AUTOMATIC BARRIER OPERATOR SYSTEM

• US 20110000140A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mays, Wesley M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/506
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• 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: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00325 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An automatic barrier operator system for operating a gate or upward acting garage door, for example, includes a controller for operating a reversible motor, a base radio frequency transmitter and a base radio frequency receiver. One or more remote control units include a radio frequency remote receiver and remote transmitter. The controller is operable to automatically close or open the barrier in response to a query signal sent from the base transmitter to the remote receiver and when the remote receiver is within range, returning a signal to effect operation of the barrier. The system is operable to effect operation or maintain the status quo of the barrier depending on the state of the barrier and a particular signal or lack of signal received by the controller from an authorized remote control unit or units. The system provides essentially hands-free automatic operation of opening and closing a garage door and the like.

Claims

1. A method for operating a barrier to move between open and closed positions, said barrier being operably connected to an operator system including a controller comprising a base control circuit, a radio frequency base transmitter and a radio frequency base receiver and plural remote control units operable to communicate with said controller, each of said remote control units including a radio frequency remote transmitter and a radio frequency remote receiver, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said base transmitter to transmit a search signal to said remote receivers of said plural remote control units;

causing said control circuit to effect one of opening and closing said barrier depending on whether or not said base receiver receives an acknowledgment signal transmitted from at least one of said remote transmitters in response to said search signal;

making determinations whether individual ones of said plural remote control units are within a communication range of said controller, wherein said determinations are made in response to receipt of acknowledgement signals transmitted from said remote transmitters of said plural remote control units, and said acknowledgement signals are transmitted in response to said search signal;

causing said barrier to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an acknowledgement signal from any one of said remote transmitters and remain in an open position automatically as long as any one, but not all, of said remote control units is within the communication range of said controller; and

causing said barrier to move from an open position to a closed position and maintain said barrier in the closed position automatically in response to determining that all of said remote control units have returned to the communication range of said controller.