Reconfigurable Steering Feel Control for Steer-by-Wire Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing steer-by-wire technologies face challenges in providing appropriate steering feel feedback at low and high speeds, leading to driver fatigue, reduced comfort, and safety issues due to insufficient differentiation of steering feel performance, as well as lacking flexibility and personalization in steering feel adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A reconfigurable steering feel design method and control system that includes modules for alignment, assist, friction, damping, inertia, and soft stop limiting torques, with adjustable parameters to adapt to different driving conditions and preferences, using hyperbolic and exponential functions to segmentally design steering feel feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional mechanical steering systems are used, then mechanical connection between steering wheel and steered wheels is maintained, but the system cannot provide differentiated steering feel feedback at different speeds and lacks flexibility for personalization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteering feel feedback differentiationVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical connection between steering wheel and steered wheels with a steer-by-wire system using electronic sensors and actuators. This substitution enables differentiated steering feel feedback through software control of the steering feel actuator, providing adaptability across different speeds and driver preferences without mechanical complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements reconfigurable steering feel by dynamically adjusting control parameters including steering feel torque, damping coefficients, and stiffness characteristics based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and driver preferences. This allows the system to provide lightweight feel at low speeds and clear feel at high speeds through parameter optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If steer-by-wire system is implemented, then electronic control and fast response are achieved, but appropriate steering feel feedback at different speeds becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speedVSAvoidsteering feel feedback

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic steering feel control where the steering feel torque and damping characteristics are continuously adjusted based on real-time vehicle speed, steering angle, and acceleration signals. This dynamic adaptation ensures lightweight steering feel at low speeds while providing clear and accurate feedback at high speeds, maintaining ease of operation across all driving conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback control mechanisms where steering feel torque is calculated based on steering angle, steering speed, vehicle speed, and damping coefficients. The steering feel actuator receives control signals from the controller and provides appropriate feedback torque to the steering wheel, ensuring appropriate steering feel feedback at different speeds through closed-loop control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If steering feel feedback is increased at high speeds, then clear and accurate steering feel is achieved, but driver fatigue and safety issues occur due to excessive feedback at low speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteering feel accuracyVSAvoiddriver fatigue

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different steering feel characteristics for different operating conditions: lightweight steering feel with reduced feedback torque at low speeds to prevent driver fatigue, and clear and accurate steering feel with increased feedback torque at high speeds for precision control. The steering feel torque is locally optimized based on vehicle speed and steering angle ranges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250333104A1Reconfigurable steering feel design method and control system for steer-by-wire

Publication Date: 2025.10.30 SHANGHAI JIAOTONG UNIV

AI summary

The present invention relates to a reconfigurable steering feel design method and control system for steer-by-wire. The method includes: constructing a steering feel feedback model, the steering feel feedback model including an alignment torque module based on rack force observation, an assist torque module, a friction compensation torque module, a damping compensation torque module, an inertia compensation torque module, and a soft stop limiting torque module, and adding outputs of all modules to obtain a total expected steering feel motor torque; inputting signals of a steering wheel angle, speed and torque, an observed rack force and a vehicle speed into the designed steering feel feedback model to obtain the total expected steering feel motor torque, transmitting it to a steering feel motor, and outputting this steering feel feedback torque to a steering wheel through the steering feel motor; each module in the designed steering feel feedback model being provided with adjustable parameters. Compared with the existing technologies, the present invention incorporates the characteristics of reconfigurability, and can adapt to different steering wheel hardware characteristics and steering feel requirements by adjusting relevant parameters.