Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight information based on ride height

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11008014-B2
Application number	US-201816103635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2018
Priority date	Aug 14, 2018
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle weight information based on ride height are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a weight calculator to determine a relationship between ride height information and weight of a vehicle and a compensation calculator to adjust the relationship based on compensation factors and calculate vehicle weight information for the vehicle based on the adjusted relationship, the compensation factors based on vehicle sensor data. The example apparatus further includes a calculation adjustor to adjust the vehicle weight information calculation of the weight calculator or the compensation calculator based on driver behavior.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a weight calculator to determine a relationship between ride height information and weight of a vehicle, the weight calculator to determine a height distribution across the vehicle from ride height sensors;
a compensation calculator to adjust the relationship based on compensation factors and calculate a vehicle weight distribution for the vehicle based on the adjusted relationship, the compensation factors based on vehicle sensor data, the weight distribution corresponding to weights across the vehicle; and
a calculation adjustor to adjust the vehicle weight distribution calculation based on the height distribution and driver behavior corresponding to historical data associated with use of the vehicle by a driver, the weight calculator, the compensation calculator, and the calculation adjustor implemented by one or more logic circuits.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes at least one of passenger weight, fuel weight, wheel-end force, or trailer coupler weight.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes at least one of total vehicle weight, front axle weight, rear axle weight, cargo weight, or trailer weight.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein driver behavior includes at least one of driving surfaces a driver frequently drives on, tasks the driver frequently uses the vehicle for, or weather conditions the driver subjects the vehicle to.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the compensation factors include at least one of vehicle state compensation factors based on steering angle information, parking brake information, fuel level information, or tire pressure information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the compensation factors include vehicle lifecycle compensation factors based on at least one of vehicle linear age information, cycle count information, or prognostic information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the weight calculator further determines the relationship between ride height and weight based on build parameters including vehicle characteristics specific to the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a vehicle display to display the vehicle weight information to a driver of the vehicle.

9. A method comprising:
determining a height distribution across a vehicle from ride height sensors;
determining a relationship between the height distribution and weight of a vehicle;
adjusting the relationship based on compensation factors, the compensation factors based on vehicle sensor data;
calculating a vehicle weight distribution for the vehicle based on the adjusted relationship, the weight distribution corresponding to weights across the vehicle; and
adjusting the vehicle weight distribution calculation based on driving behavior corresponding to historical data associated with use of the vehicle by a driver.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes at least one of passenger weight, fuel weight, wheel-end force, or trailer coupler weight.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes at least one of total vehicle weight front axle weight, rear axle weight, cargo weight, or trailer weight.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compensation factors include at least one of driving surface compensation factors, vehicle load sharing compensation factors, or environmental compensation factors.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compensation factors include vehicle lifecycle compensation factors based on at least one of vehicle linear age information, cycle count information, or prognostic information.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the weight distribution calculation is adjusted based on driver behavior by increasing a value of the vehicle lifecycle compensation factor when a driver frequently tows a trailer.

15. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
determine a height distribution across a vehicle from ride height sensors;
determine a relationship between the ride-height distribution information and weight of a vehicle;
adjust the relationship based on compensation factors, the compensation factors based on vehicle sensor data;
calculate a vehicle weight distribution for the vehicle based on the adjusted relationship, the weight distribution corresponding to weights across the vehicle; and
adjust the vehicle weight distribution calculation based on historical data associated with use of the vehicle by a driver.

16. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes passenger weight, fuel weight, wheel-end force, or trailer coupler weight.

17. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle weight distribution includes total vehicle weight, front axle weight, rear axle weight, cargo weight, or trailer weight.

18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the compensation factors include at least one of driving surface compensation factors, vehicle load sharing compensation factors, or environmental compensation factors.

19. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the compensation factors include vehicle state compensation factors based on at least one of steering angle information, parking brake information, fuel level information, or tire pressure information.

20. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the compensation factors include vehicle lifecycle compensation factors based on at least one of vehicle linear age information, cycle count information, or prognostic information.

21. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the vehicle characteristics correspond to a production configuration of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pearson Elliot
• Rogness Anton
• Niedert Andrew
• Rajasingh Joshua

Classifications

• B60W2556/10

  Historical data · CPC title

• B60W2540/18

  Steering angle · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title

• B60W40/13 Primary

  Load or weight · CPC title

• B60W2540/30

  Driving style · CPC title