Control system, saddle-ride type vehicle, control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique advantageous for the vehicle body stability of a straddle type vehicle in a predetermined operating state.SOLUTION: A control system for a straddle-type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, includes: detection means that detects a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; control means that controls a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; determination means that determines an operating state of the straddle-type vehicle; transition means that, when the determination means determines that the straddle type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, changes a control mode for the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed according to a detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed. According to a type of the predetermined operating state, the transition means changes a transition time taken for the transition of the control mode from the first mode to the second mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control technology. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses that when it is determined that the vehicle is jumping, the damping force generated between the vehicle body and the wheels by the damping device is greater than when it is not determined that the vehicle is jumping. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 077761 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a straddle-type vehicle, for example, the stroke speed of the rear suspension mechanism is estimated based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism, and the rear suspension mechanism is controlled based on the estimation result. However, when the straddle-type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, such as when the rear wheel is slipping or performing a wheelie, it can be difficult to estimate the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism. Even in such cases, it is desirable to appropriately control the rear suspension mechanism so as to ensure the vehicle body stability of the straddle-type vehicle.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technique that is advantageous in terms of the vehicle body stability of a saddle-type vehicle in a predetermined operating state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a control system for a saddle-ride type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, the control system including: a detection means for detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a control means for controlling a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; a determination means for determining an operating state of the saddle-ride type vehicle; and a determination means for determining whether the saddle-ride type vehicle is in an operating state. a first operating state in which the rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, or a second operating state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie; and transition means for transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with the detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, when the detection means determines that the rear suspension mechanism is in an operating state, and the transition means motion Production status to In response to the change, the transition time required for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode is changed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technique that is advantageous in terms of the vehicle body stability of a saddle-ride type vehicle in a predetermined operating state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Left side view of a saddle-type vehicle [Figure 2] Diagram showing an example of the control system configuration [Figure 3] Vehicle configuration model [Figure 4] FIG. 10 shows an example of vibrations that occur in a vehicle in each operating state. [Figure 5] Flowchart showing a control method for a rear suspension mechanism [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the transition of the control mode when the rear wheels are in a slip state. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the transition of control modes during wheelie driving. [Figure 8] Flowchart showing a method for determining the start of a predetermined operating state [Figure 9] Flowchart showing a process for determining a rear wheel slip state [Figure 10] Flowchart showing wheelie state determination processing [Figure 11] A diagram for explaining the parameter values used to calculate wheelie axis acceleration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and includes modifications and variations of the configuration within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the present embodiments are necessarily essential to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components, and their description will be omitted.

[0010] [Straddle-type vehicle configuration] An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a left side view showing a saddle-riding vehicle 1 of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that are perpendicular to one another, with the X direction indicating the front-to-rear direction of the saddle-riding vehicle 1, the Y direction indicating the width direction (left-to-right direction) of the saddle-riding vehicle 1, and the Z direction indicating the up-and-down direction of the saddle-riding vehicle 1. Below, an example will be described in which a control system according to the present invention is applied to a motorcycle as the saddle-riding vehicle 1. However, the control system according to the present invention can also be applied to other types of saddle-riding vehicles, such as tricycles, and can also be applied to electric vehicles using a motor as a drive source, in addition to vehicles using an internal combustion engine as a drive source. Note that hereinafter, the saddle-riding vehicle 1 may also be referred to as vehicle 1.

[0011] The vehicle 1 includes front wheels FW, rear wheels RW, and a power unit 2. The power unit 2 includes an engine 21 and a transmission 22. The driving force of the transmission 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels RW via a drive shaft (not shown), causing the rear wheels RW to rotate.

[0012] The power unit 2 is supported by a body frame 3. The body frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the X direction. A fuel tank 5 and an air cleaner box (not shown) are disposed above the main frames 31. A meter unit MU that displays various information to the rider is provided in front of the fuel tank 5.

[0013] A head pipe 32 is provided at the front end of the main frame 31, rotatably supporting a steering shaft (not shown) that is turned by the handlebars 8. A pair of left and right pivot plates 33 is provided at the rear end of the main frame 31. The lower ends of the pivot plates 33 are connected to the front end of the main frame 31 by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown), and the power unit 2 is supported by the main frame 31 and the lower arms. In addition, a pair of left and right seat rails (not shown) extending rearward are provided at the rear end of the main frame 31, and the seat rails support a seat 4a on which a rider sits, a seat 4b on which a passenger sits, a rear trunk 7b, etc.

[0014] The front end of a rear swing arm 34 extending in the fore-and-aft direction is rotatably attached to the pivot plate 33. A rear wheel RW is rotatably supported at the rear end of the rear swing arm 34. The rear swing arm 34 is configured to be able to swing up and down by a rear suspension mechanism 11 provided between the rear swing arm 34 and the body frame 3 (main frame 31). The rear suspension mechanism 11 can be configured as an electronically controlled suspension that can electronically control damping force. In addition, an exhaust muffler 6 that silences exhaust from the engine 21 is provided on the side of the rear wheel RW, extending in the X direction. In addition, left and right saddlebags 7a are provided on the side of the rear wheel RW.

[0015] A front suspension mechanism 9 that supports the front wheel FW so that it can swing freely is configured at the front end of the main frame 31. The front suspension mechanism 9 can be configured as an electronically controlled suspension that can electronically control damping force. The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper link 91, a lower link 92, a fork support 93, a vibration reduction mechanism 94 (cushion unit), and a pair of left and right front forks 95. In the front suspension mechanism 9, the upper link 91, the lower link 92, the fork support 93, and the vibration reduction mechanism 94 configure a support mechanism that supports the front forks 95 of the vehicle 1.

[0016] The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are disposed above and below the front end of the main frame 31. The rear ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to the front end of the main frame 31. The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to a fork support 93.

[0017] The fork support 93 is cylindrical and tilted backward. A steering shaft 96 is supported on the fork support 93 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The steering shaft 96 has a shaft portion (not shown) that passes through the fork support 93. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 96, and a pair of left and right front forks 95 are supported on this bridge. The front forks 95 rotatably support the front wheel FW and also support the front brake FB. The upper end of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to a steering shaft (not shown) that is turned by the handlebars 8. The upper part of the front wheel FW is covered with a fender 10, and this fender 10 is supported by the front forks 95.

[0018] [Control system configuration] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system 100 (control device) of this embodiment. The control system 100 is a system that controls the suspension mechanisms (front suspension mechanism 9, rear suspension mechanism 11) of the vehicle 1, and may include a sensor group 110 and a processing unit 120. Note that the control system 100 may be configured as a system that controls only the rear suspension mechanism 11, or may be configured only by the processing unit 120 without including the sensor group 110.

[0019] The sensor group 110 is provided on the vehicle 1 to detect behavior information of the vehicle 1. The behavior information of the vehicle 1 is information indicating the behavior of the vehicle 1 (position, inclination, speed, acceleration, etc.). In the present embodiment, the sensor group 110 may include an inertial sensor 111, a stroke sensor 112, a front wheel speed sensor 113, and a rear wheel speed sensor 114. Each sensor included in the sensor group 110 may be understood as a detection unit that detects the behavior (information) of the vehicle 1.

[0020] The inertial sensor 111 includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that can measure the behavior of the vehicle 1 by detecting the acceleration and angular velocity occurring in the vehicle 1 (vehicle body). The inertial sensor 111 (inertial measurement unit) is disposed at any appropriate location on the vehicle 1, for example, near the center of gravity of the vehicle 1. The inertial sensor 111 detects translational acceleration in each of the X direction (front-rear direction), the Y direction (vehicle width direction), and the Z axis direction (up-down direction), and also detects angular velocity in each of the ωX direction, the ωY direction, and the ωZ direction. The ωX direction is the direction of rotation around the X axis (roll direction), the ωY direction is the direction of rotation around the Y axis (pitch direction), and the ωZ direction is the direction of rotation around the Z axis (yaw direction). In this embodiment, the inertial sensor 111 can be used to detect the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the X direction (front-rear direction), the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the Z direction (up-down direction), and the yaw rate (change in yaw angle) of the vehicle 1.

[0021] The stroke sensor 112 detects the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 (front wheels FW) as a change in the state of the front suspension mechanism 9. The stroke sensor 112 may be configured to detect the stroke displacement (stroke amount) of the front suspension mechanism 9 (front wheels FW). In the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the stroke sensor 112 is only provided in the front suspension mechanism 9, and no stroke sensor is provided in the rear suspension mechanism 11. This makes it possible to reduce vehicle costs.

[0022] The front wheel speed sensor 113 detects the wheel speed of the front wheels FW of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the front wheel speed sensor 113 can be used to calculate the speed of the front wheels FW of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the front wheel speed). Furthermore, the rear wheel speed sensor 114 detects the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the rear wheel speed sensor 114 can be used to calculate the speed of the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the rear wheel speed).

[0023] The processing unit 120 is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and may be configured by a computer including a processor such as a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an interface with external devices, etc. The storage device (memory) of the processing unit 120 stores application programs (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as control programs) for controlling the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 of the vehicle 1, and the processor of the processing unit 120 may read and execute the control programs stored in the storage device. The control programs include a program for controlling the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 by controlling the value of a current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11. The control programs may be stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, or a memory and installed in the processing unit 120 from the storage medium, or may be downloaded from an external server via a network and installed in the processing unit 120.

[0024] The processing unit 120 of this embodiment may include an acquisition unit 121, a determination unit 122, a transition unit 123, and a control unit 124. The acquisition unit 121, the determination unit 122, the transition unit 123, and the control unit 124 are units for executing various functions of the processing unit 120, and may be configured by a single processor or by different processors.

[0025] The acquisition unit 121 acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (each of the sensors 111 to 114). The determination unit 122 determines the operating state of the vehicle 1. For example, the determination unit 122 determines whether the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state. In this embodiment, the determination unit 122 determines whether the predetermined operating state has started in the vehicle 1 and / or whether a predetermined operating condition has ended in the vehicle 1. The determination by the determination unit 122 can be made based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired by the acquisition unit 121 from the sensor group 110. Here, the predetermined operating state is a state of the vehicle 1 in which it becomes difficult to estimate the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. In this embodiment, the predetermined operating state will be described using, as examples, a rear wheel slip state in which the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1 slip and a wheelie state in which the vehicle 1 is performing a wheelie. However, other states of the vehicle 1 may also be included in the predetermined operating state.

[0026] The transition unit 123 changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 to be controlled by the control unit 124 when the determination unit 122 determines that the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state. In this embodiment, the transition unit 123 changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 to be controlled by the control unit 124 when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has started and / or when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has ended. The control unit 124 also controls the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11. In this embodiment, the control unit 124 controls the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 by controlling the current values supplied to the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11. Specifically, from the perspective of improving the steering stability and ride comfort of the vehicle 1, the control unit 124 performs so-called skyhook control, which controls (adjusts) the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 using skyhook theory, which assumes that the vehicle 1 (such as a vehicle body) is suspended in mid-air by an imaginary line.

[0027] The control unit 124 of this embodiment may include a first mode and a second mode as control modes for the rear suspension mechanism 11. The first mode is a mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed in accordance with the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. That is, the first mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed in accordance with the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. Specifically, in the first mode, the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 is estimated based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112, and the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is controlled (changed) based on the estimated result. The control of the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode may be understood as skyhook control. On the other hand, the second mode is a mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. That is, the second mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed, in other words, a mode in which a fixed current is supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the determination unit 122 determines that a predetermined operating state has started, the transition unit 123 causes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 to transition from the first mode to the second mode. Furthermore, when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has ended, the transition unit 123 causes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 to transition from the second mode to the first mode. Note that, hereinafter, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 may be simply referred to as the "control mode."

[0029] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a model of the configuration of the vehicle 1 (front suspension mechanism 9, rear suspension mechanism 11) in this embodiment. The front suspension mechanism 9 and rear suspension mechanism 11 are mechanisms for reducing vibrations transmitted from the road surface RS to the body BD of the vehicle 1. The front suspension mechanism 9 has an elastic member 9a and a viscous damping member 9b. Similarly, the rear suspension mechanism 11 has an elastic member 11a and a viscous damping member 11b.

[0030] The elastic members 9a and 11a are members having a spring constant. Springs, rubber, or the like may be used as the elastic members 9a and 11a, and in this embodiment, coil springs may be used. Furthermore, although not shown in detail, the viscous damping members 9b and 11b are monotube-type and may be configured using magnetorheological fluid (MRF) as the hydraulic oil. A piston rod is slidably inserted axially into a cylindrical cylinder filled with MRF, and a piston attached to the tip of the piston rod divides the interior of the cylinder into an upper oil chamber and a lower oil chamber. When current is supplied to a coil located inside a communication passage connecting the upper oil chamber and the lower oil chamber, a magnetic field is applied to the MRF flowing through the communication passage, causing ferromagnetic particles to form clusters. This changes the viscosity of the MRF passing through the communication passage, thereby changing the damping force of the viscous damping members 9b and 11b. In other words, the control unit 124 can control (adjust) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 by controlling the current value supplied to the coils of the viscous damping members 9b, 11b and changing the viscosity of the magnetic fluid inside the viscous damping members 9b, 11b.

[0031] Here, the viscous damping members 9b, 11b are not limited to mechanisms using magnetorheological fluids (MRF). They may also be mechanisms that adjust the damping force by varying the diameter of an orifice using an actuator such as a step motor to change the amount of oil (hydraulic oil) passing through the orifice. In this case, the control unit 124 controls the value of the current supplied to the actuator to change the diameter of the orifice of the viscous damping members 9b, 11b, thereby changing the amount of oil passing through the orifice and controlling (adjusting) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11. The mechanism that controls (adjusts) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 may also be a mechanism that uses a linear solenoid. In this case, the control unit 124 controls the value of the current supplied to the linear solenoid to control (adjust) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11.

[0032] In the control system 100 of this embodiment, the front suspension mechanism 9 is provided with a stroke sensor 112, and the control unit 124 controls the front suspension mechanism 9 based on the detection result of the stroke sensor 112 (i.e., the stroke speed detected by the stroke sensor 112). On the other hand, providing a stroke sensor for the rear suspension mechanism 11 may be disadvantageous in terms of vehicle cost. Therefore, the control unit 124 estimates the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112 and the sprung motion detected by the inertial sensor (IMU), and controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the estimation result.

[0033] In the case of the saddle-ride type vehicle 1, when the vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, such as a rear wheel slip state or a wheelie state, it may be difficult to estimate the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9. In such a case, controlling the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 may actually reduce the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1. Therefore, when the control system 100 of the present embodiment determines that the vehicle 1 has entered a predetermined operating state, it transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode and fixes the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11. Furthermore, if the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is abruptly transitioned from the first mode to the second mode, the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 may increase or decrease abruptly, causing an impact to the vehicle 1 and reducing the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1. Therefore, in the control system 100 of this embodiment, a transition time is provided for transitioning the control mode from the first mode to the second mode, and the control mode is gradually transitioned from the first mode to the second mode during this transition time.

[0034] Here, it is preferable that the transition time be determined in accordance with the vibration cycle of the vehicle 1. If the number of vibration cycles included in the transition time is too large, control of the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode will be performed for an unnecessarily long period of time, even though it will be difficult to estimate the stroke speed of the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9. On the other hand, if the number of vibration cycles included in the transition time is too small, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 will transition abruptly from the first mode to the second mode, causing an impact to the vehicle 1.

[0035] However, the vibration period (vibration frequency) of the vehicle 1 may vary depending on the type of predetermined operating state. For example, the portion of the vehicle 1 below the suspension mechanisms 9 and 11 is defined as the unsprung portion, and the portion above the suspension mechanisms 9 and 11 is defined as the sprung portion. In this case, the type of predetermined operating state may include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion. The first operating state may be understood as a state in which the vibration of the unsprung portion is predominant, such as a rear-wheel slip state. In the first operating state, the vibration period of the vehicle 1 is relatively short, as shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand, the second operating state may be understood as a state in which the vibration of the sprung portion is predominant, such as a wheelie state. In the second operating state, the vibration period of the vehicle 1 is relatively long, as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows an example of vibrations occurring in the vehicle 1 in each of the first operating state (rear-wheel slip state) and the second operating state (wheelie state).

[0036] Therefore, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the transition time required to change the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 depending on the type of predetermined operating state. Specifically, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the transition time between a first operating state and a second operating state. Below, the control method for the rear suspension mechanism 11 of this embodiment will be explained, taking a rear wheel slip state as an example of the first operating state and a wheelie state as an example of the second operating state.

[0037] [Rear suspension mechanism control method] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a control method for the rear suspension mechanism 11 in this embodiment. The flowchart in Fig. 5 can be executed by the processing unit 120. The flowchart in Fig. 5 can be started, for example, when the ignition of the vehicle 1 is turned on, and can be repeatedly executed until the ignition of the vehicle 1 is turned off. That is, after step S110 is completed, the process starts again from step S101.

[0038] In step S101, the processing unit 120 (control unit 124) controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode. That is, the processing unit 120 changes the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 in accordance with the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112.

[0039] In step S102, the processing unit 120 (acquisition unit 121) acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (each of the sensors 111 to 114). In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 may acquire, as the behavior information of the vehicle 1, the velocity and angular velocity (yaw rate) occurring in the vehicle 1 from the inertial sensor 111, the wheel speed of the front wheels FW from the front wheel speed sensor 113, and the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW from the rear wheel speed sensor 114.

[0040] In step S103, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) determines whether or not a predetermined operating state has started in the vehicle 1 based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S102. In this embodiment, the types of predetermined operating state in the vehicle 1 include a rear wheel slip state and a wheelie state. If it is determined that the predetermined operating state has not started in the vehicle 1, the process returns to step S101, and if it is determined that the predetermined operating state has started, the process proceeds to step S104. Note that a specific determination method for determining whether or not the predetermined operating state has started in step S103 will be described later.

[0041] In step S104, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) determines a transition time (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a first transition time) required to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode. In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 changes the first transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state). The processing unit 120 can change the first transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state so that the first transition time for the rear wheel slip state (first operating state) is shorter than that for the wheelie state (second operating state). Furthermore, when determining the first transition time, the processing unit 120 changes an index value used to change the first transition time, among multiple types of index values included in the behavior information acquired in step S102, depending on the type of predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1. Examples of the multiple types of index values include angular velocity, angular velocity (yaw rate), front wheel speed, and rear wheel speed acquired as behavior information of the vehicle 1.

[0042] First, an example will be described in which the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear-wheel slip state. In a rear-wheel slip state, the processing unit 120 determines the first transition time using the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 as an index value. Specifically, the processing unit 120 determines the slip coefficient from the yaw rate acquired in step S102 based on information showing the relationship between the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 and the slip coefficient shown in FIG. 6(a). This allows the processing unit 120 to determine the first transition time using the following equation (1). FIG. 6(b) shows an example of a transition between the first mode and the second mode in a rear-wheel slip state. First transition time = slip coefficient × 10 [msec] …(1)

[0043] Here, the slip coefficient is a coefficient used to determine the first transition time in a rear wheel slip state, and is set to decrease as the yaw rate increases. In other words, the processing unit 120 can determine the first transition time so that the greater the yaw rate, the shorter the first transition time. This is because, in a rear wheel slip state, the greater the yaw rate, the lower the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1. Therefore, it is preferable to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode more quickly as the yaw rate increases. The relationship between the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 and the slip coefficient can be set in advance through simulation, experiment, or the like.

[0044] Next, an example will be described in which the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 is a wheelie state. In a wheelie state, the processing unit 120 determines the first transition time using the rear wheel speed as an index value. As described above, the rear wheel speed is the speed of the rear wheels RW, and can be calculated from the detection result of the rear wheel speed sensor 114. Specifically, the processing unit 120 determines the wheelie coefficient from the rear wheel speed based on information showing the relationship between the rear wheel speed and the wheelie coefficient shown in FIG. 7(a). This allows the processing unit 120 to determine the first transition time using the following equation (2). FIG. 7(b) shows an example of a transition between the first mode and the second mode in a wheelie state. First transition time = Willie coefficient × 50 [msec] …(2)

[0045] Here, the wheelie coefficient is a coefficient used to determine the first transition time in a wheelie state, and is set to be smaller as the rear wheel speed is lower. In other words, the processing unit 120 can determine the first transition time so that the lower the rear wheel speed (wheel speed of the rear wheels RW) is, the shorter the first transition time is. This is because, in a wheelie state, the lower the rear wheel speed (i.e., vehicle speed), the more likely the vehicle 1 is to perform a wheelie, so it is preferable to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode more quickly as the rear wheel speed is lower. Note that the relationship between the rear wheel speed and the wheelie coefficient can be set in advance through simulation, experiment, or the like.

[0046] Returning to FIG. 5, in step S105, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) gradually transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode over the first transition time determined in step S104. As described above, the first transition time is determined in different ways depending on the type of predetermined operating state (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state) of the vehicle 1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(b) and FIG. 7(b), the first transition time can be changed depending on whether the rear wheel slip state or the wheelie state is occurring.

[0047] In step S106, the processing unit 120 (control unit 124) controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the second mode. That is, the processing unit 120 fixes the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11, regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112.

[0048] In step S107, the processing unit 120 (acquisition unit 121) acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (each of the sensors 111 to 114). Next, in step S108, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) determines whether or not a predetermined operating state has ended in the vehicle 1, based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S107. If it is determined that the predetermined operating state has not ended in the vehicle 1, the process returns to step S107, and if it is determined that the predetermined operating state has ended, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0049] In step S109, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) determines a transition time (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a second transition time) required to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the second mode to the first mode. In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 changes the second transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state). Specifically, when the predetermined operating state is the rear wheel slip state, the processing unit 120 determines the second transition time to be a first value (e.g., 100 [msec]). On the other hand, when the predetermined operating state is the wheelie state, the processing unit 120 determines the second transition time to be a second value (e.g., 200 [msec]) different from the first value. In other words, the processing unit 120 can change the second transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state so that the second transition time is shorter in the rear wheel slip state (first operating state) than in the wheelie state (second operating state).

[0050] Here, the reason for changing the second transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state is the same as the reason for changing the first transition time depending on the type of predetermined operating state described above. That is, like the first transition time, the second transition time is preferably determined depending on the vibration period of the vehicle 1. This makes it possible to improve the body stability of the vehicle 1 when returning from a predetermined operating state to the normal state. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second transition time is set to a fixed value for each predetermined operating state. However, like the first transition time, the second transition time may be determined so as to change depending on an index value such as the yaw rate or the rear wheel speed.

[0051] In step S110, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) gradually transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the second mode to the first mode over the second transition time determined in step S109. The second transition time can be changed depending on the type of predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state), as shown in Figures 6(b) and 7(b).

[0052] [Determining the start of a specified operating state] Next, a method for determining whether or not a predetermined motion state has started in step S103 will be described. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing a method for determining the start of a predetermined motion state. Here, an example will be described in which only rear wheel slip and wheelie states are determined as the predetermined motion state.

[0053] In step S201, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) performs a process to determine whether a rear wheel is slipping. In addition, in step S202, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) performs a process to determine whether a wheelie is occurring. Note that the order of steps S201 to S202 is not limited to the example in FIG. 8, and the process to determine whether a wheelie is occurring may be performed before the process to determine whether a rear wheel is slipping.

[0054] The process of determining whether the rear wheels are in a slip state in step S201 of Fig. 8 can be performed according to the flowchart of Fig. 9. In the process of determining whether the rear wheels are in a slip state, the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW acquired as behavior information of the vehicle 1 in step S102 of Fig. 5 can be used.

[0055] In step S301, the processing unit 120 calculates a rear wheel slip ratio based on the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. The rear wheel slip ratio is an index that indicates how much the rear wheels RW are spinning, and can be calculated by the following equation (3). Rear wheel slip ratio = (speed difference between front and rear wheels / rear wheel speed) * 100 ... (3)

[0056] In step S302, the processing unit 120 determines whether the rear wheel slip ratio is greater than a threshold value. The threshold value is set so as to be able to determine that the rear wheels RW, to which power from the power unit 2 is transmitted, are spinning, and the processing unit 120 can determine that the rear wheels RW are spinning when the rear wheel slip ratio is greater than the threshold value. If the rear wheel slip ratio is greater than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if the rear wheel slip ratio is equal to or less than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S309, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not in a rear wheel slip state.

[0057] In step S303, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the front wheels FW based on the wheel speed of the front wheels FW. Next, in step S304, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the rear wheels RW based on the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW. The wheel speed buffering value is a differential value of a data group of the wheel speeds of the wheels (front wheels FW, rear wheels RW) obtained over a certain period of time (for example, one second), and can be used to check whether the rotation of the wheel is accelerating or decelerating.

[0058] In step S305, the processing unit 120 determines whether rear wheel lock has occurred based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Rear wheel lock refers to a state in which the rear wheels RW are locked and not rotating. If it is determined that rear wheel lock has occurred, the process proceeds to step S308, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that rear wheel lock has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S306.

[0059] In step S306, the processing unit 120 determines whether rear wheel acceleration slip is occurring based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Rear wheel acceleration slip is a state in which the rear wheels RW are accelerating relative to the front wheels FW. If it is determined that rear wheel acceleration slip is occurring, the process proceeds to step S308, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that rear wheel acceleration slip is not occurring, the process proceeds to step S307.

[0060] In step S307, the processing unit 120 determines whether the front wheels FW are slipping or not based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Specifically, if the front wheels FW are not accelerating relative to the rear wheels RW, it can be determined that the front wheels FW are not slipping. If it is determined that the front wheels FW are not slipping, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S308, where it determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is in a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that the front wheels FW are slipping, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S309, where it determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not in a rear wheel slip state.

[0061] The process of determining whether a rear wheel is in a slip state in step S202 of Fig. 8 may be performed according to the flowchart of Fig. 10. The process of determining whether a rear wheel is in a slip state may use the longitudinal acceleration, vertical acceleration, wheel speed of the front wheels FW, and wheel speed of the rear wheels RW acquired as behavior information of the vehicle 1 in step S102 of Fig. 5. Here, the longitudinal acceleration refers to the acceleration occurring in the vehicle 1 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (body axis) of the vehicle 1, and may be obtained from the detection results of the inertial sensor 111. Furthermore, the vertical acceleration refers to the acceleration occurring in the vehicle 1 in a direction (up-down direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (body axis) of the vehicle 1, and may be obtained from the detection results of the inertial sensor 111.

[0062] In step S401, the processing unit 120 calculates a front wheel slip ratio based on the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. The front wheel slip ratio is an index that indicates how much the front wheels FW are spinning, and can be calculated using the following equation (4). Front wheel slip ratio = (front and rear wheel speed difference / front wheel FW wheel speed) * 100 ... (4)

[0063] In step S402, the processing unit 120 determines whether the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than a threshold value. The threshold value is set so as to be able to determine that the front wheels FW, to which power from the power unit 2 is not transmitted, are spinning, and the processing unit 120 can determine that the front wheels FW are spinning when the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than the threshold value. If the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S403. On the other hand, if the front wheel slip ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S411, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not a wheelie state.

[0064] In step S403, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the front wheels FW based on the wheel speed of the front wheels FW. Next, in step S404, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the rear wheels RW based on the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW. Steps S403 to S404 are the same as steps S303 to S304 in Fig. 9 described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0065] In step S405, the processing unit 120 determines whether the rotation of the front wheels FW is decelerating and the rotation of the rear wheels RW is accelerating, based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. In a wheelie, the rotation of the front wheels FW, to which power from the power unit 2 is not transmitted, usually tends to decelerate because they are not in contact with the ground, while the rotation of the rear wheels RW, to which power from the power unit 2 is transmitted, tends to accelerate because they lift the front of the vehicle 1. If it is determined that the rotation of the front wheels FW is decelerating and the rotation of the rear wheels RW is accelerating, the process proceeds to step S406; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S411.

[0066] In step S406, the processing unit 120 calculates the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle body) based on the longitudinal acceleration. Next, in step S407, the processing unit 120 determines whether the vehicle 1 is accelerating based on the acceleration of the vehicle 1 calculated in step S406. In order to lift the front of the vehicle 1 and cause the vehicle 1 to perform a wheelie, it is necessary to accelerate the vehicle 1. If it is determined that the vehicle 1 is accelerating, the process proceeds to step S408; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S411.

[0067] In step S408, the processing unit 120 calculates the wheelie axis acceleration. Next, in step S409, the processing unit 120 determines whether the wheelie axis acceleration calculated in step S408 is smaller than a specified value. The wheelie axis acceleration is an index for determining whether the vehicle 1 is performing a wheelie based on the force (acceleration) acting on the vehicle 1. For example, the processing unit 120 can calculate the wheelie axis acceleration Aw using the following equation (5): Aw= Az cosθ + Ax sin(-θ) …(5)

[0068] The parameter values used in equation (5) will be explained using Figure 11. Figure 11(a) shows the state before a wheelie, and Figure 11(b) shows the state during a wheelie. In equation (5), "AW" is the wheelie axis acceleration, which indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of vehicle 1 in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation axis of rear wheel RW and the center of gravity of vehicle 1. "θ" indicates the angle between the line connecting the rotation axis of rear wheel RW and the center of gravity of vehicle 1 and the line connecting the rotation axis of rear wheel RW and the rotation axis of front wheel FW. "Ax" indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of vehicle 1 in the fore-and-aft direction of vehicle 1 (longitudinal acceleration). "Az" indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of vehicle 1 in the up-and-down direction of vehicle 1 (vertical acceleration).

[0069] When the vehicle 1 performs a wheelie, the vehicle 1 suddenly accelerates, increasing the longitudinal acceleration Ax, and the vehicle 1 changes its posture, decreasing the vertical acceleration Az. As a result, the wheelie axis acceleration Aw decreases. Therefore, if the wheelie acceleration Aw is smaller than a specified value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S410 and determines that the motion state of the vehicle 1 is in a wheelie state. On the other hand, if the wheelie acceleration Aw is equal to or greater than the specified value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S411 and determines that the motion state of the vehicle 1 is not in a wheelie state.

[0070] As described above, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 between the first mode and the second mode depending on whether the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state (for example, a rear wheel slip state or a wheelie state). The first mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed depending on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. The second mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. The control system 100 also changes the transition time (first transition time, second transition time) used to change the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 depending on the type of predetermined operating state. The control system 100 of this embodiment can improve vehicle body stability even when the saddle-riding type vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state.

[0071] <Summary of the embodiment> 1. The control system of the above embodiment is A control system (e.g., 100) for a saddle-ride type vehicle (e.g., 1) having a front suspension mechanism (e.g., 9) and a rear suspension mechanism (e.g., 11), a detection means (e.g., 112) for detecting the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a control means (e.g., 124) for controlling the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; a determination means (e.g., 122) for determining the operating state of the saddle riding type vehicle; transition means (e.g., 123) for transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with the detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed when the determination means determines that the saddle riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state; Equipped with The transition means changes a transition time taken for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state. According to this embodiment, when the saddle-riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state such as a rear wheel slip or a wheelie, the current value supplied to the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, and the transition time is appropriately changed for each type of predetermined operating state with different vibration frequencies, thereby improving the vehicle body stability of the saddle-riding type vehicle in the predetermined operating state.

[0072] 2. In the above embodiment, When the portions of the saddle-ride type vehicle below the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism are defined as unsprung portions and the portions above the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism are defined as sprung portions, the types of the predetermined operating states include a first operating state in which the unsprung portions vibrate more than the sprung portions, and a second operating state in which the sprung portions vibrate more than the unsprung portions, The transition means changes the transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state so that the transition time in the first operating state is shorter than that in the second operating state. According to this embodiment, in the first operating state, in which vibrations of the relatively light unsprung portions are the main component, the vehicle body state changes faster (i.e., the vibration frequency is higher) than in the second operating state, and damping occurs more frequently, so the transition time can be shortened to more quickly suppress vehicle body vibration. On the other hand, in the second operating state, in which vibrations of the relatively heavy sprung portions are the main component, the vehicle body state changes slower than in the first operating state (i.e., the vibration frequency is lower), and even if the vehicle body state temporarily changes, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed. Therefore, by lengthening the transition time as much as possible, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether to transition to the second mode. In other words, the transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of predetermined operating state classified by the vibration relationship between the unsprung portions and the sprung portions, so the vehicle body stability of the saddle-ride type vehicle in the predetermined operating state can be improved.

[0073] 3. In the above embodiment, the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, The second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie. According to this embodiment, in a rear-wheel slip state, where vibrations of the relatively light unsprung parts are the main component, the vehicle body state changes more quickly (i.e., the vibration frequency is higher) than in a wheelie state, and damping occurs more frequently. Therefore, by shortening the transition time, the vehicle body vibration can be suppressed more quickly. On the other hand, in a wheelie state, where vibrations of the relatively heavy unsprung parts are the main component, the vehicle body state changes more slowly than in a rear-wheel slip state (i.e., the vibration frequency is lower). Even if the vehicle body state temporarily changes, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed. Therefore, by lengthening the transition time as much as possible, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether to transition to the second mode. In other words, because the transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of predetermined operating state, such as a rear-wheel slip state or a wheelie state, the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle in the predetermined operating state can be improved.

[0074] 4. In the above embodiment, The vehicle further includes an acquisition unit (e.g., 121) that acquires information from a group of sensors (e.g., 110) provided on the saddle-ride type vehicle, The transition means changes the transition time for each type of the predetermined operating state based on the information acquired by the acquisition means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed (determined) for each type of predetermined operating state.

[0075] 5. In the above embodiment, The transition means changes an index value used to change the transition time from among multiple types of index values included in the information acquired by the acquisition means, depending on the type of the specified operating state. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed using an index value according to the type of a predetermined operating state.

[0076] 6. In the above embodiment, the predetermined type of operating state includes a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, the sensor group includes a first sensor (e.g., 111) that detects a yaw rate of the saddle-ride type vehicle, When the determining means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquiring means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed using an index value (yaw rate of the saddle-type vehicle) according to the type of predetermined operating state (rear wheel slip state).

[0077] 7. In the above embodiment, When the determination means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means becomes larger. According to this embodiment, in a rear wheel slip state in which the vehicle body stability of a saddle-type vehicle decreases as the yaw rate increases, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism can be transitioned from the first mode to the second mode more quickly when the yaw rate is large compared to when the yaw rate is small.

[0078] 8. In the above embodiment, the predetermined type of operating state includes a wheelie state in which the saddle-ride type vehicle is performing a wheelie, the group of sensors includes a second sensor (e.g., 114) that detects the wheel speed of a rear wheel of the saddle-ride type vehicle; When the determining means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquiring means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed using an index value (rear wheel speed of the saddle riding type vehicle) according to the type of predetermined motion state (wheelie state).

[0079] 9. In the above embodiment, When the determination means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquisition means becomes smaller. According to this embodiment, in a wheelie state in which the vehicle body stability of a saddle-type vehicle decreases as the rear wheel speed decreases, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism can be transitioned from the first mode to the second mode more quickly when the rear wheel speed is low than when it is high.

[0080] 10. In the above embodiment, The determination means further determines whether the predetermined operating state has ended in the saddle riding type vehicle, When the determination means determines that the predetermined operating state has ended, the transition means transitions the control mode from the second mode to the first mode, and changes a second transition time taken for the transition of the control mode from the second mode to the first mode depending on the type of the predetermined operating state. According to this embodiment, the second transition time required to return the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism from the second mode to the first mode is appropriately changed for each type of predetermined operating state, thereby improving the vehicle body stability of the saddle-riding type vehicle when returning from a predetermined operating state to the normal state.

[0081] 11. In the above embodiment, When the portions of the saddle-ride type vehicle below the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism are defined as unsprung portions and the portions above the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism are defined as sprung portions, the types of the predetermined operating states include a first operating state in which the unsprung portions vibrate more than the sprung portions, and a second operating state in which the sprung portions vibrate more than the unsprung portions, The transition means changes the second transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state so that the second transition time is shorter in the first operating state than in the second operating state. According to this embodiment, in the first operating state, in which vibrations of the relatively light unsprung portions are the main component, the vehicle body state changes faster (i.e., the vibration frequency is higher) than in the second operating state, and damping occurs more frequently, so the transition time can be shortened to more quickly suppress vehicle body vibration. On the other hand, in the second operating state, in which vibrations of the relatively heavy sprung portions are the main component, the vehicle body state changes slower than in the first operating state (i.e., the vibration frequency is lower), and even if the vehicle body state temporarily changes, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed. Therefore, the transition time is lengthened as much as possible, so that it is possible to more appropriately determine whether to transition to the second mode. In other words, because the second transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of predetermined operating state classified by the vibration relationship between the unsprung portions and the sprung portions, the vehicle body stability of the saddle-riding type vehicle can be improved when returning from a predetermined operating state to the normal state.

[0082] 12. In the above embodiment, the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, The second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie. According to this embodiment, the second transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of predetermined operating state, such as a rear wheel slip state or a wheelie state, thereby improving the body stability of the saddle-type vehicle when returning from the predetermined operating state to the normal state.

[0083] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1: saddle-ride type vehicle, 9: front suspension mechanism, 11: rear suspension mechanism, FW: front wheel, RW: rear wheel, 110: sensor group, 111: inertia sensor, 112: stroke sensor, 113: front wheel speed sensor, 114: rear wheel speed sensor, 120: processing unit, 121: acquisition unit, 122: determination unit, 123: transition unit, 124: control unit

Claims

1. A control system for a saddle-ride type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, a detection means for detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a control means for controlling the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; a determination means for determining an operating state of the saddle riding type vehicle; transition means for transitioning the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with the detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, when the determination means determines that the saddle-riding type vehicle is in a first operating state in which a rear wheel of the saddle-riding type vehicle is slipping, or a second operating state in which the saddle-riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie; Equipped with The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means changes a transition time required for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode in accordance with an operating state.

2. The control system described in Claim 1, characterized in that the transition means changes the transition time depending on the operating state so that the transition time for the first operating state is shorter than that for the second operating state.

3. further comprising an acquisition unit that acquires information from a group of sensors provided in the saddle-ride type vehicle; 2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means changes the transition time for each operating state based on the information acquired by the acquisition means.

4. The control system according to claim 3, characterized in that the transition means changes an index value used to change the transition time, among multiple types of index values included in the information acquired by the acquisition means, depending on the operating state.

5. The sensor group includes a first sensor that detects a yaw rate of the saddle-ride type vehicle, 4. The control system according to claim 3, wherein the transition means determines the transition time based on the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means when the determination means determines that the first operating state has started.

6. The control system according to claim 5, characterized in that, when the determination means determines that the first operating state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means becomes larger.

7. The sensor group includes a second sensor that detects the wheel speed of a rear wheel of the saddle-type vehicle, 4. The control system according to claim 3, wherein when the determining means determines that the second operating state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquiring means.

8. 8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein, when the determination means determines that the second operating state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquisition means becomes smaller.

9. the determination means further determines whether the first operation state or the second operation state has ended in the saddle riding type vehicle; 2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means transitions the control mode from the second mode to the first mode when the determination means determines that the first operating state or the second operating state has ended, and changes a second transition time required for the transition of the control mode from the second mode to the first mode depending on the operating state.

10. The control system described in Claim 9, characterized in that the transition means changes the second transition time depending on the operating state so that the second transition time is shorter in the first operating state than in the second operating state.

11. A straddle-type vehicle comprising the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. 1. A control method for controlling a damping force of a rear suspension mechanism in a saddle-ride type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, comprising: a detecting step of detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a determination step of determining an operating state of the saddle riding type vehicle; a transition step of transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism from a first mode in which a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with a detection result in the detection step to a second mode in which a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, when the determination step determines that the saddle-riding type vehicle is in a first operating state in which a rear wheel of the saddle-riding type vehicle is slipping, or a second operating state in which the saddle-riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie; Including, The control method, wherein the transition step changes a transition time required for the control mode transition from the first mode to the second mode depending on an operating state.

13. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 12.

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