Methods and apparatus to use front load estimates for body control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945277-B2
Application number	US-202117489423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Sep 29, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to use front load estimates for body control are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes memory including stored instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions to filter sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle, generate, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value, modify a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value, and apply the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
memory including stored instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to:
filter sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle;
generate, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value;
modify a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value; and
apply the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to:
filter the sensor data to generate a second load value, the second load value associated with a second load on a rear axle of the vehicle; and
generate, based on the second load value and the velocity of the vehicle, a second body control adjustment value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to modify the body control output value by multiplying the body control output value by the first body control adjustment value and the second body control adjustment value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to generate the first body control adjustment value by using the first load value, the velocity of the vehicle, and a look-up table.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the look-up table includes a non-linear relationship between load values and body control adjustment values, the load values including the first load value and the body control adjustment values including the first body control adjustment value.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to populate the look-up table based on a tuning preference of a user of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the velocity of the vehicle includes a sprung mass velocity of the vehicle in at least one of a heave direction, a pitch direction, or a roll direction.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to:
filter sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle;
generate, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value;
modify a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value; and
apply the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
filter the sensor data to generate a second load value, the second load value associated with a second load on a rear axle of the vehicle;
generate, based on the second load value and the velocity of the vehicle, a second body control adjustment value; and
modify the body control output value with the second body control adjustment value.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to modify the body control output value by multiplying the body control output value by the first body control adjustment value and the second body control adjustment value.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to generate the first body control adjustment value by using the first load value, the velocity of the vehicle, and a look-up table.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the look-up table includes a non-linear relationship between load values and body control adjustment values, the load values including the first load value and the body control adjustment values including the first body control adjustment value.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to populate the look-up table based on a tuning preference of a user of the vehicle.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the velocity of the vehicle includes a sprung mass velocity of the vehicle in at least one of a heave direction, a pitch direction, or a roll direction.

15. A method, comprising:
filtering sensor data to generate a first load value, the first load value associated with a first load on a front axle of a vehicle;
generating, based on the first load value and a velocity of the vehicle, a first body control adjustment value;
modifying a body control output value with the first body control adjustment value; and
applying the modified body control output value to a suspension system of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including:
filtering the sensor data to generate a second load value, the second load value associated with a second load on a rear axle of the vehicle;
generating, based on the second load value and the velocity of the vehicle, a second body control adjustment value; and
modifying the body control output value with the second body control adjustment value.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the modifying the body control output value includes multiplying the body control output value by the first body control adjustment value and the second body control adjustment value.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the generating the first body control adjustment value includes using the first load value, the velocity of the vehicle, and a look-up table.

19. The method of claim 18 , further including populating the look-up table based on a tuning preference of a user of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the velocity of the vehicle includes a sprung mass velocity of the vehicle in at least one of a heave direction, a pitch direction, or a roll direction.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Russell David Michael
• Mcgee Charles Gavin
• Bulat Ben
• Grohnke Daniel Lee
• Butler Darrell Erick

Classifications

• B60G17/018 Primary

  characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method · CPC title

• B60G17/01933

  Velocity, e.g. relative velocity-displacement sensors · CPC title

• B60G2400/202

  Piston speed; Relative velocity between vehicle body and wheel · CPC title

• B60G2400/60

  Load · CPC title