Patent Application
20210323371
The disclosure herein relates to air suspension underbody clearance detection.
When drivers and/or passengers desire to enter or exit a stopped vehicle, it is convenient for the drivers and/or passengers to request for the vehicle to be lowered to ease entering and exiting of the vehicle, or to have the vehicle automatically lower itself for example, in the case of autonomous vehicles. However, if there are obstacles under or near the vehicle, damage can occur to the vehicle such as the underbody, front/rear bumper, side steps, rocker panels, or the bottoms of the doors when opened.
What is needed is a better way to prevent damage to a stopped vehicle due to obstacles under or near the vehicle.
A method comprises detecting whether a request to lower a vehicle is received, and when a request is received, detect potential obstructions under the undercarriage of the vehicle. The method further includes determining whether any interference with the undercarriage will occur when the vehicle is lowered, and lowering the vehicle when the vehicle is in a stopped position.
In one or more embodiments, the method further includes determining a lowest height to which a vehicle can be lowered without interference with at least one of the undercarriage, bumpers, rockers, side steps, or doors of the vehicle.
In one or more embodiments, the method further includes lowering the vehicle to the lowest height.
In one or more embodiments, detecting the obstructions is done with a measuring device.
In one or more embodiments, the measuring device includes at least one sensor.
In one or more embodiments, the measuring device includes at least one laser.
In one or more embodiments, the measuring device includes at least one camera.
A undercarriage detection system comprises a system including at least one measuring device, the measuring device disposed adjacent to a lower portion of a vehicle, the system including a camera/radar ECU, the system configured to detect objects under the vehicle and to determine possible obstructions under the vehicle, and an air suspension system ECU communicatively coupled with the system, the air suspension system configured to lower the vehicle to a lowest height without interference from obstacles under the vehicle when the vehicle is in the stopped position.
In one or more embodiments, the measuring device includes a proximity sensor.
In one or more embodiments, the measuring device includes a camera.
In one or more embodiments, the system further includes a processor communicatively coupled with a communications module.
These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and their equivalents.
The following detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the apparatus may be practiced. These embodiments, which are also referred to herein as “examples” or “options,” are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present embodiments. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Air suspension systems allow the ride height of each corner of the vehicle to be raised and lowered by any number of different events including driver inputs and CAN bus signals from other systems on the vehicle. An air suspension underbody clearance detection system includes sensors, cameras, vehicle height sensor
The system is used in conjunction with a vehicle-height adjusting device which can include an air suspension system provided with air springs, and valves which adjust the height of the vehicle.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Embodiments discussed in different portions of the description or referred to in different drawings can be combined to form additional embodiments of the present application. The scope should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
