A method for operating a steering mechanism (12) of a motor vehicle, wherein a steering rod (27) can be held or displaced along its longitudinal axis (a) by an electric motor (22) so that the wheel steering angle (8, 9) of at least one wheel (5, 6) on at least one vehicle axle (1) can be maintained or changed. When a force (F.sub.ext) acts essentially axially on the steering rod (27), displacement of the steering rod (27) is at least inhibited by a detent torque (RM) of the electric motor (22) and/or by a self-induced torque (M.sub.sip) of the electric motor. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method and to a steering mechanism, which is preferably in the form of a steer-by-wire steering system. A control unit is provided for carrying out the method.

A power conversion apparatus includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a drive circuit to provide control signals turning on low-side switch elements in the first inverter to the low-side switch elements when a failure has occurred on a first inverter side, and provide control signals to turn on low-side switch elements in the second inverter to the low-side switch elements when a failure has occurred on a second inverter side, and a control circuit. When a failure has occurred on the second inverter side, a first power supply voltage generated on the first inverter side is supplied to the drive circuit, while when a failure has occurred on the first inverter side, a second power supply voltage generated on the second inverter side is supplied to the drive circuit.

A power conversion device includes a first inverter, a second inverter, first and second controller to control the first and second inverters, and a driving circuit to apply a control signal to turn on the low side switch elements of the first inverter when a fault occurs on the first inverter side, and apply a control signal to turn on the low side switch elements of the second inverter when a fault occurs on the second inverter side. The first power voltage generated on the first inverter side is supplied to the driving circuit when a fault occurs on the second inverter side, and the second power voltage generated on the second inverter side is supplied to the driving circuit when a fault occurs on the first inverter side.

A power supply system includes a system control unit, an auxiliary power supply, and an auxiliary-power-supply control unit. The system control unit and the auxiliary-power-supply control unit are configured such that information of at least one control unit of the system control unit and the auxiliary-power-supply control unit is able to be output to another control unit of the system control unit and the auxiliary-power-supply control unit. The at least one control unit is configured to output information indicating that an operation of the at least one control unit is stopped to the other control unit when the at least one control unit stops the operation of the at least one control unit.

A method for diagnosing an input power supply providing power to a motor includes: applying, using the input power supply, a power stimulus to the motor; measuring a response to the power stimulus; calculating, based on the response to the power stimulus, a metric indicative of a status of the input power supply; determining a degraded condition of the input power supply based on the metric indicative of the status of the input power supply; and performing an action in response to determining a degraded condition of the input power supply. The action may include one or more of: limiting an output power supplied to the motor; generating a diagnostic trouble code; and/or notifying an operator of the degraded condition of the input power supply.

The present invention relates to a brake or steering system including an actuator (6, 7), and an electromotor arrangement (10) comprising a rotatably mounted shaft (12) for driving the actuator (6, 7), a first pair of brushes (14), a second pair of brushes (16), a commutator assembly (21, 22, 24) arranged on the shaft, the commutator assembly being in contact with the first pair of brushes (14) and the second pair of brushes (16), a coil assembly (30) electrically connected to the commutator (21, 22, 24) assembly, and at least one permanent magnet cooperating with the coil assembly (30) to provide a rotational movement of the shaft (12) when the coil assembly (30) is energized.

A rotary electric machine control device is configured to control driving of a rotary electric machine having a motor winding. The rotary electric machine control device includes a plurality of inverter units and a plurality of control units. Each of the plurality of inverter units is configured to switch current supply to the motor winding. The plurality of control units are configured to communicate with each other. Each of the plurality of control units is configured control a corresponding inverter, select a drive mode, monitor an abnormality, and store abnormality information according to an abnormality monitor result.

A motor drive device includes a first drive system in which a first power supply circuit and a first central processing unit are arranged in order in a first direction, and a second drive system in which a second power supply circuit and a second central processing unit are arranged in order in a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are opposite to each other. Calling a straight line passing between the first power supply circuit and the first central processing unit, perpendicular to the first direction, a first virtual line and calling a straight line passing between the second power supply circuit and the second central processing unit, perpendicular to the second direction, a second virtual line, the first central processing unit and the second central processing unit are disposed within an area sandwiched by the first virtual line and the second virtual line.

Disclosed is a steer-by-wire steering apparatus. The steer-by-wire steering apparatus includes a locking portion configured to restrict rotation of a shaft which transfers a steering force or a steering reaction in certain conditions, an actuator which generates torque capable of overcoming a rotation-restricted state of the shaft, and a control portion which determines whether the rotation of the shaft is restricted by a malfunction of the locking portion even though the rotation of the shaft does not correspond to the certain conditions and controls the actuator to generate and provide the torque capable of overcoming the rotation-restricted state of the shaft to the shaft when it is determined that the restriction is caused by the malfunction.

A detection signal correction method includes: calculating a rotation angle of a rotation shaft of a motor, based on a detection signal of a sensor; calculating a steering velocity of a steering shaft based on the rotation angle; calculating an error of the detection signal; and correcting the error of the detection signals when the steering velocity is equal to or greater than a steering velocity threshold value and the error of the detection signal is equal to or greater than an error threshold value.