Vehicle suspension augmentation devices, systems and methods

• US 9,665,418 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arnott T&P Holding, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arnott T&P Holding, LLC
• Inventors: Arnott, Adam M., Teichman, David P., Gardner, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Abby
• Application Number:
  US14/922,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/911 using a modification kit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/07 Inhibiting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for replacing a factory installed or similar air suspension controller in a vehicle with an augmentor, which sends correct status messages to the vehicle main computer when the air suspension is replaced with coil springs or shocks. The augmentor can includes a voltage regulator, an indicator and bus interface. At power on, the program initializes the microcontroller registers, timer registers, and control registers, then loop until an inquiry or command is received, then responds with status messages that are the same as the status messages sent by the original factory installed air suspension controller until power is removed.

Claims

1. A non-programmable augmentor module for replacing a vehicle air suspension controller comprising:

a connector to mate an augmenter module with an air suspension controller connector on a vehicle after the vehicle air suspension controller is disconnected;

a microcontroller within the augmentor module for executing a set of firmware instructions stored in read only memory to simulate the disconnected air suspension controller by responding to messages received from a vehicle main computer, the response comprising a simulated operation status message corresponding to the received message from the vehicle main computer, said instructions including an initial subset of instructions to initialize the microcontroller including an instruction to clear one or more microcontroller registers, a loop set of instructions to continuously monitor for an input message, and a status set of instructions to send the simulated operation status message in response to receiving the input message to said vehicle main computer, said simulated message stating that the air suspension controller is operating properly so that no advisory message or indicator light is displayed or lit on a dashboard of the vehicle; and

a bus interface integrated circuit to interface the microcontroller with the vehicle main computer, wherein the augmentor module is not programmable and does not interface with air suspension valves and sensors.

2. The augmentor module of claim 1, wherein the loop set of firmware instructions comprises:

a message type set of instruction for determining a type of message received and sending a message packet corresponding to the type of message received, the message packet and timing corresponding one of CAN bus, GM J1850 VPW bus, Ford UBP bus, ISO 9141 bus, and LIN bus.

3. The augmentor module of claim 2, wherein the loop set of instructions includes an instruction for checking a parity of the input message received.

4. The augmentor module of claim 1 wherein the bus interface comprises:

a bus interface selected from a group consisting of CAN bus, GM J1850 VPW bus, Ford UBP bus, ISO 9141 bus, and LIN bus.

5. The augmentor module of claim 1 further comprising:

a voltage regulator to regulate power supplied to the microcontroller.

6. The augmentor module of claim 1 further comprising:

an indicator illuminated by the augmentor module.

7. The augmentor module of claim 1, wherein the corresponding operation status message includes:

a good system status message sent to the vehicle main computer which prevents at least one of;

an error message from appearing on the vehicle dashboard and an error warning indicator light from being activated on the vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle main computer records that the air suspension system is running or has been replaced with another similar operational air suspension system.

8. A method for simulating a vehicle air suspension controller module comprising the steps of:

providing a non-programmable air suspension augmentor module with firmware for simulating the air suspension controller module when an existing air suspension system on a vehicle is replaced with coil spring or shock components, said firmware including instructions, said instructions including an initial subset of instructions to initialize a microcontroller including an instruction to clear one or more microcontroller registers, a loop set of instructions to continuously monitor for an input message, and a status set of instructions to send a simulated operation status message in response to receiving the input message to a vehicle main computer, said simulated message stating that the air suspension controller is operating properly so that no advisory message or indicator light is displayed or lit on a dashboard of the vehicle;

disconnecting the air suspension controller module from an air suspension controller connector;

replacing the vehicle air suspension controller module with the non-programmable air suspension augmentor module, the augmentor module including a non-programmable microcontroller and a connector to connect the augmentor module with the air suspension controller connector and an interface integrated circuit therebetween to interface the non-programmable microcontroller with the vehicle main computer;

connecting the air suspension augmentor module to the air suspension controller connector on a vehicle wiring harness; and

receiving messages at the augmentor module from the vehicle main computer via the vehicle wiring harness and sending a status message from the augmentor module in response based upon said instructions from said firmware, the status message consisting of a corresponding simulated operation status message, wherein the air suspension augmentor module is not connected to air suspension valves and sensors and is limited to receiving messages and sending simulated status messages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the providing step comprises the steps of:

providing the microcontroller executing a set of instructions to respond to the input message from the vehicle main computer with the corresponding simulated operation status message; and

providing a bus interface between the microcontroller and the vehicle main computer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing a bus interface comprises the step of:

selecting the bus interface from a group consisting of CAN bus, GM J1850 VPW bus, Ford UBP bus, ISO 9141 bus, and LIN bus.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

checking a parity of the input message received.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving step includes the step of:

determining a type of message received; and

sending a message packet corresponding to the type of message received, the message packet and timing corresponding one of CAN bus, GM J1850 VPW bus, Ford UBP bus, ISO 9141 bus, and LIN bus.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of sending the status message consists of the step of:

sending a good system status message to the vehicle computer which prevents at least one of;

an error message from appearing on a vehicle dashboard and an error warning indicator light from being activated on the vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle main computer records that a factory installed air suspension system is running or has been replaced with another similar operational air suspension system.

14. An augmentor module comprising:

an augmentor simulation module housing to replace an air suspension controller for a vehicle when a coil spring or shock absorber replaces an air suspension component, said housing including an augmentor microcontroller;

said augmentor microcontroller having-read-only memory and a set of preprogrammed firmware instructions stored in the read-only memory, wherein the augmentor module communication with a vehicle main computer is limited to receiving messages from the vehicle main computer and sending a simulated operation status message in response, said instructions including an initial subset of instructions to initialize the microcontroller including an instruction to clear one or more microcontroller registers, a loop set of instructions to continuously monitor for an input message, and a status set of instructions to send the simulated operation status message in response to receiving the input message to said vehicle main computer, said simulated message stating the air suspension controller is operating properly so that no advisory message or indicator light is displayed or lit on a dashboard of the vehicle, wherein installation of the augmentor module to replace the air suspension controller prevents at least one of;

an error message from appearing on a vehicle dashboard and an error warning indicator light from being activated on the vehicle dashboard since the augmentor module'"'"'s status message simulates a air suspension status message resulting in the vehicle main computer recording that an installed air suspension system is running or has been replaced with another operational air suspension system;

a connector to connect with a vehicle air suspension controller; and

an interface between the augmentor microcontroller and the connector to allow the microcontroller to communicate with the vehicle main computer.