Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Dennis Lausecker

Luke Birch

Syed Asad Ali

James Kelly

William Burdock

Jim Kelly

Sam Brown

Anesh Mistry

Elliot Hemes

Jonathan Larsson

A control system () for controlling an active suspension system () of a vehicle () to determine relative traction levels, the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to (): control the active suspension system to change normal force through a first subset of one or more wheels; determine a traction-dependent variable at each of the first subset of wheels to which known torque is applied; control the active suspension system to change normal force through a second subset of one or more wheels; and determine a traction-dependent variable at each of the second subset of wheels to which known torque is applied, wherein the traction-dependent variables indicate relative traction levels.

Traction determination by changing wheel normal force

A control system () for controlling an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: determine () that an entry condition is satisfied; in dependence on satisfaction of the entry condition, transmit () a request to the active suspension system to create clearance beneath a first wheel (FL, RR) of the vehicle but not create clearance beneath a plurality of other wheels (FR, RL) of the vehicle.

Methods for creating clearance beneath vehicle wheels

A control system () for controlling an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: obtain () information indicative of relative traction levels between different wheels (FL, FR, RL, RR) of the vehicle; and in dependence on the information, control () the active suspension system to increase normal force through a wheel (FR) of the vehicle having relatively high traction compared to one or more other wheels (FL, RL, RR) of the vehicle, and decrease normal force through a wheel (FL) of the vehicle having relatively low traction compared to one or more other wheels (FR, RL, RR) of the vehicle.

Traction-dependent variation of wheel-to-surface normal force

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method and to a control system for controlling an active suspension of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to: determine whether a transient suspension disturbance to the vehicle is from within a cabin of the vehicle; and control a variable force parameter of the active suspension in dependence on whether the transient suspension disturbance is from within the cabin of the vehicle.

Vehicle active suspension control system and method

A control system () for controlling an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: detect () a ramp () approached by an overhang of the vehicle; and in dependence on detecting the ramp, control () the active suspension system to modify a relative ride height between a leading ride height at a set of leading wheels (FL, FR) of the vehicle and a trailing ride height at a set of trailing wheels (RL, RR) of the vehicle, to increase a ramp angle (α, β) of the vehicle relative to the ramp.

Vehicle ramp angle control

A control system () for controlling an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the active suspension system comprising suspension actuators (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: in dependence on an activation signal (), provide () a control signal to the active suspension system to cause the suspension actuators of the active suspension system to repetitively pulse vertical force through wheels (FR, FL, RR, RL) of the vehicle in a controlled pattern determined by the one or more controller, to vary wheel-to-surface contact patch forces, wherein the pattern comprises repetitively pulsing vertical force through at least one of the wheels at a first phase and through at least one other of the wheels at a second phase.

Wheel-to-surface contact patch force variation

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method and to a control system for controlling an active suspension of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to: obtain information indicative of a change of gradient of a driving surface in a direction of travel; and control the active suspension to adjust relative ride height between a front and rear of a vehicle body of the vehicle above the driving surface beneath the vehicle in dependence on the change of gradient.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method and to a control system for controlling an active suspension of a vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a plurality of wheels, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to: receive information indicative of a requirement for ingress/egress of passengers and/or cargo; receive information indicative that the ingress/egress is to occur with the vehicle on a sloped surface; and control the active suspension to reduce an angle of the vehicle body relative to horizontal, for the ingress/egress on the sloped surface.

A control system () configured to control an active suspension system () of a vehicle (), the control system comprising one or more controller (), wherein the control system is configured to: determine () that the vehicle is travelling on or approaching repeating surface undulations; determine () vehicle speed; determine () an indication of surface wavelength of the repeating surface undulations; and control () the active suspension system to control at least one of a leading wheel suspension frequency and a trailing wheel suspension frequency in dependence on the vehicle speed and surface wavelength.

Active suspension control on repeating surface undulations

Aspects of the present invention relate to a system for a vehicle comprising:

Active suspension system

Aspects of the present invention relate to an actuator system for a vehicle suspension system comprising:

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Dennis Lausecker