Load arbitration in active suspension systems.

Abstract

The vehicle may include a chassis, four wheels, and an active suspension system operatively coupled to the four wheels and the chassis, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the four wheels. The processor may be configured to control the active suspension system by receiving a first load request of the load and assigning a first weight distribution to the first load request based on a load capacity to modify a first dynamic characteristic of the chassis, receiving a second load request of the load and assigning a second weight distribution to the second load request based on the first load distribution to modify a second dynamic characteristic of the chassis, and commanding the at least one actuator to apply the load based on the first load distribution and the second load distribution.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 405,636, filed September 12, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification.

[0002] Field FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The disclosed embodiments relate to load arbitration in active suspension systems and related methods of use. [Background technology]

[0003] background

[0003] Suspension systems are typically designed to properly support and orient a vehicle, provide safe operation in a variety of expected operating environments, and ensure a comfortable ride for occupants. Conventional suspension systems are typically passive, with nearly constant operating and performance parameters. Some suspension systems are semi-active in that they can adjust their overall response, for example, to provide a trade-off between occupant comfort and vehicle operation. Fully active suspension systems use actuators to automatically react to changing road conditions by relying on input from sensors and other measurement devices. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] overview

[0004] In some embodiments, a method of controlling an active suspension actuator of a vehicle having a load capacity includes receiving, using at least one processor of the actuator, a first load request for a load from the active suspension actuator to alter a first motion characteristic of a portion of the vehicle, the first load request being less than the load capacity of the active suspension actuator, and instructing, using at least one processor, the active suspension actuator to apply a first intermediate load between the portion of the vehicle and a wheel assembly of the vehicle, the first intermediate load being less than the first load request.

[0005]

[0005] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a chassis, a plurality of wheels, an active suspension system operably coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode, and at least one processor configured to implement the above-described method.

[0006] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a chassis, a plurality of wheels, an active suspension system operably coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode, and at least one processor configured to control the active suspension system, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: obtain a load capacity of the at least one actuator; receive a first load request for a load from the at least one actuator to alter a first motion characteristic of the chassis; assign a first weight distribution to the first load request based at least in part on the load capacity; receive a second load request for a load from the at least one actuator to alter a second motion characteristic of the chassis; assign a second weight distribution to the second load request based at least in part on the first load distribution and the load capacity; and command the at least one actuator to apply a load between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis based at least in part on the first load distribution and the second load distribution.

[0007] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a chassis, a plurality of wheels, and an active suspension system, the active suspension system being operably coupled to the plurality of wheels, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode. A method of controlling a vehicle may include obtaining a load capacity of the at least one actuator, receiving a first load request for a load from the at least one actuator to alter a first motion characteristic of the chassis, assigning a first weight distribution to the first load request based at least in part on the load capacity, receiving a second load request for a load from the at least one actuator to alter a second motion characteristic of the chassis, assigning a second weight distribution to the second load request based at least in part on the first load distribution and the load capacity, and commanding the at least one actuator to apply a load between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis based at least in part on the first load distribution and the second load distribution.

[0008]

[0008] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in this respect, as the above-described concepts and additional concepts described below may be arranged in any suitable combination. Furthermore, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

[0009] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown in various figures may be represented by a similar reference numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every drawing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a vehicle including a vehicle control system and a vehicle output for the vehicle control system. [Figure 2]

[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 3]

[0012] 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle illustrating an exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics; [Figure 4]

[0013] FIG. 10 is a schematic rear view of a vehicle illustrating another exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics. [Figure 5]

[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a vehicle illustrating another exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics. [Figure 6]

[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle illustrating another exemplary vehicle dynamics characteristic. [Figure 7]

[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. [Figure 8]

[0017] 1 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Detailed Description

[0018] In conventional vehicles, the vehicle's suspension may be responsible for controlling multiple vehicle dynamics characteristics. Such vehicle dynamics characteristics may include, but are not limited to, roll stiffness, roll damping, heave damping, pitch damping, pitch stiffness, and torsional stiffness. In some cases, an active suspension may be utilized within a vehicle to provide active control of one or more of these or other vehicle dynamics characteristics. The multiple vehicle dynamics characteristics may be assigned one or more controllers configured to generate load outputs to control each of the individual vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some situations, each of one or more active suspension actuators may be limited in the loads they can apply to control various vehicle dynamics characteristics. In such situations, it may not be possible to simultaneously control multiple vehicle dynamics characteristics, and various demands on the actuator's capabilities may conflict with each other. The limited load capacity of an active suspension system may not be sufficient to simultaneously control all desired vehicle dynamics characteristics. Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that active suspension actuators may have inherent load capacity limitations, and multiple competing load commands from active suspension system actuators may result in saturation of the actuator's available load capacity, which may be undesirable. Such saturation can result in the active suspension system not meeting the desired performance characteristics of the vehicle chassis due to an inability to provide more load to control one or more additional vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some cases, the load demands to control or alter one vehicle dynamics characteristic can saturate the active suspension system actuators, leaving no load capacity to control other vehicle dynamics characteristics. In such cases, vehicle dynamics characteristics that are less important to vehicle performance can interfere with or inhibit control of vehicle dynamics characteristics that are more important to vehicle performance or occupant comfort. In some embodiments, when utilizing one or more actuators with limited load capacity to achieve desired overall vehicle performance, it may be desirable to prioritize control of certain vehicle dynamics characteristics over other vehicle dynamics characteristics.

[0012]

[0019] In light of the above, the present inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle control system that prioritizes control of one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics over other vehicle dynamics characteristics. Specifically, the present inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle control system that utilizes a hierarchy of vehicle dynamics characteristics to arbitrate load demands from an active suspension system where the active suspension has a particular load capacity. In some embodiments, the hierarchy of vehicle dynamics characteristics may prioritize, for example, vehicle dynamics that affect the braking or steering performance of the vehicle over vehicle dynamics that affect user comfort or cornering performance. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system may prioritize vehicle dynamics characteristics that improve average traction and / or vehicle handling during braking events. Additionally, the vehicle control system may utilize vehicle dynamics characteristics that improve traction and handling in conditions of low road friction (e.g., caused by road features or surface conditions) or that otherwise improve vehicle handling during certain events (e.g., turns, emergency maneuvers, etc.).

[0013]

[0020] In some cases, a vehicle user (e.g., a driver or other vehicle occupant) may provide input to control and / or operate one or more vehicle systems. For example, a user may provide input through a steering wheel to control the vehicle's steering system. As another example, a user may provide input through one or more pedals to control the throttle, braking system, or vehicle transmission. A user may also provide input through one or more buttons, switches, and / or a graphical user interface to control various parameters of a vehicle system. The inventors have recognized that user input provided through a vehicle user interface plays an important role in vehicle dynamics during many vehicle events, including encountering road features (e.g., potholes, changes in road friction, bumps, curves, corners, etc.), turning, and emergency maneuvers. In some instances, user input may prevent the allocation of power to control an automated vehicle system that is needed to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. For example, a driver may overcorrect when oversteering or apply the brakes when turning sharply, actions that may destabilize the vehicle. Thus, the effectiveness of vehicle control systems, including safety systems such as traction control systems and braking systems, may be reduced or negated by erroneous or inappropriate user input during a road event. Additionally, users may expect certain responses from the vehicle in response to user input. A control system that does not respond as expected may be upsetting to the vehicle user.

[0014]

[0021] In light of the above, the inventors have recognized the benefits of a vehicle configured to prioritize control of one or more actuators of an active suspension system that can target vehicle dynamics characteristics that are perceptible to a user of the vehicle. The inventors have recognized that the loads applied by one or more actuators of an active suspension system can be utilized to more tightly control certain vehicle dynamics characteristics and provide a more readily predictable active suspension response for a user of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the active suspension system may also prioritize reducing vehicle dynamics characteristics that may destabilize the vehicle over vehicle dynamics characteristics that primarily affect user comfort and / or the vehicle's cornering performance (e.g., sporty performance).

[0015]

[0022] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a chassis and one or more wheels (e.g., four wheels) supporting the chassis. The vehicle may include an active suspension system operably interposed between the one or more wheels and the chassis. The active suspension system may be controlled to adjust a normal force between the vehicle wheels and the ground (e.g., via tires) by applying a load between the vehicle wheels and the chassis. The active suspension system, in some embodiments, may be configured to cause extension or compression of a main spring of a suspension assembly. The load applied between the wheels and the chassis may be transferred to the chassis through the active suspension system, thereby enabling the active suspension system to control one or more dynamic characteristics of the vehicle chassis. Vehicle dynamic characteristics may include, but are not limited to, rotation about various axes (e.g., roll and pitch). Vehicle dynamic characteristics may also include, but are not limited to, translational motion along various axes (e.g., translational motion along the vertical z-axis, otherwise referred to as "heave"). In some embodiments, the three principal axes of Cartesian coordinates may be established relative to a supporting surface (e.g., a plane) below the vehicle. In some embodiments, when the vehicle is disposed on flat ground, the three principal axes of Cartesian coordinates may be established relative to the local direction of gravity. As described further below, an active suspension system may control one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics of a chassis of a vehicle by applying active or passive loads between the chassis and one or more wheels. Modifying the loads output by the active suspension system may modify one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in associated volatile or non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured to control the active suspension system to control one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics of the chassis. In some embodiments, the at least one processor may operate as part of one or more controllers of the vehicle.

[0016]

[0023] In some embodiments, an active suspension system may be operatively interposed between one or more wheels of a vehicle and the chassis. The active suspension system may include one or more actuators associated with one or more wheels. For example, the active suspension system may include one actuator associated with each wheel of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the actuators of the active suspension system may be electro-hydraulic devices including a hydraulic motor / pump and / or an electric motor / generator. The term hydraulic motor / pump may refer to a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor operating as a pump, or a hydraulic pump operating as a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor / pump may be capable of providing fixed displacement, variable displacement, fixed speed, and / or variable speed, although the present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of device. Suitable types of hydraulic motor / pumps may include, but are not limited to, a gerotor pump, a vane pump, a gear pump, a screw pump, and / or any other suitable type of hydraulic device. The term electric motor / generator may refer to either an electric motor and / or a generator. In either case, in some embodiments, the associated hydraulic device may drive an electric motor / generator to generate electrical energy while also functioning as a generator to provide damping to the hydraulic actuator. The electric motor / generator may also drive the hydraulic device as a pump to generate fluid flow to drive the actuator's operation and / or to resist movement of the actuator's piston. Depending on the particular embodiment, the electric motor / generator may be operated solely as a generator, solely as a driven motor, and / or as both depending on the particular application. Suitable types of electric motor / generators may include, but are not limited to, brushless DC motors, brushed DC motors, induction motors, dynamos, or any other type of device capable of converting electricity into rotary motion and / or vice versa. The actuators may be configured to apply active and / or passive loads between the vehicle wheels and the vehicle chassis. The application of active and / or passive loads may be utilized to control the movement of the chassis and / or wheels.In some embodiments, an active suspension system may include one or more physical springs or dampers, which may apply a passive load to one or more wheels and the chassis of a vehicle.

[0017]

[0024] In some embodiments, an actuator of an active suspension system may have a specific maximum operating load capacity and / or maximum displacement capacity. Load capacity may be the amount of load an actuator can generate under specific operating or environmental conditions (e.g., ambient temperature), which has a finite value. Displacement capacity is the amount of displacement an actuator can generate under specific operating or environmental conditions (e.g., ambient temperature), which has a finite value. In some embodiments, the load capacity and / or displacement capacity may be based on the physical configuration of the actuator and the material limits of that configuration, if any, and thus may be the design load and / or displacement capacity. In some embodiments, the load and / or displacement capacity may be based on the limitations of the actuator with an additional safety factor. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be set as a limit in software. In some embodiments, a particular actuator may have a load capacity and / or displacement capacity based on other physical characteristics of the vehicle and / or actuator, such as the vehicle weight, type, actuator design, etc. For example, a vehicle with a higher weight may have an active suspension with a higher load capacity than a vehicle with a lower weight. The load capacity and / or displacement capacity may affect the ability of a dynamic suspension system to control one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics. For example, if the load capacity and / or displacement capacity of an actuator becomes saturated and more load or displacement is needed to adequately control the vehicle chassis, the actuator may not have the capacity to provide the desired additional load and / or displacement. As a result, the load capacity and / or displacement capacity of an actuator may be allocated in accordance with exemplary embodiments herein to prioritize certain vehicle dynamics characteristics that may be deemed important over other vehicle dynamics characteristics that may be deemed less important. In the remainder of this disclosure, the discussion will focus on allocating the load capacity of an actuator to the control of various vehicle dynamics characteristics. However, it should be noted that the displacement of an actuator may be allocated in a similar manner.

[0018]

[0025] In some embodiments, a vehicle may utilize an actuator having a load capacity based on the mass of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle mass based on a gross vehicle weight rating). In some embodiments, the ratio between the load capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be equal to or greater than 0.4 N / kg, 1.0 N / kg, 2.0 N / kg, and / or any other suitable ratio. In some embodiments, the ratio between the load capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be equal to or greater than 2.5 N / kg, 1.5 N / kg, 1.0 N / kg, and / or any other suitable ratio. Combinations of the above ranges are contemplated, including ratios between 0.4 and 2.5 N / kg, 1.0 and 1.5 N / kg, and 1.0 and 2.5 N / kg. In some embodiments, the ratio between the load capacity of the actuator and the vehicle mass may be measured at a wheel of the vehicle, taking into account any lever arm effect, for example, if the actuator is positioned toward the center of the wheel. The present disclosure is not so limited, and therefore, any suitable ratio may be utilized in some embodiments. The present disclosure is not so limited, and therefore, any suitable load capacity may be utilized in the actuator in some embodiments.

[0019]

[0026] In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle includes obtaining or determining a load capacity of at least one actuator of the vehicle. The at least one actuator may include four actuators, each of which, in some embodiments, is associated with a single wheel of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be an average load capacity of each individual actuator of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be a total load capacity (e.g., a sum) of the individual load capacities of each individual actuator of the at least one actuator. The method may also include receiving a first load request for a load from the at least one actuator to alter a first motion characteristic of the chassis. In some embodiments, the first load request may be received from a controller associated with the first motion characteristic (e.g., via a communications network). The method may include assigning a first weight distribution to the first load request based on the load capacity of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the distribution for the first load request may be equal to or less than the load capacity such that the distribution is limited to the load capacity. In some embodiments, the distribution may be less than the load capacity such that the load may be allocated to other load requests. The method may also include receiving a second load request for the load from the at least one actuator to modify a second vehicle dynamics characteristic of the chassis. The second vehicle dynamics characteristic may be different from the first vehicle dynamics characteristic. For example, the first vehicle dynamics characteristic may be a roll stiffness of the chassis, and the second vehicle dynamics characteristic may be a roll damping of the chassis. The method may include assigning a second load distribution to the second load request based at least in part on the first load distribution and the load capacity. For example, the sum of the first load distribution and the second load distribution cannot exceed the load capacity. In some embodiments, the second load distribution may be the difference between the first load distribution and the load capacity of the at least one actuator. As a result, the load may be assigned primarily to the first load request with a higher priority than the second load request.The method may include commanding at least one actuator to apply a load between the at least one wheel and the chassis based at least in part on the first load distribution and the second load distribution. The method may include applying a load by the actuator according to the first and second load distributions to control the first and second vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, the above-described method may be implemented by at least one processor of the vehicle (e.g., by executing computer-readable instructions formed in a non-volatile memory).

[0020]

[0027] In some embodiments, the allocation of loads in response to load demands may be based at least in part on a load distribution limit that is less than the load capacity of the actuator. Such a load distribution limit may be beneficial to ensure that the entire load capacity of the actuator is not consumed in controlling a single vehicle dynamics characteristic. While the inventors have recognized that certain vehicle dynamics characteristics may have a higher priority than control of other characteristics, the inventors have also recognized that it may be desirable to reserve a portion of the load capacity for control of lower priority vehicle dynamics characteristics. Such a configuration may be desirable in the case of temporary spikes in load demands, which may be in response to encountering a road event (e.g., a pothole, a bump, etc.). Because weight distribution may be limited for certain vehicle dynamics characteristics, control of that one vehicle dynamics characteristic may not interfere with control of other lower priority vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, the load distribution limit may be a percentage of the actuator load capacity that is greater than zero. For example, in some embodiments, the load shedding limit may be 60% of the load capacity, 70% of the load capacity, 75% of the load capacity, 80% of the load capacity, 90% of the load capacity, or another suitable percentage. In some embodiments, in addition to the load shedding limit, there may be a smaller load shedding limit, which may be, for example, 1% of the load capacity of the actuator. In some embodiments, for example, the load shedding limit may be between the smaller shedding limit of 1% and the shedding limit of 75% of the load capacity of the actuator. It should be understood that any suitable load shedding limit may be selected for an actuator, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0021]

[0028] As used herein, an "active load" is a load generated by a vehicle system and applied to a wheel or wheel assembly in the direction of motion at the time of application of the load. For example, an active load may include applying a load to a wheel or wheel assembly in the direction of motion of the wheel via an active suspension system actuator. The active load or a component of the active load may be directed in the direction of motion at the time of application of the load by the actuator. As used herein, a "passive load" is a load that may be applied to a component in a direction opposite to the motion at the time of application of the load. For example, a spring (e.g., a coil spring, an air spring, etc.) in a suspension system may generate a spring load in response to a wheel moving due to a road feature (e.g., a bump, a curve, etc.). As another example, a damper in a suspension system may generate a passive damping force (e.g., a force that resists motion of the wheel and / or vehicle body) in response to a wheel moving due to a road feature, but it should be noted that an active suspension system may also apply a damping force that resists motion of an associated mass. For example, in some embodiments, the actuator may apply a damping force in a direction opposite to the direction in which the motion of the component is damped. According to exemplary embodiments described herein, certain vehicle systems (e.g., active suspension systems) may apply active and / or passive loads depending on the vehicle system's operating mode and instructions received from the controller. For example, an active suspension system may be operated in a first mode in which the actuator is utilized to apply an active load to the vehicle or a portion of the vehicle, and a second mode in which only passive loads are applied on the vehicle or a portion of the vehicle in response to external load inputs. In some operating modes, a vehicle system including an active suspension system may generate both active and passive loads.

[0022]

[0029] As described herein, vehicle dynamics characteristics may refer to the motion response of a vehicle chassis controlled in degrees of freedom about or along an axis. A vehicle dynamics characteristic may be represented as a spring or damper of the vehicle chassis for a particular degree of freedom. In some embodiments, a vehicle chassis may have two vehicle dynamics characteristics (e.g., stiffness and damping) for each degree of freedom. The degrees of freedom of a vehicle chassis may include, but are not limited to, roll (e.g., rotation of the vehicle about the vehicle's longitudinal axis in the direction of vehicle travel), pitch (e.g., rotation of the vehicle about the vehicle's transverse axis perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel), heave (e.g., translational movement along the vehicle's vertical axis), and torsion (e.g., twist about the vehicle's longitudinal axis in the direction of vehicle travel). Vehicle dynamics characteristics may include, but are not limited to, roll stiffness, roll damping, heave damping, pitch damping, pitch stiffness, and torsional stiffness. The present disclosure is not so limited; therefore, some embodiments may control any suitable vehicle dynamics characteristic. The inventors have recognized that certain vehicle dynamics characteristics may be more important under certain operating conditions for vehicle performance (e.g., handling or safety) and / or user perception of vehicle performance. Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that because actuators may have limited load capacities, it may be desirable to prioritize certain vehicle dynamics characteristics over others, as described below with reference to exemplary methods.

[0023]

[0030] In some embodiments, exemplary vehicle dynamics characteristics may be influenced or altered by the application of active or passive loads by an active suspension system (e.g., by one or more actuators). For example, roll stiffness may be influenced by the application of appropriate active roll loads to improve the vehicle's roll stiffness during periods of lateral acceleration of the vehicle. As another example, roll damping may be influenced by the application of appropriate active roll loads to improve the vehicle's roll damping during a transient roll event. As yet another example, heave damping may be influenced by the application of appropriate active heave loads to improve the vehicle's heave damping during a transient heave event. As yet another example, pitch damping may be influenced by the application of active pitch loads to improve the vehicle's pitch damping during a transient pitch event. As yet another example, pitch stiffness may be influenced by the application of appropriate active pitch loads to improve the vehicle's pitch stiffness during periods of longitudinal acceleration. As yet another example, torsional stiffness may be influenced by the application of appropriate active torsional loads to dynamically shift roll motion between the axles in sport mode. In some embodiments, two or more of the vehicle dynamics characteristics described above may be controlled in a vehicle having an active suspension system. The present disclosure is not so limited, and in some embodiments, one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics, such as those set forth above, may be excluded from control of the vehicle.

[0024]

[0031] While some embodiments herein describe two vehicle dynamics characteristics in relation to two load distributions, it should be understood that any number of load distributions may be utilized as part of a method for operating a vehicle. For example, three, four, five, or six vehicle dynamics characteristics may have distinct hierarchical load distributions based on actuator load capacities and other parameters, such as the vehicle's operating mode or state, the vehicle's state, or the state of the actuators in question. In some embodiments, seven or more vehicle dynamics characteristics may be controlled by an active suspension. In some embodiments, vehicle dynamics characteristics may be organized into one or more priority groupings. For example, a vehicle handling group at a particular level in the hierarchy may include roll stiffness and roll damping. As another example, a comfort group may include heave damping and pitch damping, which may be located at another level in the hierarchy. As yet another example, a sports performance group may include pitch stiffness and torsional stiffness. In some embodiments, such priority groupings may be utilized in example embodiments herein to assign loads to various vehicle dynamics characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, loads may be assigned first to a vehicle handling group, second to a comfort group, and third to a sports performance group. The inventors have recognized that such a hierarchical structure provides the vehicle user with an improved perception of vehicle performance. In other embodiments, when chassis motion is controlled by one or more actuators with limited load capacity, any group and any priority can be utilized to provide a desired chassis response.

[0025]

[0032] In some embodiments, the inventors recognized that in some cases, different vehicle dynamics characteristics may be equally prioritized. For example, the inventors recognized that it may be undesirable to assign a load to a particular vehicle dynamics characteristic before assigning a load to another particular vehicle dynamics characteristic. In some such embodiments, a load may be assigned to a combination of a first vehicle dynamics characteristic and a second vehicle dynamics characteristic. For example, a method of operating a vehicle may include determining a shared load distribution based on the load capacity of an actuator and any previous load distributions. Based on the shared load distribution, a separate load distribution may be determined based on weighting factors assigned to each of the vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, the weighting factors may be equal so that the shared load distribution is divided equally between the shared load distribution and the associated vehicle dynamics characteristic. In some embodiments, the weighting factors may be different so that the shared load distribution and the associated vehicle dynamics characteristic receive a predetermined percentage of the shared load distribution. For example, in some embodiments in which two vehicle dynamics characteristics share a common weight distribution with unequal weightings, the first weighting factor may be between 51 and 99% and the second weighting factor may be between 1 and 49%. The weighting factors may be determined during vehicle manufacture or tuning, or may be received as user input from a user input device, and may be based on the desired vehicle response and vehicle weight, type, etc. It should also be noted that the weight distribution formula may depend on the state of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle speed) or its operating conditions (e.g., weather or road conditions).

[0026]

[0033] In some embodiments, a method of controlling a vehicle according to example embodiments herein may include allocating loads to individual actuators of a vehicle's active suspension system based on the individual load capacity of each individual actuator. Thus, depending on the actuator and the vehicle dynamics being controlled, loads may be allocated differently to achieve a target chassis response. Different vehicle actuators may work together to control the vehicle dynamics of the chassis. In some embodiments, different weight distribution limits may be set for different vehicle dynamics depending on the particular actuator. In some embodiments, different weight distribution limits may be based on whether the actuator is a front wheel actuator or a rear wheel actuator. For example, in some embodiments, the load distribution limit for a front wheel actuator in an example dynamics profile may be 55% of its load capacity, while a rear wheel actuator may have a load distribution limit of 45% of its load capacity. Similarly, different weight distribution limits may be based on whether the actuator is a left or right actuator. In other embodiments, the load capacities may be substantially equal or equal for all wheels of the vehicle. Any suitable weight distribution limits may be set for individual actuators in a vehicle, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0027]

[0034] In addition to the above, the inventors have recognized the benefit of a method of controlling a vehicle that avoids rapid or excessive cyclical shifts in load distribution. For example, if load distribution is determined cyclically at a predetermined frequency, when the vehicle encounters a transient event, a temporary change in sensor feedback may cause a load demand for a particular vehicle dynamics characteristic to rapidly increase. Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that it may be desirable to delay the availability of load distribution for a particular vehicle dynamics characteristic. In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle may include detecting a trend of increased load demand over a threshold period of time. According to such embodiments, detecting a positive trend in load demand over a threshold period of time may trigger an increase in a lift hold limit for the vehicle dynamics characteristic, such that the load distribution cannot exceed the lift hold limit. In some embodiments, the lift hold limit may be increased at a rate based on the load capacity of the actuator in a manner that allows full utilization of the actuator for vehicle dynamics control while suppressing undesirable cyclical shifts in load distribution. In some embodiments, the rate of increase of the lift hold limit may be between 25% and 100% of the actuator's load capacity per second. In some embodiments, the threshold period for detecting a trend of increased load demand may be 100-500 ms, although other rates and threshold periods are contemplated as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0028]

[0035] In some embodiments, the inventors have recognized the benefit of a return speed limiter to smooth the reduction of the climb hold limit. Such a configuration can ensure that load capacity remains available for vehicle dynamics during a temporary reduction in load demand associated with a given vehicle dynamics. Thus, loads can be allocated according to the increased climb hold limit rather than immediately resetting to the original, lower climb hold limit. In some embodiments, the return speed limiter can be based on the capacity of the actuator. For example, the climb hold limit can be reduced at a rate of 25% to 50% of the actuator's load capacity per second. In some embodiments, the climb hold limit cannot be reduced until a threshold period of time has elapsed with the load demand below the climb hold limit. In some embodiments, such threshold period for the climb hold limit to begin reducing is 100 to 500 ms. The present disclosure is not so limited and any suitable rate and / or threshold period for the climb hold limit to begin reducing can be utilized.

[0029]

[0036] Although embodiments herein describe methods for operating a vehicle including an active suspension, the techniques and methods described herein may be applicable to other vehicle systems that operate independently or in cooperation with an active suspension system. For example, a vehicle's braking system may assign loads to affect different vehicle dynamics characteristics. As another example, a collision protection system may receive load distributions for the vehicle chassis' attitude relative to an impending impact. Any suitable vehicle system may assign loads according to a predetermined hierarchy to control various vehicle dynamics characteristics, which may be a function of the vehicle's operating state, vehicle condition, or vehicle environment; the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. In this regard, the methods herein are not limited solely to active suspension systems, but may in some embodiments be utilized in vehicles having non-active suspension systems.

[0030]

[0037] As used herein, a "road event" is any event that may occur while a vehicle is traveling on a road. In some embodiments, a road event may include an encounter with a road feature. A "road feature" is any non-nominal road condition that a vehicle may encounter while traveling on a road surface. For example, road features may include, but are not limited to, rough pavement, potholes, manhole covers, bumps, uneven surfaces, variable road materials (e.g., dirt, gravel, pavement, concrete, metal, etc.), road coverings (e.g., snow, ice, salt, sand, soil, water, etc.), and / or any other feature that may involve a change in the load applied to a vehicle, for example, by the wheels of the vehicle traveling over the feature period, encountering or interacting with the feature. In some embodiments, a road event may include a turn (e.g., negotiating a corner). In some embodiments, a road event may include a braking event. A braking event is any instance or period in which a vehicle is slowed, for example, by applying one or more brakes of the vehicle to slow or stop the vehicle, or by applying a drag force to one or more rotational components as it travels. A braking event may have any duration, as the disclosure is not so limited, and in some embodiments a braking event may include a single application of the brakes or multiple applications of the brakes, as the disclosure is not so limited.

[0031]

[0038] In some embodiments, the vehicle may use loads from an active suspension system configured, for example, in a torsional configuration, so that a vertically upward load is applied to two wheels at opposite corners of the vehicle and a vertically downward load is applied to the two remaining wheels virtually simultaneously, to modify the longitudinal loads on the vehicle in a manner that may mitigate undesirable yaw behavior of the vehicle even under typical braking conditions. As an example, road ridges or ruts may often generate lateral traction forces in braking events, and the active suspension may be used to apply torsional loads to mitigate this effect. This mitigation may occur in two forms: it may attempt to mitigate this effect and reduce metrics such as those mentioned above, e.g., peak yaw rate or peak lateral deviation from the desired path, but it may also attempt to dampen the perceived behavior, for example, by resisting the steering torque generated during such scenarios.

[0032]

[0039] According to exemplary embodiments described herein, an active suspension system is a suspension system that can at least temporarily vary the normal force acting on at least one wheel (and tire) of a vehicle by generating an intermediate load between sprung and unsprung masses, including the wheel. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include hydraulic, electromagnetic, electromechanical, or hydro-electric linear or rotary actuators. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include electric or hydraulic active roll control actuators. In some embodiments, the active suspension system can include an electrically controlled valve. It should be understood that the active suspension system can include any suitable actuators, springs, and / or dampers for adjusting the normal force applied to the vehicle's wheels and tires, as the disclosure is not so limited. In some embodiments, the active suspension can have a fast response time and the ability to provide dynamic response to inputs. Depending on the embodiment, the response time to commanding a step change in applied vertical load (e.g., relative to the vehicle body) can be less than 50 milliseconds, 25 milliseconds, or even less than 10 milliseconds, with response time defined as the delay between commanding the step change and reaching 90% of steady-state output. The embodiments disclosed herein provide such capabilities. Additionally, the active suspension system can utilize multiple degrees of freedom on the vehicle by using multiple actuators in a coordinated manner. In some embodiments, the active suspension system response can be directed perpendicular to the road to produce instantaneous or short-duration (e.g., approximately half the period of the natural frequency of the vehicle body on the primary suspension springs) changes in wheel load that are precisely matched or timed to vehicle state parameter information the suspension system determines or receives from other vehicle subsystems (e.g., rear steering system, electronic braking system, steering system, etc.).

[0033]

[0040] According to exemplary embodiments described herein, a vehicle control system may be operated by one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in volatile or non-volatile memory. The one or more processors may communicate with one or more actuators associated with various elements of the vehicle (e.g., braking system, active suspension system, steering system, rear steering system, driver assistance system, etc.) to control the actuation and movement of the various elements of the vehicle. The one or more processors may receive information from one or more sensors that provide feedback regarding the various elements of the vehicle. For example, the one or more processors may receive position information regarding the vehicle from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) or other positioning system. The sensors onboard the vehicle may include, but are not limited to, wheel rotational speed sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), optical sensors (e.g., cameras, LIDAR), radar, suspension position sensors, gyroscopes, etc. As a result, the vehicle control system may implement proportional control, integral control, derivative control, combinations thereof (e.g., PID control), or other control strategies for various elements of the vehicle. Other feedback or feedforward strategies are also contemplated, and the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Any desired number of any suitable sensors may be utilized to provide feedback information to one or more processors. Information from the sensors may be utilized in conjunction with desired processing techniques (e.g., machine vision). The one or more processors may also communicate with other controllers, computers, and / or processors over a local area network, a wide area network, or the Internet using appropriate wireless or wired communication protocols. It should be noted that while the exemplary embodiments described herein are described with reference to a single processor, any number of processors may be utilized as part of a vehicle, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

[0034]

[0041] Certain non-limiting embodiments will be described in further detail with reference to the figures. It will be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to only the particular embodiments described herein, and that the various systems, components, features, and methods described in connection with these embodiments can be used individually and / or in any desired combination.

[0035]

[0042] FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of a vehicle 100 including a vehicle control system 102 and a vehicle output 120 for the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system may include at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions and control the vehicle output 120. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control system may include an electronic stability control system 104 and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) 106. The electronic stability control system may be configured to automatically apply braking to assist in steering the vehicle when a loss of traction exists and the driver intends to proceed. The ABS is configured to prevent the wheels from locking and skidding. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control system may also include a forward-looking sensor 108. The forward-looking sensor may detect road characteristics, features, or objects in front of the vehicle, which may be provided to the at least one processor as forward road information. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the vehicle control system may also include reference road information 110, which may be stored in memory onboard the vehicle control system. 1, the vehicle control system may also include a transceiver 112 configured to transmit and receive information. In some embodiments, the transceiver 112 may be configured to receive reference road information from another vehicle or a cloud service (e.g., one or more servers). The transceiver may be configured to communicate wirelessly via any suitable wireless protocol, as the invention is not so limited.

[0036]

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1 , a vehicle may include multiple vehicle outputs 120 controlled by a vehicle control system. Specifically, the vehicle outputs may include a throttle 122 (e.g., which may include an engine or electric motor throttle), a steering system 124 (e.g., which may include active steering, semi-active steering, passive steering, and / or rear steering), an active suspension system 126, a braking system 128, and other outputs 130, such as driver feedback. The vehicle control system may be configured to control these vehicle outputs individually or in various combinations. By controlling various vehicle outputs in combination, the vehicle control system may provide improved stability compared to a vehicle having independent control of each system. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system may prioritize certain outputs. For example, the braking system may be prioritized over the steering or active suspension system. This may result in prioritizing control of systems that are more important in a given scenario, with possible assistance from other vehicle outputs. In some embodiments, certain outputs may be further prioritized to control specific vehicle dynamics characteristics. As a result, vehicle system outputs may be utilized to provide vehicle dynamics control for the highest priority vehicle dynamics before allocating output to lower priority vehicle dynamics. Exemplary operating modes and control strategies for vehicle outputs are described further below.

[0037]

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicle may include a real-time two-way communication system 140 that enables communication between various subsystems and vehicle outputs. The communication system may utilize any suitable connection protocol, including, for example, a controller area network (CAN), a local interconnect network (LIN), a vehicle area network (VAN), FlexRay, D2B, Ethernet, direct communication links (such as wire and fiber optics), or wireless communication links. The communication system may be used to share information between subsystems, such as the ABS or ESC, while receiving vehicle state parameters or other information from these same or other systems. Information that may be shared between subsystems and utilized for vehicle output control includes, but is not limited to, vehicle yaw and yaw rate, vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle lateral acceleration, steering wheel position, steering wheel torque, and suspension spring compression, for example, when braking is applied. The vehicle control system may control the active suspension system 126 based on information from the vehicle, such as the status of one or more vehicle subsystems involved, such as the ABS 106 and ESC 104, during an abnormal event. For example, the system may provide different control of the wheels and the vehicle when one or more systems are involved.

[0038]

[0045] In addition to the above, in some embodiments, the active suspension system 126 can sense certain parameters related to road, wheel, and body motion, as well as other parameters that may be useful to other vehicle subsystems. Such information can be transmitted from the active suspension system to the other subsystems via the communication system 140. The other vehicle subsystems can modify their control based on information from the active suspension system. Thus, bidirectional information can be communicated between the active safety suspension system and the other subsystems, and control of both the active suspension system and other vehicle systems can be provided based at least in part on this information transfer. For example, application of brakes by the braking system 128 by the ABS 106 can be synchronized with an increase in wheel load by the active suspension system for one or more wheels. As another example, application of steering by the steering system 124 can be synchronized with an increase in wheel load by the active suspension system for one or more wheels.

[0039]

[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle 100 of FIG. 1. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 that supports various components of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle includes a vehicle control system 102 that may communicate with various subsystems via a communication system 140. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle includes an active suspension system 126 operatively interposed between the vehicle's wheels 150 (or wheel assemblies of the unsprung mass) and the chassis 101 (or sprung mass). Specifically, active suspension actuators 127 may be operatively interposed between each wheel of the vehicle and the body such that separate actuators of the active suspension may independently control the vertical motion of separate wheels of the vehicle. The actuators 127 may be configured to apply loads between the wheels 150 and the chassis 101 to adjust the vertical component of the load between the wheels and the road 180 by applying an active tension or compression force to the wheels 150 relative to the chassis 101. Such application of loads by actuators 127 may affect the motion response of chassis 101 and specifically one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics. The vehicle may also include a braking system 128. The braking system may include independent brakes coupled to each of vehicle wheels 150 such that braking force may be applied to each wheel independently. According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the vehicle may also include a forward-looking sensor 108. Forward-looking sensor 108 may be at least one camera, LIDAR, radar, a combination thereof, or other sensor that may be configured to detect forward road information that may be utilized by vehicle control system 102. Alternatively or additionally, forward road information may be received by control system 120 via a communication system.

[0040]

[0047] According to the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the vehicle may also include a steering system 105, including a steering wheel 103, if the vehicle is driven. The steering wheel 103 may form part of a user interface for the vehicle 100. The user interface may be used to provide user input to a vehicle control system and to control various portions of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the user interface may be utilized to provide feedback to the user. In some embodiments, the steering system 105 includes a rear steering system configured to control one or more rear wheels of the vehicle. However, other user interfaces and outputs may also be used, as described above. In some cases described above, a user may expect a particular chassis dynamics response from inputs applied to the steering wheel 103 and / or other user interface. Accordingly, a method of operating a vehicle according to an example embodiment herein may include allocating loads to actuators 127 of the active suspension system 126 or other actuators within the vehicle to prioritize vehicle dynamics characteristics consistent with this expected chassis dynamics response.

[0041]

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2 , the vehicle may travel on a road 180. The road surface may include one or more road features 182. The road features 182 may cause variations in vertical load on the vehicle's wheels 150 (e.g., by accelerating the wheels upward and / or downward). In some embodiments, the road features may cause a chassis dynamics response of the vehicle based on one or more vehicle dynamics characteristics of the chassis. For example, the road features 182 may cause roll, pitch, heave, or twist motion in the vehicle chassis 101, which may be perceptible by a user of the vehicle 100. The vehicle control system 102 may control the loads applied by each of the active suspension system 126 and the actuators 127 to provide desired vehicle dynamics characteristics in response to disturbances caused by the road features 182. As described further below, the loads may be assigned to achieve the desired vehicle dynamics characteristics in a prioritized order based on the vehicle dynamics characteristics.

[0042]

[0049] 3-6 depict schematic diagrams of a vehicle showing exemplary vehicle dynamics characteristics that may be controlled by the vehicle's active suspension system. The vehicle dynamics characteristics may be controlled through the application of one or more loads by one or more active suspension actuators of the active suspension system, which may affect the vehicle dynamics characteristics as appropriate for a desired chassis response to disturbances. As described further below, one or more actuators of the active suspension system may have a limited load capacity, so that under certain circumstances (e.g., encountering a particular road feature or road event), not all of the vehicle dynamics characteristics may be controlled simultaneously as needed. Thus, in some embodiments, vehicle dynamics characteristics may be prioritized for load distribution based on their importance to vehicle operation and user perception of that operation.

[0043]

[0050] FIG. 3 is a side schematic diagram of a vehicle 100 illustrating a first exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operably coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle pitch may be the rotation of the vehicle about a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (e.g., parallel to the y-axis), as indicated by the dashed arrow. The first vehicle dynamics characteristic is pitch stiffness, or K Pitch , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during pitch motion. The second vehicle dynamics characteristic is pitch damping, or C Pitch, which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 during pitch movement. Pitch stiffness and pitch damping may be affected by the application of loads by one or more actuators of an active suspension system. For example, loads that resist or assist pitch movement of the chassis 101 may damp or assist the pitch movement, thereby affecting pitch damping. Pitch stiffness may be associated, for example, with the sporty performance of the vehicle (e.g., during a braking event). Pitch damping may be associated with user comfort. In some embodiments, for example, pitch damping may be prioritized over pitch stiffness during load distribution.

[0044]

[0051] FIG. 4 is a rear schematic view of a vehicle 100 illustrating a second exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operably coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle roll may be the rotation of the vehicle about the longitudinal axis, as indicated by the dashed arrow. A first vehicle dynamics characteristic of the second set of characteristics is roll stiffness, or K Roll , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during roll motion. The second vehicle dynamics characteristic is roll damping, i.e., C Roll , which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 during roll motion. Roll stiffness and roll damping may be affected by the application of loads by one or more actuators of an active suspension system. For example, a damping force that opposes roll motion of the chassis 101 may damp the roll motion, thereby affecting roll damping. Roll damping and roll stiffness may be associated with a vehicle steering group. The inventors have recognized that under some circumstances, roll damping and / or roll stiffness may be the most important vehicle dynamics characteristic for control during load distribution. In some embodiments, roll stiffness may be prioritized over roll damping in load distribution. In some embodiments, for example, roll stiffness and roll damping may be prioritized over all other vehicle dynamics characteristics in load distribution.

[0045]

[0052] FIG. 5 is a side schematic diagram of a vehicle 100 illustrating another exemplary set of vehicle dynamics characteristics. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels (e.g., four wheels). According to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). The vehicle has a vertical axis parallel to the z-axis (e.g., aligned with the local direction of gravity or perpendicular to the road surface). Vehicle heave may be translational movement of the vehicle about the vertical axis, as indicated by the dashed arrow. The vehicle dynamics characteristics may include heave damping, or C Heave , which represents the damping of the vehicle chassis 101 in response to heave motion. Heave damping may be affected by the application of loads by one or more actuators of the active suspension system. For example, a force that resists heave motion of the chassis 101 may increase the damping of the heave motion, thereby affecting the heave damping. Heave damping may be associated with a comfort group of vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, heave damping may have equal priority as pitch damping in the load distribution. In some embodiments, heave damping may be prioritized over pitch stiffness in the load distribution, for example. Another vehicle dynamics characteristic is heave stiffness, or K Heave , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 during heave motion. The heave stiffness can also be affected by the application of loads by one or more actuators of the active suspension system.

[0046]

[0053] FIG. 6 is a top schematic diagram of a vehicle 100 illustrating another exemplary vehicle dynamics characteristic. The vehicle includes a chassis 101 operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels 150 (e.g., four wheels). According to the embodiment of FIG. 6, the vehicle has a longitudinal axis parallel to the x-axis (e.g., aligned with the direction of travel). Vehicle twist can be a twist of the vehicle about a vertical axis. For example, as shown by the shaded circles, two wheels at opposite corners of the wheel set can be pulled up by active suspension actuators while the other two are pushed down by active suspension actuators virtually simultaneously to modify the longitudinal and / or transverse loads on the vehicle in a manner that corrects the yaw of the vehicle or mitigates undesirable yaw behavior. The application of such loads results in a twist of the vehicle about its axis on the vehicle chassis. Vehicle dynamics characteristic can be characterized by a torsional stiffness, or K Twist , which represents the stiffness of the vehicle chassis 101 in response to twisting about the longitudinal axis of the chassis. The torsional stiffness may be affected by the application of loads by one or more actuators of an active suspension system. The torsional stiffness may be associated, for example, with a sport performance group of vehicle dynamics. In some embodiments, the torsional stiffness may have the lowest priority in load distribution, for example.

[0047]

[0054] FIG. 7 is a block diagram 200 of an embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. The method shown in FIG. 7 may be applicable to one or more actuators of a vehicle (e.g., at least one actuator of an active suspension system). The method of FIG. 7 may incorporate information of multiple actuators of a vehicle for one or more vehicle systems, such as an active suspension system, and command these actuators based on determinations performed according to the method. The method of FIG. 7 may provide weight allocation to control a vehicle dynamics characteristic according to a hierarchy of vehicle dynamics characteristic importance, where the actuators have finite weight capacities that may be insufficient to provide simultaneous control of all possible vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, the weight capacity described according to the embodiment of FIG. 7 may be the average weight capacity of multiple actuators of a vehicle. As a result, the method of FIG. 7 may provide an implementation of a vehicle-level controller hierarchy for a vehicle dynamics characteristic or controller commands associated with that characteristic. If a vehicle dynamics characteristic saturates the average weight capacity of one or more actuators, the method of FIG. 7 may reduce the weight allocation for the vehicle dynamics characteristic based on a predetermined hierarchy for each actuator based on an average scaling factor, so that the scaling does not inadvertently cause other undesirable vehicle dynamics or anomalies. For example, in the case of heave damping, the method may assign weights for heave damping toward each corner by the same scaling factor to ensure that undesired pitch or roll motion is not introduced. As a result, the method of Figure 7 may be implemented at the vehicle level, rather than the actuator level, to avoid applying loads that would cause such undesired or unintended vehicle motion.

[0048]

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7 , a load capacity 202 is obtained for the at least one actuator. The load capacity 202 may be the maximum amount of load that the at least one actuator can generate under a given operating condition, which may have a finite value. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be an average load capacity based on the individual load capacities of each of the at least one actuator. In such embodiments, the individual load capacities of each actuator in the system may be obtained or determined and then averaged to obtain an overall load capacity used for vehicle-level control. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be a total load capacity (e.g., a sum) of the individual load capacities of each of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be received as input from a user or other source. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be determined based at least in part on information regarding the model of the particular actuator and / or the operating state of the actuator. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be based at least in part on the physical configuration of the actuator and, if present, the material limits of that configuration, and thus may be a design load capacity. In some embodiments, the load capacity may be based at least in part on the limits of the actuator with an additional safety factor. In some embodiments, a particular actuator may have a load capacity based at least in part on other physical characteristics of the vehicle, such as vehicle weight, type, etc. For example, a vehicle with a greater weight may have an active suspension with a greater load capacity than a vehicle with a lesser weight. In some embodiments, a particular actuator may have a load capacity based on empirical data collected during use of the actuator and the condition of the actuator (e.g., operating temperature or degree of wear).

[0049]

[0056] Once the load capacity 202 is obtained or determined, the at least one processor may receive load requests from one or more controllers associated with vehicle dynamics characteristics of the vehicle (e.g., chassis or body). In some embodiments, the separate controllers may be a single processor that executes the entire control strategy. In some embodiments, the separate controllers may be included on two or more processors that may communicate with each other (e.g., via a vehicle communication network). In some embodiments, the two or more processors that generate the load requests may communicate the load requests to at least one main processor. According to the embodiment of FIG. 7, the load requests for various vehicle dynamics characteristics may be received and / or processed sequentially. That is, loads may be assigned to the load requests in order or according to priority, with certain vehicle dynamics characteristics receiving a load allocation for at least one actuator before other vehicle dynamics characteristics. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the roll stiffness load request 204 (e.g., a first load request) may be received first. For example, in response to the roll stiffness load request, a load may be assigned based on the load capacity 202. The load assigned to the roll stiffness load request may be equal to or less than the load capacity 202. 7, a soft limit 206 (e.g., a load distribution limit) can be applied to the load distribution for the roll stiffness load request. In some embodiments, the soft limit can be a load amount less than the load capacity 202 such that the load assigned to the roll stiffness load request cannot be equal to the load capacity 202. The load assigned to the roll stiffness load request can be less than or equal to the soft limit 206. The roll stiffness is processed in block 208 according to the roll stiffness load request, the soft limit 206, and the load capacity 202 to provide a roll stiffness load distribution 210. The roll stiffness load distribution 210 can be utilized to command at least one actuator to apply a load based on the roll stiffness load distribution 210 to control the roll stiffness of the chassis.In some embodiments, at least one actuator may apply an intermediate load between the chassis and the wheel assemblies of the vehicle to control the roll stiffness of the chassis based on the roll stiffness load distribution 210. As used herein, in relation to vehicle dynamics characteristics, the term "load demand" is a command provided by a controller to an actuator that is intended to affect a particular dynamics characteristic.

[0050]

[0057] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 , the roll stiffness filter block 212 may limit the rate of increase of the roll stiffness load distribution 210 (e.g., climb hold time) and may also limit the rate of release of the load assigned to the roll stiffness to return to a common pool used by other vehicle dynamics controllers. In some embodiments, a method of operating a vehicle may include detecting a trend of increased load demand (e.g., roll stiffness load demand 204) over a threshold period of time. According to such embodiments, detecting a positive trend in the roll stiffness load demand over a threshold period of time may trigger an increase in a climb hold limit that limits the roll stiffness load distribution 210, such that the roll stiffness load distribution cannot exceed the climb hold limit. In some embodiments, the climb hold limit may be increased at a rate based on the load capacity 202 of the at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the rate of increase of the climb hold limit may be between 25% and 100% of the load capacity of the at least one actuator per second. In some embodiments, the threshold period for detecting a trend of increased load demand may be between 100 and 500 ms. It should be noted that the roll stiffness filter block 212 may be optional and may not be utilized in some embodiments.

[0051]

[0058] In some embodiments, the roll stiffness filter block 212 may also maintain the amount of load available to the roll stiffness load request 204 and may not release load capacity for use by a subsequent vehicle dynamics controller. In some such embodiments, the climb rate limit (e.g., return rate limit) of the roll stiffness filter block 212 cannot allow a faster decrease in the roll stiffness load allocation 210 than the climb rate limit. As a result, even if the disturbance that caused the reduced roll stiffness load request is temporary, the load may be allocated according to the increased climb hold limit as described above, rather than immediately resetting to the original, smaller climb hold limit. In some embodiments, the climb rate limit may be based on the load capacity 202. For example, the climb hold limit may decrease at a rate of 25% to 50% of the load capacity of at least one actuator per second. In some embodiments, the climb hold limit cannot be decreased until a threshold period has elapsed with the load request below the climb hold limit. In some embodiments, such threshold period before the climb hold limit is decreased is 100 to 500 ms.

[0052]

[0059] According to the embodiment of FIG. 7 , once the roll stiffness load distribution 210 has been determined, a roll damping load request 214 (e.g., a second load request) may be received and / or processed. The roll damping load request 214 may be second in priority after the roll stiffness load request 204. As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, a roll damping soft limit 216 may be applied to the roll stiffness load request. The roll stiffness soft limit may limit the amount of weight that may be assigned to the roll damping load request and may be a fixed limit. The roll damping load request 214 may be processed in block 218 based on the load capacity 202, the roll stiffness load distribution 210, the roll damping soft limit 216, and the roll damping load request. The roll damping may receive a roll damping load distribution 220. In some embodiments, the roll damping load distribution 220 may be the difference between the load capacity 202 and the roll stiffness load distribution 210, up to the roll damping soft limit 216. For example, the roll stiffness load distribution may be subtracted from the load capacity to determine the remaining load capacity available for roll damping load distribution. As a result, the roll damping load demand may be allocated the remaining load capacity of the at least one actuator allocated after roll stiffness load allocation 210. Roll damping filter block 222 may operate similarly to roll stiffness filter block 212. The roll damping filter block may limit the rate of increase of the roll damping load distribution and may also limit the rate of decrease of the roll damping load distribution in order to smooth out temporary changes in the roll damping load demand caused by disturbances to the vehicle (e.g., road events). The roll damping filter block may be optional in some embodiments and may not be utilized.

[0053]

[0060] According to the embodiment of FIG. 7 , once the roll damping load distribution 220 is determined, a heave damping load request 224 (e.g., a third load request) and a pitch damping load request 226 (e.g., a fourth load request) may be received and / or processed. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 , some vehicle motion characteristics may have equal priority. Thus, some vehicle motion characteristics may be received and / or processed in parallel in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, heave damping and pitch damping may have equal importance in controlling vehicle chassis motion, such that the two load requests may be combined and assigned according to a weighting factor. The heave damping load request 224 and the pitch damping load request 226 may be combined third in priority after the roll stiffness load request 204 and the roll damping load request 214. The heave damping load request and the pitch damping load request may be combined in block 227 to form a shared load request. As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, a shared soft limit 228 may be applied to the shared load request. The shared soft limit may limit the amount of load that can be assigned to the shared load request and may be a fixed limit. The shared load request may be processed in block 230 based on the load capacity 202, the roll stiffness load distribution 210, the roll damping load distribution 220, the shared soft limit 228, and the shared load request. The shared load request may receive a shared load distribution, which is then proportionally assigned in block 232. In some embodiments, the shared load distribution may be the difference between the load capacity 202 and the combination of the roll stiffness load distribution 210 and the roll damping load distribution 220, up to the shared soft limit 228. For example, to determine the remaining load capacity available for the shared load distribution, the combination of the previous load distributions may be subtracted from the load capacity. As a result, the shared load request may be assigned the remaining load capacity of at least one actuator assigned after the roll stiffness load distribution 210 and the roll damping load distribution 220. In block 232, the shared weight distribution may be divided into a heave damping weight distribution 234 and a pitch damping weight distribution 236.In some embodiments, the division in block 232 may be based on a weighting factor assigned to each of the load requests included in the shared load request, where each weighting factor is a percentage and the sum of all weighting factors is 100%. In some embodiments, the shared load distribution may be divided equally between heave damping and pitch stiffness, with both weighting factors being 50%. In other embodiments, the shared load distribution may be divided unequally according to predetermined weighting factors. In such embodiments, the first weighting factor may be between 51 and 99%, and the second weighting factor may be between 1 and 49%. In some embodiments, three or more load requests may be received and / or processed in parallel, with the shared load distribution distributed according to a corresponding number of weighting factors, although the present disclosure is not limited to this. Additionally, in some embodiments, the shared load request may include vehicle dynamics characteristics other than heave damping and pitch damping, although the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0054]

[0061] 7, the shared filter block 238 may operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212 for the shared load distribution. The shared filter block may limit the rate of increase of the shared load distribution and may also limit the rate of decrease of the shared load distribution to smooth out temporary changes in roll damping load demand caused by disturbances to the vehicle (e.g., road events). The shared filter block may be optional in some embodiments and may not be utilized.

[0055]

[0062] According to the embodiment of FIG. 7 , once the heave damping weight distribution 234 and the pitch damping weight distribution 236 have been determined, a pitch stiffness weight request 240 (e.g., a fifth weight request) may be received and / or processed. The pitch stiffness weight request 240 may be fifth in priority after the roll stiffness load request 204, the roll damping load request 214, the heave damping load request 224, and the pitch damping load request 226. As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, a pitch stiffness soft limit 242 may be applied to the pitch stiffness load request. The pitch stiffness soft limit may limit the amount of weight that may be assigned to the pitch stiffness load request and may be a fixed limit. The pitch stiffness load request may be processed in block 244 based on the load capacity 202, the roll stiffness weight distribution 210, the roll damping load distribution 220, the heave damping weight distribution 234, the pitch damping weight distribution 236, the pitch stiffness soft limit 242, and the pitch stiffness load request 240. In some embodiments, pitch stiffness weighting distribution 246 may be the difference between weight capacity 202 and the combination of roll stiffness weighting distribution 210, roll damping weighting distribution 220, heave damping weighting distribution 234, and pitch damping weighting distribution 236, up to pitch stiffness soft limit 242. For example, to determine the remaining weighting capacity available for pitch stiffness weighting distribution, the combination of previous weighting distributions may be subtracted from the weighting capacity. As a result, the pitch stiffness weighting request may be assigned the remaining weighting capacity of at least one actuator assigned after the previous weighting distribution. As shown in FIG. 7 , pitch stiffness filter block 248 may operate similarly to roll stiffness filter block 212 for pitch stiffness weighting distribution. The pitch stiffness filter block may limit the rate of increase of the pitch stiffness weighting distribution and may also limit the rate of decrease of the pitch stiffness weighting distribution, for example, to smooth temporary changes in roll damping load request caused by disturbances (e.g., road events) experienced by the vehicle. The pitch stiffness filter block may be optional and may not be utilized in some embodiments.

[0056]

[0063] According to the embodiment of FIG. 7 , once the pitch stiffness weighting distribution 246 has been determined, a torsional stiffness load request 250 (e.g., a sixth load request) may be received and / or processed. The torsional stiffness load request 250 may be sixth in priority after the roll stiffness load request 204, the roll damping load request 214, the heave damping load request 224, the pitch damping load request 226, and the pitch stiffness load request 250. As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, a torsional stiffness soft limit 252 may be applied to the torsional stiffness load request. The torsional stiffness soft limit may limit the amount of weight that can be assigned to the torsional stiffness load request and may be a fixed limit. The torsional stiffness load request may be processed in block 254 based on the load capacity 202, the roll stiffness load distribution 210, the roll damping load distribution 220, the heave damping load distribution 234, the pitch damping load distribution 236, the pitch stiffness weight distribution 246, the torsional stiffness soft limit 252, and the torsional stiffness load request 250. In some embodiments, the torsional stiffness weight distribution 256 may be the difference between the load capacity 202 and the combination of the roll stiffness weight distribution 210, the roll damping weight distribution 220, the heave damping weight distribution 234, the pitch damping weight distribution 236, and the pitch stiffness weight distribution 246, up to the torsional stiffness soft limit 252. For example, to determine the remaining load capacity available for torsional stiffness weight distribution, the combination of previous load distributions may be subtracted from the load capacity. As a result, the torsional stiffness load demand may be assigned the remaining load capacity of at least one actuator assigned after the previous weight distribution. In some embodiments, the torsional stiffness filter block may operate similarly to the roll stiffness filter block 212 for torsional stiffness weight distribution. The torsional stiffness filter block may limit the rate of increase of the torsional stiffness weight distribution and may also limit the rate of decrease of the torsional stiffness weight distribution, for example, to smooth temporary changes in the roll damping load demand caused by disturbances (e.g., road events) experienced by the vehicle. The torsional stiffness filter block may be optional in some embodiments as shown in FIG. 7 and may not be utilized.

[0057]

[0064] Once the roll stiffness load distribution 210, roll damping load distribution 220, heave damping load distribution 234, pitch damping load distribution 236, and pitch stiffness load distribution 246, as well as the torsional stiffness load distribution 256, have been determined, the processor may command at least one actuator to output a load according to the weight distribution. The at least one actuator may output a load generated between the wheel assembly and the vehicle chassis to control various vehicle dynamics characteristics based on the weight distribution. In some cases, a particular vehicle dynamics characteristic may not be controlled if the load capacity 202 of the at least one actuator is saturated or consumed by a higher priority vehicle dynamics characteristic. In some embodiments, the process described with reference to FIG. 7 may occur cyclically. For example, loads may be assigned and commanded to the at least one actuator according to a cycle rate of the vehicle control system. In some embodiments, the process described with reference to FIG. 7 may be performed for all actuators of the vehicle's active suspension system based on the total load capacity of each actuator and / or the average load capacity of each actuator. In other embodiments, the process described with reference to FIG. 7 may be performed for a single actuator of the vehicle, although the disclosure is not so limited. In some embodiments, the process described with reference to FIG. 7 may be applied to vehicle systems that do not form part of an active suspension system but that include actuators that affect vehicle chassis motion, although the disclosure is not so limited.

[0058]

[0065] Although in some embodiments described herein, specific vehicle dynamics characteristics are formed into one or more groups of priority, in other embodiments, the vehicle dynamics characteristics may be grouped or otherwise ordered in any desired hierarchy of priority. For example, in some embodiments, a comfort group may be prioritized over a vehicle handling group. As another example, in some embodiments, a sports performance group may be prioritized over a comfort group. In some embodiments, the vehicle dynamics characteristics may not be grouped but may be prioritized individually according to the chassis dynamics desired for a given load capacity. The present disclosure is not so limited, as any group and any priority may be utilized to provide a desired chassis response when controlling a chassis with one or more actuators having a limited load capacity.

[0059]

[0066] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for controlling a vehicle. The flowchart of FIG. 8 may, in some embodiments, represent a simplified version of the method described with reference to FIG. 7. In block 300, the method includes obtaining load capacities of actuators of an active suspension system of the vehicle. In block 302, the method includes receiving a first set of load requests for loads from the actuators to modify a first set of dynamic characteristics of the vehicle chassis. In block 304, a first set of load distributions is assigned to the first set of load requests based at least in part on the load capacities of the actuators. For example, the first weight distributions cannot exceed the load capacities. The first set of load requests may include one or more load requests for control of one or more vehicle dynamic characteristics, as described above. Correspondingly, the first set of weight distributions may be assigned in parallel or sequentially according to a hierarchical structure, for example, based on one or more weighting factors. In some embodiments, the first set of load demands may include one first load demand, and the first set of load distributions may include one first load distribution.

[0060]

[0067] As shown in FIG. 8 , in block 306, the method includes receiving a second set of load requests from actuators to modify the second set of chassis dynamic characteristics. The second set of vehicle dynamic characteristics may differ from the first set of vehicle dynamic characteristics, and application of loads distinct in magnitude and / or frequency may have a greater effect on the second vehicle dynamic characteristics than the first vehicle dynamic characteristics. In block 308, the method includes assigning a second set of load distributions to the second load requests based at least in part on the first set of load distributions and load capacities. In some embodiments, the second weight distributions may be based on a difference between the load capacity and the first weight distributions, and the second weight distributions do not exceed that difference. The second set of load requests may include one or more load requests for controlling one or more of the second set of vehicle dynamic characteristics, as described above. Correspondingly, the second set of load distributions may be assigned in parallel or sequentially according to a hierarchical structure based on one or more weighting factors. In some embodiments, the second set of load demands may include one second load demand, and the second set of load distributions may include one second load distribution.

[0061]

[0068] 8 , in block 310, the method includes commanding an actuator to apply a load occurring between at least one wheel assembly and the chassis based on the first set of load distributions and the second set of load distributions. The load profile applied by the actuator in response to the command may control the first set of vehicle dynamics characteristics and the second set of vehicle dynamics characteristics in a priority order based on the first and second load distributions. For example, if the first load distribution is approximately equal to the load capacity, the actuator may apply little load, no load, or virtually no load to control the second set of vehicle dynamics characteristics.

[0062]

[0069] The above-described embodiments of the technology described herein may be implemented in any of many ways. For example, embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code may be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided within a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such a processor may be implemented as an integrated circuit having one or more processors within an integrated circuit component, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art by names such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessors, microcontrollers, or coprocessors. Alternatively, a processor may be implemented in a custom circuit such as an ASIC or semi-custom circuit resulting from constructing a programmable logic device. As a further alternative, a processor may be part of a larger circuit or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom, or custom. As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores, such that one or a subset of the cores may constitute a processor. However, a processor may be implemented using any suitable form of circuitry.

[0063]

[0070] Further, it should be understood that a computer may be embodied in any of several forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer. In addition, a computer may be embedded within a device not generally considered a computer, but having suitable processing capabilities, including a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, or any other portable or fixed electronic device.

[0064]

[0071] A computer may also have one or more input and output devices. These devices may be used, among other things, to present a user interface. Examples of output devices that may be used to provide a user interface include a printer or display screen for visual presentation of output and a speaker or other sound-generating device for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that may be used for a user interface include a keyboard and pointing device such as a mouse, a touchpad, and a digitizing tablet. As another example, a computer may also receive input information through speech recognition or in other audible forms.

[0065]

[0072] Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, such as a local area network or an enterprise network or a wide area network such as the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate according to any suitable protocol, and may include wireless networks, wired networks, or fiber optic networks.

[0066]

[0073] The various methods or processes outlined herein may also be coded as software executable on one or more processors utilizing any of a variety of operating systems or platforms. In addition, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages ​​and / or programming or scripting tools, and compiled as executable machine code or intermediate code that runs on a framework or virtual machine.

[0067]

[0074] In this regard, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a computer-readable storage medium (or multiple computer-readable media) (e.g., computer memory, one or more floppy disks, compact disks (CDs), optical disks, digital video disks (DVDs), magnetic tapes, flash memory, circuit configurations in field programmable gate arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other tangible computer storage media) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments described above. As is evident from the above examples, a computer-readable storage medium may retain information for a sufficient time to provide computer-executable instructions in a non-transitory form. Such one or more computer-readable storage media may be transportable such that one or more programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure described above. As used herein, the term “computer-readable storage medium” encompasses only non-transitory computer-readable media that may be considered to be an article of manufacture (i.e., product) or machine. Alternatively or additionally, the present disclosure may be embodied as a computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, such as a propagating signal.

[0068]

[0075] The terms "program" or "software" are used herein in a general sense to mean any type of computer code or set of computer-implementable instructions that can be used to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure as described above. Additionally, in accordance with one aspect of the present embodiments, it should be understood that one or more computer programs that, when executed, implement the methods of the present disclosure need not necessarily reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular manner among several different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0069]

[0076] Computer-implementable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0070]

[0077] The data structure may be stored in a computer-readable medium in any suitable form. For simplicity of illustration, the data structure may be depicted as having fields that are related through their locations within the data structure. Such relationships may also be achieved by allocating storage to the fields with locations within the computer-readable medium that convey the relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish relationships between information within fields of the data structure, such as through the use of pointers, tags, or other mechanisms that establish relationships between data elements.

[0071]

[0078] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or in various configurations not specifically described in the above embodiments, and therefore are not limited in their application to the details and arrangements of components set forth in the above description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments.

[0072]

[0079] The embodiments described herein may also be embodied as methods, examples of which are provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different from that shown, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even if shown as sequential acts in the exemplary embodiments.

[0073]

[0080] Additionally, some actions are described as being performed by a "user." It should be understood that a "user" need not be a single individual, and that in some embodiments, actions that may be attributed to a "user" may be performed by a team of individuals and / or an individual in combination with computer-assisted tools or other mechanisms.

[0074]

[0081] While the present teachings have been described above in connection with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

1. 1. A method of controlling an active suspension actuator for a vehicle having a load capacity, comprising: receiving, with at least one processor of the actuator, a first load request for a load from the active suspension actuator to alter a first motion characteristic of the portion of the vehicle, the first load request being less than the load capacity of the active suspension actuator; commanding, with the at least one processor, the active suspension actuator to apply a first intermediate load between the portion of the vehicle and a wheel assembly of the vehicle, the first intermediate load being less than the first load demand; A method comprising:

2. receiving, with the at least one processor, a second load request of a load from the active suspension actuator to modify a second dynamic characteristic of the portion of the vehicle; commanding, with the at least one processor, the active suspension actuator to apply a second intermediate load between the portion of the vehicle and the wheel assembly, wherein the first intermediate load plus the second intermediate load is less than the load capacity of the actuator. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second intermediate load is determined based at least in part on the first intermediate load and the load capacity.

4. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: using the at least one processor to determine the first intermediate load based at least in part on a rate of change of the first load demand and / or a load distribution limit.

5. A vehicle, A chassis, Multiple wheels and an active suspension system operably coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; At least one processor configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4; Vehicles including.

6. A vehicle, A chassis, Multiple wheels and an active suspension system operably coupled to the plurality of wheels and the chassis, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode; at least one processor configured to control the active suspension system, obtaining a load capacity of the at least one actuator; receiving a first load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a first motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a first load distribution to the first load request based at least in part on the load capacity; receiving a second load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a second motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a second weight distribution to the second load request based at least in part on the first weight distribution and the load capacity; commanding the at least one actuator to apply a load between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis based at least in part on the first load distribution and the second load distribution; at least one processor configured to perform Vehicles including.

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

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

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

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

11. The at least one processor receiving a third load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a third motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a third weight distribution to the third load request based at least in part on the first weight distribution, the second weight distribution, and the load capacity; and The vehicle of claim 6 further configured to:

12. The assigning of the second weight distribution and the assigning of the third weight distribution include: determining a shared load distribution based on the load capacity and the first load distribution; Dividing the shared weight distribution based on a first weighting factor to determine the second weight distribution; dividing the shared weight distribution based on a second weighting factor to determine the third weight distribution; 12. The vehicle of claim 11, comprising:

13. 13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first weighting factor is 50% and the second weighting factor is 50% so that the second weight distribution and the third weight distribution are equal.

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

15. 15. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the first movement characteristic of the chassis is roll stiffness or roll damping, the second movement characteristic of the chassis is heave damping or pitch damping, and the third movement characteristic of the chassis is pitch stiffness or torsional stiffness.

16. 15. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to subtract the first weight distribution from the load capacity to determine a first remaining load capacity, and wherein assigning the second weight distribution to the second load demand is based at least in part on the first remaining load capacity.

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

18. 15. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein allocating the first load distribution to the first load demand is based at least in part on a first distribution limit, the first distribution limit being less than the load capacity, and the first load distribution not exceeding the first distribution limit.

19. 19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first allocation limit is 1 to 75% of the load capacity.

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

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

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

23. 1. A method of controlling a vehicle including a chassis, a plurality of wheels, and an active suspension system, the active suspension system operatively coupled to the plurality of wheels, the active suspension system including at least one actuator configured to apply an active load to at least one of the plurality of wheels in at least one operating mode, the method comprising: obtaining a load capacity of the at least one actuator; receiving a first load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a first motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a first load distribution to the first load request based at least in part on the load capacity; receiving a second load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a second motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a second weight distribution to the second load request based at least in part on the first weight distribution and the load capacity; commanding the at least one actuator to apply a load between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the chassis based at least in part on the first load distribution and the second load distribution; A method comprising:

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

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

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

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

28. receiving a third load request of a load from the at least one actuator to change a third motion characteristic of the chassis; assigning a third weight distribution to the third load request based at least in part on the first weight distribution, the second weight distribution, and the load capacity; and 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

29. The assigning of the second weight distribution and the assigning of the third weight distribution include: determining a shared load distribution based on the load capacity and the first load distribution; Dividing the shared weight distribution based on a first weighting factor to determine the second weight distribution; dividing the shared weight distribution based on a second weighting factor to determine the third weight distribution; 29. The method of claim 28, comprising:

30. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first weighting factor is 50% and the second weighting factor is 50% such that the second weighting distribution and the third weighting distribution are equal.

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

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

33. 32. The method of claim 23, further comprising subtracting the first weight distribution from the load capacity to determine a first remaining load capacity, and wherein assigning the second weight distribution to the second load demand is based at least in part on the first remaining load capacity.

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

35. 32. The method of claim 23, wherein allocating the first weight distribution to the first load request is based at least in part on a first distribution limit, the first distribution limit being less than the load capacity, and the first weight distribution not exceeding the first distribution limit.

36. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first allocation limit is 1 to 75% of the load capacity.

37. The plurality of wheels includes a first wheel and a second wheel, the at least one actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator configured to apply an active load to the first wheel in at least one operating mode, and the second actuator configured to apply an active load to the second wheel in at least one operating mode, and obtaining the load capacity of the at least one actuator includes: obtaining a first load capacity of the first actuator; obtaining a second load capacity of the second actuator; averaging the first load capacity and the second load capacity to obtain the load capacity; and The method of any one of claims 23 to 27, comprising:

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

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