System For Facilitating Access to a Secured Area

• US 20190043290A1
• Filed: 07/31/2018
• Published: 02/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, David R., Murray, James Scott, Olmsted, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,713,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/81 Feedback to user, e.g. tactile
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/814 Sound emitters, e.g. loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/818 Visual
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

A movable barrier operator comprising a motor, communication circuitry configured to receive a control signal and communicate with a door lock associated with a passageway door, and a controller. The controller is configured to authenticate the control signal, wherein authenticating the control signal includes associating the signal with a first level of access or a second level of access. The controller is further configured to communicate with the door lock via the communication circuitry to permit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access and inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access. The controller is configured to cause the motor to open the movable barrier regardless of association of the control signal with the first level of access or the second level of access.

Claims

1. A movable barrier operator comprising:

a motor configured to be coupled to a movable barrier to move the movable barrier;

communication circuitry configured to receive a control signal and communicate with a door lock associated with a passageway door;

a controller operatively coupled to the motor and the communication circuitry, the controller configured to authenticate the control signal, wherein authenticating the control signal includes associating the signal with a first level of access or a second level of access;

the controller further configured to communicate with the door lock via the communication circuitry to permit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access and inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access; and

wherein the controller is configured to cause the motor to open the movable barrier regardless of association of the control signal with the first level of access or the second level of access.

2. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 further comprising a camera operably coupled to the controller, the controller further configured to operate the camera to record an image and/or a video in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access, the controller further configured to not operate the camera in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access.

3. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 further comprising an indicator operably coupled to the controller, the controller further configured to operate the indicator to indicate a location within an area secured by the movable barrier in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access, the controller further configured to not operate the indicator in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access.

4. The movable barrier operator of claim 3 wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a light, a laser, a speaker, or a display screen.

5. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to cause the motor to move the movable barrier a first distance in response to the controller associating the control signal with the first level of access, the controller further configured to cause the motor to move the movable barrier a second distance less than the first distance in response to the controller associating the control signal with the second level of access.

6. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 further comprising a memory operatively coupled to the controller and configured to store information regarding whether the door lock is in a locked state or an unlocked state, wherein the controller is further configured to:

permit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access by keeping the door lock in the unlocked state if the door lock is in the unlocked state or changing the door lock to the unlocked state if the door lock is in the locked state; and

inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access by keeping the door lock in the locked state if the door lock is in the locked state or changing the door lock to the locked state if the door lock is in the unlocked state.

7. A method of controlling access to a secured area having a movable barrier and a passageway door, the method comprising:

receiving a control signal with information that associates the control signal with a first level of access or a second level of access;

identifying the control signal as being associated with the first level of access or the second level of access;

selectively controlling movement of the passageway door, wherein selectively controlling includes permitting opening of the passageway door in response to identification of the control signal as being associated with the first level of access and inhibiting opening of the passageway door in response to identification of the control signal as being associated with the second level of access; and

operating a movable barrier operator to open the movable barrier in response to identification of the control signal as associated with either the first access level or the second access level.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising operating a camera to record at least a portion of the secured area in response to identifying the control signal as being associated with the second level of access, and not operating the camera in response to identifying the control signal as being associated with the first level of access.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising operating an indicator to indicate a position within the secured area in response to identifying the control signal as being associated with the second level of access, and not operating the indicator in response to identifying the control signal as being associated with the first level of access.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein operating the movable barrier operator comprises moving the movable barrier a first distance in response to identifying the control signal as being associated with the first signal and opening the movable barrier a second distance less than the first distance in response to identifying the signal as the second signal.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining whether a door lock of the passageway door is in a locked state or an unlocked state;

permitting opening of the passageway door includes allowing the door lock to remain in the unlocked state if the door lock is in the unlocked state or changing the door lock to the unlocked state if the door lock is in the locked state; and

inhibiting opening of the passageway door includes allowing the door lock to remain in the locked state if the door lock is in the locked state or changing the door lock to the locked state if the door lock is in the unlocked state.

12. A system for controlling access to a secured area, the system comprising;

a movable barrier operator coupled to a movable barrier;

a door lock of a passageway door;

a portable electronic device communicatively coupled to the movable barrier operator and associated with either a first level of access or a second level of access to the secured area, the portable electronic device configured to communicate a control signal to the movable barrier operator to cause the movable barrier operator to open the movable barrier;

wherein the door lock is configured to permit opening of the passageway door in response to communication of the control signal from the portable electronic device and association of the portable electronic device with the first level of access;

the door lock further configured to inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to communication of the control signal from the portable electronic device and association of the portable electronic device with the second level of access.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a server computer configured to receive the control signal from the portable electronic device and communicate an actuation signal to the movable barrier operator or the door lock.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server computer is configured to identify the portable electronic device as associated with either the first level of access or the second level of access.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the server computer is configured to communicate the actuation signal to the movable barrier operator, and the movable barrier operator is configured to transmit a second actuation signal to the door lock in response to receiving the actuation signal, the second actuation signal configured to cause the door lock to lock or unlock.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising a camera configured to record an image and/or a video in response to the portable electronic device associated with the second level of access.

17. The system of claim 12 further comprising an indicator configured to indicate a location in the secured area in response to the portable electronic device associated with the second level of access.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the control signal includes information indicating whether the portable electronic device is associated with the first level of access or the second level of access.