METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY OR SEMI-AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING A CHASSIS

• US 20150343873A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Ag
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Maise, Timo, Jacobi, Stefan, Hammann, Axel, Wahl, Eric, Grumann, Claudia
• Granted Patent: US 10,052,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/01908 Acceleration or inclination sensors characterised by the use of gyroscopes B60G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0531 Roll acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0532 Pitch acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0533 Yaw acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/208 of wheel rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/142 Visual Display Camera, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/016 Yawing condition

Abstract

A method is provided for semi-automatically adjusting a chassis of a vehicle. The vehicle (10) assesses a state of the road by means of a sensor system of the vehicle and transmits the state of the road to a central server. A further vehicle (10) interrogates the state of the road from the server and recommends adjustment of the chassis as a function of the interrogated state of the road. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out such a method.

Claims

1. A method for automatically or semi-automatically adjusting a chassis of a first vehicle, comprising:

assessing a state of the road by a sensor system of the first vehicle,

transmitting the state of the road from the first vehicle to a central server,

interrogating from a further vehicle the state of the road from the server, and

recommending adjustment of the chassis of the further vehicle as a function of the interrogated state of the road.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current position of the first vehicle,

transmitting the state of the road and the position from the first vehicle to the server, and

causing the server to store the position and the state of the road.

3. The method claim 2, the transmission of the state of the road by the first vehicle causes the server to store indications of at least one of the following phenomena:

a crest of a hill,

a depression,

road damage,

a curb stone and

a ramp.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

having the server assign the indications to the position, and

having the server make the indications available to the further vehicle if the further vehicle approaches the position.

5. The method of claim 1, characterized by the following features:

the sensor system comprises a camera for detecting an image of the state of the road, and

the assessment of the state of the road comprises digital image processing.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using the image processing comprises to detect roadway boundaries, and

having the vehicle inform the server of a crest of a hill if the roadway boundaries are not detected beyond a predefined distance from the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating an acceleration sensor for detecting an inclination of the road, and

informing the server of a crest of a hill or of a depression if the acceleration sensor detects a change in sign of the inclination of the road.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

operating the acceleration sensor for detecting a vertical acceleration,

informing the server of a crest of a hill if the acceleration sensor detects a sudden decrease in the vertical acceleration,

informing the server of a depression if the acceleration sensor detects a sudden increase in the vertical acceleration, and

informing the server of a pothole or of an unpaved road if the acceleration sensor detects a large fluctuation in the vertical acceleration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a spring travel sensor that is connected to the chassis and is operative for detecting a spring travel of the vehicle,

informing the server of a crest of a hill if the spring travel sensor detects a sudden increase in the spring travel,

informing the server of a depression if the spring travel sensor detects a sudden decrease in the spring travel, and

informing the server of a pothole or of an unpaved road if the spring travel sensor detects a large fluctuation in the spring travel.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using at least one wheel acceleration sensor connected to the chassis for detecting a wheel acceleration of a wheel of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using at least one wheel speed sensor connected to the chassis for detecting a wheel rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle.

12. A device for a vehicle for carrying out the method of claim 1, comprising:

a sensor system for assessing a state of the road,

a transmission device for transmitting the state of the road to a central server, and

an adjustable chassis.