PORTAL MANAGEMENT

• US 20110149079A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/156
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

The different illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus, a system, and a method for managing a portal. The different illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a locking system, a detection system, and a portal access system. The locking system is for a portal having a first side and a second side. The portal is configured to swing about an axis through the first side between an opened position and a closed position. The detection system is configured to detect when a robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal. The portal access system unlocks the portal when the portal is in the closed position and the robotic vehicle is detected within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

locking system for a portal having a first side and a second side, wherein the portal is configured to swing about an axis through the first side between an opened position and a closed position; and

a detection system configured to detect when a robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal;

a portal access system that unlocks the portal when the portal is in the closed position and the robotic vehicle is detected within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portal access system opens the portal after unlocking the portal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portal access system closes and locks the portal after the robotic vehicle passes through the portal and a determination is made that the portal can be closed without contacting the robotic vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portal access system comprises:

a portal movement system, wherein the portal movement system moves the portal between the opened position and the closed position; and

a controller associated with the portal access system, wherein the controller unlocks the portal when the robotic vehicle is detected within the selected distance of the portal and the portal is in the closed position and moves the portal to the opened position from the closed position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the detection system comprises:

a radio frequency identification tag reader associated with the controller and configured to read a radio frequency identification tag on the robotic vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the detection system comprises:

a wireless communications unit associated with the controller, wherein the wireless communications unit receives a request to move the portal from the robotic vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the detection system comprises a camera system and wherein the controller detects the robotic vehicle using image information generated by the camera system.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the detection system comprises an infrared detection system, and wherein the controller detects the robotic vehicle using infrared information generated by the infrared detection system.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller receives global positioning system information from the robotic vehicle using the wireless communications unit, and wherein the controller detects the robotic vehicle using the detection system and the global positioning system information.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller sends a signal indicating a safe distance to the robotic vehicle using the wireless communications unit in response to receiving the request and the robotic vehicle being detected within the safe distance.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the safe distance is a minimum distance between the portal and the robotic vehicle such that the portal can be opened and closed without contacting the robotic vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the robotic vehicle is a robotic lawn mower.

13. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller determines whether a number of unauthorized objects are present within an unauthorized distance, determines whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, closing the portal responsive to the portal being in the opened position, and keeping the portal closed until the number of unauthorized objects are no longer present within the unauthorized distance responsive to the portal being in the closed position and the robotic vehicle being present within the selected distance.

14. A portal access system comprising:

a portal movement system that moves a portal between a closed position and an opened position, wherein the portal has a first side and a second side and the portal swings about an axis through the first side between the opened position and the closed position;

a wireless communications unit configured to receive a request to move the portal from a robotic vehicle;

a detection system configured to detect when the robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal; and

a controller, wherein the controller controls the portal movement system to move the portal between the opened position and the closed position in response to receiving the request using the wireless communications unit and in response to detecting the robotic vehicle within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system.

15. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the controller sends a signal indicating a safe distance to the robotic vehicle using the wireless communications unit in response to receiving the request and the robotic vehicle being detected within the safe distance, wherein the safe distance is a minimum distance between the portal and the robotic vehicle such that the portal can be opened and closed without contacting the robotic vehicle.

16. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the controller closes the portal after the communications unit has passed though the portal and is located a safe distance from the portal.

17. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the portal is a gate in a fence.

18. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the detection system comprises:

a radio frequency identification tag reader configured to read a radio frequency identification tag on the robotic vehicle, wherein information from the radio frequency identification tag is received using the radio frequency identification tag reader.

19. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the detection system further comprises:

a location system configured to identify a location of the robotic vehicle.

20. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the detection system detects objects in an area in which the portal access system is located, and wherein the controller identifies a number of unauthorized objects from the objects.

21. The portal access system of claim 20, wherein the detection system comprises a camera system.

22. The portal access system of claim 20, wherein the controller, in response to receiving the request and detecting the number of unauthorized objects when the portal is in the closed position, controlling the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position.

23. The portal access system of claim 22, wherein in controlling the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position, the controller controls the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position until the number of unauthorized objects are absent.

24. The portal access system of claim 20, wherein the detection system comprises a camera system and wherein the controller detects the robotic vehicle using image information generated by the camera system.

25. The portal access system of claim 20, wherein the detection system comprises an infrared detection system, and wherein the controller detects the robotic vehicle using infrared information generated by the infrared detection system.

26. The portal access system of claim 18, wherein the controller receives global positioning system information from the robotic vehicle using the wireless communications unit, and wherein the controller determines whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance using the global positioning system information.

27. The portal access system of claim 14, wherein the robotic vehicle is a robotic lawn mower.

28. A method for managing a portal, the method comprising:

determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal; and

responsive to a determination that the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal, unlocking the portal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the portal has a first side and a second side and the portal is configured to swing about an axis between an opened position and a closed position.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

after unlocking the portal, opening the portal.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal comprises:

reading a radio frequency identification tag associated with the robotic vehicle; and

determining whether the radio frequency identification tag is within the selected distance of the portal.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

obtaining image information from a camera system; and

identifying a location of the robotic vehicle relative to the portal using the image information.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

detecting a location of a number of unauthorized objects when the portal is in the locked position;

responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, determining whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position;

responsive to the portal being in the opened position, closing the portal; and

locking the portal.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

obtaining an infrared information for the selected distance; and

determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal using the infrared information.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

receiving global positioning system information from the robotic vehicle representing the location of the robotic vehicle; and

determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance using the global positioning system information.

31. The method of 28, further comprising:

determining whether the robotic vehicle is at least a safe distance from the portal, wherein the safe distance is a minimum distance between the portal and the robotic vehicle such that the portal can be opened and closed without contacting the robotic vehicle; and

responsive to a determination that the robotic vehicle is at least the safe distance from the portal, opening the portal.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

after the robotic vehicle passes through the portal, determining whether the robotic vehicle is at least the safe distance from the portal;

responsive to a determination that the robotic vehicle is at least the safe distance from the portal, closing the portal; and

locking the portal.

38. A method for managing a portal, the method comprising:

determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal; and

responsive to a determination that the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal, opening the portal.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the portal has a first side and a second side and the portal is configured to swing about an axis between an opened position and a closed position.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

prior to opening the portal, unlocking the portal.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal comprises:

reading a radio frequency identification tag associated with the robotic vehicle; and

determining whether the radio frequency identification tag is within the selected distance of the portal.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

obtaining image information from a camera system associated with the portal; and

identifying a location of the robotic vehicle relative to the portal using the image information.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

determining whether a number of unauthorized objects are present within the unauthorized distance;

responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, determining whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position;

responsive to the portal being in the opened position, closing the portal; and

responsive to the portal being in the closed position and the robotic vehicle being present within the selected distance, keeping the portal closed until the number of unauthorized objects are no longer present within the unauthorized distance.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

obtaining an infrared information for the selected distance; and

determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal using the infrared information.

47. The method of claim 38, wherein determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal comprises:

receiving global positioning system information from the robotic vehicle representing the location of the robotic vehicle; and

determining whether the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance using the global positioning system information.

41. The method of 38, further comprising:

identifying a location of the robot vehicle;

determining whether the portal can be opened without contacting the robotic vehicle; and

responsive to a determination that the portal can be closed without contacting the robotic vehicle, opening the portal.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

determining whether the portal can be closed without physically contacting the robotic vehicle;

responsive to a determination that the portal can be closed without physically contacting the robotic vehicle, closing the portal after the robotic vehicle passes through the portal; and

locking the portal.