Abstract: An air spring suspension system includes a first air spring that has a first volume with a first pressure that is configured to provide a first spring stiffness to a first suspension assembly. A second air spring has a housing with a second volume with a second pressure that is configured to provide a second spring stiffness to a second suspension assembly. The second air spring includes a piston that is arranged in the second volume. One of the housing and the piston includes a first mounting structure that is configured to connect to a vehicle chassis. Another of the housing and the piston includes a second mounting structure that is configured to connect to the second suspension assembly. The second air spring also includes a fluid connection on the housing. The second air spring further includes a crosslink valve that is disposed in the housing and movable between open and closed positions. The crosslink valve is configured to selectively fluidly connect the second volume to the fluid connection.

Abstract: An air suspension system which includes the ability to adjust the working air volume, pressure, and spring rate of one or more air springs to reduce or eliminate various types of vehicle oscillations. Switchable or variable volume air spring assemblies have the ability to change air spring volumes, which results in changes in air spring rates, and therefore changes in normal loads applied to each wheel. Changes in wheel normal loads change wheel traction (slip) and vehicle dynamics (pitch, roll, yaw displacement, rate and acceleration). The spring rate of one or more of the air spring assemblies is adjusted automatically when a vehicle oscillation is detected. This vehicle oscillation is calculated from the raw vehicle signals, or another vehicle module may detect the oscillation and send a command to the air suspension module to change the spring rates. This changes the natural frequency of the vehicle, dampening the oscillation.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system for a vehicle which has expanded functionality, where a pre-charge occurs in the brake system upon deactivation of the cruise control, reducing the time needed to generate pressure in each brake unit, reducing stopping distance. The pre-charge function involves generating pressure in each caliper of the brake system upon deactivation of the cruise control function of the vehicle, such that the hydraulic brake system is pre-charged prior to the driver of the vehicle applying force to the brake pedal, which reduces stopping distance. One aspect of the pre-charge function includes generating enough pressure such that the brake pads contact each corresponding rotor. Another aspect of the pre-charge function includes generating enough pressure such that the brake pads apply force to each corresponding rotor, providing a minimum amount of deceleration prior to the driver of the vehicle applying force to the brake pedal.

Abstract: An air suspension system which includes a Dynamic Load Transfer (DLT) function. DLT is a process of transferring vehicle load, or varying normal loads applied to each wheel of the vehicle, using switchable volume or variable volume air spring assemblies. Switchable or variable volume air spring assemblies have the ability to change air spring volumes, which results in changes in air spring rates, which result in changes in normal loads applied to each wheel. Changes in wheel normal loads change wheel traction (slip) and vehicle dynamics (pitch, roll, yaw displacement, rate and acceleration). Each air spring assembly may have multiple volume air chambers that are switched “on” and “off,” a variable volume air chamber, or the air spring assembly may be coupled with other air springs, or air chambers, that are switched or varied.

Abstract: An air spring suspension system includes a first air spring that has a first volume with a first pressure that is configured to provide a first spring stiffness to a first suspension assembly. A second air spring has a housing with a second volume with a second pressure that is configured to provide a second spring stiffness to a second suspension assembly. The second air spring includes a piston that is arranged in the second volume. One of the housing and the piston includes a first mounting structure that is configured to connect to a vehicle chassis. Another of the housing and the piston includes a second mounting structure that is configured to connect to the second suspension assembly. The second air spring also includes a fluid connection on the housing. The second air spring further includes a crosslink valve that is disposed in the housing and movable between open and closed positions. The crosslink valve is configured to selectively fluidly connect the second volume to the fluid connection.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system for a vehicle which has expanded functionality, where a pre-charge occurs in the brake system upon deactivation of the cruise control, reducing the time needed to generate pressure in each brake unit, reducing stopping distance. The pre-charge function involves generating pressure in each caliper of the brake system upon deactivation of the cruise control function of the vehicle, such that the hydraulic brake system is pre-charged prior to the driver of the vehicle applying force to the brake pedal, which reduces stopping distance. One aspect of the pre-charge function includes generating enough pressure such that the brake pads contact each corresponding rotor. Another aspect of the pre-charge function includes generating enough pressure such that the brake pads apply force to each corresponding rotor, providing a minimum amount of deceleration prior to the driver of the vehicle applying force to the brake pedal.

Abstract: An air suspension system which includes a Dynamic Load Transfer (DLT) function. DLT is a process of transferring vehicle load, or varying normal loads applied to each wheel of the vehicle, using switchable volume or variable volume air spring assemblies. Switchable or variable volume air spring assemblies have the ability to change air spring volumes, which results in changes in air spring rates, which result in changes in normal loads applied to each wheel. Changes in wheel normal loads change wheel traction (slip) and vehicle dynamics (pitch, roll, yaw displacement, rate and acceleration). Each air spring assembly may have multiple volume air chambers that are switched “on” and “off,” a variable volume air chamber, or the air spring assembly may be coupled with other air springs, or air chambers, that are switched or varied.

Abstract: An air suspension system which includes the ability to adjust the working air volume, pressure, and spring rate of one or more air springs to reduce or eliminate various types of vehicle oscillations. Switchable or variable volume air spring assemblies have the ability to change air spring volumes, which results in changes in air spring rates, and therefore changes in normal loads applied to each wheel. Changes in wheel normal loads change wheel traction (slip) and vehicle dynamics (pitch, roll, yaw displacement, rate and acceleration). The spring rate of one or more of the air spring assemblies is adjusted automatically when a vehicle oscillation is detected. This vehicle oscillation is calculated from the raw vehicle signals, or another vehicle module may detect the oscillation and send a command to the air suspension module to change the spring rates. This changes the natural frequency of the vehicle, dampening the oscillation.

Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission park control system for a vehicle comprises receiving a shift request from a transmission controller, wherein the shift request is not completed by the transmission and reporting the shift request from the transmission controller to the transmission park control system. Various vehicle sensors are monitored to detect motion of the vehicle. Detected motion and the shift request are compared to determine that a transmission park control brake action is desired. A brake system is requested to apply one of an electronic parking brake and/or a vehicle service brake to bring the vehicle velocity to zero and hold the vehicle velocity at zero.

Abstract: A vehicle stability control system operates by detecting a wheel speed potentially indicative of the presence of a mini-spare wheel at a wheel location of a vehicle with a wheel speed sensor and determines that a mini-spare tire is present responsive to the wheel speed remaining within a predefined band for predefined time. A threshold value that triggers action by a vehicle stability control system is adjusted to provide the mini-spare wheel with a value different than a wheel speed threshold value indicative of wheel slipping for a standard wheel.

Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission park control system for a vehicle comprises receiving a shift request from a transmission controller, wherein the shift request is not completed by the transmission and reporting the shift request from the transmission controller to the transmission park control system. Various vehicle sensors are monitored to detect motion of the vehicle. Detected motion and the shift request are compared to determine that a transmission park control brake action is desired. A brake system is requested to apply one of an electronic parking brake and/or a vehicle service brake to bring the vehicle velocity to zero and hold the vehicle velocity at zero.

Abstract: A control system to generate a yaw torque of an all-wheel drive vehicle comprises a brake control module 18. The brake control module 18 determines the desired powertrain torque 44 for the vehicle 10 based upon a plurality of factors including available torque from the powertrain. The brake control module 18 determines a first torque 44 and a second torque 26, wherein the first torque 44 and the second torque 26 are combined to provide the total desired yaw torque 49 of the vehicle 10. The first torque 44 is generated between wheels of the vehicle 10 by applying torque 44 from the powertrain 14 to different wheels 21 of the vehicle 10 and the second torque 26 is generated by applying different braking torque from a braking system 16 of the vehicle 10.

Abstract: A method of providing parked vehicle protection comprises determining if a vehicle ignition is in an off position and monitoring an exterior area proximate to a vehicle with a plurality of sensors when the vehicle ignition is off to detect an object proximate to the vehicle. The ECU determines whether the object is within a first object range and provides a first external warning when the object is within the first object range and determines whether the object is within a second object range and provides a second external warning when the object is within the second object range.

Abstract: A vehicle stability control system operates by detecting a wheel speed potentially indicative of the presence of a mini-spare wheel at a wheel location of a vehicle with a wheel speed sensor and determines that a mini-spare tire is present responsive to the wheel speed remaining within a predefined band for predefined time. A threshold value that triggers action by a vehicle stability control system is adjusted to provide the mini-spare wheel with a value different than a wheel speed threshold value indicative of wheel slipping for a standard wheel.

Abstract: A control system to generate a yaw torque of an all-wheel drive vehicle comprises a brake control module 18. The brake control module 18 determines the desired powertrain torque 44 for the vehicle 10 based upon a plurality of factors including available torque from the powertrain. The brake control module 18 determines a first torque 44 and a second torque 26, wherein the first torque 44 and the second torque 26 are combined to provide the total desired yaw torque 49 of the vehicle 10. The first torque 44 is generated between wheels of the vehicle 10 by applying torque 44 from the powertrain 14 to different wheels 21 of the vehicle 10 and the second torque 26 is generated by applying different braking torque from a braking system 16 of the vehicle 10.

Abstract: A method of providing parked vehicle protection comprises determining if a vehicle ignition is in an off position and monitoring an exterior area proximate to a vehicle with a plurality of sensors when the vehicle ignition is off to detect an object proximate to the vehicle. The ECU determines whether the object is within a first object range and provides a first external warning when the object is within the first object range and determines whether the object is within a second object range and provides a second external warning when the object is within the second object range.

Abstract: In an optimized hydraulic brake system, a pedal travel sensor is used to improve pedal feel. In order to improve pedal feel, a low pressure is detected in the brake booster and the brake hydraulic system is used to increase wheel pressure. This prevents the operator from having to exert an increasing large force on the brake pedal during a deceleration situation.

Abstract: In an optimized hydraulic brake system, a pedal travel sensor is used to improve pedal feel. In order to improve pedal feel, a low pressure is detected in the brake booster and the brake hydraulic system is used to increase wheel pressure. This prevents the operator from having to exert an increasing large force on the brake pedal during a deceleration situation.