A vehicle includes a suspension that includes a front suspension and a rear suspension, a trailer hitch configured to removably connect to a tongue of a trailer, at least one front suspension transducer configured to generate a front suspension displacement signal, at least one rear suspension transducer configured to generate a rear suspension displacement signal, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to receive the front suspension displacement signal, receive the rear suspension displacement signal, and generate an alert of an excessive tongue weight condition based on one or more of the front suspension displacement signal and the rear suspension displacement signal.

A detected displacement of a marker on a vehicle is determined based on image data captured while the vehicle traverses a displacement object of a ground surface. Then a health status of a suspension component of the vehicle is determined to be unhealthy based on comparing the detected displacement of the marker to a target displacement of the marker. The target displacement specifies displacement of the marker that indicates the suspension component is healthy. The vehicle is operated based on the suspension component being unhealthy.

An exemplary method to detect a wear condition of a suspension system component of a vehicle includes the steps of receiving suspension system component data from a vehicle sensor, calculating an amplitude of the suspension system component data as a function of frequency, monitoring the amplitude of the suspension system component data within a predetermined frequency range, determining whether the amplitude of the suspension system component data is greater than a predetermined threshold, and, if the amplitude is greater than the predetermined threshold, transmitting a diagnostic notification.

A modular electronic damping control system is described and includes a damping component located at a vehicle suspension location. The modular electronic damping control system also includes a control system configured to control the damping component, and determine the type of damping component present. Also, the control system is configured to automatically tune a vehicle's suspension based on the type of damping component present, and automatically monitor the damping component and determine when a change has been made to the damping component so that the control system can then automatically re-tune the vehicle's suspension based on the change to the damping component.

A modular electronic damping control system is described and includes a damping component located at a vehicle suspension location. The modular electronic damping control system also includes a control system configured to control the damping component, and determine the type of damping component present. Also, the control system is configured to automatically tune a vehicle's suspension based on the type of damping component present, and automatically monitor the damping component and determine when a change has been made to the damping component so that the control system can then automatically re-tune the vehicle's suspension based on the change to the damping component.

The invention relates to a method for actuating an actuator unit (102) of a roll stabilizer for a vehicle (100), wherein the actuator unit (102) has a supply line port (118) for supplying a supply voltage, a converter (112) for supplying an alternating voltage using the supply voltage, and at least two phase lines (114, 116) for supplying the alternating voltage to actuator ports (132, 134) of an actuator (110) which can be operated using the alternating voltage, comprises a step for importing an interrupt signal (140), which indicates an interruption (130) in the provision of the supply voltage or a deviation from the supply voltage at the supply line port (118) and a step providing (203) a protection signal (142, 144, 146, 148) in response to the protection signal (142, 144, 146, 148) at an interface having protection equipment (152, 154, 156, 158) using the interrupt signal (140) in order to at least partly prevent a generator voltage from being transmitted, which is fed or can be fed into the phase lines (114, 116; 314) via the actuator ports (132, 134).

The disclosed method checks the state of degradation of the suspension of a vehicle without having to carry out tests that immobilize the vehicle or to use non-objective expertise. The method processes data provided by at least one front camera in an on-board visual system. The checking method includes steps for periodically acquiring images provided by the camera or cameras, followed by storage of the positional data of the three-dimensional road in relation to a flat road and basic positional parameter data for the path of the vehicle. The error between the ideal values of the suspension parameters of a chosen suspension model and the values of these parameters corresponding to the stored path data from the positional data is then minimized. By iteration, the accuracy of the error reaches a predetermined value sufficient to diagnose a state of the suspension.

An electronic device and a method for determining whether a vehicle suspension system has degraded by positioning the electronic device in a vehicle includes activating a camera to initiate data capture within the electronic device. The camera is positioned to capture a change in a field of view during vehicle operation. The method includes calculating a vehicle suspension operating characteristic based on information captured by the camera and determining whether the calculated vehicle suspension operating characteristic exceeds a threshold. A signal indicative of suspension degradation is output when the threshold is exceeded.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system (100, 200) for a vehicle suspension system of a vehicle (800). The control system is configured to perform a test for testing operation of an isolation switch (430). The vehicle suspension system comprises an actuator power supply (450) configured to supply power to the vehicle suspension system. The actuator power supply is configured to be electrically connected to the vehicle suspension system via the isolation switch. The control system is configured to: receive a shutdown indicator signal indicating that the vehicle is in a shutdown state (530); output an open isolation switch signal (524) configured to open the isolation switch in dependence on the shutdown indicator signal; receive an open isolation switch confirmation signal (516) indicative of the isolation switch being open; determine whether the open isolation switch confirmation signal is received within a predetermined time period; and output a test pass signal or a test failure signal in dependence on the determination.

The disclosed method checks the state of degradation of the suspension of a vehicle without having to carry out tests that immobilize the vehicle or to use non-objective expertise. The method processes data provided by at least one front camera in an on-board visual system. The checking method includes steps for periodically acquiring images provided by the camera or cameras, followed by storage of the positional data of the three-dimensional road in relation to a flat road and basic positional parameter data for the path of the vehicle. The error between the ideal values of the suspension parameters of a chosen suspension model and the values of these parameters corresponding to the stored path data from the positional data is then minimized. By iteration, the accuracy of the error reaches a predetermined value sufficient to diagnose a state of the suspension.