DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM

FIELD

This relates to door control systems, and in particular to systems and methods for improving automated door control systems.

BACKGROUND

Doors are common and come in many forms. Some doors open on a vertical axis of rotation (e.g. entrances into rooms). Other door types, such as so-called “garage doors”, include a plurality of panels and open by being moved along a track, often with the aid of rollers. For example, a “garage door” may be opened manually by applying a force to one or more panels of the door at one or more locations on the door to cause the door to move along the track in either direction.

Automated systems may be used to open and close, or otherwise control the position of, various types of doors. For example, automated door control systems often use AC motors for garage door opening systems. In such systems, the AC motor pulls a belt, chain, or other connector which is connected directly or indirectly to one or more panels of the garage door, thereby imparting a tensile force via the connector.

However, traditional automated door control systems only operate correctly when operating conditions for the door are ideal. Such door control systems might not function correctly, or even cause catastrophic damage or harm when operating conditions have changed.

Accordingly, it would be beneficial to alleviate one or more of the above-noted challenges.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect, there is provided a method of operating a door control system having a motor coupled to a door, the method comprising: receiving, at a controller for controlling the motor, a command for actuating said motor to move in a first direction; determining, by said controller and based on an output from an accelerometer disposed on said door, whether to actuate said motor.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of operating a door control system having a motor coupled to a door, the method comprising: receiving, at a controller for controlling the motor, a command for actuating said motor to move in a first direction; actuating said motor; receiving, from an accelerometer disposed on said door, a current output signal; determining whether said current output signal from said accelerometer is within a threshold range of a reference output signal.

According to another aspect, there is provided a door control system comprising: a door comprising one or more panels; a motor coupled to said door; a tilt sensor comprising an accelerometer affixed to said door; a controller configured to receive a command to actuate said motor, receive output data from said accelerometer, and determine whether to actuate said motor based on said output data from said accelerometer.

Other features will become apparent from the drawings in conjunction with the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the figures which illustrate example embodiments,

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing components of an example door control system;

FIG. 1B is a simplified diagram depicting operation of an example photo eye sensor;

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of an example door control system;

FIG. 1D is a simplified schematic diagram depicting a door coupled to a motor via cables in an closed configuration;

FIG. 1E is a simplified schematic diagram depicting a door couples to a motor via cables in an open configuration;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing electronic components of the door control system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B is a simplified diagram depicting components of an example circuit;

FIG. 3 depicts the electronic configuration of the door control system when the power supply is disconnected;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a control panel of an example door control system;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing components of an example controller; and

FIG. 6A is an illustration of a door control system after suffering an impact to the door;

FIG. 6B is an illustration of a door control system in which the door is tilted; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting example components of an a tilt sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing components of an example door control system. As depicted, door control system 100 includes a door 106 comprising a plurality of panels 108. In some embodiments, though not depicted in FIG. 1, door 106 might include one panel. Door 106 is slidingly or connected by wheel bearings to railing 110, which provides a path for door 106 or panels 108 of door 106 to move up or down along the track provided by railing 110. In some embodiments, such motion may occur via bearings which allow for rotation along railing 110.

Also depicted is drive 120, which includes motor 102. In some embodiments, motor 102 is a DC motor. In some embodiments, motor 102 is a brushed DC motor. In some embodiments, the drive 120 and motor 102 form part of an integrated package. In other embodiments, the drive 120 may be separate from motor 102. Motor 102 is coupled to one or more panels of door 106, such that actuation of motor 102 causes door 106 to move along railing 110. Door 106 may move in a first vertical direction (e.g. vertically upward along the vertical section of railing 110) or a second vertical direction (e.g. vertically downward along the vertical section of railing 110).

In some embodiments, railing 110 may transition from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation (as depicted in FIGS. 1D and 1E). This may be advantageous when, for example, there is limited vertical space above the opening of the door. In such configurations, as door 106 is moved upward along railing 110, some panels 108 of the door may be moving vertically upward (as depicted in FIG. 1D), while one or more other panels 108 of the door which are positioned vertically higher (when in the closed position) may be oriented and/or moving horizontally along railing 110 (as depicted in FIG. 1E). Of course, some panels may be oriented and/or moving at an angle somewhere between horizontal and vertical (as shown, for example, by panel 108a in FIG. 1E), depending on the degree to which the angle of the railing transitions from vertical to horizontal. In some embodiments, a pusher spring 155 may be included at an end of the horizontal component of the railing 110 in order to provide a biasing force such that at least one panel 108 of door 106 is not completely horizontal and thus subject to a gravitational force which can assist with transitioning to the closed configuration of door control system 100.

Motor 102 may be controlled by drive 120. Drive 120 may be a DC drive. That is, drive 120 may be a DC motor speed control system. The speed of a DC motor may be directly proportional to armature voltage and inversely proportional to motor flux (which is a function of field current), and as such, armature voltage and/or field current may be used to control the speed of a DC motor. Drive 120 may provide the requisite electronics to provide fine grain control over the speed of rotation and direction of motor 102. In some embodiments, drive 120 may be located at a vertical height which is out of reach of human operators (e.g. 8 feet or even higher). This may enhance the safety of door control system 100, as higher voltages and currents are kept out of reach from human operators, and from children.

As depicted in FIG. 1A, spring 150 may provide a tensile force to door 106 via door shaft 170 which may reduce or “balance” the mass of door 106. That is, although door 106 may have a mass in excess of 50 kilograms (which may be a significant load for motor 102 to pull against the force of gravity), spring 150 may exert a force on door 106 via drive shaft 170 which reduces the net force experienced when moving door 106. That is, spring 150 may exert a tension force which may counteract the gravitational force acting on door 106, such that a force significantly less than the weight of the door 106 needs to be applied in order to initiate movement of door 106. In some embodiments, spring 150 may be a torsion spring, an extension spring, or any suitable spring which can be rotated or compressed to store elastic potential energy.

The motor 102 may be coupled to door 106 in any number of ways. For example, motor 102 may be connected to a drive shaft which is coupled to a rope or cable 160 which is fastened to a panel 108 of door 106, such that actuation of motor 102 causes the cable 160 to exert an upward force to pull door 106 up, and actuation of motor 102 in the reverse direction reduces the tension in the cable and allows the downward force exerted by gravity on door 106 to guide the door 106 in a downward direction. In some embodiments, motor 102 may be coupled to the lowest panel 108a of door 106 (or to a location proximal to the lowest vertical portion of door 106 when in the closed position, in the case of doors which are a single panel 108). In some embodiments, such coupling may be achieved by connecting a rope or cable to a location 165 on the lowest panel 108a of the door. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the lowest panel 108a need not be used and that locations that are vertically higher than the lowest panel 108a (as depicted, for example in FIG. 1C) may be used as desired.

In some embodiments, motor 102 may be coupled to the door panel via drive shaft 170 and a plurality of ropes or cables 160a, 160b. For example, in some embodiments, a first rope or cable may be connected to one side of a panel 108, and a second rope or cable may be connected to a second side of the panel 108, as depicted in FIG. 1C. Such configurations may be useful for distributing the force and torque exerted by the motor 102 on drive shaft 170 in a more balanced way across multiple locations 165a, 165b on the panel 108, such that the risk of a panel becoming crooked, skewed or jammed is reduced during lifting. It will be appreciated that the aforementioned embodiment is merely an example and that in other embodiments, more than two ropes or cables 160, or one single rope or cable 160 may be used to couple motor 102 to door 106. In some embodiments, spring 150 may provide a biasing force to door 106, in order to reduce the amount of force necessary to be exerted by motor 102 (and therefore the amount of tension experienced in cables 160a, 160b) to effect vertically upward movement of door 106. In some embodiments, spring 150 may provide a biasing force to drive shaft 170 which is less than the weight of the door, such that the lowering the door may be accomplished with minimal work by motor 102 (aside from allowing for movement, rather than restricting cables 160a, 160b).

In other embodiments, motor 102 may engage one or more wheels coupled to the door 106, such that rotation of motor 102 in either direction causes door 106 to move up or down, respectively.

Drive 120 may receive commands from control panel 114. Control panel 114 is coupled to drive 120 and includes a plurality of buttons or other inputs. For example, as depicted, control panel includes an LCD display, an ‘open’ button 304, a ‘close’ button 306, and a ‘stop’ button 308. Engaging any of buttons 304, 306, 308 causes a control signal to be sent to drive 120 to control the operation of motor 102. As depicted, control panel 114 may include a transceiver which is configured to communicate with remote control 118. Remote control 118 may be used by a user to control door 106 when located away from or in lieu of using buttons 304, 306, 308.

Also depicted is optional light 116. Light 116 includes at least one visual indicator which may indicate a mode of operation of the door control system 100. As depicted, light 116 includes a red light 1162 and a green light 1164. In some embodiments, green light 1164 is illuminated when the door 106 is stationary. In some embodiments, red light 1162 is illuminated when the door 106 is in motion. In some embodiments, red light 1162 may intermittently flash while door 106 is in motion. Door control system 100 may also include an audio output device (not shown) which may be configured to, for example, output an audible sound while a particular light is illuminated or flashing. Audio device may output multiple different sounds in different situations (e.g. when door 106 is being opened, when door 106 is being closed, when an error condition is detected (as described below), and the like). Although light 116 is depicted as having two lights 1162, 1164, it will be appreciated that light 116 may include less than two lights (e.g. a single LED or other device capable of emitting multiple different colours) or more than two lights.

Door control system 100 may also include sensor 112, which is located near the floor. In some embodiments, sensor 112 is a photo eye sensor configured to detect the presence of an object. For example, if a person or another object is located in the path of door 106, the sensor 112 detects the presence of this object and prevents door 106 from being lowered, thus avoiding potential injury to the person, damage to the object, and damage to the door 106. FIG. 1B is a simplified schematic diagram depicting operation of a photo eye sensor.

As depicted in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, sensor 112 may be powered via a controllable switch 1128. For example, as depicted, controller 310 may provide a signal to switch 1128 which may change the output of the switch from +24V (or any suitable voltage) to 0 V. As such, controller 310 may be configured to exercise control over the power source provided to sensor 112. In some embodiments, controller 310 may be configured to receive output signal 1130 from sensor 112, as described in further detail below.

Door control system 100 may further include tilt sensor 124. In some embodiments, tilt sensor 124 may include one or more of an accelerometer 802 configured to detect changes in orientation, a transceiver 806, and a microcontroller 804. FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting components of an example tilt sensor 124. In some embodiments, transceiver 806 is a wireless transceiver. In some embodiments, accelerometer 802 is a three dimensional accelerometer (that is, it may detect accelerations in three orthogonal axes, e.g. x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions). Likewise, in some embodiments accelerometer 802 may have an output signal having 3 dimensional components. In some embodiments, accelerometer 802 may have a separate output pin for each dimension (e.g. an x output, a y output, and a z output). In some embodiments, tilt sensor 124 may be used, for example, to perform one or more of a) detecting movement of door 106, b) detecting a tilt or misalignment in door 106 (e.g. if a component in system 100 is damaged), and/or c) unexpected movements or forces experienced by door 106 (e.g. movements when door 106 is expected to be stationary).

In some embodiments, a tilt or misalignment may be indicative of damage to a component in the door control system 100 door (e.g. if one of the cables coupling motor 102 to panel 108 is damaged, snapped, or broken as depicted in FIG. 6B). In some embodiments, an acceleration detected by accelerometer 802 when motor 102 is inactive may be indicative of, for example, an impact on door 106 (e.g. a vehicle has driven into and potentially damaged door 106, as depicted in FIG. 6A), or a failure of a component such as a cable. In some embodiments, the output data from accelerometer 802 may be transmitted by transceiver 806 and used by controller 310 to prevent movement of motor 102 and/or door 106 when readings indicative of an abnormal operating condition are detected, which may be useful in preventing further damage and possible injuries to operators of door control system 100 when the system 100 is malfunctioning. In some embodiments, accelerometer 802 might communicate data to controller 310 indicating that a cable is broken and that it is unsafe to move door 106, which may prevent further damage to the system. In some embodiments, red light 1162 may flash when an error condition (e.g. a misalignment or tilt of door 106, an unexpected acceleration, or the like is detected). In some embodiments, when a door impact is detected by accelerometer 802, a signal may be sent to controller 310 to prevent operation until the door and system have been visually inspected and deemed safe to operate.

Door control system 100 is connected to power supply 104. In some embodiments, a connection to power supply 104 includes a connection to a wall outlet providing AC currents and voltages. In embodiments using AC power, the system 100 may include one or more rectifier circuits for converting AC to DC to the desired voltage and/or current for operation of one or more of drive 120, DC motor 102, control panel 114, sensor 112 and tilt sensor 124.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating example electronic components of the door control system 100 of FIG. 1A. As depicted, power supply 104 powers each of motor 102, drive 120, sensor 112, tilt sensor 124, lights 116, and control panel 114. In some embodiments, the AC power from power supply 104 is rectified prior to reaching the other components. In some embodiments, the control system 100 includes a sensor for verifying the locked/unlocked position of a mechanical door lock.

In some embodiments, door control system 100 may also include battery 122. Battery 122 is configured to provide DC voltage and current to system 100 in the event that power supply 104 is interrupted or unavailable. Battery 122 is connected to motor 102, drive 120 and certain components of control panel 114 via one or more relays 200. Relay 200 is energized by power supply 104, such that relay 200 acts as an open switch when power supply 104 is connected, ensuring battery 122 does not have any electrical connection to motor 102, drive 120 or control panel 114.

When power supply 104 is disconnected (e.g. in the event of a lightning strike, or a power failure), relay 200 is no longer energized and may assume a default position as a closed switch. FIG. 3 depicts an example electronic configuration of system 100 when power supply 104 is disconnected. As shown, battery 122 provides power to motor 102, drive 120, and to open button 304 and close button 306. Thus, when power supply 104 is disconnected, sensor 112, tilt sensor 124, and lights 116 are not powered, and most of the components in control panel 114 are not powered, with the exception of the open and close buttons 304, 306, and the associated circuitry for transmitting signals from the open and close buttons 304, 306 to the drive 120. Such a configuration may be particularly advantageous for reducing the power consumption from battery 122 during a power outage or interruption. For example, battery 122 provides power to specific components which are necessary to move the door up and down, but not to other components which would increase current draw and power consumption. In particular, the draw on battery 122 may be minimal when movement of door 106 is not required, thus allowing for operation without power supply 104 for much longer periods of time, relative to systems in which backup battery 122 is required to power additional peripherals e.g. sensors, lights, control panels, and the like). When motor 102 is a DC motor, such a configuration may be particularly advantageous, as control of DC motors (and in particular, brushed DC motors) may be less complicated relative to control of AC motors which are typically used. Moreover, power consumption by a brushed DC motor may be quite low, which further enhances the length of time for which battery 122 can be expected to provide power in the event of an outage.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an example control panel 114. As shown control panel includes a display 302, open button 304, close button 306, stop button 308, all of which are connected to controller 310. Controller is operable to receive commands from buttons 304, 306, 308 and send instructions to one or more of display 302 and drive 120. In some embodiments, display 302 is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of an example controller 310 or microcontroller 804. As depicted, controller 310 includes one or more processors 402, memory 404, input/output interface 406, storage 408, and network controller 410, which are connected via a bus 412. These components are explained in further detail below. In some embodiments, processor 402 of controller 310 executes instructions stored in memory 404 to implement a door control operating system. In some embodiments, system 100 includes a polarity-independent, two-wire power and communication bus 130 for communication between controller 310 and an encoder which provides reliable position and speed feedback data to the controller 310. In some embodiments, the polarity-independent, two-wire communication bus 130 may be used for communication between any of the control panel 114 and drive 120, as well as control panel 114 and any slave device (e.g. encoders, sensors, peripherals, lights, or the like).

Each of open button 304, close button 306 and stop button 308 are operable to be engaged or activated by a user. In some embodiments, the buttons 304, 306, 308 can be pushed in or depressed for engagement. In some embodiments, the buttons 304, 306, 308 are touch-sensitive buttons. When any of buttons 304, 306, 308 is engaged, a signal is sent to I/O interface 406 of controller 310. The signal(s) from the buttons 304, 306, 308 are received and processed by processor 402 to generate instructions for the drive 120 which controls DC motor 102.

In some embodiments, the controller 310 is programmable to execute predetermined operations based on a particular input or combination of inputs. For example, controller 310 may be configured to respond to a single press of open button 304 by sending a control signal to drive 120 to move door 106 in a first direction for a predetermined amount of time or processor cycles. In some embodiments, the control signal may specify the number of cycles for which the motor 102 should be actuated. The predetermined number of cycles or time period may correspond to a pre-configured change in vertical position for the door 106. Likewise, in some embodiments, controller 310 may be configured to respond to a single press of close button 306 by sending a control signal to drive 120 to move door 106 in a second direction for a predetermined amount of time or processor cycles. In some embodiments, the predetermined amount of time or processor cycles may be substantially the same for both open and close buttons 304, 306. Thus, system 100 is operable to allow a user to configure a preferred height for opening a closed door 106 with a single activation of the open button 304, as well as closing an open door 106 with a single activation of the close button 306. In some embodiments, activating the close button may cause the door 106 to close fully, irrespective of the starting height of the door. This may be achieved, for example, through the use of sensor 112 (e.g. by having sensor 112 positioned at a predetermined height near the ground, and when door 106 is detected by sensor 112, initiating a predetermined number of actuation cycles for motor 102 to by lowered by the remaining distance to the ground).

In embodiments in which the controller 310 is configured to move door 106 in either direction by a predetermined distance, activation of stop button 308 may cause a control signal to be sent to drive 120 which interrupts the current operation and results in motor 102 stopping and the door 106 remaining at its present height at the time of the stop command. In some embodiments, controller 310 may be configured to count the number of cycles which have been carried out for an open or close command, and re-applying the open or close button may result in a resumption of the previously executing open or close command.

In some embodiments, the controller may send individual control signals for each cycle, such that the motor 102 will stop rotating if the control signal from controller 310 to drive 120 is stopped or interrupted.

In some embodiments, the drive 120 may activate motor 102 in accordance with a duty cycle. For example, for each cycle, the motor 102 may be actuated for only a portion of the cycle. This results in the motor moving in ‘pulses’, as each clock cycle features a period of inactivity and a period of rotation by motor 102. In some embodiments, the speed at which the door 106 is opened or closed may be increased or decreased by modifying the duty cycle. That is, the armature voltage and current flux may be kept constant (thus ensuring the same speed of rotation of the motor 102), and the door may open or close faster because the duty cycle is increased (that is, the pulse of rotation for motor 102 is longer each cycle if the duty cycle is increased). Likewise, the door may appear to rise or fall more slowly if the duty cycle is decreased.

Although duty cycle adjustment may be used as a convenient and simple method for altering the speed of the door 106, it will be appreciated that the speed of motor 102 may also be adjusted by adjusting the armature voltage or current flux in the case of a DC motor.

As noted above, in some embodiments, door control system 100 includes sensor 112. In some embodiments, sensor 112 is a photo eye sensor. Sensor 112 may be any sensor which is configured to detect the presence of an object in close proximity. As depicted in the example configuration shown in FIG. 1A, sensor 112 is affixed to a railing 110 of system 100, normally within a metre or less from the ground. Sensor 112 is configured to detect the presence of an object in close proximity to the sensor 112 (as described, for example, in connection with FIG. 1B). The distance necessary for detection may vary depending on, for example, the scale of the door 106 in a particular application, as well as the particular needs for a system. For example, a door control system 100 being used for the transportation of fragile, expensive goods might use higher detection thresholds than a system used for a storefront.

Sensor 112 is typically placed along railing 110, in a location that allows sensor 112 to detect objects which are in the path of door 106. For example, a box that has been placed in the path of door 106 may be crushed by door 106 if the ‘close’ mechanism has been engaged by a user. When sensor 112 detects the presence of an object in the path of door 106, sensor 112 may send a signal 1130 to controller 310 indicating that an object is present. Controller 310 may be configured to take particular actions in response to receiving a signal indicative of the presence of an object in the way of door 106. For example, controller 310 may interrupt a ‘close’ operation if an object is detected. However, if the door control system 100 is currently engaged in an ‘open’ operation, the controller might not take any additional action when an object is detected by sensor 112 (as the object is unlikely to suffer damage by door 106 if the door is already in the process of being opened and being moved further away from the object).

In some embodiments, controller 310 may be further configured to illuminate one or more of lights 116 and/or sound an audio alert to indicate to nearby users that an object is blocking the path of door 106.

In some embodiments, controller 310 may be further configured to take action and/or prevent particular actions from being taken in response to receiving signals from tilt sensor 124 which are indicative or suggestive that the operating conditions of the door have changed in an unexpected way or might not be functioning as intended. It will be appreciated that as described herein, references to receiving signals from accelerometer 802 and receiving signals from tilt sensor 124 may be interpreted as receiving signals, whether directly from accelerometer 802, or via some intermediate component (e.g. microcontroller 804, transceiver 806, or the like), which are indicative of the forces experienced by accelerometer 802.

In some embodiments, when a command is received to actuate motor 102 (whether to move door 106 in the open direction or the closed direction), controller 310 may be configured to perform one or more comparisons based on the current reading(s) from accelerometer 802, prior to actuating motor 102 in either direction.

In some embodiments, controller 310 is operable to receive one or more current output signals from accelerometer 802. In some embodiments, output accelerometer signals may be automatically and/or periodically transmitted to controller 310 by microcontroller 804 via transceiver 806. In some embodiments, controller 310 may transmit a request for a current accelerometer output signal which may be received by microcontroller 804 via transceiver 806. For example, controller 310 might transmit a request for a current accelerometer value in response to receiving a command to actuate motor 102 in either direction. In response to such a request for a current accelerometer reading, microcontroller 804 may obtain a current output accelerometer 802 value (e.g. by polling accelerometer 802) and transmit the current output accelerometer value to controller 310 via transceiver 806.

In some embodiments, controller 310 may be operable to store one or more reference output accelerometer values (e.g. in memory 404 or storage 408, or in a remote database via network 410). Such reference accelerometer values may be recorded during conditions in which operating conditions of door control system 100 are known to be typical. For example, a reference value may be stored after maintenance has been performed on door control system 100, or when door control system 100 has just been installed and calibrated. In some embodiments, controller 310 may periodically store output accelerometer values which may be used in conjunction with machine learning algorithms to formulate a set of reference operating conditions known to correspond to the door control system 100 functioning properly. In some embodiments, multiple accelerometer reference values may be stored (as the orientation of accelerometer may be different depending on the position of the particular panel of door 106). For example, tilt sensor 124 may have a different orientation (and therefore different output accelerometer values) when in the closed position (as shown in FIG. 1D) compared to the open position (shown in FIG. 1E) or any intermediate configurations therebetween.

When a command is received by controller 310 to actuate motor 102 to move door 106, controller may compare the current accelerometer 802 output value to one or more of the reference accelerometer values. In some embodiments, the difference between the current output signal and the reference output signal may be determined. If the difference is below a predefined threshold (which may be calibrated and tuned to a particular system 100), controller 310 may determine that the door 106 is properly oriented and allow motor 102 to be actuated. If the difference is larger than (e.g. outside) a predetermined threshold, controller may determine that the orientation of door 106 is abnormal and that an error condition is present, and prevent motor 102 from being actuated, so that the door control system 100 may be inspected.

Such a comparison between output and reference accelerometer values may be useful in identifying situations in which, for example, the orientation of door 106 is different than expected and may warrant inspection prior to actuating motor 102. This may be useful in avoiding damage or injury in cases where, for example, door 106 is not aligned properly in rollers 110, or one or more of cables 160a, 160b is damaged (thereby resulting in door 106 being slanted or tilted).

In some embodiments, when the comparison reveals that the current accelerometer value is not within the threshold range of the reference accelerometer value, controller 310 may be configured to display a message on display 302 of control panel 114 so as to alert users of the reason for not actuating motor 102. In some embodiments, controller 310 may illuminate a light to alert users as to the presence of an error condition.

In some embodiments, output values accelerometer 802 may be periodically monitored so as to identify possible occurrences of anomalous events. For example, if a vehicle were to crash into door 106 in the middle of the night when no operators are on-site and then leave the scene of the accident (a so-called hit and run), it would be beneficial for door control system 100 to be able to make note of such events.

In some embodiments, output accelerometer values may be periodically transmitted to controller 310 and stored. The period of such transmissions may be selected as desired and as appropriate based on design constraints and considerations. For example, a system with access to more storage space may be suitable for more frequent accelerometer output value transmissions. Likewise, a system with limited memory or resources may be suitable for more infrequent output value transmissions,

In some embodiments, microcontroller 804 may be configured to enter into a power-saving (or “sleep”) mode in which some or all components of tilt sensor 124 are powered down. In some embodiments, accelerometer 802 may be configured to send a special signal (a “wake up” signal) to microcontroller 804 when an impact or acceleration above a threshold amplitude is detected. For example, accelerometer 802 may be configured to send an output to a different pin on microcontroller 804 when an output above a certain magnitude is recorded, which causes microcontroller to re-activate system components and transmit the output accelerometer values to controller 310. Such a configuration may be useful for conserving power during periods in which no activity is expected for door control system 100, while also preserving the ability for door control system 100 to record anomalous events.

In some embodiments, when an anomalous accelerometer output intensity signal is received by controller 310, controller 310 may set a flag to indicate that such a value was received.

In some embodiments, when controller 310 receives a command to actuate motor 102, controller 310 may check memory 404 or storage 408 to determine whether the flag for an anomalous event has been set. In some embodiments, controller 310 may analyze the recorded accelerometer 802 output values for a predetermined length of time prior to receiving the command to actuator motor 102. For example, controller 310 may analyze all accelerometer values received in the previous 8 hours prior to receiving the command. It will be appreciate that the time period can be chosen as desired. For example, when a door control system 100 is located in a setting where there is constant activity throughout the day and night, such a time period may be set to be relatively short. Contrastingly, in a setting in which there is nobody present on-site from 5 pm to 8 am, the time period may be set to 15 hours, so as to capture all of the time period for which nobody was present to observe possible impacts which could have damaged door control system 100.

It will be appreciated that embodiments in which a flag is set upon detecting an anomalous accelerometer 802 output value may be more time- and resource-efficient, as the controller 310 would not be required to analyze numerous data values in order to conclude that an anomalous event has occurred.

In some embodiments, door control system 100 may be operable to confirm correct door operation while door 106 is in motion. This may be useful, for example, for confirming that cables 160a, 160b have not snapped or been damaged, and for confirming that the door 106 in door control systems 100 in which the door 106 is completely horizontal when in the open position, is actually moving while motor 102 is actuated.

In known systems, the previous way of confirming correct operation of door 106 during movement was to place a switch or encoder in very close proximity to cables 160a, 160b in order to detect whether the cables were moving while motor 102 was actuated. For example, in a horizontal door configuration such as that depicted in FIG. 1E, it is possible that all of door 106 is in a horizontal configuration and that gravity alone is not sufficient to cause door 106 to be biased vertically downward (as the gravitational force on door 106 would be acting against horizontal surfaces which result a normal component without any horizontal component to effect movement of door 106). In such systems, it is possible that motor 102 is actuated to allow door 106 to lower in a controlled manner, but that door 106 does not actually move (for example, door 106 might be jammed and in the open position). As such, the rotation of motor 102 would cause cables 160 to simply unwind and lose tension. This is not desirable. Moreover, it is cumbersome to place sensors around cables 160 in applications which have very high door heights, and it is cumbersome to have to place sensors to detect each of the cables in case one cable is damaged and the other is functioning as expected.

In some embodiments, it may be beneficial to use the output signal from accelerometer 802 in order to determine whether door 106 is moving while motor 102 is actuated. For example, upon actuating motor 102, controller 310 may then compare a current output data signal from accelerometer 802 to a reference output accelerometer value to determine whether door 106 is moving as expected. Such reference output values for accelerometer 802 may be collected, for example, when door control system 100 is initially installed and is known to be functioning properly. In some embodiments, controller 310 may compare the current accelerometer output value to the reference accelerometer output value. If the current output value is within a threshold of the reference output value, then controller 310 may continue actuating motor 102. If the current output value is not within a threshold of the reference output value, then controller 310 may stop actuating motor 102 and/or prevent further actuations of motor 102. This may be beneficial in preventing damage to door control system 100 by detecting quickly that door 106 is not moving as expected. In still other embodiments, if the output from accelerometer 802 is not confirming that the door 106 is moving, controller 310 may stop actuating motor in order to prevent an unsafe situation in which cables are loose.

In some embodiments, it might not be necessary for controller 310 to compare a current accelerometer 802 output value to a reference accelerometer value. For example, if the current accelerometer output value is 0 or within a threshold of 0, controller 310 may be configured to bypass performing a comparison with a reference value and instead cease actuation of motor 102. This may be more expeditious than waiting the additional processor clock cycles which may be required for controller 310 to perform the necessary comparisons between actual and reference output accelerometer 802 values.

In some embodiments, when the current accelerometer data for door 106 during actuation of motor 102 indicates that door 106 is either not moving or moving at a rate which outside of the range of expected values, controller 310 may display an error message on display 302 and/or illuminate a light on control panel 114.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, accelerometer 802 is a three dimensional accelerometer. Therefore, the output signal from accelerometer may include values in the form of ordered triplets denoting the x, y and z directions, or outputs on three different output pins (e.g. one separate output pin per dimension). As such, references above to accelerometer values being within a threshold or outside of a threshold of a reference value may refer to values in one or more of the x, y and z dimensions. For example, if a current accelerometer output signal is within the threshold for the x and y dimensions, but outside of the threshold for the z dimension, this may nevertheless be sufficient for controller 310 to determine that there is an error condition present.

Likewise, in embodiments in which tilt sensor 124 may enter a low power mode, it is contemplated that an output in one particular dimension (e.g. the z axis) from accelerometer 802 may be used as an input to microcontroller 804 (e.g. an interrupt pin, or any pin which is configured to cause microcontroller 804 to exit from sleep mode. For example, an acceleration in the z axis in the middle of the night may be more worthy of scrutiny the following day than an acceleration in the x direction (e.g. perhaps a strong gust of wind).

It will be further appreciated that some embodiments of door control system 100 may utilize accelerometer 802 output data for both pre-actuation checks as well as validation of proper operation during actuation of motor 102.

Some door control systems may be required to confirm to regulations and/or standards in order to be acceptable for public consumption. For example, the UL 325 standard is a common safety standard with which some door control systems may be required to comply. In some embodiments, door control system 100 may incorporate specific algorithms in order to comply with various standards. In some embodiments, controller 310 may incorporate such algorithms into operations, such that little or no additional actions are required by the end user in order to comply with various safety standards.

It may be necessary for standard compliance purposes to verify once per cycle that the sensor 112 is functioning correctly. In some embodiments, sensor 112 is powered via a pin on controller 310 (or, as shown in FIG. 1B, by a controllable switch 1128 connected to a power source, which can be turned on and off via a control signal from controller 310). In some embodiments, the controller 310 may provide sensor 112 with a different voltage input relative to other peripherals connected to controller 310 (e.g. 24 Volts).

Returning to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, door control system 100 is able to continue to functioning with reduced functionality in the event that power supply 104 is disconnected. As depicted, when power supply 104 is disconnected, relays 200 are no longer being energized by power supply 104, causing relays 200 to connect battery 122 as the power source for certain components in door control system 100. As shown, battery 122 provides power to motor 102, drive 120, as well as open and shut buttons 304, 306. As such, in some embodiments, when power supply 104 is disconnected, battery 122 might not provide power to any of sensor 112, tilt sensor 124, or lights 116, as well as display 302 and stop button 308 on control panel 114. FIG. 2B is a simplified circuit diagram illustrating an example configuration.

As depicted in FIG. 2B, relays 202, 204 may be configured to have a default position (depicted as “normally closed” or NC) in which battery 122 is connected to motor 102 when power supply 104 is unavailable. When power is provided by power supply 104, relays 202, 204 may be energized, thus causing relays 202, 204 to switch to the “normally open” or NO position, in which battery 122 is disconnected from other system components.

When powered by battery 122, the controller 310 in control panel 114 receives power for the components necessary to receive commands from open and close buttons 304, 306 and to send instructions to drive 120 to actuate motor 102. In some embodiments, motor 102 may be instructed directly by controller 310. Unlike full-power operation mode, the battery-powered operation mode does not make use of the predetermined door opening or closing lengths. That is, a single command from a user to open or close door 106 will not cause the door 106 to be opened to a predetermined height. Instead, the door control system 100 might not provide continuous motor function in the absence of active commands from the user.

In some embodiments, motor 102 is a DC motor. Controlling the direction of operation of a DC motor may be accomplished by reversing polarity of the battery 122 to motor 102. FIG. 8 is a simplified circuit diagram illustrating an example configuration. As depicted, in addition to relays 702, 704 which function similarly to relays 202, 204 in FIG. 2B, the circuit further includes switching elements 706, 708. Switching elements may be, for example, relays, mechanical switches, or the like. As depicted, when switching elements 706, 708 are in the depicted configuration, motor 102 may move in a first direction. When both switching elements 706, 708 are in a second configuration (e.g. 706 and 708 are both in the ‘NO’ configuration), the polarity of power supplied by battery 122 to motor 102 is reversed, thus enabling rotation (and therefore movement of door 106) in the opposite direction. In some embodiments, switching elements 706, 708 may be single pole, double throw (SPDT) switches. In some embodiments, functionality of switching elements 706, 708 may be provided by a double-pole, double throw (DPDT) switch. In some embodiments, a third configuration is contemplated in which switching elements 706, 708 are not connected to either terminal (which results in no power to motor 102 and no actuation of motor 102). However, it will be appreciated that in the absence of an actuation signal from activation of the up or down buttons, motor 102 would not be enabled to be activated in either direction.

In some embodiments, when powered by battery 122, pressing or activating the open button 304 and then releasing the button 304 will cause the door 106 to be raised for the length of time that the button 304 is activated. When button 304 is released, door 106 will stop being raised. Likewise, when door 106 is open (that is, when the bottom end of door 106 is vertically higher than the bottom of railing 110), pressing the close button 306 will cause the door to descend only while the close button 306 is being activated. The presence of battery 122 allows for the door control system 100 to maintain some basic functionality in emergencies (e.g. when there is a power failure, a lightning strike, or the like). It should be noted that sensor 112 is not powered by battery 122 and as such, method 600 described above might not be carried out by controller 310 while door 106 is being raised or lowered. However, in some embodiments, sensor 112 may be powered by battery 122 (although with continuous motor 102 operation disabled when in battery-powered mode, the likelihood of damage or injury would be lowered, because the user will be manually pressing the buttons 304, 306 in close proximity to the door assembly, without the possibility of the door continuing to move in the absence of active actions by the user).

In some embodiments, door 106 may be said to be “balanced” when the net force of gravity on door 106 and the tensile force exerted by spring 150 is substantially equal to 0. That is, the net force may be 0, which means door 106 can be moved up and down with minimal effort, and will not drift downwards or upwards when no force is applied. In some embodiments, static friction may compensate for a slightly imperfectly balanced door 106 and spring combination 150.

It is highly desirable to keep a door control system in a balanced or substantially balanced state with spring 150. In a balanced state, the work performed by motor 102 (and therefore the power consumed by motor 102 during operation) is reduced relative to unbalanced states, because less torque and/or force (and therefore less energy in the form of work) needs to be applied by motor 102 to cause door 106 to move. It should also be appreciated that a door system can be unbalanced in either direction. For example, an unbalanced state may result in the gravitational force of door 106 being too high (necessitating more power consumption from motor 102 to lift door 106). However, an unbalanced state may also result in the tensile force provided by spring 150 being higher than the weight of the door, which would bias the door 106 to remain open, requiring more power consumption from motor 102 when closing door 106 in order to overcome the tensile force of spring 150.

It is particularly desirable for door control system 100 to be in a balanced state when battery 122 is providing power (rather than power supply 104). As battery capacity is finite, a properly balanced door control system 100 will extend the life of battery 122. Moreover, a properly balanced door control system will extend the life of spring 150, as spring 150 will not be placed under more tension than is necessary and will be less prone to failure. Torsion springs typically used for garage door systems are quite expensive, and cumbersome to repair, and as such, it is particularly desirable to extend the service life of spring 150 for as long as possible to avoid incurring such expense and inconvenience.

When configuring a door control system 100, particularly in the case of retrofitting a motor/drive system to an existing door setup, it is difficult to determine whether the door system is balanced or not. Frequently, motor 102 operates via a gearbox with a high ratio (e.g. 30:1, 40:1, or the like), and it might not be possible to determine whether door 106 and spring 150 are in balance once various components of the drive system are in place. Moreover, any attempts to manually balance the door 106 and spring 150 based on “eyeballing” may not be accurate or dependable.

In some embodiments, door control system 100 may facilitate balancing door 106 and spring 150. In some embodiments, control panel 114 may be configured to display a draw from motor 102 during operation on LCD 302. For example, LCD 302 may display a value of an electrical current used by motor 102 during operation of opening or closing door 106. A current can be measured, for example, by placing a digital ammeter in between two points of a short circuit to measure current, which is then transmitted to controller 310 via I/O interface 406. In other embodiments, controller 310 may include integrated circuitry for measuring, for example, current at various pins or locations.

In some embodiments, door control system 100 may be balanced by observing the magnitude of current drawn by motor 102 during lifting and closing operations. When the current drawn by motor 102 during a lifting operation is substantially equal to the current drawn by motor 102 during a closing or lowering operation, door control system 100 may be balanced. If the magnitude of current drawn by motor 102 is different during lifting and closing operations, spring 150 may be adjusted to vary the tensile force exerted on door 106. In some embodiments, spring 150 may be modified by increasing or decreasing the number of turns. In some embodiments, spring 150 may be adjusted in quarter turn increments. In some embodiments, a set of lining bars may be used to adjust the number of turns in spring 150 gradually.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an example method for balancing a door control system 100, in accordance with some embodiments. At 902, a lifting operation is performed and the current used by motor 102 is measured. At 904, a closing operation is performed and the current used by motor 102 is measured. In some embodiments, current may be displayed on LCD 302. In other embodiments, current may be manually measured using an ammeter inserted into the circuit at an appropriate location for measuring the electrical current used by motor 102. At 906, controller 310 may compare the magnitude of the current during opening and the magnitude of the electrical current during lowering. If the magnitude of the currents is substantially equal, then at block 908 the system 100 is determined to be balanced. If the magnitude of currents is not substantially equal, then at block 910, spring 150 may be adjusted by, for example, increasing or decreasing the number of turns or otherwise modifying the tensile force exerted, directly or indirectly, by spring 150 on door 106.

In some embodiments, there may be a desired speed for door 106 of door control system 100 to be lifted or lowered. In some embodiments, accelerometer 802 output data may be used by controller 310 in order to determine whether spring tension needs to be adjusted. For example,

In some embodiments, controller 310 may be configured to display a message on LCD 302 indicating whether said door control system 100 is balanced. In some embodiments, controller 310 may display a message indicating that an adjustment to spring 150 should be made for greater balance. In some embodiments, a suggested adjustment message may indicate whether to increase or decrease the number of turns in spring 150. In some embodiments, a suggested adjustment message may indicate a particular or approximate number of turns to add or remove from said spring 150 to achieve balance.

A further benefit of the systems and methods described herein is that the tension and/or number of turns in spring 150 may be adjusted whenever necessary. For example, over the lifespan of spring 150, there may be a gradual loss of tension through wear a tear. As described herein, differences in current drawn by motor 102 during lifting and lowering operations displayed on LCD 302 may be easily noticed by the user. As such, a door 106 which was initially balanced correctly can be kept in balance with minimal effort and inconvenience. The ease with which the balance of door control system 100 can be maintained may extend the lifetime of various components relative to conventional door control systems. Moreover, when modifications to other components of door control system 100 are made, it is easy for the user to re-establish a balanced state.

Some embodiments of the door control system 100 described herein may offer numerous advantages over known door control systems. For example, some embodiments may provide a convenient way of complying with safety standards (e.g. UL 325) with relatively little inconvenience to end users. Further, some embodiments provide for a robust solution for ensuring continued operation during power outages and other unforeseeable circumstances in which power supply 104 is unavailable. Moreover, some embodiments use brushed DC motors, which are relatively inexpensive and simple to control compared to brushless DC motors and AC induction motors.

As noted above in relation to FIGS. 5 and 7, control panel 114 includes controller 310 and tilt sensor 124 may include microcontroller 804. Controller 310 and/or microcontroller 804 may be any suitable computing device, including a microcontroller, a server, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and the like. Controller 310 includes one or more processors 402 that control the overall operation of controller 310. Processor 402 interacts with several components, including memory 404, storage 408, network interface 410 and input/output interface 406. Processor 402 may interact with components via bus 412. Bus 412 may be one or more of any type of several buses, including a peripheral bus, a video bus, or the like.

Each processor 402 may be any suitable type of processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) implementing for example an ARM or x86 instruction set. Memory 404 includes any suitable type of system memory that is readable by processor 402, such a static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof. Storage 408 may include any suitable non-transitory storage device configured to store data, programs, and other information and to make the data, programs and other information accessible via bus 412. Storage 408 may comprise, for example, one or more of a solid state drive, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disk drive, a secure digital (SD) memory card, and the like.

I/O interface 406 is capable of communicating with input and output devices such as a display device 302, touch-sensitive devices, touchscreens capable of displaying rendered images as output and receiving input in the form of touches, and buttons 304, 306, 308. Input/output devices may further include, additionally or alternatively, one or more of speakers, microphones, cameras, sensors such as sensors 112 and tilt sensor 124, radio frequency transceivers for receiving and sending commands and acknowledgements to remote control 118, and drive 120. In an example embodiment, I/O interface 406 includes a universal serial bus (USB) controller for connection to peripherals.

Network interface 410 is capable of connecting controller 310 to a communication network. In some embodiments, network interface 410 includes one or more of wired interfaces (e.g. wired ethernet) and wireless radios, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or cellular (e.g. GPRS, GSM, EDGE, CDMA, LTE, or the like). Network interface 410 enables controller 310 to communicate with other devices, such as a server, via a communications network.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using hardware, software or some combination thereof. Based on such understandings, the technical solution may be embodied in the form of a software product. The software product may be stored in a non-volatile or non-transitory storage medium, which can be, for example, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), USB flash disk, a removable hard disk, flash memory, hard drive, or the like. The software product includes a number of instructions that enable a computing device (computer, server, mainframe, or network device) to execute the methods provided herein.

Program code may be applied to input data to perform the functions described herein and to generate output information. The output information is applied to one or more output devices. In some embodiments, the communication interface may be a network communication interface. In embodiments in which elements are combined, the communication interface may be a software communication interface, such as those for inter-process communication. In still other embodiments, there may be a combination of communication interfaces implemented as hardware, software, and/or combination thereof.

Each computer program may be stored on a storage media or a device (e.g., ROM, magnetic disk, optical disc), readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer, for configuring and operating the computer when the storage media or device is read by the computer to perform the procedures described herein. Embodiments of the system may also be considered to be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, configured with a computer program, where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner to perform the functions described herein.

Furthermore, the systems and methods of the described embodiments are capable of being distributed in a computer program product including a physical, non-transitory computer readable medium that bears computer usable instructions for one or more processors. The medium may be provided in various forms, including one or more diskettes, compact disks, tapes, chips, magnetic and electronic storage media, volatile memory, non-volatile memory and the like. Non-transitory computer-readable media may include all computer-readable media, with the exception being a transitory, propagating signal. The term non-transitory is not intended to exclude computer readable media such as primary memory, volatile memory, RAM and so on, where the data stored thereon may only be temporarily stored. The computer useable instructions may also be in various forms, including compiled and non-compiled code.

The present disclosure may make numerous references to servers, services, interfaces, portals, platforms, or other systems formed from hardware devices. It should be appreciated that the use of such terms is deemed to represent one or more devices having at least one processor configured to execute software instructions stored on a computer readable tangible, non-transitory medium. One should further appreciate the disclosed computer-based algorithms, processes, methods, or other types of instruction sets can be embodied as a computer program product comprising a non-transitory, tangible computer readable media storing the instructions that cause a processor to execute the disclosed steps.

Various example embodiments are described herein. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus, if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed.

The embodiments described herein are implemented by physical computer hardware embodiments. The embodiments described herein provide useful physical machines and particularly configured computer hardware arrangements of computing devices, servers, processors, memory, networks, for example. The embodiments described herein, for example, are directed to computer apparatuses, and methods implemented by computers through the processing and transformation of electronic data signals.

The embodiments described herein may involve computing devices, servers, receivers, transmitters, processors, memory(ies), displays, networks particularly configured to implement various acts. The embodiments described herein are directed to electronic machines adapted for processing and transforming electromagnetic signals which represent various types of information. The embodiments described herein pervasively and integrally relate to machines and their uses; the embodiments described herein have no meaning or practical applicability outside their use with computer hardware, machines, a various hardware components.

Substituting the computing devices, servers, receivers, transmitters, processors, memory, display, networks particularly configured to implement various acts for non-physical hardware, using mental steps for example, may substantially affect the way the embodiments work.

Such hardware limitations are clearly essential elements of the embodiments described herein, and they cannot be omitted or substituted for mental means without having a material effect on the operation and structure of the embodiments described herein. The hardware is essential to the embodiments described herein and is not merely used to perform steps expeditiously and in an efficient manner.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM

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CPC

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)