Anti-pump slip algorithm for hydraulic steering system

Abstract

The invention relates to an anti-pump slip algorithm for a hydraulic steering system. A steering system for a vehicle includes a hydraulic steering system configured to control a pump to control a steering device to steer the vehicle in response to a steering input provided at a steering mechanism of the vehicle; a sensor configured to sense an angle or position associated with a steering input provided at the steering mechanism; an electric power steering system configured to receive a signal from the sensor and provide power steering assist to the hydraulic steering system based on the signal and a pump slip offset associated with the pump; and a controller configured to determine the pump slip offset. The pump slip offset corresponds to a difference between an angle or location associated with the steering input and an actual location of the steering device achieved by the pump.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 699,941, filed September 27, 2024. The entire disclosure of the above-cited application is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to electric power steering (EPS) systems for various types of vehicles. Background Technology

[0004] Vehicles (such as cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, boats, aircraft, all-terrain vehicles, recreational vehicles, or other suitable forms of transportation) typically include a steering system, such as an electric power steering (EPS) system, a steer-by-wire (SbW) system, a hydraulic steering system, or other suitable steering system. The steering system of such vehicles typically controls various aspects of the vehicle's steering, including providing steering assistance to the operator and controlling the steerable wheels (steering wheel). Summary of the Invention

[0005] A steering system for a vehicle includes: a hydraulic steering system configured to control a pump to control a steering device to steer the vehicle in response to a steering input provided at the vehicle's steering mechanism; a sensor configured to sense an angle or position associated with the steering input provided at the steering mechanism; an electric power steering system configured to receive a signal from the sensor and provide power steering assistance to the hydraulic steering system based on the signal and a pump slip offset associated with the pump; and a controller configured to determine the pump slip offset. The pump slip offset corresponds to the difference between the angle or position associated with the steering input and the actual positioning of the steering device achieved by the pump.

[0006] Other aspects include methods for performing the steps or functions of the system described herein.

[0007] Other aspects include one or more processors or processing devices configured to execute instructions stored in memory to perform various steps or functions of the systems and methods described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0008] This disclosure is best understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, based on the following description. It should be emphasized that, in accordance with conventional practice, the various features in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, for clarity, the dimensions of the various features have been arbitrarily enlarged or reduced.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a steering system for a marine vessel based on the principles of this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an electric power steering system for marine vessels based on the principles of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 This is another schematic diagram of an electric power steering system for marine vessels based on the principles of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 A controller based on the principles of this disclosure is generally illustrated.

[0013] Figure 5A The anti-pump slippage algorithm based on the principles of this disclosure is generally illustrated.

[0014] Figure 5B A long-term center learning algorithm based on the principles of this disclosure is generally illustrated.

[0015] Figure 6 The steps of an example method for compensating pump slippage based on the principles of this disclosure are generally illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The following discussion pertains to various embodiments of this disclosure. While one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the disclosed embodiments should not be construed as or otherwise intended to limit the scope of this disclosure (including the claims). Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is merely illustrative and not intended to imply that the scope of this disclosure (including the claims) is limited to that embodiment.

[0017] Vehicles (such as cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers, minivans, boats or marine vessels, aircraft, all-terrain vehicles, recreational vehicles, or other suitable forms of transportation) typically include a steering system, such as an electric power steering (EPS) system, a steer-by-wire (SbW) system, a hydraulic steering system, or other suitable steering system. The steering system of such vehicles typically controls various aspects of the vehicle's steering, including providing steering assistance to the operator and controlling the steering wheels.

[0018] Marine vessels can achieve inside or inside / outside driven steering with hydraulic power assistance to provide the operator with a more comfortable and efficient steering experience. For example, a hydraulic cylinder can be attached to a lower unit or rudder steering connector at the transom, and pressurized fluid is supplied from a pump (e.g., a steering pump) associated with the vessel's engine. At the helm, a mechanically rotating push-pull cable steering system is connected to a cable that is guided to the transom and attached to the same steering connector as the lower unit. The cable passes through a shuttle valve (reciprocating valve) on the hydraulic cylinder. As the load in the cable increases (i.e., rotating the pulley that pushes or pulls the cable), the valve actuates and allows fluid to enter the cylinder, thereby pushing or pulling the rudder / lower unit to steer the vessel. In the event of hydraulic system failure, the operator can still steer the vessel (without power assistance) via the mechanical cable connection.

[0019] In some examples, marine vessels (or other vehicles with steering systems using hydraulic steering pumps) may include EPS systems. As an example, a column-mounted EPS system is mounted or coupled between the marine vessel's handwheel (e.g., near the rudder) and the steering pump. EPS provides power assistance / assistance for hydraulic steering. However, problems such as hydraulic pump slip can cause handwheel positioning to deviate independently of the end-user's (e.g., driver / pilot's) steering (i.e., when the end-user is not turning the handwheel). For example, pump slip can refer to the difference between the expected or optimal flow rate of the hydraulic pump and the actual flow rate delivered by the pump, which can result in a difference between the commanded steering or rudder positioning (e.g., as input from the user to the handwheel) and the actual rudder positioning achieved by the hydraulic steering system. Therefore, the handwheel angle ("HwAg") sensor reading from the EPS sensor may be inconsistent with the steering angle, and positioning-based EPS features may be disabled. To compensate for or correct the difference between the sensed handwheel positioning and drive angle and to continue using positioning-based EPS features, marine vessels using hydraulic steering may also require one or more additional angle sensors (e.g., angle sensors located on the outer engine) to derive the handwheel angle / position.

[0020] Marine vessels and other EPS systems and methods according to this disclosure are configured to implement anti-pump slip techniques (e.g., anti-pump slip algorithms) to compensate for pump slip offset. For example, pump slip can be considered a very slow movement relative to a steering maneuver performed by the end user. Therefore, a long-term center learning algorithm can be used to maintain only the angular offset caused by pump slip and correct the final angular output. In other words, the algorithm learns and compensates for the amount of pump slip. Since the response rate is a tunable variable dependent on the vehicle's speed, the response rate can be adjusted based on the ship's dynamics. For relative positioning-based features, such as navigation and heading-keeping features, the error between the calculated pump slip offset and the true / actual pump slip offset is sufficiently small. Thus, the anti-pump slip technique according to the principles of this disclosure achieves navigation, heading-keeping, and / or other EPS features without additional sensors and associated costs.

[0021] Therefore, compared to hydraulically steering marine vessels or other vehicles that require angle sensors (e.g., angle sensors mounted on the outer engine) to measure steering angles to achieve positioning-based EPS features, the anti-pump slip technology of this disclosure does not require external angle positioning sensors to achieve navigation, heading, or other features.

[0022] Although described with respect to pump slip, the principles of this disclosure also relate to slip associated with other fluid / hydraulic components, such as various pumps, valves, cylinder seals, etc. Therefore, the techniques for compensating pump slip as described herein are further configured to compensate for slip caused by other components in a pump-based hydraulic steering system.

[0023] Furthermore, although described in relation to marine vessels, the principles of this disclosure can be applied to other types of vehicles, such as non-marine vehicles. For example, references to various components of a marine vessel can correspond to similar components of a non-marine steering system (e.g., a rudder can more generally correspond to steering components of a steering system, such as road wheels, a steering rack, or other components configured to control road wheels of a vehicle in response to driver input). As used herein, the term "steering device" can more generally refer to a rudder, road wheels, or other steering system components configured to control the steering direction of a marine vessel, vehicle, etc.

[0024] Figure 1A steering system 10 based on the principles of this disclosure is generally illustrated. While the steering system 10 is shown as being installed in a marine vessel 11, the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in other (i.e., non-marine) types of vehicles. Example steering systems for marine vessels are described in more detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 11,230,360, filed January 25, 2022, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021 / 0284314, filed March 10, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The marine vessel 11 may include any suitable marine vessel requiring manual steering. As will be appreciated from the disclosure herein, the steering system 10 includes an electric power assist system for reducing the manual effort required by the operator of the marine vessel 11.

[0025] The steering system 10 includes a steering mechanism or handwheel 12. The handwheel 12 may be located on the rudder of the vessel 11 or some other suitable location. The operator of the vessel 11 engages the handwheel 12 to control the steering of the vessel 11. The steering system 10 includes a propulsion mechanism, which includes a motor 14 and a steering device (such as a rudder 16). Although only the motor 14 and rudder 16 are described herein, it should be understood that the propulsion mechanism may include more or fewer components than described herein. For example, the propulsion mechanism may include one or more motors, a propulsion engine, one or more rudders, one or more propellers, other suitable components, or combinations thereof.

[0026] Motor 14 may include any suitable motor, such as an outer motor, an inner motor, etc. The operator of the marine vessel 11 may engage and / or control motor 14 by activating a throttle valve (not shown) located near handwheel 12. For example, the operator may increase or decrease the rotational speed of the propeller associated with motor 14 by moving the throttle valve. Alternatively, the operator may use one or more switches located on or near the throttle valve to raise or lower the propeller of motor 14.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the handwheel 12 can communicate directly with the rudder 16. For example, the system 10 may include a mechanism for connecting the handwheel 12 to the rudder 16. For example, in some embodiments, the mechanism for connecting the handwheel 12 to the rudder 16 is a push / pull cable 18. When an operator turns the handwheel 12, the cable 18 converts the rotational movement of the handwheel 12, causing the rudder 16 to move in a first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Figure 2 ).

[0028] Now for reference Figure 2The diagram illustrates an electric power steering (EPS) system 20 as part of a complete steering system 10. The EPS system 20 interacts with cable 18 and rudder 16 to assist the steering force of the vessel operator. As described above, cable 18 is operatively in communication with a handwheel 12 near a first end of the rudder at the rudder of the vessel 11, and with the rudder 16 near a second end of the cable 18. While a direct connection between cable 18 and rudder 16 is envisioned, a linkage member 22 connects cable 18 to rudder 16, as shown in the illustrated embodiment. In such an embodiment, linkage member 22 pivots about an axis as cable 18 translates due to steering input at handwheel 12. Linkage member 22 is operatively connected to rudder 16 to convert the translational push / pull motion of cable 18 into rotational motion, thereby facilitating steering motion of rudder 16.

[0029] EPS system 20 includes a linear force sensor 24 positioned on cable 18 between a first end and a second end of cable 18. The linear force sensor 24 is operatively communicated with controller 26 in such a manner as to transmit a signal detected by the linear force sensor 24 to controller 26 (i.e., wired or wireless). Controller 26 may include any suitable controller or processor, such as those described herein. Controller 26 may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory. The memory may include a single disk or multiple disks (e.g., a hard disk drive) and includes a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within the memory. In some embodiments, the memory may include flash memory, semiconductor (solid-state) memory, etc. The memory may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof.

[0030] The controller 26 receives a signal from the linear force sensor 24 to determine the force input to the cable 18, which indicates the steering input at the handwheel 12. Although the detection of the steering input at the handwheel 12 is shown and described herein as being performed using the linear force sensor 24, it should be understood that in other embodiments, such detection may be performed using a torque sensor located at the rudder of a marine vessel and operatively coupled to the handwheel 12 or an associated rotatable component.

[0031] The controller 26 is also operatively in communication with the electric motor 28 of the EPS system 20. The electric motor 28 includes an output shaft that drives a gear assembly 30 within a gearbox. The output of the gear assembly 30 is operatively coupled to a pinion 32, which engages with a rack 34 in a toothed manner. The rack 34 is operatively coupled to a cable 18. The rack 34 is positioned closer to the linkage 22 than the linear force sensor 24 (or torque sensor) is to the linkage member 22. In some embodiments, the linkage member 22 may be part of a multi-component linkage mechanism directly coupled to the rack 34.

[0032] In operation, the linear force sensor 24 transmits the load to the controller 26, which then applies appropriate assistance to the electric motor 28 and the driven rack 34. The powered movement of the rack 34 causes the linkage member 22 to rotate, ultimately steering the vessel via the rudder 16.

[0033] Now for reference Figure 3 Another aspect of the EPS system is shown and generally indexed by the number 120. In this example, EPS system 120 does not require a rack and pinion. Figure 3 The EPS system 120 can be used with Figure 2 The EPS system 20 operates similarly, but instead of a rack and pinion, a rotary gearbox 122 (e.g., worm gear, pinion, etc.) directly connected to the rudder shaft can be used to multiply the torque from the electric motor to the shaft. A push-pull cable 18 is directly connected to the rudder arm 124. A force sensor 126 is installed at the connection point. The controller can monitor the force in the cable (and thus the load / torque exerted by the operator) via the force sensor 126 and supply energy to the motor and gearbox 122 to aid in steering the vessel. If positioning sensors are installed at the rudder (steering positioning) and rudder (rudder angle), cable 18 can be removed to provide true steer-by-wire operation.

[0034] Steering systems (such as steering system 10) implementing EPS systems (e.g., any of EPS systems 20 and 120 described herein or other example EPS systems) may be configured to implement anti-pump slip technology (e.g., anti-pump slip algorithm) according to the principles of this disclosure. For example, steering system 10 may include one or more controllers configured to implement the techniques of this disclosure, such as... Figure 4The controller 400 is shown. Controller 400 may include any suitable controller, such as an electronic control unit or other suitable controller. Controller 400 may be configured to control various functions, such as those of a steering system and / or various functions of a marine vessel. Controller 400 may include a processor 402 and a memory 404. Processor 402 may include any suitable processor, such as those described herein. Alternatively or additionally, controller 400 may include any suitable number of processors as a complement to or replacement of processor 402. Memory 404 may include a single disk or multiple disks (e.g., a hard disk drive) and includes a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within memory 404. In some embodiments, memory 404 may include flash memory, semiconductor (solid-state) memory, etc. Memory 404 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof. Memory 404 may include instructions that, when executed by processor 402, cause processor 402 to control at least various aspects of the steering system and the marine vessel. Alternatively, memory 404 may include instructions that, when executed by processor 402, enable processor 402 to perform functions associated with the systems and methods described herein.

[0035] The controller 400 may receive one or more signals from various measuring devices or sensors 406 indicating characteristics of the steering system, marine vessel, etc., sensed or measured. Sensors 406 may include any suitable sensors, measuring devices, and / or other suitable mechanisms. For example, sensors 406 may include one or more torque sensors or devices, one or more handwheel positioning sensors or devices, one or more motor positioning sensors or devices, one or more positioning sensors or devices, other suitable sensors or devices, or combinations thereof. The one or more signals may indicate handwheel torque, handwheel angle, vehicle speed, other suitable information, and / or combinations thereof.

[0036] In some embodiments, controller 400 may perform the methods described herein. However, the execution of the methods described herein by controller 400 is not intended to be limiting, and any type of software executing on the controller or processor may perform the methods described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, a controller (such as a processor executing software within a computing device) may perform the methods described herein.

[0037] Figure 5A This is an example anti-pump slippage algorithm or process 500 based on the principles of this disclosure. For example, one or more computing devices, processors, controllers, etc. (such as controller 400) may be configured to implement / execute the functions of algorithm 500. For example, memory 404 may store instructions that can be executed by processor 402 corresponding to the functions / steps of algorithm 500.

[0038] For example, the handwheel angle sensor reading / calculation responds to (e.g., indicates) both the user steering input (such as the user input at the handwheel shown at 504) and the pump slip offset shown at 508. In other words, the handwheel angle sensor and / or other positioning measurements / readings are influenced by both the actual user input and the pump slip offset. Furthermore, the handwheel angle sensor measurement may not accurately represent the user input itself and may include an error / offset component caused by the pump slip. The handwheel angle sensor reading (i.e., the output or output signal of the handwheel angle sensor in response to both the user steering input 504 and the pump slip offset 508) is schematically shown at 512.

[0039] The handwheel angle sensor measurement result 512 is provided to the anti-pump slip algorithm (e.g., a long-term center learning algorithm) 516. Algorithm 516 is configured to learn the center positioning of the steering system, such as the rudder's center positioning, and the handwheel's positioning (e.g., handwheel angle) when the rudder is in center positioning. The anti-pump slip algorithm 516 can receive inputs including, but not limited to, the handwheel angle sensor measurement result / reading 512, an adjustable response rate 520, and one or more other inputs indicating the vessel's steering / movement (e.g., heading or trajectory information). In this way, the anti-pump slip algorithm 516 is configured to determine and store the learned pump slip offset value 524 (which may remain fixed / static or vary over time). When the pump slip offset is known (as represented by the learned / stored pump slip offset value 524), the steering system can utilize EPS system characteristics and control by compensating for the known pump slip offset.

[0040] Figure 5B An example implementation of the long-term center learning algorithm 516 based on the principles of this disclosure is shown. Based on the handwheel torque (e.g., corresponding to...) Figure 5A The user steering input (504) and vehicle speed are used to calculate the slip gain factor. The slip gain factor is used to calculate long-term slip.

[0041] For example, handwheel torque and vehicle speed are provided to a slip gain factor calculator 528, which is configured to obtain a slip gain factor based on handwheel torque and vehicle speed. As an example, the slip gain factor calculator obtains the slip gain factor based on a calibration table (e.g., a 3D calibration table, lookup table, etc.) that correlates vehicle speed and handwheel torque with slip gain factors (e.g., outputting a slip gain factor selected from multiple slip gain factors based on vehicle speed and handwheel torque). In one example, calculator 528 may provide slip gain factors based on multiple slip gain curves for a given vehicle speed or range. For example, for a given vehicle speed or speed range, the slip gain factor may decrease as handwheel torque increases. Example slip gain factor curves / values ​​for different vehicle speeds are shown at 530.

[0042] In this way, the gain can be scaled based on vehicle speed and / or handwheel torque. As an example, gain can be provided / increased when there is no handwheel torque at a predetermined vehicle speed (e.g., a vehicle speed above a threshold) / when the driver does not input handwheel torque. Conversely, when handwheel torque is present, the gain can be reduced or stopped (i.e., not applied).

[0043] The long-term slip calculator 532 calculates long-term slip based on slip gain factor and handwheel angle sensor measurements. As an example, long-term slip (which may correspond to handwheel positioning, offset from center handwheel positioning, etc.) can be calculated / updated according to the following equation: Slip i = Slip i-1 – (Slip i-1 [1 – Slip_Gain]) + (HwAg Slip_Gain) (Equation 1), Slip i It is a long-term slip of the current / updated data. i-1 It is the previous long-term slip (e.g., the previously calculated / accumulated long-term slip), Slip_Gain is the slip gain factor, and HwAg is the handwheel angle sensor measurement result.

[0044] In examples where the vehicle's heading / direction is available (e.g., based on GPS or other navigation system data), the vehicle's direction can be used to calculate, adjust, or reset long-term slip, offsets applied to the handwheel angle sensor measurement, etc. For example, process 500 may receive data or signals indicating the vehicle's direction (e.g., vehicle direction data obtained from a GPS circuit) and determine whether the vehicle's direction (e.g., heading or bearing) remains within a predetermined range for a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined range may correspond to a predetermined range of values ​​for forward straight or center bearing. For example, the vehicle's direction being within the predetermined range may indicate that the driver intends to travel forward straight. Therefore, it can be assumed that the handwheel positioning / angle maintained to maintain a forward straight bearing corresponds to the slip amount. Thus, the current handwheel angle sensor measurement can be used as the long-term slip (e.g., the current long-term slip value (angle or angular offset) can be replaced with a value corresponding to the current handwheel angle sensor measurement).

[0045] Figure 6 The steps of an example method 600 for compensating pump slippage according to the principles of this disclosure are generally shown. The steps of method 600 can be performed by a system, one or more processors or processing devices, controllers, computing devices, etc. (e.g., controller 400) as described herein.

[0046] At 604, method 600 includes receiving one or more vehicle signals. The vehicle signals may be received from corresponding sensors, calculated, estimated, or otherwise obtained. The vehicle signals may include, but are not limited to, measurements from a handwheel angle sensor, vehicle speed, handwheel torque, etc.

[0047] At 608, method 600 may include selectively resetting the long-term slip based on handwheel angle sensor measurements. For example, as described above, in response to determining that the vehicle's direction / orientation remains within a predetermined range for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 10 seconds), the long-term slip may be set to the current handwheel angle sensor measurement.

[0048] At 612, method 600 may include calculating a slip gain factor. For example, calculating the slip gain factor may include calculating the slip gain factor based on vehicle speed and handwheel torque (e.g., using a lookup table as described above).

[0049] At 616, method 600 may include calculating long-term slip (e.g., long-term slip handwheel positioning) based on slip gain factor and handwheel angle sensor measurements (e.g., according to Equation 1).

[0050] At 620, method 600 may include generating a compensated handwheel angle sensor value based on long-term slip. For example, the compensated handwheel angle sensor value may correspond to an offset angle relative to the handwheel angle sensor measurement. Since the compensated handwheel angle sensor value is based on pump slip, it compensates for any pump slip that causes a difference between the handwheel torque (and corresponding handwheel positioning / angle) provided by the driver and the positioning of the rudder or other steering mechanism.

[0051] At 624, in some examples, method 600 may include controlling the handwheel based on compensated handwheel angle sensor values ​​(e.g., to perform a heading hold function).

[0052] The foregoing discussion is intended to illustrate the principles and various embodiments of the invention. Once the foregoing disclosure is fully understood, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The appended claims are intended to be construed as covering all such variations and modifications.

[0053] The word “example” is used herein to indicate that something is used as an example, instance, or illustration. No aspect or design described herein as an “example” is necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the word “example” is intended to present the concept in a specific manner. As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clearly understood from the context, “X comprises A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations and combinations. That is, if X comprises A; X comprises B; or X comprises both A and B, then “X comprises A or B” is satisfied in any of the foregoing examples. Additionally, the articles “a” and “an” as used herein and in the appended claims should generally be interpreted as meaning “one or more” unless otherwise specified or clearly understood from the context to refer to the singular form. Furthermore, the use of the terms “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” throughout is not intended to refer to the same embodiment or implementation unless specifically described as such.

[0054] The systems, algorithms, methods, instructions, etc., described herein can be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. Hardware may include, for example, a computer, intellectual property (IP) core, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic array, optical processor, programmable logic controller, microcode, microcontroller, server, microprocessor, digital signal processor, or any other suitable circuitry. In the claims, the term "processor" should be understood to encompass any of the aforementioned hardware, individually or in combination. The terms "signal" and "data" are used interchangeably.

[0055] As used herein, the term "module" can include packaged functional hardware units designed for use with other components, instruction sets executable by a controller (e.g., a processor executing software or firmware), processing circuitry configured to perform specific functions, and stand-alone hardware or software components that interface with a larger system. For example, a module can include application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), circuits, digital logic circuits, analog circuits, combinations of discrete circuits, gates, and other types of hardware, or combinations thereof. In other embodiments, a module can include memory storing instructions that can be executed by a controller to implement the features of the module.

[0056] Furthermore, in one aspect, for example, the system described herein can be implemented using a general-purpose computer or general-purpose processor with a computer program that, when executed, implements any of the various methods, algorithms, and / or instructions described herein. Alternatively or alternatively, for example, a special-purpose computer / processor may be utilized, which may include additional hardware for implementing any of the methods, algorithms, or instructions described herein.

[0057] Furthermore, all or part of the embodiments of this disclosure may take the form of a computer program product accessible from, for example, a computer-usable medium or a computer-readable medium. A computer-usable medium or a computer-readable medium may be any means capable of, for example, tangibly containing, storing, transmitting, or transporting a program for use by or in conjunction with any processor. Such a medium may be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, or semiconductor device. Other suitable media are also available.

[0058] The above embodiments, implementations, and aspects have been described to allow for an easy understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit it. Rather, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, and its scope should be interpreted in the broadest possible sense to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures permitted under the law.

Claims

1. A steering system for a vehicle, comprising: A hydraulic steering system is configured to control a pump to control the steering device to steer the vehicle in response to a steering input provided at the steering mechanism of the vehicle; The sensor is configured to sense an angle or position associated with the steering input provided at the steering mechanism; An electric power steering system is configured to receive signals from the sensor and provide power steering assistance to the hydraulic steering system based on the signals and pump slip offset associated with the pump. as well as A controller is configured to determine the pump slip offset, wherein the pump slip offset corresponds to the difference between the angle or positioning associated with the steering input and the actual positioning of the steering device implemented by the pump.

2. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein, The means of transport is a seagoing vessel, and the steering device is a rudder.

3. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein, The vehicle is a road vehicle, and the steering device is associated with the road wheels of the vehicle.

4. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to determine pump slip based on the slip gain factor.

5. The steering system according to claim 4, wherein, The controller is configured to calculate the slip gain factor based on the vehicle speed and the torque associated with the steering mechanism.

6. The steering system according to claim 4, wherein, The controller is also configured to determine the pump slippage based on the vehicle's direction.

7. The steering system according to claim 4, wherein, The controller is configured to respond to Slip i = Slip i-1 –(Slip i-1 [1 – Slip_Gain]) + (HwAg The pump slip is determined by Slip_Gain, and where Slip_Gain is the slip value of the pump. i This is the current pump slip value. i-1 It is the previously calculated pump slip value, Slip_Gain is the slip gain factor, and HwAg is the handwheel angle sensor measurement result.

8. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to also calculate the pump slip based on the vehicle's direction.

9. The steering system according to claim 8, wherein, The controller is configured to calculate the pump slip based on determining that the vehicle's direction remains within a predetermined range for a predetermined amount of time.

10. A method for operating a steering system of a vehicle, comprising: Using a hydraulic steering system, a pump is controlled in response to a steering input provided at the steering mechanism of the vehicle to control the steering device to steer the vehicle. Sensing at the sensor the angle or position associated with the steering input provided at the steering mechanism; The system receives signals from the sensors at the electric power steering system and provides power steering assistance to the hydraulic steering system based on the signals and pump slip offset associated with the pump. as well as Determine the pump slip offset, wherein the pump slip offset corresponds to the difference between the angle or position associated with the steering input and the actual position of the steering device implemented by the pump.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The means of transport is a seagoing vessel, and the steering device is a rudder.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The vehicle is a road vehicle, and the steering device is associated with the road wheels of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the pump slip based on a slip gain factor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising calculating the slip gain factor based on vehicle speed and torque associated with the steering mechanism.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the pump slippage based on the vehicle orientation.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting according to a Slip i = Slip i-1 – (Slip i-1 [1 – Slip_Gain]) + (HwAg The pump slip is determined by Slip_Gain, and wherein, Slip i This is the current pump slip value. i-1 It is the previously calculated pump slip value, Slip_Gain is the slip gain factor, and HwAg is the handwheel angle sensor measurement result.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising calculating the pump slip based on the vehicle direction.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising calculating the pump slip based on determining that the vehicle orientation remains within a predetermined range for a predetermined amount of time.

19. A processing apparatus configured to execute one or more instructions stored in a memory, wherein, Executing the one or more instructions causes the processing device to: A hydraulic steering system is configured to control a pump to control a steering device to steer the vehicle in response to a steering input provided at the handwheel of the vehicle. Receive from the sensor the angle or position associated with the steering input provided at the handwheel; The electric power steering system is controlled to receive signals from the sensors, and power steering assistance is provided to the hydraulic steering system based on the signals and pump slip offset associated with the pump. as well as Determine the pump slip offset, wherein the pump slip offset corresponds to the difference between the angle or position associated with the steering input and the actual position of the steering device implemented by the pump.

20. The processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein, The means of transport is a seagoing vessel, and the steering device is a rudder.

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