Roller Shutter Control Method for Obstacle Load Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling motorized mobile screens in home automation equipment fail to accurately manage force exerted on obstacles, leading to potential damage and inefficient stopping due to neglect of reaction and mechanical response times, resulting in excessive force application.

Innovation Solution

A control method that uses hardware and software to continuously monitor and adjust the maneuvering force, accounting for the stiffness of the obstacle and the system's inertia, setting a dynamic setpoint value to ensure the force remains below a predetermined maximum by calculating the sum of electronic and mechanical response times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the setpoint value is set to the maximum allowable force, then the obstacle protection is improved, but the force exerted on the obstacle exceeds the maximum allowable force due to reaction times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle protectionVSAvoidforce on obstacle
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by calculating and applying a compensation value based on the stiffness of the obstacle and the sum of electronic and mechanical response times. This preliminary compensation ensures that when the stop command is executed after detecting the setpoint force, the actual force on the obstacle does not exceed the maximum allowable force, thus protecting the obstacle while maintaining reliable stopping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a compensating force that counteracts the inertial effects of the system's response times. The compensation value, calculated from the stiffness measurement and response time parameters, acts in advance to prevent the force from exceeding the maximum allowable value when the stop command is subsequently executed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Force

If the setpoint value is reduced to account for reaction times, then the force on the obstacle is reduced, but the stopping occurs well before the maximum allowable force is reached

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce on obstacleVSAvoidstopping efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making the setpoint value adaptive rather than fixed. The setpoint is dynamically adjusted based on the measured stiffness of the obstacle and the calculated response times. This dynamic adjustment allows the setpoint to be optimized for each specific situation, enabling stopping exactly when the maximum allowable force is reached without excessive force application or premature stopping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If the scanning interval is minimized for continuous monitoring, then the measurement precision is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce monitoring precisionVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the force through regular scanning and using this information to adjust the setpoint value based on the measured stiffness. The feedback loop measures the force, calculates the stiffness from the rate of change, determines the appropriate response time compensation, and adjusts the setpoint accordingly, achieving precise control without requiring overly complex monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1996984B1Method for controlling a roller shutter avoiding too much load on an obstacle
Publication Date: 2010.03.10 SOMFY SAS
  • EP1996984B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP1996984B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP1996984B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

The invention concerns a method for controlling a home automation device comprising an electric actuator, a mobile element for closing, providing shade or solar protection equipping a building and operated by the actuator, and means for measuring the operating load exerted on the mobile element. The method includes a step whereby an automatic stop is executed when a setpoint value of operating load is reached, characterized in that the operating load setpoint value is calculated during the displacement of the mobile element by extrapolating in time the operating load so as to prevent a predetermined operating load threshold from being exceeded when the automatic stop is performed.