Force arbitration in active suspension systems

Abstract

A vehicle may include a chassis, four wheels, and an active suspension system operably coupled to the four wheels and the chassis, where the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the four wheels. The processor may be configured to control the active suspension system by: receiving a first force request for a force for changing a first kinematic characteristic of the chassis; assigning a first force assignment to the first force request based on the force capacity; receiving a second force request for a force for changing a second kinematic characteristic of the chassis; assigning a second force assignment to the second force request based on the first force assignment; and commanding at least one actuator to apply a force based on the first force distribution and the second force distribution.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 405,636, filed Sep. 12, 2022, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The disclosed embodiments relate to force arbitration in an active suspension system and related methods of use. Background Art

[0004] Suspension systems are generally designed to properly support and orient a vehicle, provide safe handling in various expected operating environments, and ensure a comfortable ride for occupants. Conventional suspension systems are typically passive, having substantially constant operating and performance parameters. Some suspension systems are semi-active because their overall response can be adjusted, for example, to provide a compromise between occupant comfort and vehicle handling. Full active suspension systems use actuators to automatically respond to changing road conditions by relying on inputs from sensors and other measuring devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In some embodiments, a method of controlling an active suspension actuator of a vehicle having a force capacity includes: receiving, by at least one processor of the actuator, a first force request for a force from the active suspension actuator to change a first motion characteristic of a portion of the vehicle, wherein the first force request is less than the force capacity of the active suspension actuator; and commanding, by the at least one processor, the active suspension actuator to apply a first intervening force between a portion of the vehicle and a wheel assembly of the vehicle, wherein the first intervening force is less than the first force request.

[0006] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include: a chassis; a plurality of wheels; an active suspension system operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; and at least one processor configured to perform the above method.

[0007] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include: a chassis; a plurality of wheels; an active suspension system operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; and at least one processor configured to control the active suspension system. The at least one processor is configured to: obtain a force capacity of the at least one actuator; receive a first force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a first motion characteristic of the chassis; allocate a first force allocation to the first force request at least in part based on the force capacity; receive a second force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a second motion characteristic of the chassis; allocate a second force allocation to the second force request at least in part based on the first force allocation and the force capacity; and command the at least one actuator to apply a force between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis at least in part based on the first force allocation and the second force allocation.

[0008] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a chassis, a plurality of wheels, and an active suspension system, wherein the active suspension system is operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels, and wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode. A method of controlling the vehicle may include: obtaining a force capacity of the at least one actuator; receiving a first force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a first motion characteristic of the chassis; allocating a first force allocation to the first force request at least in part based on the force capacity; receiving a second force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a second motion characteristic of the chassis; allocating a second force allocation to the second force request at least in part based on the first force allocation and the force capacity; and commanding the at least one actuator to apply a force between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis at least in part based on the first force allocation and the second force allocation.

[0009] It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Further, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like reference numeral. For the sake of clarity, each component may not be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0011] Figure 1is a block diagram of one embodiment of a vehicle including a vehicle control system and a vehicle output for the vehicle control system;

[0012] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the vehicle;

[0013] Figure 3 is a side view of a vehicle showing an exemplary set of vehicle motion characteristics;

[0014] Figure 4 is a rear view of a vehicle showing another exemplary set of vehicle motion characteristics;

[0015] Figure 5 is a side view of a vehicle showing another set of exemplary vehicle motion characteristics;

[0016] Figure 6 is a top view of a vehicle showing another exemplary vehicle motion characteristic;

[0017] Figure 7 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle; and

[0018] Figure 8 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. Detailed Description

[0019] In a conventional vehicle, a vehicle suspension can be responsible for controlling multiple vehicle motion characteristics. Such vehicle motion characteristics can include, but are not limited to, roll stiffness, roll damping, heave damping, pitch damping, pitch stiffness, and torsional stiffness. In some cases, an active suspension can be employed in the vehicle to provide active control of one or more of these vehicle motion characteristics or other vehicle motion characteristics. Multiple vehicle motion characteristics can be assigned one or more controllers, the one or more controllers being configured to generate output forces for controlling each of the corresponding vehicle motion characteristics. In some cases, each of one or more active suspension actuators may be limited in the force it can apply for controlling the various vehicle motion characteristics. In such cases, it may not be possible to control multiple vehicle motion characteristics simultaneously, and the various requirements for the actuator's capabilities may conflict with each other. The limited force capacity of the active suspension system may not be sufficient to control all of the desired vehicle motion characteristics simultaneously. Thus, the inventors have recognized that active suspension actuators may have an inherent force capacity limitation, and multiple competing commands for the forces from the active suspension system actuators may cause the available force capacity of the actuators to saturate, which may be undesirable. Such saturation may cause the active suspension system to not meet the desired performance characteristics of the vehicle chassis since no more force can be provided to control one or more additional vehicle motion characteristics. In some cases, a force request for controlling or modifying one vehicle motion characteristic may saturate the active suspension system actuators, leaving no force capacity for controlling other vehicle motion characteristics. In such cases, a vehicle motion characteristic that is less important for vehicle performance may prevent or inhibit the control of a vehicle motion characteristic that is more important for vehicle performance or occupant comfort. In some embodiments, when one or more actuators with limited force capacity are employed to achieve the desired overall vehicle performance, it may be desirable to prioritize the control of certain vehicle motion characteristics over the control of other vehicle motion characteristics.

[0020] In view of the foregoing, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle control system that prioritizes control of one or more vehicle motion characteristics over other vehicle motion characteristics. In particular, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle control system that employs a vehicle motion characteristic hierarchy to arbitrate force requests from an active suspension system, where the active suspension has a certain force capacity. In some embodiments, the vehicle motion characteristic hierarchy may, for example, prioritize vehicle dynamics that affect the braking or steering performance of the vehicle over vehicle dynamics that affect user comfort or turning performance. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system may prioritize vehicle motion characteristics that improve average traction and / or vehicle handling during a braking event. Additionally, the vehicle control system may be used to improve traction and handling in the case of low road friction (e.g., caused by road features or road surface conditions) or otherwise improve vehicle motion characteristics for vehicle handling during certain events (e.g., turning, emergency maneuvers, etc.).

[0021] In some cases, a user of the vehicle (e.g., a driver or other vehicle occupant) may provide input to control and / or operate one or more vehicle systems. For example, the user may provide input via a steering wheel to control the steering system of the vehicle. As another example, the user may provide input via one or more pedals to control the throttle, braking system, or transmission of the vehicle. The user may also be able to provide input via one or more buttons, switches, and / or a graphical user interface to control various parameters of the vehicle system. The inventors have recognized that user input provided via a vehicle user interface plays an important role in the vehicle's dynamics during many vehicle events, including encountering road features (e.g., potholes, road friction changes, bumps, curves, corners, etc.), turning, and emergency maneuvers. In some cases, user input may prevent power from being allocated to automated vehicle systems required to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. For example, a driver may overcorrect during oversteering or may apply the brakes during a sharp turn, actions that may destabilize the vehicle. Thus, the effectiveness of a vehicle control system that includes safety systems such as a traction control system and a braking system may be reduced or negated by incorrect or inappropriate user input during a road event. Additionally, a user may expect a particular response from the vehicle in response to user input. A control system that does not respond as expected may unsettle the user of the vehicle.

[0022] In view of the above, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle configured to preferentially control one or more actuators of an active suspension system, which can target vehicle motion characteristics that are perceivable by a user of the vehicle. The inventors have recognized that the forces applied by one or more actuators of the active suspension system can be used to more tightly control certain vehicle motion characteristics and provide a more predictable active suspension response for the user of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can also prioritize reducing vehicle motion characteristics that may make the vehicle unstable over vehicle motion characteristics that primarily affect user comfort and / or vehicle turning performance (e.g., sport performance).

[0023] In some embodiments, a vehicle can include a chassis and one or more wheels (e.g., four wheels) supporting the chassis. The vehicle can include an active suspension system operatively disposed between the one or more wheels and the chassis. The active suspension system can be configured to adjust the normal force between the wheels of the vehicle and the ground (e.g., via the tires) by applying a force between the wheels of the vehicle and the chassis. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can be configured to produce an extension or compression of a main spring of a suspension assembly. The force applied between the wheels and the chassis can be transmitted through the active suspension system to the chassis, thereby allowing the active suspension system to control one or more motion characteristics of the vehicle chassis. Vehicle motion characteristics can include, but are not limited to, rotation about various axes (e.g., roll and pitch). Vehicle motion characteristics can also include, but are not limited to, translation along various axes (e.g., translation along a vertical z-axis, also referred to as "heave"). In some embodiments, three Cartesian principal axes can be established relative to a support surface (e.g., a plane) below the vehicle. In some embodiments, three Cartesian principal axes can be established relative to the direction of local gravity when the vehicle is disposed on a horizontal ground. As discussed further below, the active suspension system can control one or more vehicle motion characteristics of the vehicle chassis by applying active or passive forces between the chassis and the one or more wheels. Changing the force output by the active suspension system can change one or more vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, the vehicle can include at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in an associated volatile or non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, the at least one processor can be configured to control the active suspension system to control one or more vehicle motion characteristics of the chassis. In some embodiments, the at least one processor can operate as part of one or more controllers of the vehicle.

[0024] In some embodiments, an active suspension system is operably disposed between one or more wheels of a vehicle and a chassis. The active suspension system can include one or more actuators associated with one or more wheels. For example, the active suspension system can include one actuator associated with each wheel of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the actuators of the active suspension system can be electrohydraulic devices that include a hydraulic motor / pump and / or an electric motor / generator. The term hydraulic motor / pump can refer to a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor operating as a pump, or a hydraulic pump operating as a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor / pump can be capable of providing fixed displacement, variable displacement, fixed speed, and / or variable speed, as the present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of device. Suitable types of hydraulic motor / pumps can include, but are not limited to, gerotor pumps, vane pumps, gear pumps, screw pumps, and / or any other suitable type of hydraulic device. The term electric motor / generator can refer to an electric motor and / or an electric generator. In either case, in some embodiments, the associated hydraulic device can drive the electric motor / generator such that it operates as a generator to provide damping to the hydraulic actuator while also generating electrical energy. The electric motor / generator can also drive the hydraulic device acting as a pump to generate fluid flow to drive the operation of the actuator and / or resist the movement of the piston of the actuator. Depending on the particular embodiment, the electric motor / generator can operate only as a generator, only as a drive motor, and / or as both, depending on the particular application. Suitable types of electric motor / generators can include, but are not limited to, brushless DC motors, brushed DC motors, induction motors, generators, or any other type of device capable of converting electricity into rotational motion and / or converting rotational motion into electricity. The actuator can be configured to apply active forces and / or reactive forces between the wheels of the vehicle and the chassis of the vehicle. The application of the active forces and / or reactive forces can be used to control the movement of the chassis and / or the wheels. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include one or more physical springs or dampers that can apply reactive forces to one or more wheels and the chassis of the vehicle.

[0025] In some embodiments, the actuator of an active suspension system can have a specific maximum operating force capacity and / or maximum displacement capacity. The force capacity can be the amount of force that the actuator can generate under certain operating or environmental conditions (e.g., ambient temperature), and it has a finite value. The displacement capacity can be the amount of displacement that the actuator can generate under certain operating or environmental conditions (e.g., ambient temperature), and it has a finite value. In some embodiments, the force capacity and / or displacement capacity can be based on the physical configuration of the actuator and the material limitations of that configuration (if any), and thus can be the designed force capacity and / or displacement capacity. In some embodiments, the force capacity and / or displacement capacity can be based on the limitations of the actuator with an additional safety factor. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be set as a limitation in software. In some embodiments, a particular actuator can have a force capacity and / or displacement capacity that can be based on other physical characteristics of the vehicle and / or the actuator (e.g., vehicle weight, type, actuator design, etc.). For example, compared to a vehicle with a lower weight, a vehicle with a larger weight can have an active suspension with a larger force capacity. The force capacity and / or displacement capacity can affect the ability of the active suspension system to control one or more vehicle motion characteristics. For example, if the force capacity and / or displacement capacity of the actuator saturates and more force or displacement is needed to control the vehicle chassis as desired, the actuator may not be able to provide the desired additional force and / or displacement. In this way, the force capacity and / or displacement capacity of the actuator can be allocated according to the exemplary embodiments herein so that certain vehicle motion characteristics that can be considered more important are prioritized over other vehicle motion characteristics that can be considered less important. In the remainder of the present disclosure, the discussion will focus on the control of the actuator force capacity allocated to various vehicle motion characteristics. However, note that the actuator displacement can be allocated similarly.

[0026] In some embodiments, a vehicle may employ an actuator having a force capacity based on the vehicle mass (e.g., the vehicle mass based on the gross vehicle weight rating). In some embodiments, the ratio between the force capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be greater than or equal to 0.4 N / kg, 1.0 N / kg, 2.0 N / kg, and / or any other suitable ratio. In some embodiments, the ratio between the force capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be less than or equal to 2.5 N / kg, 1.5 N / kg, 1.0 N / kg, and / or any other suitable ratio. Combinations of the above ranges are contemplated, including ratios between 0.4 N / kg and 2.5 N / kg, 1.0 N / kg and 1.5 N / kg, and 1.0 and 2.5 N / kg. In some embodiments, for example when the actuator is placed inside the wheel, the ratio between the force capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be measured at the vehicle's wheel, where any lever arm effect has been accounted for. In some embodiments, any suitable ratio may be employed, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, any suitable force capacity may be employed in the actuator, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0027] In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle includes obtaining or determining a force capacity of at least one actuator of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the at least one actuator can include four actuators, each actuator associated with a single wheel of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be an average force capacity of each individual actuator of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be a total force capacity (e.g., sum) of the respective force capacities of each individual actuator of the at least one actuator. The method can further include receiving a first force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a first motion characteristic of the chassis. In some embodiments, the first force request can be received (e.g., via a communication network) from a controller associated with the first motion characteristic. The method can include allocating a first force allocation to the first force request based on the force capacity of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the allocation to the first force request can be less than or equal to the force capacity such that the allocation is limited to the force capacity. In some embodiments, the allocation can be less than the force capacity such that force can be allocated to other force requests. The method can further include receiving a second force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a second motion characteristic of the chassis. The second motion characteristic can be different from the first motion characteristic. For example, the first vehicle motion characteristic can be the roll stiffness of the chassis and the second motion characteristic can be the roll damping of the chassis. The method can include allocating a second force allocation to the second force request at least in part based on the first force allocation and the force capacity. For example, the sum of the first force allocation and the second force allocation can not exceed the force capacity. In some embodiments, the second force allocation can be the difference between the first force allocation and the force capacity of the at least one actuator. In this way, force can be primarily allocated to the first force request as its priority is higher than the second force request. The method can include commanding the at least one actuator to apply a force between the at least one wheel and the chassis at least in part based on the first force allocation and the second force allocation. The method can include applying the force using the actuator according to the first force allocation and the second force allocation to control the first vehicle motion characteristic and the second vehicle motion characteristic. In some embodiments, the above method can be performed by at least one processor of the vehicle (e.g., executing computer-readable instructions formed in a non-volatile memory).

[0028] In some embodiments, distributing force in response to a force request can be at least partially based on a force distribution limit that is less than the force capacity of the actuator. Such a force distribution limit can be beneficial to ensure that the entire force capacity of the actuator is not consumed to control a single vehicle motion characteristic. While the inventors have recognized that certain vehicle motion characteristics can have a higher priority for control than others, the inventors have also recognized that it may be desirable to reserve some of the force capacity for controlling lower priority vehicle motion characteristics. Such an arrangement can be desirable in the case of an instantaneous spike in the force request, which can occur in response to encountering a road event (e.g., pothole, bump, etc.). Since the force distribution can be limited for a particular vehicle motion characteristic, controlling that one vehicle motion characteristic may not prevent the control of other lower priority vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, the force distribution limit can be a percentage greater than zero of the actuator force capacity. For example, in some embodiments, the force distribution limit can be 60% of the force capacity, 70% of the force capacity, 75% of the force capacity, 80% of the force capacity, 90% of the force capacity, or another suitable percentage. In some embodiments, in addition to the force distribution limit, there can be a lower force distribution limit, which can be, for example, 1% of the force capacity of the actuator. In some embodiments, for example, the force distribution limit can be between a lower distribution limit of 1% and a distribution limit of 75% of the force capacity of the actuator. It should be understood that any suitable force distribution limit can be selected for the actuator, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0029] As used herein, an "active force" is a force generated by a vehicle system and applied to a wheel or wheel assembly along the direction of movement of the point of application of the force. For example, an active force can include applying a force to a wheel or wheel assembly along the direction of movement of the wheel via an active suspension system actuator. An active force or a component of an active force can be oriented along the direction of movement of the point of application of the force using an actuator. As used herein, a "passive force" is a force that can be applied to a component in a direction opposite to the movement of the point of application of the force. For example, a suspension system spring (e.g., a coil spring, an air spring, etc.) can generate a spring force in response to movement of the wheel due to road features (e.g., a bump, a curve, etc.). As another example, a suspension system damper can generate a passive damping force (e.g., a force that resists movement of the wheel and / or the vehicle body) in response to movement of the wheel due to road features, but note that an active suspension system can also apply a damping force that resists movement of an associated mass. For example, in some embodiments, an actuator can apply a damping force in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the component being damped. According to the exemplary embodiments described herein, certain vehicle systems (e.g., an active suspension system) can apply an active force and / or a passive force depending on the operating mode of the vehicle system and commands received from a controller. For example, an active suspension system can operate in a first mode and in a second mode, in the first mode, the actuator is used to apply an active force to the vehicle or a portion of the vehicle, and in the second mode, only a passive force is applied in response to an external force input on the vehicle or a portion of the vehicle. In some operating modes, a vehicle system including an active suspension system can generate both an active force and a passive force.

[0030] As discussed herein, vehicle motion characteristics can refer to the motion response of a vehicle chassis that is controlled in degrees of freedom about or along an axis. Vehicle motion characteristics can be represented as springs or dampers of the vehicle chassis with respect to a particular degree of freedom. In some embodiments, the vehicle chassis can have two vehicle motion characteristics (e.g., stiffness and damping) for each degree of freedom. Degrees of freedom of the vehicle chassis can include, but are not limited to, roll (e.g., rotation of the vehicle about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel), pitch (e.g., rotation of the vehicle about the lateral axis of the vehicle perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel), heave (e.g., translation along the vertical axis of the vehicle), and twist (e.g., torsion about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel). Vehicle motion characteristics can include, but are not limited to, roll stiffness, roll damping, heave damping, pitch damping, pitch stiffness, and twist stiffness. In some embodiments, any suitable vehicle motion characteristic can be controlled, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The inventors have recognized that, under certain operating conditions, certain vehicle motion characteristics may be more important for vehicle performance (e.g., handling or safety) and / or the user's perception of vehicle performance. Thus, the inventors have recognized that, since actuators may have limited force capacity, it may be desirable to prioritize certain vehicle motion characteristics over other vehicle motion characteristics, as further discussed below with reference to an exemplary method.

[0031] In some embodiments, exemplary vehicle motion characteristics can be affected and altered by applying an active force or a passive force by an active suspension system (e.g., by one or more actuators). For example, roll stiffness can be affected by applying an appropriate active roll force to enhance vehicle roll stiffness during a vehicle lateral acceleration period. As another example, roll damping can be affected by applying an appropriate active roll force to enhance vehicle roll damping during an instantaneous roll event. As yet another example, heave damping can be affected by applying an appropriate active heave force to enhance vehicle heave damping during an instantaneous heave event. As yet another example, pitch damping can be affected by applying an active pitch force to enhance vehicle pitch damping during an instantaneous pitch event. As yet another example, pitch stiffness can be affected by applying an appropriate active pitch force to enhance vehicle pitch stiffness during a longitudinal acceleration period. As yet another example, twist stiffness can be affected by applying an appropriate active twist force to dynamically change the roll moment between axles in a motion mode. In some embodiments, two or more of the above-described vehicle motion characteristics can be controlled in a vehicle having an active suspension system. In some embodiments, one or more vehicle motion characteristics (such as those indicated above, for example) can be excluded from vehicle control, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0032] Although two vehicle motion characteristics are discussed in connection with two force distributions in some embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that any number of force distributions can be used as part of a method of operating a vehicle. For example, three, four, five, or six vehicle motion characteristics can have different hierarchical force distributions based on the force capacity of the actuators and other parameters such as the operating mode or condition of the vehicle, the state of the vehicle, or the state of the actuators being discussed. In some embodiments, more than six vehicle motion characteristics can be controlled using an active suspension system. In some embodiments, the vehicle motion characteristics can be organized into one or more priority groups. For example, a vehicle handling group at a certain level in the hierarchy can include roll stiffness and roll damping. As another example, a comfort group can include heave damping and pitch damping, which can be at different levels in the hierarchy. As yet another example, a sport performance group can include pitch stiffness and torsional stiffness. In some embodiments, such priority groups can be employed in the exemplary embodiments herein to distribute force to the various vehicle motion characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, force can be distributed first to the vehicle handling group, second to the comfort group, and third to the sport performance group. The inventors have recognized that such a hierarchy provides an improved perception of vehicle performance to the user of the vehicle. In other embodiments, any group and any priority can be employed to provide a desired chassis response when controlling chassis motion using one or more actuators having a limited force capacity.

[0033] In some embodiments, the inventors have recognized that, in some cases, different vehicle motion characteristics can be equally prioritized. For example, the inventors have recognized that it may not be desirable to allocate force to a particular vehicle motion characteristic before allocating force to another particular vehicle motion characteristic. In some such embodiments, force can be allocated to a combination of a first vehicle motion characteristic and a second vehicle motion characteristic. For example, a method of operating a vehicle can include determining a shared force allocation based on the force capacity of the actuators and any previous force allocations. Based on the shared force allocation, individual force allocations can be determined based on weighting factors assigned to each vehicle motion characteristic. In some embodiments, the weighting factors can be equal such that the shared force allocation is divided equally among the vehicle motion characteristics associated with the shared force allocation. In some embodiments, the weighting factors can be different such that the vehicle motion characteristics associated with the shared force allocation receive a predetermined share of the shared force allocation. For example, in some embodiments where two vehicle motion characteristics share a shared force allocation with unequal weightings, the first weighting factor can be between 51% and 99%, and the second weighting factor can be between 1% and 49%. The weighting factors can be determined during the manufacture or adjustment of the vehicle, or received as user input from a user input device, and can be based on the desired vehicle response and vehicle weight, type, etc. It should be noted that the force allocation formula also depends on the state of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle speed) or its operating conditions (e.g., weather or road surface conditions).

[0034] In some embodiments, a method of controlling a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiments herein can include allocating force to respective actuators of a vehicle active suspension system based on the individual force capacity of each individual actuator. Thus, depending on the actuator and the vehicle motion characteristic to be controlled, force can be allocated differently to achieve a target chassis response. Different vehicle actuators can cooperate to control the vehicle motion characteristics of the chassis. In some embodiments, depending on the particular actuator, different force allocation limits can be set for different vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, the different force allocation limits can be based on whether the actuator is a front-wheel actuator or a rear-wheel actuator. For example, in some embodiments, for an exemplary motion characteristic, the force allocation limit for a front actuator can be 55% of the force capacity, while the rear-wheel actuator can have a force allocation limit of 45% of the force capacity. Similarly, the different force allocation limits can be based on whether the actuator is a left-side actuator or a right-side actuator. In other embodiments, for all wheels of the vehicle, the force capacities can be approximately equal, effectively equal, or equal. Any suitable force allocation limits can be set for the individual actuators within the vehicle, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0035] In addition to the above, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a method of controlling a vehicle that avoids rapid or excessive cyclic changes in force distribution. For example, in the case of cyclically determining force distribution at a predetermined frequency, an instantaneous change in sensor feedback when the vehicle encounters an instantaneous event may cause a rapid increase in the force request for certain vehicle motion characteristics. Therefore, the inventors have recognized that it may be desirable to delay the availability of force distribution for a particular vehicle motion characteristic. In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle may include detecting a trend of increasing force requests over a threshold time period. According to such an embodiment, detecting a positive trend in the force request over the threshold time period may trigger an increase in the ramp hold limit for a vehicle motion characteristic, where the force distribution may not exceed the ramp hold limit. In some embodiments, the ramp hold limit may increase at a rate based on the force capacity of the actuator to allow full utilization of the actuator for vehicle motion characteristic control while suppressing undesirable cyclic changes in force distribution. In some embodiments, the rate of increase of the ramp hold limit may be between 25% and 100% of the force capacity of the actuator per second. In some embodiments, the threshold time period for detecting a trend of increasing force requests may be between 100 ms and 500 ms. Other rates and threshold time periods are contemplated, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0036] In some embodiments, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a return rate limiter for smoothing the reduction of the ramp hold limit. Such an arrangement can ensure that during an instantaneous decrease in the force request associated with a given vehicle motion characteristic, the force capacity remains available for the vehicle motion characteristic. Therefore, force can be distributed according to the increased ramp hold limit rather than immediately resetting to the original lower ramp hold limit. In some embodiments, the return rate limiter may be based on the capacity of the actuator. For example, the ramp hold limit may decrease at a rate between 25% and 50% of the force capacity of the brake per second. In some embodiments, the ramp hold limit may not decrease until a threshold time period has elapsed during which the force request is less than the ramp hold limit. In some embodiments, such a threshold time period for the ramp hold limit to begin to decrease is between 100 ms and 500 ms. Any suitable rate and / or threshold time period for causing the ramp hold limit to begin to decrease may be employed, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0037] While embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods of operating a vehicle including an active suspension, the techniques and methods described herein can be applicable to other vehicle systems that operate independently or in cooperation with an active suspension system. For example, a braking system of a vehicle can distribute forces to affect different vehicle motion characteristics. As another example, a collision protection system can receive force distribution for adjusting the attitude of a vehicle chassis in response to an impending impact. Any suitable vehicle system can distribute forces according to a predetermined hierarchy that can be a function of vehicle operating conditions, vehicle state, or vehicle environment to control various vehicle motion characteristics, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this regard, the methods herein are not limited to active suspension systems and, in some embodiments, the methods herein can be employed in vehicles that do not have an active suspension system.

[0038] As used herein, a "road event" is any event that can occur when a vehicle is traveling on a road. In some embodiments, a road event can include encountering a road feature. A "road feature" is any non-nominal road condition that a vehicle can encounter while traveling on a road surface. For example, road features can include, but are not limited to, rough roads, potholes, manhole covers, bumps, uneven surfaces, variable road materials (e.g., dirt, gravel, pavement, concrete, metal, etc.), road coverings (e.g., snow, ice, salt, sand, dirt, water, etc.), and / or any other feature that can involve a change in the force applied to or interacting with a vehicle that encounters the feature (e.g., a situation where a vehicle's wheel passes over a feature for a period of time). In some embodiments, a road event can include a turn (e.g., going around a corner). In some embodiments, a road event can include a braking event. A braking event is any instance or period of time in which one or more brakes of a vehicle are applied, such as to slow down or stop the vehicle or to slow down the vehicle by applying a drag to one or more rotating components in a drive. A braking event can have any duration, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, a braking event can include a single application of a brake or multiple applications of a brake, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0039] In some embodiments, a vehicle can use forces from, for example, an active suspension system arranged in a twist arrangement such that vertically upward forces are applied to two wheels diagonally on the vehicle and vertically downward forces are effectively applied to the remaining two wheels simultaneously to change the longitudinal forces on the vehicle, thereby reducing the undesired yaw behavior of the vehicle even in normal braking situations. As an example, a crown or rut can sometimes create a lateral pull during a braking event, and the active suspension can be used to apply a twisting force to mitigate the effect. This mitigation can occur in two forms - either it can mitigate the effect and attempt to reduce metrics such as those mentioned above, such as peak yaw rate or peak lateral deviation from the desired path, but it can also attempt to counteract the perceived behavior, for example, by counteracting the steering torque generated during such a scenario.

[0040] According to the exemplary embodiments described herein, an active suspension system is a suspension system that can at least temporarily change the normal force applied to at least one wheel (and tire) of a vehicle by generating an intervening force between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass including the wheel. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include a linear actuator or a rotary actuator, which are hydraulic, electromagnetic, electromechanical, or hydroelectric. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include an electric or hydraulic active roll control actuator. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include an electronically controlled valve. Of course, the active suspension system can include any suitable actuator, spring, and / or damper to adjust the normal force applied to the wheels and tires of the vehicle, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the active suspension can have a fast response time and the ability to respond dynamically to inputs. According to an embodiment, the response time to a step change command of the applied vertical force (e.g., to the vehicle body) can be less than 50 milliseconds, less than 25 milliseconds, or less than 10 milliseconds, where the response time is defined as the delay between the step change command and 90% of the steady-state output. The embodiments disclosed herein provide such an ability. Additionally, the present active suspension system can utilize multiple degrees of freedom on the vehicle by using multiple actuators in a coordinated manner. In some embodiments, the active suspension system response can be vectorized perpendicular to the road to produce an instantaneous or short-duration (e.g., about half of the period of the natural frequency of the vehicle body on the main suspension springs) change in the wheel force, which change is precisely tailored and timed according to vehicle state parameter information determined by the suspension system or received from other vehicle subsystems (e.g., e.g., a rear steering system, an electronic braking system, a steering system, etc.).

[0041] According to the exemplary embodiments described herein, a vehicle control system can be operated by one or more processors. The one or more processors can be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in volatile or non-volatile memory. The one or more processors can communicate with one or more actuators associated with various elements of the vehicle (e.g., braking system, active suspension system, steering system, rear steering system, driver assistance system, etc.) to control the activation and movement of the various elements of the vehicle. The one or more processors can receive information from one or more sensors that provide feedback regarding the various elements of the vehicle. For example, the one or more processors can receive position information regarding the vehicle from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) or other positioning system. Sensors on the vehicle can include, but are not limited to, wheel speed sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), optical sensors (e.g., camera devices, LIDAR), radar, suspension position sensors, gyroscopes, etc. In this manner, the vehicle control system can implement proportional control, integral control, derivative control, combinations thereof (e.g., PID control), or other control strategies for the various elements of the vehicle. Other feedback or feedforward control schemes can also be considered, and the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. Any desired number of any suitable sensors can be employed to provide feedback information to the one or more processors. Information from the sensors can be used in conjunction with desired processing techniques (e.g., machine vision). The one or more processors can also communicate with other controllers, computers, and / or processors on a local area network, wide area network, or the Internet using appropriate wireless or wired communication protocols. It should be noted that although the exemplary embodiments described herein are described with reference to a single processor, any suitable number of processors can be used as part of the vehicle, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0042] Turning to the drawings, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described with respect to these embodiments can be used alone and / or in any desired combination, as the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein only.

[0043] Figure 1 is an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of a vehicle 100 that includes a vehicle control system 102 and a vehicle output 120 for the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system can include at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions and control the vehicle output 120. As Figure 1As shown, the vehicle control system can include an electronic stability control system 104 and an anti-lock braking system (ABS 106). The electronic stability control system can be configured to automatically apply brakes when traction is lost to help steer the vehicle to where the driver intends to go. The ABS is configured to prevent wheel lock-up and skidding. As Figure 1 shown, the vehicle control system can further include a forward-looking sensor 108. The forward-looking sensor can sense road characteristics, road features, or objects in front of the vehicle, which can be provided as forward-looking road information to at least one processor. In Figure 1 an embodiment, the vehicle control system can further include reference road information 110, which can be stored in a memory on the vehicle control system. In an embodiment such as Figure 1 shown, the vehicle control system can further include a transceiver 112 configured to send or receive information. In some embodiments, the transceiver 112 can be configured to receive reference road information from another vehicle or a cloud service (e.g., one or more servers). The transceiver can be configured to communicate wirelessly via any suitable wireless protocol, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0044] As Figure 1 shown, the vehicle can include a plurality of vehicle outputs 120 controlled by the vehicle control system. Specifically, the vehicle outputs can include a throttle 122 (which can include, for example, a throttle of an engine or an electric motor), a steering system 124 (which can include, for example, active steering, semi-active steering, passive steering, and / or rear steering), an active suspension system 126, a braking system 128, and other outputs 130 such as driver feedback. The vehicle control system can be configured to control these vehicle outputs individually or in various combinations. By controlling the various vehicle outputs in combination, the vehicle control system can provide enhanced stability compared to a vehicle with independent control of each system. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system can prioritize certain outputs. For example, the braking system can be prioritized over the steering or active suspension system. In this way, with the possible assistance of other vehicle outputs, the system that is more important for a given scenario can be preferentially controlled. In some embodiments, certain outputs can be further prioritized for certain vehicle motion characteristics. In this way, the outputs of the vehicle system can be used to provide vehicle motion characteristic control for the highest priority vehicle motion characteristics before being allocated to lower priority vehicle motion characteristics. Exemplary operating modes and control schemes for vehicle outputs are discussed further below.

[0045] In Figure 1In some of the illustrated embodiments, the vehicle can include a real-time two-way communication system 140 that enables communication between various subsystems and vehicle outputs. The communication system can employ any suitable connection protocol, including, for example, Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Vehicle Area Network (VAN), FlexRay, D2B, Ethernet, direct communication links (such as wires and optical fibers), or wireless communication links. The communication system can be used to share information between subsystems (such as ABS or ESC) while receiving vehicle state parameters or other information from these same or other systems. Information that can be shared between subsystems and used for vehicle output control includes, but is not limited to: for example, vehicle yaw and yaw rate, vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle lateral acceleration, steering wheel position, steering wheel torque (if brakes are being applied), and suspension spring compression. The vehicle control system can control the active suspension system 126 based on information from the vehicle, such as the status of one or more vehicle subsystems, such as ABS 106 and ESC 104, engaged during an abnormal event. For example, in the case where one or more systems are engaged, the system can provide different control of the wheels and the vehicle.

[0046] In addition to the above, in some embodiments, the active suspension system 126 can sense a number of parameters related to road, wheel, and body movement, as well as other parameters that may be beneficial to other vehicle subsystems. Such information can be transmitted from the active suspension system to other subsystems via the communication system 140. Other vehicle subsystems can change their control based on information from the active suspension system. Thus, two-way information can be transferred between the active safety suspension system and other subsystems, and control of both the active suspension system and other vehicle systems can be provided at least in part based on this information transfer. For example, the application of brakes by the ABS 106 to the brake system 128 can be synchronized with an increase in wheel force on one or more wheels by the active suspension system. As another example, the application of steering using the steering system 124 can be synchronized with an increase in wheel force on one or more wheels by the active suspension system.

[0047] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a schematic diagram of vehicle 100. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 that supports various components of the vehicle. As Figure 2 shown, the vehicle includes a vehicle control system 102 that can communicate with various subsystems via the communication system 140. As Figure 2As shown, the vehicle includes an active suspension system 126 that is operably disposed between the vehicle's wheels 150 (or wheel assemblies, which are unsprung masses) and the chassis 101 (e.g., the sprung mass). In particular, the active suspension actuator 127 can be operably disposed between each wheel of the vehicle and the body such that the individual actuators of the active suspension can independently control the vertical movement of the individual wheels of the vehicle. The actuator 127 can be configured to apply a force between the wheel 150 and the chassis 101 to adjust the normal component of the force between the wheel and the road 180 by applying an active extension force or a compression force to the wheel 150 relative to the chassis 101. Such a force applied by the actuator 127 can affect the motion response of the chassis 101 and, in particular, one or more vehicle motion characteristics. The vehicle can also include a braking system 128. The braking system can include independent brakes coupled to each of the vehicle's wheels 150 such that braking force can be independently applied to each wheel. According to Figure 2 an embodiment, the vehicle can also include a forward-looking sensor 108. The forward-looking sensor 108 can be at least one camera device, LIDAR, radar, a combination thereof, or other sensors configured to sense forward-looking road information that can be utilized by the vehicle control system 102. Alternatively or additionally, the forward-looking road information can be received by the control system 120 via a communication system.

[0048] According to Figure 2 an embodiment, the vehicle can also include a steering system 105 that, in the case of driving the vehicle, includes a steering wheel 103. The steering wheel 103 can form part of the user interface of the vehicle 100. The user interface can be used to provide user input to the vehicle control system and control various parts of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the user interface can be used to provide feedback to the user. In some embodiments, the steering system 105 includes a rear steering system configured to control one or more rear wheels of the vehicle. However, other user interfaces and inputs can also be used as previously described. In some of the cases discussed above, the user can anticipate a specific chassis motion response from the input applied to the steering wheel 103 and / or other user interfaces. Thus, a method of operating a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment herein can include allocating forces to the actuators 127 of the active suspension system 126 or other actuators in the vehicle to prioritize vehicle motion characteristics consistent with the anticipated chassis motion response.

[0049] As Figure 2As shown, the vehicle can travel on road 180. The road surface can include one or more road features 182. The road features 182 may cause fluctuations in the normal load on the wheels 150 of the vehicle (e.g., by accelerating the wheels upward and / or downward). In some embodiments, the road features may generate a chassis movement response of the vehicle based on one or more vehicle movement characteristics of the chassis. For example, the road feature 182 may introduce roll movement, pitch movement, heave movement, or torsional movement in the vehicle chassis 101 that can be perceived by the user of the vehicle 100. The vehicle control system 102 can control the active suspension system 126 and the forces applied by each of the actuators 127 in response to the disturbances caused by the road features 182 to provide desired vehicle movement characteristics. As discussed further below, the forces can be allocated in a priority order based on the vehicle movement characteristics to achieve the desired vehicle movement characteristics.

[0050] Figures 3 to 6 A schematic diagram of a vehicle depicting exemplary vehicle movement characteristics that can be controlled using the vehicle's active suspension system is shown. The vehicle movement characteristics can be controlled by applying one or more forces using one or more active suspension actuators of the active suspension system, and the applied forces can appropriately affect the vehicle movement characteristics according to the desired response of the chassis to the disturbances. As discussed further below, one or more actuators of the active suspension system can have a limited force capacity, such that in some cases (e.g., when encountering a certain road feature or road event), not all vehicle movement characteristics can be controlled simultaneously as needed. Therefore, in some embodiments, the vehicle movement characteristics can be prioritized for force allocation based on the importance of the vehicle movement characteristics to the vehicle's maneuverability and the user's perception of the maneuver.

[0051] Figure 3 A side view of vehicle 100 showing an exemplary first set of vehicle movement characteristics is shown. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to Figure 3 the embodiment, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle pitch can be the rotation of the vehicle about a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (e.g., parallel to the y-axis), as shown by the dashed arrow. The first vehicle movement characteristic can be pitch stiffness K Pitch , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during pitch movement. The second vehicle movement characteristic can be pitch damping C Pitch, which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 during pitching motion. The pitching stiffness and pitching damping can be influenced by applying forces using one or more actuators of an active suspension system. For example, forces that counteract or assist the pitching motion of the chassis 101 can damp or assist the pitching motion, thereby affecting the pitching damping. The pitching stiffness can be associated with, for example, the motion performance of the vehicle (e.g., during a braking event). The pitching damping can be associated with user comfort. In some embodiments, for example, during force distribution, the pitching damping can be prioritized over the pitching stiffness.

[0052] Figure 4 is a rear schematic view of the vehicle 100 showing an exemplary second set of vehicle motion characteristics. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to Figure 4 an embodiment, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle roll can be the rotation of the vehicle about the longitudinal axis, as indicated by the dashed arrow. The first vehicle motion characteristic in the second set of characteristics can be the roll stiffness K Roll , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during roll motion. The second vehicle motion characteristic can be the roll damping C Roll , which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 during roll motion. The roll stiffness and roll damping can be influenced by applying forces using one or more actuators of an active suspension system. For example, damping forces that counteract the roll motion of the chassis 101 can damp the roll motion, thereby affecting the roll damping. The roll damping and roll stiffness can be associated with vehicle handling. The inventors have recognized that in some cases, the roll damping and / or roll stiffness may be the most important vehicle motion characteristics to control during force distribution. In some embodiments, for force distribution, the roll stiffness can be prioritized over the roll damping. In some embodiments, for force distribution, the roll stiffness and roll damping can be prioritized over, for example, all other vehicle motion characteristics.

[0053] Figure 5 is a side schematic view of the vehicle 100 showing an exemplary another set of vehicle motion characteristics. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to Figure 5 an embodiment, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). The vehicle has a vertical axis parallel to the z-axis (e.g., aligned with the local gravity direction or perpendicular to the road surface). Vehicle heave can be the translation of the vehicle about the vertical axis, as indicated by the dashed arrow. The vehicle motion characteristic can be the heave damping C Heave, which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 in response to heave motion. The heave damping can be affected by applying a force using one or more actuators of an active suspension system. For example, a force that counteracts the heave motion of the chassis 101 can increase the damping of the heave motion, thereby affecting the heave damping. The heave damping can be associated with the comfort group of vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, for force distribution, the heave damping and the pitch damping can have equal priority. In some embodiments, for force distribution, the heave damping can be made to have priority over, for example, the pitch stiffness. Another vehicle motion characteristic can be the heave stiffness K Heave , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during heave motion. The heave stiffness can also be affected by applying a force using one or more actuators of an active suspension system.

[0054] Figure 6 is a top schematic view of a vehicle 100 showing another exemplary vehicle motion characteristic. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operably coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to Figure 6 the embodiments, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle roll can be the roll of the vehicle about a vertical axis. For example, as shown by the shaded circles, two wheels on opposite corners of the vehicle can be pulled upward by active suspension actuators while the other two wheels are effectively pushed downward simultaneously by the active suspension actuators to change the longitudinal and / or lateral forces on the vehicle, thereby correcting yaw or reducing an undesired yaw behavior of the vehicle. Applying such forces creates a roll about the vehicle axis on the vehicle chassis. The vehicle motion characteristic can be the roll stiffness K Twist , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 in response to roll about the longitudinal axis of the chassis. The roll stiffness can be affected by applying a force using one or more actuators of an active suspension system. The roll stiffness can be associated with, for example, the handling performance group of vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, for force distribution, the roll stiffness can be, for example, the lowest priority.

[0055] Figure 7 is a block diagram 200 of one embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. Figure 7 The method shown in can be applicable to one or more actuators of a vehicle (e.g., at least one actuator of an active suspension system). Figure 7 The method of can integrate information for a plurality of actuators of a vehicle for one or more vehicle systems (e.g., an active suspension system) and command those actuators based on determinations made according to the method. Figure 7 The method of can provide force distribution to control vehicle motion characteristics according to a hierarchy of importance of vehicle motion characteristics, where the actuators have a limited force capacity that may not be sufficient to provide simultaneous control of all possible vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments, as according toFigure 7 The force capacity described in the embodiments of Figure 7 The method of Figure 7 can provide a hierarchy for implementing a vehicle-level controller for vehicle motion characteristics or for controller commands associated with those characteristics. When the vehicle motion characteristics saturate the average force capacity of one or more actuators, Figure 7 the method of

[0056] As Figure 7 shown, a force capacity 202 for at least one actuator is obtained. The force capacity 202 can be the maximum amount of force that at least one actuator can generate under a given operating condition, which can have a finite value. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be an average force capacity based on the individual force capacities of each actuator in at least one actuator. In such embodiments, the individual force capacity of each actuator in the system can be obtained or determined and then averaged to obtain an overall force capacity for vehicle-level control. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be the total force capacity (e.g., sum) of the individual force capacities of each actuator in at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be received as an input from a user or other source. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be determined at least in part based on a model of a particular actuator and / or information about the operating conditions of the actuator. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be at least in part based on the physical configuration of the actuator and the material limitations (if any) of the configuration and can thus be a design force capacity. In some embodiments, the force capacity can be at least in part based on the limitations of the actuator with an additional safety factor. In some embodiments, a particular actuator can have a force capacity that is at least in part based on other physical characteristics of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle weight, type, etc.). For example, a vehicle with a larger weight can have an active suspension with a larger force capacity compared to a vehicle with a lower weight. In some embodiments, a particular actuator can have a force capacity based on empirical data collected during the use of the actuator and the state of the actuator (e.g., operating temperature or degree of wear).

[0057] Once the force capacity 202 is obtained or determined, at least one processor can receive force requests associated with vehicle motion characteristics of a vehicle (e.g., chassis or body) from one or more controllers. In some embodiments, the different controllers can be a single processor that executes an overall control scheme. In some embodiments, the different controllers can be included on two or more processors that can communicate with each other (e.g., via a vehicle communication network). In some embodiments, two or more processors that generate force requests can transmit the force requests to at least one main processor. According to Figure 7 the embodiments, force requests for various vehicle motion characteristics can be received and / or processed sequentially. That is, force can be allocated to force requests in order or priority, where certain vehicle motion characteristics receive force allocation for at least one actuator before other vehicle motion characteristics. In some embodiments as shown in Figure 7 FIG. For example, a roll stiffness force request 204 (e.g., a first force request) can be received first. For example, in response to the roll stiffness force request, force can be allocated based on the force capacity 202. The force allocated to the roll stiffness force request can be less than or equal to the force capacity 202. In some embodiments as shown in Figure 7 FIG., a soft limit 206 (e.g., a force allocation limit) can be applied to the force allocation for the roll stiffness force request. In some embodiments, the soft limit can be an amount of force less than the force capacity 202 such that the force allocated to the roll stiffness force request cannot equal the force capacity 202. The force allocated to the roll stiffness force request can be less than or equal to the soft limit 206. In block 208, the roll stiffness is served according to the roll stiffness force request, the soft limit 206, and the force capacity 202 to provide a roll stiffness force allocation 210. The roll stiffness force allocation 210 can be used to command at least one actuator to apply force based on the roll stiffness force allocation 210 to control the roll stiffness of the chassis. In some embodiments, at least one actuator can apply an intervening force between the chassis of the vehicle and the wheel assembly to control the roll stiffness of the chassis based on the roll stiffness force allocation 210. As used herein, the term "force request" associated with a vehicle motion characteristic is a command provided by a controller to an actuator to affect a particular motion characteristic.

[0058] In some embodiments as shown in Figure 7In some of the illustrated embodiments, the roll stiffness filter block 212 can limit the rate of increase (e.g., rise hold time) of the roll stiffness force distribution 210 and also limit the rate at which the force allocated to roll stiffness is released back to the common pool for use by other vehicle motion characteristic controllers. In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle can include detecting a trend of an increasing force request (e.g., roll stiffness force request 204) over a threshold time period. According to such embodiments, detecting a positive trend of the roll stiffness force request within the threshold time period can trigger an increase in the rise hold limit that restricts the roll stiffness force distribution 210, where the roll stiffness force distribution may not exceed the rise hold limit. In some embodiments, the rise hold limit can increase at a rate based on the force capacity 202 of at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the rate of increase of the rise hold limit can be between 25% and 100% of the force capacity of at least one actuator per second. In some embodiments, the threshold time period for detecting the trend of the increasing force request can be between 100 ms and 500 ms. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the roll stiffness filter block 212 can be optional and not employed.

[0059] In some embodiments, the roll stiffness filter block 212 can also maintain the amount of force available for the roll stiffness force request 204 and may not release the force capacity for use by subsequent vehicle motion characteristic controllers. In some such embodiments, the rise rate limit (e.g., return rate limit) of the roll stiffness filter block 212 may not allow the roll stiffness force distribution 210 to decrease faster than the rise rate limit. In this way, even if the disturbance that causes a reduced roll stiffness force request is instantaneous, the force can be distributed according to the increased rise hold limit as described above rather than immediately reset to the original lower rise hold limit. In some embodiments, the rise rate limit can be based on the force capacity 202. For example, the rise hold limit can decrease at a rate between 25% and 50% of the force capacity of at least one actuator per second. In some embodiments, the rise hold limit may not decrease until a threshold time period has elapsed since the force request was less than the rise hold limit. In some embodiments, such a threshold time period for the rise hold limit to start decreasing is between 100 ms and 500 ms.

[0060] According to Figure 7 the embodiments, once the roll stiffness force distribution 210 is determined, a roll damping force request 214 (e.g., second force request) can be received and / or processed. The roll damping force request 214 can be a second priority relative to the roll stiffness force request 204. As Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, a roll damping soft limit 216 can be applied to the roll stiffness force request. The roll stiffness soft limit can limit the amount of force that can be allocated to the roll damping force request and can be a constant limit. In block 218, the roll damping force request 214 can be served based on the force capacity 202, the roll stiffness force allocation 210, the roll damping soft limit 216, and the roll damping force request. Roll damping can receive the roll damping force allocation 220. In some embodiments, the roll damping force allocation 220 can be the difference between the force capacity 202 and the roll stiffness force allocation 210, up to the roll damping soft limit 216. For example, the roll stiffness force allocation can be subtracted from the force capacity to determine the remaining force capacity available for the roll damping force allocation. In this way, the remaining force capacity of at least one actuator allocated after the roll stiffness force allocation 210 can be allocated to the roll damping force request. The roll damping filter block 222 can operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212. The roll damping filter block can limit the rate of increase of the roll damping force allocation and can also limit the rate of decrease of the roll damping force allocation to smooth out the instantaneous changes in the roll damping force request caused by external disturbances (e.g., road events) to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the roll damping filter block can be optional and not employed.

[0061] According to Figure 7 the embodiments, once the roll damping force allocation 220 is determined, the heave damping force request 224 (e.g., the third force request) and the pitch damping force request 226 (e.g., the fourth force request) can be received and / or processed. In some embodiments as Figure 7 shown, some vehicle motion characteristics can have equal priority. Thus, in some embodiments, some vehicle motion characteristics can be received and / or processed in parallel. For example, in some embodiments, heave damping and pitch damping can be of equal importance for the control of vehicle chassis motion such that the two force requests can be combined and then allocated according to a weighting factor. The heave damping force request 224 and the pitch damping force request 226 can be combined into a third priority relative to the roll stiffness force request 204 and the roll damping force request 214. In block 227, the heave damping force request and the pitch damping force request can be combined to form a shared force request. As Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, a shared soft limit 228 may be applied to the shared force request. The shared soft limit may limit the amount of force that may be allocated to the shared force request and may be a constant limit. At block 230, the shared force request may be served based on the force capacity 202, the roll stiffness force distribution 210, the roll damping force distribution 220, the shared soft limit 228, and the shared force request. The shared force request may receive a shared force allocation and then, at block 232, allocate the shared force allocation pro rata. In some embodiments, the shared force allocation may be the difference between the force capacity 202 and the combination of the roll stiffness force distribution 210 and the roll damping force distribution 220, up to the shared soft limit 228. For example, the combination of the previous force allocations may be subtracted from the force capacity to determine the remaining force capacity available for the shared force allocation. In this way, the remaining force capacity of at least one actuator allocated after the roll stiffness force distribution 210 and the roll damping force distribution 220 may be allocated to the shared force request. At block 232, the shared force allocation may be divided into a heave damping force allocation 234 and a pitch damping force allocation 236. In some embodiments, the division at block 232 may be based on a weighting factor assigned to each force request included in the shared force request, where each weighting factor is a percentage and the sum of all the weighting factors is 100%. In some embodiments, the shared force allocation may be divided equally between heave damping and pitch stiffness, in which case the weighting factor for both may be 50%. In other embodiments, the shared force allocation may be divided unequally according to a predetermined weighting factor. In such an embodiment, the first weighting factor may be between 51% and 99%, and the second weighting factor may be between 1% and 49%. In some embodiments, more than two force requests may be received and / or processed in parallel, where the shared force allocation is allocated according to the corresponding number of weighting factors, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Additionally, in some embodiments, the shared force request may include vehicle motion characteristics other than heave damping and pitch damping, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0062] As Figure 7 shown, the shared filter block 238 may operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212 for the shared force allocation. The shared filter block may limit the rate of increase of the shared force allocation and also limit the rate of decrease of the shared force allocation to smooth out the instantaneous changes in the roll damping force request caused by external disturbances (e.g., road events) to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the shared filter block may be optional and not employed.

[0063] According to Figure 7In an embodiment, once the heave damping force distribution 234 and the pitch damping force distribution 236 are determined, a pitch stiffness force request 240 (e.g., the fifth force request) can be received and / or processed. The pitch stiffness force request 240 can be the fifth priority relative to the roll stiffness force request 204, the roll damping force request 214, the heave damping force request 224, and the pitch damping force request 226. As Figure 7 shown, in some embodiments, a pitch stiffness soft limit 242 can be applied to the pitch stiffness force request. The pitch stiffness soft limit can limit the amount of force that can be allocated to the pitch stiffness force request and can be a constant limit. At block 244, the pitch stiffness force request can be served based on the force capacity 202, the roll stiffness force distribution 210, the roll damping force distribution 220, the heave damping force distribution 234, the pitch damping force distribution 236, the pitch stiffness soft limit 242, and the pitch stiffness force request 240. In some embodiments, the pitch stiffness force distribution 246 can be the difference between the force capacity 202 and the combination of the roll stiffness force distribution 210, the roll damping force distribution 220, the heave damping force distribution 234, and the pitch damping force distribution 236, up to the pitch stiffness soft limit 242. For example, the combination of the previous force distributions can be subtracted from the force capacity to determine the remaining force capacity available for the pitch stiffness force distribution. In this way, the remaining force capacity of at least one actuator allocated after the previous force distribution can be allocated to the pitch stiffness force request. As Figure 7 shown, the pitch stiffness filter block 248 can operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212 for pitch stiffness force distribution. The pitch stiffness filter block can limit the rate of increase of the pitch stiffness force distribution and also limit the rate of decrease of the pitch stiffness force distribution to smooth out the instantaneous changes in the roll damping force request caused, for example, by external disturbances (e.g., road events) experienced by the vehicle. In some embodiments, the pitch stiffness filter block can be optional and not employed.

[0064] According to Figure 7 an embodiment, once the pitch stiffness force distribution 246 is determined, a torsional stiffness force request 250 (e.g., the sixth force request) can be received and / or processed. The torsional stiffness force request 250 can be the sixth priority relative to the roll stiffness force request 204, the roll damping force request 214, the heave damping force request 224, the pitch damping force request 226, and the pitch stiffness force request 250. As Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, a torsional stiffness soft limit 252 can be applied to the torsional stiffness force request. The torsional stiffness soft limit can limit the amount of force that can be allocated to the torsional stiffness force request and can be a constant limit. At block 254, the torsional stiffness force request can be served based on the force capacity 202, roll stiffness force allocation 210, roll damping force allocation 220, heave damping force allocation 234, pitch damping force allocation 236, pitch stiffness force allocation 246, torsional stiffness soft limit 252, and torsional stiffness force request 250. In some embodiments, the torsional stiffness force allocation 256 can be the difference between the force capacity 202 and the combination of the roll stiffness force allocation 210, roll damping force allocation 220, heave damping force allocation 234, pitch damping force allocation 236, and pitch stiffness force allocation 246, up to the torsional stiffness soft limit 252. For example, the combination of the previous force allocations can be subtracted from the force capacity to determine the remaining force capacity available for the torsional stiffness force allocation. In this way, the remaining force capacity of at least one actuator allocated after the previous force allocations can be allocated to the torsional stiffness force request. In some embodiments, the torsional stiffness filter block can operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212 for the torsional stiffness force allocation. The torsional stiffness filter block can limit the rate of increase of the torsional stiffness force allocation and also limit the rate of decrease of the torsional stiffness force allocation to smooth out the instantaneous changes in the roll damping force request caused by, for example, external disturbances (e.g., road events) experienced by the vehicle. In some embodiments as Figure 7 shown, the torsional stiffness filter block can be optional and not employed.

[0065] Once the roll stiffness force allocation 210, roll damping force allocation 220, heave damping force allocation 234, pitch damping force allocation 236, pitch stiffness force allocation 246, and torsional stiffness force allocation 256 are determined, the processor can command at least one actuator to output a force based on the force allocation. The at least one actuator can output a force between the wheel assembly and the vehicle's chassis to control various vehicle motion characteristics based on the force allocation. In some cases, certain vehicle motion characteristics may not be controlled in the event that a higher priority vehicle motion characteristic saturates the force capacity 202 of the at least one actuator or consumes the force capacity 202 of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the process described with reference to Figure 7 can occur cyclically. For example, forces can be allocated and commanded to the at least one actuator according to the cycle rate of the vehicle control system. In some embodiments, the process described with reference to Figure 7 can be performed on all actuators of the vehicle's active suspension system based on the total force capacity of each actuator and / or the average force capacity of each actuator. In other embodiments, the process described with reference to Figure 7The described processes are not limited by this disclosure. In some embodiments, with reference to Figure 7 the described processes can be applied to vehicle systems including actuators that do not form part of an active suspension system but affect vehicle chassis movement, not limited by this disclosure.

[0066] While in some embodiments described herein, certain vehicle movement characteristics are formed in one or more priority groups, in other embodiments, vehicle movement characteristics can be grouped in any desired priority hierarchy or otherwise ordered. For example, in some embodiments, the comfort group can be made to take precedence over the vehicle handling group. As another example, in some embodiments, the sport performance group can be made to take precedence over the comfort group. In some embodiments, vehicle movement characteristics can not be grouped, and the vehicle movement characteristics can be prioritized individually according to the desired chassis movement for a given force capacity. When controlling chassis movement using one or more actuators with limited force capacity, any group and any priority can be employed to provide the desired chassis response, not limited by this disclosure.

[0067] Figure 8 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. In some embodiments, Figure 8 the flowchart can represent a simplified version of the method described with reference to Figure 7 In block 300, the method includes obtaining the force capacity of an actuator of an active suspension system of the vehicle. In block 302, the method includes receiving a first set of force requests for forces from the actuator for changing a first set of movement characteristics of the vehicle chassis. In block 304, a first set of force allocations is assigned to the first set of force requests at least in part based on the force capacity of the actuator. For example, the first force allocation can not exceed the force capacity. The first set of force requests can include one or more force requests for controlling one or more vehicle movement characteristics as described above. Accordingly, for example, the first set of force allocations can be assigned in parallel based on one or more weighting factors, or the first set of force allocations can be assigned in a hierarchical order. In some embodiments, the first set of force requests can include one first force request, and the first set of force allocations can include one first force allocation.

[0068] As Figure 8As shown, in block 306, the method includes receiving a second set of force requests for forces from an actuator to change a second set of motion characteristics of a chassis. The second set of vehicle motion characteristics may be different from the first set of vehicle motion characteristics, and different force applications in terms of magnitude and / or frequency compared to the first vehicle motion characteristics may affect the second vehicle motion characteristics. In block 308, the method includes allocating a second set of force allocations to the second force requests based at least in part on the first set of force allocations and force capacity. In some embodiments, the second force allocation may be based on the difference between the force capacity and the first force allocation, where the second force allocation does not exceed the difference. The second set of force requests may include one or more force requests for controlling one or more of the second set of vehicle motion characteristics as described above. Accordingly, the second set of force allocations may be allocated in parallel based on one or more weighting factors, or the second set of force allocations may be allocated sequentially according to a hierarchy. In some embodiments, the second set of force requests may include one second force request, and the second set of force allocations may include one second force allocation.

[0069] As Figure 8 shown, in block 310, the method includes commanding the actuator to apply forces between at least one wheel assembly and the chassis based on the first set of force allocations and the second set of force allocations. The force distribution applied by the actuator in response to the command may control the first set of vehicle motion characteristics and the second set of vehicle motion characteristics in a prioritized order based on the first force allocation and the second force allocation. For example, in a case where the first force allocation is approximately equal to the force capacity, the actuator may apply little force, no force, or effectively no force to control the second set of vehicle motion characteristics.

[0070] The above-described embodiments of the techniques herein may be implemented in any of a variety of ways. For example, the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code may be executed on any suitable processor or set of processors, whether disposed in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such processors may be implemented as integrated circuits having one or more processors in the integrated circuit components, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art named such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessors, microcontrollers, or coprocessors. Alternatively, the processor may be implemented in a custom circuit system such as an ASIC or in a semi-custom circuit system created by configuring programmable logic devices. As yet another alternative, the processor may be part of a larger circuit or semiconductor device (whether commercially available, semi-custom, or custom). As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores such that one or a subset of those cores may constitute the processor. However, the processor may be implemented using any suitable format of circuit system.

[0071] In addition, it should be understood that a computer can be implemented in any of a variety of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer. Additionally, a computer can be embedded in a device that is not normally considered a computer but has suitable processing capabilities, including a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any other suitable portable or stationary electronic device.

[0072] In addition, a computer can have one or more input devices and output devices. Additionally, these devices can be used to present a user interface, etc. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include a printer or a display for visual presentation of output and a speaker or other sound generating device for auditory presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a user interface include a keyboard and pointing devices such as a mouse, a touchpad, and a digitizing tablet. As another example, a computer can receive input information by voice recognition or in other auditory formats.

[0073] Such computers can be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, including local area networks or wide area networks such as enterprise networks or the Internet. Such networks can be based on any suitable technology and can operate according to any suitable protocol and can include wireless networks, wired networks, or fiber optic networks.

[0074] In addition, the various methods or processes outlined herein can be encoded as software that can be executed on one or more processors employing any of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Additionally, such software can be written using any of a variety of suitable programming languages and / or programming or scripting tools and can also be compiled into executable machine language code or intermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual machine.

[0075] In this regard, the embodiments described herein can be embodied as a computer-readable storage medium (or multiple computer-readable media) (e.g., computer memory, one or more floppy disks, compact discs (CDs), optical discs, digital video discs (DVDs), magnetic tapes, flash memories, field programmable gate arrays, or other circuit configurations in semiconductor devices or other tangible computer storage media) encoded with one or more programs, which, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform the methods implementing the various embodiments discussed above. As is apparent from the foregoing examples, a computer-readable storage medium can retain information for a sufficient time to provide computer-executable instructions in a non-transitory form. Such one or more computer-readable storage media can be transportable, such that the one or more programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement the various aspects of the present disclosure discussed above. As used herein, the term "computer-readable storage medium" includes only non-transitory computer-readable media that can be considered a manufacture (i.e., article of manufacture) or a machine. Alternatively or additionally, the present disclosure can be implemented as a computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, such as a propagated signal.

[0076] The term "program" or "software" is used herein in a general sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be used to program a computer or other processor to implement the various aspects of the present disclosure discussed above. Additionally, it should be understood that, according to one aspect of the present embodiment, one or more computer programs that, when executed, perform the methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but can be distributed in a modular fashion among multiple different computers or processors to implement the various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0077] Computer-executable instructions can take many forms, such as program modules executed by one or more computers or other devices. In general, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, in various embodiments, the functionality of program modules can be combined or distributed as desired.

[0078] In addition, the data structure can be stored in a computer-readable medium in any suitable form. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, the data structure can be shown as having fields that are related by their positioning within the data structure. Such a relationship can equally be achieved by allocating storage for the fields with positions that convey the relationship between the fields in the computer-readable medium. However, any suitable mechanism can be used to establish the relationship between the information in the fields of the data structure, including by using pointers, tags, or other mechanisms that establish relationships between data elements.

[0079] Aspects of the present disclosure can be used alone, in combination, or in various arrangements not specifically discussed in the foregoing embodiments, and thus are not limited in their application to the details and arrangements of the components set forth in the foregoing description or shown in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment can be combined with aspects described in other embodiments in any manner.

[0080] In addition, the embodiments described herein can be embodied as methods, and examples of the methods have been provided. The actions performed as part of the method can be sequenced in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments can be constructed to perform the actions in an order different from the order shown, and even actions shown as sequential in the illustrative embodiments can include some actions being performed simultaneously.

[0081] In addition, some actions are described as being taken by a "user". It should be understood that the "user" need not be a single individual, and in some embodiments, actions attributable to the "user" can be performed by a group of individuals and / or individuals in combination with computer-aided tools or other mechanisms.

[0082] Although the present teachings have been described in connection with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended to limit the present teachings to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present teachings include various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are provided by way of example only.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an active suspension actuator of a vehicle having a force capacity, the method comprising: Using at least one processor of the actuator, receiving a first force request for a force from the active suspension actuator to change a first motion characteristic of a portion of the vehicle, wherein the first force request is less than the force capacity of the active suspension actuator; and Using the at least one processor, commanding the active suspension actuator to apply a first intervention force between the portion of the vehicle and a wheel assembly of the vehicle, wherein the first intervention force is less than the first force request.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Using the at least one processor, receiving a second force request for a force from the active suspension actuator to change a second motion characteristic of the portion of the vehicle; Using the at least one processor, commanding the active suspension actuator to apply a second intervention force between the portion of the vehicle and the wheel assembly, wherein the sum of the first intervention force and the second intervention force is less than the force capacity of the actuator.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Determining the second intervention force at least in part based on the first intervention force and the force capacity.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: Using the at least one processor, determining the first intervention force at least in part based on a rate of change of the first force request and / or force distribution limits.

5. A vehicle, comprising: Chassis; A plurality of wheels; An active suspension system operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; And At least one processor configured to perform any one of the methods according to claims 1 to 4.

6. A vehicle, comprising: Chassis; A plurality of wheels; An active suspension system operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; and At least one processor configured to control the active suspension system, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: Obtain the force capacity of the at least one actuator, Receive a first force request for a force from the at least one actuator to change a first motion characteristic of the chassis, Allocate a first force distribution to the first force request at least in part based on the force capacity, receive a second force request for a force from the at least one actuator to change a second motion characteristic of the chassis, Allocate a second force distribution to the second force request at least in part based on the first force distribution and the force capacity, and Command the at least one actuator to apply a force between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis at least in part based on the first force distribution and the second force distribution.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness, and wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is roll damping.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, and wherein, the second motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping.

9. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, and wherein, the second motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

10. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping, and wherein, the second motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

11. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Receive a third force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a third motion characteristic of the chassis; and Allocate a third force allocation to the third force request at least in part based on the first force allocation, the second force allocation, and the force capacity.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, Allocating the second force allocation and allocating the third force allocation includes: Determining a shared force allocation based on the force capacity and the first force allocation; Dividing the shared force allocation based on a first weighting factor to determine the second force allocation; and Dividing the shared force allocation based on a second weighting factor to determine the third force allocation.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, The first weighting factor is 50%, and wherein, the second weighting factor is 50%, such that the second force allocation and the third force allocation are equal.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein, The first weighting factor is between 51% and 99%, and wherein, the second weighting factor is between 1% and 49%.

15. The vehicle according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, wherein, the second motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping, and wherein, the third motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

16. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 14, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Subtract the first force allocation from the force capacity to determine a first remaining force capacity, wherein allocating the second force allocation to the second force request is at least in part based on the first remaining force capacity.

17. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 14, wherein, The first force allocation and the second force allocation do not exceed the force capacity.

18. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 14, wherein, Allocating the first force allocation to the first force request is at least in part based on a first allocation limit, wherein the first allocation limit is less than the force capacity, and wherein the first force allocation does not exceed the first allocation limit.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein, The first allocation limit is between 1% and 75% of the force capacity.

20. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 19, wherein, The plurality of wheels includes a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein, the at least one actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator, wherein, the first actuator is configured to apply an active force to the first wheel in at least one operating mode, wherein, the second actuator is configured to apply an active force to the second wheel in at least one operating mode, wherein, obtaining the force capacity of the at least one actuator includes: Obtaining a first force capacity of the first actuator; Obtaining a second force capacity of the second actuator; and Averaging the first force capacity and the second force capacity to obtain the force capacity.

21. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein, The first wheel is a front wheel of the vehicle, wherein, the second wheel is a rear wheel of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein, The first wheel is a right wheel of the vehicle, wherein, the second wheel is a left wheel of the vehicle.

23. A method of controlling a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a chassis, a plurality of wheels and an active suspension system, wherein, The active suspension system is operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels, and wherein the active suspension system includes at least one actuator configured to apply an active force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode, the method comprising: Obtaining a force capacity of the at least one actuator; Receiving a first force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a first motion characteristic of the chassis; Allocating a first force allocation to the first force request at least in part based on the force capacity; Receiving a second force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a second motion characteristic of the chassis; Allocating a second force allocation to the second force request at least in part based on the first force allocation and the force capacity; and Commanding the at least one actuator to apply a force between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis at least in part based on the first force allocation and the second force allocation.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness, and wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is roll damping.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, and wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, and wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping, and wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

28. The method according to claim 23, further comprising: Receiving a third force request for a force from the at least one actuator for changing a third motion characteristic of the chassis; And Allocating a third force allocation to the third force request at least in part based on the first force allocation, the second force allocation, and the force capacity.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein, Allocating the second force allocation and allocating the third force allocation includes: Determining a shared force allocation based on the force capacity and the first force allocation; Dividing the shared force allocation based on a first weighting factor to determine the second force allocation; and Dividing the shared force allocation based on a second weighting factor to determine the third force allocation.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein, The first weighting factor is 50%, and wherein the second weighting factor is 50% such that the second force allocation and the third force allocation are equal.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein, The first weighting factor is between 51% and 99%, and wherein the second weighting factor is between 1% and 49%.

32. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein, The first motion characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, wherein the second motion characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping, and wherein the third motion characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

33. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 31, further comprising: Subtracting the first force allocation from the force capacity to determine a first remaining force capacity, wherein allocating the second force allocation to the second force request is at least in part based on the first remaining force capacity.

34. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein, The first force allocation and the second force allocation do not exceed the force capacity.

35. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein, Allocating the first force to the first force request is at least partially based on a first allocation limit, where the first allocation limit is less than the force capacity, and where the first force allocation does not exceed the first allocation limit.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein, The first allocation limit is between 1% and 75% of the force capacity.

37. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 27, wherein, The plurality of wheels includes a first wheel and a second wheel, where the at least one actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator, where the first actuator is configured to apply an active force to the first wheel in at least one operating mode, where the second actuator is configured to apply an active force to the second wheel in at least one operating mode, and where obtaining the force capacity of the at least one actuator includes: Obtaining a first force capacity of the first actuator; Obtaining a second force capacity of the second actuator; and Averaging the first force capacity and the second force capacity to obtain the force capacity.

38. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, perform the method according to any one of claims 23 to 37.

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