Method for computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model that can be controlled by means of an electronic control unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, in particular an iterative method, for computer-aided determination of settings (FS) for a vehicle damping system (2) of a motor vehicle model controllable by means of a control unit (3), in particular using a computer. The vehicle damping system (2) is configured to adapt the response behavior of dampers (21) of the damping system (2) according to determined settings, depending on parameters (4) influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system (2).The procedure provides that basic settings (BS) are applied to the damping system (2); a driving maneuver (FM) is specified for a test vehicle (1) of the motor vehicle model for given environmental conditions (41); current vehicle states (42) and damper information (43) are recorded during the driving maneuver (FM); an actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) is recorded in relation to the recorded vehicle states (42); the actual damping behavior (ID) is evaluated in relation to a target damping behavior (SD); and the basic settings (BS) for the damping system (2) are adjusted to bring the actual damping behavior (ID) closer to the target damping behavior (SD) and provided as new settings (NS).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for determining settings for a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model that is controllable by means of an electronic control unit. A motor vehicle model is, in particular, a specific series model of a motor vehicle from an automobile manufacturer, of which a large number of motor vehicles are produced. The settings determined by the method are then applied to all motor vehicles of the motor vehicle model.

[0002] A vehicle's damping system includes dampers, also known as shock absorbers. These dampers primarily serve to dampen vibrations of the vehicle's suspension and convert them into thermal energy, thus ensuring a comfortable and safe ride. The damping characteristics of shock absorbers, and therefore of the entire vehicle damping system, can be influenced, in particular, by damping valves within the dampers. Damping valves allow for more precise adjustment of the damping properties. They enable the flow resistance of the damping fluid to be adjusted. Depending on the specific driving situation, they allow, for example, the damping fluid to flow more freely at low piston speeds, while at higher speeds they provide stronger damping. This results in better adaptation to varying driving conditions and requirements.By regulating the flow of the damping medium, for example, by controlling the flow of oil, damping valves also help to absorb small bumps and impacts, thus increasing ride comfort. They allow for softer damping under light loads and firmer damping under heavier loads. Furthermore, damping valves improve road grip and vehicle stability. They help the vehicle remain stable even during rapid steering maneuvers and abrupt braking by increasing the contact of the tires with the road surface, thereby improving driving safety. A damping valve for vibration dampers is described, for example, in EP 1 538 366 B1. Another damping valve for a hydraulic vibration damper is disclosed in EP 2 103 834 B1.

[0003] Through electronic control, damping valves can be adjusted differently while driving. Adaptive damping systems are known for this purpose, in which sensors continuously detect various conditions such as speed, acceleration, steering angle, and road surface during a journey. The detected parameters are transmitted in real time to a control unit of the vehicle, which adjusts the damping valves accordingly to ensure improved damping. An arrangement for such a control system is described, for example, in DE 195 39 566 C1. DE 42 20 617 C1 also discloses a method for controlling a chassis for motor vehicles. Furthermore, EP 2 253 492 B1 describes a device for controlling the damping force of a vehicle, which can control its behavior during changes in position based on a target characteristic.The target characteristic describes, in particular, the relationship between roll and pitch angles. Based on real-world vehicle data acquired during cornering, the target characteristic is adjusted and a damping distribution between shock absorbers is calculated, whereby inner and outer dampers can be controlled differently. This control is achieved electrically via actuators in the dampers.

[0004] Furthermore, a control unit and a method for individually adjusting driving modes in vehicles are disclosed in DE 10 2019 104 816 A1. The vehicle has various driving modes, such as Comfort, Sport, and Eco, which can influence the behavior of the chassis, engine, and / or steering, and whose operating parameters are preset by the manufacturer. Using the control unit, driver-specific settings for these modes are determined. During a manually performed reference drive, sensor data is recorded, and based on this data, an individual parameter set for a driving mode is calculated. The individually determined parameter set is then automatically used when the driving mode is subsequently selected to adapt the driving behavior to the driver's personal style.

[0005] To enable the individual dampers, and thus the vehicle's damping system, to be controlled in a variety of driving situations, a new vehicle model with such a semi-active and active damping system must be appropriately calibrated. This calibration depends in particular on the desired design of the vehicle model, for example, whether it is more sport-oriented or more comfort-oriented, while always ensuring safe handling. The calibration of semi-active and active damping systems in the automotive sector for a new vehicle model, especially a new production model, is a time-consuming and complex task that has previously required expert knowledge in the calibration of the vehicle damping system's control mechanisms and significant time for professional test drives by appropriately trained drivers.The damping behavior of a vehicle of a given model during general driving maneuvers and regular operation has thus far depended primarily on the subjective impressions of the driver conducting professional test drives and on specifications provided by the vehicle manufacturer. These manufacturer specifications particularly influence the quality of the tuning and can often increase the time required. Iterative methods and quality assessment criteria are currently only of limited use in optimizing the tuning itself and the tuning process.

[0006] Against this background, an object of the present invention is to improve a method for setting parameters for a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model that is controllable by means of an electronic control unit. In particular, it should enable faster parameterization of a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model that is controllable by means of an electronic control unit. Furthermore, it is advantageous to reduce the subjective influence on setting parameters.

[0007] To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is proposed. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the description, and are illustrated in the figures.

[0008] The proposed solution provides a method for the computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model, controllable by means of an electronic control unit. The vehicle damping system is configured to adapt the response behavior of its dampers according to predefined settings, depending on conditions influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system. This adaptation occurs, in particular, through the control of the damper solenoid valves according to the predefined settings. The conditions influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system include, in particular, vehicle conditions and / or environmental conditions and / or a selectable driving dynamics preset and / or parameters of the software of the electronic control unit.Vehicle conditions include, in particular, vehicle speed, accelerator pedal position, engine torque, axle torque, brake torque, brake pressure, steering angle, steering angle velocity, and longitudinal and / or lateral acceleration. Environmental conditions include, in particular, conditions relating to the road surface, static friction, the presence of wetness and / or ice, and / or ambient temperature.

[0009] The selectable driving dynamics setting is, in particular, a user-selectable preference, such as "Comfort" or "Sport". The adjustable software parameters are, in particular, those parameters that influence the response of the vehicle's damping system to the vehicle's conditions.

[0010] The procedure involves applying basic settings to the vehicle's damping system and specifying a driving maneuver for a test vehicle of the corresponding model under given environmental conditions, particularly road surface, ambient temperature, and / or friction, especially those caused by ice, wetness, and / or dryness. During the execution of the specified driving maneuver, current vehicle states and damper information are recorded, primarily via sensors. Furthermore, the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle is recorded in relation to the observed vehicle states and evaluated against the target damping behavior.The basic settings, in particular the parameters of the electronic control unit's software, are then adjusted for the vehicle's damping system to bring the test vehicle's actual damping behavior closer to the target damping behavior and are made available as new settings. The acquisition of the current vehicle states and damper information, as well as the test vehicle's actual damping behavior, and the comparison and evaluation of this actual damping behavior with the target damping behavior, are advantageously performed using a computing device, in particular one provided in the test vehicle.Furthermore, it is advantageously used to utilize an external computing device, whereby a communication link for real-time communication is advantageously established between the computing device provided in the test vehicle and the external computing device, particularly using a mobile network connection. Specifically, the recording of the data acquired during the executed driving maneuver is provided, with a waypoint-based assignment being carried out. In particular, the data is stored in such a way that the computing device provided in the test vehicle and / or the external computing device can access this data.

[0011] By specifying driving maneuvers, recording the actual damping behavior for the specific maneuver, and evaluating this behavior in relation to a target behavior for that maneuver, suitable settings, particularly suitable software parameters, for the vehicle damping system of the vehicle model, which is controlled by an electronic control unit, can be found and determined more quickly. It is specifically intended that the procedure be executed repeatedly, especially for different driving maneuvers, in order to advantageously establish suitable settings that meet the requirements for all intended combinations of driving maneuvers and environmental conditions.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the basic settings are provided based on a computer-aided simulation of at least one driving maneuver of a vehicle model described by fixed vehicle data, particularly before the execution of the first driving maneuver. The vehicle data includes, in particular, a vehicle mass, a vehicle length, a vehicle width, a vehicle wheelbase, a vehicle track width, and / or a tire dimension. Advantageously, the computer-aided simulation regularly provides better basic settings, especially better initial values ​​for the parameters, which can be advantageously converted into the final settings more quickly than, for example, basic settings based on known settings of a comparable vehicle model.However, it may also be intended that the basic settings are based on known settings of a comparable vehicle model. Advantageously, the simulation for determining the basic settings is performed on the external computing device and made available to the computing device of the test vehicle via OTA transmission (OTA: Over-The-Air).

[0013] It is particularly advantageous that a computer-aided AI (AI: Artificial Intelligence) determines or adjusts the basic settings for a vehicle damping system controllable by an electronic control unit, based on settings known for other vehicle models and on vehicle data describing these other vehicle models, taking into account the vehicle states of the vehicle model for which the settings of the vehicle damping system are to be determined. Advantageously, the AI ​​is implemented on the external computing device. The external computing device can, in particular, comprise several computing units. Advantageously, the AI ​​can provide a suitable set of basic settings relatively quickly, especially through pattern recognition and / or machine learning.Advantageously, a wealth of training data already exists from settings determined using conventional methods. The use of computer-aided AI offers the advantage of better results compared to simple simulation, because a simple simulation requires a relatively high degree of abstraction due to the large number of parameters and variables to be considered. This disadvantage can be at least partially offset by the use of computer-aided AI.

[0014] Furthermore, the settings of the vehicle's damping system are advantageously adapted to bring the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle closer to the target damping behavior using computer-aided AI, in particular by the aforementioned computer-aided AI. Advantageously, pattern recognition and machine learning techniques are employed. The number of necessary driving maneuvers can be advantageously reduced by additionally performing simulations with adjusted parameters using computer-aided AI. In particular, a test vehicle can also perform at least some driving maneuvers on a test bench to further refine the settings from the initial settings to the final configuration. This advantageously results in further time and cost savings.

[0015] According to a beneficial advanced training approach, the computer-aided AI uses training data to adjust the settings for bringing the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle closer to the target damping behavior. This training data includes settings defined for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing those models. Advantageously, the amount of data and the relationships recognized by the AI ​​allow for further refinement, leading to new settings and ultimately to the final settings. Furthermore, the computer-aided AI can advantageously model driving maneuvers of different drivers or driving styles adapted by the vehicle manufacturer, along with their associated parameters and settings.Furthermore, it is advantageous for computer-aided AI to save driving maneuvers performed by different drivers or driving styles adapted by the vehicle manufacturer and the associated parameters and settings, in particular to increase the amount of data sets and to be able to take these into account when setting settings later.

[0016] In particular, the computer-aided AI is designed to adjust the settings for the vehicle model's damping system by evaluating correlations between settings defined for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing those models, and by considering the damping behavior of these models under predefined environmental conditions, such as ice, wetness, ambient temperature, road surface temperature, etc. Advantageously, the computer-aided AI allows for the simultaneous optimization of damper control software parameters, eliminating the need for individual or small-group optimization. Furthermore, the optimization can be applied to multiple sensor values ​​and even to subjective perceptions of the vehicle's behavior.Advantageously, this includes not only reducing body acceleration and the variation in wheel contact forces for increased passenger car safety, but also optimizing subjectively perceived lifting, pitching, rolling, and suspension compression. This further reduces the number of driving maneuvers and the associated effort required to adjust the settings.

[0017] According to a further particularly advantageous embodiment, the adjustment of the vehicle damping system settings is influenced by user input via a user interface. Advantageously, the user interface provides a connection between a driver executing a driving maneuver according to the specifications and the computer-aided AI. A driver can thus advantageously interact with the computer-aided AI to a certain extent. Advantageously, the behavior of the AI ​​is influenced, at least to a certain degree, by input via the user interface, and in particular, its behavior can be directed. Furthermore, the AI ​​also advantageously outputs information via the user interface. The user interface is therefore, in particular, a bidirectional interface.Advantageously, the user interface can provide direct feedback on completed driving maneuvers, allowing for adjustments to settings and / or driving style. Furthermore, the user interface can also output additional information, particularly to the driver operating the test vehicle. Specifically, the driver receives confirmation regarding the road surface, feedback on any activation of the vehicle's damping system, and feedback on the overall maneuver. This effectively reduces the potential for errors and improves the comparability of different driving tests.Information regarding the maneuver(s) to be performed, the sequence of execution, the location, the duration of the coordination, and / or the status of the coordinated parameters can also be advantageously recorded and output via the user interface.

[0018] This advantageously enables improved error management and allows for a better assessment of the completeness of the agreed parameters based on the status.

[0019] Advantageously, the user interface transmits assessment values ​​describing the damping behavior of the test vehicle to the AI, which then considers these values ​​when determining or adjusting the settings for the vehicle's damping system. These assessment values ​​can be generated automatically based on sensor data. However, it is also possible for a driver performing a specific driving maneuver to input these values. These values ​​can advantageously reflect the driver's subjective perceptions, such as "too stiff," "excessive body roll," or "too uncomfortable," or be situation-specific assessments on a predefined scale, for example, from 1 to 5, where "1" means "very good" and "5" means "poor."An assessment of the quality of the parameter tuning can advantageously be performed universally and independently of the evaluation horizon of the driving test. This makes driving test results more comparable and directly reveals the influence of newly determined settings and / or the influence of modified vehicle hardware.

[0020] Furthermore, the user interface allows for a driving situation-dependent weighting of parameters adjustable by the computer-aided AI. The AI ​​advantageously considers this weighting when determining or adjusting the settings for the vehicle's damping system. This allows for improved specification of the fundamental design of the vehicle's damping system, particularly regarding whether it leans towards a sportier or a more comfortable setup.

[0021] In particular, the AI ​​is intended to use pattern recognition to determine and / or adjust the settings for the vehicle damping system, whereby the pattern recognition advantageously processes objective evaluation criteria, subjective evaluation criteria, and / or absolute evaluation criteria. The objective evaluation criteria advantageously include at least one of the following: road contact, vehicle safety. The subjective evaluation criteria advantageously include at least one of the following: driver impression "comfort," driver impression "ECO," driver impression "sport." The absolute evaluation criteria advantageously include at least one of the following: test vehicle lift, test vehicle pitch, test vehicle roll.The AI ​​is advantageously trained using various data, such as signal values, model values, sensor values, FV diagrams describing the damping force (F) at different speeds (V), and / or data from hardware damper models. This diverse data is advantageously relevant for optimal adaptation to individual needs and is well-suited for pattern recognition. The data fed into the computer-aided AI is advantageously classified according to its patterns and structure. Predefined parameters are advantageously assigned to the driving maneuvers to achieve specific target ranges and, in particular, to bring the actual damping behavior closer to the desired damping behavior.Advantageously, this further improves the method for computer-aided determination of the settings for the vehicle damping system, particularly with regard to the quality of the settings and, advantageously, also with regard to the time required for determining the settings.

[0022] A further advantageous embodiment provides that at least one of the following functions is implemented by the computer-aided AI during the execution of the procedure: a tuning strategy and sequence of driving maneuvers to be carried out by means of the test vehicle; an optimization of the vehicle behavior of the test vehicle, in particular by adjusting and iterating the settings for the vehicle damping system taking into account underlying evaluation criteria; a display of parameter differences relating to differing environmental conditions, in particular summer and winter tuning; a tracking of a test track for the execution of driving maneuvers based on data from a global navigation satellite system, in particular GPS (Global Positioning System); and / or route recognition based on data from a global navigation satellite system, in particular GPS.Feedback on driving style, maneuvers, road surfaces, and / or test vehicle input; computer-aided simulation of driving maneuvers, particularly considering driving styles specified by a vehicle manufacturer and / or those of a driver performing a maneuver; provision of an overview of the quality and / or completeness of a test drive, where a test drive advantageously includes several maneuvers; provision of comparisons between tests performed by different drivers; provision of an evaluation of a test drive and its associated results based on evaluation criteria defined by specifications, fundamental requirements, and / or measurement runs. Advantageously, many of these functions are implemented by computer-aided AI, which advantageously makes the process for setting the parameters even more efficient.

[0023] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the settings are adjusted to bring the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle closer to the target damping behavior of the test vehicle according to at least one of the following criteria: reduction of body acceleration of the test vehicle, in particular for increased passenger car driver comfort; reduction of variation in the wheel contact forces of the test vehicle, in particular for increased passenger car safety; optimization for lifting of the test vehicle, in particular reduction of lifting motion and lifting oscillations; optimization for pitching of the test vehicle, in particular reduction of pitching motions and pitching oscillations; optimization for roll of the test vehicle, in particular reduction of roll movements and roll oscillations; optimization for suspension compression of the test vehicle, in particular optimization of the suspension compression with regard to shocks and uniform road grip.Advantageously, the criteria are freely selectable, especially in combination. Furthermore, the criteria can be weighted. This allows for the definition of a basic characteristic that should be achieved for the vehicle model with regard to damping behavior. Compromises are thus most readily accepted for the less heavily weighted criteria.

[0024] It is further advantageous that the driving maneuver is performed on a test bench. This allows for further time and cost savings. Furthermore, the test bench's condition parameters are also transmitted to the computer-aided AI. This allows for further refinement of the vehicle damping system settings.

[0025] Advantageously, the method can also be used to define the settings of a vehicle damping system in an autonomous vehicle. Advantageously, driving instructions can be transmitted directly from the computer-aided AI to the vehicle's control unit responsible for autonomous driving mode.

[0026] In particular, the procedure for further approximating the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle to the target damping behavior is carried out iteratively, especially in a large number of runs, advantageously using the most recently provided settings as the base settings. The most recently provided settings are thus advantageously used as "new" base settings to further approximate the actual damping behavior to the target damping behavior. It is further advantageous that the target damping behavior does not describe an "absolute" damping behavior, but is already achieved when an approximation to the target damping behavior is reached according to a predetermined distance, in particular a threshold, and no further approximation to the target damping behavior is achieved after a predetermined number of further runs.Furthermore, it is specifically intended that the user interface will indicate under which conditions, in particular by weakening which criteria, a closer approximation to the target damping behavior can be achieved.

[0027] Furthermore, a new driving maneuver is advantageously determined, particularly by the computer-aided AI, taking into account the current vehicle states and damper information recorded during the driving maneuver, as well as an evaluated actual damping behavior of the test vehicle. A new procedure run is then performed with the determined new driving maneuver. The different driving maneuvers are advantageously predefined to adjust the vehicle damping system settings for all intended driving situations as desired. In particular, alternative driving maneuvers are also predefined to further improve the approximation of the actual damping behavior to the target damping behavior, especially by specifying different speeds, accelerations, steering angles, etc.Advantageously, the changes and adjustments for carrying out driving maneuvers, especially for carrying out different driving maneuvers, are also determined by the computer-aided AI by evaluating the data evaluated during a previous driving maneuver.

[0028] A particularly advantageous procedure in one embodiment of the method and / or a further proposed method involves a driver controlling the test vehicle according to the specified driving maneuver. The vehicle states and damper information recorded during the maneuver are advantageously evaluated by a computer-aided AI. Specifically, based on this evaluation, the basic settings applied at the beginning of the maneuver are advantageously adjusted by the computer-aided AI, and these adjusted basic settings are provided by the AI ​​as new settings. Advantageously, the procedure is executed iteratively. For this purpose, the aforementioned steps are repeated, with the provided new settings advantageously being used as new basic settings each time.The driver advantageously steers the test vehicle again according to the specified driving maneuver. The vehicle states and damper information recorded during the maneuver are advantageously evaluated again by the computer-aided AI, and the basic settings used at the beginning of the maneuver—i.e., the last determined settings—are adjusted by the computer-aided AI, which then provides these adjusted settings as the current new settings. Advantageously, the AI ​​evaluates the currently provided new settings for the vehicle damping system to determine whether the actual damping behavior is close to the target damping behavior. Advantageously, the driver is provided with feedback regarding the execution of the driving maneuver and / or the completeness of the setting for the vehicle damping system, particularly by the computer-aided AI.All steps are then advantageously repeated, with the newly provided settings being used as the new base settings each time. These repetitions are advantageously continued until a termination criterion is reached, in particular until the actual damping behavior has sufficiently approximated the target damping behavior. Advantageously, a corresponding check is performed after each iteration. If the termination criterion is reached, a new driving maneuver is advantageously specified, in particular by the computer-aided AI. The preceding procedural steps are then carried out again for the new driving maneuver, in particular until the termination criterion specified for the new driving maneuver is again reached.Then, a new driving maneuver is advantageously specified, and the steps are repeated until all settings for the vehicle damping system are determined. This method allows for a very efficient determination of the vehicle damping system settings. Instead of a driver, an autonomous driving system can also be used, to which the corresponding specifications are transmitted.

[0029] Further advantageous details, features and embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in connection with the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures (Fig.: Figure). These show: Fig. 1 in a highly simplified block diagram representation an embodiment of a method designed according to the invention for computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system controllable by means of an electronic control unit; Fig. 2 in a simplified block diagram representation a further embodiment of a method designed according to the invention for computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system; and Fig. 3. Based on a flowchart, a further embodiment of a method designed according to the invention for computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system is described.

[0030] In the various figures, identical parts are usually marked with the same reference symbols and are therefore sometimes only explained in connection with one of the figures.

[0031] In Fig. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method designed according to the invention for the computer-aided determination of settings for a vehicle damping system 2 of a motor vehicle model, which can be controlled by means of an electronic control unit 3, in particular an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The settings to be determined comprise a multitude of parameters, in particular several hundred parameters, which are used depending on a driving situation in order to optimally control the dampers 21 of the vehicle damping system 2 for the specific driving situation and to produce a damping behavior desired for the vehicle model.To define these settings and thus assign values ​​to the parameters encompassed by the settings, numerous test drives are conducted with a test vehicle 1 that corresponds to the vehicle model. These test drives may also be carried out, at least partially, on a test bench. The finalized settings are then subsequently applied to the vehicles of the same vehicle model.

[0032] To determine the settings, an iterative approach is provided, whereby the settings for the vehicle damping system 2 are developed successively by means of a computer-aided AI 5, starting from the basic settings BS applied to the vehicle damping system 2 of the test vehicle 1, and progressing to the final settings, particularly in a number of driving tests with a number of driving maneuvers under different environmental conditions, which include in particular dry and hot summer weather and cold winter weather with snow.

[0033] The basic settings BS are determined by the computer-aided AI 5 based on settings known for other vehicle models for a vehicle damping system controllable by means of an electronic control unit and based on vehicle data describing these other vehicle models, taking into account the vehicle states of the vehicle model for which the settings of the vehicle damping system 2 are to be determined. This information is provided to the AI ​​5 in particular by a database 9 in which the corresponding data are linked. The information relating to the test vehicle 1, which is particularly representative of the vehicle model, is provided to the AI ​​5 in this embodiment via a user interface 7. The current environmental conditions can also be accessed via the user interface 7 and additionally by means of sensors arranged on the test vehicle 1 (in Fig. (1 not explicitly shown) are transmitted to the AI ​​5. The user interface 7 can in particular be a mobile device, especially a laptop or a tablet, whereby the data exchange with the user interface 7 advantageously takes place via a wireless communication interface.

[0034] For given environmental conditions, a driving maneuver FM is then specified by the AI ​​5 for a test vehicle 1. The information for the driving maneuver FM can be output via the user interface 7, allowing a driver to control the test vehicle 1 according to the specified driving maneuver FM. During the driving maneuver FM, current vehicle states 42, such as vehicle speed, steering angle, longitudinal acceleration and / or lateral acceleration, as well as damper information 43 of the individual dampers 21 of the vehicle damping system 1, are recorded. These states 42, 43 are provided on the one hand to the electronic control unit 3, which controls the damping system 2 depending on the driving situation, and on the other hand also to the AI ​​5, in particular for optimizing the basic settings BS.For the optimization or adjustment of the basic settings BS, the AI ​​5 records the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle 1 in relation to the recorded vehicle states 42 and evaluates it against a predefined target damping behavior of the test vehicle 1. The AI ​​5 then manipulates the basic settings BS in such a way that the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle 1 is brought closer to the target damping behavior of the test vehicle 1.

[0035] To bring the actual damping behavior closer to the target damping behavior, the AI ​​5 can, in particular, perform simulations using the information provided by database 9 and the information 42, 43 recorded during the execution of the driving maneuver FM. Database 9 also contains, in particular, training data 6, which includes settings defined for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing these models. The AI ​​5 uses this training data 6 to adjust the basic settings BS or to further adjust already adjusted basic settings NS in order to bring the actual damping behavior of test vehicle 1 closer to the target damping behavior of test vehicle 1.The AI ​​5 evaluates, in particular, the relationships between final settings defined for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing these models. It considers the damping behavior of these models under predefined environmental conditions in order to contribute to the targeted adjustment of the basic settings through techniques such as pattern recognition and / or machine learning. Advantageously, the AI ​​5 imitates the driving maneuvers of different drivers and takes into account specifications regarding driving style. The optimization of the basic settings (BS) for the vehicle damping system 2, or the damper control software of the vehicle damping system 2, is advantageously applied simultaneously to multiple vehicle model values ​​and, furthermore, also to a subjective perception of the vehicle model's behavior.This includes not only a reduction in body acceleration and a reduction in the variation of wheel contact forces for increased vehicle safety, but also an optimization of subjectively perceived lifting, pitching, rolling and suspension movement of the vehicle.

[0036] Furthermore, the user interface 7 allows, particularly for a suitably trained test engineer, the adjustment of the BS and NS settings for the vehicle damping system 2 or the damper control software through user input 8. Advantageously, the basic BS settings or already adjusted basic settings (new settings) are directly influenced via the user interface 7. Preferably, however, specifications are sent to the AI ​​5 via the user interface 7, which the AI ​​5 takes into account when adjusting the BS and NS settings. In particular, evaluation values ​​describing the damping behavior of the test vehicle 1 are transmitted to the AI ​​5 via the user interface 7, whereby the AI ​​5 considers the transmitted evaluation values ​​when determining or adjusting the BS and NS settings for the vehicle damping system 2 of the vehicle model.These assessment values ​​can advantageously relate to the subjective perceptions of a driver of the test vehicle 1 and, in particular, indicate whether a pitching motion is perceived as too pronounced, the overall damping behavior as too stiff, etc. Advantageously, these impressions, together with the associated settings BS, NS, and states 42, 43, can be transmitted from the computing unit provided by the AI ​​5 to the database 9, so that the database 9, and thus the training data 6 for the AI ​​5, are advantageously continuously expanded.

[0037] Furthermore, user interface 7 optionally allows the user to specify a driving situation-dependent weighting for the parameters adjustable by AI 5. This weighting can, in particular, determine whether the final FS settings for the vehicle model should be set by AI 5 in such a way as to result in a fundamentally sporty, comfortable, or balanced setup. AI 5 takes this weighting into account when determining the FS settings and when adjusting the BS and NS settings for the vehicle damping system 2. The weighting can also be applied to objective, subjective, and / or absolute evaluation criteria.

[0038] In this embodiment, user interface 7 is also configured to output information regarding the current process of setting the FS settings. Thus, a test engineer responsible for adjusting the FS settings can receive direct feedback via user interface 7 regarding a possible correction or adjustment of the driving style in relation to a completed driving maneuver FM. User interface 7 can also output confirmation of the road surface, the excitation, and the entire driving maneuver FM. This reduces the overall potential for errors and improves the comparability of different driving tests. Furthermore, information regarding the driving maneuvers FM, in particular their sequence, location, duration of adjustment, and the status of the adjusted parameters, can be recorded and output via user interface 7.This results in improved error management and makes the status regarding the completeness of the agreed parameters more transparent and traceable.

[0039] The basic settings ultimately adjusted by AI 5 are then provided by the AI ​​as new settings (NS). These new settings (NS) can then be used as new basic settings (BS) for a new driving maneuver (FMx) specified by AI 5, in order to ultimately arrive at the final settings (FS). The new settings (NS) can also be used as the basis for a re-execution of the already performed driving maneuver (FM) to verify that the desired target damping behavior is achieved for the driving maneuver (FM) with the new settings (NS).

[0040] With reference to Fig. 2 For a further embodiment, the setting of the parameters for the vehicle damping system 2 or the damper control software of the vehicle damping system 2 within the framework of the execution of a method for computer-aided determination of settings FS for a vehicle damping system 2 of a motor vehicle model controllable by means of an electronic control unit 3 is explained in more detail using a simplified block diagram.

[0041] The vehicle damping system 2 is designed to adapt the response behavior of the dampers 21 of the vehicle damping system 2 according to defined settings, depending on states 4 influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system 2, in particular current vehicle states 42 and environmental conditions, wherein the damping behavior of the dampers 21 can be controlled via actuators, in particular solenoid valves. The vehicle damping system 2 with the dampers 21 is controlled by an electronic control unit 3, which includes damper control software. In this embodiment, the control unit 3 also includes several modules M_1 to M_X, which are addressed depending on the states 42, 43 supplied as input signals to the control unit 3 and contribute differently to the generation of control signals 10 with which the vehicle damping system 2 is controlled.In particular, modules are provided that react to differently detected acceleration signals and only contribute to the generation of the control signals when the corresponding accelerations are detected and transmitted to the control unit 3 as the current vehicle state 42. Specifically, the modules M_1 to M_X can be linked to each other in various ways, whereby individual modules, especially those relating to vehicle safety, can be given a higher priority than others. The response behavior of the vehicle damping system 2 is influenced not only by the specific hardware design of the individual dampers 21, but also primarily by these modules M_1 to M_X and their parameterization, which are defined for a vehicle model in particular by the settings to be specified for the vehicle damping system 2.

[0042] To generate the control signals 10, the control unit 3 and the modules M_1 to M_X evaluate a multitude of input signals, which include both damper information 43 relating to the dampers 21 and a multitude of current vehicle states 42, which are provided to the control unit 3, in particular via a communication bus of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the current vehicle states 42 include the current vehicle speed, the accelerator pedal position, the current torque supplied by the drive motor, the current braking torque, the current steering angle, the current steering angle rate, the current lateral acceleration, and others. Furthermore, the vehicle states 42 also include information about which driving program mode has been selected by a vehicle user, for example, "Sport 1", "Sport 2", "Standard", "Comfort", or "Eco".

[0043] To define the appropriate FS settings so that the control unit 3 controls the vehicle damping system 2 according to a target damping behavior, an interface (in Fig. (2 not explicitly shown) a computer-aided AI 5 manipulates the settings of the control unit 3 and, in particular, specifies the parameters for the individual modules M_1 to M_X. Advantageously, the AI ​​5 runs decentrally on several interconnected computing devices, with access to a large amount of training data. To arrive at final settings FS for the vehicle damping system 2, basic settings BS are initially established for the vehicle damping system 2. For given environmental conditions 41, a driving maneuver is specified for a test vehicle, whereby current vehicle conditions 42 and damper information 43 are recorded during the driving maneuver. Based on the recorded vehicle conditions 42, the actual damping behavior of the test vehicle is recorded and evaluated in relation to a target damping behavior.The basic settings BS for the vehicle damping system 2 are then adjusted to bring the actual damping behavior closer to the target damping behavior and are provided as new settings NS.

[0044] In this embodiment, the AI ​​5 advantageously performs the following tasks: ▪ Establishing a tuning strategy and thereby defining a sequence of driving maneuvers to be performed by the test vehicle; ▪ Optimization of vehicle behavior by adapting and iterating the entire parameter set (basic settings) to the underlying evaluation criteria (approaching the target damping behavior); ▪ Identification and output of differences in relation to different environmental conditions, especially in relation to summer vs. winter tuning; ▪ GPS tracking of the test track for the execution of driving maneuvers and route recognition; ▪ Providing feedback on driving style, maneuvers, road surface and suggestions; ▪ Imitation of driving maneuvers based on training data; ▪ Feedback on the quality and completeness of one or more driving maneuvers; ▪ Conducting objective comparisons between driving maneuvers performed by different drivers; and / or ▪ Conducting objective assessments of driving maneuvers and the adjusted base / new settings and / or final settings based on the underlying assessment criteria.

[0045] The AI ​​5 uses provided data for training, which includes, in particular, the following: ▪ Specific test tracks, roads and routes; ▪ Specific recordings of the driving style of different drivers; ▪ Recordings of signals, conditions and vehicle values ​​from previous driving maneuvers, in particular differentiated by weather conditions and seasons (temperature, humidity, ...); ▪ Simulation results of model values ​​relating to the test vehicle and the vehicle damping system; and / or ▪ FV diagrams of the controlled hardware.

[0046] AI 5 uses, in particular, techniques of pattern and structure recognition, machine learning, artificial neural networks and / or multi-layered learning (deep learning) for the use and evaluation of this data.

[0047] In particular, an advantageous design for determining the settings through AI-supported driving tests provides for the following steps: 1) A driver receives instructions regarding a driving maneuver to be performed. 2) Sensor, vehicle, and damper information (states influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system 2) are acquired and evaluated by the AI ​​5 during the execution of the driving maneuver. Parameters from a parameter set from a previous simulation or parameters from a default set are applied as basic settings (BS). 3) The AI ​​5 determines new settings NS and provides these to the control unit 3 as new basic settings BS. 4) The AI ​​5 evaluates the tuning of the vehicle damping (how well is the actual damping behavior brought close to the target damping behavior?) and the determined new settings NS. 5) The driver receives feedback on the driving maneuver, the completeness of the driving test, the evaluation of the new NS settings and a new instruction regarding a further driving maneuver to be carried out. 6) Sensor, vehicle and damper information (parameters influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system 2) are recorded and evaluated by the AI ​​5 during the execution of the further driving maneuver. 7) The AI ​​5 determines new settings NS and provides these to the control unit 3 as new basic settings BS. 8) The AI ​​5 evaluates the tuning of the vehicle damping (how well is the actual damping behavior aligned with the target damping behavior?) and the newly determined NS settings. 9) The driver receives feedback on the driving maneuver, the completeness of the driving test, the evaluation of the last determined new settings NS and a new instruction regarding a further driving maneuver to be carried out.

[0048] Steps 1 to 9 are repeated until final FS settings are determined that are sufficiently aligned with the evaluation criteria. A final quality assessment of the driving test is generated by AI 5.

[0049] In this embodiment, the procedure for bringing an actual damping behavior closer to a predetermined target damping behavior is carried out iteratively, whereby the most recently provided new settings NS of the control unit 3 or the damper control software of the control unit 3 and the modules M_1 to M_X are each again used as new basic settings BS, until final settings FS are determined after all predetermined driving maneuvers have been carried out.

[0050] A further advantageous embodiment of a method for computer-aided determination of settings FS for a vehicle damping system of a motor vehicle model controllable by means of an electronic control unit is described below with reference to the one in Fig. The flowchart shown in section 3 is explained.

[0051] In step A, a driver controls a test vehicle representative of the vehicle model according to a predefined driving maneuver FM, using basic settings BS for the vehicle damping system. During the driving maneuver FM, conditions 4 influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system are recorded, in particular environmental conditions 41, current vehicle conditions 42, and damper information 43. These conditions are evaluated in step B, in particular by a computer-aided AI. Based on the evaluated data 48, the basic settings BS are adjusted, in particular by the AI, and provided as new settings NS. The process steps A to C are then repeated, with the provided new settings NS being used as the new basic settings BS.Then, with regard to the provided new settings NS, an evaluation is performed to check whether the actual damping behavior ID is sufficiently close to the target damping behavior SD of the test vehicle for the specified driving maneuver FM, whereby a defined deviation Δ from the target damping behavior is accepted. If the actual damping behavior ID is not sufficiently close to the target damping behavior SD (variant n (n: condition not met)), steps A to C are repeated with the last defined new settings NS as new base settings BS, and the settings are further adjusted until the check shows that the actual damping behavior ID is sufficiently close to the target damping behavior SD (variant y (y: condition met)).Regardless of the outcome of the evaluation of the new settings with regard to a sufficient approximation of the actual damping behavior ID to the target damping behavior SD, in this embodiment, in a step F, feedback is provided to the driver of the test vehicle regarding the execution of the driving maneuver FM and the completeness of the determination of the settings NS for the vehicle damping system.

[0052] If the most recently defined new settings NS were deemed acceptable (variant y), a check step K verifies whether the settings to be defined are already fully defined, taking into account the already defined new settings NS. If this is not the case (variant n), a new driving maneuver FMx (where x in FMx represents an xth driving maneuver) is specified in a step H. Steps A to H are then repeated with the new driving maneuver FMx and the most recently defined new settings NS as the new basic settings BS, as described above. During this process, the new basic settings BS are further adjusted, particularly other parameters of the basic settings BS that are relevant to the current driving maneuver FMx.

[0053] If the test in test step K shows that the settings to be determined are fully defined, taking into account the last defined new settings NS (variant y), which is regularly only the case after several iterations of steps A to H with several different specifications for driving maneuvers FMx, then in a further step F the driver of the test vehicle receives feedback regarding the execution of the driving maneuvers FM to FMx and a message regarding the completeness of the determination of the settings for the vehicle damping system, and the last provided new settings NS are made available as final settings FS for the vehicle damping system and the associated control unit.

[0054] The embodiments shown in the figures and explained in connection with them serve to illustrate the invention and are not limiting to it. Reference symbol list 1 test vehicle 2 Vehicle damping system 21 Dampers of the vehicle damping system (2) 3 electronic control unit 4 a damping behavior of the vehicle damping system (2) condition influencing 41 Environmental conditions 42 current vehicle conditions 43 Damper Information 48 evaluated data points 5 computer-aided AI 6 Training data 7 User interface 8 User input 9 Database 10 control signals BS basic settings NS New hires FS final settings FM Driving Maneuvers FMx new driving maneuver ID Actual damping behavior SD target damping behavior M_1 Module 1 M_2 Module 2 M_3 Module 3

Claims

[1] Method for computer-aided determination of settings (FS) for a vehicle damping system (2) of a motor vehicle model controllable by means of an electronic control unit (3), wherein the vehicle damping system (2) is configured to adapt the response behavior of dampers (21) of the vehicle damping system (2) according to specified settings depending on conditions (4) influencing the damping behavior of the vehicle damping system (2), wherein for the vehicle damping system (2) basic settings (BS) are used as a basis; for given environmental conditions (41) a driving maneuver (FM) for a test vehicle (1) the corresponding motor vehicle model is specified; during the driving maneuver (FM) current vehicle states (42) and Damper information (43) is recorded; an actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) in relation to the recorded Vehicle conditions (42) are recorded; an actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) in relation to a target- The damping behavior (SD) of the test vehicle (1) is evaluated; and the basic settings (BS) for the vehicle damping system (2) are used to approximate the The actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) is adapted to the target damping behavior (SD) of the test vehicle (1) and provided as new settings (NS). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the basic settings (BS) are provided based on a computer-aided simulation of at least one driving maneuver of a motor vehicle model described by vehicle data. [3] Method according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by, that a computer-aided AI (5) determines or adjusts the basic settings (BS) based on settings known for other vehicle models for a vehicle damping system controllable by means of an electronic control unit and based on vehicle data describing these other vehicle models, taking into account vehicle data of the motor vehicle model for which the settings of the vehicle damping system (2) are to be determined. [4] Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the settings (BS, NS) of the vehicle damping system (2) are adjusted to bring the actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) closer to the target damping behavior (SD) of the test vehicle (1) using a computer-aided AI (5) or using the computer-aided AI (5). [5] Method according to claim 4, characterized by, that the AI ​​(5) uses training data (6) for adjusting the settings (BS, NS) to bring the actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) closer to the target damping behavior (SD), which includes settings defined for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing those vehicle models. [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized by , that the AI ​​(5) adjusts the settings (BS, NS) for the vehicle damping system (2) of the motor vehicle model by evaluating relationships between settings specified for other vehicle models and vehicle data describing these vehicle models and taking into account the damping behavior of these vehicle models under given environmental conditions. [7] Method according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized by, that the adjustment of the settings (BS, NS) for the vehicle damping system (2) is influenced by user input (8) via a user interface (7). [8] The method of claim 7 insofar as it relates to any of claims 3 to 6, characterized by , that via the user interface (7) assessment values ​​describing a damping behavior of the test vehicle (1) are transmitted to the AI ​​(5), the AI ​​(5) taking into account the transmitted assessment values ​​when determining or adjusting the settings (BS, NS) for the vehicle damping system (2) of the motor vehicle model. [9] The method of claim 8 or claim 7 insofar as it relates to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, that via the user interface (7) a driving situation-dependent weighting for parameters adjustable by the AI ​​(5) is specified, wherein the AI ​​(5) takes the weighting into account when determining the settings (FS) or when adjusting the settings (BS, NS) for the vehicle damping system (2). [10] Method according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized by , that the AI ​​(5) uses pattern recognition for determining the settings (FS) and / or for adjusting the settings (BS, NS) for the vehicle damping system (2), wherein the pattern recognition processes objective evaluation criteria, subjective evaluation criteria and / or absolute evaluation criteria. [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized by that the objective assessment criteria include at least one of the following criteria: ground contact, vehicle safety; and / or that the subjective evaluation criteria include at least one of the following criteria: driver impression “Comfort”, driver impression “ECO”, driver impression “Sport”; and / or that the absolute evaluation criteria include at least one of the following criteria: Lifting the test vehicle, pitching the test vehicle, rolling the test vehicle. [12] Method according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized by , that the adjustment of the settings (BS, NS) to bring the actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) closer to the target damping behavior (SD) of the test vehicle (1) is carried out according to at least one of the following criteria: Reduction of the build-up acceleration of the test vehicle (1); Reduction of a variation in the wheel contact forces of the test vehicle (1); Optimization for lifting the test vehicle (1); Optimization for pitching of the test vehicle (1); Optimization for roll of the test vehicle (1); Optimization for suspension compression of the test vehicle (1). [13] Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the driving maneuver (FM) is performed on a test bench. [14] Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the procedure for further approximating the actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1) to the target damping behavior (SD) of the test vehicle (1) is carried out iteratively, using the most recently provided new settings (NS) as the base settings (BS). [15] Method according to claim 14, characterized by, that taking into account the current vehicle states (42) and damper information (43) recorded during the driving maneuver (FM) and an evaluated actual damping behavior (ID) of the test vehicle (1), a new driving maneuver (FMx) is determined, and a new procedure run is carried out with the determined new driving maneuver (FMx). [16] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that a) a driver controls the test vehicle (1) according to the specified driving maneuver (FM); b) the vehicle states (42) and damper information (43) recorded during the driving maneuver (FM) are evaluated by a computer-aided AI (5); c) the basic settings (BS) are adapted by the AI ​​(5) and provided by the AI ​​(5) as new settings (NS); d) steps a) to c) are repeated, using the provided new settings (NS) as new base settings (BS) in each case; e) the AI ​​(5) evaluates the provided new settings (NS) for the vehicle damping system (2) to determine whether the actual damping behavior (ID) is close to the target damping behavior (SD); f) the driver is provided with feedback regarding the execution of the driving maneuver (FM) and / or the completeness of the setting of the vehicle damping system settings (2); g) steps a), b), c), e) and f) are repeated, using the new settings (NS) provided in each instance as new base settings (BS) until a termination criterion is reached; h) a new driving maneuver (FMx) is specified; i) steps a) to g) are performed again for the newly specified driving maneuver (FMx); j) steps h) and i) are repeated until a termination criterion is met.

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