Suspension controller

A suspension controller for controlling, based on at least one value detected by at least one sensor which is provided in a vehicle and which is configured to detect a detected portion, a suspension provided for a wheel of the vehicle which is located on a rear side of the detected portion and which is distant from the detected portion by a longitudinal distance in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, such that the suspension works in accordance with a control command value that is prepared based on the at least one value detected by the at least one sensor,

• said suspension controller comprising a gain determiner configured to determine a gain, for controlling the suspension based on the determined gain,
• wherein said gain determiner is configured to determine the gain such that the determined gain is smaller when a previewable time is shorter than a first threshold length of time, than when the previewable time is not shorter than the first threshold length of time, the previewable time being dependent on the longitudinal distance and a running speed of the vehicle, the first threshold length of time being dependent on a response delay time by which initiation of working of the suspension in accordance with the control command value is to be retarded after output of the control command value supplied to the suspension,
• wherein said gain determiner includes a constant-value setting portion by which the gain is set to a predetermined constant value when the previewable time is not shorter than the first threshold length of time,
• wherein said gain determiner includes a reduced-value setting portion by which the gain is set to a value that is reduced with reduction of the previewable time when the previewable time is shorter than the first threshold length of time, and
• wherein said gain determiner includes a zero setting portion by which the gain is set to zero when the previewable time is shorter than the first threshold length of time.

A suspension controller for controlling, based on at least one value detected by at least one sensor which is provided in a vehicle and which is configured to detect a detected portion, a suspension provided for a wheel of the vehicle which is located on a rear side of the detected portion and which is distant from the detected portion by a longitudinal distance in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, such that the suspension works in accordance with a control command value that is prepared based on the at least one value detected by the at least one sensor,

• said suspension controller comprising a gain determiner configured to determine a gain, for controlling the suspension based on the determined gain,
• wherein said gain determiner is configured to determine the gain such that the determined gain is smaller when a previewable time is shorter than a first threshold length of time, than when the previewable time is not shorter than the first threshold length of time, the previewable time being dependent on the longitudinal distance and a running speed of the vehicle, the first threshold length of time being dependent on a response delay time by which initiation of working of the suspension in accordance with the control command value is to be retarded after output of the control command value supplied to the suspension,
• wherein said gain determiner includes a constant-value setting portion by which the gain is set to a predetermined constant value when the previewable time is not shorter than the first threshold length of time,
• wherein said gain determiner includes a reduced-value setting portion by which the gain is set to a value that is reduced with reduction of the previewable time when the previewable time is shorter than the first threshold length of time,
• wherein said gain determiner includes a previewable-time-basis determining portion configured to determine the gain during straight running of the vehicle, such that the determined gain is smaller when the previewable time is shorter than the first threshold length of time, than when the previewable time is longer than the first threshold length of time, and
• wherein said gain determiner includes a wheel-turning-angle-basis determining portion configured to determine the gain during non-straight running of the vehicle, such that the determined gain is smaller when an absolute value of a turning angle of a steerable wheel of the vehicle is large, than when the absolute value of the turning angle of the steerable wheel is small.