the handwheel angle sensor 112 typically monitors the rotational position, movement, etc., of the vehicle's steering wheel to generate a steering wheel angle. In various embodiments, the translation of the driver steering command into a desired vehicle wheel angle command is part of a closed-loop control loop, a portion of which can be achieved by measuring the pinion angle (e.g., via one or more pinion angle sensors 114) and using a C-factor to calculate the steering rack position for a specific steering handwheel angle command from the driver.

[0099] exist Figure 1 In this example, the wheel system of vehicle system 100 may include various components. For instance, the wheel system may include RWA control module 106, RWA 108, one or more pinion angle sensors 114, HWA control module 110, etc. In such an example, RWA 108 may have a steering rack and a pinion for causing movement of the rack. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). For example, a rack typically comprises a strip with teeth along its length (at least a portion of the length). When controlled based on a wheel actuator command, a pinion (e.g., a gear) can rotate along the teeth to move the rack, thereby causing movement of a wheel coupled to the rack (e.g., a front or rear wheel). In such an example, one or more pinion angle sensors 114 generally detect or measure the rotation angle of the pinion (e.g., a gear), which represents the angular displacement of the motor in the wheel system. In various examples, the rotation angle of the pinion may correspond to the turning angle of the wheel. The pinion angle sensors 114 can then output the measured angle to the control module 102 and / or Figure 1 Another suitable module for the vehicle system 100, such as the vehicle control module 104 for the vehicle motion control system, the HWA control module 110, etc.

[0100] In various embodiments, control module 102 typically estimates the steering pinion angle associated with the vehicle's steering system and then verifies the actual angle measurements of additional pinion angle sensors(s)114 based on the estimated angle. As an example, Figure 3 Depicting vehicles (such as Figure 2 The steering system 300 of vehicle 200. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the steering system 300 typically includes an axle 330, a differential 332, wheels 334 and 336 (with corresponding centerlines 338 and 340), a steering tie rod 342 (part of which forms a rack), a steering wheel 344, and a pinion 346. Figure 1 RWA control module 106 Figure 1 HWA control module 110 and Figures 1-2 The small gear angle sensors 114-1 and 114-2.

[0101] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The control module 102 can estimate the steering pinion angle of the vehicle by relying on different input signals, such as wheel actuator commands and steering tie rod forces. For example, in Figure 1 In this example, control module 102 can receive wheel actuator commands and rack force (Fr). In such an example, the wheel actuator command is a voltage signal generated by RWA control module 106 for the wheel actuator motor (e.g., an electric motor in the wheel system). Furthermore, rack force (Fr) or steering tie rod load represents the force on the steering tie rod, such as... Figure 3 As indicated by the dashed line 348.

[0102] In various embodiments, the received rack force (Fr) can be estimated. For example, the rack force can be estimated based on steering system signals (e.g., steering motor torque, motor position, and motor speed) and vehicle signals (e.g., vehicle yaw rate and vehicle speed). For example, control module 102 can receive motor position signals associated with RWA 108 and then estimate the rack force based on the received motor position signals. In such examples, the rack force estimation can be related only to the motor position sensor (which provides the motor position signal). Therefore, in the event of a pinion angle sensor failure, the rack force estimation is an independent source of information.

[0103] Then, control module 102 generates at least one model of the wheel system based on wheel actuator commands and rack forces. This generated model is... Figure 1The model is shown as 122. For example, control module 102 can generate a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) state-space model to capture the wheel system and pinion (e.g., Figure 3 The dynamic motion of the motor in the pinion 346. Furthermore, in some examples, the control module 102 can generate a single-DOF state-space model to capture the difference between the motor's delivered torque and the requested torque. In such an example, as described above, the pinion angle can be converted into rack displacement / movement via a C-factor.

[0104] exist Figure 1 In the example, the generated model can be a mathematical representation of the wheel system through inputs, outputs, state variables, and differential equations. For example, the model can be used to support different sensed / non-sense information and relationships between physical system parameters associated with the vehicle. In such an example, the generated model can provide multiple evolutionary states (e.g., steering pinion angle, steering pinion angular rate, and delivered motor current) and multiple evolutionary outputs (e.g., steering rack position and delivered torque of the motor).

[0105] As an example, a two-DOF state-space model of a wheel system can be represented by the following set of equations (1)-(15). In this example, J m θ represents the inertia of the motor. m K represents the angular displacement of the motor (e.g., the rotation angle of the pinion). C Indicates motor rigidity, B m K represents the motor damping. r Indicates the rigidity of the electric motor, B r M represents the damping of the electric motor. r Indicates the weight of the rack, x r Indicates the rack position, r p N represents the radius of the pinion, and T represents the gear ratio of the motor. RWA I represents the torque of the RWA motor. m This indicates the RWA motor current, V mRWA L represents the voltage of the RWA motor. m R represents the lumped motor inertia. m Indicates the rigidity of the lumped motor, and K emf This indicates the steering motor EMF. (See reference) Figure 3 Steering system 300, motor rigidity K C Typically represented by the resistance symbol 350, the motor angular displacement θ m Typically represented by line 352, the rack position x r Typically represented by line 354, and RWA motor torque T RWA It is usually represented by line 356.

[0106] Equation (1)

[0107] Equation (2)

[0108] Equation (3)

[0109] Equation (4)

[0110] Equation (5)T RWA =N×K t ×I m

[0111] Equation (6)

[0112] Equation (7)

[0113] Equation (8)

[0114] Equation (9) Y RWA =C RWA X RWA

[0115] Equation (10)

[0116] Equation (11)

[0117] Equation (12)

[0118] Equation (13)

[0119] Equation (14)

[0120] Equation (15)

[0121] Then, the control module 102 relies on the state observer to estimate the steering pinion angle. For example, and as... Figure 1 As shown, control module 102 includes estimator module 124, which implements a real-time state observer to estimate the steering pinion angle based on: the generated model 122, wheel actuator commands, rack force, noise, and the electric motor's delivery torque (e.g., by...). Figure 1(One of the measurements in torque sensor 118). For example, the state observer can be designed to estimate the steering pinion angle based on the space state model generated above, various parameters, and inputs (e.g., wheel actuator commands, rack force, and input noise). As an example, the state observer can be a Kalman filter used to perform this estimation using the state space model equations (8)-(12) above and the state space model equations (16)-(18) below. In this example, W and V represent process noise and sensor noise, respectively.

[0122] Equation (16)

[0123] Equation (17)Y m =C Obs X RWA +V

[0124] Equation (18)A Obs =A RWA B Oba =B RWA C Oba =[0 0 N×K t ]

[0125] The control module 102 can then determine whether the steering pinion angle measured by one or more pinion angle sensors 114 is valid. For example, in Figure 1 In this example, control module 102 determines the validity of the measured steering pinion angle based on an estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold. For example, to determine the validity of the measurement result, control module 102 may determine the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle, and then compare that difference with a threshold. In such an example, control module 102 may determine that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid in response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being greater than or equal to the threshold. Furthermore, control module 102 may determine that the measured steering pinion angle is valid in response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being less than the threshold.

[0126] In various embodiments, the threshold used in determining the validity of the measured steering pinion angle can be any suitable value. For example, the threshold can be a fixed or variable threshold established for angle comparison, indicating whether the output of sensor(s)(one or more) 114 deviates from the estimated steering pinion angle. In some examples, the threshold can be based on one or more vehicle parameters. In such examples, the threshold can be calculated based on vehicle speed, duration exceeding a predefined calibration angle value, and the magnitude of the error exceeding the predefined calibration angle value. In various embodiments, a calibration table including various values ​​for different vehicle speeds, durations, and error magnitudes can be used to set a threshold for pinion angle verification, which can then be adjusted based on the actual vehicle speed, duration, and the magnitude of the estimated angle error.

[0127] In some examples, as described above, vehicle system 100 may include multiple pinion angle sensors 114, such as primary and secondary sensors. In such examples, control module 102 may determine the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by each pinion angle sensor 114 based on an estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold. More specifically, control module 102 may compare the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and each measured steering pinion angle from the multiple pinion angle sensors 114 with a threshold.

[0128] Furthermore, control module 102 can determine the validity of one or more pinion angle sensors 114 based on the directional evolution of the pinion angle. In such an example, the directional evolution can be indicated by the steering pinion angular rate (e.g., angular velocity). For example, control module 102 can estimate the steering pinion angular rate in part based on a generated model (e.g., using a state observer). Control module 102 can then determine the validity of the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and a threshold. As an example, to determine the validity of the actual steering pinion angular rate, control module 102 can determine the difference between the estimated steering pinion angular rate and the actual steering pinion angular rate, and then compare that difference with a threshold. In such an example, control module 102 can determine that the measured steering pinion angular rate is invalid in response to the difference being greater than or equal to the threshold, or determine that the measured steering pinion angular rate is valid in response to the difference being less than the threshold.

[0129] Then, control module 102 can initiate different actions based on whether the steering pinion angle measured by one or more pinion angle sensors 114 is determined to be invalid (or valid). For example, in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, control module 102 can control the vehicle's steering function based on an estimated steering pinion angle (rather than the actual steering pinion angle from one or more pinion angle sensors 114). In such an example, control module 102 can transmit a signal with the estimated steering pinion angle (as a substitute for the actual steering pinion angle) to vehicle control module 104 (e.g., a control module for a vehicle motion control system in the vehicle). Furthermore, vehicle control module 104 can control the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

[0130] In other examples, in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is valid, control module 102 can control the vehicle's steering function based on the measured (or actual) steering pinion angle from one or more pinion angle sensors 114. In such an example, control module 102 can transmit a signal with the actual steering pinion angle to vehicle control module 104, which can then control the vehicle's steering function based on the measured steering pinion angle.

[0131] In some examples, if the measured steering pinion angle from one or more sensors 114 is invalid and the actual steering pinion angular rate is invalid, the control module 102 may control the vehicle's steering function based solely on the estimated steering pinion angle. In such an example, in response to determining that each measured steering pinion angle (e.g., the steering pinion angle measured from one sensor 114 or the steering pinion angle measured from multiple different sensors 114) is invalid and the actual steering pinion angular rate is invalid, the control module 102 may transmit a signal with the estimated steering pinion angle to the vehicle control module 104.

[0132] Furthermore, in various embodiments, if multiple pinion angle sensors 114 are employed, and if the steering pinion angle measured from each sensor 114 is invalid, the control module 102 can control the vehicle's steering function based solely on the estimated steering pinion angle. In other words, in response to determining that the steering pinion angle measured from the primary pinion angle sensor and the steering pinion angle measured from the auxiliary pinion angle sensor are invalid, the control module 102 can transmit a signal with the estimated steering pinion angle to the vehicle control module 104.

[0133] In such an example, control module 102 can implement a predetermined strategy to address deficiencies in the primary pinion angle sensor and / or the auxiliary pinion angle sensor. For example, in the event of a failure in the primary pinion angle sensor (e.g., as indicated by an invalid steering pinion angle from that sensor), the auxiliary pinion angle sensor can be activated to achieve steering control. However, if the auxiliary pinion angle sensor also fails and cannot be verified, it could lead to dangerous situations (such as a persistent overestimation of driver input). In this case, a set of recommended corrective measures can be considered (e.g., remedial action 1 based on the estimated steering pinion angle, remedial action 2 based on the estimated steering pinion angle, remedial action 3 based on the estimated steering pinion angle, etc.). In various embodiments, for safety and robustness purposes, a latching strategy can be used based on the degradation state to keep the fault signal valid, even if the calculated error temporarily becomes less than a predefined threshold. This can essentially eliminate false negatives.

[0134] Figures 4-7 The illustrations show example control processes 400, 500, 600, and 700. Example control processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 can be derived from... Figure 1 The vehicle system 100 is used to estimate or otherwise determine a vehicle (e.g., Figure 2 The steering pinion angle of vehicle 200 (e.g., vehicle 200) is measured, and the actual measurement results of one or more pinion angle sensors are verified. Although example control processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 pertain to the control module 102... Figure 1 The vehicle system 100 is described, but any of the control processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 can be adopted by another suitable system.

[0135] like Figure 4 As shown, the control process 400 begins by receiving various parameters. Specifically, as described above, the control process 400 begins at 402, 404, where the control module 102 receives wheel actuator commands (in 402) and actual measured steering pinion angles from one or more pinion angle sensors 114 (in 404). The control process 400 then proceeds to 406.

[0136] At 406, control module 102 receives the rack force by estimating the rack force. For example, and as described above, control module 102 can estimate the rack force based on steering system signals (such as the received motor position signal associated with RWA 108). Then, control process 400 proceeds to 408.

[0137] At 408, control module 102 generates a model of the wheel system based on wheel actuator commands and estimated rack forces. For example, and as described above, control module 102 can generate a state-space model to capture the wheel system and pinion (e.g., Figure 3 The dynamic motion of the motor in the pinion 346). In various embodiments, the generated model can be represented by the above equations (1)-(15). Then, the control process 400 proceeds to 410.

[0138] At 410, control module 102 estimates the steering pinion angle based on the generated model. For example, control module 102 may implement a real-time state observer (e.g., in the form of a Kalman filter) to estimate the steering pinion angle. In various embodiments, control module 102 may use the state-space model equations (8)-(12) and (16)-(18) mentioned above to estimate the steering pinion angle. Then, control process 400 proceeds to 412.

[0139] At 412, control module 102 determines whether the actual measured steering pinion angle from one or more pinion angle sensors 114 is valid. For example, and as described above, control module 102 can determine the validity of the measured steering pinion angle (and more generally, the one or more pinion angle sensors 114) by comparing the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle with a threshold. If control module 102 determines at 412 that the measured steering pinion angle is valid, control process 400 proceeds to 416. Otherwise, if control module 102 determines at 412 that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, control process 400 proceeds to 414, where control module 102 replaces (e.g., in memory, etc.) the actual measured steering pinion angle with the estimated steering pinion angle. Then, control process 400 proceeds to 416.

[0140] At 416, as described above, control module 102 controls the vehicle's steering function based on an estimated steering pinion angle or a measured steering pinion angle from one or more pinion angle sensors 114. For example, if the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be valid, control module 102 controls the steering function based on the measured steering pinion angle. However, if the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be invalid, control module 102 controls the steering function based on an estimated steering pinion angle. The control can then be as follows: Figure 4 The process can end as shown, or return to another appropriate step for further estimation of the steering pinion angle and verification of the actual pinion angle sensor measurement results.

[0141] exist Figure 5In the process control 500, the above provides the following... Figure 4 This is an example of determining whether the actual measured steering pinion angle from one or more pinion angle sensors 114 is valid, as mentioned in control process 400, section 412. Specifically, and as... Figure 5 As shown, the control process 500 calculates the estimated steering pinion angle (e.g., as based on...) Figure 4 The control process 400 (estimated by 412) and the measured steering pinion angle (e.g., as per the control process 400) Figure 4 The control process 500 proceeds to 504, starting with the difference between the estimated and measured steering pinion angles. In such an example, control module 102 may subtract the estimated steering pinion angle (or vice versa) from the measured angle, and then set the absolute value of this calculation as the difference between the estimated and measured angles. Control process 500 then proceeds to 504.

[0142] At 504, control module 102 compares the calculated difference between the estimated angle and the measured angle with a threshold. In such an example, as described above, the threshold can be fixed or variable and is calculated based on vehicle speed, the duration of the deviation above a predefined calibration angle value, and the amount of error above the predefined calibration angle value. Then, control process 500 proceeds to 506.

[0143] At 506, control module 102 determines whether the calculated difference between the estimated angle and the measured angle is greater than or equal to a threshold. If yes at 506, control process 500 proceeds to 508, where control module 102 sets a flag indicating that the actually measured steering pinion angle is invalid. However, if no at 506, control process 500 proceeds to 510, where control module 102 sets a flag indicating that the actually measured steering pinion angle is valid. Then, in either case, control module 102 can store the set flag for later control use, replace the actually measured steering pinion angle with the estimated steering pinion angle for control purposes in response to the invalid flag being set, or maintain the actually measured steering pinion angle for control purposes in response to the valid flag being set, etc. Then, control can be performed as follows: Figure 5 It ends as shown in the diagram.

[0144] exist Figure 6 In the middle, the control process 600 is similar to Figure 4 The control process 400 includes additional steps. For example, and such as Figure 6 As shown, the control process 600 begins as described above. Figure 4 402, and then proceed to 604. At 604, the control module 102 receives signals from two pinion angle sensors (such as...). Figure 2The main pinion angle sensor 114-1 and the auxiliary (or redundant) pinion angle sensor 114-2 receive the first and second actually measured steering pinion angles. Then, control process 600 proceeds to steps 406, 408, 410, and 612, where steps 406, 408, and 410 are as described above regarding... Figure 4 An explanation was provided.

[0145] At 612, control module 102 determines whether the first measured steering pinion angle from master pinion angle sensor 114-1 is valid. For example, as described above, to determine the validity of the first measured steering pinion angle, control module 102 can compare the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the first measured steering pinion angle with a threshold. If control module 102 determines at 612 that the first measured steering pinion angle is invalid, control process 600 proceeds to 614. Otherwise, if control module 102 determines at 612 that the first measured steering pinion angle is valid, control process 600 proceeds to 616, where control module 102 can select (or otherwise set) the first measured steering pinion angle for steering control. In various embodiments, control module 102 may set a flag to indicate the selection of the first measured steering pinion angle for steering control. Then, control process 600 proceeds to 622.

[0146] At 614, after determining that the first measured steering pinion angle from the primary pinion angle sensor 114-1 is invalid, the control module 102 determines whether the second measured steering pinion angle from the auxiliary (or redundant) pinion angle sensor 114-2 is valid. For example, as described above, the control module 102 can make this determination by comparing the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the second measured steering pinion angle with a threshold. If the control module 102 determines at 614 that the second measured steering pinion angle is invalid, the control process 600 proceeds to 618. Otherwise, if the control module 102 determines at 614 that the second measured steering pinion angle is valid, the control process 600 proceeds to 620, where the control module 102 can select (or otherwise set) the second measured steering pinion angle for steering control. In some examples, the control module 102 may set a flag to indicate the selection of the second measured steering pinion angle for steering control. Then, the control process 600 proceeds to 622.

[0147] At 618, control module 102 replaces the actually measured steering pinion angle with an estimated steering pinion angle. For example, control module 102 can set a flag to indicate the selection of an estimated steering pinion angle for steering control, replacing the actually measured steering pinion angle in memory with the estimated steering pinion angle, etc. Then, control process 400 proceeds to 622, where, as described above, control module 102 controls the vehicle's steering function at 622 based on either the estimated steering pinion angle or the steering pinion angle measured from one or more pinion angle sensors 114. Then, control can be performed as follows: Figure 6 The process can end as shown, or return to another appropriate step for further estimation of the steering pinion angle and verification of the actual pinion angle sensor measurement results.

[0148] exist Figure 7 In the middle, the control process 700 is similar to Figure 4 The control process 400 includes additional steps. For example, and such as Figure 7 As shown, control process 700 begins as described above. Figure 4 At points 402 and 404, and then proceeding to 704. At 704, control module 102 determines the actual steering pinion angular rate. For example, control module 102 can determine the actual steering pinion angular rate (e.g., pinion angular velocity) based on the measured steering pinion angle and time unit (e.g., degrees per unit time). Then, control process 700 proceeds to points 406, 408, and 710, where 406 and 408 are above regarding... Figure 4 An explanation was provided.

[0149] At 710, control module 102 estimates the steering pinion angle and steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model. For example, control module 102 may implement a real-time state observer (e.g., in the form of a Kalman filter) to estimate the steering pinion angle and associated steering pinion angular rate. In various embodiments, control module 102 may use the state-space model equations (8)-(12) and (16)-(18) mentioned above for such estimation. Then, control process 700 proceeds to 712.

[0150] At 712, control module 102 determines whether the actually measured steering pinion angle is valid. For example, as described above, to determine the validity of the measured steering pinion angle, control module 102 can compare the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle with a threshold. If control module 102 determines at 712 that the measured steering pinion angle is valid, then control process 700 proceeds to 718. Otherwise, if it is determined at 712 that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, then control process 700 proceeds to 714.

[0151] At 714, control module 102 determines whether the actual steering pinion angular rate is valid. For example, as described above, to determine the validity of the actual steering pinion angular rate, control module 102 may determine the difference between the estimated steering pinion angular rate and the actual steering pinion angular rate, and then compare this difference with a threshold. If control module 102 determines at 714 that the actual steering pinion angular rate is valid, then control process 700 proceeds to 718. Otherwise, if it determines at 714 that the actual steering pinion angular rate is invalid, then control process 700 proceeds to 716.

[0152] At point 716, if both the actual steering pinion angle and steering pinion angular rate are invalid, the control module 102 replaces the actually measured steering pinion angle with an estimated steering pinion angle. For example, and as described above, the control module 102 can set a flag to indicate the selection of the estimated steering pinion angle for steering control, replacing the actually measured steering pinion angle in memory with the estimated steering pinion angle, etc. Then, the control process 700 proceeds to 718, where, as described above, the control module 102 controls the vehicle's steering function based on the estimated or measured steering pinion angle. The control can then be as follows: Figure 7 The process can end as shown, or return to another appropriate step for further estimation of the steering pinion angle and verification of the actual pinion angle sensor measurement results.

[0153] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in many forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, while each embodiment is described above as having specific features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the arrangement of one or more embodiments with respect to each other remains within the scope of this disclosure.

[0154] Spatial and functional relationships between components (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connection,” “joint,” “coupled,” “proximity,” “adjacent,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “set.” Unless explicitly stated as “direct,” the relationship between the first and second components described in the above disclosure can be a direct relationship, where no other intermediate components exist between the first and second components, but it can also be an indirect relationship, where one or more intermediate components exist (spatially or functionally) between the first and second components. As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” should be interpreted as meaning logically (A or B or C) using the non-exclusive logical “OR,” and should not be interpreted as meaning “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0155] In the accompanying drawings, the direction of the arrows, as indicated by the arrows, typically illustrates the flow of information (e.g., data or instructions) of interest to the illustration. For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow can point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B can send a request for or confirmation of receipt of that information to component A.

[0156] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0157] This module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of this disclosure can be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules can allow for load balancing. In a further example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0158] The term "code" as used above can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" covers a processor circuit that, in conjunction with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits cover multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" covers a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" covers a memory circuit that, in conjunction with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0159] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory, tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0160] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The aforementioned function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements serve as a software specification that can be routinely translated into a computer program by a skilled technician or programmer.

[0161] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0162] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter; (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler; and so on. As an example only, source code can be written using syntax from languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, etc. Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th Edition), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and

Claims

1. A vehicle system for estimating the steering pinion angle for a vehicle's wheel system, the vehicle system comprising: A wheel system, including a wheel actuator and at least one pinion angle sensor, the wheel actuator having a rack and a pinion configured to cause movement of the rack; as well as The control module, which communicates with the pinion angle sensor, is configured to: Receives commands from the wheel actuator and rack force; A model of the wheel system is generated based on the wheel actuator command and the rack force; Using a state observer, the steering pinion angle is estimated based on the generated model, the wheel actuator command, and the rack force; The validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the at least one pinion angle sensor is determined based on the estimated steering pinion angle and a threshold. as well as In response to the determination that the measured steering pinion angle is invalid, the steering function of the vehicle is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

2. The vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: The difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle is compared with the threshold; and In response to the difference between the estimated steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angle being greater than or equal to the threshold, the measured steering pinion angle is determined to be invalid.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the threshold is a variable threshold based on one or more vehicle parameters.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3, wherein the one or more vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

5. The vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: Receive the motor position signal associated with the wheel actuator; and The rack force is estimated based on the received motor position signal.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: control the steering function of the vehicle based on the measured steering pinion angle in response to determining that the measured steering pinion angle is valid.

7. The vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one pinion angle sensor is a first pinion angle sensor; The wheel system includes a second pinion angle sensor; as well as The control module is configured to determine the validity of the steering pinion angle measured by the second pinion angle sensor based on the estimated steering pinion angle and the threshold, and to control the steering function of the vehicle based on the estimated steering pinion angle in response to determining that the steering pinion angle measured from the first pinion angle sensor and the steering pinion angle measured from the second pinion angle sensor are invalid.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: Estimate the steering pinion angular rate based on the generated model; The effectiveness of determining the actual steering pinion angular rate based on the estimated steering pinion angular rate and the threshold; and In response to the determination that the measured steering pinion angle and the measured steering pinion angular rate are invalid, the steering function of the vehicle is controlled based on the estimated steering pinion angle.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the state observer comprises a Kalman filter.

10. A vehicle comprising the vehicle system according to claim 1.

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