In Response To Movement Or Position (e.g., Limit Of Travel) Of Motor Or Driven Device Patents (Class 318/282)
  • Patent number: 11823560
    Abstract: A moveable barrier system may include a moveable barrier configured to provide selective access to a space; a barrier operator configured to manipulate the moveable barrier between a closed position and an open position; a light; and a control station comprising a multi-function button configured to initiate more than one action by the barrier operator and by the light, the multi-function button being configured to initiate actions of: stopping an auto-close timer in response to receiving a first user input at the multi-function button; and toggling the light between an off state and an on state in response to receiving a second user input at the multi-function button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: GMI HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua S. Jones, Robert E. Thomas, Jr., Walter J. Connare
  • Patent number: 11718163
    Abstract: A movably arranged vehicle component is operatively coupled to and may be driven by an electric motor. The electric motor is supplied with a motor current to drive the movement of the vehicle component. A method for detecting a movement obstruction comprises the steps of supplying the electric motor with a supply voltage, thereby supplying the motor current; determining a frequency content of the motor current; and analysing the frequency content to determine whether the movement obstruction is present or not. A motor control system is configured to perform the above-mentioned method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Dennie Wilhelmus Hendrikus Craane, Gerrit Schwepper
  • Patent number: 11454061
    Abstract: A power window control device is configured to control a motor to open and close a window glass of a vehicle door and perform entrapment prevention control that determines entrapment of foreign material by the window glass and reverses the window glass if determining that foreign material entrapment has occurred. If determined in the entrapment prevention control that the entrapment has occurred while the window glass is closing to fully close, the entrapment prevention control determines whether the determination is caused by an impact generated when closing the vehicle door. If determined that the entrapment has occurred due to an impact generated when closing the vehicle door, the entrapment prevention control determines that the determination of the entrapment is an erroneous determination and switches to a control for fully closing the window glass that has been reversed and opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 11280424
    Abstract: An actuator includes a drive device, and energy storage element and an actuator controller. The energy storage element is charged during operation of the actuator using power from an external power source. The drive device drives a valve member to a failsafe setpoint using energy from the energy storage element in the event of a power loss during operation of the actuator. The actuator controller provides a drive signal to the drive device indicating the valve member orientation (i.e. the failsafe setpoint) to which the drive device is to drive the valve member. The failsafe setpoint is determined based on the last fluid source that was controlled by the actuator of the fluid system prior to the power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Kevin A. Weiss, Gary A. Romanowich, Stephanie P. Lynn, Russell T. Jenks
  • Patent number: 11203891
    Abstract: An anti-pinch window control system and an anti-pinch window control method are disclosed. The anti-pinch window control system includes a door panel, a glass window, a sound detection module, and a control module. When the glass window is closing, if a sound position of a sound on the glass window is close to an end portion of the glass window, the control module controls the glass window to stop closing. The sound on the glass window serves as the main judgment standard for the anti-pinch window control system, which can reduce the possibility of misjudgment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Ching-Chou Tang, Yu-Chi Hsieh, Kun-Yu Li, Jhih-Deng Hong, Liang-Chi Dai, Sheng-Kai Huang, Qing-Yuan Huang, Jui-Cheng Kao
  • Patent number: 11063549
    Abstract: A motor control system comprises a motor control circuit, a non-transitory storage medium and a processing circuitry. The storage medium is configured to store a current threshold profile that is indicative of a current requirement of the motor control circuit for an operational cycle of a motor. The processing circuitry is configured to adjust the stored current threshold profile based on a change to the operational cycle of the motor (e.g., from standard to non-standard).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Won-Door Corporation
    Inventors: Duane O. Hall, E. Carl Goodman, William Michael Coleman
  • Patent number: 11014538
    Abstract: In a case in which an instruction to change to a wiping speed, which is determined from a target speed map, is inputted at a time during control of a rotational speed of a wiper motor that is based on a target speed map, a microcomputer gradually changes the rotational speed of the wiper motor from a rotational speed determined from a target speed map to a rotational speed determined by a target speed map. Further, in a case in which a wiper switch is operated while wiper blades exist within a switching prohibited region, the microcomputer switches a target speed map that is used from a time that the wiper blades reach reversal positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanoue, Takahiro Sumiya
  • Patent number: 10746314
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for a positioner apparatus for use with fluid valves. An example apparatus includes a fluid valve, an actuator operatively coupled to the fluid valve, and a positioner fluidly coupled to the actuator to control a position of the fluid valve via a fluid provided from a fluid supply line, the positioner having first and second transducers configured to increase or decrease a pressure of the fluid in the actuator, the positioner to enable the first and second transducers to change the position of the fluid valve during a safety event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventor: Steven Clayton Anderson
  • Patent number: 10480518
    Abstract: A method for controlling a pump arrangement comprising a pump having a motor and a control unit. The motor, when the pump is in an active state and the motor is driven in a first direction, is associated with a load factor that corresponds to an operating condition of the pump arrangement. The pump arrangement also includes a unit configured to monitor at least one operating parameter from which the load factor of the motor can be derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: XYLEM IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Fullemann, Fredrik Soderlund, Mats Karlen
  • Patent number: 10461674
    Abstract: An electric working machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a motor, a speed setting unit, a load detection unit, a determination unit, and a parameter setting unit. The determination unit calculates an estimated value of a heat generation amount of the motor, and determines that the motor is in an overload operation state when the estimated value reaches a predetermined threshold. The parameter setting unit sets a parameter to be used for calculating the estimated value and/or the threshold in accordance with a rotation speed set by the speed setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michisada Yabuguchi, Kouichi Takeda, Masumi Nishimura, Hiroshi Nojiri
  • Patent number: 10389022
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a satellite finding apparatus and satellite finding method, includes a set-top-box (STB) and a satellite antenna receiving device (SARD). The STB receives signals from the satellite antenna receiving device, and the STB comprises a central processing unit, a power transforming unit, a satellite switching judging module, a driving controlling module and a current detecting module. The SARD includes motors, tuners and antennas. The disclosure further provides a satellite finding method. The satellite finding apparatus will perform short-circuit detection if a switch of satellite is determined upon. The disclosure enables the motor only at the time when the satellite finding apparatus needs to find the satellite, it can save energy and prevents the destroying of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: NANNING FUGUI PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gui-Dong Zhu
  • Patent number: 10341539
    Abstract: An example photographing apparatus module includes: a photographing apparatus configured to rotate on a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and an actuator module configured to rotate the photographing apparatus on the first axis or the second axis. The actuator module includes: one or more first actuator devices configured to apply a contact force along an optical axis direction of the photographing apparatus that is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; and one or more second actuator devices configured to apply a driving force to the photographing apparatus along the first axis direction or the second axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hae-in Chung, Jin-won Lee, Chong-sam Chung, Jong-chul Choi
  • Patent number: 10337230
    Abstract: During opening and closing actions of a window glass, the presence or absence of pinching of a foreign object in a window is determined on the basis of an amount of change in the movement speed of the window glass and a threshold value stored in a storage unit, and a drive direction of a motor is reversed in order to release a foreign object if it is determined that pinching is present. A threshold value update unit updates threshold values for pinching determination on the basis of the amount of change in the movement speed of the window glass for specific ranges of an entire movement range of the window glass. In addition, a threshold value for pinching determination for a range other than the specific ranges is set to be a preset fixed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsunori Kigoshi, Daisuke Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10273739
    Abstract: An automated system is provided for closing a closure of a motor vehicle. That automated system includes a plurality of closures, a plurality of closure modules for opening and closing that plurality of closures and a control module. The control module is configured to monitor a transmission state of the motor vehicle and an open/close state of the plurality of closures and then close an open closure of the plurality of closures when the transmission is shifted out of park and the open closure is detected. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Nicholas Colella, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10204466
    Abstract: A device has a distance sensor and a transmitter. The distance sensor, attached to a barrier, measures an opening formed by the barrier. The transmitter transmits a control signal to a barrier controller. The barrier controller controls a movement of the barrier based on the control signal. The device receives a requested size of the opening. The device transmits, to the barrier controller, a first control signal that instructs the barrier controller to move the barrier and a second control signal that instructs the barrier controller to stop the movement of the barrier after an elapsed time has expired. The device measures a final size of the opening and adjusts the elapsed time based on the final size of the opening and the requested size of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Nortek Security & Control LLC
    Inventor: Michael Rothmuller
  • Patent number: 10180024
    Abstract: A control device for opening and closing bodies of vehicles comprises a driving device that drives an opening and closing body of a vehicle and a controlling unit that controls operation of the driving device. The controlling unit is configured so as to cause the opening and closing body to move while controlling the speed of the opening and closing body movement by executing speed feedback control and to set a plurality of control regions over the range of movement of the opening and closing body and change control properties for the speed feedback control in each of the control regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Urase, Kohei Kobayashi, Takeshi Nishikibe
  • Patent number: 10086798
    Abstract: A wiper system 1 has a wiper blade 5 for performing a reciprocating wiping operation on a windshield glass 6 and a brushless motor 2 for causing the wiper blade 5 to perform the reciprocating wiping operation. The motor used as the brushless motor 2 is provided with a rotary shaft for reciprocating the wiper blade 5, has a degree of operation freedom in three axial directions, and is rotatable about axes of two directions orthogonal to the rotary shaft. The wiper blade 5 operates at error angles ? different in direction between during a forward-path wiping operation and during a return-path wiping operation. When the wiper blade 5 reaches a reversing position, the brushless motor 2 is made to rotate about an axis extending in a extending direction of the wiper blade 5 to change the error angle ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Amagasa
  • Patent number: 10058205
    Abstract: A drapery track assembly is disclosed that performs an automatic and dynamic torque calibration to enable automatic detection of pulling of the drape as well as obstacles in order to minimize damage to the drapery track assembly and users. The drapery track assembly comprises a track, a drape attached to the track, a motor configured for moving the drape along the track, a sensor configured for sensing a position of the drape along the track, a current sensing circuit configured for detecting current levels, and a controller configured for controlling the motor and comprising at least one memory. The controller is configured for determining and storing a multi-point overcurrent threshold (OCTH) profile in each direction of travel comprising a plurality of overcurrent threshold (OCTH) values for each segment of travel along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Crestron Electornics, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Rivera, Benjamin Slivka, Charles R. Derk, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9974541
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for operating an electromechanical surgical system. The electromechanical surgical system includes a hand-held surgical instrument including an instrument housing defining a connecting portion for selectively connecting with a shaft assembly. The system also includes an end effector configured to perform at least one function. The shaft assembly is arranged for selectively interconnecting the end effector and the hand-held surgical instrument. The shaft assembly includes a drive member, a flag member configured to translate axially along the drive member, and a sensor disposed about the drive member. The sensor provides a signal indicating that the end effector has reached an end stop when the flag member contacts that sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Anthony Calderoni
  • Patent number: 9909350
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicular reflective optical sensor that has improved control reliability. Said vehicular reflective optical sensor is provided with a control unit (6) that: emits detection light (3) at prescribed intervals from a light-emitting unit (2) on an exterior panel of a vehicle towards a detection region (1) set outside said vehicle; tests for a threshold-exceeded state in which the amount of light in a light reflection (4) received from the detection region (1) by a light-receiving unit (5) exceeds a prescribed detection threshold; and, if it is detected that a detection target has entered the detection region (1), outputs a detection-confirmation signal. The control unit (6) uses, as the aforementioned detection threshold, the sum of a predetermined fixed value and an adjustment value comprising a summary statistic for the amounts of light in an appropriate number of light reflections (4) preceding the light reflection (4) on which the comparison is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignees: ALPHA CORPORATION, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shun Rai, Takashi Ono, Kazuya Tanaka, Wataru Hirai
  • Patent number: 9812776
    Abstract: An antenna device vertically rotatable and horizontally rotatable is provided, which has a configuration in which waveguides are effectively disposed. An antenna device includes an antenna, a vertically rotating, and a rotary joint. The antenna is vertically rotatable and horizontally rotatable, and outwardly radiates a radio wave. The vertically rotating is disposed such that a longitudinal direction thereof is along an axial line of the vertical rotation and intersects perpendicularly with an axial line of the horizontal rotation. The rotary joint is coupled to the vertically rotating. Moreover, the antenna device includes a waveguide path passing through the inside of the rotary and the inside of the vertically rotating and connected with the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Yano, Mitsuhiko Hataya
  • Patent number: 9797414
    Abstract: A fan assembly includes a base, a body including an air inlet, impeller and motor driving the impeller to draw an air flow through the air inlet, an air outlet and an interior passage conveying air to the air outlet and extending about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from the air outlet. A motorized oscillation mechanism housed within the base oscillates the body relative to the base about an axis and includes a second motor, a drive member driven by the second motor, and a driven member which is driven by the drive member to rotate relative to the base about the axis. The body is mounted on the driven member for rotation therewith. Interlocking members retain the body on the driven member and serve to guide tilting movement of the body relative to the base about a tilt axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Steven Hodgson, Darren Matthew Lewis, India Shaw Elsdon
  • Patent number: 9765560
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for driving a moveable closure, such as a garage door. In an initialisation process in a setup mode for the door operator for driving a moveable closure between open and closed positions, the apparatus allows selection of opening and/or closing speeds for the closure from a plurality of predefined stored driving speeds. This selection, or the range of stored driving speeds available for selection, is made in accordance with the type of closure to be driven, and this may be established automatically by detecting certain characteristics of movement of the closure as part of the initialisation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Technology (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ray Hawkins, Geoffrey Baker
  • Patent number: 9711307
    Abstract: In an overload relay, a tripping actuator 12 has a first magnet 18 and a moveable contact carrier 20 has a second magnet 28 mounted opposed to the first magnet. A moveable contact 22 on the moveable contact carrier is urged by repulsion between the magnets, to make a normally closed connection with a stationary contact 24, when the tripping actuator is in an ON position 15 and the contact carrier in a first stable position 26?. The magnets pass through an over-center tripping position (T) when the tripping actuator is moved to an OFF position 23 in response to an overcurrent condition sensed by a bimetallic thermal overload sensor 16. The magnets repel each other after passing through the over-center tripping position, to thereby urge the moveable contact into a second stable position 26, away from the stationary contact, to break the normally closed connection with the stationary contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.
    Inventor: Conrad S. Weiden
  • Patent number: 9605473
    Abstract: A protector with a sensor is installed on a sliding door for detecting an object by touch between two core wires in a hollow part. In a terminal part of the protector with the sensor, the core wires drawn out are connected with leads joined with a control unit. A primary seal is formed by means of injection molding for covering wire connection parts and another end side of an insert while also covering a skin of a wire harness which ties and coats the two leads. A secondary seal is formed by means of the injection molding for coating a part formed with the primary seal and for forming an external shape of a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NISHIKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Yuzo Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 9573682
    Abstract: A control and/or management system for a vehicle includes at least one of: (A) at least two redundant vehicle management computers configured to generate system control commands for each maneuvering actuators and for each system actor based on the data acquired by the sensors; (B) at least two redundant remote interface units for interconnecting a sensor or a system actor with a vehicle management computer; (C) at least two redundant actuator control computers configured to generate control commands for each maneuvering actuator based on received maneuvering commands; and (D) a common interface for connecting an external computer, the common interface being directly connected to at least two redundant computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, EADS Construcciones Aeronauticas, SA
    Inventors: Hugo Heusinger, Winfried Lohmiller, Reinhard Reischl, Gregor Jarasch, Rosa Maria Delgado Romero
  • Patent number: 9577313
    Abstract: There is provided a three-axes pedestal for stabilizing the pointing of a mobile tracking antenna. The pedestal comprises a base support with an azimuth axis support having a centerline defining a first axis or azimuth axis, and a first frame being rotatably mounted on the azimuth axis support to rotate about the first axis, where the first frame may hold at least part of a first horizontal linear bearing assembly. The pedestal further comprises a second frame with a lower frame part, which may be slidably interconnected to the first frame via the first horizontal linear bearing assembly. The first linear bearing assembly may include dampers or suspension members for dampening linear slide movement of the second frame along the first linear bearing assembly and thereby for dampening the relative movement of the second frame to the first frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SpaceCom Holding ApS
    Inventor: Peter Troels Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9464477
    Abstract: A safety window grid assembly includes a hollow housing, a rotating shaft rotatably disposed in the housing, a cord and a locking mechanism. The cord is retractable and extendable relative to the rotating shaft between a retracted state and an extended state. The locking mechanism is disposed on the housing, and includes an operating member rotatable relative to the housing, a driving member connected co-rotatably to the operating member, and a locking member. The locking member is movable between a locking position where a portion of the cord is clamped between the rotating shaft and the locking member such that the cord is not movable, and an unlocking position where the locking member is spaced apart from the cord such that the cord is movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ACCVAL L.L.C.
    Inventor: Chen-Jui Liao
  • Patent number: 9453370
    Abstract: A architectural covering, such as a shutter, blind or shade, comprising a control unit for controlling a motor so as to adjust the position of the architectural covering, wherein the control unit includes a housing and a circuit means, which is provided with switching means which upon actuation allow for the setting of at least one position of the architectural covering in the circuit means. The housing includes a tool receiving section for releasable engagement with a tool for actuating the switching means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Jorg Bohlen, Lars Koop
  • Patent number: 9232558
    Abstract: A multi-sector antenna system is disclosed that includes two or more flat panel antennas facing different directions and configured to communicate with two separate sites using millimeter wave RF signals. A processing module is communicatively coupled to each of the flat panel antennas. In some embodiments, the processing module may be configured to receive incoming RF signals from a first site via a first flat panel antenna, convert the incoming RF signals to outgoing RF signals, and transmit the outgoing RF signals to a second site via the second flat panel antenna. The flat panel antennas may be configured to transmit and receive RF signals at frequencies in the range of about 57 GHz to 86 GHz. The multi-sector antenna system may be utilized in a mesh network system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eduardo Tinoco, Terry McManus
  • Patent number: 9035579
    Abstract: An actuator system for use in selectively engaging an input to an output. The actuator system includes an input sub-system having an input component configured to connect to an input element which is in turn connected to a work source. The actuator system also includes an output sub-system being connectable to the input sub-system for receiving work from the work source via the input sub-system. The actuator system further includes an actuator sub-system having an active material and an actuating component. The actuator sub-system is configured so that the active material, when activated, causes the actuating component to move from a first state to a second state to disengage the input and output sub-systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh D. Mankame, James Holbrook Brown, Aragorn Zolno, James M Lombardi, Crescenzio Pelino, Daniel Blair
  • Patent number: 9030144
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved system and method for sensing both hard and soft obstructions for a movable panel such as a sunroof. A dual detection scheme is employing that includes an optical sensing as the primary means and electronic sensing of motor current as a secondary means. The secondary means utilizes system empirical precharacterization, fast processing algorithms, motor parameter monitoring including both current sensing and sensorless electronic motor current commutation pulse sensing, and controller memory, to adaptively modify electronic obstacle detection thresholds in real time without the use of templates and cycle averaging techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: UUSI, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Boisvert, Randall Perrin, John Washeleski
  • Patent number: 8912683
    Abstract: A smart responsive electrical load (10) is operatively connectable to an electricity supply network (20). The smart responsive electrical load (10) comprises an electrical power-consuming device (30) and a control arrangement (40) for controlling a supply of electrical power from the network (20) to the device (30). The control arrangement (60, 110, 150, 160, 170) is operable to impose a variable time delay (tp) before supplying electrical power to the device (30) after a request for power to be provided to the device (30). The variable time delay (tp) is a function of a state of the network (20), for example its frequency (f) and/or its voltage amplitude (V). Optionally, the device (30) is a battery charger, for example for use with a rechargeable electric vehicle. Beneficially, the smart responsive load (10) is supplied with electrical power from a population of micro-generation devices (500) operable to provide supply network response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Open Energi Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Dames, Kimon Roussopoulos, Tim Norris, Andrew Howe
  • Patent number: 8890452
    Abstract: A control device for an electrically driven door is provided that can enhance the sensitivity of detection of a door pinch state and that can prevent a passenger from being pressed when the door pinch state occurs. The control device includes a driving force instruction value producing unit that outputs a driving force instruction value of the electrically driven door, a state observing unit that estimates a mechanical resistant force to a door driving system, a reference model that determines a dynamic characteristic of the electrically driven door to the mechanical resistant force estimated by the state observing unit, a gain compensator that computes a control compensation value that makes an output of the reference model coincide with an actual speed of the electrically driven door; and an adder that adds the control compensation value computed by the gain compensator to the driving force instruction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8890447
    Abstract: Startup of motor is reliably executed and sonic noise is reduced. A control circuit controls a selector to apply control to output a full-drive waveform at startup and then output a PWM modulation waveform. The full-drive waveform which is an alternating waveform in which positive and negative are inverted at 180° is output. Then, the PWM drive waveform is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8827155
    Abstract: An access control gate with a mechanical guide forms one or more access lanes for patrons. A contactless access reader which is connected to a software controlled verification system identifies access right of patrons shortly before the person approaches a gate threshold formed by two motor driven flaps which when closed protrude into the access lane from left and right of the lateral lane boundaries. A verification system activates the flaps when an access right has been granted. Two or more photoelectric barriers define a detection zone behind the gate threshold and detect the passage of patrons through the gate threshold and the exit of the detection zone. The flaps are closed with highest possible speed after the patron has left the detection zone regularly, and are moved with low speed if an irregular passage is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Axess AG
    Inventors: Wolfram Kocznar, Josef Fischer
  • Publication number: 20140246995
    Abstract: A motor-drive circuit includes: an output transistor configured to supply a drive current to a motor for a cooling fan; a switching-control circuit configured to control switching of the output transistor so that the motor rotates in a first direction, or rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a switching circuit configured to, when a first time has elapsed since start of rotation of the motor in the first direction, cause the switching-control circuit to start switching control so that the motor stops rotating in the first direction and thereafter rotates in the second direction, and configured to, when a second time has elapsed since start of rotation of the motor in the second direction, cause the switching-control circuit to start switching control so that the motor stops rotating in the second direction and thereafter rotates in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshitomi, Masashi Tanabe, Shunji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8791658
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motorized roller shade is provided. The motorized roller shade includes a shade attached to a shade tube, a microcontroller and a DC gear motor disposed within the shade tube. The DC gear motor includes a housing fixed to the shade tube and an output shaft coupled to a support shaft fixed to a mounting bracket. The method includes receiving a command from a remote control, and moving the shade to a position associated with the command by energizing the DC gear motor to rotate the shade tube and the DC gear motor housing while the DC gear motor output shaft and support shaft remain fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: HomeRun Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Richard Scott Hand, Darrin W. Brunk
  • Patent number: 8755975
    Abstract: A controller and control method for an automatic vehicle door movement control system which includes a plurality of signaling devices and at least one door actuator for opening and closing at least one vehicle door in accordance with an instruction signal from the signaling devices is configured to selectively mask a redundant instruction signal. The redundant instruction signal is an instruction signal received after the receipt of a primary instruction signal and prior to the completion of an automatic door movement operation. The redundant instruction signal is masked when it is determined to be against an ascertained user intent or when the primary instruction signal is determined to be more indicative of the ascertained user intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Oakley
  • Patent number: 8729836
    Abstract: A control device for a hoist, which enables easy judgment of the lifetime of a brake of a hoist is provided. The time setting unit sets the time from startup of a double winding induction motor to disengagement of the brake and the time from start of engagement of the brake to stopping of the double winding induction motor in accordance with the time from the startup of the double winding induction motor to generation of torque. The time changing unit detects if power-supply frequency of a power supply is 50 Hz or 60 Hz and can change at least one of the time from the startup of the double winding induction motor to the disengagement of the brake and the time from stopping of driving of the brake to stopping of double winding induction motor in accordance with the power-supply frequency of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kito Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Maruno, Daisuke Matsuo, Kazuho Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8723454
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an architectural window covering having a programmable electric motor. The programmable electric motor is housed within a roller for raising and lowering the window covering, and includes dual stacked motors and light-transmitting control actuation buttons In one embodiment an architectural window covering, composing a shade, a roller defining a bore coupled to the shade, and at least two motors axially aligned and electrically coupled in parallel and positioned at least partially in said bore and rotatably coupled to the roller is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Skinner, Richard Langille, Philip Chermak
  • Patent number: 8710773
    Abstract: The driver seat unit and the other-seat unit are connected by the single signal line. A direction of a current passed through a motor is switched using contacts of a window opening switch and a window closing switch in the other-seat unit. When a window closing manipulation is performed by the driver seat unit, the current is passed through a coil of a relay via the contacts of the window closing switch, and a contact of the relay is switched to pass a forward current through the motor. When a window opening manipulation is performed by the driver seat unit, the current is passed through a coil of a relay via the contacts of the window opening switch, and a contact of the relay is switched to pass a reverse current through the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Kigoshi, Takashi Katoh, Yoichi Atsumi
  • Patent number: 8686676
    Abstract: A trash can with a power operated lid can include a sensor assembly and a lifting mechanism. The sensor assembly can include at least one light emitter and at least one light receiver, the viewing area of the at least one light receiver being limited in size. The lifting mechanism can include a controller, a drive motor, and a lifting member. The trash can with power operated lid can further include at least one position sensor for detecting the position of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: simplehuman, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Yang, Joseph Sandor, Orlando Cardenas
  • Patent number: 8669878
    Abstract: A carbon monoxide activated garage door opening system including a garage door opening system connected to an existing garage door and a user interface communicatively coupled to the garage door opening system for toggling the garage door between open and closed positions based upon receiving a corresponding user input at the user interface. Such a user interface preferably has a first carbon monoxide detector located therein for detecting an initial carbon monoxide level in the ambient air surrounding the user interface. A second carbon monoxide detector is attached to a rear side of the user interface for confirming whether the initial carbon monoxide level is an unsafe carbon monoxide level. In this manner, upon validating the unsafe carbon monoxide level, the user interface is adapted to automatically override the user input and thereby open the garage door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas L. Vantilburg
  • Patent number: 8659246
    Abstract: A motorized roller shade is provided. The motorized roller shade includes a shade tube in which a motor unit, a controller unit and a power supply unit are disposed. The controller unit includes a controller to control the motor. The power supply unit includes at least one bearing rotatably coupled to a support shaft. The motor unit includes at least one bearing, rotatably coupled to another support shaft, a DC gear motor and a counterbalancing device. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to a mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: HomeRun Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Richard Scott Hand, Darrin W. Brunk
  • Patent number: 8653767
    Abstract: The embodiment relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator. The method for controlling a refrigerator including: inputting an opening signal to open a selected door of a plurality of doors; rotating a driving motor to open a selected door; and opening the selected door by pushing the selected door of the plurality of doors by one of a plurality of push members by the rotation of the driving motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Myung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8643321
    Abstract: An operator ratchet mechanism for effecting reciproctable lateral movement if an element of a geared drive train in a door, gate or barrier operator. The operator ratchet mechanism can be utilized to cause disconnection between the geared drive train and an electric motor of the door gate or barrier operator to enable the door gate or barrier to me manually moved, and subsequent reconnection between the geared drive connection and electric motor. An embodiment of a tilt door operator which enables disconnection and reconnection between a geared drive train and an electric motor of the operator by effecting lateral displacement of an element of the geared drive train is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Smart Openers Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Leivenzon, Glenn Edward Fleming, Eric Peter Vellere
  • Patent number: 8635809
    Abstract: The invention specifies an anti-trapping device, comprising a motor for driving a pivotable actuating element of a motor vehicle, a sensor for contactlessly identifying an obstacle in the way of the actuating element with an electrode, which has a plurality of segments for producing an external electrical field with respect to a mating electrode and a control unit. The electrode extends in a radial direction with respect to the pivotable actuating element and is split in the radial direction into the plurality of segments, which can each be evaluated separately for the purpose of generating an interference signal. The control unit is designed to drive the motor as a function of an interference signal from one of the segments. Such an anti-trapping device has particularly high flexibility when driving the pivotable actuating element if an obstacle in the way of the pivotable actuating element has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller
  • Patent number: 8581530
    Abstract: The invention relates to a windscreen wiping device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one wiper, a wiper drive (1), an electronic control device (2) that controls the wiper drive (1), a first signal transmitter for capturing the angular position of the wiper, and a first control line (7) that can emit an angle position signal captured by the first signal transmitter to the control device (2). According to the invention, a second signal transmitter for capturing the angular displacement of the wiper is provided. A second control line (8) that can emit an angle modification signal captured by the second signal transmitter to the control device (2) is provided. Said claimed windscreen wiper device has the advantage that it has a permanent self-locking device for at least one wiper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Tisch
  • Patent number: 8476858
    Abstract: A refrigerator and a method for controlling the same are provided. In this refrigerator and control method, a receiving box may be automatically drawn in and out together with a door based on a movement command received at an input unit, thus enhancing user convenience and satisfaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Hwan Eom, Myung Keun Yoo, Hyoun Jeong Shin, Ok Sun Yu, Young Jin Kim, Seung Do Han