Predictive Suspension Control for Road-Condition Response Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated suspension control systems for vehicles struggle to promptly respond to changing road conditions, leading to delays in adjusting suspension settings, which can result in discomfort for the driver.

Innovation Solution

A control system that uses predictive route data and road type information to anticipate upcoming road conditions, allowing it to adjust the suspension configuration before reaching a new road section, thereby minimizing delays and improving responsiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If automated suspension control systems continuously monitor and react to sensor signals in real-time, then the system can adapt to changing road conditions, but the response is delayed due to verification time and adjustment time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation to road conditionsVSAvoidresponse delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control system uses predictive algorithms and route information to anticipate upcoming road conditions before the vehicle reaches them. This allows the suspension settings to be pre-adjusted in advance, eliminating the verification delay that occurs in traditional reactive systems. The system performs the adjustment action before the condition actually occurs, rather than waiting to detect and verify it first.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the suspension system adjusts settings frequently to match changing conditions, then the adaptability improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuspension configuration adjustmentVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By predicting road conditions in advance using route data and road type information, the system can plan suspension adjustments only when and where they are truly needed. This prevents unnecessary frequent adjustments that would waste energy, while still maintaining high adaptability to actual driving conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system optimizes the timing and magnitude of parameter changes in suspension settings based on predicted conditions. Rather than continuously adjusting, it makes targeted parameter changes only when the predicted road conditions warrant them, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the system waits to verify changing conditions before adjusting, then false adjustments are reduced, but driver comfort deteriorates due to delayed response

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment accuracyVSAvoiddriver discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses predictive algorithms that analyze route information and road type data to anticipate upcoming conditions with high confidence. This allows the system to make reliable adjustments in advance without needing to wait for real-time sensor verification, thus maintaining both adjustment accuracy and driver comfort by eliminating the verification delay.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4200146B1Vehicle suspension control system
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 JAGUAR LAND ROVER LTD
  • EP4200146B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4200146B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

A control system (400) is provided for an adjustable suspension of a vehicle (100). The adjustable suspension is operable in at least two different configurations. The control system is configured to receive route data (110) indicative of an expected route of the vehicle, receive map data (120) comprising road type information for a road section of the expected route, and output a switch signal to instruct the adjustable suspension (104) to switch between the two different configurations in dependence on the expected route and the road type information, before the vehicle (100) reaches the road section.