VEHICLE WITH CONTINUOUSLY CONTROLLED DAMPING SUSPENSION

Abstract

A damping control system for a vehicle with a suspension located between a plurality of ground contact members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable damper with adjustable damping characteristics. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable damper to adjust the damping characteristics of each damper, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a vehicle driver. The user interface includes at least one user input to allow manual adjustment of the damping characteristics of at least one adjustable damper during vehicle operation. Vehicle sensors are also coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristics of at least one adjustable damper based on vehicle conditions determined by the sensor output signals.

Description

VEHICLE WITH CONTINUOUSLY CONTROLLED DAMPING SUSPENSION Field of Invention This description refers to an improved suspension for a vehicle with continuous motion control of the shock absorbers. Background of the Invention Currently, some off-road vehicles include adjustable shock absorbers. These adjustments include spring preload, high- and low-speed compression damping, and / or rebound damping. To make these adjustments, the vehicle is stopped, and the operator makes an adjustment at each shock absorber location on the vehicle. A tool is often required for the adjustment. Some cars on the road also include electric shock absorbers along with sensors for active ride control systems. However, these systems are typically computer-controlled and focus on vehicle stability rather than ride comfort. The system described here allows the operator to make real-time, on-the-go adjustments to the shock absorbers to achieve the most comfortable ride for given terrain and payload scenarios. Vehicles often have springs (coil, leaf, or air) on each wheel, rail, or skid to support most of the load. The vehicle described herein also has electronic dampers that control the dynamic movement of each wheel, skid, or rail. The electronic dampers have a valve that controls the damping force of each damper. This valve can control compression damping, rebound damping only, or a combination of compression and rebound damping. The valve is connected to a controller that has a user interface accessible to the driver for making adjustments while operating the vehicle. In one mode, the controller increases or decreases the damping of the dampers based on user input received from an operator.In another configuration, the controller has several preset damping modes for operator selection. The controller is also coupled with sensors in the suspension and chassis to provide an actively controlled damping system. In an illustrated embodiment of the present description, a damping control method is provided for a vehicle with a suspension located between a plurality of wheels and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface; the suspension includes a plurality of adjustable dampers, including a COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, a rear right shock absorber, and a rear left shock absorber.The method for damping control includes receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receiving with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a brake sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor; determining with the controller whether the vehicle brakes are actuated based on an input from the brake sensor; determining with the controller an acceleration position based on an input from the acceleration sensor; and determining with the controller a vehicle speed based on an input from the vehicle speed sensor.The illustrative damping control method also includes operating the damping control in a braking condition if the brakes are applied, wherein in the braking condition the controller adjusts the damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed; operating the damping control in a condition of. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI driving if the brakes are not actuated and an acceleration position is less than a threshold Y, wherein in the driving condition the controller adjusts the damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed; operate damping control in the driving condition if the brakes are not actuated, the accelerator position is greater than the threshold Y, and the vehicle speed is greater than the threshold value Z;and operate the damping control in a settling condition if the brakes are not applied, the accelerator position is greater than the Y threshold, and the vehicle speed is less than the Z threshold value, wherein in the settling condition the controller adjusts the damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode, vehicle speed, and a percentage of acceleration. The additional features of the present description will be evident to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments that exemplify the best way of carrying out the invention as currently perceived. Brief Description of the Figures The above aspects and many additional features of the present system and method will be more easily appreciated and better understood with reference to the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a vehicle of the present description with a suspension having a plurality of shock absorbers with continuous damping control and a plurality of sensors integrated into the continuous damping controller; Fig. 2 illustrates an illustrative user interface for controlling the damping of a front axle and a rear axle of the vehicle; Fig. 3 illustrates another illustrative modality of a user interface for continuous control of the damping of the vehicle's shock absorbers; Fig. 4 illustrates another user interface for determining various modes of continuous damping control operation depending on the terrain the vehicle is traversing; Fig. 5 illustrates an adjustable shock absorber coupled to a vehicle suspension; Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the vehicle platform logic for controlling various COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI vehicle parameters in a plurality of different operating modes that the user can select; Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a plurality of different condition modifiers used as inputs in different control modes to modify the damping characteristics of electronically adjustable dampers or shock absorbers according to the present description; Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a damping control method for controlling the vehicle operating under a plurality of vehicle conditions based on a plurality of sensor inputs according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 is a flow chart that illustrates another form of a damping control method described herein; Fig. 10 is a flow chart that illustrates yet another method of damping control from the present description; Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a stabilizer bar of the present description that selectively uncouples under certain vehicle conditions; Fig. 12 illustrates the stabilizer bar of Fig. with an actuator in a locked position to prevent movement of a stabilizer bar piston; cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to that in Fig. 12 illustrating an actuator in an unlocked position disconnected from the stabilizer bar piston to allow movement of the piston relative to a cylinder; and Fig. 14 illustrates an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis for a vehicle such as an ATV. Detailed Description of the Invention The corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the various views. Although the figures represent modalities of various features and components according to the present description, the figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated for the purpose of illustrating and explaining the present description. To promote an understanding of the principles of the present description, reference will now be made to the illustrative embodiments in the figures, which are described below. The embodiments described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are selected and described in such a way that others skilled in the art may benefit from their teachings. It is understood that no limitation on the scope of the invention is intended. The invention includes any COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI alteration and additional modifications to the illustrated devices and the described methods and additional applications of the principles of the invention that would normally occur to a person skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Referring now to Fig. 1, the present description relates to a vehicle 10 with a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members 12 and a vehicle frame 14. The ground-contacting members 12 include wheels, skis, guide rails, treads, or the like. The suspension typically includes springs 16 and dampers 18 coupled between the ground-contacting members 12 and the frame 14. The springs 16 may include, for example, coil springs, leaf springs, air springs, or other gas springs. The air or gas springs 16 may be adjustable. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,950,486 incorporated herein by reference. The springs 16 are often coupled between the vehicle frame 14 and the members in contact with the ground 12 through an A-arm link 70 (See Figure 5) or other type of link.Adjustable shock absorbers 18 are also mounted between the ground contact members 12 and the vehicle frame 14. In an illustrative embodiment, a spring 16 and a shock absorber 18 are located adjacent to each ground contact member. On an ATV, for example, four springs 16 and adjustable shock absorbers 18 are provided adjacent to each wheel 12. Some manufacturers offer adjustable springs 16 in the form of either air springs or hydraulically charged springs. These adjustable springs 16 allow the operator to adjust the ride height while in motion. However, most of the ride comfort comes from the damping provided by the shock absorbers 18. In an illustrated embodiment, the adjustable dampers 18 are electrically controlled dampers used to adjust the damping characteristics of the shock absorbers 18. A controller 20 provides signals to adjust the damping of the dampers 18 in a continuous or dynamic manner. The adjustable dampers 18 can be set to provide different compression damping, rebound damping, or both. In an illustrated embodiment of the present description, a user interface 22 is provided in a location readily accessible to the driver operating the vehicle. Preferably, the user interface 22 is either a separate user interface mounted adjacent to the driver's seat on the dashboard or integrated onto a display within the vehicle. The user interface 22 includes user inputs to allow the driver or a passenger to manually adjust the damping of shock absorber 18. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI during vehicle operation based on the road conditions encountered. In another illustrated mode, user inputs are made via the steering wheel, a lever, or other vehicle steering control to facilitate damping adjustment. A 24-tamil display is provided above or next to the user interface 22 or integrated into a display on the vehicle's dashboard to show information related to the damping settings of the shock absorber. In an illustrated configuration, the 18 adjustable shock absorbers are electronically controlled dampers, model number CDC (Continuous Damping Control), available from ZF Sachs Automotive. See Causemann, Peter; Automotive Shock Absorbers: Features, Designs, Applications, ISBN 3-478-93230-0, Veri. Moderne Industrie, Second Edition, 2001, pages 53-63, incorporated by reference herein for a description of the basic operation of the 18 shock absorbers in the illustrated configuration. It is understood that this description is not exhaustive and that other suitable types of shock absorbers are available from other manufacturers. Controller 20 receives user input from user interface 22 and adjusts the damping characteristics of the adjustable shock absorbers 18 accordingly. As explained later, the user can independently adjust the front and rear shock absorbers. The rear 18 shock absorbers are adjustable to fine-tune the vehicle's ride characteristics. In certain configurations, each of the 18 shock absorbers is independently adjustable, so the damping characteristics of the 18 shock absorbers change from one side of the vehicle to the other. Side-to-side adjustments are desirable during tight turns or other maneuvers where different damping characteristics for the 18 shock absorbers on opposite sides of the vehicle improve handling. The damping response of the 18 shock absorbers can be changed in microseconds to provide near-instantaneous changes in damping for bumps, potholes, and other driving conditions. A plurality of sensors are also coupled to the controller 20. For example, the global change accelerometer 25 is coupled adjacent to each ground contact member 12. The accelerometer provides an output signal coupled to the controller 20. The accelerometers 25 provide an output signal that indicates the movement of the ground contact members and the suspension components 16 and 18 as the vehicle traverses different terrains. Additional sensors may include a vehicle speed sensor 26, a steering sensor 28, and a chassis accelerometer 30, all with output signals coupled to the controller 20. COR L Ln / ίΖΠΖ / Β / ΥΙΛΙ Accelerometer 30 is illustrated as a three-axis accelerometer located on the chassis to provide an indication of the forces acting on the vehicle during vehicle operation. Additional sensors include a brake sensor 32, an accelerator position sensor 34, a wheel speed sensor 30, and a speed selection sensor 38. Each of these sensors has an output signal coupled to the controller 20. In an illustrated embodiment of the present description, the user interface 22 shown in Fig. 2 includes manual user inputs 40 and 42 for adjusting the damping of the shock absorbers 18 on the front and rear axles. The user interface 22 also includes first and second displays 44 and 46 to show the damping level settings for the front and rear shock absorbers, respectively. In operation, the vehicle's driver or passenger can adjust user inputs 40 and 42 to provide more or less damping for the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the vehicle's front and rear axles. In the illustrated embodiment, user inputs 40 and 42 are rotary knobs. By turning knob 40 counterclockwise, the operator reduces the damping of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the vehicle's front axle. This provides a smoother ride for the front axle.By turning knob 40 clockwise, the operator provides more damping on the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the front axle to provide a stiffer ride. The damping level for the front axle is displayed on screen 44. The damping level can be indicated through any desired numerical range, such as, for example, between 0 and 10, with 10 being the stiffest and 0 the softest. The operator turns knob 42 to the left to decrease the damping of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the rear axle. The operator turns knob 42 to the left to increase the damping of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the rear axle of the vehicle; the resulting damping level of the rear shock absorbers 18 is displayed in screen window 46. Another user interface mode 22 is illustrated in Fig. 3. In this mode, pushbuttons 50 and 52 are provided to adjust the damping level of the shock absorbers 18 located adjacent to the front axle, and pushbuttons 54 and 56 are provided to adjust the damping of the shock absorbers 18 located adjacent to the rear axle. Pressing button 50 increases the damping of the shock absorbers 18 located adjacent to the front axle, and pressing button 52 decreases the damping of the shock absorbers 18. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI located adjacent to the front axle. The damping level of the dampers 18 adjacent to the front axle is displayed within the screen window 57. As explained previously, the input control switches can be located anywhere convenient on the vehicle. For example, in other illustrated configurations, the user inputs are on the steering wheel, a lever, or other vehicle steering control to facilitate actuation of the damping adjustment. Similarly, the operator presses button 50 and four to increase the damping of the shock absorbers located adjacent to the rear axle. The operator presses button 50 and six to increase the damping of the shock absorbers located adjacent to the rear axle. Display window 58 provides a visual indication of the damping level of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the rear axle. In other modes, different user inputs such as touch controls, sliders, or other inputs can be used to adjust the damping level of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the front and rear axles. In other modes, different user inputs such as touch controls, sliders, or other inputs can be used to adjust the damping level of the shock absorbers 18 adjacent to all four wheels simultaneously. Figure 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present description in which the user interface 22 includes a rotary knob 60 with a selection indicator 62. The knob 60 is rotated as illustrated by the double-headed arrow 64 to align the indicator 62 with a particular driving condition mode. In the illustrated embodiment, five modes are described, including a smooth driving mode, a rough terrain mode, a rock crawling mode, a swaying mode, and a hopping / jumping mode. Depending on the driving conditions, the operator rotates the control knob 60 to select the particular driving mode. The controller 20 automatically adjusts the damping levels of the adjustable shock absorbers 18 adjacent to the front and rear axles of the vehicle based on the selected mode. It is understood that several other modes may be provided, including sport mode, test mode, or other desired modes. Additionally, different modes may be provided for two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and high / low vehicle settings. Illustrative operating modes include: • Smooth Ride Mode - very severe settings designed to minimize temporary vehicle tilt and move through hard acceleration, braking, and turns. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI • Normal Ride Mode - Similar to the uniform ride mode, but with a slightly softer setting to allow absorption of rocks, roots and bumps, but still with good performance in turns, acceleration and braking. • Rock Mode – This is the gentlest setting, allowing maximum wheel articulation for slower-speed operation. In one mode, Rock Mode is linked to the vehicle speed sensor. • Severe high-speed travel (Oscillation) This setting is between normal travel mode and rock mode allowing high-speed control, but with a pleasant ride (easier bottoming out). • Bounce and hop mode - This mode provides stiffer compression in the shock absorbers, but less rebound to keep the tires on the ground as much as possible. • These modes are just examples that an expert in the technology would understand, but there may be many other modes depending on the desired / intended use of the vehicle. In addition to the driving modes, the damping control can be adjusted based on the outputs of the plurality of sensors coupled to the controller 20. For example, the setting of the adjustable dampers 18 The COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI system can be adjusted based on the vehicle speed reading from speed sensor 26 or the readings from accelerometers 25 and 30. In slow-moving vehicles, the damping of the adjustable dampers 18 is reduced to provide a softer ride for improved handling. As vehicle speed increases, the dampers 18 adjust to a stiffer damping setting. The damping of the dampers 18 can also be coupled to a reading from a steering sensor 28. For example, if the vehicle makes a sharp turn, the damping of the dampers 18 on the appropriate side of the vehicle can be adjusted instantly to improve handling. The continuous damping control described herein may be combined with adjustable springs 16. The springs 16 may be a preload adjustment or a continuous dynamic adjustment based on the controller signals 20. An output from the brake sensor 32 can also be monitored and used by the controller 20 to adjust the adjustable dampers 18. For example, during heavy braking, the damping levels of the adjacent adjustable dampers 18 on the front axle can be adjusted to reduce vehicle dive. In one illustrated mode, the dampers are adjusted to minimize dive by determining the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, by detecting an input from the speed selection sensor 38, and then adjusting the damping when the brakes are applied as detected by the brake sensor 32.In an illustrative example, for an improved braking feel, the system increases the compression damping of the 18 shock absorbers at the front of the vehicle and adds rebound damping for the 18 shock absorbers at the rear of the vehicle for a vehicle moving forward. In another mode, a throttle position sensor output is used by controller 20 to adjust the adjustable dampers 18 to adjust or control vehicle settle that occurs when the rear of the vehicle drops or settles during acceleration. For example, controller 20 can stiffen the damping of the dampers 18 adjacent to the rear axle during rapid vehicle acceleration. Another mode includes user-selectable settings that control a vehicle acceleration map and damping configuration simultaneously. By linking the acceleration map and CDC damping calibrations together, both the acceleration (engine) characteristics and the suspension settings change simultaneously when a driver switches operating modes. In another configuration, a sensor is provided COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI position adjacent to the adjustable dampers 18. The controller 20 uses these position sensors to stiffen the damping of the adjustable dampers 18 near the end of their travel. This provides progressive damping control. In one illustrated embodiment, the adjustable damper position sensor is an angle sensor located on an A-arm of the vehicle's suspension. In another embodiment, the adjustable dampers include integrated position sensors to provide unification of when the damper is near the end of its travel. In another illustrated mode, based on the speed selected by the speed detection sensor 38, the system limits the damper adjustment range 18. For example, the damping adjustment range is greater when the speed selector is in a lower range compared to a higher range to keep the loads within an acceptable range for both the vehicle and the operator. Figure 5 illustrates an adjustable damper 18 mounted on an A-arm link 70 with a first end coupled to the vehicle frame 14 and a second end coupled to a wheel 12. The adjustable damper 18 includes a first end 72 rotatably coupled to the A-arm 70 and a second end (not shown) rotatably coupled to the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI frame 14. A damping control actuator 74 is coupled to the controller 20 by means of a cable 76. DEMONSTRATION MODE In an illustrated embodiment of the present description, a battery 80 is attached to the controller 20 as shown in Fig. 1. For demonstration operation in a showroom setting, the controller 20, user interface 22, and display 24 are activated using a key in the vehicle's ignition or a wireless key to place the vehicle in accessory mode. This allows adjustment of the adjustable dampers 18 without starting the vehicle. Consequently, the operating characteristics of the continuous damping control described herein can be demonstrated to customers in a showroom where starting the vehicle is prohibited due to enclosed space. This provides an effective tool for demonstrating how quickly the continuous damping control described herein adjusts the damping of the vehicle's front and rear axles. As described herein, the system includes four levels or degrees of operation. In the first degree, the adjustable dampers 18 are adjusted by manual input only using the user interface 22 described herein; in the second degree of operation, the system is semi-active and COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI uses user inputs from the user interface 22 combined with the vehicle sensors explained above to control the adjustable dampers 18. In the third degree of operation, input accelerometers 25 located adjacent to the ground contact members 12 and a chassis accelerometer 30 are used together with the steering sensor 28 and the damper position sensors to provide additional inputs to the controller 20 for use when adjusting the adjustable dampers 18. In the fourth degree of operation, the controller 20 cooperates with a stability control system to adjust the dampers 18 to provide enhanced stability control for the vehicle 10. In another illustrated embodiment, vehicle load information is provided to controller 20 and used to adjust the adjustable dampers 18. For example, the number of passengers or the amount of cargo can be used as input to provide vehicle load information. Passenger or cargo sensors can also be provided for automatic inputs to controller 20. Additionally, sensors on the vehicle can detect accessories at the front or rear of the vehicle that affect vehicle handling. After detecting heavy accessories at the front or rear of the vehicle, COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI the controller 20 adjusts the adjustable dampers 18. For example, when a heavy accessory is placed on the front of a vehicle, the compression damping of the front dampers can be increased to help support the additional load. Other illustrative embodiments of this description describe methods for actively controlling the damping of electronically adjustable shock absorbers using both user-selectable modes and a plurality of sensor inputs to actively adjust damping levels. A central controller is used to read the inputs from the plurality of vehicle sensors and send the resulting signals to control the damping characteristics of the electronically adjustable shock absorbers. Illustrative embodiments control the damping of the plurality of electronically adjustable shock absorbers based on one or more of the following control strategies: • Damping table based on vehicle speed • Roll control: Table of vehicle steering wheel angle and steering wheel damping speed • Bounce control: Detect air time and adjust damping accordingly. • Tilt control: braking, sinking and COR L Ln / ίΖΠΖ / Β / ΥΙΛΙ settlement . • Use of a lookup table or a multivariable equation based on the sensor inputs. • Acceleration detection: selecting damping based on the frequency of chassis acceleration. • Load detection: increase damping based on the load of the vehicle / box. • Oversteer / understeer detection. • Factory default features, key mode selection. • Features by default of firm safety position. • Time delay that turns off the solenoid after a set period of time to conserve power at rest. In the illustrative examples provided herein, a user-selectable mode provides damping control for electronic dampers. In addition to the methods described above, this description includes modes that can be selected by the user via a knob, touchscreen, push button, or other user input. The illustrative user-selectable modes and corresponding sensors and controls include: cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi In addition to damping control, the following bullet points can also be adjusted in each mode. 1. Factory default mode 2. Smooth / Comfort Mode • Vehicle Speed ​​• Turning • Air Currents / Bouncing • eCVT: Keep RPM Low > Stationary • Higher Assist EPS Calibration Auto / Sport Mode • Tilt Control • Linked to Brake Switch • Throttle Position (CAN) • Roll Control • Lateral Acceleration • Steering Position (EPS Sensor) • Vehicle Speed ​​• Auto means using the damping table or algorithm that incorporates all these inputs. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI 4. Firm / Race Mode • eCVT: Increased engagement • Aggressive throttle pedal map • Firm EPS calibration (less assistance at speed) • Full firm damping 5. Rock Mode • Increased ride height - spring preload • Increased rebound to handle extra preload • Soft stabilizer bar • Speed ​​limit 6. Desert / Dune Mode • Soft Stabilizer Bar • Initial Speed-Based Damping • Damping Firmer than Soft 7. Trail / Turning Mode • Lower ride height • Stiffer stabilizer bar • Increased damping COR L Ln / Lznz / Ε / ΥΙΛΙ • Firm EPS calibration 8. Operating Mode (lock-fully firm) • eCVT: smooth engagement • eCVT: maintain low RPM > steady, depending on engine load • Load sensing damping and preload 9. Economy Mode • Lower travel height • Engine calibration • eCVT calibration In the illustrative examples of this description, the senator's entries include one or more of the following: • Damping mode selection • Vehicle speed • 4WD mode • ADC mode • Transmission mode - CVT and other transmission types • EPS mode • Ambient temperature • Steering angle COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI • chassis acceleration (lateral, longitudinal, vertical) • steering wheel acceleration • gyroscope • GPS location • damper position • damper temperature • gearbox load / distribution • engine sensors (rpm, temperature, CAN) • accelerator pedal • brake / pressure input • passenger sensor (weight or seatbelt) In illustrative examples of this description, the damping control system is integrated with other vehicle systems as follows: Vehicle systems integration • EPS calibration or unique calibrations for each driving mode. Full assistance in work or comfort mode. • Automatic preload adjustment settings (electronic and / or hydraulic control) or Load leveling or Soft and / or on-road driving mode = lower, over rocks = higher or Increase rebound damping for higher preloads or Crawl mode = increased preload at the rear. Implementation mode = increased preload at the front • Vehicle speed limits or Increase damping with vehicle speed for control and safety using the lookup table using an algorithm to adjust the minimum damping level in all modes except Firm. Firm mode would be at maximum damping regardless of vehicle speed. Lower ride height (preload) with vehicle speed in certain modes. • eCVT calibration or Unique calibrations for each driving mode that are linked to the electronic damping and preload (Comfort mode = map COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI (soft pedal, soft damping) • Engine calibration / pedal map or unique calibrations for each driving mode that are linked to the electronic damping and preload (comfort mode = soft pedal map, soft damping) • Steering by line • Load sensing • Uncoupled wheel speed for turning • Four-wheel drive • Active anti-roll bar adjustment • Traction control • Stability control • ABS • Active brake compensation • Preload control Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the vehicle mode platform logic for the system and method described herein. In the illustrated mode, a user selects a user mode as shown in block 100. The selection can be a rotary knob, a button, a touch input, or other user input. A controller 20 uses a search wire or algorithm to determine the preload settings for adjustable springs on the front right, front left, rear right, and rear left of the vehicle to set a target ride height for the vehicle as shown in block 102. The controller 20 receives a ride height and / or load sensor reading as shown in block 104, such that the controller 20 adjusts the spring preload based on the vehicle loads. Controller 20 then determines whether a connected or disconnected sway bar or stabilizer bar should be used, as illustrated in block 106. As explained in more detail later, the stabilizer bar can be connected or disconnected depending on the selected mode and sensor inputs. Controller 20 also implements the damping control logic as explained later and illustrated in block 108. The controller uses a damping profile for the adjustable front right, front left, rear right, and rear left dampers as illustrated in block 110. A plurality of sensor inputs are provided to controller 20 as illustrated in block 112 and explained in more detail later to continuously monitor the damping characteristics of the adjustable dampers. cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi Controller 20 uses a stored map for calibrating the vehicle's electronic power steering (EPS), as illustrated in block 114. Controller 20 also uses a map to calibrate the vehicle's accelerator pedal position, as illustrated in block 116. The damping control method described herein uses several different condition modifiers to control the damping characteristics of the electrically adjustable dampers. Illustrative condition modifiers include parameters determined by the user-selected mode, as illustrated in block 118; vehicle speed, as illustrated in block 120; and a percentage of acceleration, as illustrated in block 122.Additional condition modifiers include a drive mode sensor, such as a four-wheel drive sensor as illustrated in block 124, a steering position sensor as illustrated in block 126, and a steering speed sensor as illustrated in block 128. The drive mode sensor 124 may include sensors configured for a locked front transmission, unlocked front transmission, locked rear transmission, unlocked rear transmission, or high and low transmission. The condition modifiers further include an x-axis acceleration sensor as illustrated in block 130 and a y-axis acceleration sensor as illustrated. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI in block 132, and a z-axis acceleration sensor illustrated in block 134. The x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis for a vehicle such as an ATV are shown in Fig. 14. Another illustrative condition modifier is a yaw rate sensor as illustrated in block 136. The various condition modifiers illustrated in Fig. 7 are labeled 1-10 and correspond to the modifiers that have an influence on the operation of the damping control logic under the various driving conditions shown in Figs. 8-10. In a passive mode for controlling the multiple electronic dampers, the user-selected mode described above determines discrete damping levels at all corners of the vehicle. Front and rear compression and rebound are adjusted independently based on the user-selected operating mode without the use of active control based on sensor inputs. An illustrative method for the active control of damping of a plurality of electronic dampers is shown in Fig. 8. The method in Fig. 8 uses an acceleration sensor 138, a vehicle speed sensor 140, and a brake switch or brake pressure sensor 142 as logic inputs. The controller 20 determines whether the brakes are engaged, as illustrated in block 144. If so, The controller 20 operates the method for damping control in a braking condition as illustrated in block 146. In the braking condition, compression of the front suspension (diving) is detected as a result of the longitudinal acceleration from the braking input. In braking condition 146, the condition modifiers include the user-selected mode 118 and the vehicle speed 120 to adjust the damping control. In the vehicle conditions of Figs. 810, the user-selected mode modifier 118 determines a particular lookup table that defines the damping characteristics for adjustable dampers on the front right, front left, rear right, and rear left of the vehicle.In braking condition 146, compression damping of the front shock absorbers and / or rebound damping of the rear shock absorbers is provided based on the braking signal. In braking condition 146, controller 20 increases damping based on the vehicle's increased speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the front shock absorbers and / or rebound damping in the rear shock absorbers based on the brake sensor signal. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI damping characteristics at each corner based on the previous captures. If the brakes are not engaged in block 144, controller 20 determines whether the throttle position is greater than a threshold Y, as illustrated in block 148. If not, the controller operates the vehicle in a driving condition, as illustrated in block 150. In this driving condition, the vehicle is typically being operated in a straight line, where vehicle steering and handling functions are not detected. In driving condition 150, the driving modifiers used to control damping include user mode 118, vehicle speed 120, and a driving mode sensor such as a four-wheel drive sensor 124. In driving condition 150, controller 20 increases damping based on vehicle speed.User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on previous inputs. If the throttle position is greater than the Y threshold in block 148, controller 20 determines whether the vehicle speed is greater than the Z threshold value in block 152. If so, controller 20 operates the vehicle in the driving condition in block 150 as explained. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI above. If the vehicle speed is less than the threshold value Z in block 152, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Settle Condition as illustrated in block 154. In the Settle Condition 154, the condition modifiers for controlling damping include the user-selected mode 118, the vehicle speed 120, and the acceleration percentage 122. During a Settle Condition 154, the compression damping of the rear shock absorbers and / or rebound damping of the front shock absorbers increases based on the acceleration sensor signal and the vehicle speed. The compression of the rear suspension (settle) is a result of the acceleration input length. In Settle Condition 154, controller 20 increases damping based on the vehicle's increasing speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the rear shocks and / or rebound damping in the front shocks based on the acceleration sensor signal and vehicle speed. Modifiers in user mode 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the above inputs. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI Another embodiment of the present description includes different sensor input options as illustrated in Fig. 9. In the embodiment of Fig. 9, an acceleration sensor 138, vehicle speed sensor 140, and braking sensor 142 are used as inputs as explained in Fig. 8. In addition, a steering angle sensor 156 and a steering position sensor 158 also provide inputs to the controller 20. Controller 20 determines whether the absolute value of the steering position is greater than a threshold X or whether the absolute value of the steering speed is greater than a threshold B, as illustrated in block 160. If neither is the case, controller 20 determines whether the brakes are active, as illustrated in block 162. If they are not active, controller 20 determines whether the throttle position is greater than a threshold Y, as illustrated in block 164. If the throttle position is greater than a threshold Y in block 164, controller 20 operates the vehicle in the driving condition as illustrated in block 150 and explained above. In driving condition 150, controller 20 increases damping based on vehicle speed. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the preceding inputs. If the throttle position is greater than the Y threshold in block 164, controller 20 determines whether the speed If the vehicle's COR L Ln / įZРZ / B / YILI is greater than a threshold Z as illustrated in block 166, controller 20 operates the vehicle in Driving Condition as illustrated in block 150. If the vehicle speed is less than the threshold Z in block 166, controller 20 operates the vehicle in Settling Condition 154, explained above with reference to Fig. 8. In Settling Condition 154, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the rear dampers and / or rebound damping in the front dampers based on the acceleration sensor signal and vehicle speed. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the above inputs. If the brakes are activated in block 162, controller 20 operates the vehicle in braking condition 146 as explained above with reference to Fig. 8. In braking condition 146, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the front and / or rebound damping in the rear shock absorbers based on the brake sensor signal. User mode modifiers 118 select COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI the search table and / or the algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the previous inputs. If the absolute value of the steering position is greater than threshold X or the absolute value of the steering speed is greater than threshold B in block 160, controller 20 determines whether the brakes are engaged, as illustrated in block 168. If so, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a braking condition, as illustrated in block 170. In braking condition 170, the mode modifiers for controlling damping include user input 118, vehicle speed 120, and steering speed 128. Under braking condition 170, controller 20 increases damping based on the vehicle's increasing speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping at the outer front corner damper based on inputs from the steering sensor, brake sensor, and vehicle speed sensor. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the aforementioned inputs. If the brakes are not engaged in block 168, controller 20 determines whether the throttle position is greater than a threshold Y, as illustrated in block 172. If not, vehicle controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Roll / Turn Condition, as illustrated in block 174. In the Roll / Turn Condition in block 174, the condition modifiers for controlling damping include user mode 118, steering position 126, and steering speed 128. In a Roll / Turn Condition, vehicle body roll occurs as a result of lateral acceleration due to steering and turn inputs. In Rolling / Turning Condition 174, controller 20 increases damping based on the vehicle's increasing speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the outer corner dampers and / or rebound damping in the inner corner dampers when a turning event is detected via the steering sensor. For a left turn, the outer dampers are the front right and rear right dampers, and the inner dampers are the front left and left right dampers. For a right turn, the outer dampers are the front left and rear left dampers, and the inner dampers are the front right and rear right dampers.User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that define the damping characteristics at each corner based on previous inputs. If the throttle position is greater than the Y threshold in block 172, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Settle Condition as illustrated in block 176. In the Swing Condition 176, controller 20 uses the mode modifiers for user mode 118, vehicle speed 120, steering percentage 122, steering position 126, and steering speed 128 to control the damping characteristics. Again, damping increases based on increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, compression damping increases at the outer rear corners based on the steering sensor, throttle sensor, and vehicle speed. In Oscillation Condition 176, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping at the outer rear corner damper based on inputs from the steering sensor, acceleration sensor, and vehicle speed. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the previous cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi inputs. Fig. 10 illustrates yet another modality of a damping control method of the present description including different sensor input options compared to the modalities of Figs. 8 and 9. In the modality of Fig. 10, the acceleration sensor 138, vehicle speed sensor 140, braking sensor 142, steering position sensor 158, steering speed sensor 156, also uses the z-axis acceleration sensor 180 and an x-axis acceleration sensor 182 as inputs for the controller 20. Controller 20 first determines whether the z-axis sensor acceleration 180 is less than a threshold C for a time greater than a threshold N, as illustrated in block 184. If so, controller 20 determines that the vehicle is bouncing and controls the vehicle in a bounce / tilt condition, as illustrated in block 186, where the suspension sags and the tires seek contact with the ground surface. In the bounce / tilt condition 186, controller 20 uses condition modifiers for user input 118, vehicle speed 120, and z-axis acceleration sensor 134 to control the damping characteristics. In the Jump / Tilt Condition 186, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the shock absorbers at all four corners when an air suspension event is detected (the duration of the air suspension event) via the vertical acceleration detected by the z-axis acceleration sensor 134. Controller 20 maintains the increased damping for a predetermined time after the jump event.If a positive vertical acceleration is detected by the z-axis acceleration sensor 134 that has a magnitude greater than a threshold value and lasts longer than a threshold duration (such as when ground contact is made after an air suspension event), and as the acceleration increases, the required threshold duration decreases, rebound damping may increase in the rear and / or front shock absorbers for a certain amount of time. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the previous inputs. If no air suspension effect is detected in block 184, controller 20 determines whether an absolute value of the steering position is greater than a threshold X or an absolute value of the steering velocity is greater than a threshold B in block 188. If not, controller 20 determines whether the brakes are engaged and the x-axis acceleration is greater than the value of threshold A in block 190. If so, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a braking condition as illustrated in block 192. In braking condition 192, the condition modifiers for user input 118, vehicle speed 120, x-axis accelerometer 130, and y-axis accelerometer 132 are used as inputs for damping control. In braking condition 192, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping at an outer front corner damper based on inputs from steering sensor 158, brake sensor 142, vehicle speed sensor 140, and / or acceleration sensor 180. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the above inputs. If the determination in block 190 is negative, controller 20 determines whether the throttle position is greater than a threshold Y, as illustrated in block 194. If not, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a driving condition, as illustrated in block 196. In driving condition Z96, controller 20 uses the condition modifiers for user-selected mode 118. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI vehicle speed 120, a driving mode sensor such as a four-wheel drive sensor 124, and the z-axis accelerometer 134 to control the damping characteristics. In driving condition 196, the controller 20 increases the damping based on the vehicle speed. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that define the damping characteristics at each corner based on the above inputs. If the throttle position is greater than the Y threshold in block 194, controller 20 determines whether the vehicle speed is greater than a Z threshold, as illustrated in block 198. If so, controller 20 operates the vehicle and driving condition 196 as explained above. If not, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Settling Condition, as illustrated in block 200. In the Settling Condition 200, controller 20 uses the condition modifiers for user mode 118, vehicle speed 120, acceleration percentage 122, and y-axis accelerometer 132 to control damping. In the Settling Condition 200, controller 20 increases damping based on vehicle speed.Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the rear shock absorbers and / or rebound damping in the front shock absorbers based on inputs from acceleration sensor 138, vehicle speed sensor 140, and / or acceleration sensor 180. Further adjustments are made based on time duration and longitudinal acceleration. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that defines the damping characteristics at each corner based on the aforementioned inputs. If the absolute value of the steering position is greater than threshold X or the absolute value of the steering speed is greater than threshold B in block 188, then controller 20 determines whether the brakes are engaged and whether the x-axis acceleration is greater than threshold A, as illustrated in block 202. If so, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a braking condition, as illustrated in block 204. In braking condition 204, controller 20 uses condition modifiers for user mode 118, vehicle speed 120, steering position 126, x-axis acceleration 130, and y-axis acceleration 130 to adjust the damping control characteristics of the electrically adjustable dampers. In braking condition 204, controller 20 increases damping based on the increasing vehicle speed.Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping in the outer front corner damper based on inputs from steering sensor 158. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI braking 142, vehicle speed sensor 140, and / or acceleration sensor 180. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that define the damping characteristics at each corner based on the above inputs. If a negative determination is made in block 202, controller 20 determines whether the throttle position is greater than a Y-threshold, as illustrated in block 206. If not, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Roll / Turn Condition, as illustrated in block 208. In Roll / Turn Condition 208, controller 20 uses condition modifiers for user mode 118, steering position 126, steering speed 128, y-axis acceleration 132, and yaw rate 136 to control the damping characteristics of the adjustable dampers. In Roll / Turn Condition 208, controller 20 increases damping based on the vehicle's increasing speed.In addition, controller 20 increases compression damping in the outside corner dampers and / or rebound damping in the inside corner dampers when a turning event is detected via steering sensor 156 and accelerometer 182. User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that define the damping characteristics. COR L Ln / Lznz / Ε / ΥΙΛΙ in each corner based on the previous entries. If the throttle position is greater than the Y threshold in block 206, controller 20 operates the vehicle in a Settle Condition as illustrated in block 210. In Settle Condition 210, controller 20 uses condition modifiers for user mode 118, vehicle speed 120, acceleration percentage 122, steering position 126, steering speed 128, and y-axis acceleration 132 to control the damping characteristics of the adjustable dampers. In Settle Condition 210, controller 20 increases damping based on vehicle speed. Additionally, controller 20 increases compression damping at the outer rear corner damper based on inputs from acceleration sensor 138, vehicle speed sensor 140, and / or acceleration sensors 180 or 182.User mode modifiers 118 select the lookup table and / or algorithm that define the damping characteristics at each corner based on previous inputs. Another embodiment of the present description is illustrated in Figs. 11-13. As part of the damping control system, a stabilizer bar linkage 220 is selectively locked or unlocked. The linkage 220 includes a movable piston 222 located within a cylinder. COR L Ln / ίΖΠΖ / Β / ΥΙΛΙ 224. One end 226 of piston 222 is illustratively coupled to a vehicle stabilizer bar. One end 228 of cylinder 224 is illustratively coupled to a suspension arm or vehicle component. It is understood that this connection could be reversed. A locking mechanism 230 includes a movable solenoid 232 that is biased by means of a spring 234 in the direction of arrow 236. The controller 20 selectively energizes the solenoid 232 to retract it in the direction of arrow 238 from an extended position shown in Figs. 11 and 12 to a retracted position shown in Fig. 13. In the retracted position, the end of the solenoid 233 disconnects a window 240 from the movable piston 232 to allow free movement between the piston 222 and the cylinder 224. If the solenoid 232 is in the extended position shown in Figs. 11 and 12, connecting the window 240, the piston 222 is locked relative to the cylinder 224. When coupling 220 is unlocked, the telescoping movement of piston 222 and cylinder 224 eliminates the stabilizer bar function while solenoid 232 is disconnected, as shown in Fig. 13. When controller 20 removes the signal from solenoid 232, solenoid piston 232 moves within window 240 to lock piston 222 relative to cylinder 220. Solenoid 232 also enters the locked position if power is lost. COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI due to spring 234. In other words, solenoid 232 fails in the locked position. The vehicle does not need to be at a level in order for solenoid 232 to lock piston 222. The unlocked stabilizer bar 220 provides articulation benefits to the suspension system during low-speed operation; therefore, the stabilizer bar 220 is unlocked under certain low-speed conditions. At higher speeds, the stabilizer bar 220 is locked. The driver can also use the electronic throttle control (ETC) to limit the vehicle speed to a predetermined maximum speed when the stabilizer bar 220 is unlocked. Although the embodiments described herein have been presented as having illustrative designs, the present invention may be modified within the spirit and scope of this description. This application therefore seeks to cover any variation, use, or adaptation of the description using its general principles. Furthermore, this application seeks to cover such deviations from the present description as fall within the known or normal practice of the art to which this invention belongs. It is hereby stated that, with regard to this date, the best method known to the applicant to put the aforementioned invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling damping for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the method for controlling damping characterized in that it comprises: receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a braking sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor;determining with the controller whether the vehicle brakes are actuated based on an input from the brake sensor; determining with the controller an acceleration position based on an input from the acceleration sensor; determining with the controller a vehicle speed based on an input from the vehicle speed sensor; controlling the damping in accordance with a braking condition when the brakes are actuated, wherein in the braking condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed;operating the damping control in accordance with a first driving condition when the brakes are not applied and the acceleration position is less than a threshold Y, wherein in the first driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed; and operating the damping control in accordance with a second driving condition when the brakes are not applied, the acceleration position is greater than the threshold Y, and the vehicle speed is greater than a threshold Z value, wherein in the second driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that under braking conditions the controller increases compression damping in the front right and front left shock absorbers.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that in the braking condition the controller also increases rebound damping in at least one rear shock absorber.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: receiving with the controller additional sensor inputs of the vehicle condition including a steering position sensor; determining with the controller a steering position based on an input from the steering position sensor; and operating the damping control in a rolling / steering condition when the steering position is greater than a threshold X, in the rolling / steering condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi mode, vehicle speed, and steering position.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises: receiving with the controller a steering speed based on an input from one of a steering speed sensor and the steering position sensor; determining with the controller a steering speed based on an input from one of the steering speed sensor and the steering position sensor; and operating the damping control in a rolling / steering condition when either the steering position is greater than a threshold X or the steering speed is greater than a threshold B, in the rolling / steering condition the controller adjusts damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and at least one of the vehicle speed and the steering speed.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that in the rolling / turning condition the controller increases compression damping in the outer dampers when a turning event is detected via the steering speed sensor COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI and the steering position sensor, the outer dampers being defined as the opposite side of a turning direction.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that in the rolling / steering condition the controller increases compression damping in the outer dampers when a steering event is detected via the steering sensor, the outer being defined as the opposite side of a steering direction.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that in the rolling / turning condition the controller increases rebound damping in inner dampers when a turning event is detected via the steering sensor, the inner being defined as the same side of a turning direction.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of springs and the plurality of shock absorbers are coupled between the vehicle frame and the members in contact with the ground through a suspension link.

10. A method for controlling damping for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the method for controlling damping characterized in that it comprises: receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receiving with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a steering sensor, a vehicle speed sensor; and a braking sensor;determine with the controller whether the vehicle brakes are actuated based on a brake sensor input; determine with the controller a steering sensor position based on a steering sensor input; determine with the controller a vehicle speed based on a vehicle speed sensor input; operate the damping control in a braking condition when the brakes are actuated, wherein in the braking condition the controller adjusts damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on modifiers of the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI condition including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed;operate damping control in a modified braking condition when the brakes are applied and either the steering position is greater than a threshold X or the steering speed is greater than a threshold B, in the modified braking condition, the controller adjusts damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode, vehicle speed, and at least one of the steering position and steering speed;and operate the damping control in a rolling / steering condition when either the steering position is greater than a threshold X or the steering speed is greater than a threshold B, and the brakes are not actuated, in the rolling / steering condition the controller adjusts damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and at least one of the steering position and steering speed.; 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that in the rolling / steering condition the controller increases compression damping in the outer dampers when a steering event is detected via the steering sensor, the outer being defined as the opposite side of a steering direction.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that in the rolling / steering condition the controller increases rebound damping in inner dampers when a steering event is detected via the steering sensor, the inner being defined as the same side of a steering direction.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it further includes operating the damping control in a rolling / steering condition when a lateral acceleration sensor provides a signal greater than a threshold and the brakes are not actuated.

14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it further includes operating the damping control in accordance with a first driving condition when the brakes are not applied and an acceleration position, determined via an acceleration sensor, is less than a threshold Y, wherein in the first driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed;and operate the damping control in accordance with a second driving condition when the brakes are not actuated, the acceleration position is greater than the Y threshold, and the vehicle speed is greater than a Z threshold value, wherein in the second driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the damping characteristics of at least one damper in the first driving condition have reduced damping relative to the characteristics of the second driving condition.

16. A method for damping control for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the damping control method characterized in that it comprises: receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation;to receive with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including, an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a steering sensor; to determine with the controller an acceleration position based on an input from the acceleration sensor; to determine with the controller a vehicle speed based on an input from the vehicle speed sensor; to determine with the controller a steering sensor position based on an input from the steering sensor;operate damping control in a rolling / turning condition when either the steering position is greater than a threshold X or a steering speed is greater than a threshold B, in the rolling / turning condition the controller adjusts damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and at least one of the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI steering position and steering speed; operate damping control in accordance with a first driving condition when the brakes are not actuated and an acceleration position is less than a threshold Y, wherein in the first driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed;and operate the damping control in accordance with a second driving condition when the brakes are not applied, the acceleration position is greater than the Y threshold, and the vehicle speed is greater than a Z threshold value, wherein in the second driving condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and vehicle speed.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that it further includes: determining with the controller a lateral acceleration based on an input from a lateral acceleration sensor; and operating the damping control in the rolling / steering condition by adjusting the damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on modifiers of the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI condition further includes the lateral acceleration.

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the first driving mode and second driving mode are two modes that are part of a continuous flow of driving modes in which the damping characteristics of the adjustable dampers are variable based on the vehicle speed.

19. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that in the rolling / steering condition the controller increases compression damping in outer dampers when a steering event is detected via the steering sensor, the outer being defined as the opposite side of a steering direction.

20. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the damping characteristics of at least one damper in the first driving condition have reduced damping relative to the characteristics of the second driving condition.

21. A method for damping control for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of, and a user interface of vehicle condition sensors, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the damping control method characterized in that it comprises: receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receiving with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a z-axis acceleration sensor;determine with the controller when the vehicle is in an air suspension event, the air suspension event being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates a z-acceleration of less than a first threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a second threshold to identify the air suspension event; operate the damping control in accordance with an air suspension condition when the air suspension event is determined, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the air suspension condition, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller increases compression damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers as a function of a detected duration of the air suspension event.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that in the air suspension condition the controller increases the compression damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and the at least one rear shock absorber.

23. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the controller maintains the damping increase of the air suspension condition for a predetermined duration after the conclusion of the air suspension event that gives rise to the air suspension condition.

24. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that it further comprises: detecting a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determining with the controller when the vehicle cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates z-acceleration greater than a third threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a fourth threshold; operating the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when the landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the landing condition the controller increases a rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the fourth threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined magnitude of positive z-axis acceleration.

26. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is coupled to the vehicle frame.

27. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that it further includes: determining with the controller when the vehicle is not in the air suspension event; and determining when the vehicle experiences at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that it further includes operating in a braking condition by: determining that the vehicle is not experiencing at least one of: 1) the absolute value of the steering position is greater than the fifth threshold; and 2) the absolute value of the steering velocity is greater than the sixth threshold; and determining when brakes are applied and an x-axis acceleration is greater than a seventh threshold.

29. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling suspension operation; the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected mode of damping operation for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receive a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a z-axis acceleration sensor;determine when the vehicle is in an air suspension event, the air suspension event being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates a z-axis acceleration of less than a first threshold that is sustained for a time longer than a second threshold; operate the suspension in accordance with an air suspension condition when the air suspension event is determined, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and z-axis acceleration;and COR L Ln / įZРZ / B / YILI operate the damping control in accordance with the air suspension condition, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller increases a compression damping of the plurality of dampers as a function of a detected duration of the air suspension event.; 30. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that in the air suspension condition the controller increases the compression damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber.

31. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to maintain the damping increase of the air suspension condition for a predetermined duration after a conclusion of the air suspension event that gives rise to the air suspension condition.

32. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to: detect a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determine when the vehicle is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates z-acceleration greater than a third threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a fourth threshold; operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when a landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the landing condition the controller increases rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 33. The vehicle according to claim 32, characterized in that the fourth threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined positive z-axis acceleration magnitude.

34. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is coupled to the frame.

35. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller: COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI to determine with the controller when the vehicle is not in the air suspension event; and to determine when the vehicle experiences at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold.

36. The vehicle according to claim 29, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to operate in a braking condition by: determining that the vehicle is not experiencing at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold; and determining when brakes are activated and an x-axis acceleration is greater than a seventh threshold.

37. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling suspension operation; the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping mode of operation for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receive a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors, including a z-axis acceleration sensor;detect a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determine when the vehicle is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates a z-axis acceleration greater than a first threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a second threshold; operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when the landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI based on the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration; and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the landing condition the controller increases rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.

38. The vehicle according to claim 37, characterized in that the second threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined positive z-axis acceleration magnitude.

39. The vehicle according to claim 37, characterized in that in the landing condition the controller increases the rebound damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and the at least one rear shock absorber.

40. The vehicle according to claim 37, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is mounted on the vehicle frame.

41. A method for controlling damping for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the method for controlling damping characterized in that it comprises: receiving, by the controller, a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors, wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises a multi-axis acceleration sensor;determine, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in an air suspension event based on comparing a first acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a first threshold, wherein the first acceleration value corresponds to a first axis; in response to determining that the vehicle is in the air suspension event, provide, by the controller and for the plurality of adjustable dampers, one or more first commands to result in adjusting one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable dampers;In response to determining that the vehicle is not in the air suspension event, determine, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in a braking event or a turning event based on comparing a second acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a second threshold, wherein the second acceleration value COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI corresponds to a second axis different from the first axis; in response to determining that the vehicle is in the braking event, provide, by the controller and for the plurality of adjustable dampers, one or more second commands to result in adjusting one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable dampers;and in response to determining that the vehicle is in the event of turns, provide, by the controller and for the plurality of adjustable dampers, one or more third commands to result in adjusting one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 42. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that it further comprises: subsequent to the determination that the vehicle is in the air suspension event, determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in contact with the ground based on comparing a third acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a third threshold, wherein the third acceleration value corresponds to the first axis; and in response to determining that the vehicle is in contact with the ground, providing, by the controller and for the plurality of adjustable dampers, one or more fourth COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI commands to result in adjusting one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable dampers.

43. The method according to claim 42, characterized in that the determination of whether the vehicle is in contact with the ground is based on determining that the third acceleration value has a magnitude greater than the third threshold and is sustained for a period of time greater than a time threshold.

44. The method according to claim 42, characterized in that it further comprises: generating the one or more fourth commands, wherein the one or more fourth commands comprise at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the front right shock absorber or the front left shock absorber for a duration of time.

45. The method according to claim 42, characterized in that it further comprises: generating the one or more fourth commands, wherein the one or more fourth commands comprise at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the at least one rear damper for a duration of time.

46. ​​The method according to claim 42, characterized in that it further comprises: receiving, from the user interface, a user input indicating a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers; and generating one or more fourth commands based on the user-selected mode.

47. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that it further comprises: determining, based on a direction in which the vehicle is turning, at least one inner adjustable damper of the plurality of adjustable dampers; and generating one or more third commands, wherein the one or more third commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the at least one inner adjustable damper.

48. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that the plurality of vehicle condition sensors further comprises a vehicle speed sensor, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the vehicle speed sensor, information indicating a vehicle speed, and wherein the at least one command to result in the increase of characteristic rebound damping is based on the vehicle speed.

49. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that it further comprises: determining, based on a direction in which the vehicle is turning, at least one external adjustable damper of the plurality of adjustable dampers; and generating one or more third commands, wherein the one or more third commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic compression damping for the at least one external adjustable damper.

50. The method according to claim 49, characterized in that the plurality of vehicle condition sensors further comprises a vehicle speed sensor, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the vehicle speed sensor, information indicating a vehicle speed, and wherein the at least one command to result in the characteristic compression damping increase is based on the vehicle speed.

51. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that it further comprises: generating the one or more second commands, wherein the one or more second commands comprise at least one COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI command to result in an increase in characteristic compression damping for the front right damper or the front left damper.

52. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that it further comprises: generating the one or more second commands, wherein the one or more second commands comprise at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the at least one rear damper.

53. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable shock absorbers including a front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises an acceleration sensor and a steering sensor; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling suspension operation, the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive, from the acceleration sensor, acceleration information indicating a first acceleration value; receive, from the steering sensor, steering information;Determine if the vehicle is in an air suspension event based on the first acceleration value that is less than an acceleration value threshold for a time period greater than a time threshold; determine if the vehicle is in a turning event based on steering information; generate, based on whether the vehicle is in the air suspension event or the turning event, one or more commands to result in an adjustment of one or more damping characteristics for at least one of the plurality of adjustable dampers; and provide, to at least one of the plurality of adjustable dampers, the one or more commands.

54. The vehicle according to claim 53, characterized in that the steering information indicates a steering position of a steering wheel, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in the event of turning based on comparing the steering position with a steering position threshold.

55. The vehicle according to claim 53, characterized in that the steering information indicates a steering speed of a steering wheel, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in the event of turning based on comparing the steering speed with a steering speed threshold.

56. The vehicle according to claim 53, characterized in that the controller is configured to: receive, from the acceleration sensor, second acceleration information indicating a second acceleration value, wherein the first acceleration value corresponds to a first acceleration axis and the second acceleration value corresponds to a second acceleration axis different from the first axis, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in the turning event based on comparing the second acceleration value with a second acceleration value threshold.

57. The vehicle according to claim 56, characterized in that the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises an acceleration position sensor configured to provide cn« l Ln / Lznz / E / YiAi information indicating an acceleration position to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in the event of turning based on the acceleration position being less than an acceleration position threshold.

58. The vehicle according to claim 53, characterized in that the controller is configured to: determine, based on steering information, a direction in which the vehicle is turning; and determine, based on the direction in which the vehicle is turning, at least one adjustable inner damper of the plurality of adjustable dampers, and wherein the controller is configured to generate one or more commands by generating at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the at least one adjustable inner damper.

59. The vehicle according to claim 53, characterized in that the controller is configured to: determine, based on steering information, a direction in which the vehicle is turning; and determine, based on the direction in which the vehicle is turning, at least one external adjustable damper of the plurality of adjustable dampers, and wherein the controller is configured to generate one or more commands by generating at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic compression damping for the at least one external adjustable damper.

60. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable shock absorbers including a front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises an acceleration sensor and a braking sensor; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling the operation of the suspension, the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive, from the acceleration sensor, acceleration information indicating a first acceleration value; receive, from the braking sensor, braking information indicating actuation of a brake pedal;Determine if the vehicle is in an air suspension event based on the first acceleration value that is less than an acceleration value threshold for a period of time greater than a time threshold; determine if the vehicle is in a braking event based on braking information indicating brake pedal actuation; generate, based on whether the vehicle is in the air suspension event or the braking event, one or more commands to result in an adjustment of one or more damping characteristics for at least one of the plurality of adjustable dampers; and provide, to at least one of the plurality of adjustable dampers, the one or more commands.

61. The vehicle according to claim 60, characterized in that the controller is configured to: receive, from the acceleration sensor, second acceleration information indicating a second acceleration value, wherein the first acceleration value corresponds to a first acceleration axis and the second acceleration value corresponds to a second acceleration axis different from the first axis, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in the braking event based on comparing the second acceleration value with a second acceleration value threshold.

62. The vehicle according to claim 60, characterized in that the controller is configured to generate one or more commands by generating at least one command to result in an increase in characteristic compression damping for the front right shock absorber or the front left shock absorber.

63. The vehicle according to claim 60, characterized in that the controller is configured to generate one or more commands by generating at least one command to result in an increase in a characteristic rebound damping for the at least one rear shock absorber.

64. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI shock absorbers including a front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling suspension operation; the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping mode of operation for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers during vehicle operation; receive a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors, including a z-axis acceleration sensor;determine when the vehicle is in an air suspension event, the air suspension event is determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates a z-axis acceleration of less than a first threshold that is sustained for a time longer than a second threshold; operate the suspension in accordance with an air suspension condition when the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI air suspension event is determined, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the air suspension condition, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller increases a compression damping of the plurality of dampers as a function of a detected duration of the air suspension event.; 65. The vehicle according to claim 64, characterized in that in the air suspension condition the controller increases the compression damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber.

66. The vehicle according to claim 64 or 65, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to maintain the damping increase of the air suspension condition for a predetermined duration after a conclusion of the air suspension event that gives rise to the air suspension condition.

67. The vehicle according to any of claims 64 to 66, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to: detect a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determine when the vehicle is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates z-acceleration greater than a third threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a fourth threshold; operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when a landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the landing condition the controller increases rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 68. The vehicle according to claim 67, characterized in that the fourth threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined magnitude of positive z-axis acceleration.

69. The vehicle according to any of claims 64 to 68, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is coupled to the vehicle frame.

70. The vehicle according to any of claims 64 to 69, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to: determine with the controller when the vehicle is not in the air-suspension event; and determine when the vehicle experiences at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold.

71. The vehicle according to any of claims 64 to 69, characterized in that the instructions further cause the controller to operate in a braking condition by: determining that the vehicle is not experiencing at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold; and determining when brakes are activated a COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI x-axis acceleration is greater than a seventh threshold.

72. A vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a frame; a suspension located between a plurality of members in contact with the ground and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper; a plurality of vehicle condition sensors; a user interface; an operable controller for controlling suspension operation; the controller including instructions therein which, when interpreted by the controller, cause the controller to: receive a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping mode of operation for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receive a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a z-axis acceleration sensor;detect a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determine when the vehicle is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates a z-axis acceleration greater than a first threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a second threshold; operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when the landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the landing condition the controller increases rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 73. The vehicle according to claim 72, characterized in that the second threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined positive z-axis acceleration magnitude.

74. The vehicle according to claim 72 or 73, characterized in that, in the landing condition, the controller increases the rebound damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber.

75. The vehicle according to any of claims 72 to 74, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is mounted on the vehicle frame.

76. A method for damping control for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground-contacting members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable dampers including a front right damper, a front left damper, and at least one rear damper, the damping control method characterized in that it comprises: receiving with the controller a user input from the user interface to provide a user-selected damping operating mode for the plurality of adjustable dampers during vehicle operation; receiving with the controller a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors including a z-axis acceleration sensor;determine with the controller when the vehicle is in an air suspension event, the air suspension event being determined when the input of the COR L Ln / įZРZ / B / YILI z-axis acceleration sensor indicates a z-acceleration of less than a first threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a second threshold to identify the air suspension event; operate the damping control in accordance with an air suspension condition when the air suspension event is determined, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the air suspension condition, wherein in the air suspension condition the controller increases compression damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers as a function of a detected duration of the air suspension event.

77. The method according to claim 76, characterized in that in the air suspension condition the controller increases the compression damping in the front right shock absorber, the front left shock absorber, and the at least one rear shock absorber.

78. The method according to claim 76 or 77, characterized in that the controller maintains the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI damping increase of the air suspension condition for a predetermined duration after a conclusion of the air suspension event that gives rise to the air suspension condition.

79. The method according to any of claims 76 to 78, characterized in that it further comprises: detecting a positive vertical acceleration via the z-axis acceleration sensor input; determining with the controller when the vehicle is in a landing condition, the landing condition being determined when the z-axis acceleration sensor input indicates z-acceleration greater than a third threshold that is sustained for a time greater than a fourth threshold; operating the damping control in accordance with the landing condition when the landing condition is determined, wherein in the landing condition the controller defines damping characteristics of the plurality of adjustable dampers based on condition modifiers including the user-selected mode and the z-axis acceleration;and operate the damping control in accordance with the landing condition, wherein in the COR L Ln / Lznz / E / YILI landing condition the controller increases a rebound damping for the plurality of adjustable dampers.; 80. The method according to claim 79, characterized in that the fourth threshold is a dynamic threshold that is inversely correlated with a determined magnitude of positive z-axis acceleration.

81. The method according to any of claims 76 to 80, characterized in that the z-axis acceleration sensor is coupled to the vehicle frame.

82. The method according to any of claims 76 to 81, characterized in that it further includes: determining with the controller when the vehicle is not in the air suspension event; and determining when the vehicle experiences at least one of: 1) an absolute value of a steering position of a vehicle steering control is greater than a fifth threshold; and 2) an absolute value of a steering speed of the vehicle steering control is greater than a sixth threshold.

83. The method according to claim 82, characterized in that it further includes operating in a braking condition by: determining that the vehicle is not experiencing at least one of: 1) the absolute value of the steering position is greater than the fifth threshold; and 2) the absolute value of the steering velocity is greater than the sixth threshold; and 5 determining when brakes are activated and an x-axis acceleration is greater than a seventh threshold.

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