System and Method for Operating a Transmitter With a Proximity Sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A transmitter for use with a moveable barrier system comprising:
- at least one sensor which senses a proximity of at least a portion of a user;
an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter;
an illumination device activator which activates the illumination device;
a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code;
a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, and the transmitter code activator, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor;
wherein the controller is programmed to execute an activate command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; and
wherein in response to a disabling event, the controller is disabled from executing commands to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator wherein the disabling event is selected from the group consisting of (i) at least a portion of the user is in proximity to the at least one sensor for more than a set period of time, (ii) when the at least one sensor is within a minimum distance from the portion of the user, (iii) the transmitter is not within a minimum distance from a circuitry activator which effects commands to the moveable barrier operator when the transmitter is within the minimum distance from the circuitry activator, (iv) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user more than a preset number of times within a preset amount of time, (v) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user in a position other than a position relative to the transmitter to execute a command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator, and (vi) a switch which is physically moved from an activate position to a deactivate position to deactivate the sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided that use at least one proximity sensor to illuminate a transmitter such that the transmitter can be seen by the user and/or to activate the transmitter so that the user can interface with the transmitter and send code to a receiver via the transmitter to effect an action, such as the opening or closing of a barrier or garage door. The transmitter can also be deactivated so that the proximity sensor is not continually triggering actions by the transmitter thereby potentially causing unwanted actions by the transmitter.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A transmitter for use with a moveable barrier system comprising:
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at least one sensor which senses a proximity of at least a portion of a user; an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter; an illumination device activator which activates the illumination device; a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code; a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, and the transmitter code activator, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; wherein the controller is programmed to execute an activate command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; and wherein in response to a disabling event, the controller is disabled from executing commands to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator wherein the disabling event is selected from the group consisting of (i) at least a portion of the user is in proximity to the at least one sensor for more than a set period of time, (ii) when the at least one sensor is within a minimum distance from the portion of the user, (iii) the transmitter is not within a minimum distance from a circuitry activator which effects commands to the moveable barrier operator when the transmitter is within the minimum distance from the circuitry activator, (iv) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user more than a preset number of times within a preset amount of time, (v) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user in a position other than a position relative to the transmitter to execute a command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator, and (vi) a switch which is physically moved from an activate position to a deactivate position to deactivate the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9)
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4. A transmitter for use with a moveable barrier system comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to sense a proximity of at least a portion of a user; an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter; a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code; an illumination device activator; an activation switch; a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, the transmitter code activator, and the activator switch, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; wherein the controller is programmed to execute a command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor when the activation switch is configured in a first configuration; and wherein when the activation switch is configured in a second configuration, the controller is programmed to disable execution of commands to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the portion of the user from the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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10. A transmitter for use with a moveable barrier system comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to sense a proximity of at least a portion of a user; an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter; a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code; an illumination device activator; an activation switch; a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, the transmitter code activator, and the activation switch, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; wherein in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor when the activation switch is configured in a first configuration, the controller is programmed to execute at least one of a command to the illumination device activator to activate the illumination device and illuminate at least a portion of the transmitter and a command to the transmitter code activator to permit the transmitter to send a code; and wherein when the activation switch is configured in a second configuration, the controller is programmed to disable execution of commands to at least one of the illumination device and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the portion of the user from the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for operating and disabling a transmitter comprising:
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at least one sensor which senses a proximity of at least a portion of a user; an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter; an illumination device activator which activates the illumination device; a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code; a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, and the transmitter code activator, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; the method comprising; sensing by the at least one sensor a proximity of the at least a portion of a user to the transmitter; executing an activate command to at least one of an illumination device activator and a transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; and wherein in response to a disabling event, the controller is disabled from executing commands to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator wherein the disabling event is selected from the group consisting of (i) at least a portion of the user is in proximity to the at least one sensor for more than a set period of time, (ii) when the at least one sensor is within a minimum distance from the portion of the user, (iii) the transmitter is not within a minimum distance from a circuitry activator which effects commands to the moveable barrier operator when the transmitter is within the minimum distance from the circuitry activator, (iv) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user more than a preset number of times within a preset amount of time, (v) the at least one sensor senses the at least a portion of the user in a position other than a position relative to the transmitter to execute a command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator, and (vi) a switch which is physically moved from an activate position to a deactivate position to deactivate the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method for operating and disabling a transmitter comprising:
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a transmitter comprising; at least one sensor configured to sense a proximity of at least a portion of a user; an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the transmitter; a transmitter code activator which activates the transmitter to send code; an illumination device activator; an activation switch; a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the illumination device activator, the transmitter code activator, and the activation switch, the controller programmed to receive an indication of the proximity of the at least a portion of the user from the at least one sensor; the method comprising; sensing by the at least one proximity sensor a proximity of the at least a portion of a user to the transmitter; executing an activate command to at least one of the illumination device activator and the transmitter code activator in response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least portion of the user from the at least one sensor; and disabling the response to receiving an indication of the proximity of the at least portion of the user from the at least one sensor by moving the activation switch from an activated position to a deactivated position. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification