Ride performance optimization in an active suspension system

A vehicle suspension system, comprising:

• an active damping mechanism operatively coupled to a vehicle wheel;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the active damping mechanism, the controller being configured to:
• repeatedly calculate a vertical velocity of the wheel until the vertical velocity exceeds a first velocity threshold;
• initiate a timer when the vertical velocity exceeds the first velocity threshold and repeatedly recalculate the vertical velocity of the wheel until the recalculated vertical velocity exceeds a second velocity threshold;
• when the recalculated vertical velocity exceeds the second velocity threshold before the timer exceeds a first time threshold, increase the damping level applied to the wheel;
• and
• vary at least one of the velocity thresholds and the first time threshold on a basis of a speed of the vehicle.

A method of controlling a vehicle suspension for a wheel via a controller, the method comprising:

• initiating a timer and maintaining a damping level of an adjustable damping mechanism of the vehicle suspension at an initial value;
• repeatedly calculating a vertical velocity of the wheel until the vertical velocity exceeds a velocity threshold and the timer does not exceed a time threshold, wherein at least one of the velocity threshold and the time threshold is varied on a basis of a speed of the vehicle;
• and
• in response to the vertical velocity exceeding the velocity threshold before the timer exceeds the time threshold, sending an adjustment signal to the adjustable damping mechanism of the vehicle suspension to increase the damping level.

A vehicle suspension system, comprising:

• an adjustable damping mechanism operatively coupled to a vehicle wheel;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the active damping mechanism, the controller being configured to:
• initiate a timer and maintain a damping level of the adjustable damping mechanism at an initial value;
• repeatedly calculate a vertical velocity of the wheel until the vertical velocity exceeds a velocity threshold and the timer does not exceed a time threshold, wherein at least one of the velocity threshold and the time threshold is varied on a basis of a speed of the vehicle;
• and
• send an adjustment signal to the adjustable damping mechanism to increase the damping level in response to the vertical velocity exceeding the velocity threshold before the timer exceeds the time threshold.

A method of controlling a vehicle suspension, comprising:

• initiating a timer and maintaining a damping level of an adjustable damping mechanism at an initial value when a wheel vertical velocity exceeds a first velocity threshold;
• and
• increasing the damping level of the mechanism when the wheel vertical velocity exceeds a second velocity threshold before the timer exceeds a time threshold;
• wherein at least one of the thresholds is varied on a basis of vehicle speed.