SETTINGS ADJUSTMENTS OF OFF-ROAD VEHICLES

• US 20180281797A1
• Filed: 04/04/2017
• Published: 10/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Berels, David Jeffeory, Thornburg, Douglas B.
• Application Number:
  US15/479,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• 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 2300/07 Off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0511 Roll angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0512 Pitch angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/30 Propulsion unit conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/52 in tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/16 GPS track data
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/28 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/326 only left or right side
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/206 Control-by-wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/972 Electronic Differential Lock [EDS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/344 having a transfer gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/16 Axle differentials, e.g. for dividing torque between left and right wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 : Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 : Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 : Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/125 : Locking status
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 : Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for settings adjustments of off-road vehicles. An example vehicle includes a locking differential, a suspension, a communication module to collect a map of an off-road trail, and a GPS receiver to determine a vehicle location. The example vehicle also includes an obstacle identifier to detect, via a processor, an upcoming obstacle based upon the vehicle location on the map, and a mode adjuster to set the locking differential in a first setting and the suspension in a second setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a locking differential;

a suspension;

a communication module to collect a map of an off-road trail;

a GPS receiver to determine a vehicle location;

an obstacle identifier to detect, via a processor, an upcoming obstacle based upon the vehicle location on the map; and

a mode adjuster to set the locking differential in a first setting and the suspension in a second setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the mode adjuster sets the locking differential in an on-setting to cause vehicle wheels to rotate synchronously or an off-setting to enable the vehicle wheels to rotate asynchronously.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a display, a speaker, and an input device, wherein the mode adjuster instructs a driver via at least one of the display and the speaker to adjust at least one of the locking differential and the suspension via the input device.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further including:

a transfer case for transferring power from a transmission to axles; and

a transfer case sensor to determine a current transfer case setting.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein, when the obstacle identifier identifies that the upcoming obstacle is a mud hole, the settings adjuster sets the suspension setting in a high setting, the locking differential in an on-setting, and the transfer case in a high-lock setting.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the suspension includes a driver-side suspension and a passenger-side suspension to enable the mode adjuster to set the driver-side suspension and the passenger-side suspension asymmetrically.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein, when the obstacle identifier identifies that the upcoming obstacle is a lateral incline, the mode adjuster sets the locking differential in an on-setting, one of the driver-side suspension and the passenger-side suspension in a high setting, and the other of the driver-side suspension and the passenger-side suspension in a low setting based upon an angle of the lateral incline.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the settings adjuster further sets the locking differential and the suspension based upon a vehicle speed.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further including a gyroscope to determine at least one of a vehicle pitch angle and a vehicle roll angle.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a suspension sensor to detect a current suspension setting of the suspension and a locking differential sensor to detect a current locking differential setting of the locking differential.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further including at least one of a vehicle speed sensor and an accelerometer to detect a vehicle speed.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the mode adjuster sets a vehicle speed based upon the upcoming obstacle.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, further including wheel speed sensors to detect wheel speeds of wheels and tire pressure sensors to detect tire pressures of tires.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the communication module further collects weather conditions corresponding to the off-road trail.

15. A method for adjusting vehicle settings of off-road vehicles, the method comprising:

collecting a map of an off-road trail via a communication module of a vehicle;

determining a vehicle location via a GPS receiver;

detecting, via a processor, an upcoming obstacle based upon the vehicle location on the map; and

setting, via the processor, a locking differential in a first setting and a suspension in a second setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.

16. The method of claim 15, further setting, via the processor, a transfer case in a third setting and set a vehicle speed at a fourth setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.

17. A system comprising:

a vehicle including a locking differential, a suspension, a communication module, and a processor; and

a trail server to;

determine a vehicle location on a map of an off-road trail;

detect an upcoming obstacle based upon the vehicle location; and

send, based upon the upcoming obstacle, a signal to the communication module to cause the processor to set the locking differential in a first setting and the suspension in a second setting.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the trail server stores the map of the off-road trail and locations and characteristics of obstacles of the off-road trail.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the trail service updates the map and the characteristics of the off-road trail based upon information received from users of the off-road trail.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the signal sent by the trail server is to further cause the processor to set a transfer case in a third setting and set a vehicle speed at a fourth setting based upon the upcoming obstacle.