Predictive Pitching Control via Road Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling a vehicle's pitching motion when encountering road unevenness are reactive and require variable damping shock absorbers, leading to functional difficulties and delayed corrections.
Innovation Solution
A method using a front video camera to detect road unevenness ahead and predictively correct pitching motion through controlled accelerations and decelerations, acting on the engine and braking system without altering shock absorbers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reactive control methods are used to correct pitching motion, then the system can respond to road unevenness, but the correction is delayed and requires complex variable damping shock absorbers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of road unevenness using a video camera before the vehicle encounters it. The control unit calculates the anticipated pitching motion and prepares corrective acceleration/deceleration commands in advance, enabling the vehicle to correct pitching motion almost instantaneously when encountering the unevenness, eliminating the delay inherent in reactive systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical variable damping shock absorber system with an electronic control system that uses the existing engine and braking systems. Instead of modifying the mechanical suspension, the control unit sends electrical signals to the engine control unit and braking system control unit to achieve pitching correction, simplifying the mechanical structure while maintaining effectiveness.
2Ease of operation
If variable damping shock absorbers are used to correct pitching, then pitching motion can be controlled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the existing engine and braking systems perform the additional function of pitching correction. The engine control unit and braking system control unit are already present for primary vehicle functions; the control unit repurposes these existing systems to also handle pitching correction, eliminating the need for dedicated variable damping shock absorbers and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the pitching correction function from the suspension system and relocates it to the powertrain and braking systems. By separating the pitching control function from the mechanical shock absorbers, the system eliminates complex variable damping mechanisms while maintaining the ability to control pitching motion through electronic control of existing components.
3Ease of operation
If braking system is used to damp pitching motion, then pitching correction is achieved, but vehicle speed changes unless compensated
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors vehicle speed and coordinates between the engine control unit and braking system control unit. When braking is applied to correct pitching, the system provides feedback to the engine control unit to maintain or adjust drive torque, ensuring that vehicle speed remains stable despite the braking intervention used for pitching correction.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Method for controlling the balance of a moving motor vehicle (A) whose pitching when overcoming an unevenness (B) of the road (R) is corrected by means of an acceleration and/or a deceleration of the vehicle by a value correlated to the level of unevenness (B). The unevenness (B) is detected by monitoring the road (R) ahead of the moving vehicle and the pitching motion is predictively corrected based on such monitoring.