System and method for automatically controlling movement of a barrier

• US 10,490,007 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• 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): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/696,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20190048643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 340935, 340 571, 340 57, 3406861, 3406866
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• 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 15/79 using time control
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/767 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/81 User displays
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/50 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes

Abstract

A system and method for automatically controlling movement of a barrier that include determining at least one zone associated with the barrier. The system and method also include determining a current state of the barrier. The system and method additionally include sending a barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier. The system and method further include presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is updated based on remotely controlling the movement of the barrier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically controlling movement of a barrier, comprising:

determining at least one status zone associated with the barrier, wherein the at least one status zone is provided at a distance from the barrier that is modified based on reception of communication signals from a vehicle to a barrier controller of the barrier;

determining a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined when the vehicle travels through the at least one status zone associated with the barrier;

sending a barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the barrier control signal is based on the current state of the barrier and is sent when the vehicle travels through at least one barrier control zone associated with sending of the barrier control signal to control movement of the barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control zone is modified based on the modification of the at least one status zone;

controlling movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from at least one of;

an opened state to a closed state and a closed state to an opened state based on a receipt of the barrier control signal; and

presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is updated based on controlling the movement of the barrier.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further including determining the traveling direction of the vehicle based on GPS coordinates associated with the location of the barrier, wherein determining the traveling direction of the vehicle includes determining at least one of:

the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier, the vehicle is departing away from the barrier, the vehicle is parked within a predetermined vicinity of the barrier, and the vehicle is parked within an area enclosed by the barrier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one status zone associated with the barrier includes determining a dynamic arriving status zone, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is provided at a dynamic distance from the barrier, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is modified based on a reception of a predetermined number of communication signals from a vehicle communication system of the vehicle to a transceiver operably connected to the barrier controller of the barrier.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining at least one status zone associated with the barrier includes determining a dynamic departing status zone, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is provided at a dynamic distance from the barrier, wherein the dynamic departing status zone is modified based on a reception of a predetermined number of communication signals from the vehicle communication system of the vehicle to the transceiver operably connected to the barrier controller of the barrier.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the at least one barrier control zone includes determining a barrier opening zone and a barrier closing zone, wherein the barrier opening zone is provided at a determined distance from the barrier, wherein the barrier closing zone is provided at a second determined distance from the barrier.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier and sending at least one status request signal to the barrier controller when the vehicle enters the dynamic arriving status zone, wherein the vehicle enters the dynamic arriving status zone prior to entering the barrier opening zone when the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining if the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending the at least one request data signal to the barrier controller prior to entering the barrier closing zone when the vehicle is departing away from the barrier.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining if the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending the at least one request data signal to the barrier controller when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from exiting the dynamic departing status zone, wherein a telematics control unit of the vehicle communicates through an internet cloud to retrieve the status of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the dynamic departing status zone.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein sending the barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier includes sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from to an opened state when the vehicle enters the barrier opening zone and the current state of the barrier is a closed state or a partially opened state and sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier to the closed state when the vehicle enters the barrier closing zone and the current state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state, wherein sending the barrier control signal occurs irrespective of a boot up state of an infotainment system of the vehicle.

10. A system for automatically controlling movement of a barrier, comprising:

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

determine at least one status zone associated with the barrier, wherein the at least one status zone is provided at a distance from the barrier that is modified based on reception of communication signals from a vehicle to a barrier controller of the barrier;

determine a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined when the vehicle travels through the at least one status zone associated with the barrier;

send a barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the barrier control signal is based on the current state of the barrier and is sent when the vehicle travels through at least one barrier control zone associated with sending of the barrier control signal to control movement of the barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control zone is modified based on the modification of the at least one status zone;

control movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from at least one of;

an opened state to a closed state and a closed state to an opened state based on a receipt of the barrier control signal; and

present the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is updated based on controlling the movement of the barrier.

11. The system of claim 10, further including determining the traveling direction of the vehicle based on GPS coordinates associated with the location of the barrier, wherein determining the traveling direction of the vehicle includes determining at least one of:

the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier, the vehicle is departing away from the barrier, the vehicle is parked within a predetermined vicinity of the barrier, and the vehicle is parked within an area enclosed by the barrier.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein determining at least one status zone associated with the barrier includes determining a dynamic arriving status zone, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is provided at a dynamic distance from the barrier, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is modified based on a reception of a predetermined number of communication signals from a vehicle communication system of the vehicle to a transceiver operably connected to the barrier controller of the barrier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining at least one status zone associated with the barrier includes determining a dynamic departing status zone, wherein the dynamic arriving status zone is provided at a dynamic distance from the barrier, wherein the dynamic departing status zone is modified based on a reception of a predetermined number of communication signals from the vehicle communication system of the vehicle to the transceiver operably connected to the barrier controller of the barrier.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one barrier control zone includes determining a barrier opening zone and a barrier closing zone, wherein the barrier opening zone is provided at a determined distance from the barrier, wherein the barrier closing zone is provided at a second determined distance from the barrier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining that the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier and sending at least one status request signal to the barrier controller when the vehicle enters the dynamic arriving status zone, wherein the vehicle enters the dynamic arriving status zone prior to entering the barrier opening zone when the vehicle is arriving towards the barrier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining if the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending the at least one request data signal to the barrier controller prior to entering the barrier closing zone when the vehicle is departing away from the barrier.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the current state of the barrier includes determining if the vehicle is departing away from the barrier and sending the at least one request data signal to the barrier controller when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from exiting the dynamic departing status zone, wherein a telematics control unit of the vehicle communicates through an internet cloud to retrieve the status of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the dynamic departing status zone.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein sending the barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier includes sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from to an opened state when the vehicle enters the barrier opening zone and the current state of the barrier is a closed state or a partially opened state and sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier to the closed state when the vehicle enters the barrier closing zone and the current state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state, wherein sending the barrier control signal occurs irrespective of a boot up state of an infotainment system of the vehicle.

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 at least one status zone associated with a barrier, wherein the at least one status zone is provided at a distance from the barrier that is modified based on reception of communication signals from a vehicle to a barrier controller of the barrier;

determining a current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is determined when the vehicle travels through the at least one status zone associated with the barrier;

sending a barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier, wherein the barrier control signal is based on the current state of the barrier and is sent when the vehicle travels through at least one barrier control zone associated with the sending of a barrier control signal to control movement of barrier, wherein the at least one barrier control zone is modified based on the modification of the at least one status zone;

controlling movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from at least one of;

an opened state to a closed state and a closed state to an opened state based on a receipt of the barrier control signal; and

presenting the current state of the barrier, wherein the current state of the barrier is updated based on controlling the movement of the barrier.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein sending the barrier control signal to remotely control movement of the barrier includes sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier from to an opened state when the vehicle enters a barrier opening zone and the current state of the barrier is a closed state or a partially opened state and sending the barrier control signal to remotely control the movement of the barrier to traverse the barrier to the closed state when the vehicle enters a barrier closing zone and the current state of the barrier is the opened state or the partially opened state, wherein sending the barrier control signal occurs irrespective of a boot up state of an infotainment system of the vehicle.