A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

An air suspension system includes a tank, a tank-side open/close valve, an air suspension-side open/close valve, a system portion, and the like. The system portion includes a compressor, an air drier, and a first passage and a second passage provided between the tank-side open/close valve and the air suspension-side open/close valve in parallel, a discharge valve, a tank-side control valve, an air suspension-side control valve, and the like. Due to this configuration, the air suspension system regenerates the air drier by opening the discharge valve to thus cause the air in the second passage to flow from an opposite side toward one side of the air drier when no power is supplied to the tank-side control valve and the air suspension-side control valve.

Included are an electromagnetic actuator which includes an electric motor configured to generate drive forces for a damping operation and a telescopic operation; an information acquirer which acquires a stroke velocity of the electromagnetic actuator; a drive force arithmetic part which includes a damping force calculator configured to calculate a target damping force and a telescopic force calculator configured to calculate a target telescopic force, and which obtains a target drive force based on the target damping force and the target telescopic force; and a drive controller which controls drive of the electric motor using the target drive force. The drive force arithmetic part includes an adjuster which performs an adjustment to reduce a telescopic control amount for the target telescopic force based on the stroke velocity acquired by the information acquirer.

Included are an electromagnetic actuator which generates drive forces for a damping operation and a telescopic operation; an information acquirer which acquires information about the drive forces of, and control mode selection information about, the electromagnetic actuator; a drive force arithmetic part which sets a predetermined control mode based on the control mode selection information about the electromagnetic actuator, and sets a target damping force and a target telescopic force of the electromagnetic actuator based on setting information about the control mode; and a drive controller which controls drive of the electromagnetic actuator using a target drive force based on the target damping and telescopic forces set by the drive force arithmetic part. The drive force arithmetic part performs an operation of switching a setting of the predetermined control mode from one to another while a driving force of the electromagnetic actuator is within a predetermined force range.

In an air suspension system, starting of a compressor is facilitated in a condition in which there exists a pressure difference. There is provided an air suspension system in which air compressed by a compressor is supplied to a plurality of air chambers provided between a vehicle body side and a wheel side and configured to perform vehicle height adjustment in accordance with the supply and discharge of air. The compressor has a needle connected to a piston and extending in a moving direction of the piston, and an armature reciprocating the needle in the moving direction of the piston.

A stability control system that detects a change in a vehicle operating characteristic and sends a stabilizing command to an actuator system based on identifying the change is described. The actuator system applies a first magnetic field having a predetermined strength to an electropermanent magnet for a predetermined duration based on receiving the stabilizing command. The first magnetic field transitions the electropermanent magnet from a first state to a second state. The electropermanent magnet generates a second magnetic field in the second state. The second magnetic field modifies at least one of a spring constant or a mechanical resistance of a suspension component within a suspension system of the vehicle, and the electropermanent magnet retains the second state after the predetermined duration in absence of the first magnetic field.

An electromagnetic suspension device includes: an electromagnetic actuator which is disposed side by side with a spring member provided between a body and a wheel of a vehicle and which produces a driving force for damping operation and extending and contracting operation; an information acquisition unit which acquires the stroke position of the electromagnetic actuator; and an ECU which sets a target damping force and a target stretching force and controls a driving force of the electromagnetic actuator by using a target driving force based on the set target damping force and target stretching force. When the stroke position acquired by the information acquisition unit is in an end region close to a stroke end, the ECU corrects the target driving force such that the stroke position shifts from the end region toward a neutral region.

A vehicle height control system includes a fluid feeder and a vehicle height control unit. The vehicle height control unit includes a communication control unit. In a first communication state, a high-pressure source and a common passage are made to communicate with each other via the first passage and the second passage. In a second communication state, the first passage is shut off and the high-pressure source and the common passage are made to communicate with each other via the second passage. The communication control unit selects one from among the plurality of communication states based on at least one of a content of a start condition, a target vehicle height of a height increasing control and a number of wheels to be controlled in the height increasing control, when the start condition of the height increasing control is satisfied.