# US 12,065,166 B1 · Switchable ride frequency for bidirectional vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,065,166 B1 - Document ID: US12065166B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/654,945 - Filed: 2022-03-15 - Granted: 2024-08-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-15 - Assignees: Zoox, Inc. - Applicants: Zoox, Inc. - Inventors: Johannes Edren; Johannes Andreas Huennekens - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12065166B1 ## CPC - B60G 17/0165: to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind - B60W 60/0013: {specially adapted for occupant comfort} - B60G 11/265: {hydraulic springs} - B60G 17/016: characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input {(B60G17/017 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/021: {the mechanical spring being a coil spring (B60G17/0272 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/0416: {regulated by varying the resiliency of hydropneumatic suspensions (B60G17/048 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/052: Pneumatic spring characteristics (B60G17/048 takes precedence {; valves per se F16K}) - B60G 17/08: Characteristics of fluid dampers (adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53) - B60G 2202/154: with an accumulator - B60G 2202/24: Fluid damper - B60G 2204/41062: hydromounts; interconnected mounts - B60G 2400/204: Vehicle speed - B60G 2400/252: vertical - B60G 2400/5122: Fluid spring - B60G 2400/60: Load - B60G 2400/62: Seat occupation; Passenger presence - B60G 2400/823: Obstacle sensing - B60G 2400/91: Frequency - B60G 2401/142: Visual Display Camera, e.g. LCD - B60G 2401/16: GPS track data - B60G 2401/174: Radar - B60G 2401/176: Radio or audio sensitive means, e.g. Ultrasonic - B60G 2500/114: pressure regulating valves - B60G 2500/20: Spring action or springs - B60G 2500/22: Spring constant - B60G 2500/30: Height or ground clearance - B60W 2520/06: Direction of travel - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2710/223: Stiffness - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A bidirectional vehicle may be capable of traveling in either of two directions and may change its direction of travel at any point for various reasons. In response to a change in the direction of travel, systems of a bidirectional vehicle may adjust one or more suspension components using various techniques to configure the vehicle with a higher ride frequency at the trailing axle than at the leading axle to enhance the ride quality and handling capabilities of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bidirectional autonomous vehicle comprising: a first suspension subsystem associated with a first axle of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle; a second suspension subsystem associated with a second axle of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle; and a vehicle computing system comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the vehicle computing system to perform operations comprising: determining that the bidirectional autonomous vehicle has altered its direction of travel from a first direction to a second direction, wherein altering its direction of travel comprises modifying a mode of a planner component of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to primarily operate in the second direction and wherein the first direction opposes the second direction; and based at least in part on determining that the bidirectional autonomous vehicle has altered its direction of travel from the first direction to the second direction: determining, based on the second direction, that the first axle is a leading axle of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle; determining, based on the second direction, that the second axle is a trailing axle of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle; based at least in part on determining that the first axle is the leading axle, reducing a first ride frequency at the first axle by reducing stiffness of an adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem; based at least in part on determining that the second axle is the trailing axle, increasing a second ride frequency at the second axle by increasing stiffness of an adjustment component of the second suspension subsystem; and controlling the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to travel in the second direction in an environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein reducing stiffness of the adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem comprises reducing hydraulic pressure in one or more struts configured in the first suspension subsystem. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a valve fluidly coupled to the first suspension subsystem; wherein reducing stiffness of the adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem comprises changing a state of the valve to modify fluid flow within the first suspension subsystem from a second state associated with the first axle being the trailing axle to a first state associated with the first axle being the leading axle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 3, further comprising: a first fluid accumulator fluidly coupled to the first suspension subsystem; and a second fluid accumulator fluidly coupled with the valve. ### Claim 5 A method comprising: determining that a bidirectional vehicle has altered its direction of travel from a first direction to a second direction; and based at least in part on determining that the bidirectional vehicle has altered its direction of travel from the first direction to the second direction: determining a leading axle and a trailing axle of the bidirectional vehicle for the second direction; based at least in part on determining the leading axle, reducing a first ride frequency at the leading axle by reducing stiffness of an adjustment component of a first suspension subsystem associated with the leading axle; and based at least in part on determining the trailing axle, increasing a second ride frequency at the trailing axle by increasing stiffness of an adjustment component of a second suspension subsystem associated with the trailing axle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein increasing stiffness of the adjustment component of the second suspension subsystem comprises increasing hydraulic pressure in one or more struts associated with the second suspension subsystem. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein: the second suspension subsystem comprises: a hydraulic fluid accumulator fluidly connected to a hydraulic circuit; the hydraulic circuit fluidly connected to the one or more struts; and a valve configured between the hydraulic fluid accumulator and the hydraulic circuit; and increasing hydraulic pressure in the one or more struts comprises closing the valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: controlling the bidirectional vehicle to travel in the first direction in an environment based at least in part on a first trajectory, wherein determining that the bidirectional vehicle has altered its direction of travel comprises: determining a second trajectory for the bidirectional vehicle; and controlling the bidirectional vehicle to travel in the second direction in the environment based at least in part on the second trajectory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting, based at least in part on sensor data, an object obstructing a path of the bidirectional vehicle, wherein determining the second trajectory is based at least in part on detecting the object obstructing the path of the bidirectional vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein: the bidirectional vehicle entered a parking space traveling in the first direction; and determining the second trajectory is based at least in part on route data comprising a route to a destination, and the second trajectory is configured to cause the bidirectional vehicle to exit the parking space and travel along the route in the second direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein determining that the bidirectional vehicle has altered its direction of travel is based at least in part on data received from a wheelencoder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising ceasing reducing stiffness of the adjustment component associated with the first suspension subsystem and increasing stiffness of the adjustment component associated with the second suspension subsystem when a difference of stiffness of the first suspension subsystem relative to stiffness of the second suspension subsystem meets or exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining stiffness of the first suspension subsystem based at least in part on a first hydraulic pressure of the adjustment component associated with the first suspension subsystem; and determining stiffness of the second suspension subsystem based at least in part on a second hydraulic pressure of the adjustment component associated with the second suspension subsystem. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein reducing stiffness of the adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem comprises reducing hydraulic pressure in a bushing associated with the first suspension subsystem. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein reducing stiffness of the adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem comprises controlling a valve to reduce hydraulic pressure in the adjustment component of the first suspension subsystem. ### Claim 16 A bidirectional vehicle suspension system comprising: a first suspension component configured at a first axle of a bidirectional vehicle; a second suspension component configured at a second axle of the bidirectional vehicle; and a suspension controller communicatively connected to the first suspension component and the second suspension component and configured to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication of a change in vehicle direction of travel from a first direction to a second direction; and based at least in part on the indication: determining that the first axle is a leading axle and the second axle is a trailing axle; based at least in part on determining that the first axle is the leading axle, reducing a first ride frequency at the first axle by reducing stiffness of the first suspension component; and based at least in part on determining that the second axle is the trailing axle, increasing a second ride frequency at the second axle by increasing stiffness of the second suspension component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The bidirectional vehicle suspension system of claim 16, wherein receiving the indication of the change in vehicle direction of travel comprises: receiving sensor data from a sensor communicatively connected to the suspension controller; and determining the change in vehicle direction of travel based at least in part on the sensor data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The bidirectional vehicle suspension system of claim 16, wherein reducing stiffness of the first suspension component comprises adjusting a valve configured between a hydraulic fluid accumulator and a hydraulic circuit fluidly connected to the first suspension component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The bidirectional vehicle suspension system of claim 16, wherein the first suspension component comprises one or more of: a hydraulic strut; or an elasto-hydraulic bushing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The bidirectional vehicle suspension system of claim 16, wherein the indication of the change in vehicle direction of travel further indicates that a speed of the bidirectional vehicle meets or exceeds a threshold speed.