Systems and methods for determining vehicle characteristics

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors;
• and
• a brake interface configured to be engaged by an operator, wherein a braking force is applied to at least one of the tractive elements when the brake interface is engage;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if the brake interface is engaged.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a driver configured to provide an output torque that drives one or more of the tractive elements to propel the vehicle;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors;
• and
• an accelerator interface configured to be engaged by an operator, wherein the output torque of the driver varies based on a level of engagement of the accelerator interface;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of the level of engagement of the accelerator interface, wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if the accelerator interface is engaged beyond a first threshold level, and wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if the accelerator interface is not engaged beyond a second threshold level.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors;
• and
• an acceleration sensor operatively coupled to the controller and configured to provide a signal indicative of an acceleration of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if the acceleration of the vehicle falls outside of a target range;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a rate of change of the acceleration of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if a magnitude of the rate of change of the acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a threshold rate of change.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors;
• and
• a plurality of position sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of a position of one of the tractive elements relative to the sprung mass,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a difference between the heights of the pair of tractive elements corresponding to each tractive assembly, and wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if any of the differences are greater than a threshold value.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors;
• and
• a plurality of spring length sensors each operatively coupled to the controller and configured to provide a signal indicative of a length of one of the gas springs,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine a spring velocity of each gas spring, and wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if a magnitude of the spring velocity of any of the gas springs is greater than a threshold spring velocity.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors,
• wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if at least one of the signals from the pressure sensors is not available.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors, wherein the controller is configured to monitor at least one operational condition of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or not to disable determination of the weight based on the operational condition;
• and
• a plurality of spring length sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of a length of one of the gas springs,
• wherein the controller is configured to use the signals from at least two of the spring length sensors to determine forces imparted on the gas springs by a sway bar of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the weight of the sprung mass based in part on the forces imparted on the gas springs by the sway bar.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis, the sprung mass having a center of gravity;
• a plurality of tractive assemblies coupled to the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements;
• a plurality of gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, wherein each gas spring includes a chamber configured to be filled with pressurized gas, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass, and wherein the upward force varies based on a pressure of the pressurized gas within the corresponding chamber;
• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within the chamber of one of the gas springs;
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors;
• and
• a speed sensor operatively coupled to the controller and configured to provide a signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle,
• wherein the controller is configured to store a longitudinal location of each tractive assembly in a memory, wherein the controller is configured to determine a force imparted on the sprung mass by each of the gas springs using the signals from the pressure sensors, and wherein the controller is configured to determine a longitudinal location of the center of gravity based on the longitudinal location of each tractive assembly and the force imparted on the sprung mass by each of the gas springs;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the longitudinal location of the center of gravity if the speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed.

A control system for a vehicle, the vehicle including a sprung mass supported by a plurality of gas springs, wherein each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass that varies based on a pressure of a pressurized gas within each gas spring, the control system comprising:

• a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within one of the gas springs;
• a speed sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensors and the speed sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors, and wherein the controller is configured to disable determination of the weight if the speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed.