System and method for detecting a steering column in a misaligned state

Abstract

A method for determining the center of the rack position of a vehicle, the method including the step of activating a move black in accordance with a first end routine, automatically coordinating the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a first end, the method further including the step of activating a move black in accordance with a second end routine, automatically coordinating the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a second end, the method including the step of activating a centering routine, automatically coordinating the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end, the method further including the step of activating an evaluation routine, querying a steering angle from a steering angle sensor in a steering column control module of the vehicle, a method, and a vehicle, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium incorporated in the vehicle are provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a steering column of an electric vehicle equipped with a computerized system for monitoring the position of the steering angle and the rotor position angle of a steering column for a power steering system including a rotor position sensor that can be used to track a pinion angle, particularly for a vehicle.

[0002] 〔Citation of Related Applications〕 This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 342,033, filed May 13, 2022.

Background Art

[0003] Recent vehicles track a number of values during vehicle operation, such values including, but not limited to, steering angle and pinion angle. When a steering assembly including an electric power steering (EPS), an intermediate shaft, a steering column, and a steering column control module (SCCM) is being inspected and maintained, the angular alignment state of the steering angle of the SCCM may change relative to the pinion angle of the EPS. This misalignment condition can cause several problems with respect to vehicle operation, such problems including limitations in vehicle turning performance and the invalidation or interference of automated driving assist features. If the misalignment condition is not detected before the vehicle leaves the inspection and maintenance facility, this can be dangerous for the vehicle operator.

[0004] Some existing systems track changes in the steering angle by synchronizing the EPS to the SCCM steering angle, but such systems may change in these relative angular alignment states between power cycles or in situations where the changes cannot be tracked by the system—for example, when the vehicle battery is disconnected and power cannot be provided to the rotor position sensor of the EPS and / or the steering angle sensor of the SCCM.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The disclosed technical idea is to detect such misalignment state, and inform the vehicle inspection and maintenance technician and / or operator that the steering column is in a misalignment state and further inspection and maintenance are required, so as to solve this drawback.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The following provides a simplified overview of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the various embodiments disclosed herein. The summary of the present invention is not an extensive overview of all details of all embodiments. It is not intended to identify important or essential elements of all embodiments, nor is it intended to define the scope of any of the disclosed embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some technical ideas of the present invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the detailed description provided later.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the center of the rack position of a vehicle preferably includes (a) starting the move black in accordance with a first end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a first end; (b) starting the move black in accordance with a second end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a second end; (c) preferably including starting a centering routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; (d) preferably including starting an evaluation routine, querying the steering angle from a steering angle sensor in a steering column control module of the vehicle, comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value, and starting an error message if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method for tracking the pinion position while the vehicle is in an inoperative state preferably includes (a) starting a low power mode for an electric power steering system; (b) integrating changes in the rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor; and (c) calculating changes in the pinion angle by dividing the integrated changes in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox.

[0009] In one embodiment, the vehicle may have a rack, a steering column, and a power steering system. The steering column may have a steering wheel and a steering column control module with a steering angle sensor. The power steering system may include a motor with a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion coupled to the steering column. The electronic control unit includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and when executed by the processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium causes the electronic control unit to: (a) activate a move black in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a first direction to its most distal position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a first end; (b) activate a move black in accordance with a second end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a second direction opposite the first direction to its most distal position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a second end; (c) activate a centering routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; and (d) activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying the steering angle from the steering angle sensor in the vehicle's steering column control module and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value so that an error message can be initiated if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0010] In one embodiment, the vehicle may have a steering column having a steering wheel and a steering column control module with a steering angle sensor, and a power steering system including a motor having a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion coupled to the steering column. The electronic control unit includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When executed by the processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium causes the electronic control unit to (a) activate a low-power mode for the power steering system, (b) accumulate changes in the rotor position monitored by the rotor position sensor, and (c) divide the accumulated change in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox to calculate a change in the pinion angle.

[0011] In one embodiment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium may have instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to (a) activate MoveBlack in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a first end; (b) activate MoveBlack in accordance with a second end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a second direction opposite the first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a second end; (c) activate a centering routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; and (d) activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying the steering angle sensor in the vehicle's steering column control module for the steering angle and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value, and starting an error message if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0012] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium preferably has instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the computer to: (a) activate a low-power mode for a power steering system; (b) accumulate changes in a rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor; and (c) calculate a change in a pinion angle by dividing the accumulated change in the rotor position by a gear ratio of a gearbox.

[0013] The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth certain illustrative aspects of the invention. However, these aspects are merely illustrative of some of the various ways in which the disclosed principles may be employed. Other advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The following detailed description and the accompanying drawings describe and illustrate several embodiments for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to utilize the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention or its protection scope in any way. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in some cases, details that are not necessary for understanding the present invention, such as manufacturing and assembly details, may be omitted. Regarding the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same components.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the center of the rack position of a vehicle preferably includes the steps of: (a) activating the move black in accordance with a first end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to its farthest position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a first end; (b) activating the move black in accordance with a second end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to its farthest position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a second end; (c) preferably including the step of activating a centering routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; (d) preferably including the step of activating an evaluation routine, querying the steering angle from a steering angle sensor in the steering column control module of the vehicle, and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value, and starting an error message if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first direction may be left and the second direction may be right. In some embodiments, the first direction may be right and the second direction may be left. In some embodiments, the electric power steering system operates to automatically turn the steering column. In some embodiments, the step of activating the move black in accordance with the first end routine may include the step of accumulating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. In some embodiments, the step of activating the move black in accordance with the second end routine may include the step of accumulating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. In some embodiments, when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is less than the threshold value, the pinion may be synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module.

[0018] In one embodiment, a method of tracking the pinion position while the vehicle is in an inoperative state may include: (a) activating a low power mode for the electric power steering system; (b) accumulating changes in the rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor; and (c) calculating changes in the pinion angle by dividing the accumulated changes in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox.

[0019] In some embodiments, the low power mode of the electric power steering system may be activated when the vehicle is stopped. In some embodiments, the method may further include (d) querying a steering column control module about a steering angle tracked by a steering angle sensor, and (e) evaluating the steering angle in view of a calculated change in pinion angle and comparing the steering angle to a threshold. In some embodiments, the method may further include initiating an error message when an absolute value of a comparison of a calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and an expected pinion angle exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, the method may further include synchronizing a calculated pinion angle to the steering angle when an absolute value of a comparison of a calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and an expected pinion angle is less than a threshold.

[0020] In one embodiment, the vehicle may have a rack, a steering column, and a power steering system. The steering column may have a steering wheel and a steering column control module with a steering angle sensor. The power steering system may include a motor with a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion coupled to the steering column. The electronic control unit may include a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When executed by the processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium causes the electronic control unit to: (a) activate a move black in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a first direction to its most distal position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a first end; (b) activate a move black in accordance with a second end routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to its most distal position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a second end; (c) activate a centering routine, thereby automatically coordinating the vehicle's steering column to rotate the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to a first end and a second end; (d) activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying a steering angle from a steering angle sensor in the vehicle's steering column control module and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value so that an error message can be initiated if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first direction may be left and the second direction may be right. In some embodiments, the first direction may be right and the second direction may be left. In some embodiments, the power steering system may be an electric power steering system and may operate to automatically turn the steering column. In some embodiments, the operation of activating the move black in accordance with the first end routine may include the operation of integrating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. The operation of activating the move black in accordance with the second end routine may include the operation of integrating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. In some embodiments, when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is less than the threshold value, the pinion may be synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module.

[0022] In one embodiment, the vehicle may have a steering column having a steering wheel and a steering column control module with a steering angle sensor, and a power steering system including a motor with a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion coupled to the steering column. The electronic control unit includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions that, when executed by the processor, enable the electronic control unit to (a) activate a low-power mode for the power steering system, (b) integrate changes in the rotor position monitored by the rotor position sensor, and (c) calculate changes in the pinion angle by dividing the integrated changes in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox.

[0023] In some embodiments, the low power mode of the electric power steering system may be activated when the vehicle is stopped. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the electronic control unit queries the steering angle sensor for the steering angle tracked by the (d) steering column control module, (e) evaluates the steering angle in terms of the calculated change in pinion angle, and compares the steering angle with a threshold value. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the electronic control unit starts an error message when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle exceeds the threshold value. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the electronic control unit synchronizes the calculated pinion angle with the steering angle when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle is less than the threshold value.

[0024] In one embodiment, the non - transitory computer - readable medium on which the instructions are implemented may have instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the computer to: (a) activate the move black in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically coupling the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a first end; (b) activate the move black in accordance with a second end routine, thereby automatically coupling the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to its most distant position, thereby moving the vehicle's rack to a second end; (c) activate a centering routine, thereby automatically coupling the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; (d) activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying the steering angle sensor in the vehicle's steering column control module for the steering angle and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value and starting an error message if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first direction may be left and the second direction may be right. In some embodiments, the first direction may be right and the second direction may be left. In some embodiments, the power steering system is an electric power steering system and may operate to automatically turn the steering column. In some embodiments, the operation of activating the move black in accordance with the first end routine may include the operation of accumulating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. In some embodiments, the operation of activating the move black in accordance with the second end routine may include the operation of accumulating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. In some embodiments, when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is less than the threshold value, the pinion may be synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module.

[0026] The non-transitory computer-readable medium may have instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the computer to (a) activate a low-power mode for the power steering system, (b) accumulate changes in the rotor position monitored by the rotor position sensor, and (c) calculate the change in the pinion angle by dividing the accumulated change in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox.

[0027] In some embodiments, the low power mode of the electric power steering system may be activated when the vehicle is stopped. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the computer may (d) query the steering column control module about the steering angle tracked by the steering angle sensor, (e) evaluate the steering angle in terms of the calculated change in pinion angle, and compare the steering angle with a threshold value. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the computer may initiate an error message when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle and the predicted pinion angle based on the steering angle exceeds a threshold value. In some embodiments, further by instruction, the computer may synchronize the calculated pinion angle with the steering angle when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle and the predicted pinion angle based on the steering angle is less than a threshold value.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a steering column system according to the disclosed technical concept. The steering housing 1 may accommodate the rack 3, which extends from the steering housing to achieve a steering change. The steering housing may be further coupled to a rotor 5 that may have a torque sensor housing 2, a motor gearbox 4, and a rotor position sensor 6. The steering wheel 13 may be coupled to the SCCM 12, which may include a steering angle sensor that tracks the steering angle, and this steering angle sensor may be coupled to the steering column 11. The steering column may have an intermediate shaft including an upper intermediate shaft 10 and a lower intermediate shaft 9, and the lower intermediate shaft 9 may be coupled to a driver pinion 8 that may be coupled to the torque sensor housing 2. The electronic control unit (ECU) 7 may be in electrical communication with the torque sensor housing 2 and the rotor position sensor 6.

[0029] During normal operation of the vehicle, when the operator operates the steering wheel 13, the SCCM can track the rotation of the steering wheel by using the steering angle sensor. The steering angle sensor of the SCCM may be an absolute angle sensor that is preferably set to zero corresponding to the point in time when the steering wheel is in the neutral position where the vehicle can travel straight. The operation of the steering wheel 13 by the operator further drives the steering column 11 and the intermediate shafts 10, 9. Thereby, the driver pinion 8 is driven, and the driver pinion 8 may be an electric power steering pinion for facilitating the operation of the steering wheel, and also has the ability to control the steering column independently of the vehicle operator for driver assistance functions such as automatic parking or lane keeping assistance that requires EPS to implement. It may be part of a large electric power steering system (EPS) that can be controlled to perform. When the driver pinion 8 is properly synchronized with the SCCM, the driver pinion 8 is in the neutral position when the steering angle sensor is set to zero, and as a result, the vehicle can travel straight. The driver pinion may be in communication with the torque sensor 2. In this case, the torque sensor 2 provides a signal to the ECU 7, and the ECU can control the motor 5 with a control signal. The communication between the torque sensor 2, the ECU 7, and the motor 5 may be wired or wireless. The motor 5 can drive the gears in the gearbox 4, thereby driving the rack 3. The rotor position sensor 6 may include a magnetic rotor disk and a dual Hall sensor (for example, the Infenion (trademark) TLE4966V sensor, https: / / www.electronicspecifier.com / products / sensors / dual-hall-sensor-detects-rotation-direction-speed ) for detecting the angle and rotation direction of the rotor shaft of the motor 5.

[0030] Therefore, during normal operation of the vehicle, the change in the steering angle tracked by the steering sensor angle in the SCCM 11 affects the response to the driver pinion 8 and is matched by the corresponding change in the rotor position tracked by the rotor position sensor 6. The corresponding change between the driver pinion and the rotor position will depend on the gear ratio of the motor. Thus, by accumulating these changes in the rotor position and then dividing by the gear ratio of the motor 5, the corresponding change in the driver pinion angle can be calculated.

[0031] Figure 2 shows the rotor position signals that can be obtained from the rotor position sensor 6, and Figure 2 is a sine and cosine graph showing the sine and cosine signals from the rotor position sensor. During one full rotation, the sine and cosine waves return to these initial values, and this is repeated for each rotation.

[0032] Figure 3 shows the cumulative rotor position in degrees (°) corresponding to the signals shown in Figure 2. One full rotation of the rotor position signal in Figure 2 all corresponds to a 360° change that is accumulated over the entire number of times the rotor completes the rotation in Figure 3. Thus, when the rotor of the motor 5 is rotating, the rotor position sensor 6 generates the signals shown in Figure 2, and these signals may be used by the ECU or another computing unit to accumulate the total rotation angle as shown in Figure 3.

[0033] Figure 4 shows the corresponding change in the pinion angle based on the input signal in Figure 2 and the cumulative rotor position change in Figure 3. In this embodiment, each 360° rotation of the cumulative rotor position signal corresponds to a 360° change in the rotor position, which corresponds to an approximately 19° change in the pinion angle. Thus, by dividing the accumulated rotation amount of the rotor position as shown in Figure 3 and then dividing by the gear ratio of the gearbox 4, the pinion angle can be calculated as shown in Figure 4.

[0034] As described above, during vehicle maintenance when work is being done on the steering column, if the battery is disconnected during vehicle maintenance, the steering angle of the SCCM and the rotor position signal of the rotor position sensor may be misaligned if they do not have a chance to communicate with each other. For example, if the steering angle or the pinion angle changes under such circumstances while the respective sensors are not being powered, the steering column may be in a misaligned state. Therefore, a routine for testing and relearning the center position of the rack 3 may be advantageous as described below.

[0035] Rack center learning 20 FIG. 5 shows a rack center learning diagnostic routine 20 that enables the vehicle to find the pinion neutral angle position. In this diagnostic routine, it is preferable to command the EPS to move the steering rack to the left end stop (i.e., fully to the left side) (21). Once reaching the left end stop, it is preferable to command the EPS to move the steering rack to the right end stop (i.e., fully to the right side) (22). Once the right end stop is found, in some embodiments, it is preferable to perform a sanity check routine that tracks the distance between the left end stop and the right end stop. If that distance is shorter than a threshold value, the system is preferably to stop the rack center learning routine 20 and issue an error message that instructs the operator to either perform further maintenance on the vehicle or move the vehicle to a smooth surface and attempt a new rack center learning routine 20. Once the right end stop is found, it is preferable to command the EPS to move the steering rack to the center position between the left end stop and the right end stop (23). The steering rack end stop positions are preferably identified and recorded in terms of the cumulative rotor position. Once the rack is found, the EPS control system is preferably to then evaluate the SCCM steering angle (24). At the rack center, if the SCCM steering angle is close to zero within the threshold limit, it is preferable to synchronize the EPS pinion angle with the SCCM steering angle (25). If the SCCM steering angle deviates from the threshold value or is not near zero, the diagnostic routine is preferably to issue an error message for the inspection and maintenance technician or operator indicating that the steering column is misaligned and further inspection and maintenance is required to correct this condition (26). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the rack center learning routine 20 is preferably executed by first checking one of the ends (left end stop or right end stop), then checking the other, and then returning the steering rack to the center.

[0036] Pinion Angle Tracking in the Low Power Mode of EPS 30 To enable pinion angle tracking while the vehicle is in the stopped state, the EPS should have a low power mode. When the vehicle is in the stopped state, the EPS should activate its low power mode (31). In this mode, the EPS cannot generate motor torque or communicate via the vehicle network. In the low power mode, the EPS function may be limited to tracking the rotor position and accumulating changes by communicating with the rotor position sensor and accumulating changes in the rotor position (32). When the vehicle is activated again, the EPS should use the signed cumulative value of the rotor position based on the signal from the rotor position sensor 6 and divide this by the gear ratio of the motor gearbox 4, with the aim of calculating the change in the pinion angle while the vehicle was off (33). Then, the vehicle can evaluate the SCCM steering angle and make it approximately match the pinion angle within the threshold (34).

[0037] This should be achieved at vehicle startup. The EPS should broadcast the pinion angle to the ECU 7, and the SCCM 12 should broadcast the steering angle to the ECU 7. Next, the ECU 7 should compare the calculated pinion angle value with the SCCM steering angle value. If the threshold is greater than the threshold limit (depending on hysteresis and backlash), the ECU 7 should command the EPS to set the pinion angle to invalid and send an error message to the inspection and maintenance technician or vehicle operator indicating that inspection and maintenance are required to align the steering column. For example, the ECU 7 should inform the driver using a driver warning to correct the alignment state of the SCCM with respect to the EPS.

[0038] Synchronization of the EPS Gear and SCCM Steering Angle in Case of Power Loss to the EPS

[0039] As described above, during maintenance, when the vehicle battery is disconnected, or even if the battery is in a fully discharged state, the EPS operates in a low-power mode and cannot track the movement of the rotor position while the vehicle is in this state. Therefore, the vehicle operator may initiate the rack center learning routine 20 as described above. Then, the EPS may evaluate whether the SCCM steering angle 24 at the rack center is within a threshold limit. If the SCCM steering angle is within the threshold limit, the EPS pinion angle can be synchronized with the SCCM steering angle 25. If the SCCM steering angle exceeds the threshold limit, the EPS pinion angle may not be synchronized with the SCCM steering angle and may initiate an error message 26. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the vehicle may be enabled to detect the time when its battery is disconnected and / or when it is in a fully discharged state. Once the battery is reconnected or recharged, the vehicle may preferably automatically initiate the rack center learning routine 20, the purpose of which is to confirm that the steering column was not misaligned while the vehicle was not connected to the battery or while the battery was being charged.

[0040] The above methods and routines may be implemented in a computing system, such as an electronic control unit 7. Such a computing system may preferably include a processor, a memory, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a hard drive or a solid-state drive, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium may preferably implement instructions that, when executed by the processor, enable the processor to execute any of the above routines or processes.

[0041] The above description is illustrative and not restrictive of the invention. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above description in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications also fall within the scope of the technical idea disclosed herein. Each patent, patent application, and publication cited or described herein is incorporated by reference in its entirety and made a part of this specification.

[0042] The above description of embodiments contemplated as being consistent with the present disclosure is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of all such embodiments or all variations of the embodiments described. The description of some embodiments should not be construed as excluding other embodiments described. For example, one skilled in the art will understand how the disclosed embodiments can be embodied in many other ways using equivalents and variations that do not depart from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, unless the contrary is suggested in the present disclosure, none of the specific components described with respect to the embodiments are essential to the invention. Thus, the embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are to be determined based on the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. A method for determining the center of the rack position of a vehicle, comprising: (a) activating the move black in accordance with a first end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to the farthest position thereof, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a first end; (b) activating the move black in accordance with a second end routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to the farthest position thereof, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a second end; (c) activating a centering routine, automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end; (d) activating an evaluation routine, querying the steering angle from a steering angle sensor in the steering column control module of the vehicle, comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value, and starting an error message if the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is left and the second direction is right.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is right and the second direction is left.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein an electric power steering system operates to automatically rotate the steering column.

5. The step of activating the move black in accordance with the first end routine includes accumulating a rotor position angle from a rotor position sensor. The method according to claim 1.

6. The step of activating the move black in accordance with the second end routine includes accumulating a rotor position angle from a rotor position sensor. The method according to claim 1.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is smaller than a threshold value, the pinion is synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module.

8. A method for tracking the pinion position while the vehicle is in an inoperative state, comprising: Step of activating the low-power mode for an electric power steering system, Step of accumulating the change in the rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor, A method including the step of dividing the accumulated change in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox to calculate the change in the pinion angle.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the low-power mode of the electric power steering system is activated when the vehicle is stopped.

10. Step of querying the steering column control module about the steering angle tracked by a steering angle sensor, The method according to claim 8, further including the step of evaluating the steering angle in view of the calculated change in the pinion angle and comparing the steering angle with a threshold value.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of starting an error message when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle and the predicted pinion angle based on the steering angle exceeds the threshold value.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including the step of synchronizing the calculated pinion angle with the steering angle when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle and the predicted pinion angle based on the steering angle is less than the threshold value.

13. A vehicle, A rack, A steering column having a steering wheel and a steering column control module equipped with a steering angle sensor, Having a power steering system including a motor having a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion connected to the steering column, The electronic control unit includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When executed by the processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium causes the electronic control unit to, (a) Activate the move black in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to the farthest position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to the first end, (b) Activate Move Black in accordance with the second end routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to the position where it is furthest located, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to the second end. (c) Activate the centering routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end. (d) Activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying the steering angle from a steering angle sensor in the steering column control module of the vehicle, comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value, and implementing an instruction that an error message can be started when the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value. A vehicle. (Claim 14) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the first direction is left and the second direction is right. (Claim 15) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the first direction is right and the second direction is left. (Claim 16) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the power steering system is an electric power steering system and operates to automatically rotate the steering column. (Claim 17) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the operation of activating Move Black in accordance with the first end routine includes the operation of integrating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. (Claim 18) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the operation of activating Move Black in accordance with the second end routine includes the operation of integrating the rotor position angle from the rotor position sensor. (Claim 19) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is smaller than the threshold value, the pinion is synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module. (Claim 20) A vehicle, having a steering wheel and a steering column having a steering column control module provided with a steering angle sensor, and having a power steering system including a motor having a rotor position sensor, a gearbox, an electronic control unit, and a pinion connected to the steering column. The electronic control unit includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When the instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium are executed by the processor, the electronic control unit (a) activates a low-power mode for the power steering system, (b) accumulates changes in the rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor, (c) divides the accumulated change in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox so as to be able to calculate a change in the pinion angle. The vehicle is equipped with instructions for this.

21. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the low-power mode of the electric power steering system is activated when the vehicle is stopped.

22. Further, according to the instructions, the electronic control unit (d) queries the steering column control module about the steering angle tracked by a steering angle sensor, (e) evaluates the steering angle in terms of the calculated change in the pinion angle and compares the steering angle with a threshold value. The vehicle according to claim 20.

23. Further, according to the instructions, the electronic control unit starts an error message when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle exceeds a threshold value. The vehicle according to claim 22.

24. Further, according to the instructions, the electronic control unit synchronizes the calculated pinion angle with the steering angle when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle is less than the threshold value. The vehicle according to claim 23.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which instructions are implemented. When the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions cause a computer to (a) activate MoveBlack in accordance with a first end routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a first direction to the farthest position, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to a first end. (b) Activate Move Black in accordance with the second end routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column in a second direction opposite to the first direction to the position where it is located farthest, thereby moving the rack of the vehicle to the second end, (c) Activate the centering routine, thereby automatically linking the steering column of the vehicle and rotating the steering column to its center position so that the rack is centered with respect to the first end and the second end, (d) Activate an evaluation routine, thereby querying the steering angle from a steering angle sensor in the steering column control module of the vehicle and comparing the value of the steering angle with a threshold value. If the absolute value of the steering angle exceeds the threshold value, start an error message. A non-transitory computer-readable medium.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the first direction is left and the second direction is right.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the first direction is right and the second direction is left.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the power steering system is an electric power steering system and operates to automatically rotate the steering column.

29. The operation of activating the Move Black in accordance with the first end routine includes the operation of accumulating the rotor position angle from a rotor position sensor. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25.

30. The operation of activating the Move Black in accordance with the second end routine includes the operation of accumulating the rotor position angle from a rotor position sensor. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein when the absolute value of the steering angle of the steering column control module is smaller than the threshold value, the pinion is synchronized with the steering angle of the steering column control module.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium in which instructions are implemented, and when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions cause the computer to (a) Activate the low power mode for the power steering system, (b) accumulating changes in the rotor position monitored by a rotor position sensor, (c) a non-transitory computer-readable medium that divides the accumulated change in the rotor position by the gear ratio of the gearbox to calculate a change in the pinion angle. **Claim 33** The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the low power mode of the electric power steering system is activated when the vehicle is stopped. **Claim 34** Further according to the instruction, the computer (d) queries the steering column control module about the steering angle tracked by a steering angle sensor, (e) evaluates the steering angle in terms of the calculated change in the pinion angle and compares the steering angle with a threshold value. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 32. **Claim 35** Further according to the instruction, the computer starts an error message when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle exceeds a threshold value. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 34. **Claim 36** Further according to the instruction, the computer synchronizes the calculated pinion angle with the steering angle when the absolute value of the comparison between the calculated pinion angle based on the steering angle and the predicted pinion angle is less than the threshold value. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 35.

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