System and method for remotely controlling and determining a status of a barrier

• US 10,246,930 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lickfelt, Brian K., Lamm, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US15/713,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20190048647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 340 571
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/02 Small garages, e.g. for one or two cars attached to, or supported by, the vehicle B62D
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/42 Devices or arrangements peculiar to garages, not covered elsewhere, e.g. securing devices, safety devices , monitoring and operating schemes; centering devices
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/763 using acoustical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/767 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/818 with visual display
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/426 against unauthorised use E05Y2400/51, E05Y2400/522 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/40 for gates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system and method for remotely controlling and determining a status of a barrier that include determining that a vehicle is parked at a predetermined vicinity of the barrier. The system and method also include sending at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier based on the initial state of the barrier. The system and method additionally include determining a current state of the barrier. The system and method further include presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is presented to display if the current state of the barrier is a closed state based on the at least one barrier control signal sent to remotely control movement of the barrier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling and determining a status of a barrier, comprising:

determining that a vehicle is parked at a predetermined vicinity of the barrier, wherein an initial state of the barrier is determined upon determining that the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier;

determining that the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control signal is sent to a barrier controller associated with the barrier to traverse the barrier to a closed state when it is determined that the initial state of the barrier is an opened state or a partially opened state;

determining a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined based on a wireless internet communication that occurs upon determining that the barrier has not traversed to the closed state based on RF communication that occurs immediately prior to the vehicle being located outside of a RF communication range with the barrier controller, wherein the wireless internet communication occurs upon determining that the vehicle is located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller; and

presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is presented to display if the current state of the barrier is the closed state based on the at least one barrier control signal sent to remotely control movement of the barrier.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined based on RF communication that occurs immediately prior to the vehicle being located outside of a RF communication range with the barrier controller.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining if the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier includes creating and storing a data flag that indicates that the vehicle is parked within the predetermined vicinity of the barrier, wherein the data flag is populated within a barrier profile that is associated with the barrier and stored on a storage of the vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining if the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier includes determining that a battery/ACC mode of the vehicle is activated, wherein it is determined if the vehicle is parked within the predetermined vicinity of the barrier if the data flag is populated within the barrier profile upon retrieving the data flag from the barrier profile.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further including determining that the vehicle is parked within an area enclosed by the barrier and determining the initial state of the barrier, wherein at least one barrier control signal is sent to the barrier control to traverse the barrier to the opened state when the initial state of the barrier is determined to be in the closed state or the partially opened state.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further including determining an updated state of the barrier upon determining that the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and that the vehicle exits an inner departure status zone that is located at a predetermined distance of the barrier.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein sending the at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier includes sending the at least one barrier control signal to the barrier controller to traverse the barrier to the closed state when it is determined that the updated state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the vehicle is located a predetermined distance from exiting an outer departure status zone, wherein the outer departure status zone is located at a predetermined distance from the barrier and is utilized to provide the current status of the barrier at a last possible point in time prior to the vehicle being located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller as the vehicle is departing away from the barrier.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the current state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state before the vehicle exits the outer departure status zone, wherein the wireless internet communication occurs between the vehicle and an external server infrastructure to determine the current state of the barrier upon determining that the vehicle has exited the outer departure zone and is located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller.

10. A system for remotely controlling and determining a status of a barrier, comprising:

a memory storing instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to;

determine that a vehicle is parked at a predetermined vicinity of the barrier, wherein an initial state of the barrier is determined upon determining that the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier;

determine that the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and send at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control signal is sent to a barrier controller associated with the barrier to traverse the barrier to a closed state when it is determined that the initial state of the barrier is an opened state or a partially opened state;

determine a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined based on a wireless internet communication that occurs upon determining that the barrier has not traversed to the closed state based on RF communication that occurs immediately prior to the vehicle being located outside of a RF communication range with the barrier controller, wherein the wireless internet communication occurs upon determining that the vehicle is located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller; and

present the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is presented to display if the current state of the barrier is the closed state based on the at least one barrier control signal sent to remotely control movement of the barrier.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined based on RF communication that occurs immediately prior to the vehicle being located outside of a RF communication range with the barrier controller.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein determining if the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier includes creating and storing a data flag that indicates that the vehicle is parked within the predetermined vicinity of the barrier, wherein the data flag is populated within a barrier profile that is associated with the barrier and stored on a storage of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining if the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier includes determining that a battery/ACC mode of the vehicle is activated, wherein it is determined if the vehicle is parked within the predetermined vicinity of the barrier if the data flag is populated within the barrier profile upon retrieving the data flag from the barrier profile.

14. The system of claim 10, further including determining that the vehicle is parked within an area enclosed by the barrier and determining the initial state of the barrier, wherein at least one barrier control signal is sent to the barrier control to traverse the barrier to the opened state when the initial state of the barrier is determined to be in the closed state or the partially opened state.

15. The system of claim 14, further including determining an updated state of the barrier upon determining that the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and that the vehicle exits an inner departure status zone that is located at a predetermined distance of the barrier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein sending the at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier includes sending the at least one barrier control signal to the barrier controller to traverse the barrier to the closed state when it is determined that the updated state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the vehicle is located a predetermined distance from exiting an outer departure status zone, wherein the outer departure status zone is located at a predetermined distance from the barrier and is utilized to provide the current status of the barrier at a last possible point in time prior to the vehicle being located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller as the vehicle is departing away from the barrier.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the current state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state before the vehicle exits the outer departure status zone, wherein the wireless internet communication occurs between the vehicle and an external server infrastructure to determine the current state of the barrier upon determining that the vehicle has exited the outer departure zone and is located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer, which includes a processor, perform a method, the method comprising:

determining that a vehicle is parked at a predetermined vicinity of a barrier, wherein an initial state of the barrier is determined upon determining that the vehicle is parked at the predetermined vicinity of the barrier;

determining that the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending at least one barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control signal is sent to a barrier controller associated with the barrier to traverse the barrier to a closed state when it is determined that the initial state of the barrier is an opened state or a partially opened state;

determining a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined based on a wireless internet communication that occurs upon determining that the barrier has not traversed to the closed state based on RF communication that occurs immediately prior to the vehicle being located outside of a RF communication range with the barrier controller, wherein the wireless internet communication occurs upon determining that the vehicle is located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller; and

presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is presented to display if the current state of the barrier is the closed state based on the at least one barrier control signal sent to remotely control movement of the barrier.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the vehicle is located a predetermined distance from exiting an outer departure status zone, wherein the outer departure status zone is located at a predetermined distance from the barrier and is utilized to provide the current status of the barrier at a last possible point in time prior to the vehicle being located outside of the RF communication range with the barrier controller as the vehicle is departing away from the barrier.