Vehicle Damper Controller Position-Based Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling vehicle chassis movement require force and damper speed as output variables, leading to discontinuous damping forces and inaccuracies, especially at low damper speeds, which affects driving comfort and safety.

Innovation Solution

A method using state-dependent control algorithms to determine control signals for electronically controllable actuators, eliminating the need for damper speed as a variable and allowing for seamless adjustment between comfort and sportiness, considering current and expected states, driving conditions, and driver activities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If force and damper speed are used as output variables from controller modules, then the control system can provide damping force adjustment, but the damping force becomes discontinuous and inaccurate, especially at low damper speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping force accuracyVSAvoiddamping force continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the control parameter from force-based to position-based control. The damper controller directly controls the extension and compression positions of the dampers, eliminating the need for force calculations and map conversions. This positional control approach ensures continuous and accurate damping force adjustment across all damper speeds, particularly improving performance at low speeds where the previous force-based method failed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If map conversion is used to determine control current from force requirement and damper speed, then the control system can translate control objectives to actuator commands, but discontinuities and errors occur in the conversion process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol signal generationVSAvoidcontrol signal accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic map conversion process from the control system. Instead of using force requirements and damper speed as inputs to a map conversion function, the system directly generates control signals based on desired damper positions. This removes the source of discontinuities and errors while simplifying the control architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the damper is softened when speed passes through zero in the map, then low-speed operation is accommodated, but a constantly oscillating current is set which is counterproductive for control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow-speed operation capabilityVSAvoidcontrol stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by not using speed as a control parameter at all. Instead of adjusting damper characteristics based on speed feedback through map conversion, the system directly controls damper positions. This eliminates the oscillating current issue entirely, as the control system responds to position errors rather than attempting to maintain force levels through speed-dependent adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2205457B1Method and system for influencing the movement of a motor vehicle body, the chain of movements of which can be controlled or adjusted, and associated vehicle
Publication Date: 2017.07.12 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP2205457B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2205457B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2205457B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and a system for generating signals for influencing the movement of the body of a vehicle, the chain of movements of which can be controlled or adjusted. According to the invention, the movement of the vehicle body is determined by sensors in relation to at least three wheels of the motor vehicle and the vertical acceleration of the vehicle body, the sensor signals that correspond to the determined sensor values are fed to a shock absorber controller and said controller delivers at least one control signal to control actuators, in particular semi-active or active shock absorbers which are used to influence the movement of the vehicle body. Said control signal for controlling the actuators is determined by the shock absorber controller from the sensor signals, with the aid of condition-dependent adjustment algorithms, taking into consideration current and/or expected conditions in conjunction with selectable requirements for the movement of the vehicle body and driving safety requirements.