Patent ID: 7849957
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: B60W,B62D

Abstract:
1. An electric power steering apparatus comprising: a steering angle detection part that detects a steering angle of a steering wheel and outputs a steering angle signal based on the detected steering angle; a steering control unit that controls a motor to give an assist torque to the steering wheel based on the steering angle signal; an abnormality detection part that determines an abnormality of the steering angle detection part based on the steering angle signal; and a motor angle detection part that detects a rotational angle of the motor and outputs a motor angle signal based on the detected rotational angle, wherein the steering control unit calculates a steering angle information based on at least the steering angle signal, the steering control unit includes a signal storage part that stores the calculated steering angle information, and the steering control unit is configured to control the motor and run the motor continuously when the abnormality detection part detects an occurrence of the abnormality of the steering angle detection part until a vehicle stops or until the abnormality detection part determines that the steering angle signal returns to a normal state from the occurrence of the abnormality, based on a first steering angle information, among the stored steering angle information, stored in the signal storage part immediately before the occurrence of the abnormality and the motor angle signal output by the motor angle detection part.