Location Aware Barrier Operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018080280-A1
Application number	US-201715707289-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2017
Priority date	Sep 19, 2016
Publication date	Mar 22, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus controls the operation of multiple barriers at a common location. The apparatus includes a controller that determines which particular barrier operator among a group of several barrier operators should execute functionality based on certain operating conditions (e.g., location, speed, direction, orientation, etc.) relative to a controller or another component of the apparatus. In response to a user operating an interface in a manner intended to effect a barrier operator function, the apparatus causes the particular barrier operator to execute the function without affecting the other barrier operators among the group.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for controlling multiple movable barriers in a common area, the apparatus comprising a control apparatus comprising:
a memory device configured to store information corresponding to a plurality of movable barrier operators; a receiver configured to receive information indicative of a receiver location relative to the plurality of movable barrier operators; a user interface configured to receive a user input; a transmitter; and a processing device in operative communication with the memory device, the receiver, the user interface, and the transmitter, the processing device configured to:
determine a select movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the information indicative of the receiver location;
in response to the user interface receiving the user input at a first location for the receiver, effect transmission of a command to effect a function of the select movable barrier operator, the command having a feature that is unique to the select movable barrier operator so that another movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators receiving the command does not perform the function; and
in response to the user interface receiving the user input at a second location for the receiver different from the first location, effect transmission of a command to effect a function of a second select movable barrier operator based at least in part on the information indicative of the receiver location, the command having a feature that is unique to the second select movable barrier operator so that another movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators receiving the command does not perform the function of the second select movable barrier operator.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to determine a location of the transmitter relative to individual ones of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the information indicative of location of the receiver.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an orientation sensor configured to determine an orientation of the control apparatus; wherein the processing device is in operative communication with the orientation sensor and is further configured to determine the select movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the orientation of the control apparatus.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a direction sensor configured to determine a direction of movement of the control apparatus; wherein the processing device is in operative communication with the direction sensor and is further configured to determine the select movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the direction of movement of the control apparatus.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion sensor configured to determine a motion of the control apparatus; wherein the processing device is in operative communication with the motion sensor and is further configured to determine the select movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the motion of the control apparatus.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory device is configured to store the information corresponding to the plurality of movable barrier operators, the information including a plurality of commands, wherein the command to effect the function of the select movable barrier operator is selected from the plurality of commands, and wherein the selected command corresponds to the select movable barrier operator.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a housing, wherein the receiver is substantially within the housing.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is substantially within the housing.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is external to the housing and remote from the receiver.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transmitter is external to the housing and remote from the receiver.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display information pertaining to the select movable barrier.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the command to effect the function of the select movable barrier operator comprises a command to control at least one device associated with the select movable barrier operator, the at least one device selected from the group consisting of:
a movable barrier, a photoeye, a safety edge, a light, a lighting control, a dock leveler, a trailer lock, a controlled power outlet, a camera, an edge guard, a dock seal, a dock bumper, a microwave sensor, an area optical detector, and a loop detector.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the plurality of movable barrier operators; and a plurality of positioning devices, each of the plurality of positioning devices comprising a positioning transmitter configured to transmit a signal; wherein the receiver of the control apparatus is configured to receive the signals transmitted by the positioning transmitters of the plurality of positioning devices, the signals comprising information indicative of the receiver location.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of positioning devices further comprises a display configured to provide a visual indication of a status of the select movable barrier operator.

15 . A method for operating a movable barrier among multiple movable barriers in a common area, the method comprising:
storing at a memory device information corresponding to a plurality of movable barrier operators; receiving at a receiver information indicative of a location of the receiver relative to the plurality of movable barrier operators; receiving a user input at a user interface; determining, with a processing device, a select movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators based at least in part on the information indicative of the location of the receiver; transmitting a command to the select movable barrier operator to effect a function of the select movable barrier operator in response to the user interface receiving the user input at a first location of the receiver, the command having a feature that is unique to the select movable barrier operator so that another movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators receiving the command does not perform the function; and transmitting a second command to a second select movable barrier operator to effect a function of the second select movable barrier operator in response to the user interface receiving the user input at a second location of the receiver different from the first location, the second command having a feature that is unique to the second select movable barrier operator so that another movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators receiving the command does not perform the function of the second select movable barrier operator.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
transmitting a plurality of signals from a plurality of positioning devices.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a control apparatus includes the receiver and the method further comprises:
determining an orientation of the control apparatus; wherein determining the select movable barrier operator of the plur

Assignees

• Chamberlain Group Inc

Inventors

• Bodurka Alex
• Cate Casparus
• Karasek Mark L

Classifications

• E06B2009/6809

  Control · CPC title

• E06B2009/6845

  sensing position · CPC title

• E05Y2900/106

  for garages · CPC title

• E06B9/68 Primary

  Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive · CPC title

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title