Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Message-Based Functionality

• US 20170316628A1
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Farber, Jordan Ari, Jenkins, Jeremy Eugene, Keller, JR., Robert R., Patel, Dilip Jagjivan, Scaletta, John Steven, Thevanathan, Madhurima Neillikuppam
• Granted Patent: US 11,200,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/79 using time control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/50 Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/59 Travel display
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/424 against unintended use
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A movable barrier operator transmits a message to a remote peripheral platform and, upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out a given functionality, responsively permits a particular function to be carried out by the movable barrier operator. Conversely, upon determining that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality, the movable barrier operator responsively prevents the movable barrier operator from carrying out the particular function. Also, upon detecting that a targeted remote platform does not acknowledge a previously re-transmitted message and further upon detecting that this same remote platform has also not acknowledged a subsequent wirelessly-transmitted second message, the system can switch to automatically retransmitting that second message a lesser number of times than would otherwise be required.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a movable barrier operator;

transmitting a message to a remote peripheral platform;

upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out a given functionality, responsively permitting a particular function to be carried out by the movable barrier operator;

upon determining that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality, responsively preventing the movable barrier operator from carrying out the particular function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the particular function comprises at least one of a timer-to-close function and a remote-close function.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the remote peripheral platform comprises an announcing device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the announcing device comprises a light fixture.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the given functionality comprises, at least in part, having the light fixture flash a light as a visual warning that the movable barrier operator will imminently carry out the particular function.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the announcing device comprises a sound producing device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the given functionality comprises, at least in part, having the sound producing device produce a sound to announce a warning that the movable barrier operator will imminently carry out the particular function.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality comprises, at least in part, the movable barrier operator receiving an acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform in response to the message.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality comprises, at least in part, determining that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform comprises, at least in part, determining that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform within a predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting another message to a second remote peripheral platform;

and wherein responsively preventing the particular function to be carried out by the movable barrier operator upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality comprises permitting the movable barrier operator to carry out the particular function regardless of whether it can be ascertained that the second remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out another given functionality.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the message comprises wirelessly transmitting the message.

13. A movable barrier operator comprising:

a transceiver;

a control circuit operably coupled to the transceiver and configured to;

transmit a message to a remote peripheral platform;

upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out a given functionality, responsively permit a particular function to be carried out by the movable barrier operator;

upon determining that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality, responsively prevent the movable barrier operator from carrying out the particular function.

14. The movable barrier operator of claim 13 wherein the particular function comprises at least one of a timer-to-close function and a remote-close function.

15. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 wherein the remote peripheral platform comprises an announcing device.

16. The movable barrier operator of claim 15 wherein the announcing device comprises a light fixture.

17. The movable barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the given functionality comprises, at least in part, having the light fixture flash a light as a visual warning that the movable barrier operator will imminently carry out the particular function.

18. The movable barrier of claim 15 wherein the announcing device comprises a sound producing device.

19. The movable barrier operator of claim 18 wherein the given functionality comprises, at least in part, having the sound producing device producing a sound to announce a warning that the movable barrier operator will imminently carry out the particular function.

20. The movable barrier operator of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality by, at least in part, receiving an acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform in response to the message.

21. The movable barrier operator of claim 20 wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that it cannot be ascertained whether the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality by, at least in part, determining that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform.

22. The movable barrier operator of claim 21 wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform by, at least in part, determining that the movable barrier operator has not received the acknowledgement transmission from the remote peripheral platform within a predetermined period of time.

23. The movable barrier operator of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is configured to:

transmit another message to a second remote peripheral platform;

and wherein the control circuit is configured to responsively carry out the particular function upon determining that the remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out the given functionality by carrying out the particular function regardless of whether it can be ascertained that the second remote peripheral platform is presently able to carry out another given functionality.

24. The movable barrier operator of claim 13 wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

25. A method comprising:

determining whether an announcing device is presently able to announce a warning in response to a command to do so;

receiving a timer-to-close signal or a remote-close signal to close a barrier;

effecting closing the barrier in response to receiving the timer-to-close signal or the remote-close signal to close the barrier where the announcing device is presently able announce the warning in response to the command to do so;

not effecting closing the barrier in response to receiving the timer-to-close signal or the remote-close signal to close the barrier where it cannot be ascertained whether the announcing device is presently able to announce the warning in response to the command to do so.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

transmitting a message to the announcing device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein transmitting the message to the announcing device comprises wirelessly transmitting the message to the announcing device.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement transmission from the announcing device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein receiving the acknowledgement transmission from the announcing device further comprises wirelessly receiving the acknowledgement transmission from the announcing device.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

determining an acknowledgement transmission has not been received from the announcing device.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

determining an acknowledgement transmission has not been received from the announcing device within a predetermined period of time.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the announcing device comprises at least one of a light fixture and an audible-announcing fixture, and wherein the announcing the warning comprises at least one of the light fixture flashing a light and the audible-announcing fixture generating an audible warning.

33. A movable barrier operator comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a timer-to-close signal or a remote-close signal to close a barrier;

a control circuit configured to;

determine whether an announcing device is presently able to announce a warning in response to a command to do so;

in response to the transceiver receiving the timer-to-close signal or the remote-close signal to close the barrier;

effect closing the barrier where the announcing device is presently able to announce the warning in response to the command to do so;

not effect closing the barrier where the announcing device is presently not able to announce the warning in response to the command to do so.

34. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the control circuit is further configured to effect transmission of a message to the announcing device.

35. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the transmission of the message to the announcing device is a wireless transmission.

36. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an acknowledgement transmission has been received from the announcing device.

37. The movable barrier operator of claim 36 wherein the acknowledgement transmission is a wireless acknowledgement transmission.

38. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an acknowledgement transmission has not been received from the announcing device.

39. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an acknowledgement transmission has not been received from the announcing device within a predetermined period of time.

40. The movable barrier operator of claim 33 wherein the announcing device comprises at least one of a light fixture and an audible-announcing fixture, and wherein the announcing the warning comprises at least one of the light fixture flashing a light and the audible-announcing fixture generating an audible warning.