Movable barrier operator having force and position learning capability
DCFirst Claim
1. A movable barrier operator comprising:
- an electric motor;
a transmission connected to the electric motor to be driven thereby and for connection to a movable barrier to be moved with respect to a barrier frame;
means for detecting a quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier;
means for comparing the quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier to a stored digital end of travel position and for providing a halt signal in response to the stored digital end of travel position having been exceeded;
a controller for halting the electric motor in response to the halt signal;
a barrier position signal generator for producing a barrier position signal indicative of the barrier moving past a location fixed with respect to the barrier frame, the barrier position signal generator comprising a beam emitter and a beam detector disposed to form a beam pathway and an opaque plate extending from the barrier and into the beam pathway when the barrier is at the fixed location, wherein the beam detector detects a break in the beam pathway from the opaque plate; and
means for correcting the quantitative indication of position according to the barrier position signal.
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Abstract
A movable barrier operator includes a wall control switch module having a learn switch thereon. The switch module is connectable to a control unit positioned in a head of a garage movable barrier operator. The head unit also contains an electric motor which is connected to a transmission for opening and closing a movable barrier such as a garage door. The switch module includes a plurality of switches coupled to capacitors which, when closed, have varying charge and discharge times to enable which switch has been closed. The control unit includes an automatic force incrementing system for adjusting the maximal opening and closing force to be placed upon the movable barrier during a learn operation. Likewise, end of travel limits can also be set during a learn operation upon installation of the unit. The movable barrier operator also includes an ambient temperature sensor which is used to derive a motor temperature signal, which motor temperature signal is measured and is used to inhibit motor operation when further motor operation exceeds or is about to exceed set point temperature limits.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A movable barrier operator comprising:
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an electric motor; a transmission connected to the electric motor to be driven thereby and for connection to a movable barrier to be moved with respect to a barrier frame; means for detecting a quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier; means for comparing the quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier to a stored digital end of travel position and for providing a halt signal in response to the stored digital end of travel position having been exceeded; a controller for halting the electric motor in response to the halt signal; a barrier position signal generator for producing a barrier position signal indicative of the barrier moving past a location fixed with respect to the barrier frame, the barrier position signal generator comprising a beam emitter and a beam detector disposed to form a beam pathway and an opaque plate extending from the barrier and into the beam pathway when the barrier is at the fixed location, wherein the beam detector detects a break in the beam pathway from the opaque plate; and means for correcting the quantitative indication of position according to the barrier position signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An absolute position controller for a movable barrier operator, comprising:
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digital memory means for storing a counter value indicative of the absolute position of the barrier with respect to a barrier frame; a position indicator for changing the counter value in the digital memory means in response to barrier motion; a pass point signal generator for producing a pass point signal indicative of the barrier moving past a location fixed with respect to the barrier frame, the pass point signal generator comprising radiation obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle in the barrier movement path mounted on the barrier frame, and pass point obstacle means disposed on the barrier at a fixed position, wherein the pass point obstacle detection means detects movement of the barrier past the pass point obstacle means at the fixed position in every cycle of motion of the barrier with respect to the barrier frame; and update means for storing a preselected value of the counter in the digital memory means in response to the pass point signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28)
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23. A method for setting the motion limits of a garage door operator which moves a garage door within a frame, comprising the steps of:
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initiating a learn mode of said operator; driving the garage door up to a desired up limit; storing a preselected value in a position counter of said operator; driving the garage door down to a position fixed with respect to the frame; changing the position counter value relative to the garage door movement; storing the absolute value of the position counter value to an up limit value; storing said preselected value in the position counter; driving the garage door down to a fully closed position; optically generating a pass point, the pass point being of an optically detected pass point, the pass point being effective for normalizing the position of the barrier; changing the counter in response to the pass point signal to effect normalization of a barrier position indication; changing the position counter value relative to the garage door movement; and storing the position counter value to a down limit value.
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24. A movable barrier operator having automatic position learn capability comprising:
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an electric motor; a transmission connected to the electric motor to be driven thereby and to a movable barrier to be moved; a controller for generating a move signal to enable the transmission to move the barrier; a detector for sensing when the barrier moves past a reference pass point and for generating a pass point signal representative thereof, the reference point being effective for enabling the controller to normalize the position of the barrier, the detector comprising an optical emitter fixedly mounted relative to the movable barrier for emitting a light beam, and an optical detector mounted on the barrier for detecting the light beam when the optical detector moves past the light beam during movement of the barrier; a memory for storing an open barrier limit position and a closed barrier limit position; a position indicator, responsive to the pass point signal and to the stored closed barrier limit position, for generating a signal indicating the relative position of the barrier with respect to the pass point, the closed barrier limit position and the open barrier limit position; wherein the controller is responsive to the position indicator for generating a halt signal to enable the transmission to halt movement of the barrier; and wherein the controller includes a learn routine for programming the operator to learn the closed barrier limit position and for storing the learned closed barrier limit in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 29)
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30. A movable barrier operator comprising:
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an electric motor; a transmission connected to the electric motor to be driven thereby and for connection to a movable barrier to be moved with respect to a barrier frame; a barrier position detector for detecting a quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier; a comparator for comparing the quantitative indication of position of the movable barrier to a stored digital end of travel position and for providing a halt signal in response to the stored digital end of travel position having been exceeded; a controller for halting the electric motor in response to the halt signal; an optical barrier position signal generator for producing a barrier position signal indicative of the barrier moving past a location fixed with respect to the barrier frame; and wherein the optical barrier position detector, responsive to the barrier position signal, corrects the quantitative indication of barrier position according to the barrier position signal. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification