Method for allowing enhanced driver selection of suspension damping and steering efforts

• US 5,632,503 A
• Filed: 12/19/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Gordon, Christine L., Collins, Ronald J., Sackett, Ray A., Reimers, Steven J., Raad, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/574,483
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 280/707
• US Class Current: 280/5.503
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/10 Independent suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/42 Steering torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/184 Semi-Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/24 Steering, cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00

Abstract

A method for allowing enhanced driver selection of suspension damping and steering efforts for a motor vehicle includes the steps of presenting to a driver of the motor vehicle a plurality of suspension damping modes and steering efforts modes for the motor vehicle, allowing the driver to select only predetermined combinations of the suspension damping modes and steering efforts modes, and adjusting the suspension damping and steering efforts of the motor vehicle based on the predetermined combination selected by the driver, and automatically adjusting the modes based on predetermined conditions.

Claims

1. A method for integrating a plurality of vehicle dynamic systems for a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of vehicle dynamic systems from a group comprising a suspension damping system, a steering efforts system, a brake system and a traction control system for the motor vehicle;

allowing interaction between the vehicle dynamic systems; and

adjusting at least one of the vehicle dynamic systems based on predetermined conditions of at least another of the vehicle dynamic systems.

2. A method for allowing enhanced driver selection of suspension damping and steering efforts for a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

presenting to a driver of the motor vehicle a plurality of suspension damping modes and a plurality of steering efforts modes for the motor vehicle;

allowing the driver to select only predetermined combinations of the suspension damping modes and steering efforts modes; and

adjusting the suspension damping and steering efforts of the motor vehicle based on the predetermined combination selected by the driver.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the plurality of suspension damping modes comprises FIRM, damping, PLUSH damping and NORMAL damping.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the plurality of steering efforts modes comprises HIGH steering, LOW steering and NORMAL steering.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of allowing comprises allowing the driver to select one from the group comprising FIRM damping and HIGH steering, FIRM damping and NORMAL steering, PLUSH damping and HIGH steering, PLUSH damping and LOW steering, PLUSH damping and NORMAL steering, NORMAL damping and HIGH steering, NORMAL damping and LOW steering, and NORMAL damping and NORMAL steering.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 including the step of allowing the driver to select either the suspension damping mode or the steering efforts mode first and selecting the other one of the suspension damping modes or steering efforts mode second that form one of the predetermined combinations.

7. A method as set forth in claim 2 including the step of monitoring at least one predetermined condition after said step of adjusting.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of determining whether the at least one predetermined condition has been met.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of allowing the driver to select either the steering efforts mode or the suspension damping mode and enabling the selected mode once the at least one predetermined condition has been met.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of automatically changing the steering efforts mode or the suspension damping mode if the at least one predetermined condition has been met.

11. A method for allowing enhanced driver selection of suspension damping and steering efforts for a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

presenting to a driver of the motor vehicle FIRM, NORMAL and PLUSH damping modes and HIGH, LOW and NORMAL steering efforts modes for the motor vehicle;

allowing the driver to select only predetermined combinations of the FIRM, NORMAL and PLUSH suspension damping modes and HIGH, LOW and NORMAL steering efforts modes; and

adjusting the suspension damping and steering efforts of the motor vehicle based on the predetermined combination selected by the driver.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of selecting either the suspension damping mode or the steering efforts mode after said step of presenting.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of allowing the driver to select the NORMAL steering efforts mode or the HIGH steering efforts mode when the motor vehicle is in the LOW steering efforts mode.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of allowing the driver to select the NORMAL steering efforts mode when the motor vehicle is in the HIGH steering efforts mode or to select the HIGH steering efforts mode when the motor vehicle is in the NORMAL steering efforts mode.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of allowing the driver to select the FIRM damping mode when the motor vehicle is either in the NORMAL damping mode or the PLUSH damping mode and when the motor vehicle is either in the HIGH steering efforts mode or the NORMAL steering efforts mode.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of monitoring vehicle speed, wheel hop and vehicle roll of the motor vehicle.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of allowing the driver to select the LOW steering efforts mode when the motor vehicle is either in the NORMAL damping mode or the PLUSH damping mode and the motor vehicle is either in the NORMAL steering efforts mode or the HIGH steering efforts mode.

18. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of automatically changing the steering efforts mode to the NORMAL steering efforts mode when the motor vehicle is in the LOW steering efforts mode and the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined speed.

19. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of allowing the driver to select the suspension damping mode to the NORMAL damping mode when the motor vehicle is in the FIRM damping mode.

20. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of automatically changing the suspension damping mode to the FIRM damping mode when the motor vehicle is in the NORMAL damping mode and the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined speed.