Variable Gain Control for Roll Compensating Seat

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Solution Overview

Problem

Payloads supported by platforms, such as vehicle seats, are subjected to disturbances due to uneven surfaces, particularly in vehicles with rigid suspension systems, leading to uncomfortable and unsafe ride experiences.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for actively isolating payloads by using a seat system with a controller that generates a command signal to adjust the seat's angle relative to vehicle roll or pitch events, incorporating sensors to measure movement and adjust the command signal's magnitude based on disturbance amplitude, allowing user-adjustable sensitivity to disturbances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid suspension system is used in the vehicle, then the vehicle structure strength is improved, but the payload experiences dramatic disturbances from uneven surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle structure strengthVSAvoiddisturbances to payload

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle system is divided into two independent parts: the rigid vehicle body (maintaining structural strength) and the actively controlled seat platform (isolating the payload). The seat can move independently relative to the vehicle body to compensate for disturbances, allowing the rigid suspension to remain while protecting the payload from its effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The active seat control system acts as an intermediary between the rigid vehicle suspension and the payload. Sensors detect vehicle movements and disturbances, the controller processes this information, and the actuator applies compensating forces to the seat, thereby mediating the transmission of disturbances to the payload.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the seat actively compensates for all vehicle movements, then payload comfort is improved, but the system responds to noise and minor disturbances unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort of payloadVSAvoidfalse response to noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The controller adjusts the gain parameter of the control signal based on the amplitude of detected disturbances. For large disturbances, the gain is increased to provide strong compensation. For small disturbances or noise, the gain is reduced or set to zero, preventing false responses while maintaining comfort for significant events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a static, fixed-gain control approach to a dynamic, variable-gain control approach. The control parameters are adjusted in real-time based on the characteristics of the detected disturbances, allowing the system to adapt its response level to match the severity of the actual events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If the gain of the control signal is increased to respond to small disturbances, then sensitivity is improved, but the system becomes overly responsive to noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensitivity to disturbancesVSAvoidresponse to noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller dynamically changes the gain parameter based on disturbance characteristics. By adjusting this parameter, the system achieves high sensitivity to genuine disturbances while maintaining low sensitivity to noise, resolving the contradiction between detection precision and false response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If a fixed gain control signal is used, then the control system is simple, but it cannot adapt to varying disturbance amplitudes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidresponse to varying disturbances

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The control system transitions from a static fixed-gain design to a dynamic variable-gain design. The gain parameter is adjusted in real-time based on disturbance amplitude, enabling the system to adapt to varying conditions while adding only moderate complexity through standard control algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller modifies the control signal parameters (gain) based on the amplitude of detected disturbances. This parameter adaptation allows the system to respond appropriately to both small and large disturbances, achieving versatility without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9758073B2Variable gain control in roll compensating seat

Publication Date: 2017.09.12 CLEARMOTION ACQUISITION I LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for actively isolating a payload from a disturbance. In one example, a seat system for a vehicle includes a seat, a support structure including an actuator configured to move the seat about a pivot axis at a command angle, a sensor positioned to detect vehicle movement, and a controller configured to determine a vehicle roll angle based on an input from the sensor, generate a variable gain based at least on a vehicle roll acceleration determined from the input, wherein the variable gain modulates a gain of a band-pass filter having a fixed bandwidth, generate a command signal based at least on the vehicle roll angle, the controller configured to adjust a magnitude of the command signal relative to an amplitude of the input and apply the band-pass filter, and provide a force command to the actuator to move the seat at a desired command angle.