The present disclosure relates to a system and method for controlling static bending light,
more specifically, it relates to ddetermining an angular position of a steering shaft for controlling
static bending light.
10 BACKGROUND
The steering shaft controlling the wheels is most important component in driving the
automobile. Modern Electrical Power Steering (EPS) an electronic motor is directly connected to
the steering gearbox that helps in turning the steering wheel with less effort and ease. A steering
15 shaft angle sensor is used to detect the orientation and motion of the steering shaft i.e. turning or
rotation of the wheels in the automobile. This measured angle is used to give assistive power to
steering via an electric motor and according to the driving conditions it changes the amount of
assistance. The information about the steering angle, and therefore the angle of the wheels, may
also be used for complementary functions such as directional headlamps, trajectory control,
20 automatic parking, etc.
There are different methods to find out an angular position representing the angle of a
steering wheel based on Optical encoder, Hall Effect, Anisotropic magneto resistive (AMR) or
using different other angle sensors.
A one-turn sensor cannot by itself determine the position of the steering shaft of most
25 automobiles, the steering shaft of which must be able to rotate through more than one turn. One
possible solution to overcome the problem is to combine a 360° sensor with a to determine in
which turn the steering shaft or the wheel is.
Such methods had several disadvantages while using in automobile because quiescent
current requires calculating steering shaft angular position or the angle data so that if the
30 automobile has the ignition in OFF state. As soon as the power supply is restored the angular
position sensor can send the angular position or the turning radius of the steering shaft. The
steering wheel angle has to be resolved over the complete range at any time and the data should
be available to the other subsystems which use this angle data immediately after the ignition is
powered in ON state.
3
Hall effect steering wheel angle sensor is another method in which Hall Effect vane
switches is used to register the angle and the number of rotations of steering wheel. But an
absolute measurement with good resolution is not achieved in this method.
AMR sensors can be used for measurement of steering wheel angle, but sensitivity of such
5 sensors fails to provide an accurate data.
The improper and inefficient angular position determination techniques lead to
unproductive functions in the automobile. For e.g., at sharp turns in hilly terrains, the
automobiles are fixed with a static bending light unit. The static bending light unit activates
10 lamps present at the edge of the headlamps illuminating the corners at sharp turn-roads. The
static bending light unit is activated when a specific threshold value of the angular position of
the steering shaft is achieved. It is thus important to compute the threshold value of the angular
position of the steering shaft precisely and send the activation command to the static bending
light unit.
15 The technical problem as discussed in available technologies is the lack of calculating
precise angular position of the steering shaft, specifically when the steering rotates more than
360°. Such scenario is also present when the automobile takes more than two turns as is seen in
hilly terrains. Also, there is a requirement that when the automobile is turned off or the ignition
is in OFF state and as soon as the ignition is turned ON or the power supply is restored the
20 automobile must receive the current angular position of the steering shaft.
In the present invention, the drawbacks of prior art are overcome by using a Giant
Magnetic Resistance (GMR) based angle measurement sensors.
The Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR) sensors determines the angular position of the
25 steering shaft. GMR determines angles and rotation of planetary gears attached to a driving gear
of the steering shaft. The GMR sends the rotation angles to a Controlled Area Network,
specifically a microprocessor unit with a predefined logic to compute precise angular position
and send activation signal to the static bending light unit or other components thereof.
30 SUMMARY
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for controlling a static bending light
unit in an automobile by determining an absolute angular position of a steering shaft, the system
4
including: a driving gear connected with the steering shaft, having plurality of a teeth portions,
wherein the driving gear is configured to perform a rotation along with the steering shaft
generating a driving angle; a plurality of internal gears comprising of a first internal gear and a
second internal gear having plurality of the teeth portions engaged with the teeth portions of the
5 driving gear, wherein the first internal gear performs the rotation generating a first angle and the
second internal gear performs the rotation generating a second angle; plurality of a sensor each
connected with the first internal gear and the second internal gear; configured to determine the
first angle and the second angle respectively; a microcontroller unit connected with a power
supply and; wherein the microcontroller unit connected to the sensor; obtain a gear ratio,
10 wherein the gear ratio is calculated from count of teeth portion of the driving gear and plurality
of the internal gears; obtain the first angle and the second angle from the sensor; calculate a first
measured steering angle and second measured steering angle; wherein the first measured
steering angle is calculated by multiplying the first angle with the gear ratio for the first internal
gear and the second measured steering angle is calculated by multiplying the second angle with
15 the gear ratio for the second internal gear; calculate a delta value of the first measured steering
angle and the second measured steering angle; compute the absolute angular position of the
steering shaft from the delta value.
In an aspect of the invention, a sensor is connected with the first internal gear and the
second internal gear, configured to determine the first and the second angle respectively.
20 In an aspect of the invention, a microcontroller unit is connected with a power supply. The
microcontroller unit connected to the sensor calculate a delta value of the first angle and the
second angle; measure an absolute steering angle from the delta value; wherein the absolute
steering angle is the rotation of the internal gears; obtain a gear ratio, wherein the gear ratio is
calculated from count of teeth portion of the driving gear and plurality of the internal gears;
25 compute the angular position of the steering shaft from the absolute steering angle and the gear
ratio.
In an aspect of the invention, the first internal gear having count of the teeth portions n and
the second internal gear having count of the teeth portion n+1;
In an aspect of the invention, the first internal gear and second internal gear rotates with
30 the driving gear.
In an aspect of the invention, the first internal gear having count of the teeth portions n and
the second internal gear having count of the teeth portion n+4;
5
In an aspect of the invention, the microcontroller unit sends an activation signal to the
static bending light unit when the angular position of the steering shaft is greater than a threshold
value; wherein the static bending light unit activates a lamp of the automobile.
In an aspect of the invention, the microprocessor unit determines the angular position of
5 the steering shaft is recalculated and sends the activation signal each time the power supply is
reconnected.
In an aspect of the invention, the first angle and the second angle is determined by means
of one sensor each.
In an aspect of the invention, the sensor is a Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR) sensor.
10 The GMR scans a magnet connected with the first internal gear and the second internal gear for
measuring a rotation signal.
In a preferred aspect of the invention a method for controlling a static bending light in an
automobile by determining an angular position of a steering shaft including, obtaining count of a
teeth portions in a driving gear, plurality of an internal gears; wherein plurality of the internal
15 gears comprises a first internal gear and a second internal second gear; calculating a gear ratio
wherein the gear ratio is calculated from count of teeth portion of the driving gear and plurality
of the internal gears; determining a first angle for rotation of the first internal gear and a second
angle for rotation of the second internal gear; calculating a first measured steering angle and
second measured steering angle; wherein the first measured steering angle is calculated by
20 multiplying the first angle with the gear ratio for the first internal gear and the second measured
steering angle is calculated by multiplying the second angle with the gear ratio for the second
internal gear; calculate a delta value of the first measured steering angle and the second
measured steering angle; compute the absolute angular position of the steering shaft (100) from
the delta value; sending an activation signal to the static bending light unit when the angular
25 portion of the steering shaft is greater than a threshold value.
To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular
description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof,
which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only
typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope.
30 The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the
accompanying drawings.
6
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become
better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the
5 accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings,
wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration for a system for controlling a static bending light unit in
an automobile, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter;
10 Figure 2 illustrates schematic architecture of the system for controlling the static bending
light unit in the automobile, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter;
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a planetary gears unit arrangement and magnet
position in the system for controlling static bending light unit, according to an embodiment of
15 the present subject matter;
Figure 4 illustrates a circuit diagram of a Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR) sensor-based
angle sensor interface with microcontroller, according to an embodiment of the present subject
matter;
20
Figure 5 illustrates the flow chart for the system for controlling the static bending light
unit, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter;
Figure 6 illustrates a practical experimental data for obtaining the absolute angular position
25 of the steering shaft as a non-limiting example, according to the embodiments of the invention.
Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for
simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts
illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve
30 understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of
the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by
conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent
to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings
7
with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the
description herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
5
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference
will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be
used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of
the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated
10 system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein
being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention
relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same
meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention
belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not
15 intended to be limiting.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
20 Referring to Figure 1, provides a schematic view of a system for controlling a static
bending light unit in an automobile, wherein a steering unit or a steering shaft 100 for an
automobile is presented, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The
rotational movement of the steering shaft is determined by a gearing unit, preferably a
combination of interconnected planetary gears unit 101. The planetary gears unit 101 is in
25 mechanical arrangement of with the steering shaft 100. The planetary gears unit 101 rotates with
the rotation of the steering shaft 100 and the Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR) sensors (Not
Shown) determines the angle of rotation. The corresponding data of angular rotations or angular
rotation value is transmitted on a Controller Area Network (CAN bus). The CAN bus is a
microcontroller unit (MCU) 102 which has a processing circuitry for obtaining the angular
30 rotations from the planetary gear units and computing the angular position of the steering shaft
100. The microcontroller unit 102 depending upon the value of the angular position of the
steering shaft 100 sends activation signal to an Electronic control unit (ECU) which preferably is
a static bending light unit 103. The static bending light unit 103 sends the controlling signal to a
8
static bending lamp left 104 or a static bending lamp right 105 according to the direction of
rotation of the steering shaft 100.
Referring to Figure 2, it illustrates a schematic architecture of the system for controlling
5 the static bending light unit in the automobile, according to an embodiment of the present
subject matter. The GMR sensors 200 determines the rotational movement, a first angle and a
second angle of planetary gears units 101 when the steering shaft 100 is rotated. The first angle
and second angle are representative of rotation angles which is a result of rotation of planetary
gears as the steering shaft is rotated.
10 The GMR sensors 200 sends the first angle and the second angle data to the MCU 102 for
processing of angle values and further processing of the angular position of the steering shaft
100. MCU 102 transmits the angular position data to the CAN transceiver IC 202. CAN
transceiver IC 202 transmits the angular position data over the CAN BUS. A Connector 203 is
for communication with other ECUs, preferably a static bending light unit 103. A Power supply
15 204 is to provide the power to MCU 201. The power supply 204 as appreciated by ordinary skill
in art is connected to the ignition ON or OFF mode of the automobile. If the power supply 204 is
disconnected from the MCU 102, it halts the computation of the angular position data of steering
shaft and recomputes the angular position of the steering shaft as soon as power is reconnected
thus providing the current angular position of the steering shaft.
20
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a planetary gears unit arrangement and magnet
position in the system for controlling static bending light unit. A driving gear 300 is in a
mechanical connection with the steering shaft 100 (not shown). The driving gear 300 is
preferably a planetary gear unit with plurality of a teeth portions projecting circumferentially.
25 The driving gear 300 is configured to perform a rotation along with the steering shaft 100 (not
shown) generating a driving angle. The driving angle is considered as the angular position 310
of the steering shaft 100 as the steering shaft 100 upon rotation leads to turning of the driving
gear 300 which is a larger gear for an angle less or more than 360°. The driving gear 300 is
connected with a plurality of internal gears. The plurality of internal gears comprises of a first
30 internal gear 301 and a second internal gear 302 having plurality of the teeth portions projecting
circumferentially. The teeth portions of the first internal gear 301 and the second internal gear
302 are engaged with the teeth portions of the driving gear 300 such that the rotation of the
9
driving gear 300 causes the rotation of the first internal gear 301 and the second internal gear
302.
In an aspect of the invention, the first internal gear 301 having count of the teeth portions n
and the second internal gear 302 having count of the teeth portion n+1.
5 In an alternative embodiment the first internal gear 301 having count of the teeth portions
n and the second internal gear 302 having count of the teeth portion n+4.
In an aspect of the invention, the first internal gear 301 performs the rotation generating a
first angle 312 and the second internal gear 302 performs the rotation generating a second angle
314, respectively.
10 The first angle 312 and the second angle 314 are representative of the angular rotations in
the first internal gear 301 and the second internal gear 302. A magnet 303 is mounted on the first
internal gear 301 and a magnet 304 is mounted on the second internal gear 302. The first angle
312 and the second angle 314 is determined by means of one sensor each. The sensor is the
GMR sensor 200 which scans the magnet 303, 304 connected with the first internal gear 301 and
15 the second internal gear 302 for measuring a rotation signal.
The GMR sensor 200 detects the first angle 312 and the second angle 314 and transmit the
angels to the MCU 102 for further computing the number of rotation counts, difference of the
angles value is different for all revolution by which the system calculates the revolution count
after the power is supplied to the system. Preferably there are two GMR sensors in connection
20 with each of the internal gears. Therefore, the MCU 102 receives the first angle 312 for the first
internal gear 310 from a first GMR sensor and the second angle 314 for the second internal gear
314 from the second GMR sensor.
Figure 4 illustrates a circuit diagram of a Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR) sensor-based
angle sensor interface with microcontroller, wherein a circuit diagram 300 presents an
25 arrangement of the GMR sensor. The first GMR senor 200a and the second GMR Sensor 200b, a
controller 301, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. Referring to FIG. 4.
The first GMR sensor 200a and the second GMR sensor 200b takes the first and second angle
data and communication with the controller 301. A MOSFET terminal 304 is attached with the
controller 301 for better communication with first GMR sensor 200a and the second GMR
30 sensor 200b.
Figure 5 illustrates the flow chart for the system for controlling the static bending light
unit, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.
10
The flowchart illustrates a systematic workflow for a system and method for determining
an angular position 310 of a steering shaft 100. As soon as the ignition is turned ON or power is
supplied to the automobile the IC and ECU is powered ON 501. When a user starts driving the
automobile and rotates the steering shaft 100 (now shown), the driving gear 300 rotates. In turn,
5 because of the mechanical arrangement as explained above, the first internal gear 301 rotates
creating the first angle 312 and the second internal gear 302 rotates creating the second angle
314. The GMR sensors for each of plurality of the internal gears determine the first 312 and the
second angle 314 respectively, 502. The first GMR sensor 200a and second GMR sensor 200b
transmits the first 312 and the second angle 314 to the MCU 102 for further computation 503.
10 The MCU 102 with the processing circuitry and pre-defined logic, when actively connected with
the power supply 204 computes the angular position 310 of a steering shaft 100.
The MCU 102 performs following:
In an embodiment of the invention, a gear ratio is calculated. The first angle 312 and the
second angle 314 varies when the count of the teeth portions varies. That is, in an example when
15 the first internal gear 310 has n count of teeth and the second internal gear 302 has n+1 count of
teeth. In an alternating example when the first internal gear 310 has n count of teeth and the
second internal gear 302 has n+4 count of teeth. The present invention can derive the delta value
and the absolute angular position of the steering shaft for the both odd/n+1 and even/n+4 count
of teeth.
20 In a step 504, a delta value is calculated by the MCU 102. The delta value is the difference
of a measured steering angle from the First Angle 312 generated by the First Internal Gear 301
and recorded by first GMR 200a and the second Angle 314 generated by the second Internal
Gear 302 and recorded by the second GMR 200b.
The measured steering angle is the multiplication value calculated by First Angle 312
25 measured by First Internal Gear 301 with the gear ratio of the first internal gear 301. Similarly,
the steering angle is calculated for the second angle 314 measured by the second internal gear
302 with the gear ratio of the second internal gear 302. Then the delta value of the measured
steering angle of the first internal gear 301 and second internal gear 302 is calculated.
In a step 506, the MCU 102 on a real-time basis, computes the absolute angular position of
30 the steering shaft.
The computation is done by implementing a pre-defined logic with the processing
circuitry. In an aspect of the invention, the pre-defined logic is:
11
For example, A: When the first internal gear 310 has n count of teeth and the second internal
gear 302 has n+x count of teeth / odd technique wherein the x value is an odd integer like
x=1,3,5,7…..
Gear name Count of teeth
Driving Gear 65
First Internal Gear 25
Second Internal Gear 26
5 Calculating Gear Ratio 1 = 65/25= 13/5
Calculating Gear Ratio 2 = 65/26= 5/2
Computation of the absolute angular position of the steering shaft in example A10 Calculation of steering angle with the help of First Internal Gear is given belowFirst Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (Gear Ratio 1)
First Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (5/13)
Calculation of steering angle with the help of Second Internal Gear is given below15 Second Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (Gear Ratio
2)
Second Measured Steering Angle = (Second Angle measured by Second Internal Gear) * (2/5)
Calculating value of absolute angular position of steering shaft by computing the delta of First
20 and Second Measured Steering Angle i.e.,
Absolute Angular Position of Steering Shaft = First Measured Steering Angle – Second
Measured Steering Angle
For example, B: When the first internal gear 310 has n count of teeth and the second internal
25 gear 302 has n+y count of teeth/even technique, wherein the y value is an even integer like x=2,
4,6….
Gear name Count of teeth
Driving Gear 60
12
First Internal Gear 20
Second Internal Gear 24
Calculating Gear Ratio 1 = 60/20= 3/1
Calculating Gear Ratio 2 = 60/24= 5/2
5 Computation of the angular position of the steering shaft in example BCalculation of steering angle with the help of First Internal Gear is as follows:
First Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (Gear Ratio 1)
First Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (1/3)
10
Calculation of steering angle with the help of Second Internal Gear is given belowSecond Measured Steering Angle = (First Angle measured by First Internal Gear) * (Gear Ratio
2)
Second Measured Steering Angle = (Second Angle measured by Second Internal Gear) * (2/5)
15
For both examples A and B:
Calculating value of absolute angular position of steering shaft by computing the delta of First
and Second Measured Steering Angle i.e.,
Absolute Angular Position of Steering Shaft = First Measured Steering Angle – Second
20 Measured Steering Angle
In Figure 6, illustrates practical experimental data for obtaining absolute angular position of the
steering shaft as a non-limiting example, according to the embodiments of the invention. The
absolute angular position of the steering shaft also determines the steering revolution. The
steering revolution is the representation of more than 360° rotational turns taken by the steering.
25
Referring to Figure 5, In a step 507, upon calculation of the absolute angular position 310 of the
steering shaft 100 the microcontroller unit 102 sends an activation signal to the static bending
light unit 103 when the angular position 310 of the steering shaft 100 is greater than a threshold
value. The threshold value is pre-defined in the MCU 102 which represents a certain angle value
30 of the angular position. Thus, as soon as the angular position of the steering shaft crosses the
threshold value or in other words the user rotates the steering shaft above a certain degree of the
13
threshold value the static bending light unit 103 receives an activation signal from the MCU 102
to activates the lamp of the automobile. As appreciated by the ordinary skill in art, depending
upon the left or right direction of rotation of steering shaft the left lamp 104 or the right lamp
105 receives the activation signal and is turned in ON state.
5 In an aspect of the invention, when the power supply is disconnected from the automobile in
situation where ignition is turned in OFF state, the MCU 102 does not receive the power supply.
Thus MCU 102 cannot compute the absolute angular position of the steering, but as soon as the
power is reconnected to the MCU 102, the MCU computes the absolute angular position of the
steering. For an instance, the user rotates the steering shaft more than 360°, thus taking more
10 than one turn and disconnects the power supply to the MCU 102 by means of switching OFF
ignition or any other mode. Now, as soon as the power supply is reconnected the MCU 102
calculates the absolute angular position of the steering and provides the more than 360° multiple
rotation turns taken by the steering shaft. Therefore, in an added advantage the present invention
provides the current absolute angular position of the steering representative of the more than
15 360°, multiple rotation turns or the steering revolution as shown in the Figure 6 is computed on a
real-time basis.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference
will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be
20 used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of
the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated
system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein
being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention
relates.
25
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and
the following detailed description are explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be
restrictive thereof.
30 Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect”, “another aspect” or similar
language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,
14
appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language
throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover
5 a nonexclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not
include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such
process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or subsystems or elements or structures or
components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the
existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other
10 components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional
structures or additional components.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same
meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention
15 belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not
intended to be limiting.
It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of the
embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated below, the present invention may be
20 implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or in existence. The
present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and
techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and
described herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their
full scope of equivalents.
25
The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.”
Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all”
would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no
embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments.
30 Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one
embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and
illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit,
restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.
5 More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,”
“comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact
limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more
features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the
possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with
10 the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”
Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either
way it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least
one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at
15 least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element,
unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . .” or
“one or more element is REQUIRED.”
Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms,
20 used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having an
ordinary skill in the art.
Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an
embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements
25 presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of
illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of
the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.
Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further
30 embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple
embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”,
“furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily
refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features
16
and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one
embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all
embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or
elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in
5 the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all
embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any
appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the
context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context
of a single embodiment.
10
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings.

WE CLAIM:
1. A system for controlling a static bending light unit in an automobile by determining an
absolute angular position of a steering shaft, the system comprising:
a driving gear (300) connected with the steering shaft 100, having plurality of a teeth
5 portions, wherein the driving gear (300) is configured to perform a rotation along with the
steering shaft (100) generating a driving angle;
a plurality of internal gears comprising of a first internal gear (301) and a second internal
gear (302) having plurality of the teeth portions engaged with the teeth portions of the
driving gear (300),
10 wherein the first internal gear (301) performs the rotation generating a first angle (312)
and the second internal gear (302) performs the rotation generating a second angle (314);
plurality of a sensor (200) each connected with the first internal gear (301) and the
second internal gear (302); configured to determine the first angle (312) and the second
angle (314) respectively;
15 a microcontroller unit (102) connected with a power supply (204) and; wherein the
microcontroller unit (102) connected to the sensor (200);
obtain a gear ratio, wherein the gear ratio is calculated from count of teeth portion of the
driving gear (300) and plurality of the internal gears;
obtain the first angle (312) and the second angle (314) from the sensor (200);
20 calculate a first measured steering angle and second measured steering angle; wherein
the first measured steering angle is calculated by multiplying the first angle with the gear
ratio for the first internal gear and the second measured steering angle is calculated by
multiplying the second angle with the gear ratio for the second internal gear;
calculate a delta value of the first measured steering angle and the second measured
25 steering angle;
compute the absolute angular position of the steering shaft (100) from the delta value.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first internal gear (301) having count of the
teeth portions n and the second internal gear (302) having count of the teeth portion n+1;
18
wherein the first internal gear (301) and second internal gear (302) rotates with the
driving gear (300).
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first internal gear (301) having count of the
teeth portions n and the second internal gear (302) having count of the teeth portion n+4;
5 wherein the first internal gear (301) and second internal gear (302) rotates with the
driving gear (300).
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller unit (102) sends an activation
signal to the static bending light unit (103) when the absolute angular position of the steering
shaft (100) is greater than a threshold value;
10 wherein the static bending light unit (103) activates a lamp of the automobile.
5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microprocessor unit (102) compute the
absolute angular position of the steering shaft (100) and sends the activation signal each time
the power supply (204) is reconnected.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a Giant Magnetic Resistance (GMR)
15 sensor (200); wherein the GMR (200) scans a magnet (303, 304) connected with the first
internal gear (301) and the second internal gear (302) for measuring a rotation signal.
7. A method for controlling a static bending light in an automobile by determining an angular
position of a steering shaft comprising:
obtaining count of a teeth portions in a driving gear, plurality of an internal gears;
20 wherein plurality of the internal gears comprises a first internal gear and a second internal
second gear;
calculating a gear ratio wherein the gear ratio is calculated from count of teeth portion of
the driving gear (300) and plurality of the internal gears;
determining (502) a first angle for rotation of the first internal gear and a second angle
25 for rotation of the second internal gear;
calculating a first measured steering angle and second measured steering angle; wherein
the first measured steering angle is calculated by multiplying the first angle with the gear
ratio for the first internal gear and the second measured steering angle is calculated by
multiplying the second angle with the gear ratio for the second internal gear;
19
calculate a delta value of the first measured steering angle and the second measured
steering angle;
compute the absolute angular position of the steering shaft (100) from the delta value;
sending (507) an activation signal to the static bending light unit when the angular
5 portion of the steering shaft is greater than a threshold value.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein count of the teeth portion of the first internal gear
(301) is n; count of the teeth portion of the second internal gear (302) is n+x; wherein x is an
odd integer.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein count of the teeth portion of the first internal gear
10 (301) is n; count of the teeth portion of the second internal gear (302) is n+y; wherein y is an
even integer.
10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein,
computing the absolute angular position (310) of the steering shaft (100) and sending the
activation signal to the static bending light unit (103) when the angular portion (310) of the
15 steering shaft (130) is greater than a threshold value each time the power supply (204) is reconnected.