Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
  • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
  • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
  • E06B9/56—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor
  • E06B9/68—Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
  • G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
  • G05B19/04—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers
  • G05B19/042—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers using digital processors
  • G05B19/0426—Programming the control sequence
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/20—Pc systems
  • G05B2219/23—Pc programming
  • G05B2219/23363—Barcode
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/20—Pc systems
  • G05B2219/26—Pc applications
  • G05B2219/2653—Roller blind, shutter, sunshade

Definitions

• the invention refers to a method for entering data or programming codes into an actuation control device for roll-up shutters or barriers, the device implementing the method and a data medium cooperating with the device.
• radio transmitters for controlling automatisms or groups of automatisms for roller shutters and awnings.
• group is used to describe a set of automatisms always actuated together (for example a series of curtains).
• Radio transmitters are generally divided into two categories.
• the first category there are control transmitters having a number of buttons equivalent to the number of controllable channels (generally 1 - 4) with limited programming possibilities (copying a code, memorising a value, etc.), used solely for controlling the actuation of an automation (opening or closing gates and garage doors, curtains and roller shutters,). It is easily deducible that the limited number of buttons available makes any programming procedure long, complicated, articulated and limited.
• the second category is made up of control transmitters having a larger number of buttons alongside display means (luminous LEDs or graphical display). Simultaneous use of buttons and display means allows an easier, but not yet ideal, programming and definition of the automation settings even in presence of complex procedures.
• This second category of transmitters are smart units that allow managing and controlling various functions of the automatisms according to a daily, weekly or monthly, schedule, i.e. it is possible to programme an action, or specific activity (opening or closing roller shutters, raising and lowering curtains, managing rain, wind or sun sensors, timers, etc.) at a given time of a given day.
• Commands are sent to a single drive or a group.
• Definition of the composition of the groups occurs during the installation step, wherein the respective radio codes are memorised, according to specific requirements of the user.
• Fig. 1 shows a known transmitter 10 of the second category, provided with a display 12 and buttons 14.
• the display 12 shows, often by means of a menu, all the information required by the user, who enters data, commands and settings through the buttons 14, according to programming procedures preset by the manufacturer.
• An object of the present invention is providing a programming method and respective transmitter device of the abovementioned type, which implements the method, allowing an easy entry of the sequence of programmable commands/data/settings.
• Another object is generally that of facilitating entry of information into the device. Another object is that of providing an efficient method for recalling settings and data already memorised in the automation.
• Another object is that of creating an efficient code capable of summarising all the settings executed, readable and interpretable by another device.
• Such objects are attained by means of a method for entering programming oi ⁇ configuration data or codes or functional parameters into a programmable control device or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, characterised by
• the external medium for example may be generated directly by a reader device of the medium (see below) or be an independent unit.
• data and codes are encoded in unalterable form.
• data or codes may be read and/or acquired (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in records or (iii) in a data structure.
• a device of the invention that implements the method is a programmable control device and/or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, the device being adapted to memorise, and/or send to another remote device, programming or configuration codes or data or functional parameters regarding the actuation system, characterised in that it comprises means for acquiring said data or codes through recognition or loading encoded information present in a medium outside the device.
• the device is automatically capable of reading the data required for programming and configuration thereof.
• the user is just required to select a medium containing the desired encoded information and interact it with the acquisition means of the device, through which the information is extracted, decoded and for example orderly transferred into a memory. It is clear that all operations regarding entering and transferring information and data are carried out by the device and no longer manually, obtaining the advantage of saving considerable time and eliminating data/information entry errors. All that is required is to foresee a suitable number of media capable of providing a wide range of data/information to save the user at least the most complicated and long entry procedures (timed sequence of pressing remote control buttons).
• Acquisition means may for example be:
• - optical reading means such as a laser beam or infrared reader (for a medium with a barcode), or visual or graphical information sensor, for example capable of acquiring from the medium, for example a photo or even a graphical file, an image, process it, or decompose it into pixels and extract decoded information therefrom, such as for example a CCD sensor, - a transponder reader (in this case the transponder medium interacts through magnetic field);
• - means for generating a medium outside the device which includes - in encoded form - information readable afterwards by the device itself and containing said data or codes, for example a barcode printer, a numeric sequence or a transponder programmer, an eprom programmer;
• - means for saving - on a medium or mass-memory outside the device in encoded form - information containing said data or codes and readable afterwards by the device itself, or another compatible device, for example a USB port for transferring data to a USB flash drive or a Hard Disk.
• the data itself may be subsequently reloaded from the external medium.
• data or codes are organised in blocks, records or database. Therefore, making said acquisition means suitable to load or read said data or codes from the external medium in blocks or organised in records or data structures (database or dedicated data structure), allows quick and simultaneous transfer of a lot of data or information, to a point that one medium alone may contain encoded information regarding the entire or most of the internal configuration of the device. For example time planning, end-of-travel values and levels of rain, wind and sun, type of application and operating conditions etc may be encoded together in a block or record.
• the invention regards a data medium outside the device containing programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters regarding the actuation system readable or scannable by the device of the invention.
• the external medium contains information readable through optical reading (for example a barcode, an image), or electromagnetic waves in general (for example a transponder).
• the external medium memorises or contains data or codes (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in record or (iii) in a dedicated data structure.
• figure 1 shows a known device
• FIG. 3 and 4 show possible barcodes for the device of fig. 2;
• figure 5 shows a table of codes to be used according to a method of the invention for the time programming of an actuation system
• figure 6 shows a barcode which encodes parameters/codes/data/settings of a group of drives.
• a device according to the invention is indicated with 20, and it comprises an external plastic casing mounted exposed on which is a display 22 and a keypad 24.
• the display 22 shows information to the user and the keypad 24 serves for entering commands.
• a slit 30 which provides light to an underlying optical sensor 32.
• the sensor 32 is capable of reading, through known techniques, a barcode approached close to the slit 30.
• the slit 30 and the sensor 32 are preferably arranged in the most suitable position, i.e. more easily useable by the end user. For example they may be arranged on the or in the lateral surface 62 of the device 20, otherwise on or in its rear surface, in a position opposite to the display 22 and keypad 24.
• codes are observable in figs. 3 and 4, indicated with reference 40, 50.
• Each code may encode a given command or determined information to be entered into the device 20.
• a plurality of codes may encode each day of the week, each 24 th hour of the day, and the hour fractions (for example every 10 minutes).
• the code corresponding to the desired time and day so that the device 20 acquires the respective time data, without having to enter it through a long procedure using the keypad 24.
• the same may be achieved for example by encoding the commands for closing/opening the roll-up shutter or gate (to be combined with the time information), stop element references, level of the sun, wind, or rain. There are no limits regarding the type of information encodable.
• fig. 5 shows a table 90, that could be a page of an instructions manual, containing a pre-ordered series of codes, such as for example the programming "start” or “end” code, the day code, the time code (H) and the hour fraction code (M).
• a pre-ordered series of codes such as for example the programming "start” or "end” code, the day code, the time code (H) and the hour fraction code (M).
• the device according to the invention may be advantageously and simply obtained with only one sensor 32 and only one button 24, used for commanding an automation and for confirming the command read by the sensor 32.
• the sensor 32 may be integrated into any structure or accessory of an automation for gates, doors, main entrances, rolling shutters and curtains, and also used for "reading" an installing command.
• the sensor 32 may be integrated into the structure of a geared motor and used to read a barcode, whose information is a command that recalls a particular configuration already present in the memory (for example it can recall a configuration for residential use wherein the sensitivity for detecting the obstacle is maximum, due to the presence of children, while the provided pair is minimum.
• the configuration is different in case of industrial use).
• peripheral devices for example pairs of photocells, may have a sensor 32 integrated. Should they be associated to the abovementioned geared motor it is advantageous that reading the same barcode, they internally recall a functionally corresponding configuration.
• the code, barcode or any other type of code, summarising the configuration adopted by the configuration is very useful in cases where a further accessory such as a remote control, a safety device or any other accessory is to be added to the existing automation.
• the anti-break-in sensor reads the summary barcode and it is active.
• the reading of the summary code allows configuring the automatic time activation or deactivation commands, activating the entire or only part of the alarm system and acquires the parameters of the central system with which it is to interact.
• the barcode is modular, i.e. with several adjacent code
• strips the number of parameters to be configured and/or entered can be multiplied. For example, should one want to configure a device whose list of parameters is as follows:
• the parameters of the example have a different bit length (some may be represented by 8 bits, others by 16 bits, some are booleans and require only 1 bit). The list of parameters totally requires 44 bits in length. Encoding "39" is selected to encode or
• the size of the symbol depends on the thickness of the module and the printing ratio.
• the height of the bars depends on the application field. The minimum height for use of electronic pens or CCD readers, to facilitate reading, is preferably 6.5 mm or 15% of the length of the code. When using laser or scanner guns instead, the height of the bars shall be preferably at least 20 mm or 20% of the width of the symbol. The lowest nominal thickness of the module is 0.19 mm, for high density print codes.
• the printing ratio may vary for example in the range between 2: 1 - 3: 1, reduced to 2.25: 1 - 3: 1 in case the thickness of the module is lower than 0.5 mm.
• the inter-character space usually has the thickness of a module, but it can be wider, up to three times as much.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Operating, Guiding And Securing Of Roll- Type Closing Members (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-08-06 WO PCT/IB2009/053421 patent/WO2011015901A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-08-06 EP EP09736675A patent/EP2462302A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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