Suspension control system for automotive vehicle with anti-dive control during deceleration

A suspension control sytem for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• a suspension system having variable damping characteristics, at least between a first harder suspension mode and a second softer suspension mode;
• a vehicle speed sensor producing a vehicle speed signal having a value representative of the vehicle speed;
• a controller comparing said vehicle speed signal value with a predetermined threshold value which is representative of a substantially low vehicle speed to operate said suspension system into said first mode when the vehicle speed signal value varies across said threshold value, said controller detecting when the vehicle speed value decreases across a predetermined reference value which is greater than said threshold value, setting said threshold value at a first greater value and holding said threshold value at said first value for a given period and switching said threshold value to a second small value representative of a vehicle stopping threshold after said given period expires.

A system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

• a suspension system having variable damping characteristics at least between a first harder suspension mode and a second softer suspension mode;
• a vehicle speed sensor for producing a vehicle speed signal having a value representative of the vehicle speed;
• a controller for comparing said vehicle speed signal value with a predetermined threshold value which is representative of a substantially low vehicle speed and which is variable depending upon a magnitude of vehicular deceleration derived based on said vehicle speed indicative signal value, and for controlling said suspension system to operate in said first mode when the vehicle speed decreases across said threshold value such that when said vehicle is decelerating rapidly, said suspension is operated into said first mode when said vehicle is at a relatively high speed and when said vehicle is decelerating slowly, said suspension is operated into said first mode when said vehicle speed decreases across a stopping threshold.

A method of controlling a automotive suspension system having variable damping characteristics at least between a first harder suspension mode and a second softer suspension mode, comprising:

• monitoring a vehicle speed to produce a vehicle speed signal having a value representative of the vehicle speed;
• comparing said vehicle speed indicative signal value with a predetermined reference value which is variable depending upon a magnitude of vehicular deceleration derived based on said vehicle speed indicative signal values such that the reference value is high when the deceleration is rapid and the reference value is a vehicle stopping reference when the deceleration is low;
• operating said suspension system in said first mode when said vehicle speed indicative signal value decreases across said reference value.