Method and apparatus for controlling a movable barrier system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11795754-B2
Application number	US-201313941519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2013
Priority date	Jul 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method conducted by a movable barrier gateway device is disclosed for controlling a movable barrier, comprising receiving, by a communication interface, a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier, the remote command sent over a network, delaying transmission of a signal to a movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier, by a processor, for a predetermined time period after the remote command is received, detecting movement of the movable barrier within the predetermined time period by a barrier movement detector, and ignoring the remote command by the processor in response to detecting movement of the movable barrier within the predetermined time period.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for controlling a movable barrier, comprising:
receiving, by a receiver of a movable barrier gateway device, a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier;
in response to the movable barrier gateway device receiving the remote command from the remote control device, causing the movable barrier gateway device to:
start a measure of a predetermined period of time; and
monitor a barrier movement detector to determine if the movable barrier is caused to be moved; and
providing, by a transmitting device of the movable barrier gateway device, a signal to a movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier in accordance with the remote command received from the remote control device after an expiration of the measure of the predetermined period of time only when it is determined that the movable barrier was not caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the barrier movement detector detects whether an electric motor used to move the movable barrier has been activated.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the transmitting device of the movable barrier gateway device, to the movable barrier controller an imminent motion signal for causing the movable barrier controller to generate an imminent motion alert in response to the movable barrier gateway device receiving the remote command from the remote control device.

3. A method for controlling a movable barrier, comprising:
receiving, by a receiver of a movable barrier gateway device, a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier;
in response to the movable barrier gateway device receiving the remote command from the remote control device, causing the movable barrier gateway device to:
start a measure of a predetermined period of time; and
monitor a barrier movement detector to determine if the movable barrier is caused to be moved; and
providing, by a transmitting device of the movable barrier gateway device, a signal to a movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier in accordance with the remote command received from the remote control device after an expiration of the measure of the predetermined period of time only when it is determined that the movable barrier was not caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the barrier movement detector detects whether the electric motor is drawing current that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. A system for remotely controlling a movable barrier, comprising:
a barrier movement detection device for monitoring movement of the movable barrier; and
a movable barrier gateway device, comprising;
a communication interface for receiving a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier;
a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;
a signal output connection coupled to a movable barrier controller for providing a signal to the movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier; and
a processor, coupled to the communication interface, the memory, and the signal output connection, for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the movable barrier gateway device to:
receive the remote command over the communication interface;
in response to receiving the remote command, start a measure of a predetermined period of time and monitor the barrier movement detection device to determine if the movable barrier is caused to be moved;
provide the signal to the movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier after an expiration of the measure of the predetermined period of time only when it is determined that the movable barrier was not caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the barrier movement detection device is configured to detect when an electric motor used to move the movable barrier has been activated.

5. A system for remotely controlling a movable barrier, comprising:
a barrier movement detection device for monitoring movement of the movable barrier; and
a movable barrier gateway device, comprising;
a communication interface for receiving a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier;
a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;
a signal output connection coupled to a movable barrier controller for providing a signal to the movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier; and
a processor, coupled to the communication interface, the memory, and the signal output connection, for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the movable barrier gateway device to:
receive the remote command over the communication interface;
in response to receiving the remote command, start a measure of a predetermined period of time and monitor the barrier movement detection device to determine if the movable barrier is caused to be moved;
provide the signal to the movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier after an expiration of the measure of the predetermined period of time only when it is determined that the movable barrier was not caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the barrier movement detection device comprises a current detector that senses current flowing through the electric motor.

6. A method for controlling a movable barrier, comprising:
receiving, by a receiver of a movable barrier gateway device, a remote command from a remote control device to move the movable barrier;
in response to the movable barrier gateway device receiving the remote command from the remote control device, causing the movable barrier gateway device to:
start a measure of a predetermined period of time; and
monitor a barrier movement detector to determine if the movable barrier is caused to be moved; and
in response to the barrier movement detector determining the movable barrier is caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time, stopping the measure of the predetermined period of time and stopping the moveable barrier gateway device from providing, by a transmitting device of the movable barrier gateway device, a signal to a movable barrier controller to move the movable barrier in accordance with the remote command received from the remote control device, thereby ignoring or canceling the remote command.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the barrier movement detector detects whether an electric motor used to move the movable barrier has been activated.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the barrier movement detection device comprises a current detector that senses current flowing through the electric motor.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the barrier movement detector detects a vibration.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the barrier movement detector detects a change in orientation of the movable barrier.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transmitting, by a further transmitter of the movable barrier gateway device, a message to the remote control device indicating that the remote command has been ignored by the movable barrier gateway device when it is determined that the movable barrier is caused to be moved during the measure of the predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating, by an alert device of the movable barrier gateway device, an imminent motion alert in response to the movable barrier gateway device receiving the remote command from the remote control device.

Assignees

• Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc

Inventors

• Lamb Michael
• Bailey Michael
• Stone Jay
• Petrucci Carlo

Classifications

• E05F15/77 Primary

  using wireless control · CPC title

• E05F15/79

  using time control · CPC title