US 12,472,920 B2
System and method for force compensation in a robotic driving system
Jürgen Gugler, Ulmerfeld (AT); and Patrick Hofmanninger, Gaspoltshofen (AT)
Assigned to Humanetics Austria GmbH, Linz (AT)
Filed by Humanetics Austria GmbH, Linz (AT)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/384,556.
Application 18/384,556 is a continuation of application No. 17/125,519, filed on Dec. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,820,356.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/951,153, filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0059270 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 10/04 (2006.01); B62D 5/04 (2006.01); B60W 30/12 (2020.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01)
CPC B60W 10/20 (2013.01) [B60W 10/04 (2013.01); B62D 5/0463 (2013.01); B60W 30/12 (2013.01); B60W 30/18145 (2013.01); B60W 30/18163 (2013.01); B60W 2710/20 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic driving system for rotating a steering wheel of a vehicle, said robotic driving system comprising:
a turntable defining a steering axis and configured to be mounted to the steering wheel of the vehicle such that said turntable and the steering wheel rotate concurrently about said steering axis;
a robot frame configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
a transmission device having:
a transmission housing, and
a drive member having a torque transfer interface coupled to said turntable to transmit a steering torque to said turntable for rotating said turntable and the steering wheel;
a steering motor supported by said transmission housing and coupled to said drive member with said steering motor configured to generate and apply said steering torque to said torque transfer interface of said drive member to rotate said turntable and the steering wheel;
a load sensor mounted between said robot frame and said transmission housing at a known distance from said steering axis with said load sensor generating a load signal corresponding to a force experienced between said transmission housing and said robot frame; and
a controller in communication with said steering motor and said load sensor with said controller calculating a first torque experienced by said turntable based on said load signal and said known distance from said steering axis, and said controller determining a second torque to be applied to said steering torque based on said first torque to compensate for forces induced by said robotic driving system.