Trailer

Abstract

A trailer comprises: one or more adjustable suspension actuators; an actuator control module configured to actuate the one or more adjustable suspension actuators; and an adjustment module configured to selectively adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators based on one or more operating parameters of the trailer while the trailer is in motion.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to trailers for vehicles and, more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling trailer suspension actuators.

[0002] Vehicles contain one or more torque-generating devices, such as an internal combustion engine and / or an electric motor. The one or more torque-generating devices are used to output torque to propel the vehicle.

[0003] The occupants of a vehicle ride within a passenger compartment (or vehicle compartment) of the vehicle. A driver operates an accelerator pedal to input a request to accelerate the vehicle. The driver operates a brake pedal of the vehicle to input a request to decelerate the vehicle. The driver turns a steering wheel to turn or steer, or to input a request to turn or steer the vehicle left or right.

[0004] A vehicle's braking system applies friction brakes to rotors to decelerate the vehicle's wheels in response to the brake pedal being applied.

[0005] The document DE 10 2015 224 996 A1 discloses adjustable suspension actuators, an actuator control module for actuating the adjustable suspension actuators and an adjustment module for adjusting the adjustable suspension actuators based on one or more operating parameters of a trailer while the trailer is moving.

[0006] The document DE 10 2021 113 941 A1 discloses a tracking system for a trailer which is controlled by an active rear axle steering system of the towing vehicle. SUMMARY

[0007] The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0008] This problem is solved by a trailer having the features of claim 1.

[0009] According to the invention, a trailer includes: one or more adjustable suspension actuators; an actuator control module configured to actuate the one or more adjustable suspension actuators; and an adjustment module configured to selectively adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators based on one or more operating parameters of the trailer while the trailer is traveling.

[0010] According to the invention, the trailer includes a camera configured to capture images of a road ahead of the trailer, wherein the one or more operating parameters include a curvature of the road ahead of the trailer determined based on an image from the camera.

[0011] According to the invention, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and lower a right side of the trailer when the road ahead of the trailer turns right.

[0012] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and raise a left side of the trailer when the road ahead of the trailer turns right.

[0013] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and lower a left side of the trailer when the road ahead of the trailer turns left.

[0014] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to progressively lower the right side of the trailer as a radius of curvature of the road in front of the trailer decreases to the right and vice versa.

[0015] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to actuate the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and lower both the left and right sides of the trailer when the road in front of the trailer has approximately no curvature.

[0016] According to further features, the one or more operating parameters include a steering wheel angle (SWA) of a vehicle pulling the trailer.

[0017] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and lower a right side of the trailer when the SWA points to the right of the vehicle from a forward direction of travel.

[0018] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to progressively lower the right side of the trailer as the SWA moves to the right and away from the forward direction of the vehicle.

[0019] According to further features, the trailer includes a camera configured to capture images of a road ahead of the trailer, wherein the one or more operating parameters include an overhead obstacle ahead of the trailer detected in an image from the camera.

[0020] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to lower both the left and right sides of the trailer when the overhead obstacle is present in front of the trailer.

[0021] According to further features, the one or more operating parameters include trailer loads on the left and right sides of the trailer measured using trailer load sensors.

[0022] According to further features, the one or more operating parameters include the correct heights of the left and right sides of the trailer measured using load sensors of the trailer.

[0023] According to further features, the one or more operating parameters include a yaw of the trailer measured using a yaw sensor of the trailer.

[0024] According to further features, the one or more operating parameters include a lateral acceleration of the trailer.

[0025] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and lower a right side of the trailer when the lateral acceleration of the trailer is directed to the left.

[0026] According to further features, the adjustment module is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators and raise a left side of the trailer when the lateral acceleration of the trailer is to the left.

[0027] According to further features, the one or more adjustable suspension actuators include at least one of (a) a leaf spring and actuator, (b) pneumatic suspension actuators, (c) hydraulic suspension actuators, and (c) magnetorheological suspension actuators.

[0028] According to one feature, a method for a trailer includes: selectively actuating one or more adjustable suspension actuators of a trailer; and selectively adjusting the one or more adjustable suspension actuators based on one or more operating parameters of the trailer while the trailer is traveling.

[0029] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are provided for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an exemplary vehicle system; Fig. 2 a plan view of an exemplary vehicle and trailer; Fig. 3 a functional block diagram of an exemplary implementation of the trailer; Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary implementation of a suspension control module; Fig. 5 an exemplary illustration of the road curvature and trailer operation; and Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for controlling the one or more adjustable suspension actuators.

[0031] Reference numerals may be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Various types of vehicles are available, including trucks, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, etc. The vehicles can be used for various different purposes. For example, some vehicles can be used to tow trailers.

[0033] The trailers may include one or more adjustable suspension actuators configured to adjust one or more suspension parameters. Examples of adjustable suspension actuators include single-actuator leaf springs, air springs, hydraulic suspension actuators, magnetorheological suspension actuators, and other types of adjustable suspension actuators.

[0034] When a road curves, a trailer being pulled by a vehicle may experience outward acceleration relative to the curve. The present application includes a trailer control module that adjusts one or more of the adjustable suspension actuators based on input from one or more of the vehicle's cameras and / or sensors to compensate for trailer roll, compensate for wind, lower the trailer (e.g., to reduce drag), etc.

[0035] In Fig. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary vehicle system. While a vehicle system for a hybrid vehicle is shown and described, the present application is also applicable to non-hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and other types of vehicles. The present application is applicable to autonomous vehicles, semi-autonomous vehicles, non-autonomous vehicles, shared vehicles, non-shared vehicles, and other types of vehicles.

[0036] An engine 102 may combust an air / fuel mixture to produce drive torque. An engine control module (ECM) 106 controls the engine 102. The ECM 106 may, for example, control the actuation of engine actuators, such as a throttle valve, one or more spark plugs, one or more fuel injectors, valve actuators, camshaft phasers, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, one or more boost devices, and other suitable engine actuators. In some types of vehicles (e.g., electric vehicles), the engine 102 may be omitted.

[0037] The engine 102 may output torque to a transmission 110. A transmission control module (TCM) 114 controls the operation of the transmission 110. For example, the TCM 114 may control gear selection within the transmission 110 and one or more torque-transmitting devices (e.g., a torque converter, one or more clutches, etc.).

[0038] The vehicle system may include one or more electric motors. For example, an electric motor 118 may be implemented within the transmission 110, as in the example of Fig. 1. An electric motor may act as either a generator or a motor at a given time. When an electric motor acts as a generator, it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy may be used, for example, to charge a battery 126 via a power control device (PCD) 130. When an electric motor acts as a motor, it generates torque that may be used, for example, to supplement or replace torque output by the engine 102. While the example of an electric motor is provided, the vehicle may include no or more than one electric motor.

[0039] A power inverter module (PIM) 134 may control the electric motor 118 and the PCD 130. The PCD 130 applies power from the battery 126 to the electric motor 118 based on signals from the PIM 134, and the PCD 130 provides the power output by the electric motor 118, for example, to the battery 126. The PIM 134 may include, for example, an inverter.

[0040] A steering control module 140 controls the steering / turning of the vehicle's wheels, e.g., based on the driver's rotation of a steering wheel in the vehicle and / or on steering commands from one or more vehicle control modules. A steering wheel angle (SWA) sensor (not shown) monitors the rotational position of the steering wheel and generates an SWA 142 based on the position of the steering wheel. As one example, the steering control module 140 may control the vehicle's steering via an electronic power steering (EPS) motor 144 based on the SWA 142. However, the vehicle may include another type of steering system.

[0041] A brake control module 150 may control the actuation of the vehicle's brake actuators 154 (brake actuator modules) based on one or more driver inputs, such as a brake pedal position (BPP) 170. The brake actuators 154 control the actuation of the friction brakes on the respective wheels of the vehicle. The brake actuators 154 actuate the respective friction brakes independently of one another.

[0042] The vehicle's modules may share parameters via a network 162, such as a controller area network (CAN). A CAN may also be referred to as a car area network. For example, the network 162 may contain one or more data buses. Various parameters may be made available by a given module to other modules via the network 162.

[0043] The driver inputs may include, for example, an accelerator pedal (APP) position 166, which may be provided to the ECM 106. The BPP 170 may be provided to the brake control module 150. A park, reverse, neutral, and drive (PRNDL) lever position 174 may be provided to the TCM 114. An ignition state 178 may be provided to a body control module (BCM) 180. The ignition state 178 may be input, for example, by a driver via an ignition key, button, or switch. At a given time, the ignition state 178 may be one of off, accessory, run, or crank.

[0044] An infotainment module 183 may output various information via one or more output devices 184. The output devices 184 may include, for example, one or more displays (a touchless screen and / or a touch screen), one or more other suitable types of video output devices, one or more speakers, one or more haptic devices, and / or one or more other suitable types of output devices.

[0045] The infotainment module 183 may output video through the one or more displays. The infotainment module 183 may output audio through the one or more speakers. The infotainment module 183 may output other feedback through one or more haptic devices. The haptic devices may be included, for example, in one or more seats, in one or more seatbelts, in the steering wheel, etc. Examples of displays may include, for example, one or more displays (e.g., on a front console) of the vehicle, a head-up display (HUD) that displays information over a substrate (e.g., the windshield), one or more displays that drop downward or extend upward to form panoramic views, and / or one or more other suitable displays.

[0046] The vehicle may contain multiple external sensors and cameras that are Fig. 1 are generally illustrated by 186. Based on the inputs from the external sensors and cameras 186, one or more operations may be performed. For example, the infotainment module 183 may display video, various views, and / or alerts on a display based on the input from the external sensors and cameras 186 while driving.

[0047] The vehicle may include one or more additional control modules, such as a chassis control module, a battery pack control module, etc., that are not shown. The vehicle may omit one or more of the control modules shown and discussed.

[0048] Fig. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary vehicle 200 (e.g., according to Fig. 1) and a trailer 204. A forward direction of the vehicle 200 is illustrated by the arrow 208.

[0049] A ball 212 is connected to a trailer hitch mounted on the vehicle 200. The trailer 204 includes a drawbar 216 that can be coupled to the ball 212 so that the trailer 204 can be towed by the vehicle 200.

[0050] Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of an example implementation of trailer 204. Trailer 204 includes two or more wheels, such as 304. While the example of two wheels is shown, the present application is also applicable to trailers with more than two wheels. Trailer 204 may be a personal trailer, a commercial trailer, or another type of trailer. According to various implementations, trailer 204 may be an autonomously driving trailer that is not towed by a vehicle. Trailer 204 may be a semi-trailer, a recreational vehicle, or another suitable type of trailer.

[0051] The trailer 204 includes one or more adjustable suspension actuators, such as 308. Examples of adjustable suspension actuators include, but are not limited to, single-actuator leaf springs, pneumatic suspension actuators, hydraulic suspension actuators, magnetorheological suspension actuators, and other types of adjustable suspension actuators. A suspension control module 312 selectively actuates the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on one or more images from a forward-facing camera 316 (e.g., the road curvature) and / or input from one or more sensors.Examples of the sensors based on the output of which the suspension control module 312 can selectively actuate the one or more suspension actuators 308 include an anemometer 320, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 324, a yaw sensor 328, one or more load sensors 336, one or more ride height sensors 340, and the SWA 142.

[0052] The camera 316 is directed in the forward direction 208 and captures images, for example, including a road in front of the vehicle 200. The camera 316 may, for example, be located on a vertically upper portion of the trailer 204. The anemometer 320 measures the wind speed and direction on the trailer 204. The IMU 324 measures the acceleration of the trailer 204 in one or more directions (e.g., longitudinal, transverse, vertical). The IMU 324 may, for example, include a 6-axis accelerometer or another suitable IMU. The yaw sensor 328 measures yaw of the trailer 204. The load sensors 336 each measure the load on the wheels 304 of the vehicle. The load sensors 336 may, for example, be used to measure the loads on the left and right lateral sides of the trailer 204. The ground clearance sensors 340 measure the ground clearance of the trailer 204, e.g., on the left and right lateral sides of the trailer 204. The ground clearance sensors 340 can, e.g.,Potentiometer, laser, ultrasonic transmitter / receiver or any other suitable type of device configured to measure ground clearance.

[0053] Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of an example implementation of the suspension control module 312 of the trailer 204. An actuator control module 404 receives power 408 and controls the actuation of the suspension actuators 308. The actuator control module 404 may, for example, apply power to the electric motors of the suspension actuators 308 or apply power to one or more other devices (e.g., pumps, valves, inductors, etc.) to actuate the suspension actuators 308. The actuator control module 404 may receive the power 408, for example, from the vehicle 200 (e.g., the battery 126, a battery of the trailer 204, or another suitable power source). According to various implementations, the actuator control module 404 may perform alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) conversion, direct current to alternating current conversion, voltage increase (increase), and / or voltage decrease (decrease).

[0054] The actuator control module 404 may generally actuate the suspension actuators 308 based on maintaining (predetermined) default parameters of the trailer 204, such as a predetermined ground clearance. However, the actuator control module 404 adjusts the one or more suspension actuators 308 under various circumstances based on a setting 412 from an adjustment module 416.

[0055] For example, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on a curvature 420 and a direction of curvature of a road of the vehicle 200. A curvature module 424 may determine the curvature (e.g., radius) and direction of curvature based on the lane boundaries 428 of the road identified by a lane module 432 in an image 436 from the camera 316. For example, if the road ahead of the vehicle curves to the right, the trailer 204 naturally experiences a centripetal acceleration to the left. The adjustment module 416 may therefore adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the right side of the trailer 204 and / or raise the left side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may increase the lowering of the right side of the trailer 204 and / or the raising of the left side of the trailer 204 as the curvature of the road increases to the right, and vice versa.The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more settings, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the curvatures to the one or more settings.

[0056] The adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 in the opposite direction for a left-hand curvature of the road. The adjustment module 416 may increase the lowering of the left side of the trailer 204 and / or the raising of the right side of the trailer 204 as the curvature of the road increases to the left, and vice versa. Adjusting the one or more suspension actuators may level the bottom of the trailer 204 or tilt the trailer 204 into the curve to provide roll stabilization.

[0057] Fig. 5 is an exemplary illustration of the road curvature and trailer actuation. The forward direction of travel 208 is illustrated. The road illustrates the curvature the vehicle has already traversed, but, as discussed above, the camera 316 captures images in front of the vehicle 200. Therefore, adjustment of the one or more suspension actuators 308 may occur before the curvature is reached. As further discussed below, the present application is also applicable to adjusting the one or more suspension actuators 308 while traversing the road curvature.

[0058] 504 illustrates the natural movement of the floor 508 of the trailer 204 in response to the illustrated left turn. 512 illustrates the lowering of the left side of the trailer 204 and / or the raising of the right side of the trailer to compensate for the left turn. The trailer floor 508 is parallel to the plane of the road 514 below the vehicle according to this example. The parallelism of the trailer floor 508 to the plane of the road 514 improves vehicle dynamics. 516 illustrates the increased lowering of the left side of the trailer.

[0059] 204 and / or the increased lifting of the right side of the trailer 204 for roll stabilization. This inclines the floor 508 of the trailer 204 toward the left curve (the left side of the trailer 204 is vertically lower than the right side of the trailer 204).

[0060] According to various implementations, the adjustment module 416 may lower the one or more suspension actuators 308 to lower the floor 508 of the trailer 204 when the road ahead of the trailer 204 is approximately straight (e.g., the curvature is less than a predetermined value). This reduces the aerodynamic drag of the trailer 204 and may increase the range of the vehicle 200 pulling the trailer 204. This is illustrated by 520 after Fig. 5. The adjustment module 416 may lower the one or more suspension actuators 308, for example, to a predetermined ride height.

[0061] In Fig. 4, the adjustment module 416 may additionally or alternatively adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 under one or more other circumstances. As discussed above, the one or more suspension actuators 308 may be adjusted based on the images 436 before the trailer 204 encounters a turn. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the SWA 142. The SWA 142 may indicate the current turn of the vehicle 200 and the future turn of the trailer 204. For example, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the right side of the trailer 204 and / or raise the left side of the trailer 204 when the SWA 142 is to the right (indicating a right turn).The adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the right side of the trailer 204 and / or lower the left side of the trailer 204 when the SWA 142 is to the left (indicating a left turn). The lowering and / or raising may increase as the SWA 142 moves away from an angle of zero corresponding to the forward direction 208, and vice versa. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the SWAs to the one or more adjustments.

[0062] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the trailer loads 440 measured by the load sensors 336. For example, if the trailer load 440 on the right side of the trailer 204 is greater than the trailer load 440 on the left side of the trailer 204, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 to lower the right side of the trailer 204. The opposite may be true if the load on the left side is greater than the load on the right side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the trailer loads to the one or more adjustments.

[0063] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the ground clearances 444 measured by the ground clearance sensors 340. For example, if the ground clearance 444 on the right side of the trailer 204 is greater than the ground clearance 444 on the left side of the trailer 440, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 to lower the right side of the trailer 204. The opposite may be true if the ground clearance on the left side is greater than the ground clearance on the right side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the ground clearances to the one or more adjustments.

[0064] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may raise the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the floor 508 of the trailer 204 when a climb module 448 indicates 452 an impending climb (e.g., a crest, a bump, etc.) in the road. The climb module 448 may determine whether there is a climb in the road based on the images 436 from the camera. This prepares the trailer 204 to handle the climb. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the height of the climbs to the one or more adjustments.

[0065] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may lower the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the floor 508 of the trailer 204 when an overhead obstacle (e.g., a bridge, a garage, etc.) is detected in front of the trailer 204. This may prepare the trailer 204 to deal with the overhead obstacle. The overhead obstacles may be detected by an overhead module 456 based on the images 436 from the camera. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the curvatures to the one or more adjustments.

[0066] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the wind direction and / or speed 460 measured by the anemometer 320. For example, if the wind is hitting the left side of the trailer, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the right side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may set the raise based on the wind speed, such as increasing the raise as the wind speed increases and vice versa. The opposite may be true for the situation where the wind is hitting the left side of the trailer, where the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the left side of the trailer 204. This increases the stability of the vehicle and trailer and counteracts the force of the wind on the trailer.The setting module 416 may determine the one or more settings using, for example, either a lookup table or an equation that relates wind directions and speeds to the one or more settings.

[0067] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the (e.g., lateral) acceleration 464 measured by the IMU 324. For example, if the acceleration 464 is to the right, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the right side of the trailer 204. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the left side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may determine the raise / lower based on the magnitude of the acceleration, such as increasing the magnitude of the raise / lower as the magnitude of the acceleration increases and vice versa.The opposite may be true for the situation when the acceleration 464 is to the left, where the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the left side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may additionally or alternatively adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the left side of the trailer 204. This increases vehicle and trailer stability and counteracts the lateral acceleration of the trailer. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the accelerations to the one or more adjustments.

[0068] Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the yaw 468 measured by the yaw sensor 328. For example, if the yaw is clockwise, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the right side of the trailer 204. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the left side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may determine the raise / lower based on the magnitude of the yaw 468, such as increasing the magnitude of the raise / lower as the magnitude of the acceleration increases and vice versa.The opposite may be true for the situation where the yaw 468 occurs counterclockwise, where the adjustment module 416 may adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and raise the left side of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may additionally or alternatively adjust the one or more suspension actuators 308 and lower the left side of the trailer 204. This increases vehicle and trailer stability and counteracts the yaw 468 of the trailer 204. The adjustment module 416 may determine the one or more adjustments, for example, using either a lookup table or an equation relating the yaw to the one or more adjustments.

[0069] Fig.6 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for controlling the one or more suspension actuators 308. Control begins at 604, where the suspension control module 312 receives inputs such as the image 436, the SWA 142, the trailer loads 440, the wind direction and / or speed 460, the acceleration 464, the ride heights 444, and / or yaw 468.

[0070] At 608, the actuator control module 404 may determine the one or more predetermined actuator parameters for the one or more suspension actuators 308, such as based on the ground clearances 444 and / or the trailer loads 440. The actuator control module 404 may determine the one or more predetermined parameters, for example, using an equation or a lookup table that relates the ground clearances and / or the trailer loads to the one or more actuator parameters.

[0071] At 612, the adjustment module 416 determines whether one or more adjustment conditions for adjusting the one or more suspension actuators 308 exist, such as described above. The adjustment conditions may include, for example, a curve in the road ahead of the trailer 204, an incline in the road ahead of the trailer 204, the road ahead of the trailer 204 being approximately straight, an overhead obstacle ahead of the trailer 204, the trailer loads 440 being asymmetrical, wind on the trailer, (e.g., lateral) acceleration of the trailer 204, or yaw of the trailer.

[0072] If 612 is true, control continues at 616. If 612 is false, the actuator control module 404 actuates the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the predetermined parameters at 624, and control returns to 604. At 616, the settings module 416 determines the settings for the one or more suspension actuators 308, as discussed above. At 620, the actuator control module 404 actuates the one or more suspension actuators 308 based on the settings, and control returns to 604.

[0073] The foregoing description is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure contains specific examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited because other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be recognized that one or more steps within a method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure.Furthermore, although each of the embodiments has been described above with certain features, one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented in any of the other embodiments and / or combined with the features of any of the other embodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0074] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, such as "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "adjacent," "on top of," "over," "below," and "disposed." When a relationship between a first and a second element is described in the above disclosure, that relationship may be a direct relationship, with no other intervening elements present between the first and second elements, but it may also be an indirect relationship, with one or more intervening elements (either spatial or functional) present between the first and second elements if it is not explicitly described as "direct."As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C) using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0075] In the figures, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by the arrowhead, generally demonstrates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest to the illustration. For example, if element A and element B exchange different information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Further, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B may send requests for or acknowledgments of receipt of the information to element A.

[0076] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or contain: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field-programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores the code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0077] The module may include one or more interface circuits. According to some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may enable load balancing. According to another example, a server module (also known as a remote or cloud module) may perform some functionality on behalf of a client module.

[0078] The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term shared processor circuitry includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor circuitry includes a processor circuit that, in combination with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above.The term shared memory circuit refers to a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuit refers to a memory circuit that, in combination with additional memories, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0079] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does not include transient electrical or electromagnetic signals that propagate through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readable medium can therefore be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium include non-volatile memory circuits (such as a flash memory circuit, an erasable programmable read-only memory circuit, or a mask read-only memory circuit), volatile memory circuits (such as a static random access memory circuit or a dynamic random access memory circuit), magnetic storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and optical storage media (such asa CD, a DVD or a Blu-ray Disc).

[0080] The devices and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or entirely by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs through the routine work of a trained technician or programmer.

[0081] The computer programs contain processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also contain or rely on stored data. The computer programs may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with special-purpose devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0082] The computer programs may contain: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as: B. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, the source code may be written using the syntax of languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and Python®. legend

[0083] In the drawings, N stands for No and Y stands for Yes.

Claims

[1] Trailer (204), which includes: one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308); an actuator control module (404) configured to actuate the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308); and an adjustment module (416) configured to selectively adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) based on one or more operating parameters of the trailer (204) while the trailer (204) is traveling; wherein the trailer (204) further comprises a camera (186, 316) configured to capture images of a road (514) in front of the trailer (204), wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise a curvature (420) of the road (514) in front of the trailer (204) determined based on an image from the camera (186, 316); wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) and lower a right side of the trailer (204) when the road (514) in front of the trailer (204) turns right. [2] The trailer (204) of claim 1, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) and raise a left side of the trailer (204) when the road (514) in front of the trailer (204) turns right. [3] The trailer (204) of claim 1, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) and lower a left side of the trailer (204) when the road (514) ahead of the trailer (204) turns left. [4] The trailer (204) of claim 1, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to progressively lower the right side of the trailer (204) as a radius of curvature (420) of the road (514) in front of the trailer (204) decreases to the right and vice versa. [5] The trailer (204) of claim 1, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to actuate the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) and lower both the left and right sides of the trailer (204) when the road (514) in front of the trailer (204) has approximately no curvature (420). [6] The trailer (204) of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters include a steering wheel angle (SWA) of a vehicle (200) towing the trailer (204). [7] The trailer (204) of claim 6, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to adjust the one or more adjustable suspension actuators (308) and lower a right side of the trailer (204) when the SWA is directed to the right from a forward direction of travel of the vehicle (200). [8] The trailer (204) of claim 7, wherein the adjustment module (416) is configured to progressively lower the right side of the trailer (204) as the SWA moves to the right and away from the forward direction of travel of the vehicle (200).

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