DE-102025145868-A1 - DRIVE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ON UNEVEN SURFACES

Abstract

A vehicle's control unit is configured to receive a command to adjust the vehicle's ride height and then, if the surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the air volume in the air spring of each of the vehicle's multiple suspensions to achieve a target air mass for each suspension. The vehicle control unit is further configured, if the surface supporting the vehicle does meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the air volume in the air spring of each of the vehicle's multiple suspensions to achieve a target output from a ride height sensor in each suspension.

Inventors

• Thomas Frederick Abdallah

Assignees

• RIVIAN IP HOLDINGS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20251107

Priority Date

20241108

Claims (20)

1. Vehicle control system configured to receive an instruction to adjust the ride height of a vehicle and then, if the surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the amount of air in an air spring of each suspension of a plurality of suspensions of the vehicle so that a target air mass is achieved for each suspension.
2. Vehicle control according to Claim 1 , which is further configured, when the surface supporting the vehicle meets the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each of the multitude of suspensions of the vehicle so that a desired output is achieved from a ride height sensor of each suspension.
3. Vehicle control according to Claim 1 , which is further configured to adjust the ride height in order to achieve the desired air mass in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by adjusting for each suspension of the plurality receives a ride height measurement from a ride height sensor of each suspension; receives a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension; calculates an estimated air mass based on the ride height measurement and the pressure measurement and adjusts the amount of air in the air spring according to the estimated air mass and the target air mass for each suspension.
4. Vehicle control according to Claim 3 , which is further configured to calculate, for each suspension of the plurality of suspensions, the volume of the air spring of each suspension based on the ride height measurement and to calculate the estimated air mass according to pV n , where p is the pressure measurement, V is the volume and n is the polytropic exponent of the air.
5. Vehicle control according to Claim 1 , which is further configured to estimate the load on each suspension of the plurality of suspensions; to receive a ride height measurement from a ride height sensor of each suspension; to receive a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension and to calculate the target air mass for each suspension based on the load, ride height measurement and pressure measurement.
6. Vehicle control according to Claim 1 , where the requirements for flatness and horizontality include an angle of less than 5 degrees.
7. Vehicle control according to Claim 1 , whereby the requirements for flatness and horizontality include height differences within the multitude of suspensions of less than 5 centimeters.
8. Vehicle comprising: a plurality of suspensions, each incorporating an air spring; and a vehicle control unit coupled to the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions, the vehicle control unit being configured to: receive an instruction to adjust the ride height of the vehicle; and then, if the surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions of the vehicle so as to achieve a target air mass for each suspension.
9. Vehicle after Claim 8 , wherein the vehicle control system is further configured, when the surface supporting the vehicle meets the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each of the plurality of suspensions of the vehicle so that a desired output is achieved from a ride height sensor of each suspension.
10. Vehicle after Claim 8 , further comprising one or more pressure sensors configured to detect the pressure in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions; wherein each suspension of the plurality of suspensions includes a ride height sensor and the vehicle control system is further configured to adjust the ride height to achieve the desired air mass in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by receiving a ride height measurement from the ride height sensor of each suspension; receiving a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension from the one or more pressure sensors; calculating an estimated air mass based on the ride height measurement and the pressure measurement, and adjusting the air volume in the air spring according to the difference between the estimated air mass and the desired air mass for each suspension.
11. Vehicle after Claim 10 , further comprising: an air source; an air chamber; a first valve controlling the airflow from the air source into the air chamber; a second valve controlling the airflow from the air chamber into the vehicle environment; a plurality of third valves, each controlling the airflow to and from the air spring of a suspension of the plurality of suspensions; and wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to supply air to the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by opening the first valve and a third valve of the plurality of third valves controlling the airflow to and from the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions.
12. Vehicle after Claim 11 , wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to release air from the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by means of the third valve of the plurality of third valves which control the airflow to and from the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions.
13. Vehicle after Claim 11 , wherein the one or more pressure sensors include a pressure sensor configured to detect the pressure inside the air chamber, wherein the vehicle control unit is further configured to measure the pressure in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by opening the second valve and the third valve of the plurality of third valves that control the airflow to and from the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions and receiving an output from the pressure sensor.
14. Vehicle after Claim 10 , wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to calculate, for each of the plurality of suspensions, the volume of the air spring of each suspension based on the ride height measurement and to calculate the estimated air mass according to pVn, where p is the pressure measurement, V is the volume and n is the polytropic exponent of the air.
15. Vehicle after Claim 8 , further comprising one or more pressure sensors configured to detect the pressure in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions; wherein each suspension of the plurality of suspensions includes a ride height sensor and the vehicle control system is further configured to estimate the load on each suspension of the plurality of suspensions; to receive a ride height measurement from the ride height sensor of each suspension; to receive a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension from the one or more pressure sensors and to calculate the target air mass for each suspension based on the load, the ride height measurement and the pressure measurement.
16. Vehicle after Claim 8 , where the requirements for flatness and horizontality include an angle of less than 5 degrees.
17. Vehicle after Claim 16 , further comprising an inertial measurement unit (IMU) wherein the vehicle is configured to detect the angle using the IMU.
18. Vehicle after Claim 8 , whereby the requirements for flatness and horizontality include height differences within the multitude of suspensions of less than 5 centimeters.
19. Non-transitory, computer-readable medium that stores executable code which, when executed by the vehicle control system, causes the vehicle control system to: receive an instruction to adjust the ride height of a vehicle and then, if the surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, adjust the amount of air in an air spring of each suspension of a plurality of suspensions of the vehicle so that a target air mass is achieved for each suspension.
20. Non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Claim 19 , wherein the executable code, when executed by the vehicle control system, further causes the vehicle control system, when the surface supporting the vehicle meets the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each of the plurality of suspensions of the vehicle so that a desired output is obtained from a ride height sensor of each suspension.

Description

RELATED REGISTRATION This application invokes the rights of the preliminary US application number 63/718,505, filed on November 8, 2024, entitled “RIDE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ON NON-LEVEL SURFACES”, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. AREA OF INVENTION The present disclosure relates to adjusting the ride height of a vehicle or the height adjustment of a chassis. SUMMARY From one perspective, a vehicle control system is configured to receive an instruction to adjust the vehicle's ride height. The vehicle control system is configured, when a surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, to adjust the air volume in the air spring of each suspension of any multiple suspensions of the vehicle so that a target air mass is achieved for each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system is further configured to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each of the plurality of suspensions of the vehicle, when the surface supporting the vehicle meets the requirements for flatness and horizontality, so that a desired output is achieved from a ride height sensor of each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system is further configured to adjust the ride height to achieve the desired air mass in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by receiving a ride height measurement from a ride height sensor of each suspension; receiving a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension; calculating an estimated air mass based on the ride height measurement and the pressure measurement; and adjusting the amount of air in the air spring according to the estimated air mass and the desired air mass for each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system is further configured to calculate, for each of the plurality of suspensions, a volume of the air spring of each suspension based on the ride height measurement and to calculate the estimated air mass according to pV n , where p is the pressure measurement, V is the volume and n is the polytropic exponent of the air. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system is further configured to estimate the load on each of the plurality of suspensions; to receive a ride height measurement from a ride height sensor of each suspension; to receive a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension; and to calculate the target air mass for each suspension based on the load, the ride height measurement, and the pressure measurement. In some embodiments, the requirements for flatness and horizontality include an angle of less than 5 degrees. In some embodiments, the requirements for flatness and horizontality include height differences within the plurality of suspensions of less than 5 centimeters. From another perspective, a vehicle includes a multitude of suspensions, each containing an air spring. The vehicle includes a vehicle control unit that is coupled to the air spring of each suspension within the multitude of suspensions. The vehicle control unit is configured to receive a command to adjust the vehicle's ride height. The vehicle control unit is configured to adjust the air volume in the air spring of each suspension within the multitude of suspensions, if the surface supporting the vehicle does not meet the requirements for flatness and horizontality, so that a target air mass is achieved for each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle control system is further configured to adjust the amount of air in the air spring of each of the plurality of suspensions of the vehicle, when the surface supporting the vehicle meets the requirements for flatness and horizontality, so that a desired output is achieved from a ride height sensor of each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle further includes one or more pressure sensors configured to detect the pressure in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions. Each suspension of the plurality of suspensions may include a ride height sensor. The vehicle control system is further configured to adjust the ride height to achieve the desired air mass in the air spring of each suspension of the plurality of suspensions by taking a ride height measurement from the ride height sensor for each suspension of the plurality of suspensions. receives a pressure measurement from each suspension sensor; receives a pressure measurement of the pressure in the air spring of each suspension from the one or more pressure sensors; calculates an estimated air mass based on the ride height measurement and the pressure measurement and adjusts the amount of air in the air spring according to the difference between the estimated air mass and the target air mass for each suspension. In some embodiments, the vehicle further includes an air source, an air chamber, a first valve controlling the airflow from the air source into the air chamber, a seco