Low-pressure steering assist control method, device, vehicle, and storage medium

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology and provides a low-pressure power steering control method, device, vehicle, and storage medium. The method includes: upon receiving a low-pressure power steering activation signal, acquiring the vehicle's power-on state; if the power-on state is low-pressure, responding to the activation signal to activate the low-pressure power steering, and detecting whether the power-on state has switched to high-pressure, determining whether to deactivate the low-pressure power steering based on the detection result; if the power-on state is high-pressure, not responding to the activation signal. This invention effectively avoids uncontrollable malfunctions caused by high-current surges when activating low-pressure power steering, improving the safety of vehicles using low-pressure power steering.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vehicle technology, and particularly relates to a low-pressure power steering control method, device, vehicle, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] New energy electric wide-body vehicles are a type of vehicle that has emerged with the development of the new energy industry. They have the advantages of large loading capacity and stable driving, and play an important role in logistics and transportation.

[0003] As a pure electric vehicle, the steering and braking systems of this new energy electric wide-body vehicle are all electrically driven or brake-controlled. The power steering is provided by a high-voltage power battery that converts DC / AC power through a multi-function controller to drive a high-voltage steering motor. In the event of a high-voltage power steering failure, the vehicle can also use low-voltage power steering as a substitute.

[0004] However, the low-pressure power steering pump and DC / DC module equipped in wide-body vehicles have a power of around 4.5KW. When the low-pressure power steering is activated, a large current surge can easily occur, which may cause the DC / DC module to shut down due to excessive current, leading to a malfunction. Furthermore, the low-pressure power steering control in related technologies is mostly a simple switch drive, or it only uses VCU logic to control the power supply of a low-pressure power steering relay to complete the switching function. It lacks the ability to cope with emergencies and cannot effectively avoid large current surges. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a low-pressure power steering control method, device, vehicle, and storage medium to improve the safety of vehicles using low-pressure power steering.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a low-pressure power steering control method, comprising:

[0007] When a low-pressure power steering activation signal is received, the vehicle's power-on status is obtained.

[0008] If the power-on state is a low-voltage power-on state, then in response to the activation signal, control the vehicle to activate low-voltage power steering, and detect whether the power-on state has switched to a high-voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, determine whether to deactivate low-voltage power steering.

[0009] If the power-on state is a high-voltage power-on state, then the activation signal will not be responded to.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, determining whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the detection result includes:

[0011] If the power-on state does not switch to high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, then the vehicle is controlled to turn off low-voltage power steering.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, determining whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the detection result includes:

[0013] If the power-on state switches to high-voltage power-on state within a first preset time, then the gear position of the vehicle is obtained.

[0014] If the gear position is switched to the non-parking state, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off based on the working status of the high-pressure power steering of the vehicle.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, determining whether to turn off the low-pressure power steering based on the operating state of the high-pressure power steering of the vehicle includes:

[0016] If the high-pressure power steering is in normal condition, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off;

[0017] If the high-pressure power steering is faulty, then the low-pressure power steering remains active.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the method further includes:

[0019] If the total duration of the vehicle's low-pressure power steering reaches the second preset time, then the vehicle's low-pressure power steering will be turned off.

[0020] The second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the method further includes:

[0022] Determine the remaining duration of low-pressure power steering;

[0023] The remaining operating time is displayed on the vehicle's display device.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, determining the remaining on-time of the low-pressure power steering includes:

[0025] When no switch from the power-on state to the high-voltage power-on state is detected, the remaining activation time of the low-voltage power steering is determined according to the first preset time.

[0026] After detecting that the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state, the remaining activation time of low-voltage power steering is determined according to the second preset time.

[0027] A second aspect of the present invention provides a low-pressure power steering control device, comprising:

[0028] The acquisition module is used to acquire the vehicle's power-on status when it receives a low-pressure power steering activation signal;

[0029] The control module is used to respond to the activation signal if the power-on state is a low-voltage power-on state, control the vehicle to activate low-voltage power steering, detect whether the power-on state has switched to a high-voltage power-on state, and determine whether to deactivate low-voltage power steering based on the detection result.

[0030] The control module is further configured to not respond to the start signal if the power-on state is a high-voltage power-on state.

[0031] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the control module is specifically used for:

[0032] If the power-on state does not switch to high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, then the vehicle is controlled to turn off low-voltage power steering.

[0033] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the control module is specifically used for:

[0034] If the power-on state switches to high-voltage power-on state within a first preset time, then the gear position of the vehicle is obtained.

[0035] If the gear position is switched to the non-parking state, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off based on the working status of the high-pressure power steering of the vehicle.

[0036] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the control module is specifically used for:

[0037] If the high-pressure power steering is in normal condition, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off;

[0038] If the high-pressure power steering is faulty, then the low-pressure power steering remains active.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the control module is further configured to:

[0040] If the total duration of the vehicle's low-pressure power steering reaches the second preset time, then the vehicle's low-pressure power steering will be turned off.

[0041] The second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

[0042] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the control module is further configured to:

[0043] Determine the remaining duration of low-pressure power steering;

[0044] The remaining operating time is displayed on the vehicle's display device.

[0045] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the control module is specifically used for:

[0046] When no switch from the power-on state to the high-voltage power-on state is detected, the remaining activation time of the low-voltage power steering is determined according to the first preset time.

[0047] After detecting that the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state, the remaining activation time of low-voltage power steering is determined according to the second preset time.

[0048] A third aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle including a memory, a controller, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the controller, wherein the controller executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method as described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0049] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a controller, implements the steps of the method as described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0050] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0051] In this embodiment of the invention, upon receiving a low-voltage power steering activation signal, the system does not directly activate the low-voltage power steering. Instead, it first determines the vehicle's power-on status. If the vehicle is in a low-voltage power-on state, it responds to the activation signal and activates the low-voltage power steering. If the vehicle is in a high-voltage power-on state, it does not respond to the activation signal. This effectively avoids uncontrollable malfunctions caused by high-current surges when activating the low-voltage power steering, thus improving the safety of using the low-voltage power steering. Furthermore, after activating the low-voltage power steering, this embodiment further detects whether the power-on status has switched to a high-voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, it determines whether to deactivate the low-voltage power steering, thereby preventing the low-voltage power steering from being activated for an extended period under low-voltage power-on conditions, which could lead to battery depletion. Attached Figure Description

[0052] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the low-pressure power steering control method provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the low-pressure power steering control method provided in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 ;

[0055] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the low-pressure power steering control method provided in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 ;

[0056] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the low-pressure power steering control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The present application will be described more clearly below with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the function of the present application, but do not limit the present application in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present application. These all fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0059] It should be understood that, when used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or a collection thereof.

[0060] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0061] In the description of this application and the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0062] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0063] Furthermore, the term "multiple" mentioned in the embodiments of this application should be interpreted as two or more.

[0064] In the automotive field, especially for electric vehicles and vehicles with complex electrical systems, there is a distinction between high-voltage and low-voltage power-on states. Generally, the high-voltage system voltage of a vehicle is typically several hundred volts or higher. For example, the high-voltage system voltage of a pure electric vehicle can reach around 300-800V. Under high-voltage power-on conditions, the drive motor receives sufficient electrical energy to generate strong torque, thereby propelling the vehicle forward. The low-voltage system voltage of a vehicle is generally between 12-24V. The low-voltage power-on state primarily meets the operational needs of some basic electrical equipment in the vehicle. For example, the vehicle's starting system, interior lighting system, instrument system, various sensors, and controllers typically use low-voltage power supplies.

[0065] A vehicle's power steering system is a system that assists the driver in turning the steering wheel. Its main function is to reduce the force required for the driver to operate the steering wheel, making steering easier and more precise. In vehicles without power steering, the driver needs to rely on considerable force to overcome factors such as tire-to-ground friction and the mechanical resistance of the steering system to steer the vehicle. Steering is particularly strenuous when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speeds. Power steering systems significantly reduce this burden by adding an auxiliary force. For example, in large vehicles (such as heavy trucks) or some older cars without power steering, parking or turning in tight spaces may require a significant amount of force from the driver; with power steering, even drivers with less strength can complete these maneuvers much more easily.

[0066] An electric power steering system mainly consists of a torque sensor, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a power steering motor. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the torque sensor detects the torque signal on the steering wheel and sends it to the VCU. The VCU calculates the required amount of assistance based on the torque signal and vehicle speed, and then controls the power steering motor to operate. The power steering motor transmits the torque to the steering mechanism through a reduction gear, thereby providing steering assistance. For example, when the vehicle starts or turns at low speed, if the torque sensor detects a large torque change, the VCU will control the power steering motor to provide greater assistance; while at high speeds, the assistance will decrease accordingly.

[0067] For wide-body new energy vehicles, under normal circumstances, the high-voltage power battery drives the high-voltage steering motor to provide steering assistance after DC / AC conversion via a multi-in-one controller. When the high-voltage steering assist fails due to uncontrollable reasons, the low-voltage steering assist equipped in the vehicle can provide temporary steering assistance in place of the high-voltage steering assist. However, if the vehicle is under high voltage power at the moment of activation of the low-voltage steering assist, a large current surge can easily occur, damaging components.

[0068] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a low-pressure power steering control method. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application scenario of the low-pressure power steering control method.

[0069] In this application scenario, the driver can control the low-voltage power steering to be turned on or off via control signals. For example, when the driver senses a malfunction in the high-voltage power steering (e.g., feeling significant resistance while steering), they can activate the low-voltage power steering using a function button on the vehicle or a function switch on the central control screen. The VCU receives the activation signal for the low-voltage power steering and, upon determining that it needs to be activated, energizes the low-voltage power steering relay to turn it on. Conversely, the driver can also deactivate the low-voltage power steering using a function button on the vehicle or a function switch on the central control screen. In this case, the VCU receives the deactivation signal and de-energizes the low-voltage power steering relay to turn it off. Here, the high-voltage power steering is powered by a high-voltage battery, while the low-voltage power steering is powered by a low-voltage battery; both provide steering assistance through the power steering motor acting on the steering mechanism.

[0070] In this embodiment, the VCU also detects the vehicle's power-on status, i.e., whether the vehicle is currently powered on at high voltage or low voltage, and detects the vehicle's current gear position. Based on these combined information, the VCU intelligently controls the activation, deactivation, and switching of high-voltage and low-voltage power steering. The VCU can also display relevant steering assist information through the vehicle's display device.

[0071] The following is combined Figure 1 Application scenarios, refer to Figure 2 This application describes a low-pressure power steering control method according to exemplary embodiments thereof. It should be noted that the above application scenarios are shown only to facilitate understanding of the spirit and principles of this application, and the embodiments of this application are not limited in any way. Rather, the embodiments of this application can be applied to any applicable scenario.

[0072] The following is combined Figure 2 The method of this embodiment will be described in detail below:

[0073] Step S201: When a low-pressure power steering activation signal is received, the vehicle's power-on status is obtained.

[0074] In this embodiment, the low-voltage power steering activation signal can be input by the driver. When the driver senses a malfunction in the high-voltage power steering (e.g., feeling significant resistance while steering), they can input the activation signal via a function button on the vehicle or a function switch on the central control screen. This activation signal can be sent to the vehicle control unit (VCU) via the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. Upon receiving the low-voltage power steering activation signal, the VCU will determine the vehicle's power-on status, which can be either high-voltage or low-voltage.

[0075] Step S202: If the power-on state is low-voltage power-on state, respond to the activation signal, control the vehicle to activate low-voltage power steering, and detect whether the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, determine whether to deactivate low-voltage power steering.

[0076] During normal driving, the vehicle relies on high-voltage power steering to provide steering assistance to the driver, making driving easier and more precise. However, when the driver notices a malfunction in the high-voltage power steering, the primary task to ensure the safety of themselves and other road users is to safely pull the vehicle over to the side of the road. This is because a malfunction in the high-voltage power steering can make steering difficult or even cause loss of control, posing a significant safety risk if the vehicle continues to be driven. After parking, if the driver wants to move the vehicle, the correct procedure is to first switch the vehicle to low-voltage power mode and then activate the low-voltage power steering. In low-voltage power mode, the vehicle is powered by a low-voltage battery, which does not generate a large current surge and will not damage the components of the low-voltage power steering. Therefore, the VCU responds to the activation signal and controls the vehicle to activate the low-voltage power steering.

[0077] After the low-voltage power steering is turned on, it is further checked whether the power-on state has switched to the high-voltage power-on state. Based on the test results, it is determined whether to turn off the low-voltage power steering, thereby preventing the low-voltage power steering from being turned on for a long time under the low-voltage power-on state, which would lead to the low-voltage battery being depleted.

[0078] In step S203, if the power-on state is high voltage power-on state, then the start signal will not be responded to.

[0079] In some cases, if a driver mistakenly selects to activate low-voltage power steering while the vehicle is in motion, or forgets to switch the vehicle to low-voltage power after pulling over due to a fault in high-voltage power steering, the low-voltage power steering may be activated while the vehicle is under high-voltage power. To prevent irreversible damage to the components of the low-voltage power steering from high current and to avoid other unforeseen malfunctions, the VCU will not respond to the activation signal.

[0080] In this embodiment of the invention, upon receiving a low-voltage power steering activation signal, the system does not directly activate the low-voltage power steering. Instead, it first determines the vehicle's power-on status. If the vehicle is in a low-voltage power-on state, it responds to the activation signal and activates the low-voltage power steering. If the vehicle is in a high-voltage power-on state, it does not respond to the activation signal. This effectively avoids uncontrollable malfunctions caused by high-current surges when activating the low-voltage power steering, thus improving the safety of using the low-voltage power steering. Furthermore, after activating the low-voltage power steering, this embodiment further detects whether the power-on status has switched to a high-voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, it determines whether to deactivate the low-voltage power steering, thereby preventing the low-voltage power steering from being activated for an extended period under low-voltage power-on conditions, which could lead to battery depletion.

[0081] The above embodiments address the problem of preventing high-current surge damage to components when low-voltage power steering is activated. Furthermore, considering the significant limitations of existing control methods for low-voltage power steering in related technical fields, one approach uses a simple switch to drive the low-voltage power steering without any VCU logic control involved in the entire control process. This results in a lack of flexibility and adaptability to complex operating conditions. Another approach involves the VCU, but only to control the power supply to the low-voltage power steering relay, thus achieving its switching function without fully utilizing the VCU's powerful logic processing and intelligent decision-making capabilities, failing to provide comprehensive, precise, and intelligent control of the low-voltage power steering. Therefore, the following embodiments of this application innovatively improve and optimize these shortcomings, designing a more intelligent low-voltage power steering control strategy.

[0082] See Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the low-pressure power steering activation method includes:

[0083] (1) When a low-pressure power steering activation signal is received, the vehicle's power-on status is obtained.

[0084] In this embodiment, the activation signal for low-pressure power steering can be input by the driver. When the driver senses a malfunction in the high-pressure power steering (e.g., experiencing significant steering resistance), they can input the activation signal via a function button on the vehicle or a function switch on the central control screen. The function button is likely a physical button specifically designed for easy driver operation within the cockpit, with clear markings and tactile feedback, allowing the driver to quickly locate and press it in an emergency. The function switch on the central control screen provides a more intuitive and visual operating interface; the driver can trigger the activation signal by touching the corresponding icon or menu option on the central control screen.

[0085] The driver's input activation signal is transmitted to the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) via the CAN bus. The CAN bus is a serial communication protocol widely used in automotive electronic systems, offering advantages such as high speed, reliability, and multi-node communication. Inside the vehicle, numerous electronic control units are interconnected via the CAN bus to achieve information sharing and collaborative operation. Here, the activation signal utilizes the CAN bus's communication capabilities to accurately and quickly transmit from the signal input source (function button or central control screen switch) to the VCU. The CAN bus ensures stable signal transmission in the complex vehicle electrical environment, unaffected by severe electromagnetic interference and other factors. It also supports simultaneous communication from multiple devices without conflict, guaranteeing the timeliness and accuracy of signal transmission. This allows the VCU to receive the activation signal promptly and process it accordingly. This transmission mechanism is a crucial link in achieving effective interaction between driver operation and vehicle system control, ensuring the smooth operation of the entire low-pressure power steering activation process and improving the response speed and reliability of the vehicle's power steering system.

[0086] Upon receiving the low-voltage power steering activation signal, the VCU determines the vehicle's power-on status. In practical applications, the vehicle's power-on mode may include various scenarios, such as only the low-voltage system being powered on (the vehicle is in a partially awake or standby state, for example, the vehicle key is in the ACC position, some electronic devices can work, but the high-voltage system is not activated), both the high-voltage and low-voltage systems being powered on (the vehicle is in a normal operation preparation state or is already running), or the vehicle being completely de-powered (such as the vehicle being parked and the power being off). Obtaining the power-on status is crucial for accurately determining the vehicle's current electrical operating mode in order to ascertain whether the low-voltage power steering system can be started safely and effectively. Therefore, this embodiment focuses on determining whether the vehicle is in a high-voltage or low-voltage power-on state based on the power-on mode.

[0087] (2) If the power-on state is low voltage power-on state, then respond to the start signal and control the vehicle to start low voltage power steering.

[0088] If a driver notices a malfunction in the high-voltage power steering, the vehicle should be safely pulled over to the side of the road. This is to avoid the danger of continuing to drive while the power steering system may be malfunctioning. After parking, if the driver needs to move the vehicle (e.g., to a safer location or for simple maneuvering), the correct procedure is to first switch the vehicle to low-voltage power. This usually involves operating the vehicle's power switch or related controls to put the vehicle into a low-voltage-only mode before activating the low-voltage power steering.

[0089] As the core control unit of the vehicle, the VCU is responsible for monitoring various vehicle states and driver commands. When the driver follows the correct procedure, switches the vehicle to low-voltage power-on mode, and sends a signal to activate low-voltage power steering, the VCU receives this information and responds accordingly. It executes its internally preset control program to ensure smooth activation of low-voltage power steering, including coordinating the operation of various related components (such as relays, sensors, and motors).

[0090] When the vehicle's power-on state is determined to be low-voltage, the VCU will respond to the low-voltage power steering activation signal. This means that under this specific electrical state, the vehicle is permitted to activate the low-voltage power steering. The VCU will execute a series of control commands, triggering relevant relays and circuits to initiate low-voltage power steering, providing steering assistance to the driver. At this time, the electrical energy required for low-voltage power steering is supplied by the low-voltage battery, which is the primary power source under low-voltage power-on conditions.

[0091] (3) If the power-on state is high voltage power-on state, the start signal will not be responded to.

[0092] In real-world driving scenarios, driver errors may occur. One scenario is that while the vehicle is in normal driving, the driver mistakenly believes that low-voltage power steering needs to be activated. Another scenario is that after sensing a high-voltage power steering malfunction and pulling over, the driver forgets to perform the crucial step of switching the vehicle to low-voltage power mode and attempts to activate low-voltage power steering while the vehicle is still in high-voltage power mode (i.e., the high-voltage system is supplying power normally and is in operation, at which point the vehicle's electrical system is at a high voltage and power level).

[0093] Turning on low-voltage power steering while the system is powered on under high voltage can cause serious problems. High-voltage systems can reach 300-800V, and directly turning on low-voltage power steering can cause a large current to surge into the system. This surge far exceeds the normal operating range of the low-voltage power steering components (such as the motor, control circuit, and sensors), causing irreversible physical damage, such as burning out circuit components or damaging the motor windings, rendering the low-voltage power steering system malfunction.

[0094] To avoid the aforementioned hazards, the VCU employs a strategy of not responding to activation signals. As the core control unit of the vehicle's electrical system, the VCU is responsible for monitoring and managing the operating status of various vehicle systems and making reasonable judgments on various operational commands. When a low-voltage power steering activation signal is received while the vehicle is powered on at high voltage, the VCU, based on preset logic and safety rules, determines that this operation poses a risk and therefore refuses to execute the command, thus not triggering the low-voltage power steering system's activation procedure.

[0095] The VCU's non-response mechanism is of great significance. By actively preventing unreasonable operations, it effectively protects the components of the low-voltage power steering system from damage caused by high-current surges, ensuring that the low-voltage power steering system operates under normal and safe conditions and maintaining the stability and reliability of the vehicle's overall electrical system. This reflects the intelligent and safety design philosophy of the vehicle control system, enabling it to automatically take measures to prevent serious consequences in the event of driver error, improving the vehicle's fault tolerance and safety, and protecting the safety of the driver, passengers, and the vehicle itself.

[0096] (4) Detect whether the power-on state has switched to the high-voltage power-on state. If the power-on state has not switched to the high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, proceed to step 5; if the power-on state has switched to the high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, proceed to step 6.

[0097] Here, the first preset time can be set according to the actual situation, and this embodiment does not limit it. For example, in this embodiment, the first preset time can be set to 60 seconds.

[0098] (5) Control the vehicle to turn off low-pressure power steering.

[0099] As we know from step 2, if the driver wants to move the vehicle after parking, they must first switch the vehicle to a low-voltage power supply state, then activate the low-voltage power steering. The driver then needs to switch the vehicle back to a high-voltage power supply state to control its movement. In other words, the purpose of activating the low-voltage power steering is to control the vehicle's movement in emergency situations.

[0100] Therefore, a 60-second time threshold is set here. If the driver does not switch the vehicle's power-on state to high-voltage power-on state within 60 seconds, it is assumed that the driver has no intention of controlling the vehicle to move, and in order to prevent the low-voltage battery from running out of power, the low-voltage power steering is turned off.

[0101] (6) Obtain the vehicle's gear status; if the gear status is switched to non-parking status, determine whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the working status of the vehicle's high-pressure power steering.

[0102] If the driver switches the vehicle's power-on state to high-voltage power-on state within 60 seconds, it is considered that the driver intends to move the vehicle. The next step for the driver should be to engage a gear, or first release the parking gear and then engage a gear. Therefore, the VCU detects whether the vehicle is about to move by checking the vehicle's gear position.

[0103] Meanwhile, the vehicle's high-pressure power steering is linked to the gear position. When shifting into gear or releasing the parking gear, the vehicle automatically activates the high-pressure power steering. The VCU further confirms the operating status of the high-pressure power steering. If the high-pressure power steering returns to normal, the low-pressure power steering is deactivated, and the high-pressure power steering takes over. If the high-pressure power steering remains faulty, the low-pressure power steering remains active. This secondary confirmation of the high-pressure power steering's operating status creates a redundancy and backup mechanism. If the high-pressure power steering is normal, it switches to high-pressure power steering promptly, utilizing its performance advantages (such as higher assist torque); if it malfunctions, the low-pressure power steering remains active. This ensures that the vehicle always has effective steering assistance regardless of whether the high-pressure system malfunctions.

[0104] Furthermore, drivers may not be able to accurately judge the true status of the high-pressure power steering system. The VCU's secondary confirmation mechanism, based on precise sensor data and logical judgment, can determine whether the high-pressure power steering has truly returned to normal. When the vehicle is in a normal driving preparation state (engaged in gear or released from parking), it prioritizes engaging the high-pressure power steering to obtain better steering performance; simultaneously, it monitors the system's status, and if a problem occurs, it switches back to low-pressure power steering. This improves the adaptability and flexibility of the entire power steering system. Through the VCU's professional judgment and control, driver misjudgment is effectively avoided, making the power steering system's switching decisions more scientific and reliable.

[0105] In some embodiments, after step 2 is completed to enable low-pressure power steering, the VCU will perform a series of additional actions.

[0106] First, the VCU will activate a timer function to determine the remaining time that the low-pressure power steering can continue to be applied. Simultaneously, it will transmit this remaining time information to the vehicle's display screen for easy viewing by the driver.

[0107] The VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) begins an internal timer the moment low-voltage power steering is activated. If the vehicle's power-on state fails to switch to high-voltage power-on state within the initially preset first time (here, 60 seconds), the VCU will control the vehicle to shut off the low-voltage power steering to prevent excessive discharge of the low-voltage battery and other adverse conditions. Therefore, the remaining activation time during this 60-second timer period is determined based on the first preset time. In other words, if the vehicle does not switch to high-voltage power-on state within these 60 seconds, the VCU will shut off the relay control power when the timer reaches 60 seconds. During this 60-second timer, it will continuously send the remaining time data to the display device, allowing the driver to know how long the low-voltage power steering can be maintained, thus reminding the driver to take appropriate actions, such as switching to high-voltage power-on state as soon as possible or moving the vehicle.

[0108] If the vehicle successfully switches to high-voltage power-on mode within these 60 seconds, the system will extend the duration of low-voltage power steering off to a second preset time, namely 120 seconds. During these extended 120 seconds, the VCU will also send the remaining time data to the display device, and the low-voltage power steering will only be turned off after the 120-second countdown has ended.

[0109] It's important to emphasize that the 60-second timer is primarily to protect the low-voltage battery, preventing it from becoming depleted due to prolonged discharge and affecting the normal operation of other electrical systems in the vehicle. The 120-second timer setting, however, is limited by the vehicle's hardware performance. If the vehicle's hardware is sufficiently powerful, the second preset time can be extended or even omitted, depending on the vehicle's actual hardware configuration. Generally, 120 seconds is ample time for the driver to move the vehicle in an emergency. Furthermore, after the 120 seconds have elapsed and the low-voltage power steering has turned off, if the driver still requires low-voltage power steering, they can re-enter the signal to activate it. The VCU will then repeat steps 1 to 6, restarting a new 120-second timer cycle to meet the driver's needs.

[0110] Regarding the device for displaying the remaining operating time, in this embodiment, the vehicle's instrument panel is typically chosen because it is an area that the driver frequently focuses on while driving, allowing for quick and easy access to information. However, in practice, the display device can also be a central control screen or other in-vehicle screens capable of displaying information. This embodiment does not impose a strict or unique limitation on this, and the specific choice can be flexibly determined based on the vehicle's design and configuration.

[0111] In general, the design concept of this embodiment is as follows:

[0112] When the vehicle needs to activate low-voltage power steering, the system assesses the vehicle's current power status. This prevents accidental activation of low-voltage power steering when the vehicle is already under high-voltage power, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the vehicle's electrical system. Furthermore, if the vehicle's power status switches back to high-voltage after low-voltage power steering is activated, the system can promptly detect this and adjust the output accordingly. The remaining control time of the low-voltage power steering is displayed on the instrument panel or other display devices, allowing the driver to easily monitor the remaining time and identify any accidental switches, thus improving driving safety and convenience.

[0113] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0114] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the low-pressure power steering control device 40 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The device includes:

[0115] The acquisition module 41 is used to acquire the vehicle's power-on status when it receives a low-pressure power steering activation signal.

[0116] The control module 42 is used to respond to the start signal if the power-on state is low voltage power-on state, control the vehicle to turn on low voltage power steering, and detect whether the power-on state has switched to high voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, it determines whether to turn off low voltage power steering. If the power-on state is high voltage power-on state, it does not respond to the start signal.

[0117] As one possible implementation, control module 42 is specifically used for:

[0118] Detect whether the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state;

[0119] If the power-on state does not switch to high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, the vehicle will be controlled to turn off low-voltage power steering.

[0120] As one possible implementation, control module 42 is specifically used for:

[0121] If the power-on state switches to high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, then the vehicle's gear position status is obtained.

[0122] If the gear position is switched to non-parking mode, then determine whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the operating status of the high-pressure power steering.

[0123] As one possible implementation, control module 42 is specifically used for:

[0124] If the high-pressure power steering is in normal condition, then turn off the low-pressure power steering.

[0125] If the high-pressure power steering is faulty, then keep the low-pressure power steering on.

[0126] As one possible implementation, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the control module 42 is also used for:

[0127] If the total duration of low-pressure power steering is engaged reaches the second preset time, then the vehicle will be controlled to deactivate low-pressure power steering.

[0128] The second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

[0129] As one possible implementation, after controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the control module 42 is also used for:

[0130] Determine the remaining duration of low-pressure power steering;

[0131] The remaining operating time is displayed on the vehicle's display device.

[0132] As one possible implementation, control module 42 is specifically used for:

[0133] When no switch from power-on state to high-voltage power-on state is detected, the remaining activation time of low-voltage power steering is determined according to the first preset time.

[0134] After detecting that the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state, the remaining activation time of low-pressure power steering is determined according to the second preset time.

[0135] In this embodiment of the invention, upon receiving a low-voltage power steering activation signal, the system does not directly control the vehicle to activate the low-voltage power steering. Instead, it first determines the vehicle's power-on status. If the vehicle is under low-voltage power, it responds to the activation signal and activates the low-voltage power steering. If the vehicle is under high-voltage power, it does not respond to the activation signal. This effectively avoids uncontrollable malfunctions caused by high-current surges when activating low-voltage power steering, thus improving the safety of using low-voltage power steering.

[0136] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 50 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 As shown, the vehicle 50 in this embodiment includes: a controller 51, a memory 52, and a computer program 53 stored in the memory 52 and executable on the controller 51, such as a low-pressure power steering control program. When the controller 51 executes the computer program 53, it implements the steps in the various low-pressure power steering control method embodiments described above, for example... Figure 2The steps S201 to S203 are shown. Alternatively, when the controller 51 executes the computer program 53, it implements the functions of each module / unit in the above-described device embodiments, for example... Figure 4 The functions of modules 41 to 42 are shown.

[0137] For example, the computer program 53 can be divided into one or more modules / units, which are stored in the memory 52 and executed by the controller 51 to complete the present invention. The one or more modules / units can be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing specific functions, which describe the execution process of the computer program 53 in the vehicle 50. For example, the computer program 53 can be divided into an acquisition module 41 and a control module 42 (a module in a virtual device), with the specific functions of each module as follows:

[0138] The acquisition module 41 is used to acquire the vehicle's power-on status when it receives a low-pressure power steering activation signal.

[0139] The control module 42 is used to respond to the start signal if the power-on state is low voltage power-on state, control the vehicle to turn on low voltage power steering, and detect whether the power-on state has switched to high voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, it determines whether to turn off low voltage power steering. If the power-on state is high voltage power-on state, it does not respond to the start signal.

[0140] The vehicle 50 may include, but is not limited to, a controller 51 and a memory 52. ​​Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 5 This is merely an example of vehicle 50 and does not constitute a limitation on vehicle 50. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, vehicle 50 may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.

[0141] The controller 51 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose controllers, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose controller may be a microcontroller, or any conventional controller.

[0142] The memory 52 can be an internal storage unit of the vehicle 50, such as a hard drive or memory of the vehicle 50. The memory 52 can also be an external storage device of the vehicle 50, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or FlashCard equipped on the vehicle 50. Furthermore, the memory 52 can include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the vehicle 50. The memory 52 is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the vehicle 50. The memory 52 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0143] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0146] In the embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / vehicle and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / vehicle embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0147] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0148] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0149] If the integrated module / unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a controller, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, a recording medium, a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, etc.

[0150] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-pressure power steering control method, characterized in that, include: When a low-pressure power steering activation signal is received, the vehicle's power-on status is obtained. If the power-on state is a low-voltage power-on state, then in response to the activation signal, control the vehicle to activate low-voltage power steering, and detect whether the power-on state has switched to a high-voltage power-on state. Based on the detection result, determine whether to deactivate low-voltage power steering. If the power-on state is a high-voltage power-on state, then the activation signal will not be responded to.

2. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the test results includes: If the power-on state does not switch to high-voltage power-on state within the first preset time, then the vehicle is controlled to turn off low-voltage power steering.

3. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the test results includes: If the power-on state switches to high-voltage power-on state within a first preset time, then the gear position of the vehicle is obtained. If the gear position is switched to the non-parking state, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off based on the working status of the high-pressure power steering of the vehicle.

4. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to turn off low-pressure power steering based on the operating status of the high-pressure power steering of the vehicle includes: If the high-pressure power steering is in normal condition, then the low-pressure power steering is turned off; If the high-pressure power steering is faulty, then the low-pressure power steering remains active.

5. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, After controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the method further includes: If the total duration of the vehicle's low-pressure power steering reaches the second preset time, then the vehicle's low-pressure power steering will be turned off. The second preset time is longer than the first preset time.

6. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After controlling the vehicle to activate low-pressure power steering, the method further includes: Determine the remaining duration of low-pressure power steering; The remaining operating time is displayed on the vehicle's display device.

7. The low-pressure power steering control method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The determination of the remaining on-time of the low-pressure power steering includes: When no switch from the power-on state to the high-voltage power-on state is detected, the remaining activation time of the low-voltage power steering is determined according to the first preset time. After detecting that the power-on state has switched to high-voltage power-on state, the remaining activation time of low-voltage power steering is determined according to the second preset time.

8. A low-pressure power steering control device, characterized in that, include: The acquisition module is used to acquire the vehicle's power-on status when it receives a low-pressure power steering activation signal; The control module is used to respond to the activation signal if the power-on state is a low-voltage power-on state, control the vehicle to activate low-voltage power steering, detect whether the power-on state has switched to a high-voltage power-on state, and determine whether to deactivate low-voltage power steering based on the detection result. The control module is further configured to not respond to the start signal if the power-on state is a high-voltage power-on state.

9. A vehicle comprising a memory, a controller, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the controller, characterized in that, When the controller executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the controller, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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