Vehicle ramp angle control

• Main Authors: Syed Asad Ali, Jim Kelly, Dennis Lausecker, Anesh Mistry, Luke Birch, William Burdock, Sam Brown
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.06.2024
• Subjects: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE ORDIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TOTHE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A control system (300) for controlling an active suspension system (104) of a vehicle (100), the control system comprising one or more controller (301), wherein the control system is configured to: detect (1004) a ramp (202) approached by an overhang of the vehicle; and in dependence on detecting the ramp, control (1020) 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; and wherein the control system is configured to determine whether one or more inhibit conditions are active, and if so the ramp angle is not increased, the inhibit conditions comprising one or more of: the vehicle not being in a permissible terrain mode; an angle of the vehicle body exceeds a limit; a suspension fault code; the steering angle is excessive; a vehicle door is ajar; the vehicle speed is above a threshold; and the vehicle being out of gear.