Movable Barrier Operator and Transmitter With Eminent Barrier Moving Notification

• US 20100242369A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Laird, Edward T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/358
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/684 by chains
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

A movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification includes a movable barrier and a movable barrier operator connected to control movement of the movable barrier between a first position and a second position. To reduce user dissatisfaction with the moving-barrier eminent motion notification, communications to the movable barrier operator include information to assist the operator in determining whether to operate the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in combination with moving the door or to specifically command that the moving-barrier eminent motion notification operate or not. The communication may include a signal or input separate from and in addition to a typical command signal or input to the operator. By other approaches, the method of communication can provide information to the operator with respect to operation of the moving-barrier eminent motion notification, or a transmitter identifier can provide information with respect to operation of the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.

Claims

1. A movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification comprising:

a movable barrier;

a movable barrier operator connected to control movement of the movable barrier between a first position and a second position;

the movable barrier operator configured to receive a first command from a transmitter and to move the movable barrier in combination with operating a moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receipt of the first command;

the movable barrier operator configured to receive a second command and to move the movable barrier without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receipt of the second command.

2. The movable barrier system of claim 1 wherein the first command comprises a first signal triggering movement of the movable barrier and a second signal triggering operation of the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in combination with movement of the movable barrier.

4. The movable barrier system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises any of the group consisting of:

a wireless transmitter, a wired transmitter, a networked communication device, a mobile communication device, and a security system interface.

3. The movable barrier system of claim 3 wherein the second signal comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a transmission method identification code, a code value, a code format, a signal frequency, and a signal modulation.

5. A movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification comprising:

a movable barrier;

a movable barrier operator connected to control movement of the movable barrier between a first position and a second position;

the movable barrier operator configured to receive a transmitter identification code from a transmitter as part of a communication from the transmitter and to determine whether to move the movable barrier in combination with operating a moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receipt of a command based at least in part on the transmitter identification code;

the movable barrier operator configured to determine whether to move the movable barrier without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification based at least in part on the transmitter identification code.

6. The movable barrier system of claim 5 wherein the movable barrier operator is configured to move the movable barrier in combination with operating a moving-barrier eminent motion notification when the transmitter identification code indicates that the transmitter is located remotely of the movable barrier.

7. The movable barrier system of claim 5 wherein the transmitter comprises any of the group consisting of:

a wireless transmitter, a wired transmitter, a networked communication device, a mobile communication device, and a security system interface.

8. A method of operating a movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from a transmitter;

operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in combination with moving a movable barrier in response to receiving a signal with the communication from the transmitter;

moving the movable barrier in response to receiving the communication without the signal from the transmitter.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of receiving the communication from the transmitter comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

receiving a wireless communication at the movable barrier system directly from the transmitter;

receiving the communication via a wired connection between the movable barrier system and the transmitter;

receiving the communication via a network connection providing a communication path to the movable barrier system from the transmitter;

receiving the communication via a wireless communication system.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving the signal with the communication from the transmitter comprises receiving one of the group consisting of:

a transmission method identification code, a code value, a code format, a signal frequency, and a signal modulation.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving the signal with the communication from the transmitter comprises receiving a transmitter identification code that identifies a transmitter type for the transmitter indicating that the transmitter is a distance from the movable barrier.

12. A movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification comprising:

a movable barrier;

a movable barrier operator connected to control movement of the movable barrier between a first position and a second position;

the movable barrier operator comprising;

a communication connection comprising at least one of the group consisting of;

a direct wireless connection to a transmitter, a local wired connection, a system wired connection, a network connection, and a wireless communication system connection;

a processor configured to move the movable barrier in combination with operating a moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receipt of a command from one of the system wired connection, the network connection, and the wireless communication system connection;

the processor configured to move the movable barrier without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receiving the command from the direct wireless connection to the transmitter and the local wired connection.

13. A method of operating a movable barrier system with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification comprising:

receiving a communication at one of a plurality of communication connections comprising at least a first set of communication connections and a second set of communication connections;

operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in combination with moving a movable barrier in response to receiving the communication over one of the first set of communication connections;

operating the movable barrier system without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receiving the communication over one of the second set of communication connections.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first set of communication connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a system wired connection, a network connection, and a wireless communication system connection.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the second set of communication connections comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a direct wireless connection to a transmitter and a local wired connection.

16. A transmitter for use with a movable barrier operator with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification, the movable barrier operator configured to receive a command from a transmitter and to move a movable barrier in combination with operating a moving-barrier eminent motion notification in response to receipt of the command, the transmitter comprising:

a memory that stores at least a first code containing a command to effect an action by the movable barrier operator and a second code containing information regarding the transmitter;

a processor configured to send a communication containing at least in part the first code and the second code in response to a user command, the communication configured to trigger the action by the movable barrier operator and to provide the information regarding the transmitter to the movable barrier operator such that the movable barrier operator can determine whether to move the movable barrier with or without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.

17. The transmitter of claim 16 further comprising at least one of the group consisting of:

a wired connection to the movable barrier operator;

an antenna configured to send the communication directly to a transceiver of the movable barrier operator;

a network connection providing a communication path to the movable barrier operator;

a transceiver configured to send the communication via a wireless communication system; and

a transceiver configured to send the communication via a wired security system connection.

18. The transmitter of claim 16 wherein the second code comprises at least one of the group consisting of a transmitter identification code, a transmission method identification code, a code value, a code format, a signal frequency, and a signal modulation to trigger the movable barrier operator to move the movable barrier in combination with operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.

19. A method of operating a transmitter for use with a movable barrier operator with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification, the movable barrier operator configured to receive communications from a transmitter and to operate the movable barrier operator in response to receipt of the communications, the method of operating the transmitter comprising:

receiving a user input;

sending, in response to receiving the user input, a communication configured to trigger the movable barrier operator to move a movable barrier and to provide information regarding the transmitter to the movable barrier operator such that the movable barrier operator determines whether to move the movable barrier with or without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of sending the communication comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

sending the communication via a wired connection to the movable barrier system;

sending the communication via an antenna configured to send at least in part the communication code directly to the movable barrier system;

sending the communication via a network connection providing a communication path to the movable barrier system;

sending the communication via a transceiver configured to send information via a wireless communication system.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the information regarding the transmitter comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a transmission method identification code, a code value, a code format, a signal frequency, and a signal modulation.

22. A method of operating a transmitter for use with a movable barrier operator with a moving-barrier eminent motion notification, the movable barrier operator configured to receive communications from a transmitter and to operate the movable barrier operator in response to receipt of the communications, the method of operating the transmitter comprising:

receiving a first user input;

sending, in response to receiving the first user input, a first communication configured to trigger the movable barrier operator to move a movable barrier in combination with operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification;

receiving a second user input;

sending, in response to the receiving the second user input, a second communication configured to trigger the movable barrier operator to operate without operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of sending the first communication comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

sending the first communication via a wired connection to the movable barrier system;

sending the first communication via an antenna configured to send at least in part the communication code directly to a transceiver of the movable barrier system;

sending the first communication via a network connection providing a communication path to the movable barrier system;

sending the first communication via a transceiver configured to send information via a wireless communication system.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the first communication comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a transmission method identification code, a code value, a code format, a signal frequency, and a signal modulation to trigger the movable barrier operator to move the movable barrier in combination with operating the moving-barrier eminent motion notification.