# US 12,215,546 B2 · External motor drive system adjusting for creep in window covering system with continuous cord loop > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,546 B2 - Document ID: US12215546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/389,200 - Filed: 2023-11-13 - Published: 2024-03-07 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-12 - Assignees: Ryse Inc. - Applicants: Ryse Inc. - Inventors: Trung Pham; Marc Bishara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215546B2 ## CPC - E06B 9/70: comprising an electric motor positioned outside the roller - E06B 9/74: adapted for selective electrical or manual operation - E06B 2009/6818: {using sensors} - E06B 2009/6827: {sensing light} - E06B 2009/6836: {sensing obstacle} - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) ## Abstract A drive system for raising and lowering a window covering includes a motor, a driven wheel configured to engage a continuous cord loop, a controller for the motor, a sensor, and a housing. The continuous cord loop includes an endless loop of flexible material and one or more sensor targets disposed on the endless loop of flexible material. The housing supports a guide rail adjacent the driven wheel. The sensor is mounted to the guide rail and is configured to generate a signal indicating presence of each sensor target when the target is located in proximity to or in contact with the sensor. The controller is calibrated to store an initial position of each sensor target along the continuous cord loop, and is configured to receive the signal indicating presence of the sensor target and to identify a drift from the initial position during continuing operation of the drive system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive system for use with a window covering system, the window covering system including a mechanism for raising and lowering a window covering and a continuous cord loop extending below the mechanism; the drive system comprising: a motor configured to operate under electrical power to rotate an output shaft of the motor; a driven wheel coupled to the output shaft of the motor and configured to engage the continuous cord loop, wherein rotation of the driven wheel in a first direction is configured to cause the continuous cord loop to cause the mechanism to raise the window covering and rotation of the driven wheel in a second direction is configured to advance the continuous cord loop to cause the mechanism to lower the window covering; one or more sensor targets configured to be disposed on the continuous cord loop; a controller for the motor; and a sensor operatively connected to the controller and configured to generate a signal indicating presence of each of the one or more sensor targets when the sensor target is located in proximity to or in contact with the sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor, wherein each of the one or more sensor targets comprises a piece of reflective material configured to reflect a beam of electromagnetic energy emitted by the sensor back to the sensor when the target is located in proximity to the sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive system of claim 2, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an infrared sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The motor drive system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a contact sensor comprising a plurality of contacts connected to an electrical circuit, wherein each of the one or more sensor targets comprises a piece of electrically conductive material configured to cause a short circuit in the electrical circuit when the piece of electrically conductive material is in contact with the plurality of contacts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drive system of claim 4, wherein the contact sensor comprises a plurality of leaf spring contacts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The drive system of claim 4, wherein the contact sensor comprises a plurality of flat contacts embedded in a recess of a guide rail. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The drive system of claim 4, wherein the contact sensor comprises a plurality of wire contacts, wherein the wire contacts project above a guide rail. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more sensor targets is a piece of metal tape or a piece of reflective tape configured to adhere to the continuous cord loop. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drive system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a guide rail having (i) a curved surface adjacent the driven wheel, or (ii) a substantially flat surface adjacent the driven wheel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drive system of claim 1, wherein the controller is calibrated to store a position of each of the one or more sensor targets along the continuous cord loop and is configured to receive the signal indicating presence of each of the one or more sensor targets and to identify a drift from the respective position during continuing operation of the drive system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drive system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor targets comprise a first marker and a second marker, wherein the controller is calibrated to store a first position of the first marker configured to correspond to a top position of the window covering and a second position of the second marker configured to correspond to a bottom position of the window covering, wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal indicating presence of each of the first marker and second marker and to identify a drift from the respective position during continuing operation of the drive system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drive system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to recalibrate the first position and the second position upon identifying the drift. ### Claim 13 A drive system for use with a window covering system, the window covering system including a roller blind mechanism for raising and lowering a window covering fabric and a continuous cord loop extending below the mechanism; the drive system comprising: a motor configured to operate under electrical power to rotate an output shaft of the motor; a driven wheel coupled to the output shaft of the motor and configured to engage the continuous cord loop; one or more sensor targets configured to be disposed on the continuous cord loop; a controller for the motor; and a sensor operatively connected to the controller and is configured to generate a signal indicating presence of each of the one or more sensor targets when the sensor target is located in proximity to or in contact with the sensor, wherein the controller is calibrated to store a position of each of the one or more sensor targets and is configured to receive the signal indicating presence of each of the one or more sensor targets and to identify a drift from the respective position during continuing operation of the drive system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The drive system of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensor targets comprise a first marker and a second marker, wherein the controller is calibrated to store a first position of the first marker configured to correspond to a top position of the window covering fabric and a second position of the second marker configured to correspond to a bottom position of the window covering fabric, wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal indicating presence of each of the first marker and second marker and to identify a drift from the respective first position or second position during continuing operation of the drive system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The drive system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured, in the event of identifying the drift from the respective first position or second position during continuing operation of the drive system, to recalibrate the respective first position or second position to compensate for the identified drift. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The drive system of claim 13, wherein rotation of the driven wheel in a first direction is configured to advance the continuous cord loop to cause the roller blind mechanism to raise the window covering and rotation of the driven wheel in a second direction is configured to advance the continuous cord loop to cause the roller blind mechanism to lower the window covering fabric. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The drive system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to recalibrate upon identifying the drift. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The drive system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor, wherein each of the one or more sensor targets comprises a piece of reflective material configured to reflect a beam of electromagnetic energy emitted by the sensor back to the sensor when the target is located in proximity to the sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The drive system of claim 18, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an infrared sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The drive system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a contact sensor comprising a plurality of contacts connected to an electrical circuit, wherein each of the one or more sensor targets comprises a piece of electrically conductive material configured to cause a short circuit in the electrical circuit when the piece of electrically conductive material is in contact with the plurality of contacts.