System and method of controlling vehicle steer-by-wire systems with adjustable steering feel

[0002] The present invention relates to a system and method of controlling vehicle steer-by-wire systems to produce an adjustable steering feel for driver of a vehicle.

[0003] Steer-by-wire systems considered in this invention replace mechanical linkages between the steering wheel and the front road wheels with electrical wires and electronic components. Moreover, the mechanical linkages between the two front road wheels are eliminated. Instead, two independent actuators are installed on the vehicle, wherein each actuator independently actuates one of the front road wheels. This allows two front road wheels be able to move independently from each other. A steer-by-wire system such as described in this invention can be regarded as having two parts: a steering wheel sub-system and a road wheel sub-system. The electrical signals are translated through the wires to link the steering wheel sub-system to the road wheel sub-system with two independent front road wheels.

[0004] The steer-by-wire systems with two independent front road wheels are expected to provide a more flexible application environment to realize different left and right road wheel angle requirements such that the vehicle dynamics and safety can be improved. The expected steering functions including different left and right road wheel angle requirements can be realized by utilizing the control system design.

[0005] The control system designer for such steer-by-wire systems experiences several serious challenges. One of these challenges is to provide not only a familiar steering feel to the vehicle driver like that in the conventional steering wheel system with mechanical connection, but also flexible adjustable steering feels. The steering feel provides information of force (or torque) at the road wheel tire-road surface contact. This force information should be fed backed to the steering wheel to produce steering wheel torque felt by the vehicle driver. The vehicle driver relies on the steering feel to sense the force of road wheel tire-road surface contact and maintain control of the direction of the vehicle. Thus, the steering feel has been becoming one of most important vehicle attributes to maintain vehicle directional control and keep the vehicle stability.

[0006] Steering feel is determined by the torque reaction of the steering wheel. In the conventional steering system with mechanical connection, the vehicle driver holding the steering wheel can directly produce the torque reaction by steering wheel shaft to obtain information about contact conditions between the road wheel ties and road surface. In steer-by-wire system without mechanical connection, the electric motor is utilized to provide the reaction torque. In order to produce the required familiar and adjustable steering feels, the electric motor torque should be controlled. The steering wheel sub-system in steer-by-wire system is such an electric motor-based control system to implement the reaction torque control. Thus, a further challenge for the control system designers is how to describe the reaction torque quantitatively as the control system design specification and how to obtain the adjustable reaction torque based on the steering wheel sub-system assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the steering wheel is desired to return to the center with the different rates if the hands of vehicle driver leave the steering wheel when the vehicle is driving with a certain speed. The steering wheel is also desired to stop in the certain angle if the hands of vehicle driver leave the steering wheel when the vehicle is driving without speed, such as in the parking state. A road wheel direction command also is required to implement in steering wheel sub-system. All required steering functions including the steering feel, steering wheel return and steering wheel stop, and a road wheel direction command should be achieved by using the steering wheel subsystem control design.

[0008] The present invention generally involves a system and method of controlling a steer-by-wire system to produce steering feel for the vehicle driver, wherein the system also provide the active steering wheel return and the steering wheel directional reference angle to road wheel sub-system. The steer-by-wire system in accordance with the present invention may be regarded as having two parts: a steering wheel sub-system and a road wheel sub-system with two independent front road wheels. Electrical signals are transmitted via electrical wires to link the steering wheel sub-system to the road wheel sub-system. Main functions of the steering wheel sub-system are to provide a steering directional reference angle, active steering wheel return, and produce an appropriate steering feel to a driver of the vehicle. Main functions of the road wheel sub-system are to establish tracking between road wheel angles and a steering wheel angle reference input which is provided by the steering wheel sub-system. These two subsystems are integrated in the steer-by-wire system to maintain alignment between the steering wheel and the road wheels of the vehicle and to implement vehicle steering functions.

[0009] A control system framework of the steering wheel sub-system is introduced to implement all required steering functions including the steering feel, active steering wheel return rate and steering stop, and steering wheel directional reference angle to road wheel sub-system. Such steering wheel control system includes three feedback loops: the inner torque loop, steering wheel rate feedback loop and steering wheel position feedback loop. In this invention, the driver's action to turn the steering wheel is regarded as an equivalent external disturbance torque to the steering wheel control sub-system. The steering wheel control sub-system with the torque, rate and position feedback loops is designed according to control system stability and performance requirements. By automatically adjusting parameters of the steering wheel control sub-system related with vehicle variables, such as vehicle speed, the reaction torque will change with the vehicle variables and the loop feedback variables including the steering wheel angle, steering wheel rate and road wheel torque. As a result, the steering wheel control sub-system can produce a variable steering feel by generating the required variable reaction torque as feedback to the vehicle driver. At the same time, the steering wheel control sub-system also can provide the steering wheel return with the adjustable rate and steering wheel directional reference angle.

[0010] In present invention, the steering function requirements for the steering feel, steering wheel return and the road wheel directional command are involved into steering wheel system control design. In order to design the steering wheel control sub-system and satisfy the required adjustable steering feels, the steering wheel reaction torque in accord to steering feel is described quantitatively. The expected steering wheel reaction toque based on the steering wheel control sub-system variables which are related with steering wheel angle, road wheel torque, and vehicle speed can be obtained and determined using the quantitative steering reaction toque description. Thus, the steering feel can be treaded as a control system performance specification which may be used in the steering wheel control sub-system design.

[0011] The steering wheel control sub-system receives measured and estimated variables including left and right road wheel angles, road wheel torque, steering wheel angle, and vehicle speed. These variables are processed in the steering wheel controller to determine a reaction torque on the steering wheel. It is noted that there is no requirement to measure steering wheel torque on the steering wheel to produce the steering feel.

[0012] In the present invention, the expected adjustable steering feels, such as feels in sport cars or luxury cars, can be realized in the same vehicle with steer-by-wire system. The active steering wheel return with the different rotation rate and steering wheel stop in the parking state, and the directional angle reference generation to road wheel sub-system are also implemented by using control system design in the steer-by-wire system.

[0013] Further aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following erudite description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle steer-by-wire system assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the steer-by-wire control system with the road wheel control sub-system and the steering wheel control sub-system;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the road wheel sub-system for the steer-by-wire system shown in FIG. 2;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a multivariable road wheel feedback control including the multivariable controller and the controlled road wheel plant shown in FIG. 3;

[0018] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a general multivariable feedback control system which may be used in accordance with the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example of a reference command generator of the road wheel sub-system for the steer-by-wire system in FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of one general method of independently controlling left and right road wheels of the vehicle in accordance with the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram of the steer-by-wire control system in FIG. 2;

[0022] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of one method of controlling vehicle steer-by-wire systems to produce an adjustable steering feel for driver in accordance with the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle steer-by-wire system 10 in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the vehicle steer-by-wire system 10 has dependent left and right front road wheels. As shown in FIG. 1, steer-by-wire system 10 is composed of a road wheel subsystem 15 and a steering wheel system 16. Steer-by-wire system 10 includes steer-by-wire control module 12 having a road wheel controller 13 of a road wheel sub-system 15 and a steering wheel controller 14 of a steering wheel sub-system 16. Steer-by-wire control module 12 links road wheel sub-system 15 and steering wheel sub-system 16.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, road wheel sub-system 15 includes left road wheel 18 connected to a left tie rod 19 and right road wheel 20 connected to a right tie rod 21. Road wheel sub-system 15 further includes left and right road wheel actuators 40, 42 in electrical communication with left and right motor amplifiers 36, 38, respectively. Left and right motor amplifiers 36, 38 for receiving control signals from road wheel controller 13. Actuators 40, 42 receive current signals from respective amplifiers 36, 38 to produce torques on the left and right road wheels 18 and 20, respectively. Left road wheel angle sensor 32 is attached to left road wheel actuator 40 to sense left road wheel angle. Right road wheel angle sensor 34 is attached to right road wheel actuator 42 to sense right road wheel angle. Left and right road wheel sensors 32, 34 are in electrical communication with road wheel controller 13 for sending signals indicative of left and right road wheels angles to be processed by controller 13. Road wheel controller 13 receives a plurality of input signals to produce road wheel control signals to control the left and right road wheels 18, 20 using actuators 40, 42, respectively.

[0025] In a conventional steering system of a vehicle with typical mechanical connections, a road wheel will directly receive steering wheel inputs from the steering wheel of the vehicle. Moreover, the road wheel angles will mechanically track the steering wheel angle. In the steer-by-wire system of the present invention, with the above road wheel sub-system 15 (without mechanical connection), a steering angle signal may be transmitted to the road wheel sub-system electrically using wires. Therefore, one function of the road wheel sub-system 15 is to achieve tracking of the road wheel angles for a steering wheel reference angle. Furthermore, each road wheel angle should independently track the steering angle reference angle, and two road wheel angles do not affect each other. Such a tracking function may be realized by using control system design method implemented in the road wheel controller 13 of the above-mentioned road wheel sub-system 15.

[0026] The road wheel control system design should consider the road wheel angle coupling effect, road wheel system uncertainty, and nonlinearity. As described in greater detail below, the road wheel controller 13 of the road wheel sub-system 15 controls each road wheel independently and separately to implement the road wheel angle tracking function to track the steering wheel angle by using multivariable control design methods.

[0027] Steering wheel sub-system 16 includes steering wheel 44 mounted to steering shaft 46. In this embodiment, steering wheel sensor 48 is mounted to steering shaft 46 or steering wheel actuator 52 for sensing a steering wheel angle. Steering wheel sensor 48 is in electrical communication with steering wheel controller 14 which receives from sensor 48 signals indicative of steering wheel angle. Steering wheel sub-system 16 further includes steering wheel motor amplifier 50 which is in electrical communication with steering wheel controller 14 for receiving control signal and for providing a current signal to steering wheel actuator 52. Steering wheel actuator 52 is in electrical communication with motor amplifier 50 and is attached to steering shaft 46 for receiving current from amplifier 50 and for producing a reaction torque on the steering wheel 44. Steering wheel controller 14 receives steering wheel angle signal, road wheel angle signals, road wheel torque signal, and vehicle signals (not shown) and produces a steering wheel control signal.

[0028] In a conventional steering system with mechanical connections, a vehicle driver directly controls the vehicle's direction by turning the steering wheel and obtains a steering feel through a resulting torque in the steering shaft. The steering feel provides information regarding contact surfaces between the tires of the vehicle road wheels and the ground. Steering feel can be significant to the driver for the vehicle's directional control and vehicle driving safety. In the steer-by-wire system without mechanical connection between the steering wheel and road wheels in accordance with the present invention, a familiar steering feel can be produced by steering wheel control sub-system with feedback control structure. Therefore, main functions of the steering wheel sub-system 16 are to provide a realistic steering feel for the vehicle driver and a steering wheel angle reference signal for the road wheel sub-system 15.

[0029] Furthermore, the steering wheel sub-system 16 should provide an active steering wheel return function with different rates when the driver releases the steering wheel when the vehicle is in movement. Thus, steering wheel is not limited to follow the road wheel as it used to be in the conventional steering system. As a special case of active steering wheel return requirement, the steering wheel should stop in a certain angular position when the driver releases the steering wheel when the vehicle is in parking. These functions can be realized by using control system design method implemented in the steering wheel controller 14 of the above-mentioned steering wheel sub-system 16.

[0030] The steering wheel sub-system 16 provides a steering feel, an active steering wheel return with different rate and a steering wheel stop function by the control system design. In this embodiment, the control system design should consider how to satisfy all functions in a control system framework under the requirements of satisfying the stability and performances of steering wheel sub-system 16. It is to be noted that the present invention focuses on a variable steering feel using a steering wheel feedback control system. As described below, the steering wheel controller 14 of the steering wheel sub-system 16 implements the control of the steering wheel reaction torque which is related to the steering feel.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, steering wheel controller 14 is in electrical communication with road wheel controller 13. The controllers 13 and 14 are integrated in a steer-by-wire control module 12 to implement the steering functions mentioned above. Moreover, the steer-by-wire control module 12 receives additional vehicle signals, e.g., vehicle speed, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration. This may be accomplished by implementing vehicle speed, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration sensors on the vehicle.

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the steer-by-wire control system with the road wheel control sub-system 15 and the steering wheel control sub-system 16 in accordance with the present invention. The control system structure shown in FIG. 2, which is based on the steering system assembly shown in FIG. 1, describes components with blocks and variable relationship among control variables, input and output variables, and reference variables.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, road wheel sub-system 15 includes reference command generator 110 which receives a steering wheel angle signal θ_sand vehicle signals. Such vehicle signals may include vehicle speed, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration. The reference command generator 110 determines left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refr, wherein the generator 110 uses an algorithm based on the steering wheel angle signal and the vehicle signals. The left road wheel reference angle θ_reflis indicative of a desired left road wheel angular position and the right road wheel reference angle θ_refris indicative of a desired right road wheel angular position. The road wheel reference angles θ_refland θ_refr, may be the same or different values.

[0034] The present invention introduces a road wheel servo feedback control to implement the tracking function of the actual road wheel angles to the desired road wheel reference angles θ_refland θ_refr. One reason for applying the servo feedback control is to obtain enough torque stuffiness to move the road wheels and to realize the required road wheel angle tracking accuracies with minimum tracking errors. The road wheel angles can track the road wheel reference angle and reject the effect of external disturbance torques when the external disturbance torques is less than servo system torque stuffiness. The common disturbance torques include road wheel tire/road friction, road surface disturbance, and wind gust. Thus, the steer-by-wire road wheel control system design becomes a servo control system design. Because the road wheel control sub-system has two inputs (left road wheel reference angle θ_refland right road wheel reference angle θ_refr), two outputs (The actual measured left wheel angle θ_rland the measured right wheel angle θ_rr) with a varying degree of road wheel angle coupling, the multivariable servo control for road wheel sub-system is applied.

[0035] Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the multivariable servo feedback control steer-by-wire road wheel system 15 further includes a road wheel angular position feedback loop and an inner road wheel rate feedback loop. The road wheel angular position feedback loop is composed of road wheel controller 120 and road wheel controlled plant 124 based on the road wheel angular position feedback signals θ_rland θ_rr. The road wheel rate feedback loop is composed of the controlled plant 124 and road wheel rate feedback compensator 140 based on the road wheel angular rate feedback signal ω_rl, and ω_rr.

[0036] The road wheel controlled plant 124 is referred to the road wheel system assembly in the road wheel sub-system 15 between the input control signals u_cl, u_crof the motor drives 15a, 15band output signals θ_rl, θ_rrof the road wheel angles shown in FIG. 2. The road wheel sub-system assembly includes components depicted in FIG. 1 which include but are not limited to the road wheels, the motor amplifiers, the actuators, the road wheel angle sensors, and the tie rods.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, the road wheel rate feedback loop includes the controlled plant 124, the derivator 145 to generate road wheel angular rates from road wheel angles, and the road wheel rate feedback compensator 140. The road wheel rate feedback loop with the road wheel rate feedback compensator 140 utilizes the road wheel angular rate signals ω_rl, and ω_rrto be feedback signals. The road wheel angle rate signals ω_rl, ω_rrare obtained by a derivative operation 145 from left and right road wheel angles θ_rl, θ_rr. They can also be obtained from direct measurement using the road wheel angular rate sensors. As a part of road wheel servo control, the road wheel angle rate feedback loop improves the road wheel sub-system damping performance. More specifically, this is accomplished with the road wheel rate feedback compensator. The road wheel rate feedback loop can be regarded as a part of the road wheel controlled plant 124 in FIG. 2 when one considers the road wheel controller 120 design for the position loop.

[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the road wheel control sub-system 15 in FIG. 2. As shown, the road wheel sub-system 15 includes a reference command generator 110 and a multivariable servo feedback control system which is composed of multivariable road wheel controller 120 and road wheel controlled plant 124 based on the road wheel angular position feedback signals θ_rland θ_rr. The road wheel rate feedback loop has been absorbed to be a part of the road wheel controlled plant 124 in this figural illustration for the road wheel control sub-system 15.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, signals of the left road wheel angle θ_rland the right road wheel angle θ_rrare fed back to summers 114, 116 from subtract with the left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refr, respectively. The left road wheel angle summer 114 determines a left road wheel angle error e_lbetween the left road wheel reference angle θ_refland the left road wheel angle θ_rl, wherein the left road wheel reference angle θ_reflis determined by the reference command generator 110. The right road wheel angle summer 116 determines a right road wheel angle error e_rbetween the right road wheel reference angle θ_refrand an actual right road wheel angle θ_rr, wherein the right road wheel reference angle θ_refris determined by the reference command generator 110.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, multivariable road wheel controller 120 receives left and right road wheel error signals e_l, e_rfrom left and right angle summers 114, 116, and produces left and right road wheel control signals u_land u_r, respectively. Multivariable road wheel controller 120 is designed by using a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) decoupling control method so that each input variable of road wheel control sub-system in FIG. 2 and 3, i.e., the left road wheel reference angle θ_refland the right road wheel reference angle θ_refr, each independently affects a corresponding output variable, i.e., the left road wheel angle θ_rland the right road wheel angle θ_rr. The decoupling control will be described in greater detail below.

[0041] More specifically, the multivariable road wheel controller 120 is implemented to produce a left road wheel control signal u_land a right road wheel control signal u_r. As described in greater detail below for the design of the multivariable road wheel controller 120, the left road wheel control signal u_lis produced based on the left road wheel error signal e_land the right road wheel error signal e_r. Likewise, the right road wheel control signal u_ris produced based on the right road wheel error signal e_rand the left road wheel error signal e_l.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the left road wheel control signal u_lfrom the multivariable road wheel controller 120 then is sent to the controlled plant 124 for controlling the left road wheel angle θ_rland right road wheel angle θ_rrsuch that the actual left wheel angle θ_rlindependently tracks the left road wheel reference angle θ_refl. Likewise, the right road wheel control signal u_rfrom the multivariable road wheel control 120 is sent to the controlled plant 124 for controlling the actual right road wheel angle θ_rrand the left road wheel angle θ_rlsuch that the actual right wheel angle θ_rrindependently tracks the right road wheel reference angle θ_refr.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, left and right wheel control signals u_l, u_rare summed with the road wheel rate feedback control signals u_lf, u_rfproduced by the rate feedback compensator in summers 148, 150, respectively. A left road wheel torque control signal u_clis determined based on the left road wheel control signal u_land rate feedback control signal u_lfin summer 148. A right road wheel torque control signal u_cris determined based on the right road wheel control signal u_rand rate feedback control signal u_rfin summer 150. In this embodiment, as shown, the left and right road wheel rate feedback control signals u_lf, u_lfare fed negatively back in a rate feedback loop to summers 148, 150, respectively.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, road wheel controlled plant 124 is depicted in road wheel sub-system 15 having left and right motor drives 156, 158. The left and right motor drives 156, 158 receive left and right wheel torque control signals u_cl, u_cr, respectively, for determining a left road wheel motor drive output torque τ_uland a right road wheel motor drive output torque τ_ur.

[0045] In this invention, external disturbances on the road wheels are represented by equivalent disturbance torques τ_dland τ_drin FIG. 2. As shown, equivalent left and right road wheel disturbance torques τ_dland τ_drare exerted on the road wheel controlled plant 124 in summers 160, 162. The left road wheel disturbance torque τ_dlrepresents the influence of all disturbances in the road wheel sub-system to the left road wheel motor drive output torque τ_ulby adding τ_dlon summer 160. An effective torque control signal τ_clfor the left road wheel is produced in the output of summer 160. The right road wheel disturbance torque τ_drrepresents the influence of all disturbances in the road wheel sub-system to the right road wheel motor drive output torque τ_urby adding τ_dron summer 162. An effective torque control signal τ_crto the left road wheel is produced in the output of summer 162.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 2, the effective torque control signal τ_clto the left road wheel is inputted to a left road wheel motor 164 which generates a corresponding amount of torque on load 168 to affect a road wheel angle change on the left and right road wheels. As shown, the effective torque control signal τ_crto the right road wheel is inputted to a right road wheel motor 166 which generates a corresponding amount of torque on load 168 to affect a road wheel angle change on the right and left road wheels. Load 168 represents the road wheels and the assembly thereof, road wheel sensors, and effects of the vehicle dynamics.

[0047] FIG. 2 further illustrates steering wheel sub-system 16 which provides the steering wheel reference angle θ_sto the road wheel sub-system and produces an appropriate steering feel for the vehicle driver. These steering functions of steering wheel system can be accomplished by using the feedback control structure of 16 shown in FIG. 2. As shown, there are three feedback loops in the steering wheel control sub-system 16 including the inner torque loop, steering wheel rate feedback loop, and steering wheel position feedback loop based on the equivalent road wheel torque signal u_rt, steering wheel rate signal ω_s, and steering wheel angle signal θ_s, respectively.

[0048] In this invention, a driver's action to turn the steering wheel is regarded as an equivalent external disturbance torque τ_din the steering wheel control sub-system 16. The steering wheel control sub-system 16 with the torque, rate and position feedbacks is designed with the disturbance torque rejection function under the requirements of system stability and performances. When an external disturbance torque τ_dwhich represents the driver's steering action is exerted to such a feedback control system, the steering wheel control sub-system 16 will produce a reaction torque τ_cto reject the equivalent disturbance torque τ_d. Thus, a driver holding the steering wheel of the vehicle will feel the reaction torque change in the process of turning the steering wheel. By automatically adjusting parameters of the steering wheel feedback controller in steering wheel control sub-system 16 related with vehicle variables, e.g., vehicle speed, the reaction torque will change with the vehicle variables and steering feedback variables (the steering wheel angle, steering wheel rate and road wheel torque). As a result, the steering wheel control sub-system 16 can produce a variable steering feel by generating the required variable reaction torque as feedback to the driver's action.

[0049] The torque feedback signal in the inner torque loop of the steering wheel control sub-system comes from the road wheel torque estimation signal. As shown in FIG. 2, left and right road wheel control signals u_l, u_rin road wheel control sub-system 15 are utilized to produce an equivalent road wheel torque signal u_rtin the output of the road wheel control gain 170. In other words, the road wheel torque estimation signal u_rtcan be obtained from the control signals of the road wheel feedback control system. The equivalent road wheel torque signal u_rtis proportional to the road wheel control signals. The equivalent road wheel torque signal u_rtmay change according to the road wheel system operating conditions, external disturbances and the road conditions. This signal provides a low cost, low noise and high quality road wheel torque signal without the need for a direct road wheel torque sensor measurement.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, equivalent road wheel torque signal u_rtis fed to summer 172 in the steering wheel control sub-system which determines steering motor drive control signal u_s. As shown, the steering wheel motor drive 174 receives the steering motor drive control signal u_sand produces the reaction torque τ_cusing the steering motor 178 connected with the steering wheel. The reaction torque τ_cis proportional to the equivalent driver disturbance torque τ_d. This relationship is represented on summer 176 with output of effective torque signal τ_m. The effective torque signal τ_mrepresents the difference between equivalent driver disturbance torque τ_dand reaction torque τ_c. It should be noted that the steering wheel is being turned when τ_mis in a positive or negative value, and steering wheel is being stopped when τ_mis in zero value. The effective torque τ_malso affects the steering wheel angle change when the equivalent driver disturbance torque τ_dchanges.

[0051] The steering wheel rate signal ω_sis obtained from a derivative operation in block 196 of the steering wheel angle θ_sand is received by a rate feedback compensator 171. The output control signal of rate feedback compensator 171 is fed negatively to summer 190 to form the rate feedback loop. A control signal u_cfis determined in the summer 190 which calculates the difference between a steering wheel torque control signal u_cfrom position loop compensator 184 and a feedback control signal u_sffrom the rate feedback loop compensator 171. An amplified control signal u_ctin the output of loop gain 192 is used to obtain the motor drive control signal u_son summer 172 based on the equivalent torque feedback signal u_rt. The function of rate feedback loop is to produce the adjustable steering wheel return rate by cooperating with the inner torque feedback loop and the steering wheel angular position feedback loop. When the driver releases the steering wheel, the steering wheel will return to the center or to a certain angle with an adjustable rate.

[0052] FIG. 2 further illustrates that a steering wheel reference angle θ_sris determined by gain R2S based on the left and right road wheel angles θ_rl, θ_rr. As shown, a steering wheel position error signal e_sis obtained based on the steering wheel reference angle θ_srand a steering wheel angle θ_sin summer 182. The position loop compensator 184 receives the steering wheel position error e_sand determines the steering wheel control signal u_c. In this embodiment, the steering wheel angle θ_sis fed to summer 182 to form the position feedback loop.

[0053] The reaction torque τ_cmay be adjusted by changing parameters of the position loop compensator 184, loop gain 192, and gain of road wheel control signal 170. In a situation of a parameter change in the compensator and gains, the vehicle driver will experience a steering wheel feel change due to the reaction torque τ_cchange. In order to implement the parameter automatic adjustment in the steering wheel control sub-system such that the variable steering feel can be obtained based on the reaction torque τ_cchange, vehicle signals related with the steering feel, such as the vehicle speed, are introduced as the scheduling signals to adjust parameters automatically.

[0054] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of a multivariable road wheel servo feedback control system with the multivariable road wheel controller 120 and the road wheel controlled plant 124 shown in FIG. 3. Road wheel controlled plant 124 has been described using blocks and transfer functions which mathematically describe a system between output variables and input variables in a complex plane, s. A coupling effect between output variables and input variables can be clearly described using FIG. 4. The input variables of the controlled plant 124 in FIG. 4 are two control signals u_l, u_r. The output variables are two actual road wheel angle signals θ_rl, θ_rr.

[0055] A nominal model of the controlled road wheel plant 124 between input variables u_l, u_rand output variables θ_rl, θ_rrmay be given by using transfer function matrix description as follows: $\begin{array}{cc}\left[\frac{{\theta }_{\mathrm{rl}}}{{\theta }_{\mathrm{rr}}}\right]=\left[\frac{G_{\mathrm{ll}}\left(s\right)}{G_{\mathrm{lr}}\left(s\right)}\frac{G_{\mathrm{rl}}\left(s\right)}{G_{\mathrm{rr}}\left(s\right)}\right]\left[\frac{u_l}{u_r}\right]& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

[0056] wherein θ_rlis indicative of the actual left road wheel angle, θ_rris indicative of the actual right road wheel angle, u_lis indicative of the left road wheel torque control signal, and u_ris indicative of the right road wheel torque control signal. Moreover, G_llis indicative of a transfer function between the actual left road wheel angle output θ_rland the left road wheel torque control signal input u_l, G_lris indicative of a transfer function between the actual left road wheel angle output θ_rland the left road wheel torque control signal input u_r, G_lris indicative of a transfer function between the actual right road wheel angle output θ_rrand the left road wheel torque control signal input u_l, and G_rris indicative of a transfer function between the actual right road wheel angle output θ_rland the right road wheel torque control signal input u_r.

[0057] According to the nominal model of the controlled road wheel plant shown in Equation (1), any change in any one of the input variables may cause changes in each of the output variables due to a coupling influence when the controlled road wheel plant is not controlled by multivariable road wheel controller 120. Equation (1) may be re-written as: θ_rl=G_ll(s)u_l+G_rl(s)u_rand θ_rr=G_lr(s)u_l+G_rr(s)u_r. It will be noted that θ_rland θ_rrwill change if u_lchanges and when u_ris constant. Moreover, θ_rland θ_rrwill change if u_rchanges and when u_lstays constant. Transfer functions G_lrand G_rlrepresent the coupling influence.

[0058] Unavoidable uncertain perturbations are caused by variations in road conditions, vehicle dynamics and road wheel sub-system assembly. A realistic model of the controlled plant will consider perturbation bound around the nominal model described in Equation (1). Thus, a transfer function matrix for the actual multivariable road wheel controlled plant 124 is described by G(s)=G₀(s)(I+ΔG(s)), where G₀(s) is the nominal transfer function in Equation (1), ΔG(s) represents a bound function of the uncertainty, and I is an identity matrix. The actual nonlinear model of the road wheel controlled plant 124 can be represented in different operating points such that several nominal models in the form of equation (1) can be determined.

[0059] The multivariable road wheel controller 120 is designed to implement the road wheel angle tracking function (discussed above). Multivariable decoupling algorithms can be applied to “decouple” or eliminate the effects of loop interactions, which result in multiple dependent output variables in the road wheel controlled plant 124. The multivariable road wheel controller 120 can decompose the multivariable road wheel servo control system into a series of independent single-loop sub-systems such that each road wheel angle θ_rlor θ_rrindependently tracks each road wheel reference angle θ_reflor θ_refr, respectively.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4, input variables of multivariable road wheel controller 120 are left and right road wheel error signals e_l, e_r. The output variables are left and right control signals u_l, u_r. The relationship between the inputs and outputs may be described by using a transfer function matrix as follows: $\begin{array}{cc}\left[\frac{u_l}{u_r}\right]=\left[\frac{C_{\mathrm{ll}}\left(s\right)}{C_{\mathrm{lr}}\left(s\right)}\frac{C_{\mathrm{rl}}\left(s\right)}{C_{\mathrm{rr}}\left(s\right)}\right]\left[\frac{e_l}{e_r}\right]& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

[0061] each element of the multivariable road wheel controller 120 in Equation (2) is given as follows: C_llis a transfer function between left road wheel torque control signal output u_land left road wheel error signal e_l, C_rlis a transfer function between left road wheel torque control signal output u_land right road wheel error signal e_r, C_lris a transfer function between right road wheel torque control signal output u_rand left road wheel error signal e_l, C_rris a transfer function between right road wheel torque control signal output u_rand right road wheel error signal e_r.

[0062] According to the multivariable road wheel controller described in Equation (2), any change in any one of the input error variables causes changes in each of the output control variables to achieve the goal to decouple the coupling influence in the multivariable road wheel controlled plant 124. Moreover, Equation (2) can be re-written as: u_l=C_ll(s)e_l+C_rl(s)e_rand u_r=C_lr(s)e_l+C_rr(s)e_r. It is to be noted that u_land u_rwill change if e_lchanges and when e_rstays constant, and u_land u_rwill also change if e_rchanges when e_lstays constant. Transfer functions C_lrand C_rlrepresent a decoupling term and, in turn, reduce or eliminate the coupling influence of coupling which is described by G_lrand G_rlin Equation (1).

[0063] The multivariable road wheel control system design can be described in a standard problem framework. The standard problem block diagram for the multivariable control system design is shown in FIG. 5, where P(s) is an augmented plant including a nominal controlled plant and weighting functions of a control system. K(s) is a controller which is designed. Signals are described as follows: u is a control variable, y is a measured variable, w is an exogenous signal, and z is a control objective. The standard problem in FIG. 5 may be described as follows: $\begin{array}{cc}\left[\begin{array}{c}z\\ y\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{cc}{P}_{11}& P_{12}\\ P_{21}& P_{22}\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}w\\ u\end{array}\right],& \left(3\right)\\ u=\mathrm{Ky}.& \left(4\right)\end{array}$

[0064] A closed-loop transfer function matrix from w to z may be given by:

[0065] F_wz(s)=P₁₁(s)+P₁₂(s)K(s)(I−P₂₂(s)K(s))⁻¹P₂₁(s)  (5)

[0066] As an example of the multivariable road wheel control system in accordance with the present invention, a multivariable H_∞ control application is described. The H_∞ control takes a worst-case effect of a model uncertainty into consideration and can implement a multivariable feedback system design that is robust with respect to model uncertainties and disturbances. It can be applied to solve the design problem of the multivariable servo control system with the variable decoupling. Since the objectives here are the road wheel reference angle tracking and stability robustness control under uncertainty, the controller K(s) is synthesized by minimizing a norm of a weighted combination of sensitivity and complementary sensitivity transfer functions discussed below.

[0067] Considering the road wheel servo control system shown in FIG. 4, sensitivity and complementary sensitivity transfer function matrices may be defined as follows:

[0068] S(s)=(I+G(s)K(s))⁻¹.  (6)

[0069] T(s)=G(s)K(s)(I+G(s)K(s))⁻¹=(I−S(s))  (7)

[0070] The singular values {overscore (σ)}(S)of sensitivity function matrix S(s) determine the disturbance attenuation performance based on {overscore (σ)}(S)≦{overscore (σ)}(W₁⁻¹) where W₁⁻¹is the desired disturbance attenuation factor. The singular values {overscore (σ)}(T) of complementary sensitivity transfer function matrix T(s) is the measurement of the robust stability of multivariable road wheel feedback system based on {overscore (σ)}(S)≦{overscore (σ)}(W₂⁻¹) where W₂⁻¹is the largest anticipated multiplicative plant perturbation. The requirements of the control system performances and control system robust stability including the variable decoupling can be specified by weighting functions W₁(s) and W₂(s) within a framework of the standard problem shown in FIG. 6. Therefore, the closed-loop transfer function matrix from w to z considering such requirements can be described as follows: $\begin{array}{cc}{F}_{\mathrm{zw}}\left(s\right)=\left[\begin{array}{c}{W}_1^{-1}\left(s\right)S\left(s\right)\\ W_2^{-1}\left(s\right)\left(I-S\left(s\right)\right)\end{array}\right]& \left(8\right)\end{array}$

[0071] Equation (8) is a more specific form of Equation (5). A standard H_∞ control problem can be stated as finding K(s) to satisfy

[0072] ∥F_zw(s)∥_∞≦1  (9)

[0073] under the condition that the closed-loop system is stable, where ∥F_zw(s)∥ denotes the H_∞ norm of matrix F_zw(s). By the suitable choice for the weighting functions W₁(s) and W₂(s), the H_∞ controller can be designed to satisfy the criterion (9) such that road wheel servo control system is robust stable with required performances.

[0074] As it has been mentioned above, dynamics of the road wheel controlled plant 124 changes with road conditions, vehicle dynamics, and road wheel system assembly itself. Moreover, gain of the road wheel controlled plant 124 dynamics changes substantially with vehicle speed. Therefore, the road wheel controlled plant is nonlinear. The gain scheduling strategy is an effective way of controlling systems whose dynamics change with operating conditions. This strategy is typically used to control nonlinear plants where a relationship between plant dynamics and operating conditions are known. In this invention, a gain scheduling control strategy is implemented to satisfy tracking and decoupling performances of the road wheel servo control system.

[0075] In order to apply gain scheduling control, the several nominal models of the road wheel controlled plant 124 shown in FIG. 4 and Equation (1) under the different vehicle speeds need to be determined. Thus, the change of gain of road wheel controlled plant 124 is described quantitatively by using the nominal models in the different operating points. Each corresponding multivariable road wheel controller in the different operating point can be designed using the above-mentioned method based on each nominal model. In this embodiment, gain of the multivariable controller 120 changes automatically with vehicle speed to properly compensate a gain change of the controlled road wheel controller plant 124.

[0076] FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of the reference command generator 110 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Generator 110 has one input, the steering wheel angle θ_s, and two outputs, left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refr. As shown in FIG. 6, there are two stages to produce outputs the left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refrfrom the input steering wheel angle θ_s. In a first stage, reference command generator 110 produces left and right road wheel angles θ_srl, θ_srrfrom steering wheel angle signal θ_s. This can be accomplished by using steering ratio gain blocks 111, 112 for each corresponding road wheel angle. A proportional value between the steering wheel angle and each road wheel angle may be termed as steering ratio. Left and right steering ratio gains L and R in the FIG. 6 can be set up to be different in gain blocks 111 and 112 for the same one steering wheel angle θ_sinput according to vehicle handling performance requirements. In this embodiment, output left and right road wheel angles θ_srl, θ_srrwill be different because different steering ratio gains L and R for same one input steering wheel angle θ_s.

[0077] To improve steering performance, a variable steering ratio can be implemented by using vehicle speed as a scheduling signal to change the steering ratio gains L and R shown in FIG. 6. Typically, steering ratio is larger at high speeds (about 40-90 mph) and is smaller at low speeds (about 0-40 mph). However, any steering ratio may be used at low and high speeds without falling beyond the scope or spirit of the present invention.

[0078] In a second stage, the reference command generator 110 further implements a calibration for left and right road wheel angles θ_srl, θ_srrin a calibration unit 113. This is performed according to vehicle geometry and steering performance requirements. As shown, output signals of calibration unit 113 are the left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refr. As an example, an Ackerman Angle, or Ackerman geometry, can be implemented to generate the required left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refrin calibration unit 113. In this embodiment, Ackerman Angle is referred to as an average angle of the front road wheels of the vehicle. An optimized Ackerman geometry in the road wheel angles during turning can significantly reduce front tire wear. Moreover, the correct road wheel angles are also related to vehicle dynamics to improve the vehicle's handling performance. Thus, left and right road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refrcan be obtained in real time by using vehicle variables such as vehicle speed, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration in calibration unit 113. Furthermore, these road wheel reference angles θ_refl, θ_refrcan be completely tracked by the actual road wheel angles θ_rl, θ_rrbecause the road wheel feedback control sub-system in FIG. 3 has been designed as a servo control system with the reference input signal tracking function discussed above.

[0079] In this embodiment, some functions of the reference command generator 110 are to receive a steering wheel angle and some vehicle variables from the steering wheel sub-system 15 shown in FIG. 3 and the vehicle to produce separate left and right road wheel reference angles. Within the reference command generator 110, two road wheel angle reference signals are obtained from the steering wheel angle in real-time according to steering ratio gain blocks 111, 112 and calibration unit 113. This is accomplished by using vehicle variables, e.g. vehicle speed, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration, which may be sensed by any suitable means known in the art.

[0080] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating one general method 210 of road wheel sub-system control in the present invention. The method 210 depicts general routine procedure to be performed during operation of the steer-by-wire road wheel control system 15 of FIG. 2. As shown, method 210 is performed to produce control variables u_l, u_rfor independently controlling left and right road wheel angles θ_rland θ_rrto track road wheel reference angles θ_refland θ_refr.

[0081] The method comprises sensing a steering wheel angle and a vehicle variable in box 212, determining left and right road wheel reference angles based on the steering wheel angle and the vehicle variable in box 214, determining left and right road wheel errors between the left and right road wheel reference angles and an actual left and right road wheel angles respectively in box 216. The method further comprises determining left and right road wheel control signals in box 220. The left and right wheel control signals are based on the left and right road wheel errors and are determined by the multivariable servo control algorithm with the decoupling feature. The method further comprises outputs of left and right control signals to the road wheel controlled plant in box 224.

[0082] Steer-by-wire control system 11 of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 provides a steering feel for the driver. As mentioned above, this is accomplished by using the feedback control for steering wheel sub-system having a plurality of loops as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the requirement to obtain the desired steering feel becomes the requirement for design of the steer-by-wire control system. To design the steer-by-wire control system with the required steering feel, it is significant to describe the steering feel as a specification in the control system. Therefore, the quantitative description for the steering feel based on the steer-by-wire control system shown in FIG. 2 is developed in this invention and described in below,

[0083] The steering feel varies normally with the steering wheel angle, road wheel torque, and vehicle speed. Therefore, the quantitative description for the steering feel may be obtained by establishing the relationship of the steering wheel reaction torque and the steering wheel angle, road wheel torque, and vehicle speed. In order to establish such relationship, a block diagram of the steer-by-wire control system 11 including steering wheel control sub-system 16 and road wheel control sub-system 15 of FIG. 2 is re-depicted in FIG. 8. It is noted that the steering wheel rate feedback loop in FIG. 2 is regarded as a part of steering wheel controlled plant which is represented using transfer function description G_s(s). The road wheel control sub-system with the servo feedback is represented as a block with the transfer function description H_r(s). In FIG. 8, τ_drepresents an equivalent disturbance torque exerted by the vehicle's driver and τ_crepresents a reaction torque from the steering wheel control sub-system. The reaction torque τ_cis applied on the steering wheel at a direction which is opposite the equivalent disturbance torque τ_d, providing a familiar steering wheel feel to the driver. Moreover, an effective torque τ_mrepresents a difference between the reaction torque τ_rand the equivalent disturbance torque τ_d. This may be described as follows:

[0084] τ_m=τ_d−τ_c  (10)

[0085] As shown in FIG. 8, the angular position compensator in FIG. 2 is represented by using a constant gain K_cand a function f(u_i(t),v_c) 171 which is related with its input variable u_i(t) and vehicle speed V_s. The road wheel torque estimator in FIG. 2 is represented by using a constant gain K_dand a function f(u_r(t),v_c) 193 is related with its input variable u_d(t) and vehicle speed V_s. The control variable u_s(t) is proportional to the reaction torque τ_cwith the linear gain Ka. Thus u_s(t) may be considered as an equivalent reaction torque variable which is affected by the input variable u_i(t) of function 193 and the input variable u_r(t) of function 171. It is assumed the road wheel angles are proportional to the steering wheel angle θ_swith fixed or variable steering wheel ratio. As shown in FIGS. 8, input variable u_i(t) of function 193 is proportional to the steering wheel angle θ_s. The input variable u_r(t) of function 171 is proportional to the equivalent road wheel torque τ_d. Shown below, Table 1 lists variables within the steering wheel control unit and steer-by-wire control system.

[0086] It is one purpose to obtain a quantitative description for reaction toque τ_c(t) based on steering wheel angle θ_s, road wheel torque τ_rand vehicle speed V_sin the present invention. From the variable relationships between the steer-by-wire system and the steering wheel control unit, steering wheel control unit variables u_s(t), u_i(t) and u_r(t) can be used to describe steer-by-wire system variables, including reaction toque τ_c(t), steering wheel angle θ_sand road wheel torque τ_r, as shown in table 1.

[0087] A non-linear equation is derived in the steering wheel control unit shown in FIG. 8 to provide a description of the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) as follows:

[0088] u_s(t)=f(u_i(t),v_c)u_i+f(u_r(t),v_c)u_r  (11)

[0089] There are two items in (11): the first item gives the relationships between u_s(t) and u_i(t) using function f(u_i(t),v_c), the second item gives the relationships between u_s(t) and u_r(t) using function f(u_r(t),v_c). Each function of f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) is a function of vehicle speed V_c. Both of them may be linear or nonlinear functions of input variables u_i(t), u_r(t) and vehicle speed. By adjusting the parameters of two functions f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c), the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) will change with variable u_i(t) and u_r(t). The change of vehicle speed V_cwill automatically adjust the parameters of the functions f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) to cause the change of function values such that the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) produces the relative changes.

[0090] Equation (11) is an analytical description for the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t). If f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) are linear functions, the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) will change with input variable u_i(t), u_r(t) and vehicle speed V_clinearly. If f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) are non-linear functions, the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) will change with input variable u_i(t), u_r(t) and vehicle speed V_cnon-linearly. The functions f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) determine the equivalent reaction torque.

[0091] As a special example, functions f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) may be speed-independent constants and may be expressed as Ki and Kr. Then, equation (11) to describe the equivalent reaction torque is given as u_s(t)=K_cu_i+K_ru_r. It is a linear function which indicates the equivalent reaction torque u_s(t) changing with input variable u_i(t), u_r(t) linearly.

[0092] According to the variable relations between steering wheel control unit and steering wheel control system shown in Table 1, a related non-linear equation to describe the reaction torque τ_cmay be further provided as follows:

[0093] τ_c=k₁f(u_i(t),v_c(t))θ_s+k₂f(u_r(t),v_c)τ_r  (12)

[0094] where k₁is the proportional constants between u_iand the steering wheel angle θ_s, and k₂is proportional constants between u_rand the road wheel torque τ_r, respectively. The Equation (12) gives the quantitative description for reaction toque τ_c(t) based on steering wheel angle θ_s, road wheel torque τ_rand vehicle speed V_s.

[0095] In this embodiment, f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) in Equations (11) and (12) can be determined analytically by the desired reaction torque in the steering wheel control system design. Typically, the steering feel is evaluated with curves of the steering wheel torque vs. steering wheel angle, or curves of steering wheel torque vs. road wheel torque. These expected curves may be determined using analytic function f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c) in equations (11) and (12) with steering wheel control system design. As a result, the steer-by-wire system generates the desired steering feel because the desired reaction torque, as a control system performance specification, has been considered in the stage of control system design.

[0096] In this embodiment, the steering feel may be adjusted and controlled by varying the parameters of functions f(u_i(t),v_c) and f(u_r(t),v_c). As a result, the steer-by-wire control system may provide adjustable steering feel by generating reaction torque τ_cquantitatively.

[0097] The above equations (11) and (12) may be extended to consider more variables and actual non-linearity, such as friction, in the steering wheel sub-system.

[0098] One general method of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 9. As shown, the present invention includes a method 310 of controlling a steer-by-wire system to produce adjustable steering feel for the vehicle driver by providing the control of the reaction torque on the steering wheel. The steer-by-wire system has a steering wheel control sub-system including a steering wheel controller for controlling the reaction torque on the steering wheel. The steer-by-wire system also includes a road wheel control sub-system including a road wheel controller for controlling the road wheel angles to track the steering wheel command and to provide the equivalent road wheel torque for producing the steering feel in steering wheel control sub-system as mentioned above.

[0099] The method 310 comprises receiving an equivalent road wheel torque signal based a road wheel control signal, a steering wheel rate signal, and a steering wheel angle signal in box 312. Method 310 further comprises receiving steering wheel reference angle signal based on the road wheel angle signal, and receiving vehicle speed signal in box 314. Method 310 includes providing a steering wheel feedback control system with the following loops: a steering wheel angular position feedback loop, a steering wheel rate feedback loop, and a torque feedback loop, in box 316. Method 310 further includes generating the steering wheel reaction toque control variable by using steering wheel feedback control system controller with adjustable parameters in box 318. In box 320, method 310 further includes describing the action torque produced by the vehicle driver to be a disturbance torque for the steering wheel feedback control system. When the vehicle driver turns the steering wheel, a reaction torque is applied on the steering wheel and is felt by the vehicle driver in box 322. When the vehicle driver left hands from the steering wheel, the steering wheel will return to the center with the adjustable steering rate, or stop in an certain angle according to the road wheel angle in the parking state in box 324. In this embodiment, the steering wheel sub-system with feedback controller determines the reaction torque based on the steering wheel angle, the equivalent road wheel torque, and vehicle speed. In one embodiment, the parameters of steering wheel controller can be adjusted automatically to produce the adjustable steering feel for driver. In one embodiment, steering wheel reaction toque to represent steering feel can be described quantitatively.

[0100] Further aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following erudite description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.