Kinematic control system for an automatic sliding panel

1. A kinematic control system for an automatic sliding panel, comprising:

a slide and rail assembly comprising a frame defining an opening, a jamb positioned opposite the frame, and a sliding panel operatively engaged within the opening of the frame;

a motor in operative communication with the sliding panel for controlling movement of the sliding panel;

a first sensor positioned along an interior side of the frame, the first sensor defining a first field of view;

a second sensor positioned along an exterior side of the frame opposite the interior side, the second sensor defining a second field of view, the first sensor and the second sensor comprising time of flight sensors, at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor measuring a distance to an object; and

a microprocessor in operative communication with the first sensor, the second sensor, and with the motor for controlling operation of the sliding panel based on data associated with the object as generated by the first sensor and the second sensor,

wherein the data associated with the object comprises changes in the distance to the object measured by the at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, and

wherein the microprocessor controls the operation of the sliding panel to move in a particular direction by determining the particular direction of motion associated with the object based on the changes in the distance to the object.

2. The kinematic control system of claim 1 , wherein the first field of view and the second field of view terminate outside the jamb.

3. The kinematic control system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to distinguish between a gesture and a person walking between the jamb and the frame.

4. The kinematic control system of claim 1 , wherein the jamb includes a reflective component for improving computation of a measurement of a distance to the jamb from the first sensor or the second sensor.

5. The kinematic control system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor detect whether either of the first field of view or the second field of view have been interrupted by the object by comparing a measured distance of the object relative to the first sensor or the second sensor with a jamb distance, the jamb distance defining the distance to the jamb from the first sensor or the second sensor.

6. A kinematic control system for controlling a sliding panel, comprising:

a first sensor configured for a first side of a frame, the first sensor defining a first field of view;

a second sensor configured for a second side of the frame, the second sensor defining a second field of view; and

a processor in operative communication with the first sensor and the second sensor for generating instructions for operation of the sliding panel based on data associated with an object as generated by the first sensor or the second sensor, wherein the data associated with the object indicates a particular direction of motion associated with the object, and the instructions for operation of the sliding panel cause the sliding panel to move in the same direction as the particular direction of motion associated with the object.

7. The kinematic control system of claim 6 , wherein the object includes a hand or a body.

8. The kinematic control system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to modify the first field of view or the second field of view programmatically by transmitting instructions to the first sensor or the second sensor.

9. The kinematic control system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a motor including an encoder for providing feedback to the processor, the encoder providing feedback for servo positioning and further providing a position of the sliding panel.

10. A system for kinematic control associated with a barrier, comprising:

a sliding panel;

a motor in operative communication with the sliding panel for driving movement of the sliding panel;

a time of flight sensor positioned proximate to the sliding panel for generating measurements including distance based upon data associated with transmission of a light relative to an object; and

a processor in operative communication with the motor and the time of flight sensor for controlling operation of the sliding panel, the processor being configured to control a position of the sliding panel relative to a frame based on the data,

wherein the position of the sliding panel is determined by the processor based on changes to the measurements generated by the time of flight sensor.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the measurements include a position associated with a limb of a user relative to the frame.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the measurements include distances associated with the limb moving in a first lateral direction relative to the frame.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the measurements include distances associated with movement of the limb along a second lateral direction that is opposite to the first lateral direction that the processor interprets in order to control the motor to move the sliding panel to a fully open position.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first and second lateral directions are in parallel relation or in-line with the movement of the sliding panel.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein motion of the limb in a perpendicular direction away from the sliding panel terminates movement of the sliding panel.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to access a plurality of measurements from the time of flight sensor based on the transmission of the light, temporarily store the plurality of measurements within a buffer, and identify one or more gestures of the limb based upon the plurality of measurements.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor controls the motor to cause a predetermined movement of the sliding panel based on a corresponding predetermined gesture of the one or more gestures.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the one or more gestures by comparing the plurality of measurements to pre-calculated constants associated with the sliding panel and the frame.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the time of flight sensor generates a reading defining a range from the time of flight sensor to a target.