Suspension Control Patents (Class 701/37)
  • Patent number: 9102208
    Abstract: A method of controlling a suspension system for a vehicle which comprises determining a first filter vehicle height based upon a signal from at least one sensor located at a rear axle of the vehicle at a first time. A second filter vehicle height is determined based upon a signal from the at least one sensor located at the rear axle of the vehicle at a second time. The difference between the first filter signal and the second filter signal is compared to a forklift threshold and the suspension system is placed in forklift mode when the difference between the first filter signal and the second filter signal exceeds the forklift threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holger Oldenettel, Harald Schaumburg, Volker Ihlein, Heidi Quinn-Buss
  • Patent number: 9085210
    Abstract: A system that helps to mitigate the risks associated with roadway debris is provided. The system uses an on-board sensor system to detect obstacles within the vehicle's pathway and an on-board controller and air spring suspension system to automatically increase ride height and road clearance when an obstacle is detected, thereby allowing the vehicle to potentially avoid the detected obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Yadunandana Yellambalase, Peter Dore Rawlinson
  • Patent number: 9084004
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle's display system is provided, where the system monitors the user's position within the vehicle's seat and automatically adjusts the location of the display to compensate for variations in the size or seating position of the user, thereby helping to alleviate the eye strain, fatigue, neck and back pain that often accompany the improper use of a monitor for an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Eric Obers
  • Patent number: 9073398
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a variable-damping-force shock absorber, a front wheel speed sensor, a rear wheel speed estimation device, a damping force control amount calculation device configured to calculate a damping force control amount for the variable-damping-force shock absorber according to frequency scalar quantities, when the front wheel speed detected by the front wheel speed sensors and the size of an amplitude of a frequency of the rear wheel speed estimated by the rear wheel speed estimation device are frequency scalar quantities, and a damping force control device configured to control the damping force of the variable-damping-force shock absorber on the basis of the damping force control amount calculated by the damping force control amount calculation device, the rear wheel speed estimation device prohibiting the estimation of the real wheel speed when a vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a high vehicle speed threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Patent number: 9061562
    Abstract: A suspension control apparatus includes a single-wheel model calculating unit that calculates a sprung speed and a stroke speed using a single-wheel model on the basis of a wheel speed variation detected by a wheel speed sensor and a damper control unit that controls the damping force of a variable damping force damper by setting a skyhook control target current and an unsprung vibration damping control target current of the variable damping force damper on the basis of the calculated sprung speed and stroke speed. When a slip determining unit determines that the wheel is in a slipping state based on deviation of a value detected by the wheel speed sensor from a wheel speed estimated by the vehicle body speed estimating unit by a predetermined value or more, the damper control unit suppresses skyhook and unsprung vibration damping control by fixing or gradually decreasing the control target currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukio Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 9037347
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and methods for controlling inclination in a vehicle. In certain aspects, inclination of the vehicle can be controlled with an inclination control processing section that includes a first control value limiting processing section which calculates a moving amount of the centroid, calculates a maximum angular acceleration, and limits a variation of the control value for inclination control on the basis of the maximum angular acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: EQUOS RESEARCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Hayashi, Yuji Takakura, Shinji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9035477
    Abstract: A linear energy harvesting device that includes a housing and a piston that moves at least partially through the housing when it is compressed or extended from a rest position. When the piston moves, hydraulic fluid is pressurized and drives a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor drives an electric generator that produces electricity. Both the motor and generator are central to the device housing. Exemplary configurations are disclosed such as monotube, twin-tube, tri-tube and rotary based designs that each incorporates an integrated energy harvesting apparatus. By varying the electrical characteristics on an internal generator, the kinematic characteristics of the energy harvesting apparatus can be dynamically altered. In another mode, the apparatus can be used as an actuator to create linear movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Clive Tucker, Ross Wendell, Zackary M. Anderson, Evan Moen, Johannes Schneider, Zachary J. Jackowski, Sean Morton
  • Patent number: 9026310
    Abstract: A predictive method of detecting the depth of water ahead of a wading vehicle comprises providing a wading sensor and an attitude sensor on the vehicle, and using this information to estimate the depth of water at a location ahead of the direction of vehicle movement. Corresponding apparatus is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Thuy-Yung Tran, Edward Hoare, Nigel Clarke
  • Patent number: 9026309
    Abstract: A variable-geometry suspension apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus having a resiliently compressible member, such as a coil-over damper, an actuator and support structure, such as a chassis of a vehicle. The resiliently compressible member is mounted to the support structure for compression under the weight of a mass suspendable by the apparatus. The compressible member is mounted with at least one end of the compressible member displaceable in a displacement direction having a component perpendicular to the direction of compression, so that such displacement varies the geometry of the suspension apparatus and thereby varies the compression of the compressible member. The actuator is arranged for displacing the end of the compressible member in the displacement direction to vary the geometry and thereby vary the compression. Applications include motor vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Imperial Innovations Limited
    Inventors: Simos Evangelou, Caspar Kneip, Daniele Dini, Olivier De Meerschman, Charalambos Palas, Alexandre Tocatlian
  • Patent number: 9020698
    Abstract: A suspension system for a traveling vehicle body is disclosed. The system includes a suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) for varying a reference position of a suspension stroke of the suspension mechanism (100), and a controller (35) configured to calculate an intermediate value from a maximal value corresponding to the maximal position of the suspension stroke and a minimal value corresponding to the minimal position of the suspension stroke, and to control the suspension reference position varying mechanism such that, when the calculated intermediate values deviates from a set target range, the intermediate value is displaced toward the target range. The controller (35) increases a control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is low, and reduces the control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Iwami, Shigeki Hayashi, Akihiro Matsuzaki, Toshimitsu Yazaki, Atsushi Hayashi, Kazuma Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20150105977
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control method of an air suspension system includes: sensing an error of a tire or an air spring; and controlling the height of a peripheral air spring based on the tire or the air spring in which the error occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Seung Chul LEE
  • Publication number: 20150105978
    Abstract: When an ECU carries out vehicle yaw motion control on such a vehicle that a conversion rate of converting the braking/driving force into a vertical force is larger on rear wheels than on front wheels, a driver-requested braking/driving force is distributed to the four wheels so that a distribution ratio is larger for the rear wheels than for the front wheels. Thus, when roll control necessary as a result of the vehicle yaw motion control is carried out, a target braking/driving force of a turning outer wheel for which the largest control driving force is required becomes hard to reach a driving limit. From the foregoing, when vehicle motion control is carried out with use of a braking/driving force of each wheel, each wheel is prevented from reaching a driving force limit as much as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi NAKATSU
  • Patent number: 9008891
    Abstract: A method of rationalizing a plurality of temperature sensors associated with a plurality of electrical systems of a vehicle includes: maintaining each of the respective electrical systems of the vehicle in a non-operational state for a predetermined period of time; receiving a temperature reading from each of the plurality of temperature sensors following the predetermined period of time; computing a master-reference temperature value from the plurality of received temperature readings; determining a difference between each of the respectively received temperature readings and the computed master-reference temperature value; comparing each determined difference to a threshold; and providing an indicator if one or more of the determined differences exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P Houle, Andrew M. Zettel, Kathryn E Mulligan, Paul A Adam
  • Patent number: 9008964
    Abstract: A device for road and urban mobility and for solving the problem of traffic congestion, installed on a vehicle in order to make traffic flow more fluid in and between cities. The device consists of a set of five electronic modules, including a processor. The processor analyzes and extracts positional data of the equipped vehicle from a satellite signal and sends the requests of same for an exchange with a server, bi-directionally. The device is incorporated into an onboard housing. The present device is intended, in particular, to make the traffic flow more fluid and to communicate with a dedicated server in order to guide the driver of the equipped vehicle during his/her journey from a start point to the point entered into the device as the desired final destination. The present device reduces traffic congestion and pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Meed Group, EURL
    Inventor: Gerard Mansour
  • Publication number: 20150100205
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle braking/driving force control apparatus for securing travel stability of a vehicle by priority when a slip occurs on a wheel for generating a braking/driving force while a plurality of motions are controlled. An electronic control unit identifies a slipping wheel having the maximum slip ratio (Si (i=fl, fr, rl, rr)) among wheels. The unit determines to increase or decrease a target roll moment (KmxMx) and a target pitch moment (KmyMy) for controlling a roll motion and a pitch motion, which are motions on the body in the vehicle vertical direction, so that the driving force on the slipping wheel has a direction to eliminate the slip state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Etsuo KATSUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150100206
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Mario GALASSO, Dennis K. WOOTTEN, Joseph FRANKLIN
  • Patent number: 9002578
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to judge a vehicle behavior or a driving preference of a driver based on acceleration of the vehicle including at least longitudinal acceleration. An acceleration value used in the judgment is obtained on the basis of a weighted detection value of the actual longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, and a weighted parameter which is varied by an operation to increase a driving force of the vehicle executed by the driver. A weight on the parameter is reduced in case a weight on the detection value of the longitudinal acceleration is increased, and the weight on the parameter is increased in case the weight on the detection value of the longitudinal acceleration is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Kaiji Itabashi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Tomohide Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20150094909
    Abstract: A method for operating a stabilizer arrangement which has two stabilizer modules and an actuator, wherein the stabilizer modules are arranged along an axle of a motor vehicle and are acted on by the actuator, wherein at least one kinematic variable of each wheel which is oriented in the vertical direction of the axle is determined, wherein by using a value of the at least one kinematic variable a value for at least one pilot control parameter is determined by a pilot control arrangement, which value is made available to a control cascade which includes an angle control module, a rotational speed control module and a power control module, wherein a value for a power control for operating the actuator is made available by the control cascade from the value for the pilot control parameter, which is dependent on the value of the kinematic variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Igor ILLG, Thomas MIRWALDT
  • Patent number: 8996249
    Abstract: A method for controlling an active suspension is disclosed. The method includes steps of determining a dimension of a road abnormality ahead of the vehicle; comparing the dimension with a vehicle dimension; responsive to the comparison, classifying the abnormality as one type of a plurality of predetermined types; responsive to a dimension of the abnormality, further classifying the abnormality as having a severity of one type of a plurality of predetermined types; and controlling the suspension responsive to the abnormality type and severity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Dimitar P. Filev, Davor Hrovat, Eric Hongtei Tseng, Uwe Hoffmann, Simon Baales, Michael Seeman
  • Publication number: 20150088378
    Abstract: A camera takes an image or images of a region including a vehicle (vehicle-in-front) running in front of a driver's own vehicle. A wheel information acquiring unit acquires the positional information of a wheel or wheels of the vehicle-in-front in the image taken by the camera. More specifically, the boundary between the wheels of the vehicle-in-front and the road surface. The processing for detecting the boundary is done by use of the difference in the brightness between the wheels and the road surface of the vehicle-in-front. A camera attitude correcting unit corrects the detected boundary by use of a self-calibration function, and a road surface condition estimating unit estimates the conditions of the road surface on which the vehicle-in-front is traveling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruhiko Sugai, Tomoyuki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150088379
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a suspension system capable of improving maneuverability and stability. A controller, which controls each of shock absorbers, includes a main control calculation unit, a longitudinal force reaction force calculation unit, a lateral force reaction force calculation unit, an addition unit, and a suspension reaction force consideration unit. The controller subtracts an output from a vertical force calculation unit including the longitudinal force reaction force calculation unit, the lateral force reaction force calculation unit, and the addition unit from an output from the main control calculation unit by the suspension reaction force consideration unit, thereby succeeding in calculating a vertical force applied between a vehicle body and each wheel as a value in consistency with an actual behavior of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Ryusuke HIRAO
  • Patent number: 8985594
    Abstract: A spring constant of each of four suspension springs and a shared load on each of four wheels are adjusted so that a sprung resonance frequency corresponding to two front wheels and a sprung resonance frequency corresponding to two rear wheels are mutually different. From among the four shock absorbers, only two shock absorbers provided corresponding to two wheels of lowered sprung resonance frequency, from among the two front wheels and the two rear wheels have respectively damping coefficient modification mechanisms that modify a damping coefficient serving as a reference of the magnitude of the damping force generated by the two shock absorbers. The behavior of the entire vehicle body can be effectively curbed by controlling the damping force exerted on the comparatively large movement of sprung sections corresponding to the two wheels. Thus a vehicle having both enhanced steering stability and enhanced ride quality can be configured comparatively inexpensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yabumoto
  • Patent number: 8989963
    Abstract: A method is provided in which the ride height of a vehicle is automatically increased when an on-board sensor system detects an obstacle within the vehicle's pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventors: Yadunandana Yellambalase, Peter Dore Rawlinson
  • Publication number: 20150081170
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a wheel speed sensor and a controller. The wheel speed sensor detects wheel speed. The controller estimates a sprung mass state based on information in a predetermined frequency region of wheel speed and controls an actuator to bring the estimated sprung mass state to a target sprung mass state. The controller calculates a first wheel speed as a reference wheel speed for individual wheels. The controller calculates a second wheel speed as a reference wheel speed of front and rear wheels. The controller calculates a third wheel speed as a reference wheel speed of all wheels. The controller calculates a reference wheel speed of each wheel. The controller detects that the estimation accuracy has deteriorated when a differential among reference wheel speeds of the wheels is equal to or greater than a prescribed value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Hironobu Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20150081171
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes: accessing a set of control signals, wherein at least a first control signal of the set of control signals includes a set of values associated a pressure applied to a vehicle component of a vehicle; accessing a set of predetermined vehicle component base-level pressure values associated with the vehicle component; comparing the set of values associated with a pressure applied to the vehicle component with the set of predetermined vehicle component base-level pressure values; based on said comparing, calculating an approximate shift in a center of gravity of the vehicle; monitoring a state of at least one valve; and based on the calculating and the monitoring, determining a control mode for said at least one vehicle suspension damper that, if actuated, would compensate the vehicle for the shift in the center of gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Everet Owen Ericksen, Paul Cox, Philip Tsiaras, Mark Larson, Mario Galasso, Matt McLellan
  • Patent number: 8983698
    Abstract: An in-vehicle apparatus for a vehicle driven by a first driving power source in a first driving mode and driven by a second diving power source in a second driving mode, includes: a collision detection device; a stopping device stopping the first and second driving modes when the collision detection device detects collision; a severity determination device determining a severity of collision indicative of a collision intensity; and a controller. Under a condition that the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the controller executes one of recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, and system shut-down according to the severity of collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kyojiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8981918
    Abstract: A warning system for a vehicle having an air suspension system can include an indicator, an event data recorder, and a controller. The controller can be configured to determine a load on a front axle and a rear axle when the vehicle is in a static condition and compare the determined load on the front and rear axles to a predetermined load threshold for each of the front and rear axles. A warning signal can be provided to the indicator indicative of at least one of the determined loads exceeding the corresponding predetermined load threshold upon the controller determining one of the determined loads exceeds the corresponding predetermined load threshold. Data indicative of at least one of the determined loads exceeding the corresponding predetermined threshold can be communicated to the event data recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventor: Satish Panse
  • Publication number: 20150073658
    Abstract: A method for operating a shock-absorber system with shock-absorber devices, in particular switching shock-absorber devices, wherein discretely selectable shock-absorber characteristic curves are provided. The method determines a driving behavior of the driver and/or of the motor vehicle on the basis of one or more driving state data items and/or one or more operating variables and, in automatic mode, automatically sets a shock-absorbing behavior of the shock-absorber system by selecting one of the selectable shock-absorber characteristic curves of the shock-absorber devices as a function of the determined driving behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Denis STOOF, Eckhard BABBEL, Ulrich SONNAK, Matthias KLÖPPING
  • Publication number: 20150073656
    Abstract: A bicycle component control apparatus is basically provided with a communication interface and a controller. The communication interface is configured to communicate with at least one electric bicycle component and at least one manually operated input member. The controller is electrically coupled to the communication interface, and programmed to control the at least one electric bicycle component based on operation of the at least one manually operated input member. The controller is programmed to decide an operation mode of the at least one electric bicycle component differently based on a number of manually operated input member coupled to the controller via the communication interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuichiro TAKAMOTO, Mao KURODA
  • Publication number: 20150073657
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that assist a user in performing proper setup of a vehicle suspension. A user may utilize a device equipped with an image sensor to assist the user in proper setup of a vehicle suspension. The device executes an application that prompts the user for input and instructs the user to perform a number of steps for adjusting the suspension components. In one embodiment, the application does not communicate with sensors on the vehicle. In another embodiment, the application may communicate with various sensors located on the vehicle to provide feedback to the device during the setup routine. In one embodiment, the device may analyze a digital image of a suspension component to provide feedback about a physical characteristic of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Mario GALASSO, Joseph FRANKLIN, Andrew LAIRD, Charles BASS, Ryan BAVETTA
  • Publication number: 20150061241
    Abstract: Suspension control and method for controlling a damper device of a bicycle that includes a damper device having a controllable damping valve. The damper device serves to dampen a relative motion between a first and a second component. A control device and a memory device are provided. The control device and the memory device define a characteristic damper curve which is characteristic of a correlation between a damping force and a characteristic parameter of the relative motion between the first and second components. At least one electric operating device is provided by means of which the defined characteristic damper curve can be modified in at least two sections of the characteristic damper curve while riding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: MARTIN WALTHERT, STEFAN BATTLOGG
  • Patent number: 8972108
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling a semi-active suspension system (1) for motorcycles are described. According to the present invention, the damping forces applied to controllable force generators (2, 3), such as controllable shock absorbers, provided to the front and the rear semi-active suspensions of a motorcycle are jointly controlled. In particular, the pitch velocity (Vp) of the suspended mass (Ms) is taken into account so as to jointly control the front and rear suspension systems of a motorcycle. The present invention allows the optimization of the global adherence of the motorcycle to the road surface and of the driving and the travelling comfort of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignees: Spring Off S.R.L.
    Inventor: Gerardo Acocella
  • Patent number: 8970142
    Abstract: A control apparatus (10) includes a position detection unit (108) which detects a position of a mover of a linear motor (20) based on a change in an output signal from a magnetic sensor (27), a position control unit (102) which calculates a speed command value based on the position of the mover detected by the position detection unit (108) and a position command value of an external input, an estimation unit (150) which estimates a moving speed of the mover from a current value of a current flowing to a plurality of coils of the linear motor (20), a speed control unit (104) which calculates a current command value based on the speed command value and the estimated moving speed, and a power converter (106) which supplies power to the plurality of coils according to the current command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 8972087
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a controller that configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of a vehicle and that configured to vary a running characteristic of the vehicle on the basis of the index, wherein the controller is configured to relatively delay a variation in the index in response to a variation in the running condition when the variation in the index decreases quickness of a behavior of the vehicle as compared with when the variation in the index increases the quickness of the behavior of the vehicle, and to correct the running characteristic on the basis of the index so that energy efficiency of a driving force source of the vehicle varies within a predetermined range depending on control over power output from the driving force source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Publication number: 20150057885
    Abstract: A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors are also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based vehicle conditions determined by sensor output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Louis J. Brady, Alex R. Scheuerell, Steven R. Franker, Aaron J. Nysse
  • Publication number: 20150057883
    Abstract: A driver advice system for a vehicle having at least one vehicle subsystem (12a-12e) comprises selection means (20) for receiving at least one driving condition indicator for the vehicle and for selecting, from a plurality of settings, a preferred setting for the at least one vehicle subsystem in response to the at least one driving condition indicator. The driver advice system includes an indication means for providing to the driver an indication of the preferred setting for one or more of the vehicle subsystems (12a-12e).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: James Kelly, Andrew Fairgrieve, Dan Dennehy, Elliot Hemes
  • Patent number: 8955565
    Abstract: Road-going assembly consisting of a vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle, and of a set of tires which are mounted on their mounting rim in order to be fitted to the front axle and the rear axle of this vehicle, the tires of the rear axle having grooves the mean depths of which are at least equal to 3 mm and at most equal to 5 mm, the tires of the front axle having grooves the mean depths of which are greater than 5 mm, this road-going assembly having, at least in the case of the rear axle, static setups (camber, toe-in) of close to zero, that is to say a camber of each wheel-tire assembly on the said axle of between ?0.8 degrees and +0.8 degrees and a toe-in at each wheel of between ?0.15 degrees and +0.15 degrees, the static setups of the tires of one and the same axle being equal in terms of absolute value and symmetric with respect to a plane perpendicular to the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Frédéric Perrin, Nicolas Levy
  • Publication number: 20150046031
    Abstract: A switchable mount system includes a switchable mount and an electronic control unit for switching the switchable mount between a first damping mode and a second damping mode. A method for controlling the switchable mount includes controlling the mount according to vehicle speed information, engine torque information, variable cylinder management information, and brake information. At least one of the damping modes may be tuned to damp vibrations approximately in the range approximately between 30 Hz and 60 Hz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Charles J. Gagliano, Hajime Igami, Daniel S. McCain, John Louis Kern, Christopher L. Steinmeyer, Stephen D. Ebert, Dennis J. Plank
  • Publication number: 20150046034
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor detects wheel speed. The controller estimates sprung mass state based on detected information in a prescribed frequency range. The controller controls a variable-damping force shock absorber to bring the estimated sprung mass state to a target sprung mass state. The controller estimates wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel. The controller determines the estimation accuracy of the sprung mass state has deteriorated when a rate of change of a stationary component extracted from components of wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel is detected to equal or exceed a prescribed value. The controller controls the variable-damping force shock absorber to a more limited extent than when the estimation accuracy has not deteriorated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Hironobu Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20150046035
    Abstract: A power source attitude control is performed to suppress changes in the sprung mass behavior of a vehicle, and damping force control for damping force variable shock absorbers is performed to suppress changes in the sprung mass behavior. When the stroke speed is low, the saturation degree of the damping force variable shock absorbers is set smaller than the saturation degree when the stroke speed is high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20150046033
    Abstract: The height of a vehicle can be estimated inexpensively by: detecting a wheel speed, which is a speed of each wheel; performing frequency analysis of the detected wheel speed of a pair of left and right wheels and calculating respective wheel speed characteristics of the left and right wheels at a gain-specific frequency; calculating a left-right wheel speed gain difference on the basis of the calculated wheel speed characteristics of the left and right wheels; and estimating the vehicle height on the basis of a corresponding relationship between a wheel height of the wheel with respect to a vehicle body and a value (wheel speed/road surface input gain) that is based on wheel speed and a road surface input that is inputted from the road surface to the wheels, and on the basis of the left-right wheel speed gain difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yoshimi, Shingo Koumura
  • Publication number: 20150046032
    Abstract: A vehicle having a system for determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle has or is about to enter water at a vehicle wading depth. In response to determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle has or is about to enter water at a vehicle wading depth, the system is configured to implement one or more vehicle control strategies. The system comprises at least one remote sensor configured to remotely detect the presence of water about or ahead of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Clarke, Edward Hoare, Thuy-Yung Tran
  • Patent number: 8954214
    Abstract: A motor assembly comprises an electric power train that is adapted to be connected to a power source and is also adapted to impart a torque to a wheel when the motor assembly is operating. The assembly further comprises a power determination means adapted to determine the amount of power supplied from the power source to the electric power train when the motor assembly is operating. In addition, the assembly comprises a rotational speed determination means adapted to determine a rotational speed of the wheel when the motor assembly is operating. Moreover, the assembly comprises a torque determination means adapted to determine a command torque value indicative of a requested torque to the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Pehrson, Sture Wingard
  • Patent number: 8954232
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a control portion configured to determine a single parameter based on a running condition of a vehicle, and determine control amounts for a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle based on the parameter. A relation of the control amount for each of the plurality of actuators to the parameter is predetermined. The control portion is configured to, when the parameter is determined, determine the control amounts for the respective actuators based on the parameter, and control the actuators based on the determined control amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Youji Kanehara, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Tomohide Kawasaki, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Publication number: 20150039183
    Abstract: A device may estimate crosswind by a vehicle controller according to driver steering inputs indicative of driver intention and crosswind disturbance inputs indicative of a potential crosswind condition. The device may, if the estimated crosswind exceeds a predetermined threshold, utilize the vehicle controller to correct the crosswind condition to reduce vehicle control demand on the driver, the automatic correction including at least one of a steering angle adjustment and suspension stiffness adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hsin-Hsiang Yang, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Jianbo Lu
  • Patent number: 8948968
    Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
  • Publication number: 20150032332
    Abstract: The present invention is provided with: a traveling state detection means that detects the traveling state of a vehicle; a target attitude control amount computation means that computes the target attitude control amount of the vehicle on the basis of the traveling state; a attitude control amount computation means that computes the attitude control amount controlled by an actuator other than a shock absorber on the basis of the target attitude control amount; and an damping force control means that controls the damping force of the shock absorber on the basis of the target attitude control amount and the attitude control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20150032333
    Abstract: In order to control a behavior generated on a body as a result of a travel of a vehicle, an electronic control unit controls rotation of each of in-wheel motors, thereby generating a predetermined braking force or driving force approximately the same in magnitude on each wheel. Meanwhile, the electronic control unit uses respective pipelines and a direction control circuit depending on the behavior generated on the body to connect fluid pressure cylinders on a fluid pressure supplying side and fluid pressure cylinders on a fluid pressure supplied side to each other for communication. As a result, the fluid pressure cylinders convert vertical forces of the body acting as component forces of a predetermined braking/driving force into hydraulic pressures and supply the fluid pressure cylinders with the hydraulic pressures, and the fluid pressure cylinders convert the supplied hydraulic pressures into vertical forces, thereby exerting the vertical forces on the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi Nakatsu
  • Patent number: 8938333
    Abstract: An active wheel damper. An active suspension damps vertical displacement of an unsprung mass in a frequency range and reduces vertical displacement of a sprung mass in another frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Amar G. Bose, Paul Bender, Marco Giovanardi, Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, William R. Short, Wade P. Torres, Upendra V. Ummethala, David J. Warkentin
  • Patent number: 8935047
    Abstract: A damping-force-adjustable-damper control device includes a target damping force setting unit which sets target damping force, a stroke position detecting unit which detects a stroke position of the damping-force adjustable damper, a stroke speed calculating unit which calculates a stroke speed, and a target output calculating unit which calculates a target output value to be output to the damping-force adjustable damper in accordance with an obtained target damping force and an obtained stroke speed. The control device also includes a processing-period setting unit which sets the processing periods of the stroke speed calculating unit and the target output calculating unit in accordance with a resonant frequency of unsprung mass, and which sets the processing period of the target damping force setting unit to be longer than the processing periods of the stroke speed calculating unit and the target output calculating unit in accordance with a resonant frequency of sprung mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigenobu Sekiya