Dynamic Steering Gain Adjustment for Off-Highway Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Machines with steering systems, particularly off-highway vehicles, face difficulties in control during acceleration events due to steering gain values being optimized for steady-state driving conditions, leading to reduced handling and control.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that communicates with a steering sensor and optionally an acceleration sensor to detect the position and acceleration rate of the machine, commanding steering based on these inputs, using steady state, full acceleration, or dynamically interpolated control signals to optimize steering performance across various acceleration conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If steering gain values are optimized for steady-state driving conditions, then steering control is improved during constant speed operation, but steering control deteriorates during acceleration events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic steering gain adjustment by detecting machine acceleration rate and selecting different steering gain values based on the detected acceleration state. The controller transitions from steady-state optimized gains to acceleration-optimized gains when acceleration is detected, making the steering system adaptive to changing operating conditions rather than fixed for steady-state only
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the steering gain parameter based on detected acceleration rate. When acceleration is detected, the system switches to different steering gain values that are optimized for acceleration conditions rather than steady-state conditions, thereby improving steering performance across varying operational states
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle control system uses different control signals for steady state and acceleration conditions, then steering performance is improved across varying conditions, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically detects acceleration conditions and self-adjusts the steering gain values without requiring manual intervention or complex external control. The system monitors its own operating state through acceleration detection and autonomously selects appropriate steering parameters, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts steering characteristics based on real-time acceleration detection, transitioning between steady-state and acceleration-optimized control modes. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain simple steady-state control logic while adding only minimal acceleration detection and conditional switching complexity
Data Source
AI summary
According to the present disclosure, a steering system and method for a machine includes a vehicle control system configured to command steering of the machine, and a steering sensor in communication with the vehicle control system. The steering sensor is configured to detect a position of a steering actuator of the machine. The vehicle control system is configured to detect an acceleration rate of the machine and to command steering of the machine based at least in part on the position of the steering actuator and the acceleration rate of the machine.