Devices and methods for controlling vehicle height

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling vehicle height. The apparatus includes an information acquisition device and a controller. The information acquisition device acquires pressure data regarding the pressure within a compressed air reservoir and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle. The controller calculates a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, calculates the distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air in the reservoir, and determines the timing of vehicle height control. This solves the problems of unnecessarily rapid vehicle height control compared to the obstacle's position, or controlling vehicle height after the vehicle has passed an obstacle, thus reducing passenger comfort.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0073108, filed on June 16, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a device and method for controlling vehicle height. Background Technology

[0004] To enhance passenger comfort, the role of suspension is becoming increasingly apparent, providing stable and comfortable driving regardless of road conditions. Typically, while a vehicle is in motion, the suspension uses springs to absorb vibrations and impacts transmitted from the road surface. In recent years, the trend of installing air suspension has been growing, as air suspension offers improved performance compared to existing suspension systems.

[0005] Air suspension adjusts vehicle height using compressed air stored in an air tank. This causes the vehicle height control speed to vary depending on the pressure of the remaining air in the air tank. As a result, the vehicle height may be controlled later or earlier than the time when it needs to be controlled, thus reducing ride comfort.

[0006] The information disclosed in the above background section is intended to help understand the background technology of this invention and should not be construed as an admission that such information constitutes any part of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention is made to solve the aforementioned problems arising in the prior art, while fully retaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle height control device and method that determines the timing of vehicle height control by taking into account the air pressure in the air tank.

[0009] The technical problems solved by the present invention are not limited to those described above, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art through the following description.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle height control device includes an information acquisition device and a controller. The information acquisition device acquires pressure data regarding the pressure inside a storage tank containing compressed air and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle. The controller calculates a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, calculates the distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air inside the storage tank, and determines the vehicle height control time.

[0011] Obstacle data can include the height of the obstacle and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle.

[0012] The controller can set the time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of compressed air, and use the required time and the vehicle's current speed to calculate the required distance.

[0013] The controller can calculate the difference between the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle and the required distance, and determine whether the difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance.

[0014] The controller can determine the time point when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold distance as the vehicle height control time, and control the vehicle height at the vehicle height control time to achieve the target vehicle height.

[0015] When the difference is greater than the threshold distance, the controller can reset the required time.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle height control device includes an information acquisition device and a controller. The information acquisition device acquires pressure data regarding the pressure inside a storage tank containing compressed air and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle. The controller calculates a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, sets the required time to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air inside the storage tank, and determines the vehicle height control time.

[0017] Obstacle data can include the height of the obstacle and the time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle.

[0018] The controller can calculate the difference between the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle and the time required to reach the target vehicle height, and determine the time point when the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time.

[0019] The controller can determine the time point when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold as the vehicle height control time, and control the vehicle height at the vehicle height control time to achieve the target vehicle height.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle height control method includes: acquiring pressure data regarding the pressure inside a storage tank for storing compressed air and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle; calculating a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data; calculating the distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air inside the storage tank; and determining the vehicle height control time.

[0021] The obstacle data may include the height of the obstacle and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle.

[0022] Calculating the required distance may include: setting the time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of compressed air; and using the required time and the vehicle's current speed to calculate the required distance.

[0023] The vehicle height control method may further include: calculating the difference between the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle and the required distance, and determining whether the difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance.

[0024] Determining the vehicle height control time may include: determining the time point when the difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance as the vehicle height control time.

[0025] The vehicle height control method may further include: controlling the vehicle height at the vehicle height control moment to achieve the target vehicle height.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle height control method includes: acquiring pressure data regarding the pressure inside a storage tank for storing compressed air and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle; calculating a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data; setting the time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air inside the storage tank, and determining the vehicle height control time.

[0027] The obstacle data may include the height of the obstacle and the time required to reach the obstacle from the vehicle.

[0028] The vehicle height control method may further include: calculating the difference between the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle and the time required to reach the target vehicle height, and determining the time point at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time.

[0029] The vehicle height control method may further include: determining the time point when the difference is less than or equal to a threshold as the vehicle height control time, and controlling the vehicle height at the vehicle height control time to achieve the target vehicle height. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle height control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a graph showing the time required to reach the vehicle height based on the pressure of the gas tank according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the timing of vehicle height control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a vehicle height control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 A configuration of a computing system for performing a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the exemplary accompanying drawings. When adding reference numerals to components in each figure, it should be noted that even components shown as the same or equivalent in other figures are designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in describing embodiments of the invention, detailed descriptions of well-known features or functions will be omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the spirit of the invention.

[0037] In describing the components of embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), (b), etc., may be used. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another, and they do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be understood to have meanings equivalent to those in the context of the relevant technical field, and should not be understood to have ideal or overly formal meanings, unless expressly defined as such in this application.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle height control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] refer to Figure 1 According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle height control device 100 may include an information acquisition device 110, an air tank 120, a suspension device 130, and a controller 140.

[0040] The information acquisition device 110 can acquire pressure data regarding the pressure inside the air tank 120 (which stores compressed air) and obstacle data regarding obstacles in front of the vehicle. Here, obstacles may include speed bumps, and obstacle data may include the height of the obstacle, the time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle, and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle. To acquire obstacle data, the information acquisition device 110 may include a sensor 111, a camera 112, and a navigation device 113.

[0041] Sensor 111 may include a distance sensor that detects vehicles or obstacles in front of the vehicle and measures the height of the obstacle and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle. Here, the distance sensor may include radar or light detection and ranging (LIDAR), but can be implemented as light detection and ranging for accurate measurement. Additionally, sensor 111 may measure the height of the obstacle. Furthermore, sensor 111 may include a pressure sensor that measures the air pressure within the air tank 120.

[0042] Camera 112 can acquire images of the area in front of the vehicle and detect obstacles. According to an exemplary embodiment, when camera 112 is implemented as a stereo camera, the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle can be detected by utilizing the difference in parallax detected from the stereo image. Alternatively, when camera 112 is implemented as a time-of-flight (TOF) camera including a light source (infrared light or laser) and a receiver, camera 112 can calculate the arrival time required for the light source (vehicle) to reach the obstacle and the distance between the light source (vehicle) and the obstacle based on the time (TOF) it takes for the infrared light or laser emitted from the light source (vehicle) to be reflected and received by the obstacle.

[0043] The navigation device 113 may include a display showing road information about the road the vehicle is traveling on. According to an exemplary embodiment, the navigation device 113 may display road information including obstacle information about obstacles within a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

[0044] The air tank 120 can store compressed air compressed by a separately configured compressor, and the compressed air can be used to control the vehicle height by moving to the suspension device 130 under the control of the controller 140.

[0045] The suspension device 130 can be a device that fixes the wheels to the axle and reduces the impact and vibration from the road surface. Under the control of the controller 140, the suspension device 130 can protect the vehicle body by raising the vehicle height on roads with obstacles and lowering the vehicle height and reducing air resistance on roads where high speeds are possible (such as highways), thereby improving driving stability.

[0046] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 140 is implemented by various processing devices integrating semiconductor chips (capable of operating or executing various instructions), such as microprocessors, CPUs, ASICs, circuits, logic circuits, etc., and can control the operation of the vehicle height control device. Specifically, the target vehicle height can be calculated based on obstacle data, the required distance to reach the target vehicle height can be calculated based on the pressure of compressed air in the air tank 120, and the vehicle height control timing can be determined based on the obstacle data and the required distance.

[0047] The controller 140 can calculate the target vehicle height based on the height of the obstacle and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle obtained from the information acquisition device 110. Once the target vehicle height is calculated, the controller 140 can set the time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air stored in the air tank 120. According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller 140 can refer to... Figure 2 Set the required time.

[0048] Figure 2 It is a graph showing the time required for the pressure of the gas storage tank 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] refer to Figure 2 It can be seen that the higher the pressure in the air tank 120, the shorter the time required to reach the vehicle height; conversely, the lower the pressure in the air tank 120, the longer the time required to reach the vehicle height. Therefore, the controller 140 can measure the pressure of the remaining compressed air in the air tank 120 and adjust the pressure accordingly. Figure 2 The time required for the vehicle height to correspond to the compressed air pressure in the curve is set as the required time.

[0050] When a desired time is set, the controller 140 can calculate the distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the set desired time and the current vehicle speed. Here, Equation 1 can be used to calculate the distance required to reach the target height.

[0051] Equation 1

[0052] Required distance = Current speed * Required time

[0053] Once the required distance is calculated, the controller 140 can calculate the difference between the required distance and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle, and determine whether the calculated difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance. A more detailed description will refer to [reference needed]. Figure 3 Provided.

[0054] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the timing of vehicle height control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] refer to Figure 3 The controller 140 can acquire the distance A to the obstacle S in front of the vehicle V from the information acquisition device 110. Additionally, the controller 140 can calculate the required distance B, which is the distance the vehicle travels in the time required to reach the target vehicle height. The controller 140 can calculate the difference C between the distance A to the obstacle S and the required distance B, and determine whether the difference C is less than or equal to a threshold distance. Here, the threshold distance can refer to the distance the vehicle can pass through the obstacle S within a predetermined time, starting from the vehicle position V' at the moment the vehicle reaches the target vehicle height.

[0056] When the difference C is determined to be less than or equal to a threshold distance, the controller 140 can determine that from the vehicle position V' at the moment the vehicle reaches the target vehicle height, the vehicle can pass through the obstacle S within a predetermined time. The controller 140 can then control the suspension device 130 from the moment the difference C is less than or equal to the threshold distance, so that the vehicle height reaches the target vehicle height. Therefore, the controller 140 can control the vehicle height in response to the position of the obstacle S to reach the target vehicle height, thereby maximizing the user's ride comfort.

[0057] However, when the difference C exceeds the threshold distance, the controller 140 can determine that the vehicle was able to pass the obstacle S after a predetermined time since the vehicle reached the target vehicle height at its position V', and that since the vehicle height was not controlled in response to the position of the obstacle S, rapid control is unnecessary. Therefore, when the difference C exceeds the threshold distance, the controller 140 can reset the required time without controlling the suspension device 130.

[0058] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 140 can calculate the difference between the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle and the time required to reach the target vehicle height, and determine a time point where the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time. Furthermore, the controller 140 can determine the time point where the difference is less than or equal to the threshold time as the vehicle height control moment, and control the vehicle height at the vehicle height control moment. When it is determined that the difference between the arrival time and the required time exceeds the threshold time, the controller 140 can determine that, compared to the position of the obstacle, it is not necessary to quickly control the vehicle height.

[0059] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a vehicle height control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] refer to Figure 4 The controller 140 can determine whether there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle (S110). When it is determined that there is an obstacle "Y" in front of the vehicle, the controller 140 can acquire obstacle data (S120). In S120, the controller 140 can acquire obstacle data from the information acquisition device 110, the obstacle data including the height of the obstacle, the time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle, and the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle.

[0061] The controller 140 can calculate the target vehicle height based on the obstacle data acquired in S120 (S130). Once the target vehicle height is calculated, the controller can set the time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air stored in the air tank 120 (S140). According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller 140 can refer to... Figure 2Set the desired time. For a detailed description of S140 operation, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 The description.

[0062] When the desired time is set, the controller 140 can calculate the distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the desired time and the current vehicle speed (S150). Equation 1 can be used to calculate the distance required to reach the target vehicle height in S150. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, in S150, the controller 140 can calculate the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle.

[0063] When the required distance is calculated, the controller 140 can calculate the difference between the required distance and the distance to the obstacle, and determine whether the calculated difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance (S160). For a detailed description of the operation of S160, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 3 The description is as follows. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, in S160, the controller 140 can calculate the difference between the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle and the time required to reach the target vehicle height, and determine whether the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time.

[0064] In S160, when it is determined that the difference C is less than or equal to a threshold distance (Y), the controller 140 can determine that from the vehicle position V' at the moment the vehicle reaches the target vehicle height, the vehicle can pass through the obstacle S within a predetermined time, and from the moment when the difference C is less than or equal to the threshold, control the suspension device 130 to perform control so that the vehicle height reaches the target vehicle height (S170). According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in S160, when it is determined that the difference between the arrival time required for the vehicle to reach the obstacle and the time required to reach the target vehicle height is less than or equal to a threshold time, the controller 140 can control the suspension device 130 from the moment when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold time to perform control so that the vehicle height reaches the target vehicle height (S170).

[0065] On the other hand, in step S160, when it is determined that the difference C exceeds a threshold distance (N), the controller 140 can determine that from the vehicle position V' at the moment the vehicle reaches the target vehicle height, the vehicle can pass the obstacle S after a predetermined time, and determines that since the vehicle height is not controlled in response to the position of the obstacle S, it is unnecessary to perform rapid control. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in S160, when it is determined that the difference between the arrival time and the required time exceeds a threshold time, the controller 140 can determine that it is unnecessary to rapidly control the vehicle height compared to the position of the obstacle. Therefore, when it is determined that the difference C exceeds the threshold distance, the controller 140 can reset the required time without controlling the suspension device 130 (S140).

[0066] Figure 5 A configuration of a computing system for performing a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0067] refer to Figure 5 The computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100, a memory 1300, a user interface input device 1400, a user interface output device 1500, a storage device 1600, and a network interface 1700 connected to each other via a bus 1200.

[0068] Processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or semiconductor device that processes instructions stored in memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600. Memory 1300 and storage device 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, memory 1300 may include ROM (Read-Only Memory) 1310 and RAM (Random Access Memory) 1320.

[0069] Therefore, the operation of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be directly implemented in hardware or in a software module executed by processor 1100, or in a combination of hardware and software. The software module can reside on a storage medium such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, and CD-ROM (i.e., memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600). This exemplary storage medium can be connected to processor 1100, which can read information from and record information in the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be integrated with processor 1100. Processor 1100 and storage medium can reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC can reside within a user terminal. In another case, processor 1100 and storage medium can reside as separate components in the user terminal.

[0070] The above description is merely an illustration of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the basic characteristics of the present invention.

[0071] Therefore, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided to illustrate the spirit and scope of the invention, but are not limited thereto, so that the spirit and scope of the invention are not limited by the embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the scope of equivalents thereto should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention.

[0072] The vehicle height control device and method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can determine the timing of vehicle height control by taking into account the air pressure in the air tank, thus solving the problem that it is unnecessary to control the vehicle height quickly compared to the position of the obstacle, or to control the vehicle height after the vehicle has passed the obstacle, thereby reducing the ride comfort.

[0073] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle height control apparatus comprising: information acquisition means configured to acquire pressure data regarding a pressure in a tank storing compressed air and obstacle data regarding an obstacle ahead of a vehicle; and a controller configured to calculate a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, calculate a required forward movement distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air in the tank, determine a vehicle height control timing based on the required forward movement distance, and control the vehicle height at the vehicle height control timing to reach the target vehicle height, wherein the obstacle data includes a height of the obstacle and a distance from the vehicle to the obstacle, wherein the controller is further configured to: set a time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air; calculate the required forward movement distance using the time required and a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; calculate a difference between the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle and the required forward movement distance; determine a point in time at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance as the vehicle height control timing.

2. The vehicle height control device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to reset the time required when the difference is greater than the threshold distance.

3. A vehicle height control apparatus comprising: information acquisition means configured to acquire pressure data regarding a pressure in a tank storing compressed air and obstacle data regarding an obstacle ahead of a vehicle; and a controller configured to calculate a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, set a time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air in the tank, determine a vehicle height control timing based on the time required, and control the vehicle height at the vehicle height control timing to reach the target vehicle height, wherein the obstacle data includes a height of the obstacle and a time of arrival required to reach the obstacle from the vehicle, wherein the controller is further configured to: calculate a difference between the time of arrival and the time required; determine a point in time at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time; determine a point in time at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time as the vehicle height control timing.

4. A vehicle height control method comprising: acquiring pressure data regarding a pressure in a tank storing compressed air and obstacle data regarding an obstacle ahead of a vehicle; calculating a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data; calculating a required forward movement distance required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air in the tank, determining a vehicle height control timing based on the required forward movement distance, and controlling the vehicle height at the vehicle height control timing to reach the target vehicle height, wherein the obstacle data includes a height of the obstacle and a distance from the vehicle to the obstacle, determining the vehicle height control timing includes: setting a time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air; calculating the required forward movement distance using the time required and a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; calculating a difference between the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle and the required forward movement distance; determining a point in time at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold distance as the vehicle height control timing.

5. A vehicle height control method comprising: acquiring pressure data about a pressure in a compressed air tank storing compressed air and obstacle data about an obstacle ahead of the vehicle; calculating a target vehicle height based on the obstacle data, setting a required time required to reach the target vehicle height based on the pressure of the compressed air in the compressed air tank, determining a vehicle height control timing based on the required time, and controlling the vehicle height to reach the target vehicle height at the vehicle height control timing, wherein the obstacle data includes a height of the obstacle and a time of arrival required to reach the obstacle from the vehicle, determining the vehicle height control timing includes: calculating a difference between the time of arrival and the required time; determining a time point at which the difference is less than or equal to a threshold time; determining the time point at which the difference is less than or equal to the threshold time as the vehicle height control timing.

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