Surveillance vehicle control system

• US 4,913,458 A
• Filed: 06/16/1988
• Issued: 04/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark L. Hamilton
• Original Assignee: Mark L. Hamilton
• Inventors: Hamilton, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US07/207,697
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 280/6 R, 280/6 H, 280/6.1, 280/764.1, 352/132, 354/81, 358/108, 52/115, 52/116, 52/118, 212/189
• US Class Current: 280/6.153
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 9/06 of screw-and-nut type
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 9/10 by fluid pressure

Abstract

A control system for a surveillance vehicle (V) is disclosed. The vehicle includes a rapid deployment and retraction mechanism (A'"'"') and a jack system (B'"'"') for continuously maintaining a detection device (28) a top a mast (12) within a prescribed vertical condition when extended. The control system includes a jack leveling logic circuit (C), a jack pressure control circuit (D), a ram control circuit (E), and a mast control circuit (F). Ram control circuit (E) controls a ram (52, 54, 56) which deploys and retracts mast (12). Jack pressure control circuit (D) senses the pressure on jacks (142a, 142b, 142d) at the four corners of the vehicle. Jack leveling logic circuit (C) receives pressure signals representing the pressure on the jacks and controls extension and retraction of the jacks in pairs at diagonal corners to maintain the vehicle within prescribed leveling conditions and to prevent the over extension or over adjustment under certain unleveling conditions. Mast control circuit (F) receives a signal representing the level condition of the vehicle so that the mast is extended and retracted only under prescribed leveling conditions.

Claims

1. A control system for a rapid deployment surveillance vehicle having a vehicle cab with a roof door through which an instrument for surveillance and the like may be deployed from a concealed stowed position within said vehicle cab to an elevated position extended through a door opening of said roof door high above the vehicle;

said vehicle being of the type having a telescoping mast which has a telescoped retracted position and a telescoped extended position;

a ram for moving the retracted mast between a generally horizontal stowed position and vertical erect position;

a mast operator for moving said mast between said telescoped retracted and extended positions;

a leveling system having a plurality of jacks carried on said vehicle for establishing a prescribed level condition of said vehicle with respect to ground;

said control system comprising;

(a) electrical ram switch means electrically connected to said ram control means having a ram up signal and ram down signal for switching said ram control means to move said mast;

(b) electrical mast switch means electrically connected to said mast control system having a mast extend signal and a mast retract signal for switching said mast control means to move said mast;

(c) ram detector means for electrically detecting a ram down condition of said ram in which said mast and instrument are in said stowed position and generating a ram down condition signal, said ram detector means detecting a ram up condition in which said mast and instrument are in said erect position and generating a ram up condition signal;

(d) door detector means for electrically detecting a door open condition of said roof door in which said roof door and said door opening are open and generating a door open signal;

(e) a ram control means for electrically controlling said ram to move said mast and instrument from said stowed position to said erect position in response to said ram up switch signal and said door open signal; and

(f) mast control means for electrically controlling said mast operator to extend said mast from said telescoped retracted position to said telescoped extended position in response to said ram up condition signal and said mast extend switch signal.

2. The system of claim 1 including:

(a) mast condition detector means for electrically detecting when said mast is in said telescoped retracted configuration and generating a mast retracted condition signal; and

(b) said ram control means controlling said ram to move said mast to said stowed position in response to said ram down switch signal, said mast retracted condition signal, and said door open signal.

3. The system of claim 2 including:

(a) instrument detector means for electrically detecting a undeployed condition of said instrument in which said instrument is inoperative and generating a undeployed instrument signal; and

(b) said ram control means controlling said ram in further response to said undeployed instrument signal to move said mast to said mast stowed position.

4. The system of claim 1 including:

(a) instrument detector means for electrically detecting an undeployed condition of said instrument in which said instrument is unoperative; and

(b) said ram control means controlling said ram in further response to said undeployed instrument signal to move said ram to said erect position.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said door detector means further detects a door closed condition of said roof door in which said roof door and door opening are closed for generating a door closed signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said ram switch means and said mast switch means are manually operated so that a vehicle operator may establish that prescribed conditions have been established before sequentially activating said ram and mast operator.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said leveling system includes:

(a) a jack arrange generally adjacent the corners of the vehicle diagonally along an X-axis of the vehicle, each jack having a retracted position in which the jack may be locked and unlocked and an extended position in which an unlocked retracted jack is extended against the ground;

(b) level sensor means sensing the level condition of said vehicle at said diagonally arranged jacks for generating an electrical level condition signal representing the levelness of said vehicle near its corners; and

(c) a jack leveling logic circuit receiving said level condition signals and electrically controlling said jacks for interactively extending and retracting said jacks to maintain said vehicle in a prescribed level condition with said mast extended and instrument elevated during surveillance operations.

8. The system of claim 7 including:

(a) jack pressure sensors carried adjacent said jacks for sensing the pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating jack pressure signals; and

(b) pressure control circuit means receiving said jack pressure signals for generating pressure control signals which are transmitted to said leveling logic circuit to control said jack drive means to extend and retract said jacks in order to maintain a prescribed pressure on said jacks against said ground.

9. A control system for a rapid deployment surveillance vehicle having a vehicle cab with a roof door through which an instrument for surveillance and the like may be deployed from a concealed stowed position within said vehicle cab to an elevated position extended through a door opening of said roof door high above the vehicle;

said vehicle being of the type having a telescoping mast which has a telescoped retracted position and a telescoped extended position;

a ram for moving the retracted mast between a generally horizontal stowed position and vertical erect position;

a mast operator for moving said mast between said telescoped retracted and extended positions;

a leveling system with a jack generally adjacent each corner along an X-axis of the vehicle, each jack having a retracted position and an extended position against the ground;

said control system comprising;

(a) electrical ram switch means electrically connected to said ram control means for producing a ram up signal and ram down signal for switching said ram control means to move said mast;

(b) a ram control means for electrically controlling said ram to move said mast from said concealed stowed position to said erect position in response to said ram up switch signal;

(c) electrical mast switch means electrically connected to said mast control system for producing a mast extend signal and a mast retract signal for switching said mast control means to move said mast;

(d) a mast control means for electrically controlling said mast operator to extend said mast and instrument from said telescoped retracted position to said telescoped extended position above said vehicle cab in response to said mast up switch signal;

(e) electrical jack switch means for generating a jack extend signal for activating said leveling system to extend said jacks;

(f) said mast control means controlling said mast operator to move said mast to said extended position in response to said mast extend switch signal and said jack extend signal.

10. The control system of claim 9 wherein said leveling system includes:

(a) level sensors for sensing the levelness of said vehicle and generating level condition signals;

(b) a level limit detector circuit receiving said level condition signals and comparing said level condition signals to a leveling capacity signal representing a known capacity of said leveling system to level said vehicle, said level limit detector means generating an electrical level limit signal if the level condition of said vehicle is within the leveling capacity of said leveling system; and

(c) said mast control means receiving said level limit signal which disables said mast control means to prevent extension of said mast to said telescoped extended position.

11. The system of claim 9 including:

(a) a high voltage detector for detecting adverse high voltage conditions in the ambient environment surrounding said vehicle and generating an electrical high voltage signal; and

(b) said mast control means controlling said mast operator to abort movement of said mast to said extended position in response to said high voltage signal.

12. A control system for a rapid deployment surveillance vehicle having a vehicle cab with a roof door through which an instrument for surveillance and the like may be deployed from a concealed stowed position within said vehicle cab to an elevated position extended through a door opening of said roof door high above the vehicle;

said vehicle being of the type having a telescoping mast which has a telescoped retracted position and a telescoped extended position;

a ram for moving the retracted mast between a generally horizontal stowed position and vertical erect position;

a mast operator for moving said mast between said telescoped retracted and extended positions;

a leveling system with a jack generally adjacent each corner along an X-axis of the vehicle, each jack having a retracted position in which the jack may be locked and unlocked by a jack lock and an extended position in which an unlocked retracted jack is extended against the ground;

said control system comprising;

(a) ram control means for electrically controlling said ram to move said mast between said stowed position and said erect position;

(b) electrical ram switch means electrically connected to said ram control means for producing a ram up signal and ram down signal for switching said ram control means to move said mast;

(c) mast control means for electrically controlling said mast operator to move said mast between said telescoped retracted configuration and said telescoped extended configuration;

(d) electrical mast switch means electrically connected to said mast control system for producing a mast extend signal and a mast retract signal for switching said mast control means to move said mast;

(e) jack drive means for extending and retracting said jacks relative to said vehicle;

(f) a level control means which includes a leveling condition circuit for electrically determining an unlocked condition of said jack locks and generating an electrical jack unlocked signal which is delivered to said leveling control means to provide extension power for said leveling system to control said jack drive means for extending and retracting said jacks;

(g) level sensor means for sensing a level condition of the corners of said vehicle near said jacks and generating electrical off-level condition signals; and

(h) a jack leveling logic circuit included in said level control means responsive to said jack unlocked signal and said level condition signals for electrically controlling said jack drive means in response to said off-level condition signals to interactively retract and extend said jacks to continuously maintain said vehicle in a prescribed level condition with said mast extended during surveillance operation.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said jack leveling logic circuit controls the jack drive means in response to said off-level condition signals to extend and retract said jacks disposed along said X-axis in diagonally opposed front and rear pairs simultaneously and interactively to level said corners of said vehicle to within said prescribed level conditions.

14. The system of claim 13 including:

(a) pressure sensors for sensing the pressure of said extended jacks against the ground and generating jack pressure signals representing said pressure; and

(b) said jack level logic circuit controls said jack drive means in response to said off-level condition signals to extend and retract said jacks until said prescribed level condition is initially established, and said level logic circuit continues to control said jack drive means after said initial level condition is established in response to said pressure control signals until said jack pressure sensors generate an actual jack pressure signal indicating that a preset system pressure has been reached on said jacks.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said jack leveling logic circuit is constructed and arranged to control said jack drive means to move said jacks in diagonally opposed pairs of front and rear corner jacks, said jack leveling logic circuit controlling said jack drive means in response to an off-level condition signal indicating a low corner and diagonally opposed high corner to retract a high corner jack and extend a low corner jack until said prescribed level condition signal has been generated.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said jack leveling logic circuit extends said high corner jack when said jack pressure signal from said high corner jack is below said preset pressure and said low corner jack has reached said prescribed level condition.

17. The system of claim 12 including:

(a) pressure sensors for sensing the pressure of said extended jacks against the ground and generating jack pressure signals representing said pressure; and

(b) said jack leveling logic circuit continuously receiving said jack pressure signals and said off-level condition signals while said surveillance device is operating for controlling said jack drive means to continuously maintain said prescribed level condition of said vehicle and pressure of said jacks against the ground.

18. The system of claim 12 including jack switch means included in said leveling control means for producing a jack extend signal for activating said leveling logic means and jack drive, said jack switch means producing a jack retract signal for controlling said jack drive to retract said jacks, and said mast control means receiving said jack extend signal as a condition for controlling said mast operator to extend said mast.

19. The system of claim 12 including lock/unlock means for unlocking said jack locks in response to said jack extend signal.

20. The system of claim 12 including a park detector for detecting a parked and locked condition of a drive transmission of said vehicle, and generating a vehicle parked signal which is transmitted to said leveling condition circuit.

21. A control system for a rapid deployment surveillance vehicle having a vehicle cab with a roof door through which an instrument for surveillance and the like may be deployed from a concealed stowed position within said vehicle cab to an elevated position extended through a door opening of said roof door high above the vehicle;

said vehicle being of the type having a telescoping mast which has a telescoped retracted position and a telescoped extended position;

a ram for moving the retracted mast between a generally horizontal stowed position and vertical erect position;

a mast operator for moving said mast between said telescoped retracted . and extended positions;

a leveling system with a jack generally adjacent each corner along an X-axis of the vehicle, each jack having a retracted position in which the jack may be locked and unlocked and an extended position in which an unlocked retracted jack is extended against the ground;

said control system comprising;

(a) ram control means for moving said mast between said stowed position and said erect position;

(b) mast control means for moving said mast between said telescoped retracted configuration and said telescoped extended configuration in response to said mast being moved to said erect position;

(c) jack drive means for extending and retracting said jacks relative to said vehicle;

(d) a level control means which includes a leveling condition circuit for electrically determining a prescribed condition of said jacks and vehicle and generating an electrical conditions satisfied signal which is delivered to said level control means to provide extension power for said leveling system to control said jack drive means for extending and retracting said jacks;

(e) level sensor means for sensing a level condition of the corners of said vehicle near said jacks and generating electrical off-level signals when a low corner condition exists; and

(f) a jack leveling logic means included in said level control means responsive to said conditions satisfied signal and said off-level signals for electrically controlling said jack drive means in response to said off-level signals to interactively retract and extend said jacks to continuously maintain said vehicle in a prescribed level condition with said mast extended during surveillance operation.

22. The system of claim 21 including:

(a) means for sensing a jack pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating first pressure control signals if said jack pressure is below a preset pressure and a second pressure control signal if said jack pressure is greater than or equal to said preset pressure;

(b) said leveling logic means controlling said jack drive to extend a low corner jack near a low corner in response to an off-level signal from said low corner and a first pressure signal from a high corner diagonally opposite said low corner; and

(c) said leveling logic circuit means controlling said jack drive to retract said high corner jack in response to an off-level signal from said low corner and a second pressure signal from said high corner jack.

23. The system of claim 21 including:

emergency switch means connected to said leveling condition circuit; and

said switch means having an emergency mode of operation energized by switch means which interrupts power to said level control means to override said leveling logic means causing immediate retraction of said vehicle jacks and interrupts power to mast and ram control means causing immediate retraction of said mast and said ram whereby the vehicle may be driven as soon as the jacks are retracted and brakes unlocked for quick escape under emergency conditions and the like.

24. A control system for controlling a leveling system for a four wheel vehicle and the like, said leveling system having a mechanical jack system with a jack arranged diagonally near the four corners of an x-axis of the vehicle, a jack drive for extending and retracting said jacks, level sensor means for sensing the level condition of the vehicle near the corners and generating an off-level signal at a corner when the level condition of said corner deviates from a prescribed vehicle level condition, pressure sensor means for sensing the amount of pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating a jack pressure signal for each jack, preset means for establishing a desired system reference pressure signal representing a desired jack pressure against the ground, a pressure control means for comparing said jack pressure signals and said reference pressure signal and generating jack pressure control signals, said leveling logic circuit controlling pairs of first and second jacks at first and second opposed diagonal corners of said diagonals opposing interactively to balance said vehicle along each diagonal simultaneously, and said leveling logic circuit comprising for controlling each pair of said first and second jacks:

(a) a first level sensor at said first corner for producing a first off-level signal, and a second level sensor at said second corner for producing a second off-level signal;

(b) a first jack pressure signal generated in response to said pressure of said first jack against the ground, and a second jack pressure signal generated in response to said pressure of said second jack against the ground;

(c) a first level circuit which receives said second off-level signal from said second diagonal corner of said vehicle axis;

(d) a second level circuit which receives said first off-level signal from said first diagonal corner of said vehicle axis;

(e) a first pressure circuit which receives said first jack pressure signals;

(f) a second pressure circuit which receives said second jack pressure signals;

(g) said first level circuit being connected to said second pressure circuit, and said second pressure circuit being connected to said jack drive for extending said second jack in response to said second off-level signal being received by said first level circuit;

(h) said second level circuit being connected to said first pressure circuit, and said first pressure circuit being connected to said jack drive for extending said first jack in response to said first off-level signal being received by said second level circuit;

(i) said first pressure circuit being connected to control said jack drive to extend said first jack in response to said first pressure control signal, and said first pressure circuit is responsive to said first pressure control signal and said second off-level signal to control said jack drive to retract said first jack; and

(j) said second pressure circuit being connected to said jack drive to extend said second jack in response to said second pressure control signal, and said second pressure circuit is responsive to said second pressure control signal and said first off-level signal to control said jack drive to retract said second jack.

25. The control system of claim 24 wherein said first and second level circuits each include:

(a) a first logic circuit;

(b) said first logic circuit of said second level circuit being connected to said first level circuit and said second pressure circuit for transmitting a drive signal to said second jack in response to said second off level signal; and

(c) said first logic circuit of said first level circuit being connected to said second level circuit and said first pressure circuit for transmitting a drive signal to said first jack in response to said first off-level signal.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said first and second level circuits each further include a second logic circuit for interrupting and disabling said first logic circuits of said first and second level circuits in response to said first and second off-level signals being received respectively by said first and second level circuits.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein said first pressure circuit includes:

(a) a first logic circuit and a second logic circuit, said first logic circuit having an input connected to said first level circuit and a first output connected to said jack drive for retracting said first jack in response to said first pressure signal being greater than or equal to said system pressure and said second off-level signal, and said first logic circuit having a second output connected to said second level circuit and said jack drive for extending said second jack in response to said first pressure signal being less than said system pressure and said second off-level signal; and

s id second logic circuit of said first pressure circuit having an input connected to said first level circuit and an output connected to said jack drive for extending said first jack.

28. The control system of claim 24 wherein said second pressure circuit includes:

(a) a first logic circuit and a second logic circuit, said first logic circuit having an input connected to said second level circuit and a first output connected to said jack drive for retracting said second jack in response to said second pressure signal being greater than or equal to said system pressure and said first off-level signal, said first logic circuit having a second output connected to said first level circuit and said jack drive for extending said first jack in response to said second pressure signal being less than said system pressure and said first off-level signal; and

said second logic circuit of said second pressure circuit having an input connected to said second level circuit and an output connected to said jack drive for extending said second jack.

29. A vehicle leveling control system having a level logic circuit for controlling a jack drive of a mechanical jack system having four jacks arranged near diagonally opposed corners of an x-axis of said vehicle, level sensor means for sensing the level condition of the vehicle near the corners and generating an off-level signal when the level condition diviates from a prescribed vehicle level condition, pressure sensor means for sensing the pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating a actual pressure signal representing the amount of pressure of each said jack against the ground, preset means for setting a desired system reference pressure corresponding to a desired jack pressure against the ground, and a pressure control means for comparing said actual jack pressure of each said jack and said system reference pressure and generating pressure control signals, said circuit comprising for each diagonal of said axis:

(a) a leveling logic circuit means for controlling said jack drives;

(b) said logic circuit means including inputs for receiving said pressure control signals and said off-level signals and outputs connected to said jack drives of diagonally opposed jacks to interactively extend and retract said jacks of diagonally opposed pairs near diagonal corners of said vehicle; and

(c) said logic circuit means constructed and arranged to control said jack drives for balancing said vehicle about a point at which said diagonal axes intersect to establish a prescribed level condition and said preset system pressure of said jacks against the ground in response to said off-level signals and said pressure control signals.

30. The system of claim 29 including:

(a) means for sensing a jack pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating first pressure control signals if said jack pressure is below a preset pressure and a second pressure control signal if said jack pressure is greater than or equal to said preset pressure;

(b) said leveling logic circuit means controlling said jack drive to extend to a low corner jack near a low corner in response to an off-level signal from said low corner and a first pressure signal from a high corner diagonally opposite said low corner; and

(c) said leveling logic circuit means controlling said jack drive to retract said high corner jack in response to an off-level signal from said low corner and a second pressure signal from said high corner jack.

31. A method for controlling a rapid deployment surveillance vehicle having a vehicle cab with a roof door through which an instrument for surveillance and the like may be deployed from a concealed stowed position within said vehicle cab to an elevated position extending through a door opening of said roof door above the vehicle cab;

said vehicle having a telescoping mast which has a retracted position and a telescoped extended position;

a mast operator for moving said mast between said retracted and extended positions;

a ram for moving the retracted mast between a generally horizontal stowed position and vertical erect position;

a leveling system having a jack generally adjacent each corner of the vehicle, said method comprising;

(a) parking said vehicle at a surveillance site;

(b) opening said roof door and generating an electrical door open signal;

(c) controlling said ram in response to said door open signal to move said mast from said stowed position to said erect position;

(d) detecting the position of said mast in said erect position and generating a mast erect signal;

(e) sensing the level condition of said vehicle and generating level condition signals;

(f) activating said leveling system in response to a jack activation signal;

(g) leveling said vehicle after activation of said leveling system by operating said jack drive to extend or retract said jacks at said corners of said vehicle until said level condition signal is generally equal to a prescribed level signal indicating a prescribed level condition is reached;

(h) extending said mast from said retracted position to said extended position in response to said mast erect signal and said jack activation signal;

(i) moving said instrument into an operational position for surveillance operations;

(j) continuously monitoring said level condition of said vehicle during surveillance with said mast extended and said instrument in said operational position and generating said level condition signals;

(k) controlling said jack drive means continuously during said surveillance in response to said level condition signals while said mast is extended to continuously maintain said vehicle within said prescribed level conditions during said surveillance operation;

(l) controlling said mast operator to retract said mast after said surveillance operation is completed;

(m) detecting said retracted mast when moved to said retracted position and generating a mast retracted signal; and

(n) controlling said ram in response to said mast retracted signal and said door open signal to move said mast from said vertically erect position to said generally horizontal stowed position within said vehicle cab.

32. The method of claim 31 including detecting said roof door being moved to said open position and controlling said ram in response to detecting said door being moved to said open position to move said mast to said erect position.

33. The method of claim 31 including:

(a) locking said jacks in a retracted position when said leveling system is deactivated;

(b) unlocking said jacks at each surveillance site in response to a leveling system deactivation signal;

(c) generating a jack unlocked signal in response to the unlocking of said jack upon activation of said leveling system;

(d) braking said vehicle at said surveillance site prior to extension of said jacks of said leveling systems and generating a jack unlocked signal and a brake locked signal; and

(e) extending said jacks in response to said jack signal and said brake locked signal.

34. The method of claim 33 including monitoring said pressure of said jacks against the ground and continuously controlling said leveling system by extending said jacks until a set pressure is reached.

35. The method of claim 31 including controlling diagonally opposed front and rear jacks together during leveling of said vehicle in an interactive manner so that a high jack at a high corner of said vehicle is retracted and a low jack of a low corner of said vehicle is extended simultaneously until said prescribed level condition is reached, and thereafter, said high and low corner jacks are extended until said prescribed pressure is reached.

36. The method of claim 31 including monitoring the ambient environment to detect whether a high voltage condition exists in the environment, avoiding extension of said mast to said elevation position in the event a high voltage condition is detected.

37. The method of claim 31 including detecting a parked condition of said vehicle in which a park lever of a power transmission of the vehicle is in a parked position and activating said leveling system when said park condition is detected.

38. The method of claim 31 including controlling said leveling system to retract said jacks in response to said mast being moved to said telescope, retracted position;

(a) detecting said jacks reaching a retracted position; and

(b) operating said jack locks to lock said jacks in said retracted position.

39. The method of claim 31 including closing said roof door upon said mast being moved to said erect position, maintaining said door closed during said surveillance operation;

and opening said roof door in response to said mast being moved to said telescoped, retracted configuration and prior to said ram being operated to move said erect mast to said concealed configuration.

40. A method of controlling a leveling system of a four wheel vehicle and the like, said leveling system having a mechanical jack system with jacks arranged diagonally at corners of an x-axis of the vehicle, a jack drive for extending and retracting said jacks, level sensor means for sensing the level condition of the vehicle near the corners and generating an off-level signal at a corner when the level condition of said corner deviates from a prescribed vehicle level condition, pressure control means for sensing the amount of jack pressure of said jacks against the ground and generating a first pressure control signal if said jack pressure is below a preset pressure and generating a second pressure control signal if said jack pressure is greater than or equal to said preset said method comprising processing said off-level signals and said first and second pressure control signals to control said jack drive by:

(a) extending a low corner jack near a low corner in response to an off-level signal from said low corner and a first pressure signal from a high corner diagonally opposite said low corner;

(b) extending said high corner jack in response to a first pressure control signal from said high corner and said off-level signal from said lower corner;

(c) retracting said high corner jack in response to a second pressure control signal from said high corner and said off-level signal from said low corner;

(d) terminating extension of said low corner jack when the off-level signal is terminated; and

(e) terminating the extension and retraction of said high corner jack when said preset pressure is reached on said high corner jack.

42. The method of claim 40 including:

(a) controlling the jack drive in an absence of said off-level signals and in response to a jack pressure of at least one corner jack being less than said preset pressure by extending said jack until said jack pressure is equal to preset pressure.

41. A method of leveling a vehicle having jacks arranged near diagonally opposed corners of said vehicle having level sensors near said corners for sensing an off-level condition and generating an off-level signal and pressure sensor for sensing actual jack pressure of said jacks against the ground, said method comprising:

(a) controlling a low corner and a high corner jack at said diagonally opposed corners in response to an off-level signal at said low corner by first determining whether said jack pressure is greater or less than a preset pressure, if greater than said preset pressure, retracting said high corner jack, and if less than preset pressure, extending the low corner jack until said jack pressure of high corner jack is greater than or equal to said preset pressure, or said off-level signal is terminated;

(b) controlling the low corner and high corner jacks when jack pressure on the high corner jack is greater or equal to the preset pressure by retracting said high corner jack until jack pressure is below preset pressure;

(c) extending said low corner jack until said off-level signal is terminated or said high corner jack pressure is greater or equal to preset pressure;

(d) repeating the steps (a)-(c) if said high corner jack pressure is greater or equal to the preset pressure until the off-level signal is terminated; and

(e) terminating the steps (a)-(c) if said low corner jack extension is terminated in response to the off-level signal termination.