Transmitter with adaptable display

• US 20070273472A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Gregori, Erlc
• Application Number:
  US11/442,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.700
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

At a transmitter being used in a moveable barrier operator system, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is provided. The LCD is configured with a first visual display and the first visual display providing first information to a user. The LCD is selectively reconfigured with a second visual display and the second visual display providing second information to the user.

Claims

1. A method of providing a programmable interface for a moveable barrier operator system comprising:

at a transmitter being used in a moveable barrier operator system;

providing a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD);

configuring the LCD with a first visual display, the first visual display providing first information to a user; and

selectively reconfiguring the LCD with a second visual display, the second visual display providing second information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the LCD with first information comprises providing information related to a first moveable barrier system and wherein reconfiguring the LCD comprises providing second information related to a second moveable barrier system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the LCD with first information comprises providing first information related to a first device operating according to a first protocol and wherein reconfiguring the LCD with second information comprises providing second information related to a second device operating according to a second protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the LCD with first information comprises providing first information related to a first accessory device and wherein reconfiguring the LCD with second information comprises providing second information related to a second accessory device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the first and second information via a radio interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving the first and second information comprises receiving the first and second information, the first and second information being selected from a group comprising:

a state of a moveable barrier;

a condition of a moveable barrier;

a condition of a moveable barrier operator; and

a condition of an accessory of a moveable barrier operator.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively reconfiguring the LCD is initiated via a user utilizing a personal computer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively reconfiguring the LCD is accomplished via a user actuating programming buttons on the transmitter, the programming buttons being separate from the LCD.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively reconfiguring the LCD is accomplished in response to the reception of signals from a beacon.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the LCD comprises providing a touchscreen having soft keys and wherein reconfiguring the LCD comprises reconfiguring the LCD by using the soft keys on the LCD.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising programming an accessory at least in part by using the LCD.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the accessory is selected from a group comprising a music player, a video player, a radio, and a personal computer.

13. An transmitter for use with moveable barrier operator systems comprising:

a liquid crystal display (LCD);

an interface for receiving commands from a user; and

a controller coupled to the LCD and the interface, the controller programmed to provide first information on the LCD, the controller programmed to receive a reconfiguration command from the interface and to responsively replace the first information with second information.

14. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the first information comprises information related to a first moveable barrier system and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second moveable barrier system.

15. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the first information comprises information related to a first device operating according to a first protocol and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second device operating according to a second protocol.

16. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the first information comprises information related to a first accessory device and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second accessory device.

17. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the first and second information is received at the transmitter via a radio link.

18. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the first and second information is selected from a group comprising:

a state of a moveable barrier;

a condition of a moveable barrier;

a condition of a moveable barrier operator; and

a condition of an accessory of a moveable barrier operator.

19. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the interface is coupled to a personal computer.

20. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the interface comprises an actuator, the actuator being separate from the LCD.

21. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein interface comprises soft keys on the LCD.

22. A system for actuating moveable barrier operators comprising:

a first moveable barrier operator;

a transmitter communicatively coupled to the first moveable barrier operator and comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an interface for receiving commands from a user, the transmitter receiving first information and displaying the first information on the LCD, the transmitter being reconfigurable to replace the first information with second information.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first information comprises information related to the first moveable barrier operator and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second moveable barrier operator.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the first information comprises information related to a first device operating according to a first protocol and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second device operating according to a second protocol.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the first information comprises information related to a first accessory device and wherein the second information comprises information related to a second accessory device.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the transmitter receives the first and second information via a radio link.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the first and second information is selected from a group comprising:

a state of a moveable barrier;

a condition of a moveable barrier;

a condition of the first moveable barrier operator; and

a condition of an accessory of the first moveable barrier operator.

28. The system of claim 22 further comprising a personal computer to program the transmitter.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the interface comprises at least one actuator, the actuator being used to initiate reconfiguring the LCD.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the interface is associated with the LCD and comprises soft keys and wherein the soft keys are used to initiate the reconfiguring of the LCD.

31. The system of claim 22 comprising a beacon for transmitting a signal to the transmitter, the reception of the signal at the transmitter initiating presentation of the first information on the LCD.