Device and method for controlling a suspension of a vehicle

Abstract

The present application relates to a device and a method for controlling a suspension of a vehicle, the device comprising: an illuminance sensor, a camera and a controller; the illuminance sensor measures the illuminance outside the vehicle; the camera takes an image of the road surface in front of the vehicle; the controller identifies an obstacle located on the road surface based on the image of the road surface in front of the vehicle, determines the type of the obstacle according to the measured illuminance outside the vehicle, and controls the damping force of the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of the obstacle when the vehicle passes the obstacle.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0128301, filed on October 5, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a technology for improving ride comfort by controlling the vehicle's suspension. Background Technology

[0004] The statements in this section are merely background information in relation to the invention and may not constitute prior art.

[0005] Typically, when a vehicle passes over bumps or potholes in the road at a predetermined speed or higher, it may scrape the undercarriage or cause a safety accident due to impact or vibration.

[0006] A vehicle's suspension is a device that is connected to the axle and is controlled so that vibrations or impacts from the road are not directly transmitted to the vehicle body during vehicle operation, thereby preventing damage to the vehicle body, occupants, or cargo and safety accidents, and improving the vehicle's ride comfort.

[0007] A suspension system, also known as a suspension device, may include chassis springs to absorb impacts from the road, dampers to control the free vibration of the chassis springs to improve ride comfort, and stabilizer bars to prevent vehicle roll.

[0008] The recently released vehicles are equipped with Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS), which automatically adjusts the suspension strength according to driving conditions or road surface conditions.

[0009] Electronically controlled suspension (ECS) can detect driving status information (such as vehicle speed, steering angle, vertical acceleration, etc.) and road surface information through various sensors, and can automatically control the spring constant of the suspension, the damping force of the damper, the attitude of the vehicle body, and the vehicle height according to the road conditions.

[0010] Electronically controlled suspension (ECS) can be classified into active suspension and semi-active suspension. Active suspension controls the movement of the vehicle body by applying external energy to the suspension using actuators, while semi-active suspension uses actuators as auxiliary springs to adjust the damping force.

[0011] Conventional techniques for controlling electronically controlled suspensions control the suspension without predicting the amount of impact exerted on the vehicle due to obstacles in the road (e.g., bumps or potholes) and the corresponding suspension control values ​​for pitch. Therefore, conventional control techniques cannot respond quickly and stably.

[0012] The information disclosed in the background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the background technology of the present invention, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute any part of the prior art, nor does it constitute prior art that may be implied to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, while fully retaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0014] One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle suspension control device and method that identifies obstacles located on the road surface in front of the vehicle, determines the type of obstacle based on the brightness (e.g., illuminance value) outside the vehicle, and controls the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle, thereby improving ride comfort.

[0015] The technical problems solved by this 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. Furthermore, it will be readily understood that aspects and advantages of this invention can be realized by the means set forth in the appended claims and combinations thereof.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling the suspension of a vehicle includes an illuminance sensor, a camera, and a controller; the illuminance sensor measures the illuminance outside the vehicle; the camera captures an image of the road surface in front of the vehicle; the controller identifies obstacles located on the road surface based on the image of the road surface in front of the vehicle, determines the type of the obstacle based on the illuminance outside the vehicle, and controls the damping force of the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller can divide the illumination outside the vehicle into multiple intervals, and can set different criteria for determining the type of obstacle in each interval.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the obstacle may include at least one bump or pothole located in the road surface on which the vehicle travels.

[0019] When the measured illuminance exceeds a first reference illuminance value, the controller is configured to determine the type of obstacle based on at least four types of bumps with different shapes. In one embodiment, the at least four types of bumps include a first type of bump, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, and a fourth type of bump with different heights and lengths.

[0020] In another embodiment, the bump may be identified as at least one of a first type of bump, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, or a fourth type of bump.

[0021] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the illuminance outside the vehicle exceeds a first reference illuminance value, the controller can determine the type of obstacle as one of a first type of bump, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, or a fourth type of bump.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller can set multiple control intervals corresponding to the determined bump, and when the vehicle passes over the determined bump, the damping force of the suspension can be controlled in each of the multiple control intervals.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the external illuminance of the vehicle exceeds a second reference illuminance value, the controller can integrate the criteria for determining a fourth type of bump into the criteria for determining a third type of bump, and can determine the type of obstacle as one of a first type of bump, a second type of bump, or a third type of bump.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller can set multiple control intervals corresponding to the determined bump, and when the vehicle passes over the determined bump, the damping force of the suspension can be controlled in each of the multiple control intervals.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the external illuminance of the vehicle does not exceed the second reference illuminance value, the controller can integrate the criteria for determining the first type of bump into the criteria for determining the second type of bump, integrate the criteria for determining the fourth type of bump into the criteria for determining the third type of bump, and determine the type of obstacle as either the second type of bump or the third type of bump.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller can set multiple control intervals corresponding to the determined bump, and when the vehicle passes over the determined bump, the damping force of the suspension can be controlled in each of the multiple control intervals.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling the suspension of a vehicle includes: measuring the illuminance outside the vehicle by an illuminance sensor, capturing an image of the road surface in front of the vehicle by a camera, identifying obstacles located on the road surface by a controller based on the image of the road surface in front of the vehicle, determining the type of the obstacle by the controller based on the illuminance outside the vehicle, and controlling the damping force of the suspension by the controller based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle.

[0028] In one embodiment of the invention, determining the type of obstacle may include dividing the illumination outside the vehicle into multiple intervals, and different criteria for determining the type of obstacle may be set in each interval.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining the type of obstacle may include: when the illuminance outside the vehicle exceeds a first reference illuminance value, determining the type of obstacle as one of a first type of bump, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, or a fourth type of bump.

[0030] In another embodiment of the invention, controlling the damping force of the suspension may include: setting a plurality of control intervals corresponding to the determined bumps, and controlling the damping force of the suspension in each of the plurality of control intervals when the vehicle passes over the determined bumps.

[0031] In another embodiment of the invention, determining the type of obstacle may include: when the illuminance outside the vehicle exceeds a second reference illuminance value, integrating the criteria for determining a fourth type of bump into the criteria for determining a third type of bump, and determining the type of obstacle as one of a first type of bump, a second type of bump, or a third type of bump.

[0032] In another embodiment of the invention, controlling the damping force of the suspension may include: setting a plurality of control intervals corresponding to the determined bumps, and controlling the damping force of the suspension in each of the plurality of control intervals when the vehicle passes over the determined bumps.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, determining the type of obstacle may include: when the external illuminance of the vehicle does not exceed a second reference illuminance value, integrating the criteria for determining a first type of bump into the criteria for determining a second type of bump, integrating the criteria for determining a fourth type of bump into the criteria for determining a third type of bump, and determining the type of obstacle as a second type of bump or a third type of bump.

[0034] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, controlling the damping force of the suspension may include: setting a plurality of control intervals corresponding to the determined bump, and controlling the damping force of the suspension in each of the plurality of control intervals when the vehicle passes over the determined bump.

[0035] Further applications will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that this specification and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To better understand the invention, various embodiments of the invention, given by way of example, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the type of obstacle utilized in a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a road surface image captured by a camera included in a vehicle suspension control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4A This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value exceeds a first reference illuminance value;

[0041] Figure 4B This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value exceeds a second reference illuminance value;

[0042] Figure 4C This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value does not exceed a second reference illuminance value;

[0043] Figure 5 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device adjusts the damping force of the suspension according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 6 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a damping force control command generated by a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 7 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the current variation of the suspension and the response characteristics of the solenoid valve controlled by a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 8 This is another exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device adjusts the damping force of the suspension according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 9 This is a performance analysis diagram of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 10 This is a performance analysis diagram of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle suspension control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating a computational system for performing a vehicle suspension control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The following describes some embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the exemplary accompanying drawings. When adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals designate components even when the same or equivalent components are shown in other drawings. Furthermore, in describing exemplary 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.

[0053] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, application, or use. It should be understood that in all the drawings, corresponding reference numerals refer to the same or corresponding parts and features.

[0054] In describing components according to 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 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.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, a vehicle suspension control device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a storage device 10, a camera 20, an illumination sensor 30, and a controller 40. Depending on the manner in which the vehicle suspension control device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented, the components may be combined to form a single entity, or some components may be omitted.

[0057] Storage device 10 can store various logics, algorithms, and programs required for the following processes: identifying obstacles (e.g., bumps or potholes) on the road surface in front of the vehicle based on road surface images acquired by camera 20; determining the type of obstacle based on the brightness (e.g., illuminance value) outside the vehicle; and controlling suspension 200 based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle.

[0058] The storage device 10 can store control information corresponding to the type of obstacle. The control information (i.e., damping force control information) may include damping control values, sky hook control values, and preview control values.

[0059] The storage device 10 can store a first reference illuminance value and a second reference illuminance value. The first and second reference illuminance values ​​can be changed according to the designer's intention. For example, the first reference illuminance value can be the illuminance value measured in the shade during the day, and the second reference illuminance value can be the illuminance value measured at any time between the time just before sunset and the time before the sun completely sets. Therefore, the first reference illuminance value is greater than the second reference illuminance value, but the invention is not necessarily limited to this.

[0060] Storage device 10 may include, for example Figure 2 The different types of obstacles shown.

[0061] Figure 2 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the type of obstacle utilized in a vehicle suspension control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] like Figure 2 As shown, obstacles utilized in a vehicle suspension control device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include bumps and potholes located on the road in which the vehicle travels.

[0063] For example, the first type can be a bump with a height of 7.5 cm and a length of 1 meter, the second type can be a bump with a height of 7.5 cm and a length of 2 meters, the third type can be a bump with a height of 10 cm and a length of 3.6 meters, the fourth type can be a bump with a height of 12.5 cm and a length of 6.1 meters, and the fifth type is a pit.

[0064] Storage device 10 may include at least one type of storage medium selected from flash memory, hard disk memory, micro and card-type memory (e.g., security digital (SD) card or extreme digital (XD) card) memory, random access memory (RAM) type, static RAM (SRAM) type, read-only memory (ROM) type, programmable ROM (PROM) type, electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM) type, magnetic RAM (MRAM) type, disk type and optical disk type memory.

[0065] Camera 20 can be mounted, for example, on the windshield of a vehicle and can capture images of the road surface in front of the vehicle. Camera 20 can identify objects included in the road surface image and extract information about those objects (e.g., the object's height, depth, length, etc.). For example, the road surface image provided by camera 20 to controller 40 is as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0066] Figure 3 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a road surface image captured by a camera included in a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, the camera 20 included in the vehicle suspension control device can capture images of the road surface in front of the vehicle and display information about objects on the road surface image.

[0068] For example, the image of the road surface may include the expected travel path 330 of the vehicle's left wheel and the expected travel path 340 of the vehicle's right wheel, and may further include the height 370 of the left side of the bump 400 and the height 380 of the right side of the bump 400. In the reference numerals "370" and "380", the vertical axis represents height and the horizontal axis represents length.

[0069] The camera 20 can send images (image data) of the road surface to the controller 40, which include the expected travel path 330 of the vehicle's left wheel, the expected travel path 340 of the vehicle's right wheel, the height 370 of the left side of the bump 400, and the height 380 of the right side of the bump 400.

[0070] Camera 20 can be electrically connected to controller 40. Camera 20 can also be connected to controller 40 via a vehicle network. Alternatively, camera 20 can be connected to controller 40 via a hard wire. In another scenario, camera 20 can be connected to controller 40 via a printed circuit board (PCB). Camera 20 can transmit images (image data) of the road surface in front of the vehicle to controller 40. Here, the vehicle network may include a Controller Area Network (CAN), a Controller Area Network with Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD), a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay, Media-Oriented System Transport (MOST), Ethernet, etc.

[0071] The illuminance sensor 30 can be mounted on the exterior of the vehicle and can measure illuminance. The illuminance sensor 30 can be electrically connected to the controller 40 and can transmit the measured illuminance to the controller 40.

[0072] The controller 40 provides overall control to enable the components to perform their functions correctly. The controller 40 can be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination thereof. The controller 40 can be implemented using a microprocessor, but is not limited to this.

[0073] Specifically, the controller 40 can perform various controls in the following processes: identifying obstacles (e.g., bumps or potholes) on the road surface in front of the vehicle based on road surface images transmitted from the camera 20; determining the type of obstacle based on the brightness (e.g., illuminance value) outside the vehicle; and controlling the suspension 200 based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle.

[0074] The controller 40 can be electrically connected to the suspension 200 and can control the operation of the suspension 200.

[0075] For reference, suspension 200 may include springs (not shown) and dampers (not shown) for each wheel. Suspension 200 is an electronically controlled suspension. The springs reciprocate while being compressed or stretched according to road conditions. The dampers are variable dampers capable of adjusting their damping force. Controller 40 can control the damping force of suspension 200.

[0076] When a vehicle passes over an obstacle, a damper can reduce the vibrations generated by the spring. In other words, a damper can suppress the reciprocating motion of the spring by applying a force in the opposite direction to the force generated by the spring. That is, the force that suppresses the spring's motion is called the damping force.

[0077] The damper includes a piston rod and a solenoid valve. The resistance generated as fluid flows through the fluid passage formed by the piston rod and the solenoid valve is called damping force. The damper generates damping force through compression and rebound strokes. The width of the fluid passage through which the fluid flows can be adjusted according to the movement of the solenoid valve, thereby adjusting the damping force. The suspension 200 can control the damping force of the damper based on damping force control commands and / or damping force control signals input from the controller 40.

[0078] The controller 40 can collect driving information, road information, traffic information, etc. from the navigation device 300. Specifically, the controller 40 can collect information about bumps on the road where the vehicle is traveling (e.g., the position, height and length of the bumps, the separation distance between the bumps and the vehicle, information about the type of bumps, etc.) from the navigation device 300.

[0079] The controller 40 can acquire various information or data required for controlling the suspension 200 from various sensors equipped in the vehicle (e.g., radar, speed sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope sensor, etc.).

[0080] For reference, radar can include forward-facing radar and corner radar, and can acquire the relative position and relative speed of surrounding objects (e.g., another vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, etc.). Radar can be mounted on the grille or bumper of a vehicle. Radar acquires radar data through transmitted radio waves emitted by a transmitting antenna and reflected radio waves received by a receiving antenna.

[0081] Radar data may include at least one of the following: information about the road surface in front of the vehicle, or information about the distance and speed of another vehicle located around the vehicle. Information about the road surface in front of the vehicle may include information about bumps or protrusions on the road surface. The radar can calculate the relative distance to an object based on the phase difference (or time difference) between the transmitted and reflected radio waves, and can calculate the relative speed of the object based on the frequency difference between the transmitted and reflected radio waves. The radar can be connected to controller 40 via a vehicle network, hardwired connection, or printed circuit board. The front radar can transmit front radar data to controller 40. The aforementioned radar can be replaced by lidar (LiDAR).

[0082] The controller 40 can calculate the vehicle's pitch rate by processing data transmitted from the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors.

[0083] The following text will refer toFigures 4A to 4C The process by which the controller 40 determines the type of obstacle based on the illuminance value measured by the illuminance sensor 30 is described in detail.

[0084] Figure 4A This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value exceeds a first reference illuminance value, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] When the illuminance value measured by the illuminance sensor 30 exceeds the first reference illuminance value, it means it is a sunny day. On a sunny day, the shape of obstacles is clearly shown in the road surface image captured by the camera 20, so the controller 40 can accurately determine the type of bump based on the road surface image.

[0086] exist Figure 4A In the diagram, region "A" represents the first type of bump region, region "B" represents the second type of bump region, region "C" represents the third type of bump region, and region "D" represents the fourth type of bump region. The vertical axis represents the height of the shape (bump height), and the horizontal axis represents the length of the shape (bump length).

[0087] like Figure 4A As shown, the controller 40 accurately classifies the first type of bump (triangle) as region A, the second type of bump (quadrilateral) as region B, the third type of bump (X-shape) as region C, and the fourth type of bump (circle) as region D.

[0088] Therefore, when the illuminance value measured by the illuminance sensor 30 exceeds the first reference illuminance value, the controller 40 can control the suspension 200 based on the control information corresponding to each type of bump. At this time, the controller 40 can adjust the control value (damping force) of the suspension 200 as shown in Table 1 below.

[0089] [Table 1]

[0090]

[0091] In Table 1 above, in the fourth type of case, the controller 40 can reduce the vehicle's pitch behavior by increasing the control value. In the first type of case, the controller 40 can improve the impact amount by decreasing the control value. In the second type of case, the controller 40 can improve the impact amount by maintaining the control value, thus preventing rebound impact.

[0092] Figure 4B This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value exceeds a second reference illuminance value, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] When the illuminance value measured by the illuminance sensor 30 exceeds the second reference illuminance value, it means that the sun is beginning to set. At night, in the road surface image captured by the camera 20, the partial shape of obstacles will not be clearly shown, so the controller 40 may not be able to clearly identify the height and length of obstacles, and may not be able to accurately determine the type of bump based on the road surface image.

[0094] like Figure 4B As shown, the controller 40 can identify the first type of bump, the second type of bump, and the third type of bump relatively accurately, but it cannot accurately identify the fourth type of bump. That is, it can be seen that the controller 40 does not accurately classify the third type of bump and the fourth type of bump.

[0095] Therefore, controller 40 integrates region D into region C and classifies the types of obstacles into three types: type 1, type 2, and type 3. That is, controller 40 can determine the type of an obstacle as one of type 1, type 2, or type 3, and can control suspension 200 based on control information corresponding to the relevant type.

[0096] Figure 4C This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device determines the type of obstacle when the illuminance value does not exceed a second reference illuminance value.

[0097] When the illuminance value measured by the illuminance sensor 30 does not exceed the second reference illuminance value, it means that the sun has set. At night, despite the presence of streetlights, a large part of the shape of obstacles cannot be clearly shown in the road surface image captured by the camera 20, so the controller 40 may not be able to accurately determine the type of bump based on the road surface image.

[0098] like Figure 4C As shown, the controller 40 does not accurately classify the first type of bump and the fourth type of bump, nor does it accurately classify the third type of bump and the fourth type of bump.

[0099] Therefore, controller 40 integrates region A into region B, integrates region D into region C, and classifies the obstacle types into second type and third type. That is, controller 40 can determine the type of obstacle as second type or third type, and can control suspension 200 based on control information corresponding to the relevant type.

[0100] Since it is difficult to classify bumps when they are dark, the controller 40 can group bumps of similar size, determine the representative type of each group, and control the suspension 200 based on control information corresponding to the determined bump type.

[0101] The following will refer to Figures 5 to 7 Describe in detail the process by which controller 40 controls suspension 200.

[0102] Figure 5 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device adjusts the damping force of the suspension according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a damping force control command generated by a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 This is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating, according to another embodiment of the invention, the current variation of the suspension and the response characteristics of the solenoid valve controlled by a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device. Figure 5 In this context, "suspension control ON" indicates that the suspension 200 is controlled according to the method (preview) of the present invention, while "suspension control OFF" indicates that the suspension is controlled according to the method in the related art.

[0103] refer to Figure 5 The controller 40 can estimate the distance to the bump 400 and the time taken to reach it, and can control the suspension 200 based on control information (damping force adjustment information) corresponding to the type of bump 400 when the vehicle passes over the bump 400. When the vehicle passes over the bump 400, the controller 40 can control the suspension 200 in each of multiple control intervals. The controller 40 can set multiple control intervals corresponding to the type of bump 400.

[0104] For example, controller 40 can control suspension 200 to reduce damping force in the boundary area between the road surface and bump 400. This includes the area where the vehicle's front wheels enter bump 400. Figure 6 In the d0-d1 phase, the vehicle rises and the spring is compressed. In this situation, an impact may be applied to the vehicle, and the controller 40 can reduce the impact by decreasing the damping force. That is, the controller 40 can operate the suspension 200 in soft mode 510.

[0105] Controller 40 can control suspension 200 so that when the front wheels of the vehicle enter the area of ​​bump 400 ( Figure 6The damping force is increased in d1-d2. After the front wheels of the vehicle enter the bump 400, the vehicle may vibrate significantly immediately. In this case, the controller 40 can reduce the change in vehicle behavior by increasing the damping force. That is, the controller 40 can operate the suspension 200 in hard mode 520.

[0106] In the area where the front wheels of the vehicle are 400 away from the bump ( Figure 6 In the d2-d3 phase, the vehicle may be subjected to another impact. Even in this case, the controller 40 can reduce the impact by decreasing the damping force. That is, the controller 40 can operate the suspension 200 in soft mode 530.

[0107] Even after the rear wheels of the vehicle have completely passed over bump 400, the vehicle may still vibrate, so controller 40 can detect vibrations in the interval immediately following the vehicle's departure from bump 400. Figure 6 In the interval d3-d4, the damping force is increased again to reduce the change in vehicle behavior. In this case, the damping force can be less than the damping force in the interval d1-d2.

[0108] Even in subsequent intervals ( Figure 6 (After d4 in the previous section), the controller 40 can also continue to perform damping force control to reduce changes in vehicle behavior. That is, by adjusting the damping force of each of the multiple control intervals as the vehicle passes over the bump 400, the controller 40 can reduce the vehicle's vibration (pitch rate) and reduce the impact transmitted to the vehicle body.

[0109] Simultaneously, the control information of the pre-set suspension 200 in response to a bump 400 on the road surface in front of the vehicle can be defined as a suspension adjustment function. Furthermore, the vehicle can be equipped with a user interface for inputting the execution or stopping of the suspension adjustment function preview function.

[0110] refer to Figure 7 , showing according to Figure 6 The damping force control command shown is applied to the current in the drive circuit of the suspension 200 and the response of the actuator. That is, in order to control the damper's actuator, the controller 40 can apply current to the drive circuit of the suspension 200. The response time of the damper's actuator can be delayed compared to the time it takes for the controller 40 to apply the control current. However, the delay time is very short. The damping force can be adjusted according to the operation of the damper's actuator.

[0111] Figure 8 This is another exemplary schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a controller included in a vehicle suspension control device adjusts the damping force of the suspension according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] refer to Figure 8When the obstacle is a pothole, the controller 40 controls the suspension 200 to increase the damping force in the pothole's entrance section (hard mode). When an impact is anticipated in the pothole's exit section, the controller 40 can control the suspension 200 to decrease the damping force in the pothole's exit section (soft mode). When the vehicle passes over a pothole, the vehicle's wheels (tires) may collide with one end of the pothole (exit end) without contacting the bottom. In this case, the controller 40 can increase the damping force in the pothole's entrance section to keep the wheels in place and decrease the damping force in the pothole's exit section to absorb the impact. Therefore, vehicle vibration and the impact transmitted to the vehicle can be reduced. Figure 8 In this context, "suspension control activation" indicates the situation where the suspension 200 is controlled according to the method (preview) of the present invention, while "suspension control deactivation" indicates the situation where the suspension is controlled according to the method in the related art.

[0113] Figure 9 This is a performance analysis diagram of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 The image shows the vehicle motion when it passes a third type of bump at a speed of 30 kph.

[0114] like Figure 9 As shown, the vehicle motion when the present invention is applied (suspension control activated) is less than the vehicle motion when the present invention is not applied (suspension control deactivated).

[0115] Figure 10 This is a performance analysis diagram of a vehicle suspension control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 The image shows the vehicle motion when it passes a third type of bump at a speed of 30 kph.

[0116] like Figure 10 As shown, the impact amount (impact force) applied to the vehicle when the present invention (suspension control activation) is applied is less than the impact amount applied to the vehicle when the present invention (suspension control deactivation) is not applied.

[0117] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle suspension control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0118] First, the illuminance sensor 30 measures the illuminance outside the vehicle (step 1101).

[0119] Next, camera 20 captures an image of the road surface in front of the vehicle (step 1102).

[0120] Then, the controller 40 identifies obstacles on the road surface based on the image of the road surface in front of the vehicle (step 1103).

[0121] Then, the controller 40 determines the type of obstacle based on the illumination outside the vehicle (step 1104).

[0122] When the vehicle passes an obstacle, the controller 40 controls the damping force of the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle (step 1105).

[0123] In embodiments of the present invention, camera 20 is described as an example. However, a lidar sensor, radar sensor, or ultrasonic sensor can be used.

[0124] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating a computational system for performing a vehicle suspension control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] refer to Figure 12 The vehicle suspension control method can be implemented through a computing system. 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, all interconnected via a system bus 1200.

[0126] Processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or semiconductor device for processing 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 read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and random access memory (RAM) 1320.

[0127] Therefore, the operation of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented directly in hardware or software modules executed by processor 1100, or in a combination thereof. The software modules can reside on a storage medium (i.e., memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600), such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable hard disk, or CD-ROM. An exemplary storage medium can be coupled to processor 1100, and processor 1100 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.

[0128] As described above, the vehicle suspension control device and method according to embodiments of the present invention identify obstacles located on the road surface in front of the vehicle, determine the type of obstacle based on the brightness (e.g., illuminance value) outside the vehicle, and control the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle when the vehicle passes over the obstacle, thereby improving ride comfort.

[0129] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings, the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0130] Therefore, exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been provided to illustrate the spirit and scope of the invention, but are not limited thereto; thus, the spirit and scope of the invention are not limited by the embodiments. The scope of the invention should be interpreted based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the scope of the claims should be included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle, the device comprising: An illuminance sensor configured to measure illuminance outside the vehicle; A camera configured to capture images of the road surface in front of the vehicle; as well as The controller is configured as follows: Based on images of the road surface in front of the vehicle, obstacles located on the road surface are identified. The type of obstacle is determined based on the measured illuminance. When the vehicle passes an obstacle, the damping force of the suspension is controlled based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle determined. The controller is further configured to divide the measured illuminance into multiple intervals and set different criteria for determining the type of obstacle in each interval; The plurality of intervals include a first interval having a first measured illuminance value and a second interval having a second measured illuminance value lower than the first measured illuminance value; The controller is configured to set a first number of standards for a first interval and a second number of standards for a second interval; The first quantity of standard is greater than the second quantity of standard.

2. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The obstacle includes at least one bump or pothole located in the road surface where the vehicle travels.

3. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, When the measured illuminance exceeds a first reference illuminance value, the controller is configured to determine the type of obstacle based on at least four types of bumps with different shapes.

4. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, The at least four types of bumps include a first type of bump with different heights and different lengths, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, and a fourth type of bump.

5. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, The controller is configured to set multiple control intervals corresponding to the types of obstacles identified, and when the vehicle passes over an obstacle of the identified type, control the damping force of the suspension in each of the multiple control intervals.

6. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, When the measured illuminance exceeds the second reference illuminance value, the controller is configured to integrate the criteria for determining the fourth type of bump into the criteria for determining the third type of bump, and determine the type of obstacle as one of the first type of bump, the second type of bump, and the third type of bump.

7. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The controller is configured to set multiple control intervals corresponding to the determined type of bump, and when the vehicle passes over the determined type of bump, control the damping force of the suspension in each of the multiple control intervals.

8. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, When the measured illuminance does not exceed the second reference illuminance value, the controller is configured as follows: The criteria used to determine the first type of bump are integrated into the criteria used to determine the second type of bump. The criteria used to determine the fourth type of bump will be integrated into the criteria used to determine the third type of bump. The obstacle type is determined to be either a second-type bump or a third-type bump.

9. The device for controlling the suspension of a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein, The controller is configured to set multiple control intervals corresponding to the determined type of bump, and when the vehicle passes over the determined type of bump, control the damping force of the suspension in each of the multiple control intervals.

10. A method for controlling the suspension of a vehicle, the method comprising: Illuminance is measured outside the vehicle by an illuminance sensor; Images of the road surface in front of the vehicle are captured by a camera; The controller identifies obstacles on the road surface based on images of the road ahead of the vehicle; The controller determines the type of obstacle based on the measured illuminance; When the vehicle passes an obstacle, the controller controls the damping force of the suspension based on control information corresponding to the type of obstacle determined. Determining the type of obstacle includes: The measured illuminance was divided into multiple intervals; Different criteria for determining the type of obstacle are set in each interval, wherein the plurality of intervals includes a first interval having a first measured illuminance value and a second interval having a second measured illuminance value lower than the first measured illuminance value; A first quantity standard is set for a first interval and a second quantity standard is set for a second interval, wherein the first quantity standard is greater than the second quantity standard.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The obstacle includes at least one bump or pothole located in the road surface where the vehicle travels.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Based on the height and length of the bump, the bump is classified into one of the following types: Type 1 bump, Type 2 bump, Type 3 bump, and Type 4 bump.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Determining the type of obstacle includes: When the measured illuminance exceeds the first reference illuminance value, the obstacle type is determined to be one of the following: a first type of bump, a second type of bump, a third type of bump, or a fourth type of bump.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The damping forces controlling the suspension include: Set multiple control zones corresponding to the determined type of bump; When the vehicle passes over a bump of a defined type, the damping force of the suspension is controlled in each of the multiple control zones.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Determining the type of obstacle includes: When the measured illuminance exceeds the second reference illuminance value, the standard used to determine the fourth type of bump will be integrated into the standard used to determine the third type of bump. The obstacle type is determined as a first type of bump, a second type of bump, or a third type of bump.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The damping forces controlling the suspension include: Set multiple control zones corresponding to the determined type of bump; When the vehicle passes over a bump of a defined type, the damping force of the suspension is controlled in each of the multiple control zones.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Determining the type of obstacle includes: When the measured illuminance does not exceed the second reference illuminance value, the standard used to determine the first type of bump is integrated into the standard used to determine the second type of bump, and the standard used to determine the fourth type of bump is integrated into the standard used to determine the third type of bump. The obstacle type is determined to be either a second-type bump or a third-type bump.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The damping forces controlling the suspension include: Set multiple control zones corresponding to the determined type of bump; When the vehicle passes over a bump of a defined type, the damping force of the suspension is controlled in each of the multiple control zones.

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