Method and apparatus for remote control

• US 20040198251A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric

Abstract

An access requesting remote control device (10) includes an agile radio frequency transmitter (13) that will accommodate a variety of communication channels and modulation types. Programmable logic (11) controls the operation of the transmitter depending upon its programming. Such programming can be selectively varied as desired. In one embodiment, any of a plurality of pre-existing application programs can be selected in response to reception of a corresponding selection command via an external communication interface (14). In another embodiment, a relevant application program can be downloaded to the programmable logic via the external communication interface. In yet another embodiment, both options are available.

Claims

1. An access requesting remote control device comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter;

programmable logic having;

a remote control signaling output operably coupled to the radio frequency transmitter; and

a signaling input comprising at least one of;

a pre-existing application programming selection command signaling input; and

application programming signaling input; and

an external communications interface operably coupled to the signaling input of the programmable logic;

such that;

when the programmable logic includes the pre-existing application programming selection command signaling input, signaling as received thereat can command selection of at least part of at least one particular application program from amongst a plurality of application program candidates as are currently available in the movable barrier controller remote control device, which selected part of at least one particular application program is then used by the programmable logic to control provision of corresponding remote control signaling via the remote control signaling output; and

when the programmable logic includes the application programming signaling input, at least part of an application program can be downloaded thereat, which downloaded application program is then used by the programmable logic to control provision of corresponding remote control signaling via the remote control signaling output.

2. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency transmitter utilizes a predetermined carrier frequency and modulation type.

3. The access requesting remote control device of claim 2 wherein:

at least some of the plurality of application programs each have a corresponding predetermined carrier frequency and modulation type.

4. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the downloaded application comprises executable instructions that configure the programmable logic in conformance with a particular corresponding movable barrier operator system.

5. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the downloaded application comprises communications protocol information that enables the programmable logic to communicate compatibly via the radio frequency transmitter with a particular corresponding movable barrier operator system.

6. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the programmable logic has a signaling input further comprised of at least one of:

a pre-existing application programming selection command signaling input;

application programming signaling input; and

access system authentication information input.

7. The access requesting remote control device of claim 6 wherein the access system authentication information comprises an at least partially unique alphanumeric sequence.

8. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the external communications interface comprises a wired external interface.

9. The access requesting remote control device of claim 8 wherein the wired external interface comprises a direct computer interface.

10. The access requesting remote control device of claim 9 wherein the direct computer interface comprises at least one of:

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface;

a Firewire-compatible interface;

an RS232-compatible interface;

a printer port interface.

11. The access requesting remote control device of claim 8 wherein the wired external interface comprises a telephone-style interface.

12. The access requesting remote control device of claim 11 wherein the telephone-style interface comprises an RJ-11 compatible interface.

13. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 wherein the external communication interface comprises a wireless external interface.

14. The access requesting remote control device of claim 13 wherein the wireless external interface comprises a radio frequency wireless external interface.

15. The access requesting remote control device of claim 14 wherein the radio frequncy wireless external interface comprises at least one of:

a Bluetooth-compatible external interface;

an 802.11-compatible external interface; and

a cellular telephony communication system-compatible external interface.

16. The access requesting remote control device of claim 13 wherein the wireless external interface comprises a light-based wireless external interface.

17. The access requesting remote control device of claim 16 wherein the light-based wireless external interface comprises an infrared light-based wireless external interface.

18. The access requesting remote control device of claim 16 wherein the light-based wireless external interface comprises a visible light-based wireless external interface.

19. The access requesting remote control device of claim 1 and further comprising a display operably coupled to the programmable logic.

20. The access requesting remote control device of claim 19 wherein the display comprises an alphanumeric display.

21. The access requesting remote control device of claim 20 wherein the alphanumeric display comprises a multi-character alphanumeric display.

22. The access requesting remote control device of claim 21 wherein the multi-character alphanumeric display comprises a multi-line multi-character alphanumeric display.

23. The access requesting remote control device of claim 19 and further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the programmable logic.

24. A method comprising:

providing an access requesting remote control device;

placing the an access requesting remote control device into a re-configuration mode of operation;

providing to the an access requesting remote control device, via an external communications interface, signaling comprising at least one of;

a selection command that selects at least a portion of a pre-existing programming application from amongst a plurality of candidate programming applications; and

application programming;

when providing the selection command, selecting the at least a portion of the pre-existing programming application and using the pre-existing programming application to thereafter control operation of the movable barrier controller remote control device;

when providing the application programming, downloading the application programming and using the application programming to thereafter control operation of the movable barrier controller remote control device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein providing the signaling via an external communications interface comprises providing audible signaling via an external communications interface.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein providing audible signaling via the external communications interface comprises providing audible signaling via a microphone.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein providing audible signaling via the external communications interface comprises providing audible signaling via a wired interface.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein providing the signaling via an external communication interface comprises providing the signaling via a wireless external communications interface.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein providing the signaling via an external communication interface comprises providing the signaling via a wireless radio frequency communications interface.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein providing the signaling via a wireless radio frequency communications interface comprises providing the signaling via a wireless telephony communications interface.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein providing the signaling via an external communication interface comprises providing the signaling via a wireless light-based communications interface.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein providing the signaling via a wireless light-based communications interface comprises providing the signaling via infrared light-based communications interface.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein providing the signaling via a wireless light-based communications interface comprises providing the signaling via a visible light-based communications interface.

34. The method of claim 24 and further comprising:

providing identification information to a movable barrier system via the access requesting remote control device.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein providing identification information to a movable barrier system via the access requesting remote control device includes receiving at least some of the identification information via the external communications interface.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein providing identification information to a movable barrier system via the access requesting remote control device includes providing an alphanumeric sequence that is substantially unique to the movable barrier controller remote control device.