Guideway Active Suspension Control With Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active suspension systems for vehicles face challenges due to bearings being used for both propulsion and support, and not operating within a regulated system, leading to inefficiencies in vibration minimization and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An active control system incorporating displacement and motion sensors with filters, a controller, and an actuator to maintain system position relative to a global spline, reducing power dissipation by rejecting force disturbances and minimizing accelerations felt by passengers, while allowing loose track tolerances through sensor fusion techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If active suspension systems use bearings for both propulsion and support, then the system structure is simplified, but vibration control performance deteriorates and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates propulsion and support functions into distinct components: dedicated propulsion bearings and separate support/motion control actuators. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromise, improving vibration control while maintaining structural simplicity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary active control system with sensors and actuators that mediate between the propulsion system and the vehicle body. This intermediary layer provides precise motion control and vibration rejection without requiring the propulsion bearings to directly handle both functions, resolving the performance-d complexity tradeoff.
2Reliability
If active suspension systems actively control bearing motion, then vibration is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system employs periodic feedback control actions based on sensor measurements of actual bearing motion. By actively monitoring and correcting deviations only when necessary rather than continuous full-power operation, the system achieves effective vibration control while minimizing power consumption through event-driven control cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control loop using motion sensors to monitor bearing position and actuators to correct deviations. This feedback mechanism enables precise vibration control by applying power only when and where needed to counteract disturbances, rather than continuous power application, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining control effectiveness.
3Measurement precision
If the system maintains strict position regulation, then control precision is improved, but power consumption increases due to constant correction
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different control strategies to different frequency components of motion: low-frequency position drift is corrected by the active actuators maintaining position regulation, while high-frequency vibrations are rejected through the control algorithm. This local differentiation of control quality allows precise position control where needed while reducing power consumption by not over-controlling all motion components equally.
Data Source
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AI summary
An active control system for a mass traveling along a guideway and method for active control of a mass traveling along a guideway. The active control system includes at least one displacement sensor and at least one motion sensor. Signals from the at least one displacement sensor and the least one motion sensor are processed to adjust a displacement of a reference location on the mass from a fixed reference.