Predictive Vehicle Suspension Calibration System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle active and semi-active suspension systems are reactive, meaning they respond after detecting a disturbance or road condition, which compromises comfort and composure by the time counteraction is possible.
Innovation Solution
A control system that predicts vehicle acceleration at upcoming locations based on route data, allowing for pre-emptive suspension calibration before the vehicle arrives, with verification through comparison of measured and predicted accelerations to ensure optimal calibration application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional reactive suspension systems wait to detect disturbances before responding, then the system structure remains simple, but comfort and composure are compromised because the response occurs too late
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting road conditions ahead of the vehicle using route data and acceleration predictions. The suspension calibration is determined and prepared in advance based on predicted disturbances at future locations, allowing the system to act before the actual disturbance occurs. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating the response time delay while maintaining system simplicity through predictive rather than reactive operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-adjusting the suspension calibration to counteract anticipated road disturbances before they affect the vehicle. By predicting acceleration patterns from route data and determining appropriate suspension settings in advance, the system prepares the suspension to oppose upcoming disturbances, thereby improving comfort and composure without waiting for actual disturbance detection.
2Ease of operation
If the system applies suspension calibration based on predicted acceleration, then comfort is improved, but the risk of applying incorrect calibration increases if route data is inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by comparing measured acceleration data with predicted acceleration values at verification locations. When the vehicle reaches a first location, the actual acceleration is measured and compared against the previously predicted acceleration. This feedback mechanism verifies whether the vehicle is following the expected route and whether the predicted calibration remains appropriate, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling proactive comfort improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calibration determination based on predicted acceleration from route data, but delays actual calibration application until verification confirms accuracy. The suspension calibration is prepared in advance but only applied after the feedback comparison verifies that predicted and measured accelerations match within acceptable tolerances, ensuring reliability before committing to the calibration change.
3Reliability
If the system verifies calibration accuracy by comparing measured and predicted acceleration, then reliability is improved, but additional processing time and complexity are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback comparison of measured versus predicted acceleration values to verify calibration accuracy. This relatively simple feedback mechanism—comparing two acceleration values at verification locations—provides reliable verification without requiring complex additional sensors or processing algorithms, thereby achieving high reliability with minimal added system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial verification at selected locations rather than continuous verification along the entire route. By choosing specific first and second locations for acceleration measurement and comparison, the system achieves sufficient reliability to confirm calibration accuracy without the excessive processing burden of continuous monitoring, balancing reliability requirements with system simplicity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system (100) for determining a suspension calibration of a vehicle (800). The control system (100) has one or more controllers (120) that receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle (800). One or more processors (130)determine, from the route data,a prediction of a first acceleration at a first location (320) ahead of the vehicle (800) and a second acceleration at a second location (330) ahead of the first location(320).The one or more processors (130) determine a suspension calibration of the vehicle (800) in dependence on the second acceleration. The actual acceleration of the vehicle (800) is measured at the first location (320)and compared with the first acceleration. If the measured and first acceleration are within a predetermined tolerance, the processor (120) produces a suspension control signal at output (121) which is received by a suspension controller (140) to apply the suspension calibration prior to the vehicle (800)arriving at the second location(330).