Remotely-controlled battery powered-window covering having power saving receiver

A method for saving power in an electrically powered window covering assembly, said assembly having a headrail, a bottom rail, a motor operatively connected to move one of the bottom rail and the headrail relative to the other of the headrail and said bottom rail, and a remote control receiver arranged to receive control signals from a transmitter to thereby control operation of said motor, said method comprising the steps of:

• intermittently powering the receiver in a first mode wherein the receiver is alternatingly turned off for a first time interval and turned on for a second time interval while waiting for a valid signal pulse;
• detecting a valid signal pulse during the second time interval while in the first mode;
• and
• intermittently powering the receiver in a second mode wherein the receiver is alternatingly turned off for a third time interval and on for a fourth time interval, upon detection of said valid signal pulse.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric direct current (dc) motor;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery mounted in the head rail;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric direct current motor;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one non-rechargeable dc battery;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric direct current motor;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A powered shade assembly, comprising:

• a shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric direct current motor disposed in the head rail;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering, the at least one battery being disposed in the head rail;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, the microprocessor having an energized state for processing the control signal to cause the at least one battery to energize the motor to move the rod, the microprocessor also having an idle state in which the at least one battery is not caused to energize the motor.

A window blind with actuator, comprising:

• a horizontal window blind having slats, a head rail defining a long dimension, and a rod rotatably mounted in the head rail parallel to the long dimension, the rod defining an open position and a closed position;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a transmission engaged with the rod for rotating the rod;
• a reversible electric direct current (dc) motor operably engaged with the transmission to move the transmission;
• a dc battery electrically connected to the motor;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to rotate the rod toward the open and closed positions, thereby rotating the slats.

A window covering assembly with actuator, comprising:

• a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering when the rod is rotated, the window covering being selected from the group of window coverings consisting of cellular shades, pleated shades and horizontal slats;
• at least one electric motor in the head rail;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a window covering member engaged with the rod for moving the window covering member between an open configuration and a closed configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric motor mounted in the head rail;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery mounted in the head rail;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a window covering member selected from the group of window coverings consisting of cellular shades, pleated shades and horizontal slats, the window covering member including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, the window covering member being engaged with the rod for moving the window covering member between an open configuration and a closed configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric motor;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one primary dc battery, the battery being primary in that the battery is not designed to be rechargeable;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A window covering with actuator, comprising:

• a window covering member selected from the group of window coverings including cellular shades, pleated shades and horizontal slats, the window covering member including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, the window covering member being engaged with the rod for moving the window covering member when the rod is rotated;
• an electric motor;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, for processing the control signal to cause the at least one battery to energize the motor to move the rod.

A powered window covering assembly, comprising:

• a window covering including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, the rod engaged with the window covering for moving the window covering between an open configuration and a closed configuration when the rod is rotated;
• an electric motor disposed in the head rail;
• a transmission operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
• at least one dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering, the at least one battery being disposed in the head rail;
• an infrared receiver for detecting a light signal and generating a control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a microprocessor having a supply voltage output connected to a supply voltage input of the infrared receiver and intermittently powering the infrared receiver at all times at either a first duty cycle or a second duty cycle to save battery power, the microprocessor having an energized state for processing the control signal to cause the at least one battery to energize the motor to move the rod, the microprocessor also having an idle state in which the at least one battery is not caused to energize the motor.