US 10,590,701 B2Granted

Methods and apparatus to control an architectural opening covering assembly

AssigneeHunter Douglas Inc.

InventorsWendell B. Colson, Daniel M. Fogarty

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Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control an architectural opening covering assembly are disclosed herein. An example system includes a first architectural opening covering assembly to identify a first position of a first covering as a first reference position in response to a first command to store a first speed at which the first assembly is to be driven. The first assembly is to operate a first motor to move the first covering at the first stored speed in response to a second command. The example system includes a second architectural opening covering assembly to store a second speed at which the second covering is to be driven in response to a third command. The second assembly is to operate a second motor at the second stored speed in response to a fourth command to move the second covering.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system including:

a first architectural opening covering assembly including:
a first motor;
a first tube to be driven by the first motor;
a first covering coupled to the first tube;
a first angular position sensor coupled to the first tube;
and
a first processor to:
in response to receipt of a first command:
identify a current angular position of the first tube at a time of receipt of the first command;
determine a first number of rotations of the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and a first reference angular position of the first tube;
determine a first rotational speed at which the first tube is to be driven based on the first number of rotations and a predetermined time value;
and
store the first rotational speed;
and
in response to receipt of a second command, operate the first motor to drive the first tube at the first rotational speed to move the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and the first reference angular position;
and
a second architectural opening covering assembly including:
a second motor;
a second tube to be driven by the second motor;
a second covering coupled to the second tube;
a second angular position sensor coupled to the second tube;
and
a second processor to:
in response to receipt of a third command:
identify a current angular position of the second tube at a time of receipt of the third command;
determine a second number of rotations of the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and a second reference angular position of the second tube;
determine a second rotational speed at which the second tube is to be driven based on the second number of rotations and the predetermined time value;
and
store the second rotational speed;
and
in response to receipt of a fourth command, operate the second motor to drive the second tube at the second rotational speed to move the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and the second reference angular position, wherein the second and fourth commands are triggered by an instruction to move the first and second coverings such that the first and second motors are activated at a same time, and such that the first tube arrives at the first reference angular position at a same time as the second tube arrives at the second reference angular position.

28 more elements

A method comprising:

in response to receiving a first command at a first architectural opening covering assembly including a first covering coupled to a first tube:
identifying, via a first processor of the first architectural opening covering assembly, a current angular position of the first tube at a time of receipt of the first command;
determining, via the first processor, a first number of rotations of the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and a first reference angular position of the first tube;
determining, via the first processor, a first rotational speed at which the first tube is to be driven based on the first number of rotations and a predetermined time value;
and
storing, via the first processor, the first rotational speed;
in response to receiving a second command at the first architectural opening covering assembly, operating, via the first processor, a first motor of the first architectural opening covering assembly to drive the first tube at the first rotational speed to move the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and the first reference angular position;
in response to receiving a third command at a second architectural opening covering assembly including a second covering coupled to a second tube:
identifying, via a second processor of the second architectural opening covering assembly, a current angular position of the second tube at a time of receipt of the third command;
determining, via the second processor, a second number of rotations of the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and a second reference angular position of the second tube;
determining, via the second processor, a second rotational speed at which the second tube is to be driven based on the second number of rotations and the predetermined time value;
and
storing, via the second processor, the second rotational speed;
in response to receiving a fourth command at the second architectural opening covering assembly, operating, via the second processor, a second motor of the second architectural opening covering assembly to drive the second tube at the second rotational speed to move the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and the second reference angular position, wherein the second and fourth commands are triggered by an instruction to move the first and second coverings such that the first and second motors are activated at a same time, and such that the first tube arrives at the first reference angular position at a same time as the second tube arrives at the second reference angular position.

11 more elements

A system comprising:

a first tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a first processor of a first architectural opening covering assembly including a first covering coupled to a first tube:
in response to receipt of a first command:
to identify a current angular position of the first tube at a time of receipt of the first command;
to determine a first number of rotations of the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and a first reference angular position of the first tube;
to determine a first rotational speed at which the first tube is to be driven based on the first number of rotations and a predetermined time value;
and
to store the first rotational speed;
and
in response to receipt of a second command, operate a first motor of the first architectural opening covering assembly to drive the first tube at the first rotational speed to move the first tube between the current angular position of the first tube and the first reference angular position;
and
a second tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a second processor of a second architectural opening covering assembly including a second covering coupled to a second tube:
in response to receipt of a third command:
to identify a current angular position of the second tube at a time of receipt of the third command;
to determine a second number of rotations of the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and a second reference angular position of the second tube;
to determine a second rotational speed at which the second tube is to be driven based on the second number of rotations and the predetermined time value;
and
to store the second rotational speed;
and
in response to receipt of a fourth command, operate a second motor of the second architectural opening covering assembly to drive the second tube at the second rotational speed to move the second tube between the current angular position of the second tube and the second reference angular position, wherein the second and fourth commands are triggered by an instruction to move the first and second coverings such that the first and second motors are activated at a same time, and such that the first tube arrives at the first reference angular position at a same time as the second tube arrives at the second reference angular position.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/205,816Filed 8 Jul 2016 · continuation
Priority: 14 Mar 2013
Published: US 2016/0319597 A13 Nov 2016
Granted: 17 Mar 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

E06B 9/72
Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive: comprising an electric motor positioned inside the roller
E06B 9/42
Roller blinds: parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes
E06B 9/68
Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor:…
E06B 9/50
Parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes: bearings specially adapted therefor

Family

Application61/786,228Us provisional application · filed 14 Mar 2013
Application14/213,188Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Mar 2014
US 2016/0319597 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Nov 2016
US 9,399,888 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0262078 A1Published application
US 10,590,701 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.