Height sensing system for a vehicular suspension assembly
View Patent ↗A system is provided for determining a distance between a vehicular suspension assembly and the ground, wherein the suspension assembly has a first member. The system comprises a first transceiver coupled to the first member for emitting a first interrogation signal toward the ground, and for receiving a first reflection of the first interrogation signal from the ground, and a processor coupled to the first transceiver for determining the distance of the first transceiver from the ground.
1. A system for determining a distance between a vehicular suspension assembly and the ground, the suspension assembly having a first member coupled to a sprung mass and a second member coupled to an unsprung mass, the system comprising:
a first transceiver coupled to the first member for emitting a first interrogation signal toward the ground, receiving a first reflection of the first interrogation signal from the ground, and transmitting a first timing signal when the first reflection is received;
a second transceiver coupled to the second member for emitting a second interrogation signal toward the ground, receiving a second reflection of the second interrogation signal from the ground, and transmitting a second timing signal when the second reflection is received; and
a processor coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and configured to determine the distance of the first transceiver and the second transceiver from the ground;
wherein the processor prompts the first transceiver to emit the first interrogation signal and prompts the second transceiver to emit the second interrogation signal substantially simultaneously.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first transceiver is configured to emit UWB interrogation signals.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first transceiver is configured to receive UWB interrogation signals reflected from the ground.
4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a damper assembly having a first portion coupled to the sprung mass and a second portion coupled to the unsprung mass, and wherein the first transceiver is coupled to the first portion, and the second transceiver is coupled to the second portion.
5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the first portion comprises a dust tube, and the second portion comprises a damper tube, and wherein the first transceiver is coupled to the dust tube, and the second transceiver is coupled to the damper tube.
6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the vertical component of the velocity of the first transceiver.
7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a suspension actuator assembly having a movable portion coupled to the first member and a stationary portion coupled to the second member, and wherein the first transceiver is coupled to the movable portion and the second transceiver is coupled to the stationary portion.
8. A system for determining a distance between a sprung mass of a vehicular suspension assembly and an unsprung mass of the suspension assembly, the system comprising:
a first transceiver coupled to one of the sprung mass or the unsprung mass for emitting a first interrogation signal toward the ground and for receiving a first reflection of the first interrogation signal reflected from the ground;
a second transceiver coupled to the other of the sprung mass or the unsprung mass for emitting a second interrogation signal toward the ground and for receiving a second reflection of the second interrogation signal reflected from the ground; and
a processor coupled to the first and second transceivers configured to determine the distance between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass;
wherein the processor is further configured to determine the instantaneous velocity of the first transceiver.
9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the first transceiver sends a first timing signal to the processor when the first reflection is received, and the second transceiver sends a second timing signal to the processor when the second reflection is received.
10. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor prompts the first transceiver to emit the first interrogation signal, and the second transceiver to emit the second interrogation signal substantially simultaneously.
11. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the instantaneous acceleration of the first transceiver.
12. A system for determining a vertical distance of travel of an actuator assembly for a vehicle having a suspension assembly, the suspension assembly having a first member coupled to a spring mass and a second member coupled to an unspring mass, the actuator assembly having a first end coupled to the first member and a second end coupled to the second member, the system comprising:
a first transceiver coupled to the first end for emitting a first interrogation signal toward the ground, and for receiving a first reflection of the first interrogation signal reflected from the ground;
a second transceiver coupled to the second end for emitting a second interrogation signal toward the ground, and for receiving a second reflection of the second interrogation signal reflected from the ground; and
a processor coupled to the first and second transceivers and configured to: substantially simultaneously prompt the first and second transceivers to emit the first and second interrogation signals, respectively, and determine the vertical distance of travel of the actuator assembly.
13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a passive actuator.
14. A system according to claim 12 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a controllable actuator.