Active Suspension Obstacle Crossing Using Ride Height And Damping Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle suspension systems, including active suspension systems, struggle to adapt to diverse road surfaces and obstacles, often requiring detours or stops when encountering obstacles, compromising driving safety and comfort.

Innovation Solution

An obstacle avoidance method for vehicles that includes obtaining road surface information, determining the vehicle's capability to pass over obstacles, and controlling the active suspension system to adjust the vehicle's height and damping force, allowing it to navigate over obstacles by controlling the rotation direction and speed of the motor connected to the shock absorber.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle uses a conventional suspension system, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but the vehicle cannot adapt to diverse road surfaces and obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to road surfacesVSAvoidsuspension system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suspension system transitions from a static, fixed-parameter design to a dynamic, adjustable system. The active suspension controller continuously monitors road conditions and obstacle information, then dynamically adjusts suspension parameters (damping force, spring stiffness, ride height) in real-time to optimize performance for each specific road condition, enabling the system to adapt to diverse surfaces while maintaining manageable complexity through controlled adjustability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes physical parameters of the suspension system based on detected road conditions. By varying damping coefficients, spring rates, and ride height parameters according to real-time sensor data about obstacles and road surface characteristics, the suspension achieves high adaptability without requiring a completely different mechanical structure for each condition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the vehicle encounters an obstacle and chooses to detour or stop, then the vehicle safety is maintained, but the driving efficiency and comfort are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving safetyVSAvoiddriving efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of obstacles using sensors and obstacle information acquisition before the vehicle reaches them. By identifying obstacles in advance and pre-adjusting suspension parameters (increasing damping force, raising ride height) in preparation for upcoming obstacles, the system enables the vehicle to maintain safe speeds and continue driving efficiently rather than requiring sudden stops or detours, thus improving both safety and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables vehicles to adapt to diverse road surfaces, improving driving safety and comfort by enabling safe passage over obstacles using an active suspension system that adjusts vehicle height and damping force.

Implementation Method 1

The active suspension system can adjust vehicle body height and damping force based on a road surface condition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Implementation Method 2

The suspension system includes an active suspension system. The active suspension system can adjust vehicle body height and damping force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4691810A1Obstacle avoidance method for vehicle, and active suspension system, suspension control apparatus and vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 BYD CO LTD
  • EP4691810A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4691810A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4691810A1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

Provided are an obstacle avoidance method for a vehicle (100), an active suspension system (16), a suspension control apparatus, and a vehicle (100). The vehicle (100) includes a vehicle body (12), a wheel (14), and an active suspension system (16). The active suspension system (16) connects the vehicle body (12) and the wheel (14). The obstacle avoidance method includes: obtaining road surface information, where the road surface information includes obstacle information; and when it is determined, based on the obstacle information, that the vehicle (100) is capable of passing over an obstacle, controlling the active suspension system (16) to enable the vehicle (100) to pass over the obstacle.