System and method for controlling a fluid suspension system

摘要

The present invention provides a control system operable to raise and lower the height of a vehicle based in part on the response characteristics of the vehicle's suspension and vehicle loading. The control system may develop a vehicle suspension system response by mapping a correlation between changes in air pressure of air springs in the vehicle's suspension and a test valve-open-time. During operation, the control system may predict a valve-open-time in response to a command relating to a target air pressure for the air springs, and then inflate or deflate one or more of the air springs for a duration substantially equal to the predicted valve-open-time. This process may be iterated until the control system achieves, within an acceptable degree of error, the target air pressure for the one or more air springs.

主权项

1. A fluid suspension control system for controlling fluid pressure of at least one fluid spring within a vehicle, the fluid spring being part of a vehicle suspension system and capable of being inflated and deflated to affect the ride height of the vehicle, said fluid suspension control system comprising:
at least one valve adapted to selectively control fluid flow to and from the fluid spring; a pressure sensor adapted to sense the fluid pressure of the fluid spring; and control circuitry operatively coupled to said valve and said pressure sensor, said control circuitry adapted to control a valve-open-time of said valve in order to at least one of pressurize and depressurize the fluid spring, said control circuitry adapted to:
determine a valve-open-time as a function of a target fluid pressure and a current fluid pressure;actuate said valve for a period of time substantially equal to said valve-open-time;receive one or more inputs indicative of an actual fluid pressure of the fluid spring, wherein the one or more inputs include a sensed actual fluid pressure of the fluid spring after said valve is actuated for said valve-open-time; andbased on a difference between said sensed actual fluid pressure and said target fluid pressure, adjust said function such that a future valve-open-time determined based on said function of said target fluid pressure and said current fluid pressure is different from said valve-open-time determined prior to actuation of said valve, wherein actuation of said valve for said future valve-open-time yields a substantial reduction in said difference between the actual fluid pressure of the fluid spring and said target fluid pressure.