ACTIVE VEHICLE SUSPENSION

• US 20170072763A1
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hrovat, Davor David, Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Xu, Li, Filev, Dimitar Petrov
• Granted Patent: US 9,925,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/96 Presence, absence or inactivity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control

Abstract

A user device is identified as being operated by a vehicle occupant. An operation being performed by the user device is identified. A road condition is determined. A vehicle suspension is adjusted based at least in part on the identified user device operation and the road condition.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the computer to:

identify a user computing device being operated by a vehicle occupant;

identify an operation being performed by the user computing device;

determine a road condition; and

adjust a vehicle suspension based at least in part on the identified user computing device operation and the road condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to receive data from one or more user computing device sensors to identify the operation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the received data include at least one of user computing device acceleration, user computing device orientation, user computing device rotation rate, user input error rate, user input legibility, and user computing device location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to adjust a vehicle seat based on at least one of the road condition and the identified operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify a second operation of the user computing device and to adjust the vehicle suspension based on at least one of the operation and the second operation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation includes at least one of word processing, spreadsheet management, viewing content, gaming, and resting.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to adjust at least one of light intensity and volume of a vehicle entertainment system based on the identified operation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to adjust at least one of longitudinal smoothness of the vehicle suspension, the longitudinal smoothness being a measure of forward and backward movement of the vehicle;

lateral smoothness of the vehicle suspension, the lateral smoothness being a measure of left and right movement of the vehicle; and

vertical smoothness of the vehicle suspension, the vertical smoothness being a measure of up and down movement of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine a user input error rate of the operation, the user input error rate being a measure of input errors by the user, and adjust the vehicle suspension to reduce the user input error rate.

10. The system of claim 1, the instructions to alert the occupant when the occupant'"'"'s attention is needed.

11. A method, comprising:

identifying a user computing device being operated by a vehicle occupant;

identifying an operation being performed by the user computing device;

determining a road condition; and

adjusting a vehicle suspension based at least in part on identified user computing device operation and the road condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving data from one or more user computing device sensors to identify the operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the received data include at least one of user computing device acceleration, user computing device orientation, user computing device rotation rate, user input error rate, user input legibility, and user computing device location.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a vehicle seat based on at least one of the road condition and the identified operation.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying a second operation of the user computing device and to adjust the vehicle suspension based on at least one of the operation and the second operation.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the operation includes a processing, spreadsheet management, viewing content, gaming, and resting.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying at least one of light intensity and volume of a vehicle entertainment system based on the identified operation.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting at least one of longitudinal, lateral, and vertical smoothness of the vehicle suspension.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a user input error rate of the operation, the user input error rate being a measure of input errors by the user, and adjust the vehicle suspension to reduce the user input error rate.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising alerting the occupant when the occupant'"'"'s attention is needed.