Patents by Inventor Robert NEILSON

Robert NEILSON has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12623507
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system (100) for determining a suspension calibration of a vehicle (800). The control system (100) has one or more controllers (120) that receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle (800). One or more processors (130) determine, from the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration at a first location (320) ahead of the vehicle (800) and a second acceleration at a second location (330) ahead of the first location(320). The one or more processors (130) determine a suspension calibration of the vehicle (800) in dependence on the second acceleration. The actual acceleration of the vehicle (800) is measured at the first location (320) and compared with the first acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Neilson, James Robertson, Stefan Kojchev
  • Patent number: 12600189
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to receive an acceleration or deceleration demand signal from an automatic cruise control system, and request modification of one or more parameters of the vehicle suspension system in response to the received acceleration or deceleration demand signal. In this way, the vehicle suspension system may be modified in preparation for an acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, to inhibit or at least reduce the occupants of the vehicle experiencing an undesirable pitching movement of the vehicle during the course of the change in speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Nipun Payagalage-Don, James Robertson, Robert Neilson
  • Publication number: 20250313051
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to identify an upcoming speed limit change, and in dependence on the identified speed limit change, requesting modification of one or more parameters of the vehicle suspension system. This prepares the vehicle suspension to reduce pitch forwards/backwards at a time when an acceleration/deceleration can be expected, while allowing more composed vehicle suspension settings to be used at other times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Publication date: October 9, 2025
    Inventors: Nipun PAYAGALA, Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON
  • Publication number: 20250242650
    Abstract: A control system configured to control a damping force of an actuator of an active suspension system of a vehicle in response to an external disturbance of a wheel with which the actuator is associated, the control system comprising one or more controllers, wherein the control system is configured to: receive a sensed displacement parameter indicative of suspension displacement associated with the wheel; determine whether a condition is satisfied, during a suspension displacing phase associated with the external disturbance, wherein satisfaction of the condition requires a derivative of the sensed displacement parameter to be above a threshold, and wherein the threshold depends on an amount of displacement indicated by the sensed displacement parameter; and output a signal to control the damping force to be greater, during a suspension restoring phase associated with the external disturbance, than if the condition is not satisfied, in dependence on satisfaction of the condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 31, 2025
    Inventors: David RUIZ DIEZ, Connor BARCLAY, Robert NEILSON
  • Publication number: 20250242648
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to receive an acceleration or deceleration demand signal from an automatic cruise control system, and request modification of one or more parameters of the vehicle suspension system in response to the received acceleration or deceleration demand signal. In this way, the vehicle suspension system may be modified in preparation for an acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, to inhibit or at least reduce the occupants of the vehicle experiencing an undesirable pitching movement of the vehicle during the course of the change in speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 31, 2025
    Inventors: Nipun PAYAGALAGE-DON, James ROBERTSON, Robert NEILSON
  • Publication number: 20250229590
    Abstract: A control system configured to control a damping force of an actuator of an active suspension system of a vehicle in response to an external disturbance of a wheel with which the actuator is associated includes one or more controllers and is configured to: receive a sensed displacement parameter indicative of suspension displacement associated with the wheel; determine whether an entry condition is satisfied, based on the sensed displacement parameter exceeding an entry condition threshold; and output a signal to control the damping force to be greater, during a suspension restoring phase associated with the external disturbance, than if the entry condition is not satisfied, until an exit condition is satisfied, based on satisfaction of the at entry condition, wherein satisfaction of the exit condition is dependent on the sensed displacement parameter indicating an end of the suspension restoring phase, comprising the sensed displacement parameter being below an exit condition threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: David RUIZ DIEZ, Connor BARCLAY, Robert NEILSON
  • Publication number: 20250222735
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle, comprising one or more controllers, configured to receive a collision warning signal, and modify one or more parameters of the vehicle suspension system in response to the received collision warning signal. In this way, the suspension may be automatically configured in a manner which assists the driver in carrying out a vehicle manoeuvre to avoid a potential collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventors: Nipun PAYAGALAGE-DON, James ROBERTSON, Robert NEILSON
  • Publication number: 20240408927
    Abstract: A control system configured to control a damping force of an actuator of an active suspension system of a vehicle in response to an external disturbance of a wheel with which the actuator is associated, includes one or more controllers and configured to: receive a sensed displacement parameter indicative of suspension displacement associated with the wheel; determine whether a condition is satisfied, wherein satisfaction of the condition requires the sensed displacement parameter to indicate a transition from a suspension displacing phase associated with the external disturbance to a suspension restoring phase associated with the external disturbance, and wherein satisfaction of the condition depends on an amount of suspension displacement indicated by the sensed displacement parameter; and output a signal to control the damping force to be greater, during the suspension restoring phase associated with the external disturbance, than if the condition is not satisfied, in dependence on satisfaction of the condi
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: David RUIZ DIEZ, Connor BARCLAY, Robert NEILSON
  • Patent number: 12138979
    Abstract: A control system (400) is provided for an adjustable suspension of a vehicle (100). The adjustable suspension is operable in at least two different configurations. The control system is configured to receive route data (110) indicative of an expected route of the vehicle, receive map data (120) comprising road type information for a road section of the expected route, and output a switch signal to instruct the adjustable suspension (104) to switch between the two different configurations in dependence on the expected route and the road type information, before the vehicle (100) reaches the road section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Stefan Kojchev, Robert Neilson, James Robertson, Phil Guest
  • Publication number: 20230311606
    Abstract: A control system (400) is provided for an adjustable suspension of a vehicle (100). The adjustable suspension is operable in at least two different configurations. The control system is configured to receive route data (110) indicative of an expected route of the vehicle, receive map data (120) comprising road type information for a road section of the expected route, and output a switch signal to instruct the adjustable suspension (104) to switch between the two different configurations in dependence on the expected route and the road type information, before the vehicle (100) reaches the road section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Stefan KOJCHEV, Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON, Phil GUEST
  • Publication number: 20220185053
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system (100) for determining a suspension calibration of a vehicle (800). The control system (100) has one or more controllers (120) that receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle (800). One or more processors (130) determine, from the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration at a first location (320) ahead of the vehicle (800) and a second acceleration at a second location (330) ahead of the first location(320). The one or more processors (130) determine a suspension calibration of the vehicle (800) in dependence on the second acceleration. The actual acceleration of the vehicle (800) is measured at the first location (320) and compared with the first acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON, Stefan KOJCHEV
  • Patent number: 11091000
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system includes: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port connected by a first hydraulic circuit to the first chamber via a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; and a second hydraulic accumulator connected to the first port by a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first port to the second hydraulic accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Luke Birch, Robert Neilson, James Robertson, Sam Brown
  • Patent number: 11084350
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system including: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port, a first hydraulic circuit operable to connect the first port to the first chamber, the first hydraulic circuit including a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to a first gallery of the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; a second hydraulic accumulator connected to a second port of the pump via a second gallery; and a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first gallery to the second gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Luke Birch, Sam Brown, Robert Neilson, James Robertson
  • Patent number: 11059342
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system includes: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port connected by a first hydraulic circuit to the first chamber via a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; and a second hydraulic accumulator connected to the first port by a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first port to the second hydraulic accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Luke Birch, Sam Brown, Robert Neilson, James Robertson
  • Publication number: 20190084368
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system includes: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port connected by a first hydraulic circuit to the first chamber via a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; and a second hydraulic accumulator connected to the first port by a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first port to the second hydraulic accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Luke BIRCH, Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON, Sam BROWN
  • Publication number: 20190084366
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system includes: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port connected by a first hydraulic circuit to the first chamber via a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; and a second hydraulic accumulator connected to the first port by a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first port to the second hydraulic accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Luke BIRCH, Sam BROWN, Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON
  • Publication number: 20190084367
    Abstract: An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system including: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port, a first hydraulic circuit operable to connect the first port to the first chamber, the first hydraulic circuit including a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to a first gallery of the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; a second hydraulic accumulator connected to a second port of the pump via a second gallery; and a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first gallery to the second gallery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Luke BIRCH, Sam BROWN, Robert NEILSON, James ROBERTSON