VEHICLE SUSPENSION AUGMENTATION DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS

摘要

Devices, systems and methods for replacing a factory installed or similar air suspension controller in a vehicle with an augmentor, which sends correct status messages to the vehicle main computer when the air suspension is replaced with coil springs or shocks. The augmentor can includes a voltage regulator, an indicator and bus interface. At power on, the program initializes the microcontroller registers, timer registers, and control registers, then loop until an inquiry or command is received, then responds with status messages that are the same as the status messages sent by the original factory installed air suspension controller until power is removed.

主权项

1. A non-programmable augmentor module for replacing a vehicle air suspension controller comprising:
a cable as part of the augmenter module with a connector to mate with an air suspension controller connector on a vehicle wiring harness after a vehicle air suspension controller is disconnected; a microcontroller within the augmentor module for executing a set of firmware instructions stored in read only memory to simulate the disconnected air suspension controller by responding to messages received from a vehicle main computer, the response consisting of a simulated operation status message corresponding to the received message from the vehicle main computer, said instructions including an initial subset of instructions to initialize the microcontroller including an instruction to clear one or more microcontroller registers, a loop set of instructions to continuously monitor for an input message, and a status set of instructions to send the simulated operation status message in response to receiving the input message to said vehicle main computer, said simulated message stating that the air suspension controller is operating properly so that no advisory message or indicator light is displayed or lit on a dashboard of the vehicle; and a bus interface integrated circuit to interface the microcontroller with the vehicle main computer, wherein the augmentor module is not programmable and does not interface with an air suspension system valves and sensors adjacent to a vehicle wheel.