Method and system for controlling a movable barrier

• US 10,163,284 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NICE North America LLC
• Original Assignee: GTO Access Systems, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Kirkland, Matthew, Chiaravalloti, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/424,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20180225898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00357 and the lock having more than one limited data transmission ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method and system include monitoring to detect a crossing of a first geographic boundary and monitoring to detect a crossing of a second geographic boundary. When a crossing of the first geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary are detected in succession, a first barrier system response is initiated. In some examples, when a crossing of the third geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary are detected in succession, a second barrier system response is initiated.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method of operating a barrier control system for a stationary building based upon a detected crossing of a first geographic boundary, a second geographic boundary, and a third geographic boundary, the method comprising:

electronically monitoring sensor or transceiver information to detect a crossing of a first geographic boundary;

electronically monitoring sensor or transceiver information to detect a crossing of a second geographic boundary, the second geographic boundary being between the first geographic boundary and the third geographic boundary;

electronically monitoring sensor or transceiver information to detect a crossing of a third geographic boundary;

responsive to detection, using the processor, of a crossing of the first geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary in succession, electronically initiating a first barrier system response; and

responsive to detection, using the processor, of a crossing of the third geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary are detected in succession, electronically initiating a second barrier system response;

wherein the first barrier system response and second barrier response are both initiated responsive to detection of a crossing of the second geographic boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring to detect a crossing of a first geographic boundary includes monitoring to detect when a mobile device crosses a first geofence.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring to detect a crossing of a third geographic boundary includes monitoring a connection status between the mobile device and a local wireless signal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring to detect crossing of a second geographic boundary includes monitoring a physical sensor system and determining whether the physical sensor system satisfies a specified sensor activation criterion, or monitoring location monitoring information from the mobile device and detecting when the mobile device crosses a second geofence.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising electronically changing a location-monitoring feature when the mobile device connects to a known local wireless network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein changing a location-monitoring feature includes deactivating or reducing the use of a high-fidelity GPS feature when the mobile device connects to a known local wireless network.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising electronically switching from a high-fidelity location monitoring feature to a low fidelity location monitoring feature when the mobile device crosses a fourth geographic boundary that is beyond the first geographic boundary.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

activating an armed-for-arrival state when a crossing of the first geographic boundary is detected, wherein the first barrier system response is initiated responsive to detection of a crossing of the second geographic boundary when the armed-for-arrival state is active, and

activating an armed-for-departure state when a crossing of the third geographic boundary is detected, wherein the second system barrier response is initiated responsive to detection of a crossing of the second geographic boundary when the armed-for-departure state is active.

9. A barrier control system for a stationary building, the system comprising:

a motorized barrier operator configured to open and close a barrier;

a processor configured to send signals to the motorized barrier operator, the processor executing instructions to;

receive location information regarding a location of a mobile device;

determine from the location information when the mobile device crosses a first geographic boundary or a third geographic boundary, and determine when a second geographic boundary is crossed, the second geographic boundary being between the first geographic boundary and the third geographic boundary;

responsive to a determination that the first geographic boundary and the second geographic boundary are crossed in succession, send a command to the motorized barrier operator to initiate a first response; and

responsive to a determination that the third geographic boundary and the second geographic boundary are crossed in succession, send a command to the motorized barrier operator to initiate a second response;

wherein the first response and the second response are both initiated responsive to determination that the second geographic boundary has been crossed.

10. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive GPS information regarding the location of the mobile device, and one or more of the first geographic boundary, the second geographic boundary, and the third geographic boundary include a geofence.

11. The barrier control system of claim 9, further comprising a barrier controller, the barrier controller being in communication with the motorized barrier operator and the processor, the barrier controller configured to execute a command received from the processor to control the motorized barrier operator.

12. The barrier control system of claim 11, further comprising a physical sensor system, the barrier controller configured to receive activation information from the physical sensor system and convey the activation information to the processor, and wherein the instructions are configured to determine that the second geographic boundary was crossed using information received from the physical sensor system.

13. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are configured to detect a crossing of the third geographic boundary by monitoring a connection status between the mobile device and a local wireless signal.

14. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to change a location-monitoring feature when the mobile device connects to a known local wireless network.

15. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to switch from a high-fidelity location monitoring feature to a low fidelity location monitoring feature when the mobile device crosses a fourth geographic boundary that is beyond the first geographic boundary.

16. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the processor is a component of the mobile device.

17. The barrier control system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

activate an armed-for-arrival state when a crossing of the first geographic boundary is detected, and initiate the first response responsive to crossing of the second geographic boundary when the armed-for-arrival state is active, and

activate an armed-for-departure state when a crossing of the third geographic boundary is detected, and initiate the second response responsive to crossing of the second geographic boundary when the armed-for-departure state is active.

18. A barrier control system for a stationary building, the system comprising:

a motorized barrier operator configured to open and close a barrier;

a processor configured to send signals to the motorized barrier operator, the processor executing instructions to;

receive a notification that a mobile device crossed a first geographic boundary or a third geographic boundary,

receive a notification that a second geographic boundary is crossed, the second geographic boundary being between the first geographic boundary and the third geographic boundary;

responsive to receipt of successive notifications that indicate that the first geographic boundary and the second geographic boundary have been crossed in succession, send a command to the motorized barrier operator to initiate a first response; and

responsive to receipt of successive notifications that indicate that the third geographic boundary and the second geographic boundary have been crossed in succession, send a command to the motorized barrier operator to initiate a second response;

wherein the first response and second barrier response are both initiated responsive to receipt of a notification of a crossing of the second geographic boundary.

19. The barrier control system of claim 18, further comprising the mobile device, wherein the processor is executing instructions to receive from the mobile device the notification that the mobile device crossed the first geographic boundary or the third geographic boundary.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, causes the device to perform operations including:

monitoring to detect a crossing of a first geographic boundary;

monitoring to detect a crossing of a second geographic boundary, the second geographic boundary being between the first geographic boundary and the third geographic boundary;

monitoring to detect a crossing of a third geographic boundary;

responsive to detection of a crossing of the first geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary in succession, sending a command to a barrier operator to initiate a first barrier system response; and

responsive to detection of a crossing of the third geographic boundary and a crossing of the second geographic boundary in succession, sending a command to the barrier operator to initiate a second barrier system response;

wherein the first barrier system response and second barrier response are both initiated responsive to detection of a crossing of the second geographic boundary.