Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight

• US 11,560,031 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2019
• Issued: 01/24/2023
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Niedert, Andrew, Lazarevski, Peter Simeon, Patel, Rinku, Rogness, Anton, Pearson, Elliott, Rajasingh, Joshua, Padilla, Salvador
• Primary Examiner(s): Whittington, Jess
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buse, Terry C
• Application Number:
  US16/264,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20190315179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0157 non-fluid unit, e.g. electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/017 characterised by their use when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. during loading, engine start-up or switch-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/021 the mechanical spring being a coil spring B60G17/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/02 Supply or exhaust flow rates; Pump operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/18 Automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/20 Stationary vehicle

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a vehicle controller configured to control a motor operatively coupled to a suspension system to raise or lower a vehicle. The vehicle controller is to also determine a first parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is unloaded. The vehicle controller is to also determine a second parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is at least partially loaded. The vehicle controller is to also calculate a weight of the vehicle based on the first and second parameters of the motor.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle controller to;

control a motor operatively coupled to a suspension system to raise or lower a vehicle;

determine a first parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to change a ride height of the vehicle when the vehicle is unloaded;

determine a second parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to change the ride height of the vehicle when the vehicle is at least partially loaded; and

calculate a weight of the vehicle based on the first and second parameters of the motor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is to control operation of the motor to adjust a spring seat.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a sensor to measure the first parameter when the vehicle is unloaded.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sensor is to measure the second parameter when the vehicle is at least partially loaded.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first and second parameters include i) a current, a voltage, or a power provided to the motor, or ii) a torque, or a force provided from the motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vehicle controller is to generate i) a first data relationship for the first parameter when the vehicle is unloaded, and ii) a second data relationship for the second parameter when the vehicle is at least partially loaded.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the vehicle controller is to generate the first and second data relationships by generating a first plot corresponding to the first data relationship, and a second plot corresponding to the second data relationship.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller is to determine the weight of the vehicle based on an offset between the first parameter of the motor from the first plot and the second parameter of the motor from the second plot.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first data relationship is between the first parameter and the ride height of the vehicle, and the second data relationship is between the second parameter and the ride height of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is to control the motor to cause (a) the ride height of the vehicle to be changed by a first distance when the vehicle is unloaded and (b) the ride height of the vehicle to be changed by a second distance when the vehicle is at least partially loaded, a value of the first distance and a value of the second distance being the same.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is to:

perform a comparison between the first parameter of the motor and the second parameter of the motor; and

calculate the weight based on the comparison.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a suspension system; and

a controller to;

control, via a motor, the suspension system to adjust a ride height of the vehicle;

perform a comparison of first and second parameters of the motor, the first parameter based on operating the motor to adjust the ride height of the vehicle when the vehicle is unloaded, the second parameter based on operating the motor to adjust the ride height of the vehicle when the vehicle is at least partially loaded; and

calculate a weight of the vehicle based on the comparison.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, further including sensors to determine the first and second parameters based on measuring one or more of electrical current, voltage, or power used by the suspension system in response to adjusting the ride height.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is to control the suspension system by causing a position of an actuator to be adjusted to adjust the ride height of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is to generate one or more data relationships between the first and second parameters of the suspension system, the first parameter in a first data relationship and the second parameter in a second data relationship.

16. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is to calculate the weight of the vehicle based on an offset of the comparison between the first and second parameters, the offset based on a difference between the first and second motor parameters, the first motor parameter associated with a first change in a distance of the ride height of the vehicle, and the second motor parameter associated with the first change in the distance of the ride height of the vehicle.

17. A tangible machine-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

control a motor operatively coupled to a suspension system to change a ride height of a vehicle;

determine a first parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is unloaded;

determine a second parameter of the motor while controlling the motor to raise or lower the vehicle when the vehicle is loaded; and

calculate a weight of the vehicle based on the first and second parameters of the motor.

18. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to determine the first parameter based on first sensor data generated when the vehicle is unloaded, and determine the second parameter based on second sensor data generated when the vehicle is at least partially loaded.

19. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first and second parameters include i) a current, a voltage, or a power provided to the motor, or ii) a torque, or a force provided from the motor.

20. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to generate i) a first data relationship for the first parameter when the vehicle is unloaded, and ii) a second data relationship for the second parameter when the vehicle is at least partially loaded.

21. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to generate the first and second data relationships by generating a first plot corresponding to the first data relationship, and a second plot corresponding to the second data relationship.

22. The tangible machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to determine the weight of the vehicle based on an offset between the first parameter of the motor from the first plot and the second parameter of the motor from the second plot.