Motion control system for barrier drive
View Patent ↗A system for operating a barrier system such as a garage door, gate or fence. A DC motor is connected to and operates a barrier drive. A power amplifier is configured to receive power signals from a power supply and to output modulated DC signals to the DC motor. A controller implements an intelligent closed-loop motion control algorithm to control the power amplifier according to a non-linear motion profile. A feedback sensor provides status signals to the controller to determine position or speed of the barrier.
1. A barrier operator system comprising:
a barrier drive;
a motor connected to and operating the barrier drive;
a power amplifier that drives the motor;
a sensor that provides feedback in a form of position, direction or speed;
a controller with memory that stores a predetermined non-linear motion profile for the barrier drive, and that receives the feedback from the sensor and dynamically adjusts a control signal provided to the power amplifier according to the predetermined non-linear motion profile, wherein said motor, power amplifier, sensor and controller implement a closed-loop motion control algorithm to control the barrier drive according to the stored non-linear motion profile; and
an interface for user-initiated input,
wherein the non-linear motion profile comprises an opening motion profile comprising:
an initial over-voltage function to provide increased starting torque and quick acceleration of a barrier;
a slew function to provide movement at a highest operating speed of the motion profile to open the barrier; and
a concluding deceleration function to provide a soft stop of the barrier at the fully opened position.
2. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier drive is configured to drive a barrier selected from a group consisting of a garage door, a commercial door, a gate and a fence.
3. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is a DC motor, and
the power amplifier is coupled between the DC motor and the controller and is configured to receive power signals from a power source, to receive control signals from the controller, and to output modulated DC signals to power the DC motor.
4. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the modulated DC signals are selected from a group consisting of pulse width modulated signals, pulse height modulated signals, pulse frequency modulated signals, and combinations thereof.
5. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 3 , and further comprising a power source that is selected from a group consisting of an AC power line, a DC power source, a battery and combinations thereof.
6. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop motion control algorithm is selected from a group consisting of a PID algorithm, a self-tuning PID algorithm and a state space algorithm.
7. A barrier drive system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the position sensor comprises a quadrature encoder.
8. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising:
a speed sensor connected between the motor and the controller, the speed sensor relaying motor speed status signals to the controller.
9. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the speed sensor comprises a back electro-motive force sensing circuit.
10. A barrier operator system comprising:
a barrier drive;
a motor connected to and operating the barrier drive;
a power amplifier that drives the motor;
a sensor that provides feedback in a form of position, direction or speed;
a controller with memory that stores a predetermined non-linear motion profile for the barrier drive, and that receives the feedback from the sensor and dynamically adjusts a control signal provided to the power amplifier according to the predetermined non-linear motion profile, wherein said motor, power amplifier, sensor and controller implement a closed-loop motion control algorithm to control the barrier drive according to the stored non-linear motion profile; and
an interface for user-initiated input,
wherein the non-linear motion profile comprises a closing motion profile comprising:
an acceleration mode to overcome inertia of a barrier and accelerate movement of the barrier to a predetermined speed;
a slew function to provide movement at a highest operating speed of the motion profile to close the barrier; and
a concluding reverse voltage function to assist in stopping motion of the barrier at the fully closed position.
11. A barrier operator system comprising:
a barrier drive;
a motor connected to and operating the barrier drive;
a power amplifier and direction control circuit;
a sensor that provides feedback in a form of position, direction, speed; and
a controller with memory that stores a predetermined non-linear motion profile for the barrier drive, and that receives the feedback from the sensor and dynamically adjusts a control signal provided to the power amplifier according to the predetermined non-linear motion profile, wherein said motor, power amplifier, sensor and controller implement a closed-loop motion control algorithm to control the barrier drive according to the stored non-linear motion profile,
wherein the non-linear motion profile comprises an open motion profile segment for starting the movement of a barrier including an over-voltage mode for increased starting torque and quick acceleration, and a close motion profile segment for stopping movement of the barrier including a reverse voltage function to assist in stopping the barrier.
12. A barrier operator system comprising:
a DC motor connected to a barrier drive; and
a variable switching off-line power amplifier connected between the DC motor and a power source that controls the motor with pulse modulated signals,
wherein the off-line power amplifier lacks a front end transformer.
13. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 12 , and further comprising:
a controller that controls the variable switching off-line power amplifier according to a closed-loop motion control algorithm and that causes the barrier drive to operate in accordance with a non-linear motion profile.
14. A barrier operator system according to claim 13 , and further comprising:
a feedback sensor that provides feedback signals to the controller, the controller adjusting the non-linear motion profile based on the feedback signals.
15. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is a DC motor;
the power amplifier is a variable switching off-line power amplifier connected between the DC motor and a power source that controls the motor with pulse modulated signals; and
the off-line power amplifier lacks a front end transformer.
16. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:
the motor is a DC motor;
the power amplifier is a variable switching off-line power amplifier connected between the DC motor and a power source that controls the motor with pulse modulated signals; and
the off-line power amplifier lacks a front end transformer.
17. A barrier operator system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the motor is a DC motor;
the power amplifier is a variable switching off-line power amplifier connected between the DC motor and a power source that controls the motor with pulse modulated signals; and
the off-line power amplifier lacks a front end transformer.