Sectional Door Operator System

Abstract

Provided herein is a sectional door operator system 1 for opening and closing an opening 2. The sectional door operator system 1 includes a door 8 arranged to move between an open position (O) and a closed position (C) and including a plurality of horizontal interconnected sections 9a-e. The sectional door operator system 1 includes at least one sensor device 40a, 40b mounted on a section 9e of the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections 9a-e, and at least one control unit 20a, 20b in operative communication with a drive unit system 100 and configured to control operation of the drive unit system 100 based at least on sensor data 42 from the at least one sensor device 40a, 40b, the sensor data 42 relating to an angle (φ) of the door 8 relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system 1.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sectional door operator system for opening and closing an opening, and more particularly to controlling the operation of a sectional door operator system. [Background technology]

[0002] Sectional door operator systems are frequently used to provide automatic opening and closing of doors to facilitate access to buildings, rooms, and other areas. Door operator systems typically include multiple drive units for driving sectional doors between closed and open positions.

[0003] Sectional door operator systems are typically used for extended periods in both private and public areas under a variety of conditions, including time of day, time of week, time of year, frequency of passage, etc. Therefore, the system must continue to operate for extended periods without malfunction, even under heavy traffic of people or objects passing through the door.

[0004] During operation, mechanical components of a door operator system, such as rolls, tracks, and motors, are subject to adverse effects, for example, wear, damage, or weather conditions, which can result in malfunctions that cause the sectional door to become misaligned, distorted, or inoperable. Traditionally, this has been resolved by replacing worn mechanical components and manually aligning the sectional door for further operation. The present inventors have identified problems and shortcomings in this regard. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome or at least mitigate one or more of these problems.

[0006] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a door operator system that seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above identified deficiencies and disadvantages in the art singly or in any combination.

[0007] In this disclosure, a solution to the problems outlined above is proposed. In the proposed solution, a sectional door operator system for opening and closing an opening is described. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention provides a sectional door operator system for opening and closing an opening, the sectional door operator system including a door arranged to move between an open position and a closed position and including a plurality of horizontal interconnected sections, and a door frame including a first frame section on a first side of the opening and a second frame section on a second side of the opening, the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections connected to the door frame. The sectional door operator system further includes a drive unit system mounted to one of the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections, the drive unit system being arranged to move the sectional door from a closed position to an open position, the drive unit system including at least a first drive unit including a first motor and at least a second drive unit including a second motor, the first drive unit and the second drive unit being mounted on different vertical sides of the horizontal interconnected section; at least one sensor device mounted to the one of the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections; and at least one control unit in operative communication with the drive unit system and configured to control operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from the at least one sensor device, the sensor data relating to an angle of the door relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system.

[0009] An advantage of the present invention is that it improves the door panel opening and closing process of a door operator system, reducing or eliminating abnormalities in the opening and closing operation. The provided sectional door operator system may ensure proper installation with respect to alignment and horizontal leveling without requiring manual intervention from installation staff. Additionally, the technical offering of the present invention includes vibration detection of mechanical components. A first aspect of the present invention can prevent, reduce, or eliminate mechanical issues with various components in a sectional door operator system. Furthermore, the overall lifespan of the system is increased because doors or individual door sections are less likely to become misaligned and distorted, improving system quality.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sectional door operator system further includes at least a first sensor device and a second sensor device, the sectional door operator system further includes a first control unit and a second control unit, the first sensor device is configured to provide door sensor data to the first control unit, the second sensor device is configured to provide door sensor data to the second control unit, the first control unit may be in operative communication with a first drive unit of the drive unit system, and the second control unit may be in operative communication 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 disposed on one of the plurality of horizontal interconnect sections or on a bottom section of the plurality of horizontal interconnect sections.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least one control unit is configured to control operation of the drive unit system by evaluating the received sensor data and controlling operation of the at least first drive unit and / or the at least second drive unit based on the sensor data evaluation. Controlling operation of the at least first drive unit and / or the at least second drive unit may comprise varying a 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 door sensor data and a maximum sensor threshold, and if there is a deviation, changing the speed of the first motor or the second motor, and otherwise maintaining the speed of the first motor and the second motor.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the sectional door operator system further includes at least one first and second sensing element configured to provide operational data of the first and second motors to the at least one control unit, the operational data including information regarding the position of the first and / or second motors. The first and second sensing elements may be position sensors and / or encoders, the first sensing element may be disposed in conjunction with the first drive unit and configured to provide operational data of the first drive unit to the at least one control unit, and the second sensing element may be disposed in conjunction with the second drive unit and configured to provide operational 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 operation of the drive unit system by receiving operational data relating to the first drive unit or the second drive unit, evaluating the received data, combining the operational data evaluation with the sensor data evaluation, and controlling operation of the first drive unit and / or the second drive unit based on the combined evaluation.

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

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

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit system further includes third and fourth drive units mounted in a section of the plurality of sections other than the section in which the first and second drive units are located, the third and fourth drive units being arranged to assist the first and second drive units in moving the door from a closed position to an open position, the third and fourth drive units being connected to at least one control unit, and the sectional door operator system further includes at least a third sensor device arranged in the same section as the third and fourth drive units, and the at least one control unit being further configured to receive sensor data from the at least third sensor device.

[0019] A second aspect of the present invention provides a control unit in a sectional door operator system in operative communication with a drive unit system including at least a first drive unit including a first motor and at least a second drive unit including a second motor, wherein the control unit is configured to control operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from at least one sensor device, the sensor data relating to an angle of a door relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system.

[0020] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of controlling operation of at least a first drive unit and at least a second drive unit of a drive unit system in a sectional door operator system, the method comprising providing at least one sensor device and at least one control unit in operative communication with the drive unit system and configured to control operation of the drive unit system based at least on sensor data from the at least one sensor device, the sensor data relating to an angle of a door relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system.

[0021] It should be emphasized that the term "comprises" as used herein specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. All terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the art, unless expressly defined otherwise. All references to "an element, device, component, means, step, etc." followed by "a / an / the" are to be broadly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless expressly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0022] References in this document to an entity "designed to" do something are intended to mean the same as an entity "configured to" or "intentionally adapted to" do this. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the different views, and in which the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating exemplary embodiments.

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 3a] FIG. 3a is a schematic perspective view of a different door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 3b] FIG. 3b is a schematic perspective view of a different door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 3c] FIG. 3c is a schematic perspective view of a different door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 3d] FIG. 3d is a schematic perspective view of a different door operator system including a sectional door in a closed position. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating portions of a door operator system according to the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating portions of a door operator system according to the present invention. [Figure 6a] FIG. 6a is a schematic perspective view of a different embodiment of a component set in a door operator system. [Figure 6b]FIG. 6b is a schematic perspective view of a different embodiment of a component set in a door operator system. [Figure 6c] FIG. 6c is a schematic perspective view of a different embodiment of a set of components in a door operator system. [Figure 6d] FIG. 6d is a schematic perspective view of a different embodiment of a set of components in a door operator system. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method for controlling a drive unit system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present 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 specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like elements are designated by like reference numerals.

[0026] 1-3 illustrate different embodiments of a sectional door operator system 1. However, as should be understood by one skilled in the art, the inventive aspects of the present invention are also applicable to door operator systems that are single blade door operator systems.

[0027] 1-3 are schematic diagrams of different embodiments of a door operator system 1 to which inventive aspects of the present invention may be applied. The door operator system 1 includes a door frame 3, a door 8, and a drive unit system 100. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-2, the drive unit system 100 includes a first drive unit 10a and a second drive unit 10b. In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3a, 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 11d. Furthermore, as seen in FIG. 3a, the third drive unit 10c further includes a third sensing element 30c, and the fourth drive unit 10d further includes a fourth sensing element 30d. In a further alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3b, the drive unit system 100 may include any number of drive units 10a-f, each including a motor 11a-f and a sensing element 30a-f. In all embodiments, the drive units 10a-f are preferably separate units that operate independently of each other.

[0028] The door operator system 1 is arranged to be installed in an opening 2 defined by a wall 50 and a floor 23. As shown in Figure 1, the door operator system 1 is arranged to open and close the opening 2 by moving a door 8 between an open position O and a closed position C.

[0029] In this embodiment, the door 8 is a sectional door 8 including a plurality of horizontal interconnected sections 9a-e connected to the door frame 3. In one embodiment, the door is a garage door. In an alternative embodiment, the door is an industrial door. The door 8 is positioned to move along the door frame 3 between a closed position C and an open position O.

[0030] In one embodiment, the door operator system 1 is an up-and-over door operator system in which the door is positioned substantially vertically in the closed position C and substantially horizontally in the open position O inside the opening.

[0031] In an alternative embodiment, the door operator system 1 is an up-and-up door operator system in which the door is positioned substantially vertically in the closed position C and substantially vertically over the opening in the open position O.

[0032] The door frame 3 includes a first frame section 4 on a first side 7 of the opening 2 and a second frame section 6 on a second side 5 of the opening 2. The door frame 3 is connected to a wall 50 and a floor 23. The first frame section 4 includes a substantially vertical portion 4a and a substantially horizontal portion 4b. The second frame section 6 includes a substantially vertical portion 6a and a substantially horizontal portion 6b. The vertical portions 4a, 6a and the horizontal portions 4b, 6b are connected to create a path for the door 8 to slide and a track for the drive units 10a-b to interact with.

[0033] The door 8 is directly or indirectly connected to the door frame 3. The door 8 is movably connected to the first frame section 4 on a first side and to the second frame section 6 on a second side. In one embodiment, one or more of the plurality of sections 9a-e is connected to the first frame section 4 on said first side 7 and to the second frame section 6 on said second side 5.

[0034] The first drive unit 10a includes a first motor 11a, and the second drive unit 10b includes a second motor 11b. The drive units 10a-b may further include at least one battery. The at least one battery is arranged to supply power to each of the motors 11a-b of the drive units 10a-b. In one embodiment, at least two motors 11a-b are connected to one battery. In an alternative embodiment, one or more batteries are connected to each of the motors 11a-b. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first motor 11a is connected to a first battery, and the second motor 11b is connected to a second battery.

[0035] The drive units 10a-b are connected to and / or mounted to the door 8. In one embodiment, as further described with respect to FIG. 2, the drive units 10a-b are mounted to section 9e of the door 8, i.e., one of the horizontally interconnected sections. The first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are disposed in the same section 9e. Preferably, the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are disposed on different vertical sides of section 9e. Thus, each motor 11a-b is disposed in conjunction with the first frame section 4 and the second frame section 6, respectively.

[0036] The drive units 10a-b are further connected to the door frame 3. The drive units 10a-b are movably connected to the first frame section 4 on a first side and to the second frame section 6 on a second side. Thus, the first motor 11a is movably connected to the first frame section 4 and the second motor 11b is movably connected to the second frame section 6. The drive units 10a-b are arranged to interact with the door frame 3 to move the sectional door 8 from a closed position C to an open position O and from the open position O to the closed position C.

[0037] In one embodiment, at least one of the motors 11a-b of the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b is configured to brake the movement of the sectional door 8 when the sectional door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In one embodiment, both the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are configured to brake the movement of the sectional door 8 when the sectional door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C.

[0038] In one embodiment, the door operator system 1 further includes at least one charging unit 13, 14 as an optional feature. In one embodiment, as disclosed in FIG. 1 , the door operator system 1 includes a first charging unit 13 and a second charging unit 14. The charging units 13, 14 are preferably connected to the door frame 3. The first charging unit 13 is mounted at a position associated with the position of the battery of each drive unit 10a-b when the sectional door 8 is in the closed position C. The first charging unit 13 is connected to and arranged to charge the at least one battery in the closed position. The second charging unit 14 is mounted at a position associated with the position of the battery of the drive unit system 100 when the sectional door 8 is in the open position C. The first charging unit 14 is connected to and arranged to charge the at least one battery in the open position. In one embodiment, the batteries may be continuously charged by an electrical cable connecting the batteries to a power source.

[0039] In one embodiment, at least one of the motors 11a-b of each drive unit 10a-b is configured to function as a generator to charge at least one battery when the sectional door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In one embodiment, both the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b of the drive units 10a-b are configured to function as generators to charge at least one battery when the sectional door 8 moves from the open position O to the closed position C.

[0040] In one embodiment, at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b of the drive units 10a-b are direct current (DC) motors. In a preferred embodiment, at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b are brushless direct current (BLDC) motors.

[0041] In one embodiment, at least one of the motors 11a-b of the drive units 10a-b further includes a brake (not shown). In one embodiment, both the first and second motors include brakes. In one embodiment, the brakes are electromagnetic brakes. The brakes may be arranged to control / slow down the speed of the door 8 as it moves from the open position O to the closed position C. In one embodiment, the first and second motors are arranged to control / slow down the speed of the door 8 as it moves from the open position O to the closed position C, and this may be done with or without brakes.

[0042] Different connections between the drive unit and the door frame 3 are known in the art and will not be described further herein. For example, the drive unit may include one or more pinions (not shown) that rotate the motor when the weight of the door 8 moves the door 8. Additionally or alternatively, the drive unit may further include a plurality of wheels (not shown) arranged to be rotated by the motor.

[0043] 4-5 show different embodiments according to some inventive aspects of the solution. The sectional door operator system 1 may perform its normal operation according to any of the embodiments provided in FIGS. 4-5.

[0044] 4-5, the sectional door operator system includes a first control unit 20a and a second control unit 20b. Control unit 20 may be implemented with any known controller technology, including but not limited to a microcontroller, a processor (e.g., PLC, CPU, DSP), FPGA, ASIC, or any other suitable digital and / or analog circuitry capable of performing the intended function.

[0045] The control unit 20 may further be implemented using instructions that enable hardware functions, for example, by using computer program instructions that may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium (disk, memory, etc.) that are executable by a general-purpose or special-purpose processor and executed by such a processor. The control unit 20 is configured to read instructions from the memory and execute these instructions to control the operation of the drive unit system 100. The control unit's memory may be implemented with any known memory technology, including, but not limited to, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CMOS, FLASH, DDR, SDRAM, or other memory technologies. In some embodiments, the memory may be integrated with or incorporated within the control unit 20. The memory may store program instructions executed by the control unit 20, as well as temporary and permanent data used by the control unit 20.

[0046] As shown in Figures 4-5, the door operator system 1 further includes a first sensor device 40a and a second sensor device 40b. Note that sensor devices 40a-b are not shown but are also present in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-2. A different number of sensor devices can be used, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 6a-d.

[0047] Before presenting details of the embodiment shown in Figures 4-5, an explanation is provided as to which types of defects the sensor device 40 can mitigate, reduce or eliminate, according to some inventive aspects of the solution.

[0048] As briefly mentioned in the Background of the Invention section, the door 8 of the door operator system 1 is susceptible to various types of disturbances during normal operation. Disturbances include, but are not limited to, the force of a vehicle or object acting on the door 8, vibrations generated as the door 8 moves between positions, wear on mechanical components, or environmental parameters such as wind loads and temperature changes. These disturbances can lead to malfunctions of components in the door operator system 1. Specifically, the sectional door 8 or any one of the interconnecting sections 9a-e of the sectional door 8 may be distorted or misaligned 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 of its interconnecting sections 9a-e are perfectly horizontal relative to the floor level of the door operator system 1.

[0049] Deviations of the angle φ of the door 8 or any one of the interconnecting sections 9a-e relative to the true horizontal plane of the door operator system 1 are ideally detected as soon as possible. Accordingly, the sensor device 40 may be configured to continuously monitor at least one section 9 or individual sections 9a-e of the door 8 and transmit information to at least one control unit 20. Furthermore, the sensor device 40 may be configured to detect wear on critical components of the door operator system 1 by applying signal analysis to observe vibrations generated by the movement of the door 8. The control unit 20 can then determine whether mechanical components need repair or maintenance by comparing these vibrations with the normal vibration pattern of the door 8. Vibration analysis can detect problems such as imbalance, bearing failures, mechanical looseness, misalignment, resonance and natural frequencies, and faulty or bent shafts in electric motors. Examples of vibration measurements include, but are not limited to, overall level of vibration, spectral analysis of vibration, discrete frequency monitoring, shock pulse monitoring, kurtosis measurement, signal averaging, cepstrum analysis, or any combination thereof.

[0050] In this regard, the door operator system 1 may also be self-learning to intelligently generate, for example, bearing fault diagnostics and machine health attributes. As the sensor devices 40 provide the control unit 20 with sensor data 42, the control unit 20 attempts to recognize patterns on its own. Accordingly, the control unit 20 of the door operator system 1 generates autonomous decisions. For example, both supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms may be implemented and / or applied, such as regression algorithms, decision trees, K-means, K-nearest neighbors, neural networks, support vector machines, and principal component analysis. An intelligent system such as that described may learn from continuously receiving accurate sensor readings from the sensor devices 40. The autonomously generated bearing fault diagnostics and / or machine health attributes may be stored in the memory of the control unit 20 for use in controlling the drive unit system 100, as will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7-8.

[0051] Returning to Figure 4, at least one of the sensor devices 40a-b is configured to provide sensor data 42a-b of the door 8 to at least one of the control units 20a-b. In Figure 4, there are two sensor devices 40a-b, each connected to one control unit 20a, 20b. The next section describes such a configuration. However, it should be noted that the following description is applicable to situations where there is only one sensor device and / or only one control unit.

[0052] The sensor devices 40a-b are configured to continuously transmit sensor data 42a-b to the control units 20a-b, thereby enabling continuous monitoring and adjustment of alignment and horizontal leveling. The sensor data 42a-b relates to the angle φ of the door 8 relative to a true horizontal plane of the door operator system 1. To be able to accurately determine the horizontal orientation of the door 8 relative to gravity, the sensor devices 40a-b may include at least one accelerometer. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor devices 40a-b may include at least one sensor or any other electrical component capable of accurately determining the angle of an object relative to a true horizontal plane. In yet other embodiments, the sensor devices 40a-b may include a spirit level, such as a tubular spirit level or a round spirit level with a holder.

[0053] The sensor devices 40a-b may be positioned in different locations in the sectional door operator system, as shown in Figures 7a-d. In Figure 6a, two sensor devices 40a-b are positioned in the bottom section 9e near their respective drive units 10a-b. The sensor devices 40a-b are configured to communicate sensor data to one control unit 20a.

[0054] In FIG. 6b, two sensor devices 40a-b are positioned on the bottom section 9e near their respective drive units 10a-b. The first sensor device 40a is configured to communicate sensor data to the first control unit 20a, and the second sensor device 40b is configured to communicate sensor data to the 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 communicate sensor data to the second control unit 20b. In one embodiment, the second control unit 20b is configured to communicate sensor data to the first control unit 20a.

[0055] In Fig. 6c, one sensor device 40a is disposed in the bottom section 9e at a position between the two drive units 10a-b. In different embodiments, the sensor device 40a is disposed in a different position in the bottom section 9e. The sensor device 40a is configured to communicate sensor data to one control unit 20a.

[0056] In FIG. 6d, one sensor device 40a is positioned on the bottom section 9e at a position between the two drive units 10a-b. In different embodiments, the sensor device 40a is positioned at a different position on the bottom section 9e. The sensor device 40a is configured to communicate sensor data to the first control unit 20a and the 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 communicate sensor data to the second control unit 20b. In one embodiment, the second control unit 20b is configured to communicate sensor data to the first control unit 20a.

[0057] Although not shown in Figures 6a-c, sensor devices 40a-b may be located in any one of the interconnection sections 9a-e, not just in the bottom section 9e, provided that accurate sensor data 42a-b can be acquired and transmitted to control units 20a-b. Additionally, although not shown, control units 20a-b of Figures 6a-d may be located in any one of sections 9a-e.

[0058] In the embodiment shown in Figures 6a-6d, the sensor devices 40a-b are arranged as separate devices. In this case, means are provided for communicating the sensor data 42a-42b from the sensor devices to at least one of the control units 20a-42b. For example, a communication interface configured as a transceiver may be provided. The communication interface may be based on known transceiver standards, such as GBIC, SFP, SFP+, QSFP, XFP, XAUI, CXP, or CFP.

[0059] In an alternative embodiment, the sensor devices 40a-b may be placed directly on the PCB of the control units 20a-b, which may simplify the process of communicating the sensor data 42a-b to the control units 20a-b, as internal means for communication within the control units 20a-b may be employed.

[0060] 4-5, the sectional door operator system 1 may further include an operator control unit 60 (optional feature). The operator control unit 60 is configured to receive control data from at least one of the control units 20a-b. The control data may include, for example, the operating status of the sectional door operator system 1, the health of individual mechanical components, and / or the motor current. At least one of the control units 20a-b may be configured to generate a report of a bug or error detected by at least one of the sensor devices 40a-b and then report the result to the operator control unit 60. For example, if the motor current exceeds a predetermined error threshold, this may be reported. Information about the motor current can be useful for identifying whether the motor is subjected to a higher-than-normal load. This may be the case, for example, if something is jammed in the door operator system 1.

[0061] The report may be sent via a communication interface operating between at least one of the control units 20a-b and the operator control unit 60. The report may also be forwarded by an IoT service (Internet of Things). Different embodiments of the present invention may utilize different IoT protocols. For example, the protocols may 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. The error report may include, for example, a report of door misalignment and / or operational inconsistency.

[0062] If an error report is generated, the operator control unit 60 may be further configured to generate an alarm if one or more limits exceed a predetermined error threshold. This alarm may be visualized by an audible signal, a visual signal, or by transmitting information to an external device. Furthermore, if a safety hazard is discovered, the operator control unit 60 may respond by terminating operation of the system 1.

[0063] The operator control unit 60 may further be configured to be controllable by an operator of the system 1. The operator control unit 60 may include one or more displays for visualizing information of the system 1. Additionally, the one or more displays may include touch screen functionality and / or one or more buttons for manual operation of the system 1. Thus, the operator control unit 60 can function as a backup controller in the event of an automation error in the system 1.

[0064] In one embodiment, the drive unit system 100 includes one or more sensors (not shown) positioned to identify a person or object in the path of the door 8 and to interrupt or reverse the movement of the door 8 upon identifying the person or object. The one or more sensors may be one or more of a pressure sensor, an IR sensor, a camera, a radar, or a presence sensor. When the 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 can control the door 8 and stop the movement of the door 8. The control unit 20 then controls the door 8 to return to the open position O or hold it until the person or object has passed, and then controls the door to continue moving 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 is connected to the first charging unit 13 and charged.

[0065] The control units 20a-b are in operative communication with the drive unit system 100. The control units 20a-b may be in wired or wireless communication with the two drive units 10a-b. Additionally, the control units 20a-b are configured to communicate with sensor devices 40a-b. As will be further described with reference to FIGS. 7-8, the control units 20a-b are configured to control the operation of at least the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b. In a preferred embodiment, the control units 20a-b are configured to control and adjust the operating speed of the motors 11a-b of their respective associated drive units 10a-b in response to control signals 34a-b received from the control units 20a-b.

[0066] The sensor devices 40a-b are configured to provide sensor data 42a-b of the door 8, respectively, and transmit the data to the control units 20a-b. As shown in FIG. 4 , the first sensor device 40a transmits the sensor data 42a of the door 8 to the first control unit 20a. The second sensor device 40b transmits the sensor data 42b of the door 8 to the second control unit 20b. The control units 20a-b are configured to evaluate the sensor data 42a-b from the doors and, in response to the evaluation, transmit control signals 34a-b to the first drive unit 10a and / or the second drive unit 10b. In alternative embodiments, a single sensor device 40 may be configured to transmit the sensor data 42 to a single control unit 20. In alternative embodiments, a single sensor device 40 may be configured to transmit the sensor data 42 to two or more control units 20. In yet another embodiment, two or more sensor devices 40 may be configured to transmit the sensor data 42 to a single control unit 20.

[0067] The control units 20a-b are arranged to receive input regarding whether to open or close the door 8. In one embodiment, the control units 20a-b are arranged to receive input from one or more of a user interface, mechanical buttons or remote controls of the operator control unit 60.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the control units 20a-b are configured to control and adjust the operating speed of one or all of the motors 11a-b in response to sensor data 42a-b collected by the sensor devices 40a-b. The sensor data 42a-b is collected from both sensor devices 40a-b, and the motors are then individually controlled by the control units 20a-b based on the sensor data 42a-b. Therefore, because each motor 11a-b can be individually controlled, a master / slave relationship between the motors is not required. For example, the speed of a first motor may be reduced while the speed of a second motor is maintained, or vice versa. Thus, the position / speed of one motor can be changed to achieve the desired situation where the motors are co-located, i.e., synchronized with each other. Thus, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5, the first control unit 20a is in operative communication with the first drive unit 10a of the drive unit system 100. Additionally, the second control unit 20 b is in operative communication with the second drive unit 10 b of the drive unit system 100 .

[0069] Notably, although not required, the above embodiment can function even if there is a master / slave relationship between the motors.

[0070] As shown and described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5, the door operator system 1 further includes at least two sensing elements 30a-b. Note that the sensing elements 30a-b are also present in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, although not shown. In an embodiment in which the door operator system 1 includes a first drive unit 10a and a second drive unit 10b, the system 1 further includes a first sensing element 30a and a second sensing element 30b. Each sensing element 30a-b is disposed in conjunction with a respective motor 11a-b of each drive unit 10a-b. Data collected from the sensing elements 30a-b is used to determine operation of the motors 11a-b. The sensing elements may further be part of any of the control units 20a-b. The control units 20a-b may further be in operative communication with the sensing elements 30a-b, and the communication may be either wired or wireless. In a preferred embodiment, the control units 20a-b are configured to control and adjust the operating speed of one or all of the motors 11-b in response to operating data 32a-b collected by the sensing elements 30a-b.

[0071] In one embodiment, the sensing elements 30a-b are in the form of sensors. The sensors may be position sensors configured to determine the position of the motors 11a-b and / or configured to determine their position relative to the ground. Additionally or alternatively, the sensors are encoders configured to determine the position of the motors 11a-b. Preferably, the encoders are rotary encoders that convert the angular position or movement of a shaft or axis within the motors into a digital output signal. The sensing elements 30a-b may also be part of the motors 11a-b. This is particularly true when the motors 11a-b are brushless DC electric motors. In one embodiment, the sensing elements 30a-b are encoders that measure relative to a fixed scale, and therefore measure absolute movement rather than rotation of the motor's output shaft.

[0072] Each motor 11a-b is associated with one of sensing elements 30a-b configured to sense operational data 32 of the motors 11a-b and transmit said data to the control units 20a-b. As shown in Figure 5, the first sensing element 30a transmits operational data 32a of the first motor 11a to the first control unit 20a. The second sensing element 30b transmits operational data 32b of the second motor 11b to the second control unit 20b. The control units 20a-b are configured to evaluate the operational data 32a-b from the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b and, depending on the evaluation, transmit control signals 34a-b to the first motor 11a and / or the second motor 11b.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, the door operator system 1 further includes a door 8 and a drive unit system 100 including two drive units 10a-b with associated motors 11a-b, respectively. Furthermore, the two control units 20a-b operate independently and send and receive signals independently. Therefore, the control signals 34a-b sent from the control units 20a-b to the drive units 10a-b of the drive unit system 100 are generated independently of each other. Therefore, because each motor 11a-b can be controlled independently, there is no master-slave relationship between the motors. For example, the speed of one motor can be reduced while maintaining the speed of the second motor, or vice versa. Therefore, the position / speed of one motor can be changed to achieve the desired situation where the motors are co-located, i.e., synchronized with each other.

[0074] In an alternative embodiment, the means for communicating between two or more control units 20 may be provided in the form of a communication interface.

[0075] 5 further includes a first sensing element 30a and a first sensor device 40a configured to provide data 32a, 42a to the first control unit 20a. Additionally, the system 1 includes a second sensing element 30b and a second sensor device 40b configured to provide data 32b, 42b to the second control unit 20b.

[0076] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each control unit 20 implements a method for controlling the operation of the drive units 10 a - b of the drive unit system 100 .

[0077] In Figure 7, the control unit 20 implements the method of the embodiment shown in Figure 4. The method includes step 810 of receiving sensor data 42 from the sensor device 40 regarding the angle φ of the door 8 relative to the true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system 1. The control unit 20 includes means, e.g., in the form of a communications interface, for receiving the sensor data 42. For example, the sensor data 42 is routed from the sensor device 40 to the control unit 20 via the communications interface. Because the sensor device 40 is configured to continuously monitor the door 8, even very small deviations can be observed long before the door 8 begins to malfunction.

[0078] The method further includes a step 820 of evaluating the received sensor data 42 and a step 830 of determining whether there is a deviation between the sensor data of the door 8 and a maximum sensor threshold. The evaluation step may include a number of different evaluation methods. For example, a vibration pattern generated by a self-learning algorithm as previously described and stored in the control unit 20's memory may be compared internally with a normal vibration pattern within the control unit 20. As a result, the intelligent system may generate a recommended output. The recommended output may determine the control signal 34 based on a combination of parameters obtained from a general machine learning algorithm and / or recently received sensor data 42. The newly generated output may additionally adjust the parameters of the learning algorithm, thereby additionally improving the accuracy of any future-generated control signal 34. Alternatively or additionally, the evaluation may also be based on environmental parameters or damage to the door 8, or any combination thereof.

[0079] Step 820 of evaluating the received sensor data 42 may also include detecting misalignment of the door 8 and potentially completely stopping operation of the door 8. The control unit 20 may generate a report of any bugs or errors detected by the sensor device 40 and then report the results to the operator control unit 60 using the techniques previously described with reference to Figures 4-5.

[0080] The maximum deviation threshold may depend on the characteristics of the door operator system 1. The deviation threshold may be predetermined by a user or may be adjusted autonomously by a learning algorithm. In general, the door 8 or any section 9 of the door 8 is ideally parallel to the horizontal plane of the door operator system 1, although other configurations may apply.

[0081] Based on the decision determined from the evaluated sensor data 42, the method further comprises a step 840 of controlling the operation of at least one drive unit 10 of the drive unit system 100. The step 840 of controlling the operation comprises a step 842 of changing the speed of the motor of the at least one drive unit 10 or a step 844 of maintaining the speed of the motor of the at least one drive unit 10. If a deviation exceeding the deviation threshold is detected, the control unit 20 is configured to change 842 the speed of the motor 11 of the at least one drive unit 10. Otherwise, the control unit 20 is configured to maintain 844 the speed of the motor 11 of the at least one drive unit 10. The control unit 20 may be further configured to determine whether the current of the motor of the at least one drive unit 10 exceeds a predetermined error threshold. In this case, the control unit 20 is configured to send an error signal to the operator control unit 60 by the IoT service or via the communication interface and to stop the at least one drive unit 10. The control unit 20 may be further configured to initiate braking of the motor of the at least one drive unit 10. Information about the motor current can be useful to identify if the motor is subjected to a higher than normal load, which may be the case, for example, if something is jammed in the door operator system 1.

[0082] In Figure 8, the control unit 20 implements the method of the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 5, where the method steps are similar to those of Figure 7, but with some modifications. Because the sectional door operator system 1 of this embodiment includes a sensing element 30, additional functionality is allowed for.

[0083] Step 910 of receiving sensor data and step 920 of evaluating said received sensor data are similar to the corresponding steps in Figure 7. The embodiment shown in Figure 8 further comprises step 915 of receiving operational data 32 relating to at least the first drive unit 10a or at least the second drive unit 10b from the sensing element 30. Further, step 925 of evaluating said received operational data 32 is performed.

[0084] In step 925, the control unit 20 evaluates whether the deviation between the two motors 11a-b located in the same section 9 exceeds a predetermined maximum deviation threshold. In one embodiment, if the second motor 11b is further from the target position than the first motor 11a, the evaluation determines whether to reduce the speed of the first motor 11a, allowing the second motor 11b to catch up with the first motor 11a and reach the target position simultaneously since they are in the same position. Similarly, if the first motor 11a is further from the target position than the second motor 11b, the evaluation determines whether to reduce the speed of the second motor 11b, allowing the first motor 11a to catch up with the second motor 11b.

[0085] In an alternative embodiment, if the second motor 11b is further from the target position than the first motor 11a, the evaluation determines whether to increase the speed of the second motor 11b, so that the second motor 11b can catch up with the first motor 11a and reach the target position at the same time because they are in the same position. Similarly, if the first motor 11a is further from the target position than the second motor 11b, the evaluation determines whether to increase the speed of the first motor 11a, so that the first motor 11a can catch up with the second motor 11b.

[0086] On the other hand, if it is determined that the deviation is less than the maximum deviation threshold, the evaluation determines to maintain the current speeds of the two motors 11a-b.

[0087] The operational data may further include information regarding the current of the motors 11a-b.

[0088] The control unit 20 is further configured to determine whether the actual position is equal to the target position, and if it is determined that the actual position is equal to the target position, the control unit 20 stops both motors 11a-b and possibly initiates braking.

[0089] The sensing elements 30a-b may be position sensors configured to determine the position of the motor 11. Additionally or alternatively, the sensing elements 30a-b are encoders configured to determine the position of the motor 11. Preferably, the encoder is a rotary encoder that converts the angular position or movement of a shaft or axis within the motor into a digital output signal. The sensing elements 30a-b may also be part of the motor 11. This is particularly true when the motor 11 is a brushless DC electric motor. The evaluation of the operating data therefore relates to synchronizing the vertical positions of the two drive units 10a-b, 10c-d or 10e-f with respect to each other.

[0090] In a next step, the evaluation of said operational data is combined 930 with the evaluation of said sensor data obtained from the evaluation step 820 with reference to Figure 7. This combination leads to a decision making that ensures that synchronized vertical positioning of the two drive units 10a-b, 10c-d or 10e-f is provided and accurate alignment of the door 8 with respect to the true horizontal plane of the door operator system 1. Finally, a step 950 of controlling the operation of at least one drive unit 10 is similar to the control step 840 with reference to Figure 7.

[0091] An embodiment of the control unit 20 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 9. Herein it will be explained in detail how the two motors 11a-b can be synchronized with each other.

[0092] In a first step 1002, the control unit 20 determines target positions for the two motors 11a-b. The control unit 20 sets the target positions continuously, and the motors 11a-b are driven individually to achieve the target positions continuously.

[0093] The next step 1004 is to read the actual current positions of the two motors 11a-b. The actual positions are read in terms of the distance traveled by the door. This step is preferably performed by the sensing elements 30a-b receiving position information for the motors 11a-b. Once the position data is received, the data is used to calculate 1006 the actual position of the door 8. This step is preferably performed by calculating the average of the read positions of the two motors 11a-b.

[0094] In a 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, which represents the maximum normal deviation, the speed of one motor needs to be changed 1014. The deviation preferably relates to the deviation of the current positions of the two motors 11a-b and / or the deviation of the calculated actual positions of the two motors 11a-b. Embodiments of the speed change have already been described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. If the deviation is lower than the predetermined threshold 1010, the speed of the motor is not changed 1012. Thus, both motors are driven at the same speed.

[0095] Once the control unit 20 has determined whether the speeds of the motors 11a-b should be changed, the next step is to determine 1016 whether the currents in the first motor 11a, the second motor 11b, and / or both the first motor 11a and the second motor 11b exceed a predetermined error threshold. If it is determined that the motor currents exceed the predetermined error threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to send an error signal to the operator control unit 60 or otherwise notify 1018 the system 1 that an error has occurred. Once the system identifies the error, it stops 1022 both motors. The motors may be stopped by reducing their speeds to zero and / or by initiating braking of the motors 11a-b.

[0096] If it is determined that the motor current is lower than the predetermined error threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to determine 1020 whether the actual position is equal to the target position. If it is determined that the actual position is equal to the target position, the control unit 20 stops 1022 both motors 11a-b and possibly initiates braking. If it is determined that the actual position is not equal to the target position, the control unit 20 returns to step 1004 and reads the actual positions of the motors.

[0097] As previously described, the drive unit system 100 may include at least a first drive unit 10a including a first motor 10a and a second drive unit 10b including a second motor 11b, where the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are mounted to the first section 9e of the door 8. 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. In accordance with the foregoing, the drive unit system 100 may further include additional drive units 10c-f.

[0098] An embodiment of the control unit 20 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 10. This specification will provide a detailed description of how the door 8 or any one of the sections 9a-e is maintained level with respect to the true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system 1.

[0099] In a first step 1102, the control unit 20 determines a target position corresponding to the true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system 1. The control unit 20 continuously sets the target positions, and the drive units are individually driven to continuously achieve the target positions.

[0100] In a next step 1104, sensor data 42 relating to the current angle of the door 8 or any one of the sections 9a-e relative to the target position is read. Preferably, this step is performed by at least one sensor device 40 receiving information of the tilt angle of the door 8.

[0101] In the next step 1106, the deviation between the target position and the current angle of any one of the doors 8 or sections 9a-e is calculated. If the deviation exceeds 1108 a predetermined sensor threshold representing the maximum normal deviation, the speed of one of the motors 11 needs to be changed 1112. For example, a master system operator or an intelligent software system may determine 1108 the predetermined sensor threshold. The deviation preferably relates to the deviation of any one of the doors 8 or sections 9a-e relative to the true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system 1. If the deviation is lower 1110 than the predetermined sensor threshold, the speed of the motor 11 is not changed. Thus, the motor 11 is driven at the same speed.

[0102] Once the control unit 20 has determined whether the speed of the motor 11 should be changed, the next step is to determine 1114 whether the deviation is so large that it is necessary to stop the operation of the door 8. If the deviation exceeds 1116 a maximum misalignment threshold, the operation of the door is stopped completely 1118 and the control unit 20 may generate 1120 a report of a bug or error detected by any sensor device 40. The result may be reported to the master system via an internal or external communication interface of the control unit 20 or by sending it via an IoT service. If the deviation is lower than the maximum misalignment threshold, the control unit 20 is configured to read 1104 the sensor data 42 relating to the current angle of the door.

[0103] 3a-b, drive unit system 100 includes third drive unit 10c and fourth drive unit 10d mounted to second horizontal section 9 of the horizontal sections and positioned to assist first drive unit 10a and second drive unit 10b in moving sectional door 8 from closed position C to open position O. Third drive unit 10c and fourth drive unit 10d are connected to third control unit 20c and fourth control unit 20d, respectively, and positioned to be controlled by control units 20c-d in the same manner as described above for first drive unit 10a and second drive unit 10b. In this embodiment, door operator system 1 includes four drive units 10a-d, four sensing elements 30a-d, at least one sensor device 40, and four control units 20a-d. The first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are arranged in one section 9e, and the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d are arranged in another section 9c. Each sensing element 30a-d is arranged in connection with its respective drive unit 10a-d. Thus, the first sensing element 30a and the second sensing element 30b are arranged in connection with the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b, and the third sensing element 30c and the fourth sensing element 30d are arranged in connection with the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d. In one embodiment, at least one sensor device 40 may be arranged in any one of the horizontal interconnection sections 9a-e. In another embodiment, at least one sensor device may be directly attached to the PCB of any one of the control units 20a-d.

[0104] In one embodiment, the first and second drive units 10a and 10b and the first and second sensing elements 30a and 30b are arranged in section 9e, which is located in the section 9 of the door that is closest to the floor 23 in the closed position C. However, it should be noted that section 9e may also be section 9d, which is, for example, the section that is located next to the section that is closest to the floor 23 in the closed position C.

[0105] In one embodiment, drive unit system 100 includes a fifth drive unit 10e and a sixth drive unit 10f mounted to a third one of horizontal sections 9 and arranged to assist the other drive units 10e-f in moving sectional door 8 from closed position C to open position O. Fifth drive unit 10e and sixth drive unit 10f are connected to a fifth control unit 20e and a sixth control unit 20f and arranged to be controlled by control units 20e-f in the same manner as described above for first drive unit 10a and second drive unit 10b. In one embodiment, door operator system 1 includes six drive units 10a-f, six sensing elements 30a-f, at least one sensor device 40, and six control units 20a-f. The first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b are arranged in one section 9e, the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d are arranged in another section 9c, and the fifth drive unit 10e and the sixth drive unit 10f are arranged in another section 9d. Each sensing element 30a-f is arranged in connection with a respective drive unit 11a-f. Thus, the first sensing element 30a and the second sensing element 30b are arranged in connection with the first drive unit 10a and the second drive unit 10b, the third sensing element 30c and the fourth sensing element 30d are arranged in connection with the third drive unit 10c and the fourth drive unit 10d, and the fifth sensing element 30e and the sixth sensing element 30f are arranged in connection with the fifth drive unit 10e and the sixth drive unit 10f. In one embodiment, at least one sensor device 40 may be arranged in any one of the multiple horizontal interconnection sections 9a-e. In another embodiment, the at least one sensor device may be mounted directly on the PCB of any one of the control units 20a-f.

[0106] In embodiments where the sensing elements 30, sensor devices 40 and drive units 10 are arranged in the additional sections 9a-e, they may be arranged in every other section, in every section, or in one section above section 9e.

[0107] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to embodiments thereof. However, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, other embodiments are equally possible within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. It is recalled that the present invention may generally be applied in or to an entrance system having one or more movable door members, without being limited to a particular type. The or each such door member may be, for example, a swing door member, a revolving door member, a sliding door member, an overhead sectional door member, a horizontal folding door member, or a pull-up door member.

Claims

1. A sectional door operator system (1) for opening and closing an opening (2), comprising: a door (8) arranged to move between an open position (O) and a closed position (C), the door (8) including a plurality of horizontal interconnected sections (9a-e); a door frame (3) including a first frame section (4) on a first side (7) of the opening (2) and a second frame section (6) on a second side (5) of the opening (2), wherein the plurality of horizontal interconnecting sections (9a-e) are connected to the door frame (3); a drive unit system (100) mounted on a section (9e) of the plurality of horizontally interconnected sections (9a-e), the drive unit system (100) being arranged to move a sectional door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O), the drive unit system (100) including at least a first drive unit (10a) including a first motor (11a) and at least a second drive unit (10b) including a second motor (11b), the first drive unit (10a) and the second drive unit (10b) being mounted on different vertical sides of the horizontally interconnected section (9e); at least a first sensor device (40a) and a second sensor device (40b) attached to a section (9e) of the plurality of horizontal interconnection sections (9a-e); A first control unit (20a) and a second control unit (20b), the first sensor device (40a) is configured to provide sensor data (42a, 42b) of the door (8) to the first control unit (20a), the second sensor device (40b) is configured to provide sensor data (42a, 42b) of the door (8) to the second control unit (20b), and the control units (20a, 20b) are in operative communication with the drive unit system (100) and are configured to control operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on the sensor data (42a, 42b) from the at least two sensor devices (40a, 40b). a first control unit (20a) and a second control unit (20b); The sensor data (42a, 42b) relates to the angle (φ) of the door (8) relative to the true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system (1).

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

3. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one sensor device (40) includes at least one accelerometer.

4. The sectional door operator system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one sensor device (40) is disposed in one of the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections (9a-e).

5. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor device (40) is disposed in a bottom section (9e) of the plurality of horizontal interconnected sections (9a-e).

6. The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) evaluating the received sensor data (42a, 42b) and controlling operation of the at least first drive unit (10a) and / or the at least second drive unit (10b) based on the sensor data evaluation, The sectional door operator system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, configured to control the operation of the drive unit system (100).

7. 7. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 6, wherein the step of controlling the operation of the at least first drive unit (10a) and / or the at least second drive unit (10b) comprises changing the speed of the first motor (11a) and / or the second motor (11b).

8. 8. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 6 or 7, wherein the step of evaluating the received sensor data (42a, 42b) includes determining whether there is a deviation between the sensor data (42a, 42b) of the door (8) and a maximum sensor threshold.

9. 9. The sectional door operator system (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein if there is a deviation, the speed of the first motor (11a) or the second motor (11b) is changed, and otherwise the speeds of the first motor (11a) and the second motor (11b) are maintained.

10. 10. The sectional door operator system (1) of any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising at least one first and second sensing elements (30a, 30b) configured to provide operation data (32) of the first and second motors (11a, 11b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), wherein the operation data (32) includes information regarding a position of the first and / or second motors (11a, 11b).

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

12. 12. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 10 or 11, wherein the first sensing element (30a) is arranged in conjunction with the first drive unit (10a) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the first drive unit (10a) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), and the second sensing element (30b) is arranged in conjunction with the second drive unit (10b) and configured to provide operation data (32) of the second drive unit (10b) to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b).

13. The at least one control unit (20a, 20b) receiving operational data (32) relating to the first drive unit (10a) or the second drive unit (10b); Evaluating the received operational data (32); by combining the operational data evaluation with the sensor data evaluation and controlling operation of the first drive unit (10a) and / or the second drive unit (10b) based on the combined evaluation; The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 6, further configured to control operation of the drive unit system (100).

14. 10. The sectional door operator system (1) of claim 8 or 9, wherein when it is determined that there is a position deviation 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 motors (11a, 11b) is farthest from a target position, and to reduce the speed of the first motor (11a) if it is determined that the second motor (11b) is further from the target position than the first motor (11a), and to reduce the speed of the second motor (11a) if it is determined that the first motor (11b) is further from the target position than the second motor (11a).

15. 15. The sectional door operator system (1) of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) is further configured to determine whether a position of each of the motors (11a, 11b) is equal to a target position, and if so, to stop operation of both the first and second motors (11a, 11b).

16. The drive unit system (100) further includes third and fourth drive units (10c, 10d) attached to a section (9c) of the plurality of sections (9a-e) other than the section in which the first and second drive units (10a, 10b) are located, the third and fourth drive units (10c, 10d) being arranged to assist the first and second drive units (10a, 10b) when moving the door (8) from the closed position (C) to the open position (O), and the third and fourth drive units (10c, 10d) , connected to the at least one control unit (20a, 20b), the sectional door operator system (1) further including at least a third sensor device (40c) arranged in the same section (9c) as the third and fourth drive units (10c, 10d), the at least one control unit (20a, 20b) being further configured to receive sensor data (42a, 42b) from the at least third sensor device (40c).

17. A control unit (20a, 20b) in a sectional door operator system (1) in operative communication with a drive unit system (100) including at least a first drive unit (10a) including a first motor (11a) and at least a second drive unit (10b) including a second motor (11b), and configured to control operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on sensor data (42a, 42b) from at least a first sensor device (40a) and a second sensor device (40b), the sensor data (42a, 42b) relating to an angle (φ) of a door (8) relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system (1).

18. A method for controlling 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 sectional door operator system (1), the method comprising: At least a first sensor device (40a) and a second sensor device (40b); At least a first control unit (20a) and a second control unit (20b), the first sensor device (40a) is configured to provide sensor data (42a, 42b) of the door (8) to the first control unit (20a), the second sensor device (40b) is configured to provide sensor data (42a, 42b) of the door (8) to the second control unit (20b), and the control units (20a, 20b) are in operative communication with the drive unit system (100) and are configured to control operation of the drive unit system (100) based at least on the sensor data (42a, 42b) from the at least one sensor device (40a, 40b). At least a first control unit (20a) and a second control unit (20b); wherein the sensor data (42a, 42b) relates to an angle (φ) of a door (8) relative to a true horizontal plane of the sectional door operator system (1).

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