Post-automatically determined user-modifiable activity performance limit apparatus and method

[0001] This invention relates generally to control systems and more particularly to movable barrier control systems.

[0002] Many control systems are known in the art, including control systems for use with movable barriers such as, for example, garage doors. Many such control systems must be calibrated to a given installed setting in order to better accommodate physical influences that can vary from installation to installation. Some control systems provide a human interface to allow an operator to make the appropriate calibration settings. Other systems utilize sensors and/or processing capability to automatically sense the relevant physical influences and then use such information to automatically calibrate the control system to the particular setting.

[0003] Automatic calibration can greatly facilitate ease of installation and operation, contributing to cost effective efficiency, efficacy, and safety. Unfortunately, at least for some applications (such as, for example, moveable barrier operators), automatic calibration often does not provide the calibration most suited to a particular setting. Furthermore, even if properly calibrated in the first instance, the appropriate calibration settings may change over time as the physical conditions change (due to, for example, friction and wear, age, temperature, maintenance, temporary (or permanent) physical impingements, and so forth).

[0004] The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the post-automatically determined user-modifiable activity performance limit apparatus and method described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0005] FIG. 1 comprises a block diagram depiction of a control unit embodiment configured in accordance with the invention;

[0006] FIG. 2 comprises a flow diagram of a learning mode embodiment configured in accordance with prior art practice;

[0007] FIG. 3 comprises an illustrative depiction of zones of travel and corresponding oppositional forces;

[0008] FIG. 4 comprises a flow diagram of operating mode embodiments configured in accordance with the invention;

[0009] FIG. 5 comprises a detail view of a user interface that illustrates a range of control;

[0010] FIG. 6 comprises a block diagram depiction of various embodiments in accordance with the invention;

[0011] FIG. 7 comprises a detail view of an alternative embodiment of a user interface in accordance with the invention; and

[0012] FIG. 8 comprises a detail view of yet another alternative embodiment of a user interface in accordance with the invention.

[0013] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, many common elements that are not important to an understanding of the invention are not shown for purposes of clarity.

[0014] Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, at least one performance limit that corresponds to a particular activity is automatically determined. A human interface is then provided to allow a subsequent post-determination non-automatic adjustment to be made to the automatically determined performance limit by a user. That automatically determined performance limit as subsequently adjusted is then used when later facilitating the particular activity. To provide a more specific illustrative example of the above, the particular activity can be controlled movement of a movable barrier, such as a garage door, by a motor that is itself controlled by a barrier movement control unit. During a learning mode of operation, one or more force thresholds are automatically determined by the barrier movement control unit. A user manipulable force threshold modification control allows a user to adjust the automatically determined force thresholds, which adjusted thresholds are then subsequently used by the barrier movement control unit during a normal mode of operation when moving the barrier.

[0015] So configured, the benefits of automatically calibrating the control unit are realized with all of the usual attendant benefits of safety, efficacy, and efficiency. At the same time, a simple relatively intuitive mechanism is provided to allow a user to compensate for physical circumstances that the automatic calibration process cannot otherwise capture (both during initial installation and subsequently). In one embodiment, to prevent a user from inappropriately adjusting the automatically determined calibration value too far, the range of adjustment for the adjustment mechanism is limited. This aids in assuring that the benefits of automatic calibration, including safety benefits, are not defeated by the post-determination adjustment opportunity.

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, various embodiments of a barrier movement control system 10 for use with a movable barrier 11 will be presented to further illustrate these and other inventive concepts. The movable barrier 11 itself can be, for example, a garage door. Such garage doors usually move vertically 12 between opened and closed positions and the examples presented below are based upon such a configuration. It should be understood, though, that these teachings are equally applicable to other activities, including but not limited to horizontally-moving and pivoting movable barriers. A motor 13, coupled to the movable barrier 11 by a drive apparatus 14 in accordance with well understood prior art technique, effects desired movement of the movable barrier 11 (the drive apparatus 14 can be, for example, a chain or screw driven mechanism or any other drive mechanism as may be appropriate to a given application).

[0017] A barrier movement control unit 15 controls operation of the motor 13. Such a control unit 15 typically includes a processor that constitutes a programmable platform that can be suitably programmed to function in accordance with the embodiments presented herein. In the alternative, additional processing capability and/or dedicated circuitry can be added to known controllers to achieve the desired operability. The barrier movement control unit 15 includes an input, in this embodiment, for receiving data 17 that reflects sensed forces 16 acting in opposition to powered movement of the movable barrier 11. Various sensors, including magnetic and optically based sensors, exist to facilitate such sensing and the application of such sensors for these purposes is also well understood in the art. Therefore, additional details will not be presented here for the sake of clarity and brevity. The barrier movement control unit 15 also couples to a user manipulable force threshold modification control 18. This user control 18 can be, for example, a potentiometer as well understood in the art or, if desired, any other analog or digital input mechanism, including but not limited to DIP switches, analog-to-digital switch interfaces, touch screens, cursor controls, voice actuated mechanisms, and so forth.

[0018] Such a control system 10 will also usually have wall mounted switches and/or remote control switches to allow a user to use the control system 10 to control operation of the barrier 11. Such controls are not shown as they are not especially relevant to the concepts being presented. Similarly, the barrier movement control unit 15 will itself often include other elements, including a radio receiver or transceiver, which elements are again not illustrated for purposes of clarity and brevity.

[0019] So configured, such a control system 10 can effect a variety of activities including, pertinent to these teachings, a learning mode and a normal operational mode. The learning mode can be an ordinary prior art approach. Since understanding the learning mode can aid in an understanding of these embodiments, at least parts of an exemplary learning mode 20 will be briefly described with respect to FIG. 2. During the learning mode 20, the barrier movement control unit 15 moves 21 the movable barrier 11, typically from a first position to a second position (for example, from a closed position to an open position). While moving the movable barrier 11, the barrier movement control unit 15 detects 22 forces that work in opposition to the movement of the movable barrier 11. This force (or these forces) are quantified and the results are then used to determine 23 one or more force thresholds for subsequent use during normal operations.

[0020] Referring momentarily to FIG. 3, if desired, a plurality of force thresholds can be determined, wherein each force threshold corresponds to a particular zone that the movable barrier 11 traverses during controlled movement. Four such zones are shown for purposes of clarity, though usually more zones than this will be defined for a given garage door setting. As the movable barrier 11 moves through each zone, different forces can and will typically act upon the barrier 11 in full or partial opposition to the intended direction of movement and/or in correspondence with the intended direction of movement. As depicted in FIG. 3, each of the four zones has a corresponding external force 31-34 acting upon the movable barrier 11. By sensing each force for each zone, a corresponding force threshold can be determined that better corresponds to each zone of movement. Also, separate force thresholds can be determined for each zone to accommodate movement of the movable barrier 11 in both directions of movement (in the case of a typical garage door, these directions of movement being up and down).

[0021] Referring again to FIG. 2, many control systems such as these also optionally determine 24, during a learning mode 20, one or more stop limits (that is, movable barrier positions that correspond to an open position and a closed position) that can be subsequently used to inform and facilitate the process of stopping the movable barrier 11 when moving the movable barrier to a desired position. Such stop limits, then, also constitute an example of an automatically determined performance limit that can benefit from the invention.

[0022] So configured, in addition to such other calibration events as may be supported during a learning mode of operation, such a control system 10 will automatically empirically determine one or more force thresholds to be used during normal operation of the corresponding movable barrier 11. As will be shown below, such force thresholds are typically used to ensure that sufficient force is available to move the movable barrier to a desired position, while simultaneously ensuring that movement of the movable barrier 11 will be reversed in the event that the movable barrier 11 comes into contact with an obstacle (such as a person or item of personal property) during movement to a desired position. As noted earlier, these automatically determined force thresholds may, or may not, be appropriate and effective when initially determined. Regardless, over time, physical conditions as impact upon movement of the movable barrier 11 will virtually ensure that these initially determined force thresholds become, permanently or temporarily, inappropriate. When inappropriate, this can result in either incomplete movement of the movable barrier 11 to a desired position and/or in an unsafe operational potential to not reverse when the movable barrier 11 impacts an object.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 4, an operating mode 40 for such a barrier movement control unit 15 can beneficially include the following embodiments. The thresholds (both force thresholds and stop limits, if desired) as automatically determined during the learning mode 20 are modified 41 by a user directed amount. This modification can occur immediately after the thresholds are initially determined during the learning process or anytime thereafter. Similarly, the modified threshold value(s) can be determined once, stored, and used thereafter during the operating mode 40 or calculated anew (using the previously automatically determined values and the present settings of the user interface 18 as briefly mentioned above and as described in more detail below) as needed.

[0024] Optionally, if desired, these modified thresholds can be automatically modified 42 still further. For example, if correct settings for the thresholds are known to vary in a particular way with respect to some physical parameter, such as temperature, then the adjusted automatically determined threshold can be further modified automatically as a function of that parameter. Such automatic dynamic threshold modifications are known in the art and hence additional detail will not be presented here.

[0025] During the operating mode 40 the relevant parameters are monitored 43 (either continuously, from time to time, or in response to whatever other trigger event might be used in a given application). In this exemplary embodiment utilizing a barrier movement control unit 11, forces acting in opposition to the controlled movement of the barrier 11 are monitored 43 (in addition, or in the alternative, stop limits as mentioned above can be monitored). The forces (and/or stop limit indicia) as monitored are compared 44 against the relevant threshold(s) to determine if the threshold has been exceeded. If not, movement of the barrier 11 continues until eventually stop conditions are satisfied 45 and the barrier 11 comes to a controlled stop 46. When a monitored force level does exceed 44 the adjusted force threshold level, however, movement of the barrier 11 is reversed 47 since this condition likely indicates that an obstacle exists in the pathway of the movable barrier 11.

[0026] As noted above, multiple force thresholds can be used in conjunction with multiple corresponding zones of movement for the movable barrier 11. In such a system, as the opposing force is monitored 43, the threshold value that is compared 44 against the monitored force will change from zone to zone. Again, as is the case with a single threshold value, these original automatically determined threshold values are all post-determination adjustable by a user using the user control 18.

[0027] Notwithstanding the fact that automatically determined threshold values of various kinds are often not optimally determined (either initially or over time due to changing circumstances), such automatically determined values are usually nevertheless relatively accurate. Modifying such values greatly can potentially jeopardize effective and/or safe operation of the controlled device or object. Therefore, pursuant to one embodiment, the range of adjustment as provided to the user via the user control 18 is limited. For example, with reference to FIG. 5, the total range of adjustment can be limited to some predetermined value, such as, for example, no more than 25% of the total potential applicable force that is available. In the example depicted, such a range is split equally on either side of a zero setting. With such a limit, a user can increase, or decrease, a force threshold setting by up to 12.5%, but no further. This allows a user to fine tune operation of a given controlled activity while also substantially preventing the user from creating an unsafe or significantly inappropriate setting and corresponding operating condition. Other ratios are possible, of course, including apportioning all of the range to either increases or decreases of the force threshold value.

[0028] There are various ways to present such a user interface 18, both to suit differing placement preferences and to accommodate various features and alternatives. For example, referring now to FIG. 6, the barrier movement control unit 15 (and the motor 13 as well, if desired) can be fully or partially disposed within a housing 61. The user manipulable threshold modification control 18 can be a potentiometer or other user mechanism mounted on the housing 61 as indicated at reference numeral 18A, or within the housing 61 as indicated at reference numeral 18B (when located internally, a door 62 can be provided to protect the control 18B from being moved or otherwise readjusted inadvertently). The control unit 18 can also be located in a separate unit as indicated by reference numeral 18C that mounts apart from the housing 61 and that communicates with the barrier movement control unit 15 through, for example, a wired connection. The control unit 18 can also be located in a wireless unit 63 as indicated by reference numeral 18D (such as, for example, a garage door opener remote control unit). In all of these embodiments, regardless of whether the user control unit 18 is positioned proximal or distal to the barrier movement control unit 15, a user can readily adjust already automatically determined thresholds that control or influence the operation of the barrier movement control unit 15.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, with reference to FIG. 7, two such user control units 18E and 18F can be provided. With such a configuration, for example, both course and fine adjustments can be made by the user as described above with respect to the automatically determined threshold values. As another example, and with reference to FIG. 8, separate control units 18G and 18H can be provided to allow individual adjustment of multiple parameters. In the example depicted, one control unit 18G allows user adjustment of a previously automatically determined force threshold for a movable barrier moving upwardly and a second control unit 18H allows user adjustment of a previously automatically determined force threshold for a movable barrier moving downwardly. Such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.