Vehicle control method and related apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle control method and a related apparatus, which are applied to the technical field of vehicle control. The method comprises: acquiring road surface elevation information, wherein the road surface elevation information comprises the heights of a plurality of sampling points on a road surface ahead of a wheel; on the basis of the height change condition of the plurality of sampling points, identifying a pothole on the road surface ahead of the wheel in advance; and when it is identified that there is a pothole on the road surface ahead of the wheel, executing a corresponding tire-blowout prevention control strategy, so as to avoid or reduce the impact of the pothole on a tire, thereby preventing tire blowout. In this way, the road surface elevation information is used in pothole identification, the acquisition and processing of the road surface elevation information are relatively simple, and thus the complexity of road surface pothole identification can be reduced.

Description

A vehicle control method and related device Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle control technology, and in particular to a vehicle control method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] As the only part of a vehicle that interacts with the road surface, tires are extremely important for vehicle protection and maintenance. When a vehicle is driving on a road with potholes, if the tire hits the edge of the pothole, the enormous impact force can cause the tire to bulge or even burst. After a tire blowout, the vehicle may veer off course, fishtail, lose control, and other serious safety risks.

[0003] Some solutions utilize computer vision, vehicle-mounted radar, and neural network technologies to process road images and identify potholes. Vehicles then reduce or avoid the impact of pothole edges on their tires by slowing down or driving around them. However, these identification methods require sophisticated hardware and software computing power, making them complex to implement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a vehicle control method and related device that can reduce the complexity of road surface pothole recognition.

[0005] Firstly, this application provides a vehicle control method. This method can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels. The method includes: acquiring road surface elevation information, including the heights of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels; determining a first identification result, the first identification result indicating whether a pothole exists on the road surface in front of the wheels, the first identification result being correlated with the height variation among the multiple sampling points; and executing a first run-flat tire control strategy when the first identification result indicates the presence of a pothole on the road surface in front of the wheels.

[0006] In this context, the road surface in front of the wheel can be understood as the road surface in the direction of the wheel's travel, or as the road surface that the wheel is about to pass over (or contact). A sampling point is a point on the road surface in front of the wheel, and the height of the sampling point can be understood as the distance from the sampling point vertically to the base surface. Optionally, the base surface can be a predefined horizontal plane.

[0007] The first recognition result can be understood as the recognition result obtained by performing road surface pothole identification based on the height changes between multiple sampling points. Specifically, it can be determined whether the height changes between multiple sampling points indicate a pothole. For example, if the height changes between multiple sampling points match a pothole scene, it can be determined that the multiple sampling points correspond to a pothole, and thus the first recognition result can indicate that there is a pothole on the road surface in front of the wheel. Conversely, if the height changes between multiple sampling points do not match a pothole scene, it can be determined that the multiple sampling points do not correspond to a pothole, and thus the first recognition result can indicate that there is no pothole on the road surface in front of the wheel.

[0008] The first run-flat tire control strategy can be understood as the run-flat tire control strategy corresponding to the first identification result. When the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in front of the wheel, the first run-flat tire control strategy is executed. This strategy is used to avoid or reduce the impact of the pothole on the tire, thereby preventing a tire blowout.

[0009] The above method acquires road surface elevation information, including the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels. Based on the height variations between these sampling points, potholes in front of the wheels can be identified in advance. Upon detection of a pothole, a first run-flat tire control strategy can be implemented to prevent tire blowout. Thus, the pothole identification process utilizes road surface elevation information, which is relatively simple to acquire and process, eliminating the need for complex processes such as collecting road surface images and using neural networks to identify potholes in those images, thereby reducing the complexity of pothole identification.

[0010] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the first identification result is related to the height variation among multiple sampling points, including: the multiple sampling points comprising N first sampling points and M second sampling points, the first identification result indicating the presence of a pothole in front of the wheel. Wherein, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points. The maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, where the first slope is negative. The maximum height difference among the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to a second slope, where the second slope is positive.

[0011] The first threshold can be understood as representing the minimum height (or minimum depth) of the downward pit edge, or as indicating the height requirement (or depth requirement) of the downward pit edge. For example, the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points can be the height difference between the highest and lowest height of the N first sampling points.

[0012] By comparing the maximum height difference between N first sampling points with the first threshold, it can be determined whether the maximum height difference between N first sampling points meets the height requirement of the downward pit edge, thus determining whether the N first sampling points meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge.

[0013] For example, if the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to the first threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points meets the height requirement of the downward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the N first sampling points meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge. Conversely, if the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is less than the first threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points does not meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the N first sampling points do not meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge.

[0014] The first slope can be understood as the maximum slope between sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge, or as a slope requirement used to indicate the downward pit edge. For example, the slope between two sampling points can be the slope of the line connecting the two sampling points, which is related to the height change between the two sampling points and can reflect the trend of height change between the two sampling points (e.g., decreasing or increasing).

[0015] For example, if two sampling points have the same height (i.e., the height of the later sampling point equals the height of the first sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is 0. Conversely, if the heights of two sampling points decrease sequentially (i.e., the height of the later sampling point is lower than the height of the earlier sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is negative. And if the heights of two sampling points increase sequentially (i.e., the height of the later sampling point is higher than the height of the earlier sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is positive.

[0016] It should be understood that the height of multiple sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge can be considered to be continuously decreasing overall, so the slope between sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge can be considered to be negative.

[0017] By comparing the slope between two first sampling points out of N first sampling points with the magnitude of the first slope, it can be determined whether the slope between the two first sampling points meets the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, thus determining whether the N first sampling points meet the slope requirement of the downward pit edge.

[0018] For example, if at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to the first slope, then it can be determined that the slope between at least two of the N first sampling points satisfies the slope requirement for the downward pitfall, thus determining that the N first sampling points satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall. Conversely, if the slope between all the N first sampling points is greater than the first slope, then it can be determined that the slope between any of the N first sampling points does not satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall, thus determining that the N first sampling points do not satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall.

[0019] Optionally, if the N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, then the N first sampling points can be determined to correspond to the downward pit edge. In other words, when the maximum height difference between the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, then the N first sampling points can be determined to correspond to the downward pit edge.

[0020] The second threshold can be understood as representing the minimum height (or minimum depth) of the upward pit edge, or it can be understood as indicating the height requirement (or depth requirement) of the upward pit edge. For example, the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points can be the height difference between the highest and lowest height of the M second sampling points.

[0021] By comparing the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points with the second threshold, it can be determined whether the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points meets the height requirement of the upward pit edge, thus determining whether the M second sampling points meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge.

[0022] For example, if the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points meets the height requirement of the upward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the M second sampling points meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge. Conversely, if the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is less than the second threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points does not meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the M second sampling points do not meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge.

[0023] The second slope can be understood as the minimum slope between sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge, or as an indicator of the slope requirement for the upward pit edge. It should be understood that the height of multiple sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge can be considered to be continuously increasing overall, therefore the slope between two sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge can be considered to be a positive value.

[0024] By comparing the slope between two second sampling points out of M second sampling points with the magnitude of the second slope, it can be determined whether the slope between the two second sampling points meets the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, and thus determine whether the M second sampling points meet the slope requirement of the upward pit edge.

[0025] For example, if at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to the second slope, then it can be determined that the slope between at least two of the M second sampling points satisfies the slope requirement for the upward pit edge, thus determining that the M second sampling points satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge. Conversely, if the slope between all the M second sampling points is less than the second slope, then it can be determined that the slope between any of the M second sampling points does not satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge, thus determining that the M second sampling points do not satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge.

[0026] Optionally, if the M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, it can be determined that the M second sampling points correspond to the upward pit edge. In other words, when the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and there are at least two second sampling points among the M second sampling points whose slope is greater than or equal to the second slope, it can be determined that the M second sampling points correspond to the upward pit edge.

[0027] The fact that M second sampling points are after N first sampling points can be understood as the sampling time of the M second sampling points being later than the sampling time of the N first sampling points.

[0028] Optionally, if the above multiple sampling points include both the sampling point corresponding to the downward pit edge and the sampling point corresponding to the upward pit edge, and the sampling point corresponding to the upward pit edge is after the sampling point corresponding to the downward pit edge, it can be determined that the above multiple sampling points correspond to a pit, and thus the above first identification result indicates that there is a pit on the road surface in front of the wheel.

[0029] The above implementation method allows for the identification of potholes in front of a vehicle by determining whether multiple sampling points sequentially include sampling points corresponding to both the downward and upward pothole edges. The determination process comprehensively considers the height and slope requirements of both the downward and upward pothole edges, thus improving the accuracy of pothole identification.

[0030] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the height of a first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and a first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold. The maximum height difference among N first sampling points is the sum of the first height differences. The height of a second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and a second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. The maximum height difference among M second sampling points is the sum of the second height differences.

[0031] The slope between the first sampling points can be compared to the height of the previous sampling point to determine whether it meets the slope requirement for a downward pitfall. For example, if the height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of the previous sampling point, then the slope between the first sampling points meets the slope requirement for a downward pitfall. Conversely, if the height of the first sampling point is not lower than the height of the previous sampling point, then the slope between the first sampling points does not meet the slope requirement for a downward pitfall.

[0032] The third threshold can be understood as the minimum height difference between two adjacent sampling points along the downward slope, or as an indication of the required slope along the downward slope. The first height difference refers to the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor. By accumulating the first height differences, the maximum height difference between N first sampling points can be obtained.

[0033] The height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor can be compared with a third threshold to determine whether the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit is met. For example, if the first height difference is greater than or equal to the third threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor meets the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit. Conversely, if the first height difference is less than the third threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor does not meet the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit.

[0034] Optionally, if the slope between the first sampling points satisfies the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, and the height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point satisfies the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, then it can be determined that N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge. In other words, when the height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the third threshold, it can be determined that N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, thus identifying the downward pit edge corresponding to the N first sampling points.

[0035] The slope between the second sampling points can be compared to the height of the previous sampling point to determine whether it meets the upward slope requirement. For example, if the height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of the previous sampling point, then the slope between the second sampling points meets the upward slope requirement. Conversely, if the height of the second sampling point is not higher than the height of the previous sampling point, then the slope between the second sampling points does not meet the upward slope requirement.

[0036] The fourth threshold can be understood as the minimum height difference between two adjacent sampling points corresponding to the upward slope of the pit, or as an indication of the slope requirement for the upward slope. The second height difference refers to the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor. By accumulating the second height differences, the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points can be obtained.

[0037] The height difference between a second sampling point and its predecessor can be compared with a fourth threshold to determine whether the slope requirement for the upward slope of the pit is met. For example, if the second height difference is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor meets the slope requirement for the upward slope of the pit. Conversely, if the second height difference is less than the fourth threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor does not meet the slope requirement for the upward slope of the pit.

[0038] Optionally, if the slope between the second sampling points satisfies the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, and the height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point satisfies the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, then it can be determined that M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge. In other words, when the height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the second height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, it can be determined that M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, thus identifying the upward pit edge corresponding to the M second sampling points.

[0039] Through the above implementation method, it is possible to determine whether N first sampling points correspond to a downward pothole edge by comparing the height of the first sampling point with the height of its predecessor, and by comparing the first height difference (i.e., the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor) with a third threshold. Similarly, it is possible to determine whether M second sampling points correspond to an upward pothole edge by comparing the height of the second sampling point with the height of its predecessor, and by comparing the second height difference (i.e., the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor) with a fourth threshold. The determination process comprehensively considers the height, slope, and gradient requirements for both downward and upward pothole edges, thus improving the accuracy of road surface pothole identification.

[0040] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. The first run-flat tire control strategy includes increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0041] The damping of the suspension is positively correlated with the damper current. For example, if the damper current increases, the suspension damping also increases. Conversely, if the damper current decreases, the suspension damping also decreases. The suspension damping can be increased by increasing the damper current. Optionally, the damper current can be adjusted to the maximum current of the damper. Alternatively, the damper current can be adjusted to a value greater than a target current, which can be preset or pre-calibrated.

[0042] The stiffness of the suspension is positively correlated with the stiffness of the air springs. For example, if the stiffness of the air springs increases, the stiffness of the suspension also increases. Conversely, if the stiffness of the air springs decreases, the stiffness of the suspension also decreases. The stiffness of the suspension can be increased by increasing the stiffness of the air springs. Optionally, the stiffness of the air springs can be adjusted to the maximum stiffness of the air springs, for example, by adjusting the air spring stiffness setting to the maximum stiffness setting. Alternatively, the stiffness of the air springs can be adjusted to a level greater than a target stiffness, for example, by adjusting the air spring stiffness setting to a level greater than the target stiffness setting. The target stiffness and target setting can be preset or pre-calibrated.

[0043] Through the above implementation method, the suspension is used to connect the vehicle body and the wheels. By increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, the vehicle body can "hold" the tires to prevent them from jumping down, thereby helping to prevent the tires from hitting the edge of potholes and reducing the impact on the tires, thus achieving run-flat tire control.

[0044] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. The first run-flat tire control strategy includes: determining the length of the pothole; obtaining a calibration result correlated with the length and the current vehicle speed; the calibration result indicating whether a tire impact will occur in a first scenario when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the length at the current vehicle speed; and adjusting at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension based on the calibration result. The first scenario includes either increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension or not increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension.

[0045] Through the above implementation method, a run-flat tire control strategy can be executed based on the calibration results corresponding to the length of the dent and the current vehicle speed. Since the calibration results have been tested and verified, run-flat tire control can be achieved more effectively based on the calibration results.

[0046] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, adjusting at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on calibration results includes: increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current vehicle speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased; or not increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current vehicle speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased; or not increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current vehicle speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is not increased.

[0047] For example, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur even with increased suspension damping, then the suspension damping will be increased. Similarly, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur even with increased suspension stiffness, then the suspension stiffness will be increased. Likewise, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur even with increased suspension damping and stiffness, then both suspension damping and stiffness will be increased.

[0048] For example, if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact would occur if the suspension damping is increased when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, then the suspension damping will not be increased. Similarly, if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact would occur if the suspension stiffness is increased when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, then the suspension stiffness will not be increased. Furthermore, if the calibration results indicate that a tire impact would occur if both suspension damping and stiffness are increased when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, then the suspension damping and stiffness will not be increased.

[0049] For example, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the suspension damping, then the suspension damping will not be increased. Similarly, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the suspension stiffness, then the suspension stiffness will not be increased. Furthermore, if the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the suspension damping and stiffness, then the suspension damping and stiffness will not be increased.

[0050] Through the above implementation method, a run-flat tire control strategy can be executed based on the calibration results corresponding to the length of the dent and the current vehicle speed. Since the calibration results have been tested and verified, run-flat tire control can be achieved more effectively based on the calibration results.

[0051] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. The method further includes: if a first identification result indicates that there are no potholes in the road surface ahead of the wheels, acquiring the speed of the suspension, the speed of the suspension being related to changes in suspension height, and executing a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the changes in suspension speed.

[0052] In certain special road conditions (such as waterlogged or snow-covered roads), accurate road elevation information may be difficult to obtain, and consequently, the first identification result may contain misidentifications. Road surface potholes can be identified using suspension speed variations to obtain a second identification result, which can then be used to correct the first identification result. The second run-flat tire control strategy can be understood as the run-flat tire control strategy corresponding to the second identification result.

[0053] Specifically, the system can determine whether a wheel is traversing a pothole (or has fallen into one) based on changes in suspension speed. For example, if the suspension speed changes match a pothole scenario, it can be determined that the wheel is traversing a pothole, and the appropriate run-flat tire control strategy can be executed. Conversely, if the suspension speed changes do not match a pothole scenario, it can be assumed that the wheel is not traversing a pothole, and the run-flat tire control strategy can be disregarded.

[0054] Through the above implementation method, if the first recognition result indicates that there are no potholes on the road surface in front of the wheel, potholes can be further identified based on the speed change of the suspension. This allows for the combination of two recognition methods to determine the final recognition result, which helps to reduce the probability of misidentification.

[0055] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy includes: starting a timer when the suspension speed reaches a speed threshold, and increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness when the suspension speed continues to increase over a first duration from the start of the timer.

[0056] Suspension speed can be considered related to road surface smoothness. For example, if the road surface is smooth, the suspension speed is lower. Conversely, if the road surface is uneven, the suspension speed is higher. Therefore, when the suspension speed increases, it can be inferred that the road surface smoothness decreases, and there is a certain probability that the wheel is passing over a pothole.

[0057] For example, when the suspension speed reaches a speed threshold, the confidence level that the wheel is passing over a pothole can be considered the first confidence level. This speed threshold can be pre-calibrated. When the suspension speed reaches the speed threshold, a timer is started, beginning from zero. If the suspension speed continues to increase over a period of time after the timer starts, it can be assumed that the smoothness of the road surface being traversed by the wheel is continuously decreasing, and the probability that the wheel is passing over a pothole is increasing.

[0058] For example, when the suspension speed continuously increases within a first duration from the start of timing (i.e., the timer duration from zero to the first duration), the confidence level that the wheel is passing over a pothole can be considered the second confidence level. The first duration can be pre-calibrated and is related to vehicle speed. For example, the first duration is 15 ms. The second confidence level is greater than the first confidence level; for example, the first confidence level could be 30%, and the second confidence level could be 60%.

[0059] Alternatively, when the confidence level of the wheel passing over a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the suspension damping can be increased by increasing the damper current. For example, the damper current can be increased from a first current to a second current, where the first current is the current current of the damper and the second current can be the maximum current of the damper.

[0060] Alternatively, when the confidence level of the wheel traversing a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the suspension stiffness can be increased by increasing the air spring stiffness. For example, the air spring stiffness can be increased from a first stiffness to a second stiffness, where the first stiffness is the current stiffness of the air spring, and the second stiffness can be the maximum stiffness of the air spring.

[0061] Alternatively, when the confidence level of the wheel traversing a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the damping and stiffness of the suspension can be simultaneously increased by increasing both the damper current and the air spring stiffness. For example, the damper current can be increased from a first current to a second current, and the air spring stiffness can be increased from a first stiffness to a second height.

[0062] Through the above implementation method, it is possible to determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole based on the speed change of the suspension. When it is determined that the wheel may be passing through a pothole, the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be increased to prevent the tire from being impacted.

[0063] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches a second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than a third duration, maintaining the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0064] The suspension speed gradient can be obtained by calculating the rate of change of suspension speed. After the second timing period, it is checked whether the suspension speed gradient decreases. If a decrease in the suspension speed gradient is detected, the monitoring of suspension speed changes continues. When the suspension speed is detected to be below a speed threshold, it is determined whether the current timing period is greater than the third timing period. If the current timing period is greater than the third timing period, the probability that the wheel is passing over a pothole can be considered to have increased. The second and third timing periods can be pre-calibrated and are related to vehicle speed. For example, the second timing period is 50ms and the third timing period is 200ms.

[0065] For example, when the timing reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the confidence rate that the wheel is passing through a pothole can be considered to be the third confidence rate, or it can be finally determined that the wheel is passing through a pothole. The third confidence rate is greater than the second confidence rate; for example, the third confidence rate can be 100%.

[0066] Optionally, when the confidence level of the wheel passing over a pothole reaches the third confidence level, the increased damping and stiffness of the suspension can be maintained. For example, if the damper current has been increased from the first current to the second current and the air spring stiffness has been increased from the first stiffness to the second height before this, the damper current can be maintained at the second current and the air spring stiffness can be maintained at the second stiffness.

[0067] Through the above implementation method, after increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, it is possible to further determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole based on the gradient change of the suspension speed and the timing duration corresponding to the decrease of the suspension speed to the speed threshold. When it is finally determined that the wheel is passing through a pothole, the increased damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be maintained to prevent the tire from being impacted.

[0068] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, releasing the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0069] After the second timing period, the suspension speed is monitored. If the suspension speed is detected to be lower than a speed threshold, it is determined whether the current timing period is greater than the third timing period. If the current timing period is less than or equal to the third timing period, it can be assumed that the wheel is not currently passing over a pothole. At this point, the suspension damping and stiffness can be released. For example, if the damper current has been increased from the first current to the second current, and the air spring stiffness has been increased from the first stiffness to the second height, the damper current can now be restored to the first current, and the air spring stiffness can be restored to the first stiffness.

[0070] Through the above implementation method, after increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, the timing duration corresponding to when the suspension speed decreases to the speed threshold can be used to further determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole. When it is finally determined that the wheel is not passing through a pothole, the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be restored to the previously high damping and / or stiffness, thereby ensuring the normal driving of the vehicle.

[0071] Secondly, this application provides a vehicle control method. This method can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels and a suspension, the suspension being connected to the wheels. The method includes: acquiring the speed of the suspension, the speed of the suspension being related to changes in suspension height, and executing a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the changes in suspension speed.

[0072] The method described above obtains the suspension speed, which is related to changes in suspension height. Based on these speed changes, potholes in front of the wheels can be identified, and a second run-flat tire control strategy can be implemented to prevent tire blowouts. Thus, suspension height information is used in pothole identification, and the acquisition and processing of this information is relatively simple, eliminating the need for complex processes such as acquiring road images and using neural networks to identify potholes in those images, thereby reducing the complexity of pothole identification. Furthermore, this method of identifying potholes based on suspension height information can also achieve relatively accurate results under certain special road conditions (such as waterlogged or snow-covered roads).

[0073] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy includes: starting a timer when the suspension speed reaches a speed threshold, and increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness when the suspension speed continues to increase within a first duration from the start of the timer.

[0074] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches a second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than a third duration, maintaining the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0075] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, releasing the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0076] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle control device that includes modules or units for performing methods as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0077] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the device can be applied to a vehicle, including wheels, and the device includes an acquisition unit and a processing unit. The acquisition unit is used to acquire road surface elevation information, including the heights of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels. The processing unit is used to determine a first identification result, indicating whether a pothole exists on the road surface in front of the wheels, the first identification result being correlated with the height variation among the multiple sampling points, and, if the first identification result indicates the presence of a pothole on the road surface in front of the wheels, to execute a first run-flat tire control strategy.

[0078] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the first identification result is related to the height variation among multiple sampling points, including: the multiple sampling points comprising N first sampling points and M second sampling points, the first identification result indicating the presence of a pothole in front of the wheel. Here, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points. The maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, where the first slope is negative. The maximum height difference among the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to a second slope, where the second slope is positive.

[0079] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the height of a first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and a first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold. The maximum height difference among N first sampling points is the sum of the first height differences. The height of a second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and a second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. The maximum height difference among M second sampling points is the sum of the second height differences.

[0080] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit specifically increases at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0081] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit is specifically configured to: determine the length of the pothole; obtain a calibration result, the calibration result being correlated with the length and the current vehicle speed, the calibration result indicating whether a tire impact will occur in a first scenario when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the length at the current vehicle speed; and adjust at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result. The first scenario includes either increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness or not increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0082] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, when the processing unit adjusts at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result, it specifically increases at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased, the suspension's damping and stiffness are not increased. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed, provided that at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is not increased, the suspension's damping and stiffness are not increased.

[0083] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. The acquisition unit is further configured to: acquire the speed of the suspension, wherein the suspension speed is related to changes in suspension height, if the first identification result indicates that there are no potholes in the road surface ahead of the wheels. The processing unit is further configured to: execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on changes in suspension speed.

[0084] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, when the processing unit executes the second run-flat tire control strategy, it is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0085] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0086] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0087] Fourthly, this application provides a vehicle control device that includes modules or units for performing methods as described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0088] In one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the device can be applied to a vehicle including wheels and a suspension connected to the wheels. The device includes an acquisition unit and a processing unit. The acquisition unit is used to acquire the speed of the suspension, which is related to changes in suspension height. The processing unit is used to execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on changes in suspension speed.

[0089] In one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, when the processing unit executes the second run-flat tire control strategy, it is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0090] In one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0091] In one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, when the processing unit executes the second run-flat tire control strategy, it is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0092] Fifthly, this application provides a vehicle control system. This system can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels. The system includes a first detection device and a controller. The first detection device is used to: collect road surface elevation information, including the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels. The controller is used to: acquire the road surface elevation information, determine a first identification result, the first identification result indicating whether there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheels, the first identification result being related to the height variation between the multiple sampling points, and, if the first identification result indicates the presence of a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheels, execute a first run-flat tire control strategy.

[0093] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the first identification result is related to the height variation among multiple sampling points, including: the multiple sampling points comprising N first sampling points and M second sampling points, the first identification result indicating the presence of a pothole in front of the wheel. Wherein, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points. The maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, where the first slope is negative. The maximum height difference among the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to a second slope, where the second slope is positive.

[0094] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the height of a first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and a first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold. The maximum height difference among N first sampling points is the sum of the first height differences. The height of a second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and a second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. The maximum height difference among M second sampling points is the sum of the second height differences.

[0095] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the controller specifically increases at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0096] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the length of the pothole; obtain a calibration result, the calibration result being correlated with the length and the current vehicle speed, the calibration result indicating whether a tire impact will occur in a first scenario when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the length at the current vehicle speed; and adjust at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result. The first scenario includes either increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness or not increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0097] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, when the controller adjusts at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result, it specifically increases at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed by increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed by increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, the controller does not increase the suspension's damping and stiffness. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed by not increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, the controller does not increase the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0098] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels, and the system further includes a second detection device. The second detection device is used to detect the height of the suspension. The controller is also used to: if a first identification result indicates that there are no potholes in the road surface ahead of the wheels, acquire the speed of the suspension, the speed of the suspension being related to changes in suspension height, and execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on changes in suspension speed.

[0099] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, when the controller executes the second run-flat tire control strategy, it is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0100] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0101] In one possible implementation of the fifth aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, and when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0102] Sixthly, this application provides a vehicle control system. The system can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels and a suspension, with the suspension connected to the wheels. The system includes a second detection device and a controller. The second detection device is used to detect the height of the suspension. The controller is used to acquire the speed of the suspension, the speed of which is related to changes in the suspension height, and to execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on changes in the suspension speed.

[0103] In one possible implementation of the sixth aspect, when the controller executes the second run-flat tire control strategy, it is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0104] In one possible implementation of the sixth aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0105] In one possible implementation of the sixth aspect, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, and when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0106] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a vehicle control device, which includes a processor for executing computer programs or instructions, such that the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations are implemented. Optionally, the vehicle control device further includes a memory. Optionally, the vehicle control device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface.

[0107] Eighthly, this application provides a vehicle including a vehicle control device according to any one of the third to fourth aspects or any possible implementation thereof, or a vehicle control system according to any one of the fifth to sixth aspects or any possible implementation thereof, or a vehicle control device according to the seventh aspect.

[0108] Ninthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0109] In a tenth aspect, this application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0110] Optionally, the computer program product can be a software installation package or an image package. When the aforementioned method is required, the computer program product can be obtained and executed on a computing device.

[0111] Eleventhly, this application provides a chip including a processor for executing computer programs or instructions. When the processor executes the computer programs or instructions, the chip performs the methods of any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementation thereof. Optionally, the chip further includes a communication interface for receiving or transmitting signals.

[0112] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in the third to eleventh aspects above can be referred to the beneficial effects of the technical solutions in the first and second aspects, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0113] The accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly described below.

[0114] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0115] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle control system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0116] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0117] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of road surface elevation information provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0118] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a road surface pothole identification method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0119] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating another vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0120] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0121] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0122] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0123] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0124] In this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that they are examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design options. Rather, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0125] The ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish multiple objects and are not used to limit the order, sequence, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0126] The term "embodiment" as used herein means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will explicitly and implicitly understand that, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between the various embodiments of this application are consistent and can be mutually referenced, and technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0127] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, "more than one" means two or more, "at least two (items)" means two or three or more, and "and / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0128] In this application, the term "when" can be interpreted as meaning "if..." or "after..." or "in response to determining..." or "in response to detecting...". Similarly, the phrases "when determining..." or "if (the stated condition or event) is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "if determining..." or "in response to determining..." or "when (the stated condition or event) is detected" or "in response to detecting (the stated condition or event)".

[0129] As described in the background section, when a vehicle is driving on a road with potholes, if the tire impacts the edge of the pothole, a tire blowout may occur, posing a safety risk. Some solutions utilize computer vision, vehicle-mounted radar, and neural network technologies to process road images and identify potholes. The vehicle then reduces or avoids the impact of the pothole edge on the tire by slowing down or driving around it.

[0130] However, the aforementioned identification scheme has high requirements for hardware and software computing power, making it relatively complex to implement. Furthermore, the aforementioned methods of deceleration or detour may affect the normal driving of the vehicle, and if the vehicle speed is high enough that there is no time to decelerate or detour, the tires cannot be prevented from being impacted by the edge of the pothole.

[0131] In view of this, this application provides a vehicle control method and related device that can identify road surface potholes based on the height changes between multiple sampling points on the road surface, thereby reducing the complexity of road surface pothole identification.

[0132] The following section provides an exemplary description of the possible application scenarios and system architectures for this application.

[0133] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application. This application scenario is a scenario where the road surface has potholes, that is, a scenario where a vehicle is driving on a road surface with potholes.

[0134] During vehicle operation, the road surface in front of the wheels can be identified. The road surface in front of the wheels can be understood as the road surface in the direction of the wheels' travel, or as the road surface that the wheels are about to pass over (or contact).

[0135] When a pothole is detected in front of the wheels, the vehicle can implement corresponding control strategies to reduce the impact of the pothole edge on the tire, prevent tire blowout, and thus ensure the safety of vehicle components and occupants.

[0136] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle control system provided in an embodiment of this application. This vehicle control system is applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels and a suspension, with the suspension connected to the wheels.

[0137] The vehicle control system includes a first detection device, a second detection device, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller is communicatively connected to the first detection device, the second controller is communicatively connected to the second detection device, and the second controller is also communicatively connected to the first controller.

[0138] The first detection device collects road surface elevation information and sends it to the first controller. The first controller then sends the road surface elevation information to the second controller. The second controller performs road surface pothole identification and run-flat tire control.

[0139] The road surface elevation information may include the heights of multiple sampling points on the road surface. Optionally, the height of a sampling point can be the vertical distance from the sampling point to the base surface. Optionally, the base surface can be a predefined horizontal plane.

[0140] For example, the first detection device may include a radar. Optionally, the radar is a vehicle-mounted radar, which may be installed on the top of a vehicle to scan road surface elevation information. It should be understood that this application does not limit the type of radar; for example, it may be a lidar or millimeter-wave radar.

[0141] For example, the first controller may be a vehicle controller.

[0142] It is understandable that when there are potholes on the road surface, the height changes among the aforementioned sampling points match the pothole scenario, for example, generally showing a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. Therefore, the height changes among the aforementioned sampling points can be used for road pothole identification. Optionally, the second controller can perform road pothole identification and corresponding run-flat tire control based on the height changes among the aforementioned sampling points.

[0143] The second detection device is used to detect the suspension height and send the suspension height to the second controller. For example, the second detection device can be a height sensor.

[0144] It is understandable that when there are potholes in the road surface, the suspension height changes as the wheels pass over them. The rate of change in suspension height is recorded as suspension speed. The change in suspension speed is matched with the pothole scenario, for example, it generally shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Therefore, the above-mentioned change in suspension speed can be used for road pothole recognition. Optionally, the second controller can perform road pothole recognition and corresponding run-flat tire control based on the above-mentioned change in suspension speed.

[0145] Alternatively, the second controller can combine the height changes between the multiple sampling points and the changes in suspension speed to perform road pothole identification and corresponding run-flat tire control.

[0146] In some possible implementations, run-flat tire control can be achieved by increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0147] The suspension connects the vehicle body and the wheels. By increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, the vehicle body can "hold" the tires, preventing them from bouncing off the ground. This helps prevent the tires from hitting the edges of potholes, reducing the impact on the tires and thus achieving run-flat tire control.

[0148] For example, suspension damping can be increased by increasing the damper current. Here, the damper is located on the suspension and can be understood as part of the suspension system. Suspension damping is positively correlated with damper current. For instance, if the damper current increases, the suspension damping also increases. Conversely, if the damper current decreases, the suspension damping also decreases.

[0149] Optionally, the second controller includes a damper controller for controlling (or regulating) the damper current.

[0150] For example, the stiffness of the suspension can be increased by increasing the stiffness of the air springs. Here, the air springs are mounted on the suspension and can be understood as part of the suspension system. The stiffness of the suspension is positively correlated with the stiffness of the air springs. For instance, if the stiffness of the air springs increases, the stiffness of the suspension also increases. Conversely, if the stiffness of the air springs decreases, the stiffness of the suspension also decreases.

[0151] Optionally, the second controller includes a spring controller for controlling (or adjusting) the spring stiffness.

[0152] Optionally, the above-mentioned air spring is a multi-cavity air spring.

[0153] It should be noted that in the example shown in Figure 2, the first controller and the second controller are deployed separately. It should be understood that in other possible examples, the first controller and the second controller can also be deployed uniformly. For example, the first controller and the second controller can be integrated into a single controller, which has the functions of both the first controller and the second controller. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0154] It should be understood that the system architecture shown in Figure 2 is merely an illustrative example, and the system architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any architecture capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the above-described devices is applicable to the embodiments of this application. For example, the vehicle control method provided in the embodiments of this application may involve only some of the devices shown in Figure 2, or it may also involve devices not shown in Figure 2, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0155] The vehicle control method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0156] This vehicle control method can be applied to vehicles, and the executing entity of this method is a controller. For example, this vehicle control method can be applied to the vehicle control system shown in Figure 2, and the executing entity of this method can be the second controller shown in Figure 2, or a controller integrating the first and second controllers shown in Figure 2. This is a general explanation and will not be elaborated further here.

[0157] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application. This vehicle control method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps S301 to S303.

[0158] S301, Obtain road surface elevation information, which includes the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels.

[0159] In this context, the road surface in front of the wheel can be understood as the road surface in the direction of the wheel's travel, or as the road surface that the wheel is about to pass over (or contact). It should be understood that a vehicle may include multiple wheels. For the sake of simplicity, this embodiment uses one wheel as an example for illustration; descriptions of other wheels can be found in the corresponding descriptions of that wheel.

[0160] A sampling point is a point on the road surface in front of the wheel. The height of the sampling point can be understood as the distance from the sampling point to the base plane in the vertical direction. Optionally, the base plane can be a predefined horizontal plane.

[0161] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of road surface elevation information provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 shows a base surface and multiple sampling points (e.g., P1, P2, Q1, Q2) on the road surface in front of the wheels. For example, if sampling point P1 is lower than the base surface, and the distance from sampling point P1 to the base surface in the vertical direction is h1, the height of sampling point P1 can be recorded as -h1, with the negative sign indicating that sampling point P1 is lower than the base surface. Similarly, if sampling point P2 is lower than the base surface, and the distance from sampling point P2 to the base surface in the vertical direction is h2, the height of sampling point P2 can be recorded as -h2, with the negative sign indicating that sampling point P2 is lower than the base surface. Here, h2 is greater than h1; in other words, the height of sampling point P2 is lower than the height of sampling point P1. Similarly, the height of sampling point Q2 is higher than the height of sampling point Q1.

[0162] Specifically, during vehicle operation, road elevation information is collected by a first detection device (e.g., vehicle-mounted radar). The first detection device then sends the collected road elevation information to the controller, thereby enabling the controller to obtain the road elevation information.

[0163] S302, determine the first identification result, the first identification result is used to indicate whether there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel, and the first identification result is related to the height change between multiple sampling points.

[0164] The first recognition result can be understood as the recognition result obtained by the controller performing road surface pothole recognition based on the height changes between multiple sampling points.

[0165] Specifically, the controller can determine whether the height changes between multiple sampling points indicate a pothole. For example, if the height changes between multiple sampling points match a pothole scenario, then the multiple sampling points can be identified as corresponding to a pothole, and the first recognition result can indicate that a pothole exists on the road surface in front of the wheel. Conversely, if the height changes between multiple sampling points do not match a pothole scenario, then the multiple sampling points can be identified as not corresponding to a pothole, and the first recognition result can indicate that a pothole does not exist on the road surface in front of the wheel.

[0166] S303, if the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel, the first run-flat tire control strategy is executed.

[0167] The first run-flat tire control strategy can be understood as the run-flat tire control strategy corresponding to the first identification result. When the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road ahead of the wheel, the controller executes the first run-flat tire control strategy. The first run-flat tire control strategy is used to avoid or reduce the impact of the pothole on the tire, thereby preventing a tire blowout.

[0168] Through the above embodiments, road surface elevation information is obtained, including the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheel. Based on the height changes between these sampling points, potholes in front of the wheel can be identified in advance. Upon detection of a pothole, a first run-flat tire control strategy can be implemented to prevent tire blowout. Thus, road surface elevation information is used in pothole identification, and the acquisition and processing of this information is relatively simple, eliminating the need for complex processes such as collecting road surface images and using neural networks to identify potholes in those images, thereby reducing the complexity of pothole identification.

[0169] In one possible implementation, the multiple sampling points include N first sampling points and M second sampling points, with a first identification result indicating the presence of a pothole in the road surface ahead of the wheel. Here, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points. The maximum height difference between the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, where the first slope is negative. The maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to a second slope, where the second slope is positive.

[0170] The first threshold can be understood as representing the minimum height (or minimum depth) of the downward pit edge, or it can be understood as indicating the height requirement (or depth requirement) of the downward pit edge. For example, the maximum height difference between the N first sampling points can be the height difference between the highest and lowest height of the N first sampling points.

[0171] The controller can determine whether the maximum height difference between the N first sampling points meets the height requirement of the downward pit edge by comparing the maximum height difference between the N first sampling points with the first threshold.

[0172] For example, if the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to the first threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points meets the height requirement of the downward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the N first sampling points meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge. Conversely, if the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is less than the first threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points does not meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the N first sampling points do not meet the height requirement of the downward pit edge.

[0173] The first slope can be understood as the maximum slope between sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge, or as a slope requirement used to indicate the downward pit edge. For example, the slope between two sampling points can be the slope of the line connecting the two sampling points, which is related to the height change between the two sampling points and can reflect the trend of height change between the two sampling points (e.g., decreasing or increasing).

[0174] For example, if two sampling points have the same height (i.e., the height of the later sampling point equals the height of the first sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is 0. Conversely, if the heights of two sampling points decrease sequentially (i.e., the height of the later sampling point is lower than the height of the earlier sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is negative. And if the heights of two sampling points increase sequentially (i.e., the height of the later sampling point is higher than the height of the earlier sampling point), then the slope between the two sampling points is positive.

[0175] It should be understood that the height of multiple sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge can be considered to be continuously decreasing overall, so the slope between sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge can be considered to be negative.

[0176] The controller can determine whether the slope between two first sampling points among N first sampling points meets the slope requirement of the downward pit edge by comparing the slope between the two first sampling points with the first slope.

[0177] For example, if at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to the first slope, then it can be determined that the slope between at least two of the N first sampling points satisfies the slope requirement for the downward pitfall, thus determining that the N first sampling points satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall. Conversely, if the slope between all the N first sampling points is greater than the first slope, then it can be determined that the slope between any of the N first sampling points does not satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall, thus determining that the N first sampling points do not satisfy the slope requirement for the downward pitfall.

[0178] Optionally, if the N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, then the N first sampling points can be determined to correspond to the downward pit edge. In other words, when the maximum height difference between the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, then the N first sampling points can be determined to correspond to the downward pit edge.

[0179] The second threshold can be understood as representing the minimum height (or minimum depth) of the upward pit edge, or it can be understood as indicating the height requirement (or depth requirement) of the upward pit edge. For example, the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points can be the height difference between the highest and lowest height of the M second sampling points.

[0180] The controller can determine whether the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points meets the height requirement of the upward pit edge by comparing the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points with the second threshold.

[0181] For example, if the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points meets the height requirement of the upward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the M second sampling points meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge. Conversely, if the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is less than the second threshold, then it can be determined that the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points does not meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge, and thus it can be determined that the M second sampling points do not meet the height requirement of the upward pit edge.

[0182] The second slope can be understood as the minimum slope between sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge, or as an indicator of the slope requirement for the upward pit edge. It should be understood that the height of multiple sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge can be considered to be continuously increasing overall, therefore the slope between two sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge can be considered to be a positive value.

[0183] The controller can determine whether the slope between two second sampling points among the M second sampling points meets the slope requirement of the upward pit edge by comparing the slope between the two second sampling points with the second slope.

[0184] For example, if at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to the second slope, then it can be determined that the slope between at least two of the M second sampling points satisfies the slope requirement for the upward pit edge, thus determining that the M second sampling points satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge. Conversely, if the slope between all the M second sampling points is less than the second slope, then it can be determined that the slope between any of the M second sampling points does not satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge, thus determining that the M second sampling points do not satisfy the slope requirement for the upward pit edge.

[0185] Optionally, if the M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, it can be determined that the M second sampling points correspond to the upward pit edge. In other words, when the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and there are at least two second sampling points among the M second sampling points whose slope is greater than or equal to the second slope, it can be determined that the M second sampling points correspond to the upward pit edge.

[0186] The fact that M second sampling points are after N first sampling points can be understood as the sampling time of the M second sampling points being later than the sampling time of the N first sampling points.

[0187] Optionally, if the above multiple sampling points include both the sampling point corresponding to the downward pit edge and the sampling point corresponding to the upward pit edge, and the sampling point corresponding to the upward pit edge is after the sampling point corresponding to the downward pit edge, it can be determined that the above multiple sampling points correspond to a pit, and thus the above first identification result indicates that there is a pit on the road surface in front of the wheel.

[0188] The above implementation method allows for the identification of potholes in front of a vehicle by determining whether multiple sampling points sequentially include sampling points corresponding to both the downward and upward pothole edges. The determination process comprehensively considers the height and slope requirements of both the downward and upward pothole edges, thus improving the accuracy of pothole identification.

[0189] It should be understood that the first threshold, first slope, second threshold, and second slope mentioned above can be set according to actual conditions or needs, and the embodiments of this application do not impose any restrictions on this. Optionally, the first threshold and the second threshold can be the same or different.

[0190] It should be noted that in other possible implementations, the above "greater than or equal to" can also be replaced with "greater than", and the above "less than or equal to" can also be replaced with "less than". For example, it is also possible that when the maximum height difference between N first sampling points is greater than a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than a first slope, it is determined that the N first sampling points correspond to a downward pit edge. Similarly, it is also possible that when the maximum height difference between M second sampling points is greater than a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than a second slope, it is determined that the M second sampling points correspond to an upward pit edge. It should be understood that similar substitution methods in the embodiments of this application can refer to the above description, and are uniformly explained here, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0191] In one possible implementation, the height of a first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold. The maximum height difference among N first sampling points is the sum of the first height differences. The height of a second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. The maximum height difference among M second sampling points is the sum of the second height differences.

[0192] The controller can determine whether the slope between the first sampling points meets the aforementioned downward pitfall slope requirement by comparing the height of the first sampling point with the height of its predecessor. For example, if the height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of its predecessor, it can be determined that the slope between the first sampling points meets the aforementioned downward pitfall slope requirement. Conversely, if the height of the first sampling point is not lower than the height of its predecessor, it can be determined that the slope between the first sampling points does not meet the aforementioned downward pitfall slope requirement.

[0193] The third threshold can be understood as the minimum height difference between two adjacent sampling points along the downward slope, or as an indication of the required slope along the downward slope. The first height difference refers to the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor. By accumulating the first height differences, the maximum height difference between N first sampling points can be obtained.

[0194] The controller can determine whether the height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point meets the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit by comparing the first height difference with a third threshold. For example, if the first height difference is greater than or equal to the third threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point meets the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit. Conversely, if the first height difference is less than the third threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point does not meet the slope requirement for the downward slope of the pit.

[0195] Optionally, if the slope between the first sampling points satisfies the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, and the height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point satisfies the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, then it can be determined that N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge. In other words, when the height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the third threshold, it can be determined that N first sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the downward pit edge, thus identifying the downward pit edge corresponding to the N first sampling points.

[0196] As one possible implementation, for each sampling point, the controller can determine whether the sampling point is a first sampling point by comparing its height with the height of its previous sampling point, and by comparing the height difference between the sampling point and its previous sampling point with a third threshold. When the height of the sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the height difference between the sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the third threshold, the sampling point is determined to be a first sampling point. The controller performs a count for each determined first sampling point. If the number of first sampling points is greater than or equal to a certain value (e.g., N as mentioned above), then these first sampling points correspond to a downward pit edge.

[0197] In some cases, the first sampling points may not be continuous, and noise may exist between multiple first sampling points. For example, the height of a noise point may not be lower than the height of its previous sampling point, or the height difference between a noise point and its previous sampling point may be less than a third threshold. Optionally, the controller can filter these noise points.

[0198] The controller can determine whether the slope between the second sampling points meets the upward pitfall slope requirement by comparing the height of the second sampling point with the height of its predecessor. For example, if the height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of its predecessor, it can be determined that the slope between the second sampling points meets the upward pitfall slope requirement. Conversely, if the height of the second sampling point is not higher than the height of its predecessor, it can be determined that the slope between the second sampling points does not meet the upward pitfall slope requirement.

[0199] The fourth threshold can be understood as the minimum height difference between two adjacent sampling points corresponding to the upward slope of the pit, or as an indication of the slope requirement for the upward slope. The second height difference refers to the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor. By accumulating the second height differences, the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points can be obtained.

[0200] The controller can determine whether the height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point meets the slope requirement of the upward slope of the pit by comparing the second height difference with a fourth threshold. For example, if the second height difference is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point meets the slope requirement of the upward slope of the pit. Conversely, if the second height difference is less than the fourth threshold, it can be determined that the height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point does not meet the slope requirement of the upward slope of the pit.

[0201] Optionally, if the slope between the second sampling points satisfies the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, and the height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point satisfies the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, then it can be determined that M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge. In other words, when the height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the second height difference between the second sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, it can be determined that M second sampling points satisfy both the height requirement and the slope requirement of the upward pit edge, thus identifying the upward pit edge corresponding to the M second sampling points.

[0202] As one possible implementation, for each sampling point, the controller can determine whether the sampling point is a second sampling point by comparing its height with the height of its previous sampling point, and by comparing the height difference between the sampling point and its previous sampling point with a fourth threshold. When the height of the sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the height difference between the sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, the sampling point is determined to be a second sampling point. The controller performs a count for each determined second sampling point. If the number of second sampling points is greater than or equal to a certain number (e.g., M as mentioned above), then these second sampling points correspond to an upward pit edge.

[0203] In some cases, the second sampling points may not be consecutive, and noise may exist between multiple second sampling points. For example, the height of a noise point may not be higher than the height of its previous sampling point, or the height difference between a noise point and its previous sampling point may be less than a fourth threshold. Optionally, the controller can filter out these noise points.

[0204] For example, please refer to Figure 5, which is a schematic diagram of road surface pothole recognition provided by an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 shows N first sampling points (N=3 in the figure, the N first sampling points include first sampling point P1, first sampling point P2 and first sampling point P3), and M second sampling points (M=3 in the figure, the M second sampling points include second sampling point Q1, second sampling point Q2 and second sampling point Q3).

[0205] As shown in Figure 5, the height difference between the first sampling point P1 and its previous sampling point (denoted as P0 in the figure) is d1, the height difference between the first sampling point P2 and its previous sampling point (i.e., the first sampling point P1) is d2, the height difference between the first sampling point P3 and its previous sampling point (i.e., the first sampling point P2) is d3, and the maximum height difference between the above N first sampling points is Z1, Z1 = d1 + d2 + d3.

[0206] The height difference between the second sampling point Q1 and its previous sampling point (denoted as Q0 in the figure) is f1, the height difference between the second sampling point Q2 and its previous sampling point (i.e., the second sampling point Q1) is f2, the height difference between the second sampling point Q3 and its previous sampling point (i.e., the second sampling point Q2) is f3, and the maximum height difference between the above M second sampling points is Z2, Z2=f1+f2+f3.

[0207] Through the above implementation method, it is possible to determine whether N first sampling points correspond to a downward pothole edge by comparing the height of the first sampling point with the height of its predecessor, and by comparing the first height difference (i.e., the height difference between the first sampling point and its predecessor) with a third threshold. Similarly, it is possible to determine whether M second sampling points correspond to an upward pothole edge by comparing the height of the second sampling point with the height of its predecessor, and by comparing the second height difference (i.e., the height difference between the second sampling point and its predecessor) with a fourth threshold. The determination process comprehensively considers the height, slope, and gradient requirements for both downward and upward pothole edges, thus improving the accuracy of road surface pothole identification.

[0208] It should be understood that the third and fourth thresholds mentioned above can be set according to actual circumstances or needs, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this. Optionally, the third and fourth thresholds can be the same or different.

[0209] Below are some examples of first-order run-flat tire control strategies.

[0210] Example 1: The first run-flat tire control strategy includes increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0211] The damping of the suspension is positively correlated with the damper current. For example, if the damper current increases, the suspension damping also increases. Conversely, if the damper current decreases, the suspension damping also decreases.

[0212] The controller can increase the suspension damping by increasing the damper current. Optionally, the controller can adjust the damper current to the maximum current of the damper. Alternatively, the controller can adjust the damper current to a value greater than a target current, which can be preset or pre-calibrated.

[0213] The stiffness of the suspension is positively correlated with the stiffness of the air springs. For example, if the stiffness of the air springs increases, the stiffness of the suspension also increases. Conversely, if the stiffness of the air springs decreases, the stiffness of the suspension also decreases.

[0214] The controller can increase the suspension stiffness by increasing the air spring stiffness. Optionally, the controller can adjust the air spring stiffness to its maximum stiffness, for example, by adjusting the air spring stiffness setting to the maximum stiffness setting. Alternatively, the controller can adjust the air spring stiffness to a level greater than a target stiffness, for example, by adjusting the air spring stiffness setting to a level greater than a target stiffness setting. The target stiffness and target setting can be preset or pre-calibrated.

[0215] Through the above implementation method, the suspension is used to connect the vehicle body and the wheels. By increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, the vehicle body can "hold" the tires to prevent them from jumping down, thereby helping to prevent the tires from hitting the edge of potholes and reducing the impact on the tires, thus achieving run-flat tire control.

[0216] Example 2: The first run-flat tire control strategy includes: determining the length of the dent, obtaining calibration results, the calibration results being correlated with the length and vehicle speed, the calibration results being used to indicate whether a tire impact will occur in a first scenario when the vehicle passes over a dent of the specified length at the specified speed, and adjusting at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness based on the calibration results. The first scenario includes either increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, or not increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0217] Optionally, after the controller identifies a pothole in front of the wheel based on the height changes between the multiple sampling points, it can calculate the length of the pothole based on the number of sampling points corresponding to the pothole, the sampling frequency, and the current vehicle speed.

[0218] The sampling points corresponding to the pit can include sampling points corresponding to the downward pit edge and sampling points corresponding to the upward pit edge. As a possible case, when there is a relatively gentle pit bottom between the downward and upward pit edges, the sampling points corresponding to the pit can also include sampling points corresponding to the pit bottom (located between the sampling points corresponding to the downward and upward pit edges).

[0219] Specifically, the controller can count the number of sampling points corresponding to the pit, calculate the ratio of this number to the sampling frequency to obtain the time required for the vehicle to pass through the pit at the current speed, and calculate the product of this time and the current speed to obtain the length of the pit.

[0220] After calculating the length of the dent, the controller can obtain a calibration result based on that length and the current vehicle speed, and then adjust the suspension damping and / or stiffness accordingly. This allows for more effective run-flat tire control.

[0221] Below are some examples of adjusting the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension based on calibration results.

[0222] Example 1: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur if the suspension damping is increased, then the suspension damping should be increased.

[0223] The calibration results indicate that when a vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, increasing the suspension damping helps prevent tire impact (e.g., the tire hitting the edge of the pothole or touching the bottom), thereby reducing the impact on the tires. Therefore, the controller can increase the suspension damping based on these calibration results, for example, by increasing the damper current.

[0224] For example, the calibration result also includes a target current, indicating that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, no tire impact will occur if the shock absorber current is adjusted to the target current. Accordingly, the controller can adjust the shock absorber current to the target current.

[0225] Optionally, during calibration, the controller can determine whether a tire impact has occurred based on the wheel's acceleration. For example, if the wheel's acceleration is greater than or equal to an acceleration threshold, a tire impact can be determined. Conversely, if the wheel's acceleration is less than the acceleration threshold, no tire impact can be determined. This is a general explanation and will not be repeated in subsequent examples.

[0226] Example 2: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur if the suspension stiffness is increased, then the suspension stiffness should be increased.

[0227] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, increasing the suspension stiffness helps prevent tire impact, thereby reducing the impact on the tires. Therefore, the controller can increase the suspension stiffness based on these calibration results, for example, by increasing the stiffness of the air springs.

[0228] For example, the calibration result also includes a target stiffness, indicating that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur if the air spring stiffness is adjusted to the target stiffness. Accordingly, the controller can adjust the air spring stiffness to the target stiffness.

[0229] Example 3: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur if the damping and stiffness of the suspension are increased, then the damping and stiffness of the suspension should be increased.

[0230] The calibration results indicate that when a vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, simultaneously increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness helps prevent tire impact (e.g., the tire hitting the edge of the pothole or touching the bottom), thereby reducing the impact on the tires. Therefore, the controller can simultaneously increase the suspension's damping and stiffness based on these calibration results; for example, this can be achieved by simultaneously increasing the damper current and the air spring stiffness.

[0231] For example, the calibration results also include target current and target stiffness, indicating that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at the current speed, tire impact will not occur if the damper current is adjusted to the target current and the air spring stiffness is adjusted to the target stiffness. Accordingly, the controller can adjust the damper current to the target current and the air spring stiffness to the target stiffness.

[0232] Example 4: If the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, the suspension damping should not be increased.

[0233] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, increasing the suspension damping still cannot prevent tire impact. In other words, increasing the suspension damping at this point has little or no effect on preventing tire impact. Therefore, the controller may not need to increase the suspension damping. Optionally, the controller can achieve run-flat tire control by controlling the vehicle to decelerate or maneuver around the pothole.

[0234] Example 5: If the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, the suspension stiffness should not be increased.

[0235] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, increasing the suspension stiffness still cannot prevent tire impact. In other words, increasing the suspension stiffness has little or no effect on preventing tire impact. Therefore, the controller may not need to increase the suspension stiffness. Optionally, the controller can achieve run-flat tire control by controlling vehicle deceleration or maneuvering around the pothole.

[0236] Example 6: If the calibration results indicate that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, and the suspension damping and stiffness are increased, then the suspension damping and stiffness should not be increased.

[0237] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, increasing the suspension damping and stiffness still cannot prevent tire impact. In other words, increasing the suspension damping and stiffness has little or no effect on preventing tire impact. Therefore, the controller may not need to increase the suspension damping and stiffness. Optionally, the controller can achieve run-flat tire control by controlling the vehicle to decelerate or maneuver around the pothole.

[0238] Example 7: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the suspension damping, then the suspension damping should not be increased.

[0239] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, no increase in suspension damping is required to prevent tire impact. Therefore, the controller can avoid increasing suspension damping.

[0240] Example 8: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the suspension stiffness, then the suspension stiffness should not be increased.

[0241] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, there is no need to increase the suspension stiffness or cause tire impact. Therefore, the controller does not need to increase the suspension stiffness.

[0242] Example 9: If the calibration results indicate that when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the above length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension, then the damping and stiffness of the suspension should not be increased.

[0243] The calibration results indicate that when the vehicle travels over a pothole of the aforementioned length at its current speed, tire impact will not occur without increasing the suspension damping and stiffness. Therefore, the controller does not need to increase the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0244] Through the above implementation method, a run-flat tire control strategy can be executed based on the calibration results corresponding to the length of the dent and the current vehicle speed. Since the calibration results have been tested and verified, run-flat tire control can be achieved more effectively based on the calibration results.

[0245] In one possible implementation, if the first identification result indicates that there are no potholes in the road surface ahead of the wheels, the controller acquires the suspension speed and executes a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the changes in suspension speed. The suspension speed is related to changes in suspension height.

[0246] Specifically, during vehicle operation, a second detection device (e.g., a height sensor) detects the suspension height. This second detection device sends the detected suspension height to the controller, which then obtains the suspension height. The controller can then calculate the rate of change of the suspension height to determine the suspension speed.

[0247] In certain special road conditions (such as waterlogged or snow-covered roads), accurate road elevation information may be difficult to obtain, and consequently, the first identification result may contain misidentifications. Road surface potholes can be identified using suspension speed variations to obtain a second identification result, which can then be used to correct the first identification result. The second run-flat tire control strategy can be understood as the run-flat tire control strategy corresponding to the second identification result.

[0248] Specifically, the controller can determine whether the wheel is passing over a pothole (or has fallen into one) based on changes in suspension speed. For example, if the suspension speed change matches a pothole scenario, it can be determined that the wheel is passing over a pothole, and the corresponding run-flat tire control strategy can be executed. Conversely, if the suspension speed change does not match a pothole scenario, it can be assumed that the wheel is not passing over a pothole, and the run-flat tire control strategy can be ignored.

[0249] Through the above implementation method, if the first recognition result indicates that there are no potholes on the road surface in front of the wheel, potholes can be further identified based on the speed change of the suspension. This allows for the combination of two recognition methods to determine the final recognition result, which helps to reduce the probability of misidentification.

[0250] In one possible implementation, the second run-flat tire control strategy includes: starting a timer when the suspension speed reaches a speed threshold, and increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness when the suspension speed continues to increase within a first duration from the start of the timer.

[0251] Suspension speed can be considered related to road surface smoothness. For example, if the road surface is smooth, the suspension speed is lower. Conversely, if the road surface is uneven, the suspension speed is higher. Therefore, when the suspension speed increases, it can be inferred that the road surface smoothness decreases, and there is a certain probability that the wheel is passing over a pothole.

[0252] For example, when the suspension speed reaches a speed threshold, the confidence level that the wheel is passing over a pothole can be considered the first confidence level. This speed threshold can be pre-calibrated.

[0253] When the suspension speed reaches the speed threshold, the timer is activated, starting from zero. If the suspension speed continues to increase over a period of time after the timer starts, it can be assumed that the smoothness of the road surface being traversed by the wheels is continuously decreasing, and the probability that the wheels are traversing potholes is increasing.

[0254] For example, when the suspension speed continuously increases within a first duration from the start of timing (i.e., the timer duration from zero to the first duration), the confidence level that the wheel is passing over a pothole can be considered the second confidence level. The first duration can be pre-calibrated and is related to vehicle speed. For example, the first duration is 15 ms. The second confidence level is greater than the first confidence level; for example, the first confidence level could be 30%, and the second confidence level could be 60%.

[0255] Optionally, when the confidence level of the wheel passing over a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the controller can increase the suspension damping by increasing the damper current. For example, the controller can increase the damper current from a first current to a second current, where the first current is the current current of the damper and the second current can be the maximum current of the damper.

[0256] Alternatively, when the confidence level of the wheel traversing a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the controller can increase the suspension stiffness by increasing the air spring stiffness. For example, the controller can increase the air spring stiffness from a first stiffness to a second stiffness, where the first stiffness is the current stiffness of the air spring, and the second stiffness can be the maximum stiffness of the air spring.

[0257] Alternatively, when the confidence level of the wheel traversing a pothole reaches a second confidence level, the controller can simultaneously increase the damping and stiffness of the suspension by simultaneously increasing the damper current and the air spring stiffness. For example, the controller can increase the damper current from a first current to a second current, and increase the air spring stiffness from a first stiffness to a second height.

[0258] Through the above implementation method, it is possible to determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole based on the speed change of the suspension. When it is determined that the wheel may be passing through a pothole, the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be increased to prevent the tire from being impacted.

[0259] In one possible implementation, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches a second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than a speed threshold is greater than a third duration, maintaining the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0260] The controller can obtain the suspension speed gradient by calculating the rate of change of suspension speed. After the second timing period, the controller checks whether the suspension speed gradient has decreased. If a decrease in the suspension speed gradient is detected, it continues to monitor the change in suspension speed. When the suspension speed is detected to be less than a speed threshold, it determines whether the current timing period is greater than the third timing period. If the current timing period is greater than the third timing period, the probability that the wheel is passing over a pothole has increased. The second and third timing periods can be pre-calibrated and are related to vehicle speed. For example, the second timing period is 50ms and the third timing period is 200ms.

[0261] For example, when the timing reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the confidence rate that the wheel is passing through a pothole can be considered to be the third confidence rate, or it can be finally determined that the wheel is passing through a pothole. The third confidence rate is greater than the second confidence rate; for example, the third confidence rate can be 100%.

[0262] Optionally, when the confidence level of the wheel passing over a pothole reaches the third confidence level, the controller can maintain the increased damping and stiffness of the suspension. For example, if the controller has previously increased the damper current from the first current to the second current and the air spring stiffness from the first stiffness to the second height, the controller can then maintain the damper current at the second current and the air spring stiffness at the second stiffness.

[0263] Through the above implementation method, after increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, it is possible to further determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole based on the gradient change of the suspension speed and the timing duration corresponding to the decrease of the suspension speed to the speed threshold. When it is finally determined that the wheel is passing through a pothole, the increased damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be maintained to prevent the tire from being impacted.

[0264] In another possible implementation, the second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than the speed threshold, releasing the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0265] After the second timing period, the controller monitors the suspension speed. If the suspension speed is below a speed threshold, it checks if the current timing period is greater than the third timing period. If the current timing period is less than or equal to the third timing period, it can be assumed that the wheel is not currently passing over a pothole. At this point, the controller can release the suspension damping and stiffness. For example, if the controller previously increased the damper current from the first current to the second current and the air spring stiffness from the first stiffness to the second height, the controller can now restore the damper current to the first current and the air spring stiffness to the first stiffness.

[0266] Through the above implementation method, after increasing the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension, the timing duration corresponding to when the suspension speed decreases to the speed threshold can be used to further determine whether the wheel is passing through a pothole. When it is finally determined that the wheel is not passing through a pothole, the damping and / or stiffness of the suspension can be restored to the previously high damping and / or stiffness, thereby ensuring the normal driving of the vehicle.

[0267] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a schematic flowchart of another vehicle control method provided in an embodiment of this application. This vehicle control method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps S601 to S602.

[0268] S601, obtain the suspension speed, which is related to the change in suspension height.

[0269] Specifically, during vehicle operation, a second detection device (e.g., a height sensor) detects the suspension height. This second detection device sends the detected suspension height to the controller, which then obtains the suspension height. The controller can then calculate the rate of change of the suspension height to determine the suspension speed.

[0270] S602, based on changes in suspension speed, executes a second run-flat tire control strategy.

[0271] Specifically, the controller can determine whether the wheel is passing over a pothole (or has fallen into one) based on changes in suspension speed. For example, if the suspension speed change matches a pothole scenario, it can be determined that the wheel is passing over a pothole, and the corresponding run-flat tire control strategy can be executed. Conversely, if the suspension speed change does not match a pothole scenario, it can be assumed that the wheel is not passing over a pothole, and the run-flat tire control strategy can be ignored.

[0272] It should be understood that for the contents not specifically described in steps S601 to S602, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the previous embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0273] Through the above embodiments, the suspension speed is obtained, and the suspension speed is related to the change in suspension height. Based on the change in suspension speed, potholes in front of the wheels can be identified, and a second run-flat tire control strategy can be implemented to prevent tire blowouts. Thus, suspension height information is used in the pothole identification process. The acquisition and processing of suspension height information is relatively simple, eliminating the need for complex processes such as collecting road surface images and using neural networks to identify potholes in those images, thereby reducing the complexity of pothole identification. Furthermore, the method of identifying potholes based on suspension height information can also achieve relatively accurate results under some special road conditions (such as waterlogged or snow-covered roads).

[0274] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. The apparatus for implementing any one of the methods in the embodiments of this application is provided below.

[0275] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of a vehicle control device provided in an embodiment of this application. The vehicle control device 700 can be implemented through hardware, software, or a combination of both. As shown in Figure 7, the vehicle control device 700 includes an acquisition unit 701 and a processing unit 702.

[0276] In one possible design, the device can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels. The individual units are described below:

[0277] The acquisition unit 701 is used to acquire road surface elevation information, which includes the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels.

[0278] The processing unit 702 is configured to determine a first identification result, which indicates whether there is a pothole in front of the wheel, the first identification result is related to the height change between multiple sampling points, and execute a first run-flat tire control strategy when the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in front of the wheel.

[0279] In one possible implementation, the first identification result is related to the height variation among multiple sampling points, including: the multiple sampling points comprising N first sampling points and M second sampling points, the first identification result indicating the presence of a pothole in front of the wheel. Here, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points. The maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and at least two of the N first sampling points have a slope less than or equal to a first slope, where the first slope is negative. The maximum height difference among the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and at least two of the M second sampling points have a slope greater than or equal to a second slope, where the second slope is positive.

[0280] In one possible implementation, the height of a first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and a first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold. The maximum height difference among N first sampling points is the sum of the first height differences. The height of a second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and a second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. The maximum height difference among M second sampling points is the sum of the second height differences.

[0281] In one possible implementation, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is specifically used to: increase at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0282] In one possible implementation, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. When executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is specifically configured to: determine the length of the pothole; obtain a calibration result, the calibration result being correlated with the length and the current vehicle speed, the calibration result indicating whether a tire impact will occur in a first scenario when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current vehicle speed; and adjust at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result. The first scenario includes either increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness or not increasing the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0283] In one possible implementation, when adjusting at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness based on the calibration result, the processing unit 702 specifically: if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed by increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, then increases at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed by increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, then does not increase the suspension's damping and stiffness. Alternatively, if the calibration result indicates that a tire impact will not occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of a certain length at the current speed without increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, then does not increase the suspension's damping and stiffness.

[0284] In one possible implementation, the vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels. The acquisition unit 701 is further configured to: acquire the speed of the suspension when the first identification result indicates that there are no potholes in the road surface ahead of the wheels, the speed of the suspension being related to changes in suspension height. The processing unit 702 is further configured to: execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on changes in suspension speed.

[0285] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0286] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0287] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, and when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0288] In another possible design, the device can be applied to a vehicle, which includes wheels and a suspension, with the suspension connected to the wheels. The individual units are described below:

[0289] The acquisition unit 701 is used to acquire the speed of the suspension, which is related to the change in suspension height.

[0290] The processing unit 702 is used to execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the speed changes of the suspension.

[0291] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is specifically used to: start timing when the speed of the suspension reaches a speed threshold, and increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension when the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing.

[0292] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, when the timing duration reaches the second duration, the suspension speed gradient decreases, and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, maintain the suspension damping and stiffness. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

[0293] In one possible implementation, when executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the suspension damping and stiffness, and when the timing duration reaches the second duration and the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than or equal to the third duration is less than or equal to the speed threshold, release the suspension damping and stiffness.

[0294] According to embodiments of this application, the units in the device shown in FIG7 can be individually or entirely merged into one or more other units, or some of the units can be further divided into multiple functionally smaller units. This achieves the same operation without affecting the technical effect of the embodiments of this application. The above units are based on logical function division. In practical applications, the function of one unit can be implemented by multiple units, or the function of multiple units can be implemented by one unit. In other embodiments of this application, the above device may also include other units. In practical applications, these functions can also be implemented with the assistance of other units, and can be implemented collaboratively by multiple units.

[0295] It should be noted that the implementation of each unit can also refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments.

[0296] Please refer to Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. The electronic device 800 may include a processor 801. Optionally, the electronic device 800 may also include a memory 802. Further optionally, the electronic device 800 may also include a communication interface 803 and a bus 804. The processor 801, memory 802, and communication interface 803 are interconnected via the bus 804. The communication interface 803 is used for data interaction with other devices.

[0297] The processor 801 is a module that performs arithmetic and logical operations. It can be one or a combination of processing modules such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a microprocessor unit (MPU). The processor 801 can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0298] The memory 802 is used to provide storage space, in which data such as the operating system and computer programs can be stored. The memory 802 includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM).

[0299] The processor 801 calls the computer program stored in the memory 802, which can execute the method steps in the above method embodiments. For details, please refer to the previous method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0300] Optionally, the electronic device 800 may be a chip or a chip system. For the case where the electronic device 800 is a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of the chip structure shown in Figure 9.

[0301] As shown in Figure 9, chip 900 includes processor 901 and interface 902. There can be one or more processors 901, and multiple interfaces 902. It should be noted that the functions of processor 901 and interface 902 can be implemented through hardware design, software design, or a combination of both; no restrictions are placed here.

[0302] Optionally, the chip 900 may also include a memory 903 for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0303] In this application, processor 901 can be used to call an implementation program of the vehicle control method in an electronic device provided by one or more embodiments of this application from memory 903, and execute the instructions contained in the program. Interface 902 can be used to output the execution results of processor 901. In this application, interface 902 can specifically be used to output various messages or information of processor 901.

[0304] For vehicle control methods provided by one or more embodiments of this application, please refer to the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0305] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when run on one or more processors, can implement the method shown in the above-described method embodiments.

[0306] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program that can implement the method shown in the above-described method embodiments when the computer program is run on a processor.

[0307] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle, which includes the vehicle control system, or vehicle control device 700, or electronic device 800, or chip 900 in the above embodiments.

[0308] It should be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memories described herein are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0309] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. A computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When a computer program or instruction is loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions of the embodiments of this application are performed, in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, a computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0310] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments provided herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0311] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0312] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0313] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0314] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0315] If a function is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the technology, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the various method embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0316] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, characterized in that, Applied to a vehicle, the vehicle including wheels, the method includes: Obtain road surface elevation information, which includes the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheels; A first identification result is determined, which is used to indicate whether there is a pothole in front of the wheel. The first identification result is related to the height change among the multiple sampling points. If the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel, the first run-flat tire control strategy is executed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first identification result is related to the height variation among the plurality of sampling points, including: The plurality of sampling points include N first sampling points and M second sampling points, and the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel; Wherein, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points; The maximum height difference between the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and there are at least two first sampling points among the N first sampling points whose slope is less than or equal to a first slope, wherein the first slope is a negative value; The maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and there exists at least two second sampling points among the M second sampling points where the slope is greater than or equal to the second slope, and the second slope is a positive value.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold; the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is the cumulative value of the first height differences; The height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold; the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is the cumulative value of the second height differences.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a suspension system connected to the wheels; The first run-flat tire control strategy includes: Increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a suspension system connected to the wheels; The first run-flat tire control strategy includes: Determine the length of the indentation; Obtain calibration results, which are associated with the length and the current vehicle speed. The calibration results are used to indicate whether a tire impact will occur in a first case when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the length at the current vehicle speed. The first case includes either increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension or not increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension. Adjust at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension based on the calibration results.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Adjusting at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension based on the calibration results includes: If the calibration result indicates that when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur if at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased, then at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased; or, If the calibration results indicate that a tire impact would occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, and at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased, then the suspension's damping and stiffness are not increased; or, If the calibration result indicates that when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, then the damping and stiffness of the suspension will not be increased.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The vehicle further includes a suspension connected to the wheels; the method further includes: If the first identification result indicates that there are no potholes on the road surface in front of the wheel, the speed of the suspension is obtained, and the speed of the suspension is related to the change in the height of the suspension; Based on the speed changes of the suspension, a second run-flat tire control strategy is implemented.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy includes: The timing begins when the speed of the suspension reaches the speed threshold. When the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing, at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension is increased.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, When the timing duration reaches the second duration, the gradient of the suspension speed decreases, and when the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are maintained. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, When the timing reaches the second duration, and the timing corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is less than or equal to the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are released.

11. A vehicle control method, characterized in that, Applied to a vehicle, the vehicle including wheels and a suspension, the suspension being connected to the wheels, the method includes: The speed of the suspension is obtained, and the speed of the suspension is related to the change in the height of the suspension; Based on the speed changes of the suspension, a second run-flat tire control strategy is implemented.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy includes: The timing begins when the speed of the suspension reaches the speed threshold. When the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing, at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension is increased.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, When the timing duration reaches the second duration, the gradient of the suspension speed decreases, and when the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are maintained. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The second run-flat tire control strategy further includes: after increasing at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness, When the timing reaches the second duration, and the timing corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is less than or equal to the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are released.

15. A vehicle control device, characterized in that, Includes units for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A vehicle control device, characterized in that, Includes a processor for executing a computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14 to be implemented.

17. A vehicle control system, characterized in that, Applied to a vehicle, the vehicle including wheels, the vehicle control system including a first detection device and a controller; The first detection device is used to: collect road surface elevation information, the road surface elevation information including the height of multiple sampling points on the road surface in front of the wheel; The controller is used to: acquire road surface elevation information; A first identification result is determined, which is used to indicate whether there is a pothole in front of the wheel. The first identification result is related to the height change among the multiple sampling points. If the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel, the first run-flat tire control strategy is executed.

18. The system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first identification result is related to the height variation among the plurality of sampling points, including: The plurality of sampling points include N first sampling points and M second sampling points, and the first identification result indicates that there is a pothole in the road surface in front of the wheel; Wherein, N and M are both positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and the M second sampling points follow the N first sampling points; The maximum height difference between the N first sampling points is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and there are at least two first sampling points among the N first sampling points whose slope is less than or equal to a first slope, wherein the first slope is a negative value; The maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and there exists at least two second sampling points among the M second sampling points where the slope is greater than or equal to the second slope, and the second slope is a positive value.

19. The system according to claim 18, characterized in that, The height of the first sampling point is lower than the height of its previous sampling point, and the first height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to a third threshold; the maximum height difference among the N first sampling points is the cumulative value of the first height differences; The height of the second sampling point is higher than the height of its previous sampling point, and the second height difference between the first sampling point and its previous sampling point is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold; the maximum height difference between the M second sampling points is the cumulative value of the second height differences.

20. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a suspension system connected to the wheels; when executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is specifically used for: Increase at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension.

21. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a suspension system connected to the wheels; when executing the first run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is specifically used for: Determine the length of the indentation; Obtain calibration results, which are associated with the length and the current vehicle speed. The calibration results are used to indicate whether a tire impact will occur in a first case when the vehicle passes through a pothole of the length at the current vehicle speed. The first case includes either increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension or not increasing the damping and stiffness of the suspension. Adjust at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension based on the calibration results.

22. The system according to claim 21, characterized in that, When the controller adjusts at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension based on the calibration result, it is specifically used for: If the calibration result indicates that when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur if at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased, then at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased; or, If the calibration results indicate that a tire impact would occur when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, and at least one of the suspension's damping and stiffness is increased, then the suspension's damping and stiffness are not increased; or, If the calibration result indicates that when the vehicle passes over a pothole of the specified length at the current speed, no tire impact will occur without increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, then the damping and stiffness of the suspension will not be increased.

23. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a suspension connected to the wheels, and the vehicle control system further includes a second detection device; The second detection device is used to: detect the height of the suspension; The controller is further configured to: when the first identification result indicates that there are no potholes on the road surface in front of the wheel, acquire the speed of the suspension, the speed of the suspension being related to the change in the height of the suspension; and execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the change in the speed of the suspension.

24. The system according to claim 23, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is specifically used for: The timing begins when the speed of the suspension reaches the speed threshold. When the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing, at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension is increased.

25. The system according to claim 24, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, When the timing duration reaches the second duration, the gradient of the suspension speed decreases, and when the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are maintained. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

26. The system according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, When the timing reaches the second duration, and the timing corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is less than or equal to the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are released.

27. A vehicle control system, characterized in that, Applied to a vehicle, the vehicle including wheels and a suspension, the suspension being connected to the wheels, the vehicle control system including a second detection device and a controller; The second detection device is used to: detect the height of the suspension; The controller is used to: acquire the speed of the suspension, the speed of the suspension being related to the change in the height of the suspension; and execute a second run-flat tire control strategy based on the change in the speed of the suspension.

28. The system according to claim 27, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is specifically used for: The timing begins when the speed of the suspension reaches the speed threshold. When the speed of the suspension continues to increase within a first duration from the start of timing, at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension is increased.

29. The system according to claim 28, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, When the timing duration reaches the second duration, the gradient of the suspension speed decreases, and when the timing duration corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is greater than the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are maintained. Wherein, the second duration is greater than the first duration, and the third duration is greater than the second duration.

30. The system according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that, When executing the second run-flat tire control strategy, the controller is further configured to: after increasing at least one of the damping and stiffness of the suspension, When the timing reaches the second duration, and the timing corresponding to the suspension speed being less than the speed threshold is less than or equal to the third duration, the damping and stiffness of the suspension are released.

31. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes the vehicle control device as described in claim 15, or the vehicle control device as described in claim 16, or the vehicle control system as described in any one of claims 17 to 30.

32. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14 to be implemented.

33. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14 to be implemented.

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