Patent ID: 8380397
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
1. An off-road work vehicle with a steer-by-wire steering system comprising a device for determining the angular displacement of a steering wheel, the device comprising: a cam configured to rotate about an axis at an identical angular speed as the steering wheel; a first sensor proximal to a facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the first sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam; a second sensor proximal to a facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the second sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam; and a processor operably connected with the first and second sensors and configured to determine an angular position of the steering wheel and a direction of rotation of the steering wheel based upon data generated by the first and/or the second sensor, wherein the processor is operably connected to a hydraulic steering mechanism configured to steer based ipon the angular position of the steering wheel, the processor and sensors configured to count angular displacement of the cam beyond 360 degrees by counting a number of times the cam passes the 360 degree mark such that the angular displacement includes a position of cam and total angular displacement of the cam and the processor is configured to send commands to the steering system incorporating the total angular displacement of the cam.