Preview road surface detector, suspension controller, and preview road surface detection method

A preview road surface detector, comprising:

• a distance sensor provided on a vehicle body member the distance sensor detecting a value related to a distance between the vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least part of a road surface contact portion of a wheel;
• and
• a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance as the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected by the distance sensor,
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated under a predetermined condition, and
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated when vertical acceleration of the vehicle body member continues to be equal to or greater than a threshold for a predetermined period of time or longer.

A preview road surface detector, comprising:

• a distance sensor provided on a vehicle body member, the distance sensor detecting a value related to a distance between the vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least part of a road surface contact portion of a wheel;
• and
• a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance as the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected by the distance sensor
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated under a predetermined condition, and
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated when a weather around the vehicle is determined to be snow, when an outside temperature of the vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined temperature, or when at least one of ABS or VSA is in operation.

A preview road surface detector, comprising:

• a distance sensor provided on a vehicle body member the distance sensor detecting a value related to a distance between the vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least part of a road surface contact portion of a wheel;
• and
• a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance as the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected by the distance sensor,
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated under a predetermined condition, and
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated when the detection value of the distance sensor is at least one of constant, under, or over for a predetermined period of time or longer.

A suspension controller that controls an operation of an active suspension, based on a road surface distance calculated using a preview road surface detector, the preview road surface detector comprising;

• a distance sensor provided on a vehicle body member, the distance sensor detecting a value related to a distance between the vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least part of a road surface contact portion of a wheel;
• and
• a distance calculator that calculates a road surface distance as the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected by the distance sensor,
• wherein the distance sensor is deactivated under a predetermined condition, and
• wherein, when the distance sensor is deactivated, the suspension controller controls an operation of the active suspension by way of skyhook control or damping control.

A preview road surface detection method, comprising:

• a detecting step of detecting a value related to a distance between a vehicle body member and a measurement point on a road surface ahead of a vehicle, the measurement point corresponding to at least a central portion of a road surface contact portion of a wheel;
• and
• a calculating step of calculating a road surface distance, which is the distance from the vehicle body member to the measurement point, based on a detection value detected in the detecting step,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• a situation monitoring step of monitoring a situation of the vehicle;
• and
• a determining step of determining whether the detecting step should be executed, based on the situation of the vehicle monitored in the situation monitoring step.