SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A TRANSMITTER

• US 20190108702A1
• Filed: 09/24/2018
• Published: 04/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Willard, II, Steven L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,460,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• 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 9/00714 with passive electrical components, e.g. resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A communication system for communicating with a barrier operator for remotely controlling operation of a barrier. The communication system may include a remote device that can be handheld or incorporated into a vehicle. The communication system may also include a remote token separate from the remote device and capable of communicating information to the remote device. The remote device may be paired with a communication channel for communicating one or more commands to the barrier operator. The remote device may be configured to suppress or disable communication of a requested command on the communication channel until after information is received from the remote token that authorizes communication of the requested command on the communication channel.

Claims

1. A remote device configured to control operation of a barrier operator, said remote device comprising:

memory configured to store remote token information relating to a remote token, said memory configured to store one or more communication parameters pertaining to controlling operation of the barrier operator;

a communication system configured to transmit communications to the barrier operator according to the one or more communication parameters, said communication system configured to transmit a request for information to the remote token; and

a controller operably coupled to the communication system, said controller configured to direct the communication system to transmit the request for information to the remote token, said controller configured to direct said communication system to transmit a command to the barrier operator according to the one or more communication parameters in response to receipt of information from the remote token that corresponds to the remote token information stored in memory.

2. The remote device of claim 1 wherein the remote token is an RFID device, wherein said request includes an interrogation signal transmitted from the remote device, and wherein said RFID device transmits information corresponding to the remote token information via modulations imposed on the interrogation signal.

3. The remote device of claim 1 wherein the remote token information is an identifier for the remote token, and wherein information received from the remote token is the identifier.

4. The remote device of claim 3 wherein the information received from the remote token is encrypted according to a key and an encryption algorithm.

5. The remote device of claim 4 wherein the key is a pre-shared key stored in both memory of the remote token and the memory of the remote device.

6. The remote device of claim 1 wherein the controller of the remote device is configured to pair the remote device with the barrier operator to establish a communication channel for directing operation of the barrier operator.

7. The remote device of claim 6 wherein the controller is configured to learn a control protocol for communicating with the barrier operator by sniffing communications from another device to the barrier operator, wherein the controller pairs with the barrier operator by communicating according to the control protocol learned from sniffed communications.

8. The remote device of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to establish one or more channels of communication for communicating with one or more barrier operators, and wherein the controller is configured to associate the remote token information from the remote token with at least one of the one or more channels.

9. The remote device of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to associate a plurality of remote tokens with at least one of the one or more channels.

10. The remote device of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to restrict transmission of communications on the one or more channels of communication until after information received from the remote token is determined to correspond with the remote token information stored in memory.

11. A remote token configured to communicate with a remote device for wirelessly directing operation of a barrier operator, said remote token comprising:

memory configured to store identification information pertaining to an identity of the remote token;

a communication system configured to communicate wirelessly with the remote device; and

a controller operably coupled to said communication system, said controller configured to direct said communication system to wirelessly respond to a request from the remote device with token data that is based on the identification information stored in memory, wherein the token data authenticates the remote token to the remote device to authorize the remote device to wirelessly direct operation of the barrier operator.

12. The remote token of claim 11 wherein the communication system is an RFID communication system configured to communicate by modulating an interrogation signal received from the remote device.

13. The remote token of claim 11 wherein the token data corresponds to authentication information stored in the remote device, wherein the authentication information pertains to enabling transmission of communications to the barrier operator via a communication channel.

14. The remote device of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to pair with the remote device in response to a pair communication request received from the remote device by communicating the token data.

15. A method of controlling an operation of a barrier operator, said method comprising:

providing a remote device for communicating a command to the barrier operator via communication channel;

providing a remote token separate from the remote device;

receiving an input request to transmit the command to the barrier operator;

communicating a token request from the remote device to the remote token;

in response to receipt of the token request, transmitting token data from the remote token to the remote device;

determining if the token data is indicative of authorization for the remote device to transmit the command to the barrier operator via the communication channel; and

based on said determining indicating the remote device is authorized to transmit the command, transmitting the command from the remote device to the barrier operator.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising establishing the communication channel with the barrier operator for communicating the command.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said establishing includes training the remote device to communicate with the barrier operator via the communication channel;

and comprising associating the token data with the communication channel in a setup mode.

18. The method of claim 15 comprising restricting transmission of communications on the communication channel until after the remote device determines if the token data is indicative of authorization for the remote device to transmit the command.

19. The method of claim 15 comprising training the remote device to communicate on a second communication channel with the barrier operator.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said communicating the token request includes transmitting an interrogation signal to the remote token;

and comprising modulating the interrogation signal in accordance with the token data to transmit the token data to the remote device.