Method for determining the effects of the wind on a blind

• US 8,050,885 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Activites SA (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Lapierre, Stéphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Feliciano; Eliseo Ramos
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US11/970,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 702/41, 702/128, 702/141, 702/143, 702/149, 702/153, 702/173, 737/36, 318/483, 345/156, 454/188
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0618 whereby the pivot axis of the articulation is perpendicular to the roller
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0659 Control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0692 Front bars
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/40 Physical or chemical protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/00 Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6863 sensing wind speed

Abstract

A method for determining the effects of the wind on a blind (1) or the like that is provided with a sensor means (231) for measuring the effects of the wind in a first measurement direction (X₁) and in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, the method comprising the following steps:

• • collecting, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind or the like, in the first measurement direction;
  • collecting, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind or the like, in the second measurement direction;
    which comprises the step of:
  • processing these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means in a plane defined by the two directions, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor.

Claims

1. A method for determining the effects of the wind on a blind that is provided with a sensor means for measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in a first measurement direction (X₁) and the effects of the wind on the blind in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, the method comprising the following steps:

collecting, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the first measurement direction; and

collecting, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the second measurement direction;

processing these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means in a plane defined by the two directions, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor,

wherein the sensor means comprises at least one accelerometer.

2. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises a preliminary step of positioning the sensor means, the orientation of the sensor means being unimportant provided the first and second measurement directions are parallel to a plane chosen for measuring the effects of the wind.

3. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondary signal is the intensity of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind over the various directions or the intensity and the direction of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind over various directions.

4. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises a preliminary step of determining axes (X, Y) specific to the blind, and wherein the secondary signal consists of components of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind along these specific axes.

5. The determination method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the preliminary determination step comprises a sub-step in which a mechanical action is exerted on the blind, a sub-step in which the sensor means determines the direction of this action and a sub-step in which this direction is used in order to define one of the axes specific to the blind.

6. A detection device designed to be secured onto a blind, comprising:

a sensor means measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in at least a first measurement direction (X₁) and the effects of wind on the blind in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, which comprises the sensor means and a computer device including at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform at least;

collect, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the first measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the second measurement direction; and

process these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means in a plane defined by the two directions, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor,

wherein the sensor means comprises at least one accelerometer.

7. A device for protecting a blind, which comprises:

a detection device designed to be secured onto the blind, comprising a sensor means measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in at least a first measurement direction (X₁) and the effects of the wind on the blind in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, which comprises the sensor means and a computer device including at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform at least;

collect, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the first measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in the second measurement direction; and

process these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means in a plane defined by the two directions, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor,

wherein the sensor means comprises at least one accelerometer.

8. The protection device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the signals are processed in the detection device or in an electronic control unit.

9. The protection device as claimed in claim 7, which comprises means for issuing a command for the blind to be retracted when the secondary signal or one of the components of the secondary signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. A method for determining the effects of the wind on a blind provided with a sensor means, the sensor means comprising at least one accelerometer, for measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in a first measurement direction, and the effects of wind on the blind in a second measurement direction and in a third measurement direction, the three directions being different from one another, the method comprising the following steps:

collecting, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a first measurement direction;

collecting, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a second measurement direction;

collecting, from the sensor means, a third signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a third measurement direction; and

processing these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor.

11. The determination method as claimed in claim 10, which comprises a preliminary step of positioning the sensor means, the orientation of the sensor means in space being unimportant.

12. The determination method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the secondary signal is the intensity of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind over the various directions or the intensity and the direction of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind over various directions.

13. The determination method as claimed in claim 10, which comprises a preliminary step of determining axes (x, Y) specific to the blind, and wherein the secondary signal consists of components of the resultant of the signals representative of the effects of the wind along these specific axes.

14. The determination method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the preliminary determination step comprises a sub-step in which a mechanical action is exerted on the blind, a sub-step in which the sensor means determines the direction of this action and a sub-step in which this direction is used in order to define one of the axes specific to the blind.

15. A detection device designed to be secured onto a blind, comprising:

a sensor means measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in at least a first measurement direction (X₁) and the effects of wind on the blind in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, which comprises the sensor means and a computer device including at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform at least;

collect, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a first measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a second measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a third signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a third measurement direction; and

processing these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor,

wherein the sensor means comprises at least one accelerometer.

16. A device for protecting a blind, which comprises:

a detection device designed to be secured onto a blind, comprising a sensor means measuring the effects of the wind on the blind in at least a first measurement direction (X₁) and the effects of wind on the blind in a second measurement direction (Y₁), the two directions being different, which comprises the sensor means and a computer device including at least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform at least;

collect, from the sensor means, a first signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a first measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a second signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a second measurement direction;

collect, from the sensor means, a third signal representative of the effects of the wind on the blind, in a third measurement direction; and

processing these signals so as to provide a secondary signal representative of the effects of the wind and independent of the orientation of the sensor means, in order to obtain uniform sensor detection sensitivity irrespective of the orientation of the sensor.

17. The protection device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the signals are processed in the detection device or in an electronic control unit.

18. The protection device as claimed in claim 16, which comprises means for issuing a command for the blind to be retracted when the secondary signal or one of the components of the secondary signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.