Suspension IMU Virtualization for Center-of-Gravity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suspension systems face challenges in accurately controlling vehicle dynamics due to space limitations that prevent the inertial measurement unit (IMU) from being precisely placed at the vehicle's center of gravity, leading to inaccurate measurements.
Innovation Solution
The system generates 'virtual vehicle dynamics data' using a single IMU located at a practical position, adjusting the measured data to emulate the dynamics as if the IMU were at the center of gravity, eliminating the need for multiple IMUs by utilizing a processor and a lookup table to correlate IMU location with measurement offsets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the IMU is placed at the vehicle's center of gravity, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase due to space limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the center of gravity measurement environment by using a processor to generate virtual vehicle dynamics data that emulates what a physical IMU at the center of gravity would measure. This allows the system to achieve center-of-gravity-level measurement precision without physically placing the IMU at that location, thereby avoiding the space limitations and installation complexity that would otherwise be required.
2Measurement precision
If multiple IMUs are used to achieve accurate center of gravity measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple physical IMUs to infer center of gravity dynamics, the patent uses a single IMU combined with a processor that creates virtual measurements representing center of gravity conditions. This virtual copying approach achieves the same measurement precision that would require multiple physical sensors, while significantly reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the single physical IMU and the suspension control system. It transforms the raw IMU data into virtual vehicle dynamics data that represents center of gravity measurements, eliminating the need for multiple IMUs while maintaining measurement precision through computational mediation.
3Device complexity
If a single IMU is used at a practical position, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to location offset from center of gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation of the measurement data by using a processor to transform raw IMU measurements into virtual vehicle dynamics data. This parameter transformation emulates the dynamics at the center of gravity, allowing a single IMU at a practical position to achieve measurement precision equivalent to center-of-gravity placement without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a suspension control method, apparatus, and system for utilizing virtual vehicle dynamics data. The suspension control method includes receiving vehicle dynamics data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) which is disposed at a first location on a vehicle. Next, virtual vehicle dynamics data is generated where the virtual vehicle dynamics data corresponds to information which would be received from IMU provided IMU was disposed at a second location on the vehicle. Suspension control data configured for use by a suspension component is then generated. The suspension control data is generated using virtual vehicle dynamics data. Finally, suspension control data is output to the suspension component.