US-12623507-B2 - Vehicle control system and method

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system ( 100 ) for determining a suspension calibration of a vehicle ( 800 ). The control system ( 100 ) has one or more controllers ( 120 ) that receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle ( 800 ). One or more processors ( 130 ) determine, from the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration at a first location ( 320 ) ahead of the vehicle ( 800 ) and a second acceleration at a second location ( 330 ) ahead of the first location( 320 ). The one or more processors ( 130 ) determine a suspension calibration of the vehicle ( 800 ) in dependence on the second acceleration. The actual acceleration of the vehicle ( 800 ) is measured at the first location ( 320 ) and compared with the first acceleration. If the measured and first acceleration are within a predetermined tolerance, the processor ( 120 ) produces a suspension control signal at output ( 121 ) which is received by a suspension controller ( 140 ) to apply the suspension calibration prior to the vehicle ( 800 ) arriving at the second location ( 330 ).

Inventors

• Robert NEILSON
• James Robertson
• Stefan Kojchev

Assignees

• JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20200205

Priority Date

20190312

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A control system for a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system being configured to: receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration of the vehicle at a first location along a trajectory that is rep es e route data determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a second acceleration of the vehicle at a second location along the trajectory, wherein the second location is further from a current location of the vehicle than the first location; determine a suspension calibration in dependence on the second acceleration; receive measured acceleration data corresponding to the first location; compare the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration; if the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration are within a predetermined tolerance, then determine that the vehicle is travelling as per the trajectory and output a suspension control signal in dependence on the determined suspension calibration and the comparison; if the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration are outside a predetermined tolerance, then determine that the vehicle is travelling as per an alternative trajectory from that sonted by the oute data and maintain an existing suspension calibration; and a suspension controller for a vehicle suspension comprising one or more suspension actuators, the suspension controller configured to receive the suspension calibration and, based on the received suspension calibration, control the one or more suspension actuators to implement the suspension calibration prior to the vehicle reaching the second location.
2. 2 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers comprise: an electrical input configured to receive: an electrical signal indicative of the route data; an electrical signal indicative of the measured acceleration data; and one or more processors configured to: determine the prediction of the first acceleration of the vehicle at the first location; determine the prediction of the second acceleration of the vehicle at the second location; determine the suspension calibration in dependence on the second acceleration; compare the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration; and determine an electrical output configured to output the suspension control signal.
3. 3 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine, in dependence on the route data, a motion profile of the vehicle between the current location of the vehicle and the second location and to determine the prediction of the first acceleration in dependence on the motion profile.
4. 4 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to: receive measured acceleration data at a further location between the first location and the second location; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a further acceleration of the vehicle at the further location; compare the measured acceleration data at the further location with the further acceleration; and output a suspension control signal to apply the determined suspension calibration prior to the vehicle arriving at the second location in dependence on the measured and predicted accelerations.
5. 5 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to receive maximum acceleration data indicative of a maximum acceleration value.
6. 6 . The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the maximum acceleration value is a user-determined value and/or selected dependent on a vehicle mode.
7. 7 . The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the control system is configured to compare the second acceleration with the maximum acceleration value and, if the second acceleration exceeds the maximum acceleration value, to determine the suspension calibration at the second location in dependence on the maximum acceleration value.
8. 8 . The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the control system is configured to determine, in dependence on the route data, a motion profile of the vehicle between the current location of the vehicle and the second location; and if the second acceleration is predicted to exceed the maximum acceleration value, the motion profile is determined in dependence on the vehicle having the maximum acceleration value at the second location.
9. 9 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the prediction of the second acceleration in dependence on a current speed of the vehicle and the route data.
10. 10 . The control system according to claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to predict a vehicle path from the current location to the second location in dependence on the route data.
11. 11 . The control system according to claim 10 , wherein the route data comprises navigation data.
12. 12 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the acceleration is one or more of lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration.
13. 13 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the suspension calibration by determining one or more suspension characteristics; and the one or more suspension characteristics comprise at least one of a suspension controller gain, suspension damping and suspension stiffness.
14. 14 . A vehicle comprising a control system according to claim 1 .
15. 15 . A method of calibrating a vehicle suspension, the method comprising: receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration of the vehicle at a first location along a trajectory represented by the route data; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a second acceleration of the vehicle at a second location along the trajectory, wherein the second location is further from a current location of the vehicle than the first location; determine a suspension calibration in dependence on the second acceleration; receive measured acceleration data corresponding to the first location; compare the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration; if the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration are within a predetermined tolerance, then determine that the vehicle is travelling as per the trajectory and output a suspension control signal in dependence on the determined suspension calibration and the comparison; if the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration are outside a predetermined tolerance, then determine that the vehicle is travelling as per an alternative trajectory from that represented by the route data and maintain an existing suspension calibration; and a suspension controller for a vehicle suspension comprising one or more suspension actuators, the suspension controller configured to receive the suspension calibration and, based on the received suspension calibration, control the one or more suspension actuators to implement the suspension calibration prior to the vehicle reaching the second location.
16. 16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying computer readable code which when executed causes a vehicle to carry out the method according to claim 15 .
17. 17 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension controller is configured to, based on the received suspension calibration, control the one or more suspension actuators to implement the suspension calibration at a predetermined distance from the second location.
18. 18 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control of the one or more suspension actuators to implement the suspension calibration includes adjusting at least one of a suspension stiffness or a suspension damping.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a control system and method and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a control system and method for calibrating a vehicle suspension. Aspects of the invention relate to a control system for applying a suspension calibration, a vehicle comprising the system, a method of calibrating a vehicle suspension and a computer program product, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a processor for implementing the method or computer program product. BACKGROUND Conventional vehicle active and semi-active suspension systems first require the detection of a vehicle disturbance or road/environmental condition before the suspension system responds accordingly. In such cases, movement of the vehicle body is detected by one or more sensors and the action of the suspension system is controlled. In the case of road handling, active and semi-active suspension systems can be adjusted in dependence on prevailing road conditions, improving the comfort and composure of a vehicle to which they are installed. However, these systems are reactive by nature. As a result, it has been found that by the time a disturbance or road condition is detected, it is too late for it to be counteracted such that comfort and composure are not compromised to some degree. It is therefore an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a pre-emptive vehicle suspension calibration based on a predicted acceleration of the vehicle at a location ahead of the vehicle, the calibration being applied prior to the vehicle arriving at the location. It is a further object of embodiments of the invention to at least mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a control system, a method, a vehicle, a computer program, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a processor as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a control system for a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to: receive route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a first acceleration of the vehicle at a first location; determine, in dependence on the route data, a prediction of a second acceleration of the vehicle at a second location, wherein the second location is further distal to a current location of the vehicle than the first location; determine a suspension calibration in dependence on the second acceleration; receive measured acceleration data when the vehicle reaches the first location; compare the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration; and output a suspension control signal in dependence on the determined suspension calibration and the comparison. Advantageously, the present invention allows for a prediction of an acceleration of a vehicle at a location ahead of the vehicle in dependence on route data indicative of a route ahead of the vehicle. The control system then allows for the application of a suspension calibration, determined in dependence on the predicted acceleration, prior to the vehicle reaching the location ahead of the vehicle. Such a pre-emptive suspension calibration mitigates the problems associated with the reactive nature of prior art systems regarding comfort and composure. Further, the comparison of a measured acceleration and predicted acceleration at a location ahead of the vehicle provides a verification step, allowing the control system to verify that the vehicle is travelling on a route as expected from the route data. This verification step is advantageous as if it is determined from the comparison of the measured acceleration and predicted acceleration that the vehicle is not travelling on a route as expected or anticipated based on the route data, a decision can be made as to whether or not to apply a determined suspension calibration. The one or more controllers may comprise: an electrical input configured to receive: an electrical signal indicative of the route data; and an electrical signal indicative of the measured acceleration data. The one or more controllers may comprise: one or more processors configured to determine: the prediction of the first acceleration of the vehicle at the first location; the prediction of the second acceleration of the vehicle at the second location, wherein the second location is further distal to a current location of the vehicle than the first location; the suspension calibration in dependence on the second acceleration; and compare the measured acceleration data and the first acceleration; and an electrical output configured to output the suspension control signal. The electrical input may comprise a wireless receiver, for example for receiving a wireless signal. The electrical output may comprise a wireless transmitter, for example for transmitting a wireless sig