Importance

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Abstract

An electric power steering system of a vehicle includes a controller for controlling an electric motor connected to a steering column or other steering mechanism. The velocity of the motor must be determined to maintain the proper current to the motor. A method of estimating the velocity includes obtaining a first and second velocity signals from one or more sensors monitoring the motor. The first and second signals have different characteristics, e.g., the first signal may have a higher resolution than the second signal. An acceleration (or deceleration) of the velocity of the electric motor is computed based on the different representations of the velocity supplied by the different signals. An estimate of the velocity of the motor is then determined based on the acceleration/deceleration and the different representations of the velocity. The electric current provided to the electric motor is then adjusted based on the estimated velocity to meet the desired motor output (i.e., motor torque and velocity).

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First Claim