REMOTE CONTROL AND MONITORING OF BARRIER OPERATORS WITH RADIO FREQUENCY TRANCEIVERS

• US 20110234367A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Grant B., Yackey, Brian M., Murphy, Larry D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,410,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/354 End positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/51 of position, of back drive
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25186 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2628 Door, window
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• 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

Low cost, low power consumption radio frequency transceivers are incorporated in barrier operator control systems for transmitting signals between an operator control unit, one or more remote control units, a diagnostic or calibration device and an obstruction detector. Similar detector devices, including such transceivers, may be employed in loading docks for detecting the status of dock levelers and vehicle restraint devices. Radio frequency communication eliminates the need for hard wiring and also provides for transmission of commands and status information between various control units.

Claims

1. In a barrier operator system for moving a barrier between open and closed positions, a motor operably connected to drive said barrier, a base controller operably connected to said motor and operable to receive signals from barrier position limit detection means, and at least one remote control unit operable for wireless communication with said base controller, the improvement characterized by:

said base controller including an RF base transceiver and said at least one remote control unit includes an RF remote transceiver for communicating with said base transceiver, said remote control unit including status indicator means operable to indicate the status of said barrier as being one of open, opening, closed, closing, and obstruction detected in response to receiving signals from said base transceiver by way of said remote transceiver;

an obstruction detector including a detector transceiver for communicating obstruction detection signals to at least one of said base transceiver and said remote transceiver; and

a power controller switching said obstruction detector between a power consumption mode and a low power consumption mode;

wherein said detector transceiver receives wireless control signals and activates said power controller upon receipt of said wireless control signals.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said wireless control signals are received from at least one of said base transceiver, said remote transceiver, a wall mountable remote control unit transceiver, a barrier status detector transceiver, or a diagnostic and calibration control unit transceiver.

3. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said status indicator means includes at least one visual indicator.

4. The system set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said visual indicator includes a first visual indicator for indicating that said barrier is one of open, opening and obstruction detected and a second visual indicator for indicating that said barrier is closed.

5. The system set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said visual indicator includes a display for displaying a signal indicating one of said conditions.

6. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said at least one remote control unit includes control switch means for causing a signal to be transmitted from said remote transceiver to said base transceiver for commanding a change of state of said barrier.

7. The system set forth in claim 1 including:

a wall mountable remote control unit including a transceiver for communicating RF signals between said base transceiver and said wall mountable control unit, and a control switch associated with said wall mountable control unit for commanding said base controller to change the state of said barrier.

8. The system set forth in claim 1 including:

said obstruction detector detecting an obstruction in a path through which said barrier may move from an open position to a closed position, said obstruction detector including a detector transceiver for communicating RF signals to at least one of said remote transceiver and said base transceiver indicating the detection of an obstruction in said path.

9. The system set forth in claim 1 including:

a barrier status detector including a transceiver for relaying signals between said base transceiver and said remote transceiver.

10. The system set forth in claim 1 including:

a diagnostic and calibration control unit including a transceiver for communicating with at least one of said base transceiver, said remote transceiver, a transceiver of a wall mountable control unit and a transceiver of an obstruction detector.

11. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said base transceiver is configured for communication with one or more of said remote transceiver, an obstruction detector transceiver, and a relay transceiver, over a local communication network by sending between said transceivers data packets, half duplex and enabled by said transceivers.

12. In a movable barrier operator system including a base controller having a radio frequency base transceiver and a remote control unit for controlling movement of said barrier, said remote control unit including a radio frequency remote transceiver operable to communicate with said base transceiver, a method including the steps of:

communicating a wireless control signal from said remote transceiver to said base transceiver instructing said operator system to change the state of said barrier by either one of opening said barrier or closing said barrier;

said base transceiver, upon receiving said wireless control signal, causing said base controller to either open or close said barrier;

transmitting a wireless status signal from said base transceiver to said remote transceiver indicating a change of state of said barrier;

causing said remote control unit to provide a signal to alert a user thereof as to a status of said barrier;

communicating a wireless control signal to an obstruction detector transceiver; and

energizing said obstruction detector from a power consumption mode to a higher power consumption mode upon receipt of said wireless control signal.

13. The method set forth in claim 12 wherein:

said wireless control signals are communicated from at least one of said base transceiver, said remote transceiver, a wall mountable remote control unit transceiver, a barrier status detector transceiver, or a diagnostic and calibration control unit transceiver.

14. The method set forth in claim 12 wherein:

said transceivers are operable for communicating signals in packets of data by way of a wireless local area network.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 wherein:

said wireless local area network is connected wirelessly to selected other remote networks to transmit the status of said barrier through said other networks.

16. In a barrier operator system for moving a barrier between open and closed positions, the system comprising a motor operably connected to drive said barrier, a base controller operably connected to said motor and operable to receive signals from barrier position limit detection means, at least one remote control unit operable for wireless communication with said base controller, at least one of a barrier status indicating unit and an obstruction detection unit operable for wireless communication with at least one of said base controller and said at least one remote control unit;

said base controller including an RF base transceiver, said at least one remote control unit including an RF remote transceiver, said at least one of said barrier status indicating unit and obstruction detection unit including an RF transceiver;

said transceivers being operable to transmit status signals to at least one of said base transceiver and said remote transceiver indicating a status of said barrier of being one of in an open position, moving toward an open position, a closed position, moving toward a closed position and an obstruction detected;

said remote control unit includes signal means for generating a status signal in response to transmissions from at least one of said base transceiver and said transceiver of said status indicating unit and said obstruction detection unit; and

said obstruction detection unit includes control means for changing a power consumption mode of the obstruction detection unit in response to receiving a status signal.

17. The system set forth in claim 16 wherein:

said status signal is received from at least one of said base transceiver, said remote transceiver, said barrier status indicating unit transceiver, a wall mountable remote control unit transceiver, or a diagnostic and calibration control unit transceiver.

18. The system set forth in claim 16 wherein:

transmissions between said transceivers are carried out over a communication network between said transceivers, said transceivers transmitting information via data packets in a half duplex mode enabled by said transceivers.

19. The system set forth in claim 16 including:

a diagnostic and calibration control unit, including a transceiver for communicating with at least one of said base transceiver, said remote transceiver, said barrier status transceiver and said obstruction detector transceiver.

20. The system set forth in claim 16 wherein:

said obstruction detection unit includes control means responsive to a signal from said base transceiver for changing from a low power consumption mode to a higher power consumption mode for at least one of detecting an obstruction of the path of the barrier and exchanging RF transmissions with at least one of said base transceiver and said remote transceiver.