Sensor intended to be positioned on a mobile portion of a deployable structure, and to emit an information signal to a transmission unit intended to be positioned on a fixed portion of the deployable structure, such that the sensor comprises a wireless emitter/receiver configured to receive an incident signal originating from the transmitting unit when the deployable structure is in a folded position; a processing logic unit adapted to decide on the emission of the information signal to the transmission unit by the wireless emitter/receiver; a standalone energy source configured to power the processing logic unit.

The current invention is related to designing an automatic awning. It is used to protect the vehicle or the persons desiring to sit outside during the daytime from the sun and its heat. It includes only one pillar fixed to the ground or on a fixed wall (FIG. 2). This pillar contains the closed awning inside. The pillar contains also a motor with a chain to push the awning making it go out smoothly (FIG. 3) from the pillar and turn into a cross-rail (FIG. 4). Then, the awning is opened containing two awnings fixed to the cross-rail. Each awning is opened against the other direction of the other one. Each awning folded in a cylindrical shape contains its special fabric and arm with a tie rod. It has a spring and a chain set up in a special way to be very specific in pushing force out. It is fixed to the cylinder and the fabric to open the fabric awning (FIG. 5). There is a motor inside the cylinder. It pulls and closes the fabric by wrapping around the cylinder. Each awning is spread horizontally in a reverse direction to give the desired shade (FIG. 6). The sizes of the awning vary according to the size of the required shade, as it is enlarged to increase the desired shade, and vice versa. There are three sensors in each awning. One of them is the sun sensor to be opened at daytime and closed at night, the wind sensor that closes in case of strong winds and a sensor of radio frequency (RFID) attached to the designated vehicle to be opened in case of proximity and closed in case of being away. The awning is opened either by pressing the remote-control button, and this is a manual option, and there is an automatic option. It is through a barcode reader, the sensor of radio frequency (RFID), in a card set inside the vehicle linked to the awning. When the vehicle is parked under the awning, it is automatically opened in case of the sunny weather. The process of closing the awning is done either manually by remote control or automatically in the following cases; when the vehicle moves away from its place and the awning, also in case of the absence of the sun, and also in the case of the fast wind.

Methods and apparatus to control architectural opening covering assemblies are disclosed herein. An architectural covering assembly including an architectural covering; a tube to which the architectural covering is coupled; a manual controller operatively coupled to the tube to rotate the tube; a motor including a motor housing and a motor shaft; and a clutch assembly including a clutch and a clutch housing in which the clutch is disposed, the motor shaft coupled to the clutch and the clutch coupled to the manual controller to hold the motor shaft substantially stationary when the architectural covering is moved under an influence of the motor to cause the motor housing to rotate with the clutch housing and the tube.

An example apparatus includes a sensor to detect a lateral edge of a door curtain within a guide of a door, and a controller to identify when the door curtain transitions from an operational state to a breakaway state based on a signal from the sensor, the operational state corresponding to when the lateral edge of the door curtain is enclosed by the guide as the door curtain moves between open and closed positions, and the breakaway state corresponding to when a portion of the lateral edge of the door curtain below an upper end of the guide breaks away from the guide.

Sunshading louver control system and method based on gesture recognition are provided. Indoor images are collected in real time. Based on the indoor images, an action region of gesture motion is positioned and feature extraction is performed thereon to obtain hand motion parameters. The hand motion parameters are analyzed to obtain gesture information. The gesture information is compared with preset gesture information. When the preset gesture information contains the gesture information, corresponding adjustment is performed on a sunshading louver according to a preset operation logic corresponding to the gesture information. When the preset gesture information does not contain the gesture information, the gesture information is determined to be invalid. The lifting and rotation angles of the louver can be automatically controlled according to various gestures of indoor personnel, thereby rapidly realizing regulation of indoor illumination and natural ventilation quantity, and meeting the change of personnel's demand for indoor environment.

A motor-operated drive system for a window covering system including a headrail, a mechanism associated with the headrail to spread and retract the window covering, and a continuous cord loop extending below the headrail for actuating the mechanism to spread and retract the window covering. The drive system includes a motor, a driven wheel that engages and advances the continuous cord loop, and a coupling mechanism for coupling the driven wheel to a rotating output shaft of the motor for rotation of the driven wheel. The drive system includes a channel system for redirecting the continuous cord loop engaged by the driven wheel, or other mechanism for configuring the drive system so that continuous cord loop extends in a substantially vertical orientation. The coupling mechanism includes an engaged configuration in which rotation of the output shaft of the motor causes rotation of the driven wheel, and a disengaged configuration.

Methods and systems for controlling tintable windows based on cloud detection.

A self-contained solar powered awning system includes a mounting bracket and an awning unit secured to the mounting bracket and housing a motor. The awning unit includes an awning displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position. A solar cell housing assembly secured to the mounting bracket includes a solar panel, a controller communicating with the solar panel, and one or more rechargeable batteries. The solar panel is connected to the one or more rechargeable batteries to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries, and the motor is configured to displace the awning between the retracted position and the extended position and is operable with power from the one or more rechargeable batteries.

In example implementations, a method is provided. The method includes determining, by a processor, that a vehicle is approaching a door of a building based on a velocity vector of the vehicle, calculating, by the processor, a time of arrival of the vehicle at the door based on the velocity vector of the vehicle and a distance of the vehicle from the door, and controlling, by the processor, the door to begin opening at a time based on the time of arrival and an amount of time for the door to open such that the door is opened when the vehicle arrives at the door.

This invention relates to an apparatus for vertically closing an opening, the apparatus comprising a fixed element attached to a surface and placed above an opening such as a window, doorway, or the like. The apparatus further comprising a roller connected to said fixed element, a shielding element attached to the roller, the shielding element being adapted to be wound on and unwound from the roller. The apparatus further comprising a number of sensor arrangements and a condition monitoring device configured to receive data from at least one of the number of sensor arrangements and to directly or indirectly compare the data with reference data such that a service need and/or a safety issue can be identified.