Kevin B Mclaughlin

US Patent:

6448731, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

Jul 28, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/601172

Inventors:

Joseph D. Miller - Farmington Hills MI
Kevin M. McLaughlin - Troy MI

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Lyndhurst OH

International Classification:

G05B 400

US Classification:

318488

Abstract:

An electric assist steering system ( ) includes a torque sensor ( ) that provides an applied torque signal ( ) indicative of applied steering torque. A motor position sensor ( ) provides a motor position signal ( ) indicative of the relative position between the rotor and the stator of an AC permanent magnet electric assist motor ( ). A first controller ( ) controls energization of the electric assist motor and a second controller ( ) calculates a DQ vector value in response to applied steering torque and motor position. The second controller ( ) also transforms the monitored motor current and position into DQ values. The second controller ( ) compares the DQ values responsive to applied steering torque with the DQ value from monitored motor current and position. The electric assist motor ( ) is disabled if the comparison indicates inconsistent results.

US Patent:

6631781, Oct 14, 2003

Filed:

Feb 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/077594

Inventors:

Andrew James Stephen Williams - Solihull, GB
Russell Wilson Jones - Stratford-upon-Avon, GB
Anthony Walter Burton - Solihull, GB
Simon David Stevens - West Midlands, GB
Kevin McLaughlin - Troy MI

Assignee:

TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering, Ltd.

International Classification:

H02P 700

US Classification:

180443, 180446, 318432

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for controlling an electric steering assist system, which system provides assist in response to a steering control signal, the apparatus comprising: torque sensing means ( ) operatively connected to a vehicle hand wheel ( ) for providing a torque signal (Ts) indicative of applied steering torque, blending filter means connected to the torque sensing means ( ) for providing a blended filtered torque signal having a first functional characteristic at torque frequencies less than a blending frequency and a second functional characteristic at torque frequencies greater than the blending frequency, the blending filter means including a low pass filter ( ) which passes all frequencies below the blending frequency and a high pass filter ( ) which passes all frequencies above the blending frequency, steering assist means for providing steering assist in response to a control signal, control means operatively connected to the blending filter means for providing said control signal to the steering assist means in response to the blended filtered torque signal, and means ( ) whereby high frequency gain of the steering assist system is arranged to be low for on-center operation of the hand wheel and relatively higher for off-center operation.

US Patent:

6789641, Sep 14, 2004

Filed:

Aug 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/219560

Inventors:

Kevin M McLaughlin - Troy MI

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Lyndhurst OH

International Classification:

B62D 509

US Classification:

180446, 701 42

Abstract:

A method for controlling an electric assist motor ( ) for providing steering assist in response to a sensed torque signal ( ) includes the step of filtering the sensed torque signal to provide a low frequency torque signal ( ) and a high frequency torque signal ( ). A low frequency assist torque signal ( ) is determined as a function of the low frequency torque signal ( ). A high frequency assist gain signal (K ) is determined as a function of the sensed torque signal ( ) and a sensed vehicle speed ( ). The high frequency assist gain signal (K ) is applied to the high frequency torque signal ( ) to determine a high frequency assist torque signal ( ) A torque command signal ( ) is determined as a function of the low frequency assist torque signal ( ) and the high frequency assist torque signal ( ) The electric assist motor ( ) is commanded to provide steering assist in accordance with the torque command signal ( ).

US Patent:

7295907, Nov 13, 2007

Filed:

Jun 14, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/152512

Inventors:

Engelbert Lu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Kevin McLaughlin - Troy MI, US

Assignee:

TRW Automotive U.S. LLC - Livonia MI

International Classification:

B62D 6/00

US Classification:

701 41, 701 42, 116 31, 318432, 318561, 318254, 180443

Abstract:

The steering angle of a vehicle is monitored using position sensors of an electric motor of an electric power assisted steering (EPAS) system. A position of the electric motor corresponding to the straight-ahead, center position of the steering system is stored in non-volatile memory during a steering calibration procedure, such as an end-of-line calibration in a vehicle assembly plant. Following power loss due to a dead battery, a steering angle zeroing procedure performed in a vehicle stability control (VSC) system generates a center position with enough accuracy to be within one electrical cycle of the motor. The pre-stored electric motor position is then used to determine the electrical cycle where the center position was located, and accurate monitoring of steering angle is resumed.

US Patent:

7483796, Jan 27, 2009

Filed:

Dec 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/007520

Inventors:

Kevin M. McLaughlin - Troy MI, US
Joseph D. Miller - Farmington Hills MI, US

Assignee:

TRW Automotive U.S. LLC - Livonia MI

International Classification:

G01R 31/00

US Classification:

702 58

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for determining a fault in an electric motor () determines a calculated star voltage (V) of the electric motor. The calculated star voltage (V) is compared to a measured star voltage (V) of the electric motor () to determine a star voltage error (V). The fault in the electric motor () is determined when the star voltage error (V) exceeds a predetermined maximum star voltage error (V).

US Patent:

20100125390, May 20, 2010

Filed:

Nov 23, 2006

Appl. No.:

12/085512

Inventors:

Angel Luis Andres Fernandez - Rochester MI, US
Kevin McLaughlin - Troy MI, US

Assignee:

TRW AUTOMOTIVE U.S. L.L.C. - Livonia MI
TRW LUCAS VARITY ELECTRIC STEERING LIMITED - Solihull

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
B62D 5/04

US Classification:

701 41

Abstract:

An electric power assisted steering system for a vehicle, comprising: a steering mechanism which operatively connects a steering wheel to road wheels of the vehicle, a torque sensor () arranged to, in use, produce a torque signal indicative of the torque carried by a portion of the steering mechanism, an electric motor () operatively connected to the steering mechanism, a signal processing unit () arranged to, in use, produce from the torque signal a torque demand signal () representative of a torque to be applied to the steering mechanism by the motor, the signal processing unit comprising a first calculating unit () arranged to calculate an initial torque demand signal () dependent on the torque signal, and a second calculating unit () arranged to, in use, calculate a torque damping signal () indicative of an amount the initial torque signal is to be damped in order to generate the torque demand signal, and a motor drive stage arranged to provide, in use, a drive current to the motor responsive to the torque demand signal, in which the second calculating unit comprises an input for a signal dependent upon the torque demand signal, a differentiator (), arranged to, in use, differentiate the input signal dependent upon the torque signal and a high pass filter arranged to filter the input signal to reduce low frequency components thereof.

US Patent:

61077674, Aug 22, 2000

Filed:

Mar 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/044979

Inventors:

Engelbert Lu - Ann Arbor MI
Kevin M. McLaughlin - Troy MI

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Lyndhurst OH

International Classification:

G05B 1300

US Classification:

318561

Abstract:

A motor controller includes a summing circuit (186) for summing a motor current command signal (i. sub. rcmd) with a motor current feedback signal (i. sub. s) and for providing an error current command signal (. DELTA. i. sub. cmd) having a value functionally related to the difference between the motor current command signal and the motor current feedback signal. A notch filter (200) filters the error current command signal and provides a filtered current command signal. The notch filter (200) is adapted to notch out frequencies from the error current command signal about the resonant frequency of a motor (28). A drive circuit (120, 204) energizes the motor (28) in response to the filtered current command signal. A motor current sensor (97) is used for sensing motor current and providing the motor current feedback signal (i. sub. s).

US Patent:

47852593, Nov 15, 1988

Filed:

Feb 1, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/150607

Inventors:

Walter C. Seelbach - Fountain Hills AZ
Kevin L. McLaughlin - Eau Claire WI
Danny J. Molezion - Norcross GA

Assignee:

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

International Classification:

H03F 316
H03F 345

US Classification:

330300

Abstract:

A BIMOS amplifier having feedback clamping the amplifier's input to a predetermined voltage, minimizes input signal voltage excursions in the presence of large load capacitances. A pair of differentially coupled NPN transistors in response to first and second inputs drive a pair of emitter follower NPN transistors. First and second MOS transistors responsive to first and second enable signals are coupled between the ouptut from each of the emitters of the emitter follower transistors and the first and second inputs, respectively.