Motor-operated window cover

A panel system for use in front of a light source comprising:

• an elongated panel assembly including a plurality of panels having different characteristics following one another, said panels being selected from a group of panels having unique aesthetic and light transmitting and environment controlling characteristics;
• first and second spaced rollers, said panel assembly having first and second ends respectively secured to said first and second rollers and means for winding said panel assembly onto one or the other of said rollers to position any of said panels or portion thereof between said rollers, and in front of said light source;
• means for specifying one of plural desired light levels;
• and
• means for selecting and positioning between said rollers a panel suited for establishing a light level corresponding to said one specified light level.

A panel system arrangement, comprising:

• at least a first and a second panel system, and at least one panel control for controlling said first and second panel systems;
• each said panel system comprising:
• a) an elongated panel assembly including a plurality of panels following one another along the length of said panel assembly, said panels being configured to provide various aesthetic, light transmitting, or environment controlling characteristics;
• and
• b) first and second spaced rollers, said panel assembly having first and second ends respectively secured to said first and second rollers and being selectively windable onto one or the other of said rollers;
• said at least one panel control including user actuatable means for generating commands directing positioning of said panel assemblies between said rollers, each of said panel systems and each of said panel controls comprising a unique device address;
• a digital data bus interconnecting said first panel system, said second panel system and said panel control;
• and
• a respective communication means in each said panel system and said panel control for enabling said panel systems and said panel control to communicate digitally with one another via said data bus and based on said device addresses.

A method for use with a panel system arrangement comprising a plurality of devices interconnected via a data bus and including at least a first and a second panel system and a first panel control for controlling said panel systems, said first panel control comprising multiple user actuatable means and said method serving to assign panel systems to said user actuatable means, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) placing said first panel control into a panel control configuration mode;
• b) actuating a first one of said multiple user actuatable means to be configured to send a signal over said data bus to cause all panel systems to enter a panel system configuration mode;
• c) actuating a first switch on each said panel system desired to be controlled by said first one of said multiple user actuatable means to send a unique panel system address of each said panel system to said panel control;
• and
• d) storing each of said unique panel system addresses received by said panel control in a panel list associated with said first one of said multiple user actuatable means.