Device and method for proactive control of a vibration damping system of a vehicle
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling a vibration damping system of a vehicle, comprising:
- detecting a profile of a road surface with a sensor;
identifying an upcoming change in height of a portion of the detected road surface;
determining whether the change in height meets or exceeds a threshold;
if the change in height meets or exceeds the threshold, selecting a road surface profile classification from a plurality of predetermined classifications stored in an electronic memory, based on the change in height of the detected road surface profile; and
adjusting a damping force of the damping system based on the selected classification by setting a characteristic curve of the damping system to have a maximum value of damping prior to and during a first period corresponding to interaction of a wheel of the vehicle with a leading edge of the portion of the detected road surface and setting the characteristic curve to have a minimum value of damping prior to and during a second period after the first period and corresponding to interaction of the wheel of the vehicle with a trailing edge of the portion of the detected road surface.
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Abstract
A vehicle can have a vibration damping system, which has a characteristic curve that is adjustable. To control the characteristic curve of the vibration damping system, information regarding a profile of a road surface in front of the vehicle is detected. At least a portion of the road surface profile can be classified according to a change in height and a length of the portion. The classification can be based on the detected information. Based on the classification of the road surface profile, the characteristic curve of the vibration damping system of the vehicle can be adjusted.
87 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a vibration damping system of a vehicle, comprising:
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detecting a profile of a road surface with a sensor; identifying an upcoming change in height of a portion of the detected road surface; determining whether the change in height meets or exceeds a threshold; if the change in height meets or exceeds the threshold, selecting a road surface profile classification from a plurality of predetermined classifications stored in an electronic memory, based on the change in height of the detected road surface profile; and adjusting a damping force of the damping system based on the selected classification by setting a characteristic curve of the damping system to have a maximum value of damping prior to and during a first period corresponding to interaction of a wheel of the vehicle with a leading edge of the portion of the detected road surface and setting the characteristic curve to have a minimum value of damping prior to and during a second period after the first period and corresponding to interaction of the wheel of the vehicle with a trailing edge of the portion of the detected road surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle vibration damping system comprising:
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a sensor configured to detect information about a profile of a road surface in front of a vehicle; and at least one controller operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to classify at least a portion of the road surface profile in one of a plurality of road surface profile classifications based on a comparison of at least one of detected height and length features of the profile to at least one of predetermined height and length thresholds, respectively, the at least one controller further configured to adjust damping responsively to the classification of the profile by setting a characteristic curve of the damping system to have a maximum value of damping prior to and during a first period corresponding to interaction of a wheel of the vehicle with a leading edge of the portion of the road surface profile and setting the characteristic curve to have a minimum value of damping prior to and during a second period after the first period and corresponding to interaction of the wheel of the vehicle with a trailing edge of the portion of the road surface profile. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicle vibration damping system comprising:
a controller operatively coupled to a variable damping system, The controller being configured to; receive signals regarding detection of at least one of height and length features of a profile of a road surface in front of a vehicle; compare at least a portion of the road surface profile based on the detected height or length features of the profile to respective predetermined height and length thresholds stored in an electronic memory operatively associated with the at least one controller; classify at least the portion of the road surface profile based on the comparison; and modify, a damping force of the damping system based on classified portion of the road surface profile by setting a characteristic curve of the damping system to have a maximum value of damping prior to and during a first period corresponding to interaction of wheel of the vehicle with a leading edge of the portion of the road surface profile and setting the characteristic curve to have a minimum value of damping prior to and during a second period after the first period and corresponding to interaction of the wheel of the vehicle with a trailing edge of the portion of the road surface profile. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
Specification