Commercial Vehicle Weight Estimation for Load-Adaptive Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicles experience significant weight changes that affect driving dynamics, stability, and require special driver skills, as conventional systems are tuned for a specific weight target without accommodating variations, necessitating special licenses.
Innovation Solution
A weight estimator in the vehicle receives inputs from various systems to determine weight values, which are used by powertrain, brakes, and suspension to adjust operations, providing consistent pedal feel across load changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional vehicle systems are tuned for a specific target weight, then the vehicle operates optimally at that weight, but the vehicle performance deteriorates when operating outside the target weight range
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control systems dynamically adjust their parameters based on detected weight changes. The controller modifies powertrain output, braking force, and suspension characteristics in real-time according to the actual vehicle weight, enabling optimal performance across varying load conditions without requiring driver intervention or special skills.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters of vehicle subsystems based on weight detection. When weight is detected, the controller adjusts parameters such as acceleration rates, braking deceleration, suspension stiffness, and power delivery characteristics to match the actual vehicle mass, thereby maintaining consistent driving behavior regardless of load variations.
2Measurement precision
If load cells/strain gauges are used for measuring forces, then weight measurement is possible, but the system becomes expensive and susceptible to vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement devices (load cells and strain gauges) with sensor-based detection systems that use optical, capacitive, or other non-mechanical principles to detect weight-induced changes in suspension geometry or component deformation. This substitution eliminates the expense and vibration susceptibility of traditional mechanical sensors while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses intermediary detection methods where sensors detect secondary effects of weight (such as changes in suspension arm angle, distance between chassis components, or vibration characteristics) rather than directly measuring force. This intermediary approach provides weight information without requiring direct mechanical force measurement, reducing complexity and vibration sensitivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods and systems for the weight estimation of commercial vehicles and using these estimates to control different vehicle systems such as powertrain, brakes, and suspension. A vehicle comprises a weight estimator, which receives input from different vehicle systems and/or sensors (e.g., suspension, powertrain, speedometer, tire pressure monitoring system) and uses these inputs to determine weight values associated with the vehicle (e.g., total weight, weight distribution per axle, weight distribution per wheel, load distribution). These weight values are then used by the power train, brakes, and/or suspension as additional input for operating these systems besides drivers' input, e.g., provided as pedal positions. For example, different weight values can cause different powertrain outputs for the same accelerator pedal position, e.g., greater output for a heavier vehicle. As such, a driver experiences more uniform vehicle responses for different vehicle loads.