External motor drive system for window covering system with continuous cord loop

A drive system for use with a window covering system for spreading and retracting a window covering, the window covering system including the window covering, a headrail, and a continuous cord loop chain, the drive system comprising:

• a DC motor configured to rotate an output shaft of the DC motor;
• a drive assembly comprising a driven sprocket wheel coupled to the output shaft of the DC motor configured for engaging and advancing the continuous cord loop chain, wherein advancing the continuous cord loop chain in a first direction spreads the window covering, and advancing the continuous cord loop chain in a second direction retracts the window covering;
• a controller for providing positional commands to the DC motor and the drive assembly to control the advancing the continuous cord loop chain in the first direction and the advancing the continuous cord loop chain in the second direction, wherein the controller receives a plurality of sunlight entrance conditions;
• and
• a housing for the DC motor and the drive assembly, wherein the continuous cord loop chain extends below the headrail of the window covering system to the driven sprocket wheel at the housing, wherein the housing includes an input interface configured to receive user inputs to the controller,
• wherein the plurality of sunlight entrance conditions include a temperature output of a temperature sensor, the temperature output representative of a temperature in the vicinity of the drive system, and further include a light output of a light sensor, the light output representative of an intensity of ambient light in the vicinity of the drive system,
• wherein in the event the plurality of sunlight entrance conditions received by the controller corresponds to one or more window cover criteria, the controller causes the drive assembly to advance the continuous cord loop chain in the first direction to spread the window covering, and in the event the plurality of sunlight entrance conditions received by the controller corresponds to one or more window uncover criteria, the controller causes the drive assembly to advance the continuous cord loop chain in the second direction to retract the window covering.