IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,434,530
Granted Patent B2
US 12,434,530 · App. 18/240,890 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Methods and apparatus to identify ride height sensor discrepancies

Inventors: Brian D. Rutkowski (Ypsilanti, MI); David John Rutkowski (Grosse Ile, MI)
Assignee: Ford Technologies, LLC
B60G17/0185B60G17/01908B60G17/01933B60G2400/10B60G2400/204B60G2400/252B60G2400/954B60G2500/30B60G2600/082
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,434,530
App. No.
18/240,890
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to identify ride height sensor discrepancies are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes machine readable instructions and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to compare a first sensor output of a first ride height sensor of a vehicle to a second sensor output of a second ride height sensor of the vehicle, increment a discrepancy counter based on the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output, and generate an indication to service at least one of the first ride height sensor or the second ride height sensor after the discrepancy counter satisfies a threshold.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus comprising:

machine readable instructions; and

programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to:

access a first sensor output, the first sensor output generated at a first time, the first sensor output associated with a first ride height sensor of a vehicle, the first ride height sensor is associated with a first wheel of the vehicle;

access a second sensor output, the second sensor output generated at a second time separated from the first time by a delay, the second sensor output associated with a second ride height sensor of the vehicle, the second ride height sensor is associated with a second wheel of the vehicle, the second wheel is longitudinally aligned with the first wheel;

compare the first sensor output to the second sensor output;

increment a discrepancy counter based on the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output; and

generate an indication to service at least one of the first ride height sensor or the second ride height sensor after the discrepancy counter satisfies a threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to determine the delay based on a speed of the vehicle and a wheelbase of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable circuitry is further to compare a speed of the vehicle to a speed threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the speed satisfies the speed threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable circuitry is further to compare an acceleration of the vehicle to an acceleration threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the acceleration satisfies the acceleration threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is a frequency-based threshold and wherein the programmable circuitry is further to determine a frequency of discrepancies based on the discrepancy counter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the indication is an on-board diagnostic code.

7. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause programmable circuitry to at least:

access a first sensor output, the first sensor output generated at a first time, the first sensor output associated with a first ride height sensor of a vehicle, the first ride height sensor is associated with a first wheel of the vehicle;

access a second sensor output, the second sensor output generated at a second time separated from the first time by a delay, the second sensor output associated with a second ride height sensor of the vehicle, the second ride height sensor is associated with a second wheel of the vehicle, the second wheel is longitudinally aligned with the first wheel;

compare the first sensor output to the second sensor output;

increment a discrepancy counter based on the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output; and

generate an indication to service at least one of the first ride height sensor or the second ride height sensor after the discrepancy counter satisfies a threshold.

8. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the programmable circuitry to determine the delay based on a speed of the vehicle and a wheelbase of the vehicle.

9. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the programmable circuitry to compare a speed of the vehicle to a speed threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the speed satisfies the speed threshold.

10. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the programmable circuitry to compare an acceleration of the vehicle to an acceleration threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the acceleration satisfies the acceleration threshold.

11. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the threshold is a frequency-based threshold and instructions, when executed, further cause the programmable circuitry to is further to determine a frequency of discrepancies based on the discrepancy counter.

12. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the indication is an on-board diagnostic code.

13. A method comprising:

accessing a first sensor output, the first sensor output generated at a first time, the first sensor output associated with a first ride height sensor of a vehicle, the first ride height sensor is associated with a first wheel of the vehicle;

accessing a second sensor output, the second sensor output generated at a second time separated from the first time by a delay, the second sensor output associated with a second ride height sensor of the vehicle, the second ride height sensor is associated with a second wheel of the vehicle, the second wheel is longitudinally aligned with the first wheel;

comparing the first sensor output of a first ride height sensor of a vehicle to the second sensor output of a second ride height sensor of the vehicle;

incrementing a discrepancy counter based on the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output; and

generating an indication to service at least one of the first ride height sensor or the second ride height sensor after the discrepancy counter satisfies a threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including determining the delay based on a speed of the vehicle and a wheelbase of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13 , further including comparing a speed of the vehicle to a speed threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the speed satisfies the speed threshold.

16. The method of claim 13 , further including comparing an acceleration of the vehicle to an acceleration threshold, the comparison of the first sensor output and the second sensor output occurring after determining the acceleration satisfies the acceleration threshold.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the indication is an on-board diagnostic code.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2023
From: RUTKOWSKI, BRIAN D.; RUTKOWSKI, DAVID JOHN
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 064804/0045 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250074131A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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