US 4,881,172 AGranted

Observer control means for suspension systems or the like

AssigneeLord Corporation

InventorLane R. Miller

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Abstract

The apparatus is particularly suited for control of the performance of a vehicle suspension system or similar plant having controllable semiactive dampers capable of either high or low damping modes. Different plant modes ensue from different combinations of the damper modes. The control apparatus includes observer devices that model each of the plant modes and produce estimates of the plant output or performance that would be produced in each plant mode. A cost function device identifies the optimal one of the estimates, and the dampers in the real plant are adjusted so as to cause the plant to assume the one of its modes modeled by the observer producing the optimal estimate. In an alternative reduced form of the invention, the functions of the observer and cost function devices are performed by switching function generators that produce switching functions indicative of the estimated worth of the outputs that would be produced by the plant in each of its different modes.

Claims23

Dependent claims

Apparatus for controlling operation of a suspension system having semiactive damper means, said damper means being adjustable to permit operation thereof in different modes of operation, adjustments of said damper means causing said damper means to operate in different ones of said modes of operation and thereby causing said suspension system to operate in different modes, the damping provided by said damper means in each of said modes of operation of said system being different from the damping produced by said damper means in other of said modes of operation of said system, said system receiving disturbance input and producing output, said apparatus comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring conditions of operation of said suspension system and for producing data indicative thereof;
system modeling observer means for modeling said different modes of said system, and for receiving data from said monitoring means, and for generating real time estimates of the output that would be produced by said system in each of said modes thereof modeled by said observer means;
function means for comparing said estimates generated by said means with each other and for identifying an optimum one of said estimates;
and control means for causing said damper means to operate in said system in the one of said modes thereof corresponding to the one of said modes thereof in the one of said modeled system modes producing said optimum one of said estimates.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/945,380Filed 22 Dec 1986
Granted: 14 Nov 1989
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60G 17/0182
Characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method: involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
F16F 15/02
Suppression of vibrations in systems ; Means or arrangements for avoiding or reducing out-of-balance forces, e.g. due to motion: suppression of…
G05B 13/042
Involving the use of models or simulators: in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
B60G 2600/184
Automatic control means: semi-Active control means