Road Surface Curvature Pattern Detection for Suspension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic control suspension systems (ECS) inadequately dampen vibrations from road surfaces, particularly at speed bumps and uneven roads, due to insufficient real-time road condition recognition by drivers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that employs a road surface measurement sensor to generate signals, which are digitalized and used to calculate curvature patterns, compared with pre-stored patterns to identify road conditions, providing accurate numerical values and visual feedback to drivers through a display unit, integrated with GPS for location mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic control suspension system performs suspension and damping control at the point of time when the vehicle passes the speed bump, then the vibration from the road surface is minimized, but the damping for the vibration according to the road surface condition is insufficiently done
Solution Approach 1:
The road surface measurement sensor detects road conditions (speed bumps, dented roads, unpaved roads) in advance before the vehicle reaches them. The controller processes the measurement signal to calculate curvature patterns and compares them with pre-stored patterns to identify road conditions ahead of time, enabling the suspension system to prepare for upcoming vibrations rather than reacting only when the vehicle passes over the obstacle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors road surface conditions through the measurement sensor and provides real-time feedback to the controller. The controller calculates curvature patterns from the measurement signal and compares them with pre-stored patterns to determine current road conditions, then adjusts suspension control accordingly. This closed-loop feedback enables dynamic adaptation to changing road conditions.
2Ease of operation
If drivers may not frequently recognize road conditions (speed bump, Belgian road, unpaved road, and the like), then the vehicle can travel without constant driver intervention, but the vibration damping of the vehicle is not easy
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the vehicle to automatically detect and respond to road conditions without requiring constant driver attention or manual intervention. The road surface measurement sensor continuously monitors the road ahead, the controller processes the data to identify conditions such as speed bumps and unpaved roads, and the suspension system automatically adjusts damping forces accordingly, making the vehicle self-adaptive to road conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual driver recognition and judgment of road conditions with an automated electronic detection system. The road surface measurement sensor optically or electronically detects road features, and the controller uses pattern recognition algorithms to identify conditions, substituting the mechanical/cognitive process of driver observation with an automated sensing and processing system.
3Measurement precision
If a road surface measurement sensor is attached to the front of a vehicle to detect road conditions, then accurate road surface information is obtained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential curvature information from the road surface measurement signal for pattern recognition. The controller calculates curvature patterns by processing the measurement signal to extract key geometric features, then compares these extracted patterns with pre-stored patterns to identify road conditions. This extraction approach focuses on critical information while filtering out unnecessary data, maintaining accuracy while managing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying road surface conditions includes a road surface measurement sensor attached to a vehicle and configured to generate a measurement signal for a road surface condition, and a controller. The controller is configured to digitalize the measurement signal received from the road surface measurement sensor, calculate a curvature pattern for the road surface condition based on the digitalized measurement signal, and compare the calculated curvature pattern with a pre-stored curvature pattern to identify the road surface condition.