Adjustable Vehicle Suspension for Real-Time Damping Control

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an electronically controlled system. Electric motors automatically adjust the shock absorbers based on sensor inputs and controller commands, eliminating the need for operators to manually access and adjust each shock absorber location. This substitution of mechanical adjustment with automated electronic control resolves the contradiction by maintaining full suspension adaptability while reducing adjustment time to near-zero for real-time terrain and payload changes.

The suspension system performs self-adjustment through integrated sensors that detect terrain conditions and payload changes, with a controller that automatically commands the electric motors to adjust shock absorber settings. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring its own state and making appropriate adjustments without external intervention, thereby maintaining adaptability while eliminating the time loss associated with manual adjustment operations.

The controller serves multiple functions: it processes sensor data from various sources, determines optimal damping settings based on terrain and payload conditions, commands the electric motors to adjust shock absorbers, and integrates with the driveline torque management system. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional controller, the patent achieves high automation extent while minimizing the increase in device complexity that would result from multiple separate control units.

The patent combines the suspension control system with the driveline torque management system under a unified controller architecture. This merging of previously separate systems allows for integrated control of both suspension damping and driveline torque based on common sensor inputs, thereby achieving comprehensive automation while reducing overall system complexity through consolidation rather than proliferation of separate control mechanisms.