Computer optimized adaptive suspension system

A control system for a plurality of damping devices, each damping device comprising extensible shock absorber means for damping between sprung and unsprung masses in a vehicle, sensor means for generating signals representative of the degree of extension of the shock absorber means, and regulator means responsive to independent compression control signal and rebound control signal for adjusting, respectively, the compression direction force and the rebound direction force presented by the shock absorber means to the extension, the control system comprising:

• means for receiving signals generated by each of the sensor means representative of the degree of extension, processing means adapted to determine from the received signals a plurality of independent parameters each representative of a distinct state of motion of the vehicle, for using the plurality of parameters to determine, for each individual shock absorber means, a desired independent response for each of the distinct states of motion, and for processing the desired independent responses for each of the individual shock absorber means to form, for each of the regulator means, independent compression control signal and rebound control signal.

A method for controlling one or more damping devices comprising extensible shock absorber means for damping between two masses in compression and rebound directions, sensor means for generating signals representative of the degree of the extension of the shock absorber means, and regulator means responsive to independent compression control signal and rebound signal for adjusting, respectively, the compression direction force and the rebound direction force presented by the shock absorber means to the extension, the method comprising:

• receiving the signals, representative of the degree of the extension, generated by the sensor means, processing the received signals to determine one or more independent parameters each representative of a distinct state of motion of the two masses, determining a desired independent response from the independent parameters for each of the distinct states of motion, and forming a compression control signal and a rebound control signal for each of the regulator means from the determined desired independent response.

A method for controlling a plurality of damping devices, each damping device comprising extensible shock absorber means for damping between sprung and unsprung masses in a vehicle, sensor means for generating signals representative of the degree of extension of the shock absorber means, and regulator means responsive to independent compression control signal and rebound control signal for adjusting, respectively, the compression direction force and the rebound direction force of the shock absorber means to the extension, the method comprising:

• receiving signals generated by each of the sensor means representative of the degree of extension, determining therefrom a plurality of independent parameters each representative of a distinct state of motion of the vehicle, using the plurality of parameters to determine, for each individual shock absorber means, a desired independent response for each of the distinct states of motion, and processing the desired independent responses for each of the individual shock absorber means to form, for each of the regulator means, independent compression control signal and rebound control signal.

A control system for one or more damping devices comprising extensible shock absorber means for damping between two masses in compression and rebound directions, sensor means for generating signals representative of the degree of extension of the shock absorber means, and regulator means responsive to at least one control signal for adjusting at least one of the compression direction force and the rebound direction force presented by the shock absorber means to the extension, the control system comprising:

• means for receiving signals, representative of the degree of extension, generated by the sensor means, processing means for processing the received signals to determine one or more independent parameters each representative of a distinct state of motion of the two masses, for using each of the parameters to determine, for each of the shock absorber means, a desired independent response for each of the distinct states of motion, and for processing the desired independent for each of the individual shock absorber means to form at least one control signal for at least one of the regulator means.

A method for controlling one or more damping devices comprising extensible shock absorber means for damping between two masses in compression and rebound directions, sensor means for generating signals representative of the degree of extension of the shock absorber means, and regulator means responsive to at least one control signal for adjusting at least one of the compression direction force and the rebound direction force presented by the shock absorber means to the extension, the method comprising:

• receiving the signals, representative of the degree of extension, generated by the sensor means, processing the received signals to determine one or more independent parameters each representative of a distinct state of motion of the two masses, determining a desired independent response from the independent parameters for each of the distinct states of motion and forming at least one control signal for at least one of the regulator means from the determined desired independent response.