Intuitive drive-by-wire steering with redundant mechanical control

摘要

A drive-by-wire steering system on a vehicle requiring counter-steering includes a driver input mechanism, for example, a steering wheel, joystick, voice command receiver, or keyboard, and a control system. A sensor receives driver input and sends that information to the control system. An engagement mechanism, for example, a clutch, separates the driver input mechanism from controlling the vehicle. The control system further includes at least one actuator, a wheel, and a mechanical linkage controllable via the engagement mechanism in order for the control system to articulate a steering mechanism, for example, the front wheel of the vehicle, as appropriate.

主权项

1. A drive-by-wire steering system on a vehicle, comprising:
a road wheel having a direction capable of adjustment a road wheel actuator coupled to the road wheel via a mechanical linkage to adjust the direction of the road wheel and thereby steer the vehicle; a driver input mechanism to receive driver input for steering the vehicle; an engagement-disengagement mechanism to mechanically couple and decouple the driver input mechanism to/from the road wheel, via the mechanical linkage, the driver input mechanism to adjust the direction of the road wheel, via the mechanical linkage, based on the driver input, when the driver input mechanism is mechanically coupled by the engagement-disengagement mechanism to the road wheel, via the mechanical linkage; an electronic steering control system; and a steering sensor to receive the driver input from the driver input mechanism and send the driver input to the electronic steering control system, the electronic steering control system to control the road wheel actuator to adjust the direction of the road wheel, based on the driver input, when the driver input mechanism is mechanically decoupled by the engagement-disengagement mechanism from the road vehicle.