# US 2014/0195116 A1 · Suspension control for pulse/glide green cruise control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195116 A1 - Document ID: US20140195116A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/734,826 - Filed: 2013-01-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Davor Hrovat; Dimitar Petrov Filev; Jianbo Lu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195116A1 ## CPC - B60G 17/0195: characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems {(conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22)} - B60G 17/0164: {mainly during accelerating or braking} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/22: including control of suspension systems - B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)} - B60W 30/192: Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine - B60G 2300/60: Vehicles using regenerative power - B60G 2800/014: Pitch; Nose dive - B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure - B60W 2552/05: Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads - B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction - B60W 2552/35: Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method is described comprising modulating vehicle speed about a target speed by operating a vehicle with an engine at high output and then operating the vehicle with the engine off, and adjusting operation of a suspension system based on the vehicle operation with the engine at high output and the engine off to control vehicle pitch during the modulating of vehicle speed about the target speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: modulating a vehicle speed about a target speed by repeatedly operating one or more engine cylinders to increase the vehicle speed, and then deactivating one or more engine cylinders to reduce the vehicle speed; and adjusting a vehicle suspension system based on the cylinder operation to control vehicle pitch during the vehicle speed modulation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein modulating the vehicle speed about the target speed comprises modulating the vehicle speed about the target speed over a threshold interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein operating one or more engine cylinders to increase the vehicle speed comprises accelerating the vehicle over the threshold interval about the target speed and wherein deactivating one or more engine cylinders to reduce vehicle speed comprises decelerating the vehicle over the threshold interval about the target speed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the suspension system includes adjusting operation of an active suspension system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the vehicle suspension system comprises adjusting operation of a semi-active suspension system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting operation of the vehicle suspension system comprises reducing disturbances to front vehicle height during the modulating of vehicle speed about the target speed by adjusting at least one of a front suspension height, a rear suspension height, a front suspension damping, and a rear suspension damping. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting operation of the active suspension system comprises at least one of adjusting a front suspension height and adjusting a rear suspension height. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting operation of the active suspension system further comprises at least one of firming a front suspension and firming a rear suspension. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting operation of the semi-active suspension system comprises increasing a suspension damping. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein increasing the suspension damping comprises increasing the suspension damping to its maximum value when an engine throttle is above a threshold engine throttle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein modulating the vehicle speed over the threshold interval is performed by a cruise control system onboard the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the vehicle suspension system comprises at least one of pre-positioning suspension heights and pre-filling suspension actuators based on upcoming vehicle acceleration and deceleration over the threshold interval via the cruise control system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein pre-positioning the suspension heights and pre-filling the suspension actuators is performed by a control system on board the vehicle based on at least one of the target speed, the threshold interval, a modulation frequency for modulating the vehicle speed over the threshold interval about the target speed, and a distance from a second vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein modulating the vehicle speed further comprises limiting the threshold interval based on one or more of the target speed, a road surface roughness, a road grade, and a trailer tow status. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein modulating the vehicle speed further comprises limiting the modulation frequency based on one or more of the target speed, a road surface roughness, a road grade, and a trailer tow status. ### Claim 16 A vehicle, comprising: an engine; a suspension system; and a controller, with instructions executable to modulate a vehicle speed about a target speed by operating the vehicle with the engine at increased output and then with the engine off, and adjust suspension system operation based on the vehicle operation to control vehicle pitch during the modulating of the vehicle speed about the target speed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the suspension system comprises a least one of an active suspension system and a semi-active suspension system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the controller comprises a smart adaptive cruise control system. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: during vehicle-controlled speed regulation, operating one or more engine cylinders to increase the vehicle speed, and then deactivating one or more engine cylinders to reduce the vehicle speed without a change in driver pedal request; and adjusting a vehicle suspension system responsive to the vehicle-controlled speed regulation and in coordination with timing of the increase and decrease in vehicle speed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein all engine cylinders are fully activated to increase vehicle speed, and all cylinders are fully deactivated, but still rotating, to decrease vehicle speed.