Control logic for fluid flow control devices
A system for controlling a fluid flow control device positioned on a surface of a vehicle. The system includes a fluid flow control device, a ground clearance sensor and a controller. The fluid flow control device has a body with at least one surface and an actuation means in operative communication with the at least one surface. The actuation means is operative to alter at least one attribute of the fluid flow control device in response to a control signal. The ground clearance sensor detects a clearance between the surface of the vehicle and a road. The controller has control logic for generating the control signal in response to the ground clearance sensor. The clearance may be a current clearance between the surface of the vehicle and the road and/or a predicted imminent clearance between the surface of the vehicle and the road.
1. A system for controlling a fluid flow control device positioned on a surface of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a fluid flow control device having a body with at least one surface and an actuation means in operative communication with the at least one surface, the actuation means being operative to alter at least one attribute of the fluid flow control device in response to a control signal;
a ground clearance sensor for indicating a clearance between the surface of the vehicle and a road; and
a controller having control logic for generating the control signal in response to the ground clearance sensor.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ground clearance sensor indicates one or more of a tire inflation pressure, a vehicle load, and a ride height.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the ground clearance sensor includes one or more of a failed shock sensor and a spring sensor.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the clearance is a current clearance between the surface of the vehicle and the road.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the clearance is a predicted imminent future clearance between the surface of the vehicle and the road.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an irregular road surface indicator, wherein the controller generates the control signal in response to one or more of the ground clearance sensor and the irregular road surface indicator.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein input to the irregular road surface indicator includes an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein input to the irregular road surface indicator includes a sensor that detects a shift of the vehicle into four-wheel drive.
9. The system of claim 6 wherein input to the irregular road surface indicator includes data relating to one or more of a vehicle location, a road surface condition at the location and a road surface condition at a near distance from the location, and the data is received from one or more of a global positioning system, vehicle telematics, and a digital map database.
10. The system of claim 6 wherein input to the irregular road surface indicator includes data relating to vehicle location and a predicted path of the vehicle and input to determining the predicted path of the vehicle includes one or more of a heading of the vehicle, a steer angle of the vehicle and a velocity of the vehicle.
11. The system of claim 6 wherein input to the irregular road surface indicator includes data from one or more of a vision system, a radar system, an ultrasonic sensor system and an infrared sensor system.
12. The system of claim 6 wherein the irregular road surface indicator indicates whether the vehicle is currently in contact with an irregular road surface.
13. The system of claim 6 wherein the irregular road surface indicator indicates whether there is an imminent future high probability of the vehicle being in contact with an irregular road surface.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow control device is reversibly deployable.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow control device is an air dam and the altering of at least one attribute includes lifting or lowering.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation means is an active material.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation means is one or more of an active material, a mechanical actuator, an electronic actuator and a hydraulic actuator.
18. A system for controlling a fluid flow control device positioned on a surface of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a fluid flow control device having a body with at least one surface and an actuation means in operative communication with the at least one surface, the actuation means being operative to alter at least one attribute of the fluid flow control device in response to a control signal;
an irregular road surface indicator; and
a controller having control logic for generating the control signal in response to the irregular road surface indicator.
19. A method of controlling fluid flow about a vehicle, comprising
determining a fluid flow sensor output associated with a fluid flow control device positioned on a surface of the vehicle;
determining one or more of:
a ground clearance sensor output, the ground clearance sensor output indicating a clearance between the surface of the vehicle and a road; and
an irregular road surface indicator output; and
transmitting a signal to alter the fluid flow control device based on the fluid flow sensor output and one or more of the ground clearance sensor output and the irregular road surface indicator output.
20. A computer program product for controlling a fluid flow control device, the computer program product comprising:
a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
determining a fluid flow sensor output associated with a fluid flow control device positioned on a surface of the vehicle;
determining one or more of:
a ground clearance sensor output, the ground clearance sensor output indicating a clearance between the surface of the vehicle and a road; and
an irregular road surface indicator output; and
transmitting a signal to alter the fluid flow control device based on the fluid flow sensor output and one or more of the ground clearance sensor output and the irregular road surface indicator output.