Method of controlling an automatic door system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor comprising a brushless DC motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
- at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation, wherein the motor controller comprises an inverter circuit controlling the power source connections to the windings of the brushless DC motor;
effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and
wherein the motor actuation operation comprises switching the power source connections in the inverter circuit to short together a plurality of the motor windings to produce a braking torque in the motor in accordance with a pulse width modulation control to maintain the door at a substantially stationary position relative to the door frame including providing a resistance to an external force applied on the door in a door opening direction wherein the pulse width modulation control is performed at a selected duty cycle without providing a motive electrical power to the motor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A door position control including an electric door actuator having a motor and a motor controller in communication with a system controller. A motor actuation operation is selected from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations to provide control signals to the motor controller for controlling actuation of the motor for control of door movement. Control of door movement is effected with reference to parameters specific to an installation location including an angular sweep of the door between open and closed positions and with reference to an available bus voltage for supplying power to the motor.
68 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor comprising a brushless DC motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation, wherein the motor controller comprises an inverter circuit controlling the power source connections to the windings of the brushless DC motor; effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and wherein the motor actuation operation comprises switching the power source connections in the inverter circuit to short together a plurality of the motor windings to produce a braking torque in the motor in accordance with a pulse width modulation control to maintain the door at a substantially stationary position relative to the door frame including providing a resistance to an external force applied on the door in a door opening direction wherein the pulse width modulation control is performed at a selected duty cycle without providing a motive electrical power to the motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19)
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8. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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providing a set point input, the set point input defined as an operator selected parameter provided as an input to the system controller and corresponding to at least one of a door opening time and a door closing time; converting the set point input to a speed set value comprising a maximum speed for the motor to move the door; providing a speed command value proportional to the speed set value, and using the speed command value to provide a variable voltage command value; providing a first duty cycle value equal to a ratio of the variable voltage command value and a bus voltage value, the bus voltage value corresponding to a voltage provided from the power supply; and providing control signals from the system controller to the motor controller corresponding to the first duty cycle value, the control signals determined with reference to the first duty cycle value, and switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller to effect movement of the door at a speed corresponding to the speed command value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation; effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and including a motor actuation operation initiated by an external force applied against the door in one of the door opening and closing directions, where the system controller determines that a predetermined sensed actual angular movement of the door in the one of the door opening and closing directions within a predetermined time period exceeds a predetermined angular rate and the system controller selects a motor actuation operation causing the motor controller to provide control signals to the motor controller to switch the power source connections and thereby provide an electrical power signal to the motor for effecting a powered door operation in the one of the door opening and closing directions.
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16. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor comprising a brushless DC motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation, wherein the motor controller comprises an inverter circuit controlling the power source connections to the windings of the brushless DC motor; effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and further including; providing a set point input, the set point input defined as an operator selected parameter provided as an input to the system controller and corresponding to at least one of a door opening time and a door closing time; converting the set point input to a speed set value comprising a maximum speed for the motor to move the door; and providing a speed command value proportional to the speed set value, and using the speed command value to provide a duty cycle voltage command value for generating control signals to provide power to the motor.
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17. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation; effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and wherein sensed actual angular positions of the door are controlled with reference to corresponding position commands for the door, where the actual angular positions of the door are positions of the door relative to the door frame, as sensed by a position sensor and transmitted as a door position signal to the system controller, and the position commands of the door comprise calculated angular positions for the door relative to the door frame determined at the system controller with reference to a selected motor actuation operation.
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18. A method for controlling an electric motor of an automatic door system, the motor being operatively connected to a door panel to enable the motor to perform a door moving operation for moving the door relative to a door frame, the motor being operable to move the door between open and closed positions using electric power signals delivered to the motor from an electric power supply, the electric power signals being controlled through a motor controller in communication with a system controller, and the system controller being operable to provide control signals to the motor controller for switching power source connections from the power supply to windings of the motor to define motor actuation operations, the method comprising:
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at the system controller selecting a motor actuation operation from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations, and providing control signals to the motor controller corresponding to the selected motor actuation operation; effecting control of movement of the door using the selected motor actuation operation whereby the angular position of the door relative to the door frame is controlled by switching the power source connections in response to the control signals received from the system controller; and including a user selectable command for interacting with operating instructions stored in a memory of the system controller to learn open and closed positions of the door, applying an external force to the door to move the door to open and closed positions, sensing the actual angular positions of the door relative to the door frame at a position sensor, transmitting open and closed actual angular positions as door position signals from the door position sensor to the system controller, and storing the open and closed angular positions in a non-volatile memory in the system controller for effecting retention of the door open and closed actual angular positions during a power loss condition to the system controller and for use in generating control signals during motor actuation operations.
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Specification