Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Sam Brown

Luke Birch

James Kelly

William Burdock

Dennis Lausecker

Syed Asad Ali

Anesh Mistry

James Robertson

Robert Neilson

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

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

An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system includes: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port connected by a first hydraulic circuit to the first chamber via a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; and a second hydraulic accumulator connected to the first port by a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first port to the second hydraulic accumulator.

Actuator system

An actuator system for a vehicle suspension system including: an actuator having a piston and a first fluid chamber separated from a second fluid chamber by the piston; a hydraulic pump having a first port, a first hydraulic circuit operable to connect the first port to the first chamber, the first hydraulic circuit including a first valve, the first valve being a damper valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid out of the first chamber; a first hydraulic accumulator connected to a first gallery of the first hydraulic circuit between the first port and the first valve; a second hydraulic accumulator connected to a second port of the pump via a second gallery; and a second valve, the second valve being a variable pressure relief valve operable to variably restrict flow of hydraulic fluid from the first gallery to the second gallery.

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Sam Brown