A belt drive comprises a first pulley with a first diameter and a second pulley with a second diameter as well as a belt which is arranged in each case on a lateral surface of the first and the second pulley and is configured to transmit a rotational movement of the first pulley to the second pulley. Furthermore, the belt drive has a first sensor assembly, which is arranged and configured to detect a rotational position of the first pulley, and a second sensor assembly, which is arranged and configured to detect a rotational position of the second pulley. The first diameter corresponds to a first integer multiple of a unit length and the second diameter corresponds to a second integer multiple of the same unit length, wherein the first and second integer multiples of the unit length are coprime.

An ECU controls a motor including a first coil group and a second coil group. The ECU calculates a first torque command value and a second torque command value. The ECU uses a first differential torque, which is the difference between a first theoretical output torque and a first predictive output torque, to correct the second torque command value for the second coil group. The ECU uses a second differential torque, which is the difference between a second theoretical output torque and a second predictive output torque, to correct the first torque command value for the first coil group. The ECU uses a corrected first torque command value to control power feeding to the first coil group and uses a corrected second torque command value to control power feeding to the second coil group.

A method for detecting a malfunction in a hydraulic-assisted steering system for a vehicle includes: measuring a steering torque; determining the steering torque exceeding a threshold torque for a predetermined length of time; and generating a malfunction signal in response to the determining the steering torque exceeding the threshold torque for the predetermined length of time. A system for detecting a malfunction in a hydraulic-assisted steering system for a vehicle includes a torque sensor configured to measure a steering torque, and a controller configured to: determine the steering torque exceeding a threshold torque for a predetermined length of time; and generate a malfunction signal in response to determining the steering torque exceeding the threshold torque for the predetermined length of time.

To improve the estimation accuracy for component temperatures of electronic components included in a current control circuit in terms of an overheat protection of current control circuits that control drive current to drive loads. A component temperature estimating unit (61e2, 61g) estimates a first component temperature (Teg), which is a component temperature of a first electronic component (La) based on a current value (I1ad to I1cd) detected or estimated by a current detecting unit, a detected temperature (SdA1) detected by a temperature detection circuit 45, and estimates a second component temperature (Tee2), which is a component temperature of a second electronic component (QC2) based on the current value (I1ad to I1cd), the detected temperature (SdA1), and the first component temperature (Teg).

A motor control device includes an assistive torque current calculation unit that obtains a current that needs to be supplied to a motor, and an overheat protection limit calculation unit that obtains an overheat protection coefficient when current obtained from the assistive torque calculation unit flows through using an overheat protection feature, and obtains a current actually supplied to the motor using the obtained overheat protection coefficient, wherein the overheat protection feature: shows a relationship between how large the current is, and the overheat protection coefficient, where the current is regulated by taking into account an effect that heat generated by a part out of a plurality of parts disposed on a pathway which the current that is supplied to the motor flows through has on an ambient temperature, and an effect that heat generated by other parts out of the plurality of parts has on the ambient temperature.

The disclosure relates to a method for steering a vehicle via a rear axle steering system that includes an actuator having a steering linkage at least indirectly operable by a threaded drive and longitudinally displaceable within a chassis-fixed housing. The actuator includes a rotor position sensor for detecting a rotor position of a rotor of an electric motor designed for actuating the threaded drive and a linear sensor for detecting an axial position of a target arranged on the steering linkage. The two sensors are connected to a control and analysis unit configured to carry out a comparison between the rotor position and the axial position of the target when there is a defined zero point of an axial position of the steering linkage relative to the housing and, in consideration of a thermal expansion of at least the steering linkage, operating the actuator to adjust the steering angle.

This electric power steering device is provided with a function for: notifying a parking assistance device of a statically-steerable upper limit number obtained from an estimated motor current when static steering is performed in turnabout and a current limit value for the purpose of overheat protection of an electric power steering; and notifying the parking assistance device of whether the electric power steering can perform steering according to a target steering angle command, from a target steering angle and a target vehicle speed from the start of parking to the completion thereof, thus preventing interruption due to overheat of the electric power steering during parking assistance.

A steer-by-wire steering system including a steering device including a steering motor and a controller configured to supply a steering current to the steering motor based on a steering request. The controller includes a plurality of microcomputers, a plurality of drive circuits, and a plurality of temperature sensors. When a detection temperature difference that is a difference between detection temperatures of any two of the plurality of temperature sensors is greater than a predetermined threshold, each of the plurality of microcomputers executes an independent calculation control to independently calculate and set a current limit value, which is an upper limit value of the steering current, based on a detection temperature of one of the plurality of temperature sensors corresponding to itself, irrespective of detection temperatures of one or more of the plurality of temperature sensors other than the one of the plurality of temperature sensors corresponding to itself.

A steering control device comprises a receiver receiving a motor torque from a motor torque sensor provided in a host vehicle and a controller enabling a steering gear to be driven in a compliance zone, calculating a friction of the steering gear based on the motor torque received by the driving of the steering gear, determining a state of the steering gear based on the calculated friction, and outputting, to a driver, a notification message for the state of the steering gear.

A vehicle includes a steering device, a torque sensor, and an electronic control unit. The steering device includes a rack shaft, a steering shaft, and a turning actuator including an electric motor connected to the rack shaft or the steering shaft via a motion conversion mechanism. The torque sensor is configured to detect a steering torque by a driver, the torque sensor being attached to the steering shaft. The electronic control unit is configured to switch from turning of the wheels by an automatic steering control to turning of the wheels based on at least a steering operation by the driver in a case where a torque detected by the torque sensor exceeds a torque threshold value during execution of the automatic steering control of the wheels. The torque threshold value is changed in accordance with a temperature of the motion conversion mechanism.