Segmented door operator system

Abstract

The present invention provides a segmented door operator system (1) for opening and closing an opening (2). The segmented door operator system (1) includes a door (8) arranged to move between an open position (O) and a closed position (C) and includes a plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments (9a to 9e). The segmented door operator system (1) includes at least one control unit (20a, 20b) and at least one sensor device (40a, 40b) mounted on one of the segments (9e) of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments (9a to 9e), the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) being operatively in communication with a drive unit system (100) and configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on sensor data (42) from the at least one sensor device (40a, 40b), wherein the sensor data (42) relates to the angle of the door (8) relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a segmented door operator system for opening and closing openings. More specifically, this invention relates to controlling the operation of the segmented door operator system. Background Technology

[0002] Segmented door operator systems are frequently used to provide automatic opening and closing of doors for easy entry and exit from buildings, rooms, and other areas. A typical door operator system includes multiple drive units that operate the segmented door between closed and open positions.

[0003] Segmented gate operator systems are typically used in private and public areas for extended periods, under various conditions, based on daily, weekly, or yearly usage and traffic frequency. Therefore, the system needs to remain operational without malfunction, even during periods of heavy traffic caused by people or objects passing through the gate.

[0004] During operation, the mechanical components of the door operator system (such as rollers, tracks, or motors) are subjected to wear, tear, or weather conditions. This can potentially lead to malfunctions, causing the segmented doors to misalign and become skewed or inoperable. Typically, this has been addressed by replacing worn mechanical components and manually aligning the segmented doors for further operation. The inventors have identified these problems and drawbacks.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome or at least mitigate one or more of these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a door operator system that seeks to mitigate, alleviate, or eliminate one or more of the aforementioned defects and disadvantages in the art, either individually or in any combination.

[0007] This disclosure presents a solution to the aforementioned problems. The proposed solution describes a segmented door operator system for opening and closing openings.

[0008] In a first aspect of the invention, a segmented door operator system for opening and closing an opening is provided. The segmented door operator system includes a door and a door frame, the door being movable between an open position and a closed position and including a plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments, the door frame including a first frame segment at a first side of the opening and a second frame segment at a second side of the opening, wherein the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments are connected to the door frame. The segmented door operator system further includes: a drive unit system mounted on one of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments, wherein the drive unit system is arranged to move the segmented door from a closed position to an open position, wherein the drive unit system includes at least a first drive unit and at least a second drive unit, the at least first drive unit including a first motor, the at least second drive unit including a second motor, and wherein the first drive unit and the second drive unit are mounted on different vertical sides of the horizontal and interconnected segments; at least one control unit; and at least one sensor device mounted on one of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments, the at least one control unit being operatively communicateable with the drive unit system and configured to control the operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from the at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor data relates to the angle of the door relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system.

[0009] The benefits of this invention stem from improved door opening / closing processes in the door operator system, reducing or eliminating irregularities in opening and closing operations. The provided segmented door operator system ensures correct installation in terms of alignment and leveling without requiring manual work by installers. Furthermore, the technical provisions of this invention include vibration detection for mechanical components. This first aspect of the invention can prevent, mitigate, or eliminate mechanical problems in various components of the segmented door operator system. Moreover, doors or individual door segments are less likely to become misaligned or skewed, which improves system quality and thus increases the overall lifespan of the system.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the segmented door operator system further includes at least a first sensor device and a second sensor device, and wherein the segmented door operator system further includes a first control unit and a second control unit, wherein the first sensor device is configured to provide sensor data of the door to the first control unit, and the second sensor device is configured to provide sensor data of the door to the second control unit. The first control unit is operatively communicable with a first drive unit of the drive unit system, and the second control unit is operatively communicable with a second drive unit of the drive unit system.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the at least one sensor device may include at least one accelerometer. The at least one sensor device may be arranged in one segment of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments, or in the bottom segment of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one control unit is configured to control the operation of the drive unit system by evaluating received sensor data, and to control the operation of at least the first drive unit and / or at least the second drive unit based on the evaluation of the sensor data. The step of controlling the operation of the at least first drive unit and / or the at least second drive unit may include changing the speed of the first motor and / or the second motor.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the step of evaluating the received sensor data includes determining whether there is a deviation between the sensor data of the door and a maximum sensor threshold. If a deviation exists, the speed of the first motor or the second motor is changed; otherwise, the speeds of the first motor and the second motor are maintained.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the segmented door operator system further includes at least one first sensing element and a second sensing element, which are configured to provide operating data of a first motor and a second motor to at least one control unit. The operating data includes information related to the position of the first motor and / or the second motor. The first and second sensing elements may be position sensors and / or encoders. The first sensing element may be arranged in conjunction with a first drive unit and may be configured to provide operating data of the first drive unit to the at least one control unit. Similarly, the second sensing element may be arranged in conjunction with a second drive unit and may be configured to provide operating data of the second drive unit to the at least one control unit.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the at least one control unit is further configured to control the operation of the drive unit system by: receiving operation data related to a first drive unit or a second drive unit; evaluating the received operation data; and combining the evaluation of the operation data with the evaluation of the sensor data, and controlling the operation of the first drive unit and / or the second drive unit based on the combined evaluation.

[0016] According to one embodiment, if a positional deviation is determined to exist between the first motor and the second motor, the at least one control unit is further configured to determine which of the motors is furthest from the target position, and wherein if it is determined that the second motor is furthest from the target position than the first motor, the speed of the first motor is reduced, and if it is determined that the first motor is furthest from the target position than the second motor, the speed of the second motor is reduced.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the at least one control unit is further configured to determine whether the position of the corresponding motor is equal to the target position, and if so, the at least one control unit is configured to stop the operation of both the first motor and the second motor.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the drive unit system further includes a third drive unit and a fourth drive unit installed in another segment of the plurality of segments, different from the first drive unit and the second drive unit, wherein the third drive unit and the fourth drive unit are arranged to assist the first drive unit and the second drive unit when moving the door from a closed position to an open position, and wherein the third drive unit and the fourth drive unit are connected to the at least one control unit, and wherein the segmented door operator system further includes at least a third sensor device arranged in the same segment as the third drive unit and the fourth drive unit, and wherein the at least one control unit is further configured to receive sensor data from the at least third sensor device.

[0019] In a second aspect of the invention, a control unit is provided in a segmented door operator system, the control unit being operatively communicateable with a drive unit system including at least a first drive unit and at least a second drive unit, the first drive unit including a first motor and the second drive unit including a second motor. The control unit is configured to control the operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor data relates to the angle of the door relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system.

[0020] In a third aspect of the invention, a method is provided for controlling the operation of at least a first drive unit and at least a second drive unit of a drive unit system in a segmented door operator system. The method involves providing at least one sensor device and at least one control unit operatively communicating with the drive unit system and configured to control the operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from said at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor data relates to the angle of the door relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system.

[0021] It should be emphasized that when the term "comprising / including" is used in this specification, it is used to specify the presence of a stated feature, integer, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, all terms used in the claims shall be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the art. Unless otherwise expressly stated, all references to "a / the [element, device, assembly, apparatus, step, etc.]" shall be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of an element, device, assembly, apparatus, step, etc. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed.

[0022] In this document, references to entities “designed for” to do something are intended to mean the same entity as those “configured for” or “intended to be” to do that. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The foregoing will be apparent from the following more specific description of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts in different views. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather focus on illustrating exemplary embodiments.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic perspective view of a door operator system including a segmented door in the closed position.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic side view of a door operator system including a segmented door in the closed position.

[0026] Figure 3a and Figure 3b It is a schematic perspective view of different door operator systems, including segmented doors in the closed position.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram showing the components of the door operator system according to the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic block diagram showing the components of the door operator system according to the present invention.

[0029] Figures 6a to 6d These are schematic perspective views of different embodiments of a component group in a door manipulator system.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the specific embodiments shown in the drawings is not intended to limit the invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0035] Figure 1 Figures 3 to 3 illustrate different embodiments of the segmented door operator system 1. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, the inventive aspect of the invention also applies to door operator systems as single-leaf door operator systems.

[0036] Figure 1 Figures 3 through 3 are schematic diagrams of different embodiments of the door operator system 1, in which the inventive aspects of the present invention can be applied. The door operator system 1 includes a door frame 3, a door 8, and a drive unit system 100. In such... Figures 1 to 2 In the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown, the drive unit system 100 includes a first drive unit 10a and a second drive unit 10b. In alternative embodiments, such as Figure 3a As shown, the drive unit system 100 includes a third drive unit 10c and a fourth drive unit 10d. The third drive unit 10c includes a third motor 11c, and the fourth drive unit includes a fourth motor 10d. Furthermore, as... Figure 3a As shown, the third driving unit 10c further includes a third sensing element 30c, and the fourth driving unit 10d further includes a fourth sensing element 30d. In another alternative embodiment, such as Figure 3b As shown, the drive unit system 100 may include any number of drive units 10a to 10f, wherein each drive unit 10a to 10f includes a motor 10a to 10f and a sensing element 30a to 30f. In all embodiments, the drive units 10a to 10f are preferably individual units that operate independently of each other.

[0037] The door operator system 1 is arranged to be installed in the opening 2 defined by the wall 50 and the floor 23. For example... Figure 1As disclosed herein, the door operator system 1 is arranged to open and close the opening 2 by moving the door 8 between the open position O and the closed position C.

[0038] In this embodiment, door 8 is a segmented door 8, comprising a plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments 9a to 9e connected to door frame 3. In one embodiment, the door is a garage door. In an alternative embodiment, the door is an industrial door. Door 8 is arranged to move along door frame 3 between a closed position C and an open position O.

[0039] In one embodiment, the door operator system 1 is an upward-opening door operator system. An upward-opening door operator system is a system in which the door in the closed position C is arranged substantially vertically, and the door in the open position O is arranged substantially horizontally and within the opening.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment, the door operator system 1 is a riser door operator system. A riser door operator system is a system in which the door in the closed position C is arranged substantially vertically, and the door in the open position O is arranged substantially vertically above the opening.

[0041] The door frame 3 includes a first frame section 4 at a first side 7 of the opening 2 and a second frame section 6 at a second side 5 of the opening 2. The door frame 3 is connected to the wall 50 and the floor 23. The first frame section 4 includes a substantially vertical section 4a and a substantially horizontal section 4b. The second frame section 6 includes a substantially vertical section 6a and a substantially horizontal section 6b. The vertical sections 4a and 6a and the horizontal sections 4b and 6b are connected to form a path for the door 8 to slide thereon and a track for the driving units 10a and 10b to interact with thereon.

[0042] Door 8 is directly or indirectly connected to door frame 3. Door 8 is movably connected to first frame segment 4 on a first side and movably connected to second frame segment 6 on a second side. In one embodiment, one or more of segments 9a to 9e are connected to first frame segment 4 on first side 7 and to second frame segment 6 on second side 5.

[0043] The first drive unit 10a includes a first motor 11a, and the second drive unit 10b includes a second motor 11b. Drive units 10a and 10b may also include at least one battery. The at least one battery is arranged to power the respective motors 11a and 11b of drive units 10a and 10b. In one embodiment, at least two motors 11a and 11b are connected to one battery. In an alternative embodiment, one or more batteries are connected to each motor 11a and 11b. In yet another embodiment, the first motor 11a is connected to a first battery, and the second motor 11b is connected to a second battery.

[0044] Drive units 10a and 10b are connected to and / or mounted to door 8. In one embodiment, as shown regarding Figure 2 More specifically, drive units 10a and 10b are mounted to segment 9e of door 8, i.e., one of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected segments. A first motor 11a and a second motor 11b are arranged on the same segment 9e. Preferably, the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are arranged on different vertical sides of segment 9e. Thus, each motor 11a and 11b is respectively arranged to engage with the first frame segment 4 and the second frame segment 6.

[0045] Drive units 10a and 10b are also connected to the door frame 3. Drive units 10a and 10b are movably connected to the first frame segment 4 on a first side and movably connected to the second frame segment 6 on a second side. Therefore, a first motor 11a is movably connected to the first frame segment 4, and a second motor 11b is movably connected to the second frame segment 6. Drive units 10a and 10b are arranged to interact with the door frame 3 to move the segmented door 8 from a closed position C to an open position O and from an open position O to a closed position C.

[0046] In one embodiment, at least one motor 11a and 11b of the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are configured to brake the movement of the segmented door 8 when the segmented door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In another embodiment, both the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are configured to brake the movement of the segmented door 8 when the segmented door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C.

[0047] In one embodiment, as an optional feature, the door operator system 1 further includes at least one charging unit 13, 14. In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 The door operator system 1 disclosed herein includes a first charging unit 13 and a second charging unit 14. The charging units 13 and 14 are preferably connected to the door frame 3. The first charging unit 13 is installed in a position associated with the location of the batteries of the corresponding drive units 10a and 10b when the segmented door 8 is in the closed position C. The first charging unit 13 is arranged to connect to and charge at least one battery in the closed position. The second charging unit 14 is installed in a position associated with the location of the batteries of the drive unit system 100 when the segmented door 8 is in the open position C. The first charging unit 14 is arranged to connect to and charge at least one battery in the open position. In one embodiment, continuous charging of the batteries can be provided by connecting the batteries to a power source via a cable.

[0048] In one embodiment, at least one motor 11a and 11b of each drive unit 10a and 10b is configured to act as a generator and charge at least one battery when the segmented door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In another embodiment, the first motor 11a and the second motor 11a of drive units 10a and 10b are both configured to act as generators and charge at least one battery when the segmented door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C.

[0049] In one embodiment, at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b of the drive units 10a and 10b are DC motors. In a preferred embodiment, at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are brushless DC (BLDC) motors.

[0050] In one embodiment, at least one motor 11a and 11b of the drive units 10a and 10b further includes a brake (not shown). In one embodiment, both the first motor and the second motor include a brake. In one embodiment, the brake is an electromagnetic brake. The brake is arranged to control / reduce the speed of the door 8 as it moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In one embodiment, the first motor and the second motor are arranged to control / reduce the speed of the door 8 as it moves from the open position O to the closed position C, which can be performed with or without a brake.

[0051] Different connections between the drive unit and the door frame 3 are known in the prior art and will not be discussed further herein. For example, the drive unit may include one or more pinions (not shown) that rotate a motor when the weight of the door 8 causes the door 8 to move. Additionally or alternatively, the drive unit may also include a plurality of wheels (not shown) arranged to rotate by a motor.

[0052] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Different embodiments based on some inventive aspects of this solution are shown. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In any of the embodiments provided, the segmented door operator system 1 can perform its normal operation.

[0053] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the embodiments shown, the segmented gate operator system includes a first control unit 20a and a second control unit 20b. The control unit 20 can be implemented using any known controller technology, including but not limited to microcontrollers, processors (e.g., PLCs, CPUs, DSPs), FPGAs, ASICs, or any other suitable digital and / or analog circuits capable of performing the intended function.

[0054] The control unit 20 can also be implemented using instructions that implement hardware functions, for example, by using computer program instructions executable in a general-purpose or special-purpose processor, which can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium (disk, memory, etc.) for execution by such a processor. The control unit 20 is configured to read instructions from memory and execute those instructions to control the operation of the drive unit system 100. The memory of the control unit can be implemented using any known memory technology, including but not limited to ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CMOS, FLASH, DDR, SDRAM, or some other memory technology. In some embodiments, the memory can be integrated with or within the control unit 20. The memory can store program instructions for execution by the control unit 20, as well as temporary and permanent data used by the control unit 20.

[0055] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the door operator system 1 also includes a first sensor device 40a and a second sensor device 40b. It should be noted that, although not shown, in... Figure 1 and 2 Sensor devices 40a and 40b are also present in the illustrated embodiment. (Refer to...) Figures 6a to 6d In more detail, different numbers of sensor devices can be used.

[0056] In statement Figure 4 and Figure 5 Before detailing the embodiments shown, a description is provided regarding what types of defects the sensor device 40 might be able to mitigate, alleviate, or eliminate based on some inventive aspects of the solution.

[0057] As briefly mentioned in the background section of this invention, the door 8 of the door operator system 1 is susceptible to various types of disturbances during normal operation. These disturbances include, but are not limited to, the effects of passing forces from vehicles or objects on the door 8, vibrations generated when the door 8 moves between positions, wear on mechanical components, or environmental parameters (such as wind loads, temperature variations, etc.). These disturbances can cause malfunctions in components of the door operator system 1. Specifically, the segmented door 8 or any interconnected segments 9a to 9e of the segmented door 8 may be misaligned or skewed relative to the true horizontal plane of the door operator system 1. In ideal operation of the door operator system 1, the door 8 and all its interconnected segments 9a to 9e are perfectly horizontal relative to the floor plane of the door operator system 1.

[0058] Ideally, deviations in angle φ of door 8 or any interconnected segments 9a to 9e relative to the true horizontal plane of door operator system 1 should be detected as early as possible. Therefore, sensor device 40 can be configured to continuously monitor each individual segment 9a to 9e of door 8 or at least one segment 9 and transmit the information to at least one control unit 20. Furthermore, sensor device 40 can be configured to detect wear on critical components of door operator system 1 by observing vibrations generated by the movement of door 8 through signal analysis. Control unit 20 can then compare these vibrations with normal vibration patterns of door 8 to determine if any mechanical components require repair or maintenance. Vibration analysis can detect problems such as, for example, imbalance, bearing failure, mechanical looseness, misalignment, resonance and natural frequencies, motor failure, or shaft bending. Examples of vibration measurements may include, but are not limited to, overall vibration level, vibration spectrum analysis, discrete frequency monitoring, shock pulse monitoring, kurtosis measurement, signal averaging, cepstral analysis, or any combination thereof.

[0059] In this respect, the door manipulator system 1 can also be self-learning to intelligently generate, for example, bearing fault diagnoses and machine health attributes. When sensor device 40 provides sensor data 42 to control unit 20, control unit 20 attempts to identify patterns itself. Therefore, control unit 20 of door manipulator system 1 generates autonomous decisions. Both supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms can be implemented and / or applied, such as regression algorithms, decision trees, K-means, K-nearest neighbors, neural networks, support vector machines, or principal component analysis. The described intelligent system can learn from continuously receiving accurate sensor readings from sensor device 40. The autonomously generated bearing fault diagnoses and / or machine health attributes can be stored in the memory of control unit 20 for use in controlling drive unit system 100. This will be discussed in the reference... Figure 7 and 8 A detailed explanation will follow.

[0060] Return to Figure 4 At least one sensor device 40a and 40b is configured to provide sensor data 42a and 42b of gate 8 to at least one control unit 20a and 20b. Figure 4 In this configuration, there are two sensor devices 40a and 40b, each connected to a control unit 20a, 20b. This configuration will be described in the following sections. However, it should be noted that the following description applies to cases with only one sensor device and / or only one control unit.

[0061] Sensor devices 40a and 40b are configured to continuously monitor and adjust alignment and leveling by continuously transmitting sensor data 42a and 42b to control units 20a and 20b. Sensor data 42a and 42b relate to the angle φ of door 8 relative to the true horizontal plane of door operator system 1. To accurately determine the horizontal direction of door 8 relative to gravity, sensor devices 40a and 40b may include at least one accelerometer. Alternatively or additionally, sensor devices 40a and 40b may include at least one sensor or any other electrical component capable of accurately determining the angle of an object relative to the true horizontal plane. In other embodiments, sensor devices 40a and 40b may include a level, such as a tubular level or a bullseye level.

[0062] Sensor devices 40a and 40b can be arranged at different locations in the segmented gate operator system, such as... Figures 6a to 6d As shown. In Figure 6a In this configuration, two sensor devices 40a and 40b are positioned at the bottom section 9e, close to the corresponding drive units 10a and 10b. Sensor devices 40a and 40b are configured to transmit sensor data to a control unit 20a.

[0063] exist Figure 6b In this configuration, two sensor devices 40a and 40b are arranged in the bottom section 9e, close to the corresponding drive units 10a and 10b. The first sensor device 40a is configured to transmit sensor data to a first control unit 20a, and the second sensor device 40b is configured to transmit sensor data to a second control unit 20b. Furthermore, the first control unit 20a and the second control unit 20b can be configured to communicate with each other. In one embodiment, the first control unit 20a is configured to transmit sensor data to the second control unit 20b. In another embodiment, the second control unit 20b is configured to transmit sensor data to the first control unit 20a.

[0064] exist Figure 6c In this configuration, a sensor device 40a is positioned at the bottom section 9e, between the two drive units 10a and 10b. In different embodiments, the sensor device 40a is positioned at different locations on the bottom section 9e. The sensor device 40a is configured to transmit sensor data to a control unit 20a.

[0065] exist Figure 6dIn this embodiment, a sensor device 40a is positioned at the bottom section 9e, between the two drive units 10a and 10b. In different embodiments, the sensor device 40a is positioned at different locations within the bottom section 9e. The sensor device 40a is configured to transmit sensor data to a first control unit 20a and a second control unit 20b. Furthermore, the first control unit 20a and the second control unit 20b may be configured to communicate with each other. In one embodiment, the first control unit 20a is configured to transmit sensor data to the second control unit 20b. In another embodiment, the second control unit 20b is configured to transmit sensor data to the first control unit 20a.

[0066] Although not in Figures 6a to 6c As shown, however, sensor devices 40a and 40b can be arranged in any of the interconnected sections 9a to 9e, not just in the bottom section 9e, as long as accurate sensor data 42a and 42b can be obtained and transmitted to control units 20a and 20b. Furthermore, although not shown, Figures 6a to 6d The control units 20a and 20b can be arranged on any of the sections 9a to 9e.

[0067] exist Figures 6a to 6d In the illustrated embodiment, sensor devices 40a and 40b are arranged as separate devices. If this is the case, means are provided for transmitting sensor data 42a and 42b from the sensor devices to at least one control unit 20a and 20b. For example, a communication interface configured as a transceiver can be provided. The communication interface can be based on known transceiver standards such as GBIC, SFP, SFP+, QSFP, XFP, XAUI, CXP, or CFP.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, sensor devices 40a and 40b can be directly arranged on the PCB of control units 20a and 20b. This simplifies the process of transmitting sensor data 42a and 42b to control units 20a and 20b, since internal communication devices can be used within control units 20a and 20b.

[0069] exist Figures 4 to 5The segmented door operator system 1 may also include an operator control unit 60 (optional feature). The operator control unit 60 is configured to receive control data from at least one control unit 20a and 20b. The control data may include, for example, the operating status of the segmented door operator system 1, the health status of individual mechanical components, and / or the motor current. At least one control unit 20a and 20b may be configured to generate reports of any program defects or errors detected by at least one sensor device 40a and 40b, and subsequently report these findings to the operator control unit 60. For example, if the motor current exceeds a predetermined error threshold, this can be reported. Information related to the motor current is beneficial in identifying whether the motor is exposed to a higher load than normal. This might be the case, for example, if something is stuck in the door operator system 1.

[0070] Reports can be sent via a communication interface operating between at least one control unit 20a and 20b and the operator control unit 60. Additionally, reports can be transmitted via IoT services (Internet of Things). Different IoT protocols can be utilized in different embodiments of the invention. For example, protocols include, but are not limited to, Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee, MQTT IoT, CoAP, DDS, NFC, AMQP, LoRaWAN, RFID, Z-Wave, Sigfox, Thread, EnOcean, cellular-based communication protocols, or any combination thereof. Error reports may include, for example, reports of door misalignment and / or any operational inconsistencies.

[0071] If an error report has already been generated, the operator control unit 60 can also be configured to generate an alarm if one or more limits exceed a predetermined error threshold. This alarm can be visualized through audible signals, visual signals, or by transmitting information to an external device. Furthermore, if a safety hazard is detected, the operator control unit 60 can respond by terminating the operation of system 1.

[0072] The operator control unit 60 can also be configured to be controlled by an operator of system 1. The operator control unit 60 may include one or more displays for visualizing information about system 1. Furthermore, one or more displays may include touchscreen functionality and / or one or more buttons for manual operation of system 1. Therefore, in the event of an automation failure in system 1, the operator control unit 60 can serve as a backup controller.

[0073] In one embodiment, the drive unit system 100 includes one or more sensors (not shown) arranged to identify a person or object in the path of the door 8 and to interrupt or reverse the movement of the door 8 when a person or object is identified. The one or more sensors may be one or more of a pressure sensor, an IR sensor, a camera, radar, or a presence sensor. If one or more sensors identify a person or object in the path of the door 8, the sensors may send a signal to the control unit 20, which may control the door 8 and stop its movement. The control unit 20 then controls the door 8 to return to the open position O or remain there until a person or object has moved and controls the door to continue to the closed position. As the door 8 moves toward the floor 23, it reaches the closed position C. In the closed position C, the drive unit's battery 12 is connected to the first charging unit 13, and the battery 12 is charged.

[0074] Control units 20a and 20b are operatively in communication with drive unit system 100. Control units 20a and 20b can communicate with the two drive units 10a and 10b via wired or wireless communication. Furthermore, control units 20a and 20b are configured to communicate with sensor devices 40a and 40b. (See reference...) Figure 7 and Figure 8 More specifically, control units 20a and 20b are configured to control the operation of at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b. In a preferred embodiment, control units 20a and 20b are configured to control and regulate the operating speed of motors 11a and 11b of their associated drive units 10a and 10b in response to control signals 34a and 34b received from control units 20a and 20b.

[0075] Each sensor device 40a and 40b is configured to provide sensor data 42a and 42b to gate 8 and transmit the data to control units 20a and 20b. This is in Figure 4 The diagram shows a first sensor device 40a transmitting sensor data 42a from door 8 to a first control unit 20a. A second sensor device 40b transmits sensor data 42b from door 8 to a second control unit 20b. Control units 20a and 20b are configured to evaluate the sensor data 42a and 42b from the door and, based on the evaluation, send control signals 34a and 34b to a first drive unit 10a and / or a second drive unit 10b. In an alternative embodiment, a single sensor device 40 may be configured to send sensor data 42 to a single control unit 20. In an alternative embodiment, a single sensor device 40 may be configured to send sensor data 42 to two or more control units 20. In yet another embodiment, two or more sensor devices 40 may be configured to send sensor data 42 to a single control unit 20.

[0076] Control units 20a and 20b are arranged to receive input regarding whether door 8 should be opened or closed. In one embodiment, control units 20a and 20b are arranged to receive input from one or more of the user interface, mechanical buttons, or remote control of the operator control unit 60.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, control units 20a and 20b are configured to control and regulate the operating speed of one or both of motors 11a and 11b in response to sensor data 42a and 42b collected by sensor devices 40a and 40b. Sensor data 42a and 42b are collected from the two sensor devices 40a and 40b, and then the control units 20a and 20b control the motors individually based on said sensor data 42a and 42b. Therefore, because each motor 11a and 11b can be controlled individually, a master-slave relationship is not required between the motors. For example, the speed of the first motor can be reduced while the speed of the second motor is maintained, and vice versa. Therefore, the position / speed of one of the motors can be changed to achieve the preferred situation where the motors are arranged in the same position (i.e., synchronized with each other). Therefore, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in the embodiment, the first control unit 20a is operatively in communication with the first drive unit 10a of the drive unit system 100. Furthermore, the second control unit 20b is operatively in communication with the second drive unit 10b of the drive unit system 100.

[0078] Although not necessary, it is clear that the above embodiments would be practical even if a master-slave relationship existed between the motors.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown and will be referenced Figure 5 In a more detailed description, the door actuator system 1 also includes at least two sensing elements 30a and 30b. It should be noted that, although not shown, in... Figure 1Sensing elements 30a and 30b are also present in the embodiment shown in Figure 3. In an embodiment where the door actuator system 1 includes a first drive unit 10a and a second drive unit 10b, system 1 further includes a first sensing element 30a and a second sensing element 30b. Each sensing element 30a and 30b is arranged to be coupled to a corresponding motor 11a and 11b of each drive unit 10a and 10b. Data collected from sensing elements 30a and 30b is used to determine the operation of motors 11a and 11b. The sensing elements may also be part of either control unit 20a and 20b. Control units 20a and 20b may also be operatively in communication with sensing elements 30a and 30b, which may be wired or wireless. In a preferred embodiment, control units 20a and 20b are configured to control and regulate the operating speed of one or both of motors 11a and 11b in response to operating data 32a and 32b collected by sensing elements 30a and 30b.

[0080] In one embodiment, sensing elements 30a and 30b are in the form of sensors. The sensors may be position sensors configured to determine the positions of motors 11a and 11b and / or configured to determine their positions relative to the ground. Alternatively or additionally, the sensors are encoders configured to determine the positions of motors 11a and 11b. Preferably, the encoder is a rotary encoder that converts the angular position or motion of a shaft or axle in the motor into a digital output signal. Sensing elements 30a and 30b may also be part of motors 11a and 11b. This is particularly true when motors 11a and 11b are brushless DC motors. In one embodiment, sensing elements 30a and 30b are encoders that measure relative fixed proportions, thus measuring absolute motion rather than the rotation of the motor's output shaft.

[0081] Each motor 11a and 11b is associated with a sensing element 30a and 30b, which is configured to sense operating data 32 of the motors 11a and 11b and transmit this operating data to control units 20a and 20b. This is in Figure 5 The diagram shows that a first sensing element 30a sends operating data 32a of the first motor 11a to a first control unit 20a. A second sensing element 30b sends operating data 32b of the second motor 11b to a second control unit 20b. Control units 20a and 20b are configured to evaluate the operating data 32a and 32b from the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b, and based on the evaluation, send control signals 34a and 34b to the first motor 11a and / or the second motor 11b.

[0082] like Figure 5As shown, the door operator system 1 also includes a door 8 and a drive unit system 100, which includes two drive units 10a and 10b and their associated motors 11a and 11b. Furthermore, the two control units 20a and 20b operate independently and receive and send signals independently. Therefore, the control signals 34a and 34b sent from the control units 20a and 20b to the drive unit system 100 for the drive units 10a and 10b are generated independently of each other. Therefore, since each motor 11a and 11b can be controlled individually, there is no master-slave relationship between the motors. For example, the speed of the first motor can be reduced while the speed of the second motor is maintained, and vice versa. Therefore, the position / speed of one of the motors can be changed to achieve the preferred situation where the motors are arranged in the same position (i.e., synchronized with each other).

[0083] In an alternative embodiment, means for communicating between two or more control units 20 may be provided in the form of a communication interface.

[0084] Figure 5 The door operator system 1 shown also includes a first sensing element 30a and a first sensor device 40a, which are configured to provide data 32a and 42a to a first control unit 20a. Furthermore, system 1 includes a second sensing element 30b and a second sensor device 40b, which are configured to provide data 32b and 42b to a second control unit 20b.

[0085] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, each control unit 20 is implementing a method for controlling the operation of drive units 10a and 10b of the drive unit system 100.

[0086] exist Figure 7 In the middle, control unit 20 is being implemented. Figure 4 The method of the illustrated embodiment includes a step 810 of receiving sensor data 42 from sensor device 40, the sensor data 42 relating to an angle φ of door 8 relative to the true horizontal plane of segmented door operator system 1. Control unit 20 includes means for receiving sensor data 42 in the form of, for example, a communication interface. For example, sensor data 42 has been routed from sensor device 40 to control unit 20 via the communication interface. Because sensor device 40 is configured to continuously monitor door 8, even very small deviations can be observed long before door 8 begins to malfunction.

[0087] Furthermore, the method involves step 820 of evaluating the received sensor data 42, and step 830 of determining whether there is a deviation between the sensor data of gate 8 and the maximum sensor threshold. The evaluation step can include a variety of different evaluation methods. For example, using a self-learning algorithm as explained above, the generated vibration patterns stored in the memory of control unit 20 can be internally compared with normal vibration patterns within control unit 20. Therefore, the intelligent system can generate a recommended output. The recommended output can determine the control signal 34 based on a combination of parameters obtained from popular machine learning algorithms and / or the recently received sensor data 42. The newly generated output can further adjust the parameters of the learning algorithm, and thus further improve the accuracy of any future generated control signal 34. Alternatively or additionally, the evaluation can also be based on environmental parameters or any damage to gate 8, or any combination thereof.

[0088] Step 820, which evaluates the received sensor data 42, may further include detecting misalignment of door 8 and potentially stopping the operation of door 8 completely. Control unit 20 may generate a report of any program bugs or errors detected by sensor device 40, and subsequently use previously referenced... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The technology used to explain these findings is reported to the operator control unit 60.

[0089] The maximum deviation threshold can depend on the characteristics of the door operator system 1. The deviation threshold can be predetermined by the user or adjusted autonomously by the learning algorithm. Typically, door 8 or any segment 9 of door 8 will ideally be parallel to the horizontal plane of the door operator system 1, but other configurations can be applied.

[0090] Based on the decision determined from the evaluated sensor data 42, the method also involves a step 840 of controlling the operation of at least one drive unit 10 of the drive unit system 100. Step 840 of controlling the operation includes changing the speed of the motor of at least one drive unit 10 (842) or maintaining the speed of the motor of at least one drive unit 10 (844). If a deviation higher than a deviation threshold is detected, the control unit 20 is configured to change the speed of the motor 11 of at least one drive unit 10 (842). Otherwise, the control unit 20 is configured to maintain the speed of the motor 11 of at least one drive unit 10 (844). The control unit 20 may also be configured to determine whether the current of the motor of at least one drive unit 10 is higher than a predetermined error threshold. If this is the case, the control unit 20 is configured to issue an error signal to the operator control unit 60 via an IoT service or via a communication interface and stop the at least one drive unit 10. The control unit 20 may also be configured to activate the brake of the motor of at least one drive unit 10. Information related to the motor current is beneficial in order to identify whether the motor is exposed to a higher load than normal. For example, this might be the case if something is stuck in door operator system 1.

[0091] exist Figure 8 In the middle, control unit 20 is being implemented. Figure 5 The method of the preferred embodiment shown herein. In this document, the method steps are similar to... Figure 7 The method steps are the same, but with some modifications. Since the segmented door operator system 1 in this embodiment includes a sensing element 30, additional functions have been considered.

[0092] Step 910, which involves receiving sensor data, and step 920, which involves evaluating the received sensor data, are similar to... Figure 7 The corresponding steps. Figure 8 The illustrated embodiment also includes a step 915 of receiving operation data 32 from a sensing element 30 associated with at least a first drive unit 10a or at least a second drive unit 10b. Furthermore, a step 925 of evaluating the received operation data 32 is performed.

[0093] In step 925, the control unit 20 assesses whether there is a deviation greater than a maximum predetermined deviation threshold between the two motors 11a and 11b located on the same segment 9. In one embodiment, if the second motor 11b is farther from the target position than the first motor 11a, the assessment determines whether the speed of the first motor 11a has decreased. This allows the second motor 11b to catch up with the first motor 11a, bringing them to the same position and thus allowing them to reach the target position simultaneously. Similarly, if the first motor 11a is farther from the target position than the second motor 11b, the assessment determines whether the speed of the second motor 11b will decrease. This allows the first motor 11a to catch up with the second motor 11b.

[0094] In an alternative embodiment, if the second motor 11b is farther from the target position than the first motor 11a, an evaluation will determine whether the speed of the second motor 11b will increase. This allows the second motor 11b to catch up with the first motor 11a, bringing them to the same position and thus allowing them to reach the target position simultaneously. Similarly, if the first motor 11a is farther from the target position than the second motor 11b, an evaluation will determine whether the speed of the first motor 11b will increase. This allows the first motor 11a to catch up with the second motor 11b.

[0095] On the other hand, if the deviation is determined to be below the maximum deviation threshold, the evaluation will determine whether to maintain the current speeds of the two motors 11a and 11b.

[0096] The operating data may also include information related to the current of motors 11a and 11b.

[0097] The control unit 20 is also configured to determine whether the actual position is equal to the target position. If the actual position is determined to be equal to the target position, the control unit 20 will stop both motors 11a and 11b and may also activate the brakes.

[0098] Sensing elements 30a and 30b may be position sensors configured to determine the position of motor 11. Alternatively or additionally, sensing elements 30a and 30b may be encoders configured to determine the position of motor 11. Preferably, the encoder is a rotary encoder that converts the angular position or motion of a shaft or axle in the motor into a digital output signal. Sensing elements 30a and 30b may also be part of motor 11. This is especially true when motor 11 is a brushless DC motor. Therefore, operational data evaluation relates to the synchronous vertical position of the two drive units 10a and 10b, 10c and 10d, or 10e and 10f relative to each other.

[0099] In the next step, when referring to Figure 7At this time, the operational data evaluation is combined with the sensor data evaluation obtained from the evaluation step 820 at step 930. This combination will result in a decision to ensure the synchronous vertical positions of the two drive units 10a and 10b, 10c and 10d or 10e and 10f, and the correct alignment of the door 8 with the true horizontal plane of the door operator system 1. Finally, step 950, which controls the operation of at least one drive unit 10, is similar to the reference step 930. Figure 7 Control steps 840.

[0100] Reference Figure 9 An embodiment of the control unit 20 is described in more detail. A detailed description is given herein of how the two motors 11a and 11b can be synchronized relative to each other.

[0101] In the first step 1002, the control unit 20 determines the target positions of the two motors 11a and 11b. The control unit 20 continuously sets the target positions and drives the motors 11a and 11b individually to continuously reach the target positions.

[0102] In the next step 1004, the actual current positions of the two motors 11a and 11b are read. The actual position related to the door travel distance is read. This step is preferably performed by sensing elements 30a and 30b that receive position information from motors 11a and 11b. Once the position data is received, the position data is used to calculate the actual position of the door 8 (1006). This step is preferably performed by calculating the average of the read positions of the two motors 11a and 11b.

[0103] In the next step 1008, the deviation between the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b is calculated. If the deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold 1010 (representing the maximum normal deviation), the speed of one of the motors needs to be changed (1014). This deviation is preferably related to the deviation of the current positions of the two motors 11a and 11b and / or the calculated deviation of the actual positions of the two motors 11a and 11b. (Already referenced...) Figure 7 and Figure 8 An embodiment of speed variation is described. If the deviation is below a predetermined threshold 1010, the motor speed 1012 is not changed. Therefore, both motors are driven at the same speed.

[0104] Once the control unit 20 has determined whether the speeds of motors 11a and 11b should be changed, the next step is to determine whether the current of the first motor 11a, the second motor 11b, and / or both the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b exceeds a predetermined error threshold (1016). If the motor current is determined to be above the predetermined error threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to send an error signal to the operator control unit 60, or otherwise notify the system 1 that an error has occurred (1018). Once the system recognizes the error, both motors are stopped (1022). The motors can be stopped by reducing their speed to zero and / or by activating the brakes on motors 11a and 11b.

[0105] If it is determined that the motor current is below a predetermined error threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to determine whether the actual position is equal to the target position (1020). If it is determined that the actual position is equal to the target position, the control unit 20 will stop both motors 11a and 11b and may also activate the brakes (1022). If it is determined that the actual position is not equal to the target position, the control unit 20 will continue to return to step 1004 and read the actual position of the motor.

[0106] As previously described, the drive unit system 100 may include at least a first drive unit 10a and a second drive unit 10b mounted on a first section 9e of the door 8. The first drive unit 10a includes a first motor 10a, and the second drive unit 10b includes a second motor 11b. The first drive unit 10a is movably connected to the first frame section 4, and the second drive unit 10b is movably connected to the second frame section 6. According to the foregoing, the drive unit system 100 may also include additional drive units 10c to 10f.

[0107] Reference Figure 10 An embodiment of the control unit 20 is described in more detail. A detailed description is given herein of how the door 8 or any of the sections 9a to 9e are kept horizontally relative to the actual horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system 1.

[0108] In the first step 1102, the control unit 20 determines the target position corresponding to the actual horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system 1. The control unit 20 continuously sets the target position, and the drive unit is driven individually to continuously reach the target position.

[0109] In the next step 1104, sensor data 42 relating to the current angle of the door 8 or any segments 9a to 9e relative to the target position is read. This step is preferably performed by at least one sensor device 40 that receives information about the tilt angle of the door 8.

[0110] In the next step 1106, the deviation between the target position of door 8 or any of the segments 9a to 9e and the current angle is calculated. If the deviation is higher than a predetermined sensor threshold (1108) representing the maximum normal deviation, the speed of one of the motors 11 needs to be changed (1112). For example, the master system operator or intelligent software system can determine the predetermined sensor threshold (1108). This deviation is preferably related to the deviation of door 8 or any of the segments 9a to 9e relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door manipulator system 1. If the deviation is lower than the predetermined sensor threshold (1110), the speed of motor 11 is not changed. Therefore, motor 11 is driven at the same speed.

[0111] Once the control unit 20 has determined whether the speed of the motor 11 should be changed, the next step is to determine if the deviation is large enough to require stopping the operation of the door 8 (1114). If the deviation is higher than the maximum misalignment threshold (1116), the operation of the door is completely stopped (1118), and the control unit 20 can generate a report (1120) of any program bugs or errors detected by any of the sensor devices 40. These findings can be reported to the main system via an internal or external communication interface of the control unit 20 or via an IoT service. If the deviation is lower than the maximum misalignment threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to read sensor data 42 related to the current angle of the door (1104).

[0112] In the Figure 3a and Figure 3bIn one embodiment, the drive unit system 100 includes a third drive unit 10c and a fourth drive unit 10d, which are mounted on a second horizontal segment 9 of the horizontal section and arranged to assist the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b when the segmented door 8 is moved from the closed position C to the open position O. The third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d are respectively connected to a third control unit 20c and a fourth control unit 20d, and are arranged to be controlled by the control units 20c and 20d in the same manner as described above with respect to the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b. In this embodiment, the door operator system 1 includes four drive units 10a to 10d, four sensing elements 30a to 30d, at least one sensor device 40, and four control units 20a to 20d. The first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are arranged on one segment 9e, and the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d are arranged on another segment 9c. Each sensing element 30a to 30d is arranged in conjunction with a corresponding driving unit 10a to 10d. Therefore, the first sensing element 30a and the second sensing element 30b are arranged in conjunction with the first driving unit 10a and the second driving unit 10b, and the third sensing element 30c and the fourth sensing element 30d are arranged in conjunction with the third driving unit 10c and the fourth driving unit 10d. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor device 40 may be arranged at any one of the plurality of horizontal or interconnected segments 9a to 9e. In another embodiment, the at least one sensor device may be directly mounted on the PCB of any one of the control units 20a to 20d.

[0113] In one embodiment, the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b, as well as the first sensing element 30a and the second sensing element 30b, are arranged on section 9e, which is located on the section 9 of the door closest to the floor 23 in the closed position C. However, it should be noted that section 9e can also be, for example, section 9d, which is a section arranged immediately adjacent to the section closest to the floor 23 in the closed position C.

[0114] In one embodiment, the drive unit system 100 includes a fifth drive unit 10e and a sixth drive unit 10f, mounted on a third horizontal segment 9 of the horizontal segment 9, and arranged to assist the other drive units when the segmented door 8 is moved from the closed position C to the open position O. The fifth drive unit 10e and the sixth drive unit 10f are connected to a fifth control unit 20e and a sixth control unit 20f, and are arranged to be controlled by the control units 20e and 20f in the same manner as described above with respect to the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b. In one embodiment, the door operator system 1 includes six drive units 10a to 10f, six sensing elements 30a to 30f, at least one sensor device 40, and six control units 20a to 20f. The first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are arranged on one segment 9e, the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d are arranged on another segment 9c, and the fifth drive unit 10e and the sixth drive unit 10f are arranged on another segment 9d. Each sensing element 30a to 30f is arranged in conjunction with a corresponding driving unit 11a to 11f. Therefore, the first sensing element 30a and the second sensing element 30b are arranged in conjunction with the first driving unit 10a and the second driving unit 10b, the third sensing element 30c and the fourth sensing element 30d are arranged in conjunction with the third driving unit 10c and the fourth driving unit 10d, and the fifth sensing element 30e and the sixth sensing element 30f are arranged in conjunction with the fifth driving unit 10e and the sixth driving unit 10f. In one embodiment, at least one sensor device 40 may be arranged at any one of the plurality of horizontal or interconnected segments 9a to 9e. In another embodiment, at least one sensor device may be directly mounted on the PCB of any one of the control units 20a to 20f.

[0115] In embodiments where the sensing element 30, sensor device 40, and drive unit 10 are arranged in additional sections 9a to 9e, these can be arranged on every other section, on each section, or on a section above section 9e.

[0116] The invention has been described in detail above with reference to embodiments thereof. However, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, other embodiments are also possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Recall that the invention is generally applicable to or to entrance systems having one or more movable door members, which are not limited to any particular type. The door member, or each such door member, may be, for example, a swing door member, a revolving door member, a sliding door member, a lift-and-segment door member, a horizontally folding door member, or a pull-up (vertically lifting) door member.

Claims

1. A segmented door operator system (1) for opening and closing an opening (2), comprising: A door (8), which is arranged to move between an open position (O) and a closed position (C) and includes multiple horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e), A door frame (3) comprising a first frame section (4) at a first side (7) of the opening (2) and a second frame section (6) at a second side (5) of the opening (2), wherein the plurality of horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e) are connected to the door frame (3). A drive unit system (100) is installed on one of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e), wherein the drive unit system (100) is arranged to move the segmented door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O), wherein the drive unit system (100) includes at least a first drive unit (10a) and at least a second drive unit (10b), the first drive unit (10a) including a first motor (11a), the second drive unit (10b) including a second motor (11b), and wherein the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) are installed on different vertical sides of the horizontal and interconnected sections. At least one control unit (20a, 20b) and at least one sensor device (40a, 40b) mounted on a segment of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e), the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) being operatively in communication with the drive unit system (100) and configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on sensor data (42) from the at least one sensor device (40a, 40b), wherein the sensor data (42) relates to the angle (φ) of the door (8) relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system (1). At least one first sensing element (30a) and a second sensing element (30b) are configured to provide operating data (32) of the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), wherein the operating data (32) includes information related to the position of the first motor (11a) and / or the second motor (11b). The first sensing element (30a) is arranged in conjunction with the first driving unit (10a) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the first driving unit (10a) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b). The second sensing element (30b) is arranged in conjunction with the second driving unit (10b) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the second driving unit (10b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b). The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) in the following manner: Receive the sensor data (42); Evaluate the received sensor data (42); Receive operation data (32) related to the first drive unit (10a) or the second drive unit (10b); Evaluate the received operational data (32); The evaluation of the operational data is combined with the evaluation of the sensor data, and the operation of the first drive unit (10a) and / or the second drive unit (10b) is controlled based on the combined evaluation.

2. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The segmented door operator system (1) further includes at least a first sensor device (40a) and a second sensor device (40b), and wherein the segmented door operator system (1) further includes a first control unit (20a) and a second control unit (20b), wherein the first sensor device (40a) is configured to provide sensor data (42) of the door (8) to the first control unit (20a), and the second sensor device (40b) is configured to provide sensor data (42) of the door (8) to the second control unit (20b).

3. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The first control unit (20a) is operatively in communication with the first drive unit (10a) of the drive unit system (100), and wherein the second control unit (20b) is operatively in communication with the second drive unit (10b) of the drive unit system (100).

4. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one sensor device (40) includes at least one accelerometer.

5. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one sensor device (40) is arranged at one of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e).

6. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 5, wherein, The at least one sensor device (40) is arranged at the bottom section (9e) of the plurality of horizontal and interconnected sections (9a to 9e).

7. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The steps of controlling the operation of at least the first drive unit (10a) and / or at least the second drive unit (10b) include changing the speed of the first motor (11a) and / or the second motor (11b).

8. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The step of evaluating the received sensor data (42) includes determining whether there is a deviation between the sensor data (42) of the gate (8) and the maximum sensor threshold.

9. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, If there is a deviation, the speed of the first motor (11a) or the second motor (11b) is changed; otherwise, the speeds of the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b) are maintained.

10. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The first sensing element (30a) and the second sensing element (30b) are position sensors and / or encoders.

11. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 8, wherein, If a positional deviation is determined between the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b), the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is further configured to determine which of the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b) is furthest from the target position, and wherein, if it is determined that the second motor (11b) is furthest from the target position than the first motor (11a), the speed of the first motor (11a) will be reduced, and if it is determined that the first motor (11b) is furthest from the target position than the second motor (11a), the speed of the second motor (11a) will be reduced.

12. The segmented door operator system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is further configured to determine whether the position of the corresponding motor (11a, 11b) is equal to the target position, and if so, the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is configured to stop the operation of both the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b).

13. The segmented door operator system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The drive unit system (100) further includes a third drive unit (10c) and a fourth drive unit (10d) installed in a different segment from the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) of the plurality of segments (9a to 9e), wherein the third drive unit (10c) and the fourth drive unit (10d) are arranged to assist the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) in moving the door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O), and wherein the drive unit system (100) further includes a third drive unit (10c) and a fourth drive unit (10d) installed in a different segment from ...b) of the plurality of segments (9a to 9e), wherein the third drive unit (10c) and the fourth drive unit (10d) are arranged to assist the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) in moving the door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O), and wherein the drive unit system (100) further includes a third drive unit (10c) and a fourth drive unit (10d) installed in a different segment from the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) in moving the door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O) in moving the door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O) The third drive unit (10c) and the fourth drive unit (10d) are connected to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), and the segmented door operator system (1) further includes at least a third sensor device (40c) arranged in the same segment as the third drive unit (10c) and the fourth drive unit (10d), and the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is further configured to receive sensor data (42) from the at least third sensor device (40c).

14. A control unit (20a, 20b) in a segmented door operator system (1), the control unit (20a, 20b) being operatively in communication with a drive unit system (100) mounted on a segment of a segmented door, the drive unit system (100) including at least a first drive unit (10a) and at least a second drive unit (10b), the first drive unit (10a) including a first motor (11a), the second drive unit (10b) including a second motor (11b), and the control unit (20a, 20b) being configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on sensor data (42) from at least one sensor device (40a, 40b) and operational data (32) from at least one first sensing element (30a) and a second sensing element (30b), wherein, The sensor data pertains to the angle (φ) of the door (8) relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system (1), and the operation data (32) includes information related to the position of the first motor (11a) and / or the second motor (11b). The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) in the following manner: Receive the sensor data (42); Evaluate the received sensor data (42); Receive operation data (32) related to the first drive unit (10a) or the second drive unit (10b); Evaluate the received operational data (32); The evaluation of the operational data is combined with the evaluation of the sensor data, and the operation of the first drive unit (10a) and / or the second drive unit (10b) is controlled based on the combined evaluation.

15. A method for controlling the operation of at least a first drive unit (10a) and at least a second drive unit (10b) of a drive unit system (100) in a segmented door operator system (1), wherein the drive unit system (100) is mounted on a segment of a segmented door, the drive unit system (100) comprising at least a first drive unit (10a) and at least a second drive unit (10b), the first drive unit (10a) comprising a first motor (11a), and the second drive unit (10b) comprising a second motor (11b), wherein, The method includes: At least one sensor device (40a, 40b) and at least one control unit (20a, 20b) are provided, the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) being operatively in communication with the drive unit system (100) and configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on sensor data (42) from the at least one sensor device (40a, 40b), wherein the sensor data (42) relates to the angle (φ) of the door (8) relative to the true horizontal plane of the segmented door operator system (1). At least one first sensing element (30a) and a second sensing element (30b) are provided, the at least one first sensing element (30a) and the second sensing element (30b) being configured to provide operating data (32) of the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), wherein the operating data (32) includes information related to the position of the first motor (11a) and / or the second motor (11b). The first sensing element (30a) is arranged in conjunction with the first driving unit (10a) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the first driving unit (10a) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), and the second sensing element (30b) is arranged in conjunction with the second driving unit (10b) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the second driving unit (10b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b). The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100) in the following manner: Receive the sensor data (42); Evaluate the received sensor data (42); Receive operation data (32) related to the first drive unit (10a) or the second drive unit (10b); Evaluate the received operational data (32); The evaluation of the operational data is combined with the evaluation of the sensor data, and the operation of the first drive unit (10a) and / or the second drive unit (10b) is controlled based on the combined evaluation.

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