Movable barrier operator configured for remote actuation

• US 10,186,097 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elika Access Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Elika Access Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Tehranchi, Ali, Karimi, Pezhman, Perez, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US15/066,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 340 561
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• 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 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention is generally a movable barrier operator configured for remote actuation, and more specifically, to a movable barrier operator configured to generate a barrier command in response to an authorized mobile device joining wireless network. The authorization may be established by connecting the mobile device to the operator through a wireless communication means. The wireless communication means may include known protocols such as Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi, NFC, ZigBee™, or any other type of wireless communication.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device for operating a movable barrier, comprising:

detecting a communication initiated by a movable barrier operator, the communication including an invitation from the movable barrier operator for the mobile device to join a local wireless network of the movable barrier operator, whenever the mobile device is within a programmable proximity of the movable barrier;

launching an application, in response to the invitation, requesting a user input associated with actuation of the movable barrier;

sending an access request in response to receiving the user input; and

joining the local wireless network, wherein joining the local wireless network causes the movable barrier operator to automatically generate a movable barrier actuation command for moving the movable barrier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting the user input includes a request for authenticating the user of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the invitation from the movable barrier operator includes an instruction to automatically launch the application on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a predefined distance of the movable barrier to the mobile device using received signal strength indication (RSSI) in order to send the access request to the movable barrier operator at the predefined distance from the movable barrier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing communication with the movable barrier operator; and

fetching historical data associated with the mobile device every time the mobile device joins the local wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via a display of the mobile device, historical data concerning times during which the mobile device has accessed the movable barrier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing communication with the movable barrier operator; and

accessing settings options concerning management of a database of the movable barrier operator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein joining the local wireless network comprises joining a wireless personal area network of the movable barrier operator that utilizes the ZIGBEE protocol, the BLUETOOTH protocol, or the WI-FI protocol to communicate with the mobile device.

9. A method performed by an operator for operating a lockable barrier, comprising:

sending a communication initiated by the movable barrier operator, the communication including an invitation from the movable barrier operator to a mobile device to join a local wireless network of the movable barrier operator, wherein the invitation triggers instructions for launching an application on the mobile device;

receiving an access request accepting the invitation to join the local wireless network from the mobile device;

authorizing the mobile device to joined the local network;

detecting whether the mobile device has joined the local wireless network; and

automatically generating a movable barrier command in response to the mobile device joining the local wireless network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the access requests includes a unique identifier associated with an authorized user of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving from the mobile device user input comprising user credentials to confirm the identity of the authorized user prior to authorizing the mobile device to join the local wireless network.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending a request to the mobile device for user input comprising user credentials to confirm the identity of the authorized user; and

receiving the user credentials to confirm the identity of the authorized user prior to authorizing the mobile device to join the local wireless network.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining the distance of the vehicle to the movable barrier using received signal strength indication (RSSI).

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

accessing a database to match the unique identifier with user credentials to authenticate the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein accessing the database includes:

retrieving one or more sets of temporary user identification codes associated with one or more mobile devices with a temporary authorization to access the movable barrier.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether to allow the mobile device to join the local wireless network based on user permissions associated with the unique identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user permissions include a time designation during which the mobile device associated with the unique identifier may access the movable barrier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a user interface for managing the database.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a user interface for accessing historical data concerning times during which the mobile device has accessed the movable barrier.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

accessing a server in communication with the movable barrier operator, the server for managing the database.