Smart Electronic Power Steering System and Method for a Retrofitted Electric Vehicle

Abstract

A smart electronic power steering system and method for a retrofitted electric vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, an electronic power steering system of an electric vehicle is provided. The electronic power steering system comprises one or more computer-readable storage media, a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media that, based on being read and executed by the processing system, direct the electronic power steering system to receive a maximum pressure value and a flow rate from the electric vehicle; convert the maximum pressure value and the flow rate into one or more power steering component settings; and send the one or more power steering component settings to one or more power steering components of the electric vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic power steering system of an electric vehicle, the electronic power steering system comprising:
 one or more computer-readable storage media;   a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer-readable storage media; and   program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media that, based on being read and executed by the processing system, direct the electronic power steering system to at least:
 receive a maximum pressure value and a flow rate from the electric vehicle; 
 convert the maximum pressure value and the flow rate into one or more power steering component settings; and 
 send the one or more power steering component settings to one or more power steering components of the electric vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 1 , wherein to convert the maximum pressure value and the flow rate into one or more power steering component settings, the program instructions direct the electronic power steering system to:
 calculate an amount of revolutions-per-minute of a motor of the electric vehicle are required to provide the flow rate; and   calculate a relief valve setting required to provide the maximum pressure value.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 1 , wherein to convert the maximum pressure value and the flow rate into one or more power steering component settings, the program instructions direct the electronic power steering system to:
 calculate an amount of revolutions-per-minute of a motor of the electric vehicle required to provide the flow rate; and   calculate a torque limit of the motor required to provide the maximum pressure value.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further direct the electronic power steering system to:
 receive feedback from the electric vehicle;   reconfigure the one or more power steering component settings based on the feedback; and   reapply the one or more power steering component settings to the one or more power steering components.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 4 , wherein the feedback is indicative of of one or more of a temperature, a flow rate, a pressure, a feedback torque, and a speed of one or more components of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 5 , wherein the program instructions further direct the electronic power steering system to provide the feedback to a second processor of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic power steering system of  claim 1 , wherein the electric vehicle is one of a class 4, class 5, class 6, class 7, class 8, or class 9 vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . A configurable electronic power steering system, comprising:
 a vehicle control module comprising:
 an input configured to receive a maximum pressure value and a flow rate from an electric vehicle; and 
 a processor operatively coupled with the input and configured to communicate the maximum pressure value and the flow rate to an electronic power steering control unit; 
   the electronic power steering control module comprising a further processor configured to:
 convert the maximum pressure value and the flow rate into power steering component settings; and 
 instruct power steering components of the electric vehicle to operate according to the power steering component settings; and 
   an interface configured to couple the vehicle control module to the electronic power steering control module.   
     
     
         9 . The configurable electronic power steering system of  claim 8 , wherein the interface is configured to couple the vehicle control module to an electronic power steering control module of a plurality of vehicle platforms. 
     
     
         10 . The configurable electronic power steering system of  claim 8 , wherein the further processor of the electronic power steering control module is configured with relationships between motor speed and flow rates for a plurality of vehicle platforms. 
     
     
         11 . The configurable electronic power steering system of  claim 8 , wherein the further processor of the electronic power steering control module is further configured to calculate an amount of revolutions-per-minute of a motor of the power steering components required to provide the flow rate. 
     
     
         12 . The configurable electronic power steering system of  claim 8 , wherein the further processor of the electronic power steering control module is further configured to calculate a relief valve setting of the power steering component settings required to provide the maximum pressure value. 
     
     
         13 . The configurable electronic power steering system of  claim 8 , wherein the further processor of the electronic power steering control module is further configured to calculate a torque limit of a motor of the power steering components required to provide the maximum pressure value. 
     
     
         14 . The modular electronic power steering system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vehicle platforms comprise class 4, class 5, class 6, class 7, class 8, and class 9 vehicles. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, from an electric vehicle having an electronic power steering system configured to control operations of at least a relief valve and a motor operatively coupled with the relief valve, a desired maximum pressure value and a desired flow rate; and   configuring the electronic power steering system of the electric vehicle to provide, via the relief valve, relief at the desired maximum pressure value and the desired flow rate.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising calculating an amount of revolutions-per-minute of the motor required to provide the desired flow rate and configuring the electronic power steering system to operate the motor at the amount of revolutions-per-minute. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising calculating a relief valve setting required to provide the desired maximum pressure value and configuring the relief valve to operate using the calculated relief valve setting. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising calculating a torque limit of the motor required to provide the desired maximum pressure value and configuring the electronic power steering system to operate the motor under the calculated torque limit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving feedback from the electric vehicle; and   reconfiguring the electronic power steering system to provide relief based on the feedback.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the feedback is indicative of one or more of a temperature, a flow rate, a pressure, a feedback torque, and a speed of one or more components of the electric vehicle.