Single valve control of damping and stiffness in a liquid spring system

A method for controlling a liquid spring having a first volume of compressible liquid in a first chamber coupled to a second volume of compressible liquid in a second chamber by a fluid passage having a valve selectively operable to place the second volume in communication with the liquid spring, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal from at least one sensor;
• generating a stiffness signal based upon a first calculation using the signal received;
• generating a damping signal based upon a second calculation using the signal received;
• combining the stiffness signal and the damping signal to obtain a control signal;
• and
• sending the generated control signal to the valve.

A method for controlling a liquid spring located between a wheel of a vehicle and a frame of the vehicle, the liquid spring having a first volume of compressible liquid being coupled to a second volume of compressible liquid by a fluid passage having a valve selectively operable to place the second volume in communication with the liquid spring, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one signal from at least one sensor;
• calculating at least one of a pitch, a roll, a warp, and a heave of the vehicle from the at least one signal received;
• generating a stiffness signal based upon the calculated at least one of the pitch, the roll, the warp, and the heave;
• calculating at least one of a force, a displacement, a velocity, and an acceleration of the wheel;
• generating a damping signal based upon the calculated at least one of the force, the displacement, the velocity, and the acceleration of the wheel;
• combining the stiffness signal and the damping signal to create a control signal;
• and sending the control signal to the valve.