Control for positioning multiple barriers apparatus and method

• US 8,065,039 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Homerun Holdings Corporation
• Inventors: Bardin, Richard, Real, Douglas, Rodriguez, Yan, Mullet, Willis Jay, Garcia, Ben L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sivanesan; Sivalingam
• Application Number:
  US12/245,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 700/13, 700/279, 318/466, 318/685, 318/467
• US Class Current: 700/279
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6845 sensing position
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2653 Roller blind, shutter, sunshade

Abstract

A control routine for groups of remotely controlled, variable-position, position-aware, transceiver-equipped actuators manages data discrepancies by issuing a first set of generic actuation commands to start and stop the actuators, then polling the actuators to report their achieved positions. The routine then applies a rule to determine a preferred position value from among the reports and issues a second set of position-specific actuation commands to all of the actuators. The routine can further poll the actuators to confirm the extent to which the commands have been realized, and can retain and apply compensation factors for performance deviations in the individual actuators. The routine can further manage multiple groups of actuators, dissimilar activators within groups, assignment of an actuator to more than one group, and application of variable control factors as inputs modifying the rule applied by the routine for determining the commands to be issued.

Claims

1. A method for operating a plurality of autonomous, processor-controlled, multi-position actuators from a separate control station, comprising:

establishing a wireless communication network that originates with the separate control station and provides bidirectional message transfer between the separate control station and each multi-position actuator;

assigning a processor-readable address to each multi-position actuator;

providing a command set for each multi-position actuator that includes for each command in the command set the assigned actuator address and one of a plurality of executable functions, wherein the command set further includes at least one command to realize one position value from a plurality of position values defined for the respective actuator, and wherein the command set further includes at least one stop command;

assigning each of the multi-position actuators to a group;

defining a plurality of group commands, including in each group command a plurality of discrete commands to perform a like executable function, directed to the addresses of the plurality of multi-position actuators in the group;

processing a current position of each of the multi-position actuators; and

equalizing a position of a group of barriers associated with the group of multi-position actuators.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a group command other than a stop command to the actuator group;

delaying for a time interval sufficient to realize a selected actuator position;

issuing a stop command to the group;

determining the respective positions realized by the multi-position actuators through execution of the group command;

identifying a position value among the respective position values realized by the actuators; and

issuing a group command to realize the identified position value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication network further comprises:

incorporating a transceiver and associated antenna into the control station; and

incorporating a transceiver and associated antenna into each multi-position actuator in the plurality of actuators in the group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning a non-repeating processor-readable address to each multi-position actuator further comprises:

selecting a range of addresses for communication between the control station and the processor-controlled actuators; and

associating a unique one of the range of addresses with a message address decoding and encoding function within each of the multi-position actuator processors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a command set for each multi-position actuator further comprises:

defining an actuator command for actuation in a first mode, including a first combination of range, rate, and duration of motion;

defining an actuator command for actuation in a second mode, including a second combination of range, rate, and duration of motion; and

defining an actuator command for stopping motion.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calibrating the actuators after power application by driving at least one movable element of each thereof directly to a first fully traversed position and a second fully traversed position, opposite thereto, including sensing a quantified value for a range of traverse of each actuator movable element; and

storing in each actuator the calibration value for the range of traverse of each movable element thereof.

7. An autoleveling, remotely controlled multiple-value positioner system, comprising:

means for establishing a wireless communication network that originates with a separate control station and provides bidirectional message transfer between the separate control station and each of a plurality of autonomous, processor-controlled, multi-position actuators;

means for retaining a processor-readable address within each multi-position actuator, non-repeating within the plurality of multi-position actuators;

means for commanding each of the multi-position actuators that includes for each means for commanding in a set thereof a retained actuator address and one of a plurality of executable function codes, wherein the set of means for commanding includes at least one means for realizing one position value defined for an addressed actuator, and wherein the set of means for commanding further includes at least one stop command;

means for assigning each of the multi-position actuators to a group;

means for commanding the group, including in each means for commanding the group a plurality of means for commanding discrete actuators of the group to perform a like executable function, directed to the addresses of the plurality of actuators in the group;

means for processing a current position of each of the multi-position actuators; and

means for equalizing a position of a group of barriers associated with the group of multi-position actuators.

8. The positioner system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for commanding the actuator group to move in a selected direction;

means for delaying for a time interval sufficient to realize a selected actuator position;

means for commanding the group to stop;

means for determining the respective positions realized by the multi-position actuators;

means for identifying a greatest position value among the respective position values realized by the actuators; and

means for commanding the group to advance to the identified greatest position value.

9. The positioner system of claim 8, wherein the actuators determine the positions of barriers.

10. The positioner system of claim 8, wherein the actuators determine the positions of awnings.

11. The positioner system of claim 8, wherein the actuators determine the positions of both an upward-moving group and a downward-moving group, wherein the respective groups originate from a substantially common location proximal to an intermediate location.

12. The positioner system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for commanding the actuator group to adjust the rates of variable-speed ventilation fans in a selected direction;

means for delaying for a time interval sufficient to realize a selected fan rate;

means for commanding the group to stop adjusting;

means for determining the rates realized by the respective fans;

means for identifying a most changed rate among the respective fan rates realized by the actuators; and

means for commanding the group to advance to the identified most changed rate value.