Post-automatically determined user-modifiable activity performance limit apparatus and method
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. An apparatus for use with a movable barrier comprising:
- at least one motor operably coupleable to the movable barrier;
a barrier movement control unit operably coupled to the at least one motor, which barrier movement control unit includes;
a processor operably coupled to receive information regarding at least some forces acting upon the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving and being arranged and configured to automatically determine at least one force threshold during a first mode of operation for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in a second mode of operation; and
a user manipulable force threshold modification control having an output that provides force threshold modification information for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in the second mode of operation.
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Abstract
In a control system (10) having a learning mode (20) such that performance limits can be automatically determined for subsequent use during normal operating modes (40), one or more user manipulable controls (18) are provided to allow a user to selectively adjust the previously automatically determined performance limits. In one embodiment the range of adjustment can be limited. The user control (18) can be located in various positions with respect to the control unit (15). In an exemplary embodiment, the control system (10) comprises a movable barrier operating system such as a garage door opener.
62 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use with a movable barrier comprising:
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at least one motor operably coupleable to the movable barrier;
a barrier movement control unit operably coupled to the at least one motor, which barrier movement control unit includes;
a processor operably coupled to receive information regarding at least some forces acting upon the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving and being arranged and configured to automatically determine at least one force threshold during a first mode of operation for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in a second mode of operation; and
a user manipulable force threshold modification control having an output that provides force threshold modification information for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in the second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A movable barrier control system for use with a barrier that is movable between a first position and a second position, the movable barrier control system comprising:
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a motor operably coupleable to the movable barrier;
a sensor having an output that provides data that corresponds to at least some forces acting upon the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving;
a barrier movement control unit operably coupled to the motor, which barrier movement control unit includes;
a processor operably coupled to the sensor output and being arranged and configured to automatically determine at least one force threshold during a learning operating mode for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in a subsequent barrier movement mode of operation; and
a user manipulable force threshold modification control having an output that provides force threshold modification information for use by the barrier movement control unit when controlling the motor in the subsequent barrier movement mode of operation, wherein the user manipulable force threshold modification control is limited such that a range of force threshold modification information as provided at the output of the user manipulable force threshold modification control comprises less than 25 percent of total potential applicable force. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A garage door control system for use with a garage door that is movable between a first position and a second position, the garage door control system comprising:
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a motor and drive apparatus operably coupleable to the garage door;
sensing means for sensing movement of at least part of the motor and drive apparatus;
user input means for providing force modification information;
control means operably coupled to the motor and drive apparatus, the sensing means, and the user input means for;
in a first mode of operation; causing the motor and drive apparatus to move the garage door from the first position to the second position;
automatically measuring at least one force acting in opposition to the garage door when the garage door is moving from the first position to the second position to provide measured force information;
automatically using the measured force information to establish at least one maximum force threshold; and
in a second mode of operation; modifying the at least one maximum force threshold in response to the force modification information to provide at least one modified maximum force threshold;
automatically using the at least one modified maximum force threshold when moving the garage door between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method comprising:
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moving a movable barrier from a first position to a second position;
automatically sensing at least one force acting in opposition to movement of the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving from the first position to the second position to provide sensed force information;
automatically using the sensed force information to determine a maximum force threshold for subsequent use when moving the movable barrier;
sensing user input comprising a maximum force threshold modification;
using the maximum force threshold modification to modify the maximum force threshold for subsequent use in place of the maximum force threshold when moving the movable barrier. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A method comprising:
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moving a movable barrier from a first position to a second position;
automatically sensing at least one force acting in opposition to movement of the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving from the first position to the second position to provide first sensed force information;
automatically using the first sensed force information to determine a first maximum force threshold for subsequent use when moving the movable barrier to the second position;
sensing first user input comprising a first maximum force threshold modification;
using the first maximum force threshold modification to modify the first maximum force threshold for subsequent use in place of the first maximum force threshold when moving the movable barrier to the second position;
moving a movable barrier from the second position to the first position;
automatically sensing at least one force acting in opposition to movement of the movable barrier when the movable barrier is moving from the second position to the first position to provide second sensed force information;
automatically using the second sensed force information to determine a second maximum force threshold for subsequent use when moving the movable barrier to the first position;
sensing second user input comprising a second maximum force threshold modification;
using the second maximum force threshold modification to modify the second maximum force threshold for subsequent use in place of the second maximum force threshold when moving the movable barrier to the first position.
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32. A method comprising:
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automatically determining at least one performance limit that corresponds to a particular activity;
providing a post-determination human interface to permit non-automatic adjustment, within a limited range, of the at least one performance limit;
providing an adjusted at least one performance limit in response to a post-determination non-automatic adjustment of the at least one performance limit;
automatically using the adjusted at least one performance limit when facilitating the particular activity.
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33. A method for use with movable barrier operators, comprising:
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automatically determining at least one performance limit that corresponds to a particular movable barrier operator activity;
providing a post-determination human interface to permit non-automatic adjustment, within a limited range, of the at least one performance limit;
providing an adjusted at least one performance limit in response to a post-determination non-automatic adjustment of the at least one performance limit;
automatically using the adjusted at least one performance limit when facilitating the particular movable barrier operator activity. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification