A door sensor may include one or more emitters configured to emit an emission beam comprising IR light during an emitting phase. The door sensor may further include one or more receptors configured to receive a reception beam comprising the IR light reflected off of a surface during a listening phase and an interference beam from an adjacent door sensor. The door sensor may further include a controller operatively coupled to a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: determine one or more of the frequency and phase of the interference beam; determine whether the door sensor should be primary or secondary to the adjacent door sensor; and adjust a timing of one or more of the emitting phase and the listening phase to reduce interference from the adjacent door sensor.

A dual sensor module for a garage door opener is provided. Embodiments of the dual sensor module include a plurality of input terminals for at least two sensors configured to detect an object in a path of a garage door. There is an output terminal for providing a signal to a motor control unit for the garage door opener wherein the signal prevents the garage door from closing when the object is in the path of the garage door.

A method is provided, including providing an accelerometer responsive to motion of a closure forming part of an automatic closure system, providing an output of the accelerometer to first and second comparator circuits, the first comparator circuit having a first reference voltage such that the output of the first comparator circuit is indicative of a direction of closure motion and the second comparator circuit having an adjustable second reference voltage such that the output of the second comparator circuit is scaled relative to this adjustable second reference voltage to adjust the sensitivity of the output of the second comparator, providing a microcontroller coupled to the first and second comparator circuits, the microcontroller determining both a motion sequence of the closure and whether the closure has impacted an object, and providing an interface circuit for communicating the output from the microcontroller to a remote controller circuit.

A modular garage door opener system and method including a garage door opener having a motor that is configured to be coupled to a garage door to open and close the garage door. The garage door opener includes a first accessory port including a first accessory mounting interface and a second accessory port disposed on the garage door opener including a second accessory mounting interface. An accessory device including a first mounting interface engages the first accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the first accessory port. The accessory device may be disengaged from the first accessory mounting interface and then engage the second accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the second accessory port. Additionally, a second accessory device may engage the first accessory port after disengagement of the accessory device.

There is disclosed an automatic door installation 100 configured to determine the presence of an obstacle 150 in one or more detection zones remote from a door opening, comprising: at least a first door 104 slidable in a door opening along a horizontal door axis from an open configuration to a closed configuration during a door closing operation; a plurality of transmitter-receiver pairs, each transmitter-receiver pair comprising: a transmitter 116 for transmitting a beam 140 and a receiver 118 for receiving a reflection of the beam, wherein one of the transmitter 116 and the receiver 118 is coupled to the first door so that, in use, the transmitter and receiver move closer together during the door closing operation; wherein the transmitter 116 defines a transmitter axis 120 corresponding to the optical axis of the beam; wherein the receiver 118 has a field of view 142 for receiving the beam, which is oriented around a receiver axis; and wherein the transmitter axis 120 and the receiver axis 122 are configured so that the beam and the field of view overlap to define a detection zone for the transmitter-receiver pair in at least one operational configuration of the door installation. At least one of the transmitter axis 120 and the receiver axis 122 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and the transmitter 116 is vertically spaced apart from the receiver 118.

An opening/closing body drive device includes a drive mechanism that moves an opening/closing body between an opening position and a closing position relative to a frame portion having an opening, a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism, a light source unit including a light emitting element emitting a non-visible light and radiating the non-visible light to a detection line formed of a retroreflective material along at least a part of the frame portion, and a camera including an incident lens into which the non-visible light radiated from the light source unit and reflected by the detection line enters. The incident lens is formed non-circular by cutting off an end of the incident lens when viewed in an optical axis direction thereof, and at least a part of the light source unit is arranged in a region where the end is cut off.

A door sensor may include one or more emitters configured to emit an emission beam comprising IR light during an emitting phase. The door sensor may further include one or more receptors configured to receive a reception beam comprising the IR light reflected off of a surface during a listening phase and an interference beam from an adjacent door sensor. The door sensor may further include a controller operatively coupled to a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: determine one or more of the frequency and phase of the interference beam; determine whether the door sensor should be primary or secondary to the adjacent door sensor; and adjust a timing of one or more of the emitting phase and the listening phase to reduce interference from the adjacent door sensor.

A method for determining a position of a door in a door system having a rail guiding a movable door element (50) of the door and a sensor element (10) for detecting movement of the door element along a free movement path of the door element (50), involves detecting a state of the sensor element (10) as the door element is moved to and fro. A door control determines the door changes in the state based on the position of the sensor element (10).

A modular garage door opener system and method including a garage door opener having a motor that is configured to be coupled to a garage door to open and close the garage door. The garage door opener includes a first accessory port including a first accessory mounting interface and a second accessory port disposed on the garage door opener including a second accessory mounting interface. An accessory device including a first mounting interface engages the first accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the first accessory port. The accessory device may be disengaged from the first accessory mounting interface and then engage the second accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the second accessory port. Additionally, a second accessory device may engage the first accessory port after disengagement of the accessory device.

For controlling a door driven by a motor, in particular a sliding door, the capacitances of at least two capacitive sensor electrodes arranged on a front surface of a door panel of the door are determined independently from one another with regard to a common reference potential, preferably a ground potential. If a change of capacitance for at least one of the sensor electrodes in comparison with at least one further sensor electrode is determined, a signal to stop the motor is generated.