Patent ID: 8155835

Claim:
A method of adjusting and maintaining a loading height of a stationary vehicle while a load supported by a sprung mass associated with the vehicle varies, the sprung mass supported by a suspension system on an unsprung mass, the height of the suspension system selectively adjustable using a control system that is operable in an operator initiated standard height adjustment mode in which the height of the sprung mass is adjusted to a first target height, relative to the unsprung mass, selected from a plurality of operator selectable target heights, and an operator initiated incremental/decremental height adjustment mode in which the height of the sprung mass is adjusted to an incremental/decremental target height above or below, respectively, the selected target height associated with the standard height adjustment mode, the method comprising: a) entering the operator initiated standard height adjustment mode; b) receiving a first target height datum associated with an operator selection from a plurality of predetermined target heights which represent a plurality of operator selectable sprung mass heights relative to the unsprung mass; c) receiving actual height data from one or more height sensors operatively connected to the sprung mass and unsprung mass for determining the height of the sprung mass relative to the unsprung mass; d) adjusting the sprung mass from the actual height to the first target height; e) entering the operator initiated incremental/decremental height adjustment mode; f) receiving a first incremental/decremental target height datum which represents a target height above or below the first target height of the sprung mass relative to the unsprung mass; g) adjusting the sprung mass to a second target height substantially equivalent to the sum of the first target height and the first incremental/decremental target height; and h) maintaining the sprung mass at the second target height while the vehicle is stationary and the load supported by the sprung mass varies.