Method for vehicle suspension wear prediction and indication

• US 20090099719A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Albertson, William C., Namuduri, Chandra S., Mc Donald, Mike M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/042 Monitoring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping

Abstract

A vehicle suspension wear prediction and indication method includes processing data inputs from a suspension system and converting the data inputs into a cumulative wear estimate. The data inputs are selected to model a magnitude factor and a duration factor related to the operation of the suspension system.

Claims

1. A vehicle suspension wear prediction and indication method, comprising:

processing data inputs regarding usage of a suspension system, said data inputs selected to model a magnitude factor and a duration factor, said processing including conversion of said data inputs into a cumulative wear estimate; and

providing an indication of wear based upon the cumulative wear estimate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said duration factor comprises distance traveled.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said duration factor comprises time of operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said magnitude factor comprises a rough road measurement and a vehicle speed measurement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said rough road measurement originates from a vehicle subsystem selected from the group consisting of an anti-lock braking subsystem, a GPS subsystem, and a suspension monitoring subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing comprises:

processing said data inputs to generate an accumulated normalized rough road function operative to track wear upon said suspension system; and

calculating said cumulative wear estimate based on said accumulated normalized rough road function.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising calculating a plurality of component specific cumulative wear estimates based on said accumulated normalized rough road function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said data inputs are received at predetermined intervals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said intervals comprise a distance traveled.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a preferred distance traveled is between about 50 meters and 250 meters.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a preferred distance traveled is between about 80 meters and 120 meters.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said intervals comprise an elapsed time of operation.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting said cumulative wear estimate to an output device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said output device is a telematics device, said telematics device operable to communicate said cumulative wear estimate to a remote system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said output device uses a combination of audible and visual messages to communicate said cumulative wear estimate.

16. A vehicle suspension wear prediction and indication method, comprising:

receiving data comprising a rough road measurement, a vehicle speed, and a durational measurement; and

utilizing said data to predict maintenance requirements of a suspension system on the basis of projected suspension system component life spans.

17. The method of claim 16, said prediction utilizing models of cumulative suspension wear.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising reporting said maintenance requirements to an output device.