Vehicle suspension control systems and devices, and related methods

• US 10,173,489 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miska, Paul, Panagis, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US15/151,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0155 pneumatic unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/02 Spring characteristics , e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting meansB60G17/005, B60G17/015 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/052 Pneumatic spring characteristics B60G17/048 takes precedence ; valves per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/91 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/201 Air spring system type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/18 Automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/90 other signal treatment means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/162 Reducing road induced vibrations

Abstract

A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle includes identifying an amplitude and a frequency of at least one harmonic event in a topology of a surface to be traversed by the vehicle, and, with a controller, altering at least one response characteristic of at least one adjustable component of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event. Systems and methods relate to controlling vehicle suspension systems.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle, comprising:

with a sensor operably coupled with a controller, identifying an amplitude and a frequency of at least one harmonic event in a surface to be traversed by the vehicle; and

with the controller, altering at least one of compression and rebound damping of a damper of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an amplitude and a frequency of the at least one harmonic event in the surface to be traversed by the vehicle comprises identifying information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transforming the information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of time into information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of the frequency of the harmonic event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transforming the information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of time into information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of the frequency of the harmonic event comprises applying Fourier analysis to the information representing the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying Fourier analysis to the information representing event amplitude as a function of time comprises applying a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to the information representing event amplitude as a function of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a spring rate of an adjustable spring of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein altering the spring rate of an adjustable spring of the suspension system comprises altering a spring rate of a pneumatic spring.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering at least one of compression and rebound damping of the damper of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event comprises altering an apparent viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid within a damper.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a ride height of the vehicle based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event.

10. A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle, comprising:

with sensor operably coupled to a controller, sensing information indicative of amplitude of a harmonic event comprising a series of individual irregularities in a surface to be traversed by the vehicle as a function of time;

with the controller, transforming the sensed information into information relating to the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of a frequency of the harmonic event; and

with the controller, altering a response characteristic of the suspension system of the vehicle based on a location of each irregularity of the series of individual irregularities identified using the frequency of the harmonic event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transforming the sensed information into information relating to the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of a frequency of the harmonic event comprises performing Fourier analysis on the sensed information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing Fourier analysis sensed information comprises performing a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the sensed information.

13. A system for controlling a suspension system of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor configured to collect information relating to an amplitude of a harmonic event in a surface to be traversed by the vehicle as a function of time;

a control system operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to transform the collected information into information relating to the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of a frequency of the harmonic event; and

a component operatively coupled to the control system and configured to alter at least one response characteristic of the suspension system at a frequency equal to the frequency of the harmonic event.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to transform the collected information into information relating to the amplitude of the harmonic event as a function of a frequency of the harmonic event using a fast Fourier transform (FFT).

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the harmonic event in the surface to be traversed by the vehicle comprises an oscillation in the surface traversed by the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the component comprises a suspension damper.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one response characteristic comprises one or both of a compression damping force and a rebound damping force of the suspension damper.