DE102015016555B4 - Method for operating a damper of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operating a damper (10) of an own motor vehicle (2), via which a wheel (6) of the own motor vehicle (2) is connected to a body of the own motor vehicle (2), at least one third-party motor vehicle (4), which has at least one sensor (12) with which a condition of a surface of a roadway (8) can be detected, the condition of the surface of a section of a roadway (8) traveled by the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) recorded and information on the nature of the section of the road (8) traveled by radio to a central database (18) and collected by the central database (18), the information from the central database (18) to the owner by radio - Motor vehicle (2) are transmitted before the own motor vehicle (2) drives the section, it being provided that the damper (10) of the own motor vehicle (2) is set softly, in the event that due to the If there is an indication of a pothole (24) at a position of the section of the roadway (8), the softly adjusted damper (10) of the motor vehicle (2) is set harder when the pothole (24) is passed over, characterized in that that it is checked whether a natural frequency of the wheel (6) of the motor vehicle (2) is likely to be excited when the pothole (24) is passed over, the damper (10) being set harder if it is to be expected that the natural frequency of the Rads (6) is excited.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a damper of a motor vehicle and a system for operating a damper of a motor vehicle.

A journey of a motor vehicle is also influenced, among other things, by the nature of a roadway on which the motor vehicle is moving, the wheels of the motor vehicle touching the roadway. If the roadway to be driven has a pothole, for example, this should be recognized early in order to protect a damper which is assigned to a wheel of the motor vehicle from a possible impact of the pothole.

A predictive chassis control system for a motor vehicle is in the document DE 10 2013 210 553 A1 described. In this case, a communication unit is designed to receive first roadway condition information for a roadway section still to be traveled. A chassis control unit is designed to predictively adapt a chassis component taking into account the road surface condition information.

An adaptive active damping system is from the publication US 2010/0324781 A1 known. To implement this damping system, it is provided that individual motor vehicles as traffic participants exchange information via a communication network.

It is also from the publication DE 103 44 053 A1 a suspension control device for a vehicle is known. An active damping system for a motor vehicle is in the document WO 2014/145 018A2 described.

The publication DE 100 52 787 A1 describes a suspension tuning system for vehicles. A chassis of a vehicle comprises vibration dampers and spring units, which are adjustable with respect to a damping force using an adjusting device. A navigation system for determining the position of the vehicle on a roadway is also provided. An adjustment signal for an adjustment device is provided on the basis of the position determination and the road characteristics associated therewith.

A method for the automatic or semi-automatic adjustment of a chassis of a vehicle is known from the document DE 10 2014 107 765 A1 known. The vehicle assesses a road condition using sensors. The vehicle also transmits the road conditions to a central server. Another vehicle queries the road condition from the server. In addition, the other vehicle recommends adjusting the chassis depending on the road condition queried.

The publication DE 10 2015 207 991 A1 describes an information processing device for a vehicle, which is designed to use a driving history map to determine a location of the vehicle based on a first road feature and to use a suspension profile for a suspension system of the vehicle.

From the publication DE 10 2007 042 877 A1 A motor vehicle with a detection device for detecting a physical lane property of a lane traveled by the motor vehicle is known.

Against this background, a method and a system with the features of the independent claims are presented. Refinements of the method and of the system emerge from the dependent patent claims and the description.

The invention relates to a method for operating a damper of a motor vehicle, via which a wheel of the motor vehicle is connected to a body of the motor vehicle. At least one third-party motor vehicle, which has at least one sensor with which a condition of a surface of a roadway is to be detected, records the condition of the surface of a section of a roadway traversed by the at least one third-party motor vehicle, information about the nature of the road surface section of the road traveled by radio is transmitted to a central database and evaluated and / or collected by the central database. This information is transmitted by radio from the central database to the driver's own motor vehicle before the driver's own motor vehicle drives through the section. It is provided here that the damper of the driver's own vehicle is set to be soft, and in the event that, based on the information, there is an indication of a pothole at a position or location on the section of the roadway, the softly adjusted damper of the driver's own vehicle is used driving over the pothole is set harder. After driving over the pothole, the damper is set soft again.

The sensor-acquired information on the nature of the section of the roadway is combined with information on a position of the section, with the at least one third-party motor vehicle receiving the information on the position of the section via a satellite-based positioning system or location system, e.g. B. GPS, are provided.

As a rule, the information about the nature of the section of the roadway is requested by the driver's own motor vehicle before it drives onto the section.

Furthermore, a force and / or speed of the damper is increased when the pothole is passed over.

It is checked whether a natural frequency of the wheel of the motor vehicle is likely to be excited when the pothole is passed over, the damper being set harder if the natural frequency of the wheel can be expected to be excited.

The system according to the invention is designed to operate a damper of a motor vehicle, via which a wheel of the motor vehicle is connected to a body of the motor vehicle, and comprises at least one sensor and at least one communication device which is assigned to the at least one third-party motor vehicle are as well as a central database and a control unit that is assigned to the vehicle. The at least one sensor of the at least one third-party motor vehicle is designed to detect a condition of a section of a roadway traveled by the at least one third-party motor vehicle. The at least one communication device of the at least one third-party motor vehicle is designed to transmit the information relating to the nature of the section of the road being traveled to the central database by radio. The central database is designed to evaluate and / or collect this information, the central database also being designed to transmit the information by radio to the driver's own motor vehicle before the driver's own motor vehicle drives through the section. It is provided that the damper of the vehicle is set soft. If, based on the information, there is an indication of a pothole at a point or a location of the section of the road, the control device of the driver's vehicle is designed to set the softly adjusted damper of the driver's vehicle tougher when the pothole is passed over.

The at least one sensor, which is assigned to the at least one third-party motor vehicle, is designed to detect the nature of the surface of the road surface via electromagnetic waves and / or via a movement of a wheel of the at least one third-party motor vehicle. The at least one sensor is designed, for example, as a radar sensor, lidar sensor or camera. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one sensor is designed as a mechanical or electromechanical sensor.

The system comprises a further communication device, which is assigned to the driver's own motor vehicle and is designed to request and receive information on the nature of the section of the roadway that is to be provided by the central database.

Furthermore, the system comprises a first navigation device which is assigned to the driver's own motor vehicle and is designed to exchange information with a positioning system and to locate the driver's own motor vehicle and thus to determine its rapid position, and at least one second navigation device which is used by at least one stranger Motor vehicle is assigned and is designed to exchange information with the positioning system and to locate the at least one third-party motor vehicle and thus to determine its current position.

The presented method can be carried out using the presented system for every motor vehicle, usually for every damper of the motor vehicle. In the foregoing, a distinction is made between the motor vehicle designed and / or to be designated as an in-house motor vehicle and between the at least one motor vehicle designed and / or to be designated as a third-party motor vehicle. When carrying out the method, the damper of the motor vehicle referred to as the driver's own motor vehicle must therefore be set harder when a pothole occurs. Information about the nature of the surface of the road to be driven by the driver's own motor vehicle is recorded by the at least one sensor of the at least one motor vehicle referred to as a third party motor vehicle and transmitted to the central database, which in turn is designed to transmit this information to the driver's own vehicle. To transmit motor vehicle.

It is possible here, depending on the definition or use of the method, to use the driver's own motor vehicle as the at least one third-party motor vehicle, provided that it has the necessary components of the system, since such a driver's own motor vehicle also has a surface finish a lane and can transmit information about it to the central database, which is to be used as a central data processing device. It is also possible to use a motor vehicle referred to here as a third-party motor vehicle as a self-motor vehicle, a damper of such a motor vehicle taking into account information provided by the database on the nature of the vehicle Surface of the carriageway must be provided, must be operated.

Within the scope of the method and in the configuration of the system, it is provided that all motor vehicles which have the sensors required for this and are referred to here as third-party motor vehicles permanently record information on the nature of surfaces of road surfaces and send them to the central database or Data processing device are transmitted. It is possible that this information is continually revised and updated by the central database, since it is possible that a previously existing pothole has been repaired in the meantime, but a new pothole has been created at a different location on a different lane.

In order to operate the damper of the driver's own motor vehicle, that information about the condition of the surface of a roadway that has previously been sensed in the past, transmitted to the central database and processed and / or updated by it is taken into account. This existing information is taken into account by the driver's own motor vehicle when driving on the road in the future.

Taking swarm data into account, which is collected from the central database as a so-called back end, component protection and an increase in comfort can be achieved for the driver's own vehicle. The damper of the driver's own motor vehicle is designed here as a component of a regulated damper system and accordingly also to regulate and / or control, whereby a ratio of a force of the damper and a speed of the damper is usually influenced by regulating the damper. Taking into account the information about the road to be driven, the force of the damper is increased only when a driving situation, here when driving over the pothole, requires damping between the wheel and the body of the motor vehicle. If, however, there is no indication of a pothole, the lowest possible force for providing a basic damping is provided for the damper, which in turn increases the comfort of the driver's own motor vehicle.

The procedure is u. a. to be carried out when there is an excitation to be expected through the pothole in a natural frequency range of the wheel. In this case, the force of the damper is increased and the bouncing of the wheel is prevented. If the damper is set harder when driving over the pothole, components of the driver's own vehicle, for example the wheel and the damper, are only slightly stressed. With the method u. a. avoided that the pothole is run over with little damping, since in this case the wheel would enter the pothole almost unhindered and at the end of the pothole would be accelerated out of it again. Such movements of the wheel are avoided with the method and forces acting on the components are reduced. The information sensed by the at least one third-party motor vehicle about the condition and thus the nature of the road, usually of a road, which also includes information about individual obstacles such as potholes, are transmitted to the central database via a radio link and to other motor vehicles, usually at least one of them - Motor vehicle provided online. Taking into account this information provided about the nature of the roadway, a strategy for operating and therefore for regulating the damper must be adapted in a forward-looking and / or proactive manner.

If, for example, it is recognized on the basis of the information to be used with foresight that no potholes and therefore no excitations in the natural frequency range of the wheel are to be expected, it is possible to reduce the basic damping of the damper to a level which is lower than that for a conventional damper, which means that Comfort continues to increase.

If, however, the pothole is proactively recognized, the damping of the damper is increased compared to the conventional dimension, counteracting the immersion of the wheel in the pothole and reducing forces on the chassis and the body of the motor vehicle, which increases the comfort for the driver of the vehicle. Motor vehicle is increased using the predictive control of the damper.

In the context of the method, the at least one sensor of the at least one third-party motor vehicle, wherein this at least one sensor can also be used for other purposes, is used to record the nature of the road and thus measure its condition. Here, the at least one sensor is designed as a so-called street observer and / or as a camera, laser sensor or radar sensor.

Information about the roadway, together with information about the location and / or the position where this information about the nature of the roadway is recorded, is transmitted to the central database via the radio connection, for example via LTE or WLAN, and is linked to a map. If the same motor vehicle, which in this case is to be used both as a vehicle of one's own and as a third-party motor vehicle, later drives over the sensor-detected section of the roadway again, the information on the nature of the section of the roadway ahead of the motor vehicle is transmitted from the central database, this information being used for the proactive and / or predictive operation of the damper.

Further advantages and refinements of the invention result from the description and the attached drawing.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention.

• 1 zeigt in schematischer Darstellung eine Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Systems bei Durchführung einer Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

The invention is illustrated schematically using an embodiment in the drawing and is described schematically and in detail with reference to the drawing.

• 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the system according to the invention when performing an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic representation of a first motor vehicle, here as a self-motor vehicle 2nd is defined and / or designed and is referred to as such, and a second motor vehicle, here as a third-party motor vehicle 4th is defined and / or trained and is referred to as such. Both motor vehicles have wheels 6 on the surface of a road surface when the motor vehicle is traveling 8th , here a street, and thus touch a surface.

Every bike is there 6 about a damper 10th connected to a body of a respective motor vehicle, the damper 10th of a respective motor vehicle are also designed and / or to be designated as components of a chassis of this motor vehicle. Furthermore, each motor vehicle comprises at least one sensor 12 with which a texture of a section of the road 8th which is to be driven by the motor vehicle in the future and / or is currently being driven on, is recorded. Here is a sensor shown in each case 12 designed to detect an environment of the motor vehicle with electromagnetic waves, the sensor 12 For example, is designed as a radar sensor, laser sensor or lidar sensor or as a camera.

It is also possible for each motor vehicle to have at least one mechanical and / or electromechanical sensor with which the nature of the roadway 8th is usually to be recorded mechanically. Such a sensor is, for example, a wheel 6 and / or a damper 10th assigned to the motor vehicle. It is also provided that each motor vehicle has a control unit 14 has, with the functions of the motor vehicle, here functions of the damper 10th of a particular motor vehicle to be checked and thus to be controlled and / or regulated. Furthermore, each motor vehicle has a communication device 16 to exchange information about electromagnetic waves and thus for radio-based communication.

Furthermore shows 1 a central database 18th and a station 20th a positioning system, which can also be referred to as a positioning system, and is designed, for example, as the positioning system GPS (Global Positioning System). Here is this station 20th usually designed as a satellite. Database 18th and at least one component of one of the two motor vehicles are components of the system according to the invention 22 educated. Here are in the embodiment of the system presented here 22 explicitly the damper 10th , the control unit 14 and the communication device 16 the first here as a self-driving vehicle 2nd provided motor vehicle as components of the system 22 educated. In addition, the sensor is explicit here 12 and the communication device 16 as components of the here as a foreign motor vehicle 4th trained motor vehicle as components of the system 22 educated.

When performing the method it is provided here that the sensor explicitly 12 of the foreign motor vehicle 4th Information about a condition of a surface of the road 8th be sensed. With information from the positioning system, this information becomes a current position of the third-party motor vehicle 4th adjusted, which provides position-dependent information on the nature of the surface of the road 8th to be provided. This information is from the communication device 16 of the foreign motor vehicle 4th to the central database 18th transmitted.

Furthermore, this information is from the central database 18th collected, evaluated and / or processed. Thus, the central database 18th a map for information on a variety of lanes 8th provided because this information is also from a large number of motor vehicles, including a large number of third-party motor vehicles 4th , to the central database 18th be transmitted. In addition, this evaluated and revised information 18th to other motor vehicles, here the own motor vehicle 2nd , passed on.

It is provided that for the own motor vehicle 2nd a current position about the station 20th of the positioning system is to be determined. Is the position of the vehicle 2nd known is its control unit 14 informed that currently and / or in the future a section of the road 8th is driven on. Taking into account the information provided by at least one third-party motor vehicle 4th sensory determined and / or from the database 18th to the control unit 14 of the own motor vehicle 2nd forwarded, it is intended to operate the damper 10th depending on the nature of the road to be driven 8th to control proactively and thus regulate.

In the embodiment of the method presented, it is provided that on the road 8th a pothole 24th located in the past via the sensor 12 of the foreign motor vehicle 4th when driving on the road 8th was recorded. In addition, an exact position of the pothole was also made using the positioning system 24th on the road 8th determined. This associated information about the presence of the pothole also 24th and its position were from the foreign motor vehicle 4th to the central database 18th transmitted.

Furthermore, the own motor vehicle 2nd from the central database 18th Information about the current and / or upcoming lane 8th queried, the own motor vehicle 2nd among other things, information about the presence of the pothole 24th and its exact position are provided.

It is intended that the dampers 10th of the own motor vehicle 2nd to increase comfort on a largely level road 8th can be set softly. If, however, the own motor vehicle 2nd Information will be provided that this will soon hit the pothole 24th is the control unit 14 trained to be the damper 10th when driving over the pothole 24th set harder and only after driving over or driving through the pothole 24th adjust soft again.

Claims (8)

Method for operating a damper (10) of an own motor vehicle (2), via which a wheel (6) of the own motor vehicle (2) is connected to a body of the own motor vehicle (2), at least one third-party motor vehicle (4), which has at least one sensor (12) with which a condition of a surface of a roadway (8) can be detected, the condition of the surface of a section of a roadway (8) traveled by the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) recorded and information on the nature of the section of the road (8) traveled by radio is transmitted to a central database (18) and collected by the central database (18), the information from the central database (18) being transmitted to the owner by radio - Motor vehicle (2) are transmitted before the own motor vehicle (2) drives the section, it being provided that the damper (10) of the own motor vehicle (2) is set softly, in the event that due to the If there is an indication of a pothole (24) at a position of the section of the roadway (8), the soft-set damper (10) of the motor vehicle (2) is set harder when the pothole (24) is passed over, characterized in that that it is checked whether a natural frequency of the wheel (6) of the motor vehicle (2) is likely to be excited when the pothole (24) is passed over, the damper (10) being set harder if it is to be expected that the natural frequency of the Rads (6) is excited. Procedure according to Claim 1 , in which the sensor-acquired information relating to the nature of the section of the roadway (8) is combined with information relating to a position of the section, the information relating to the position of the section being made available to the at least one third-party vehicle (4) via a positioning system. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2nd , in which the information on the nature of the section of the road (8) is requested by the vehicle (2) before it drives on the section. System for operating a damper (10) of a motor vehicle (2) via which a wheel (6) of the motor vehicle (2) is connected to a body of the motor vehicle (2), the system (22) at least a sensor (12) and at least one communication device (16) which are assigned to the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4), a central database (18) and a control unit (14) which is assigned to the driver's own motor vehicle (2), The at least one sensor (12) of the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) is designed to detect a condition of a section of a roadway (8) traveled by the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4), the at least one Communication device (6) of the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) is designed to transmit the information on the nature of the section of the road (8) traveled by radio to the central database (18), the central database (18) being associated therewith u is designed to collect this information, the central database (18) being designed to transmit the information by radio to the driver's own motor vehicle (2) before the driver's own motor vehicle (2) travels the section, which is provided that the damper (10) of the motor vehicle (2) is set soft, in the event that, based on the information, an indication of a pothole (24) at a position of the Section of the roadway (8), the control unit (14) of the driver's vehicle (2) is designed to set the softly adjusted damper (10) of the driver's vehicle (2) harder when the pothole (24) is passed over, thereby characterized in that the control device (14) is configured to check whether a natural frequency of the wheel (6) of the motor vehicle (2) is likely to be excited when the pothole (24) is passed over, the damper (10) being set harder when the natural frequency of the wheel (6) is expected to be excited. System according to Claim 4 , in which the at least one sensor (12) which is assigned to the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) is designed to detect the nature of the surface of the roadway (8) via electromagnetic waves. System according to Claim 4 or 5 , in which the at least one sensor (12) is assigned to a wheel (6) of the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) and is designed to determine the nature of the surface of the roadway (8) via a movement of a wheel (6) of the at least one To capture foreign motor vehicle (4). System according to one of the Claims 4 to 6 which has a communication device (16) which is assigned to the motor vehicle (2) and is designed to receive information on the nature of the section of the roadway (8) which is to be provided by the central database. System according to one of the Claims 4 to 7 , which has a first navigation device that is assigned to the own motor vehicle (2) and is designed to exchange information with a positioning system and to locate the own motor vehicle (2), the system (22) having at least one second navigation device that is assigned to the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4) and is designed to exchange information with the positioning system and to locate the at least one third-party motor vehicle (4).

Images