Movable barrier operator having serial data communication

• US 7,161,319 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, James J., Ergun, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): San Martin; Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US10/717,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 318/266, 318/286, 318/468, 318/480, 318/445, 318/16, 318/51, 318/62, 49/26, 49/27, 49/29, 49/25, 340/5.71, 340/5.7, 340/825.72, 340/545.1, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 318/445
• 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 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/78 using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/80 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/106 Lighting
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A wall control unit for a movable barrier operator sends baseband signals over a wire connection to a head unit of a movable barrier operator to command the movable barrier to perform barrier operator functions. The wall control unit has a wall control unit port for connection to the wire connection. A first switch sends a barrier command signal to the head unit commanding the head unit to open or close a movable barrier. A second switch commands the head unit to provide energization to a light source. An infrared detector causes a command signal to be sent to the head unit to control the illumination state of the light source.

Claims

1. An improved garage door opener comprising a motor drive unit for opening and closing a garage door, said motor drive unit having a microcontroller and a wall console, said wall console having a microcontroller, said microcontroller of said motor drive unit being connected to the microcontroller of the wall console by means of a digital data bus.

2. The garage door opener according to claim 1 wherein said digital data bus is asynchronous.

3. The garage door opener according to claim 1 wherein at least one microcontroller controls the travel of said door and said one microcontroller makes calculations of the door'"'"'s location during its travel.

4. The garage door opener according to claim 1 further comprising a keypad for operating the garage door opener and wherein said keypad is provided with a switch to turn on or off a light in the motor drive unit in the garage.

5. The garage door opener according to claim 1 comprising apparatus at the wall console for requesting the status of the drive unit via the data bus.

6. The garage door opener according to claim 5 comprising apparatus at the drive unit for responding to status requests from the wall console via the data bus.

7. The garage door opener according to claim 1 wherein power for the wall console is provided from the drive unit via power conductors of the data bus.

8. The garage door opener according to claim 7 wherein the power conductors convey both data and power.

9. An improved garage door opener comprising a motor drive unit for opening and closing a garage door, said motor drive unit having a controller and a wall console, said wall console having a controller, said controller of said motor drive unit being connected to the controller of the wall console by means of a digital data bus.

10. The garage door opener according to claim 9 wherein said digital data bus is asynchronous.

11. The garage door opener according to claim 9 wherein at least one controller controls the travel of said door and said one microcontroller makes calculations of the door'"'"'s location during its travel.

12. The garage door opener according to claim 9 further comprising a keypad for operating the garage door opener and wherein said keypad is provided with a switch to turn on or off a light in the motor drive unit in the garage.

13. The garage door opener according to claim 9 comprising apparatus at the wall console for requesting the status of the drive unit via the data bus.

14. The garage door opener according to claim 13 comprising apparatus at the drive unit for responding to status requests from the wall console via the data bus.

15. The garage door opener according to claim 9 wherein power for the wall console is provided from the drive unit via power conductors of the data bus.

16. The garage door opener according to claim 15 wherein the power conductors convey both data and power.