System and method for operating multiple moveable barrier operators

• US 7,332,999 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/993,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.71, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/5.8, 340/545.1, 340/5.65, 340/5.64, 340/5.22, 340/10.3, 340/521, 340/5.61, 455/420, 455/100, 375/211, 49/25, 49/68
• US Class Current: 340/5.71
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 17/00 Special devices for shifting a plurality of wings operated simultaneously for simultaneously moving a plurality of interconnected ventilating lamellae E06B7/086
• 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 first moveable barrier is actuated by using a first moveable barrier operator. Responsive to the receipt of a signal initiating actuation of the first moveable barrier, a wireless signal is transmitted from the first moveable barrier to a second moveable barrier operator. The signal is received at the second moveable barrier operator and the second moveable barrier operator is controlled in response to receiving the signal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a movable barrier operator comprising:

receiving a first signal having a first initiating actuation command at a first moveable barrier operator, responsively actuating a first moveable barrier

responsive to the receipt of a signal initiating actuation of the first moveable barrier, selectively determining and transmitting a wireless signal directly from the first moveable barrier operator to a second moveable barrier operator, the wireless signal having a second initiating actuation command different from the first actuation command; and

receiving the wireless signal at the second moveable barrier operator and controlling the second moveable barrier operator in response to receiving the wireless signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the wireless signal comprises transmitting the wireless signal from a first moveable barrier operator to a second movable barrier, the first movable barrier selected from the group consisting of a gate operator and a door having a lock, the second moveable barrier operator selected from the group consisting of a gate operator, a garage door operator, and a door having a lock.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a direction of travel of a vehicle through the first moveable barrier.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising transmitting the wireless signal to the second barrier operator indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle through the first barrier and further comprising identifying an action to perform at the second movable barrier in response to receiving the signal.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising identifying at the second moveable barrier that the second barrier should be opened.

6. The method of claim 4 comprising identifying at the second moveable barrier that the second barrier should be closed.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising reversing a direction of travel of the second moveable barrier.

8. A method of operating movable barrier operators comprising:

transmitting a first signal having a first initiating actuation command from a transmitter and actuating a first moveable barrier operator;

responsive to the actuation of the first moveable barrier operator and receipt of the first signal, selectively determining and transmitting a second signal directly from the first moveable barrier operator to at least one second moveable barrier operator, the second signal having a second initiating actuation command that is different from the first initiating actuation command; and

receiving the second signal at the second moveable barrier operator and actuating the at least one second moveable barrier operator in response to receiving the second signal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein actuating a first moveable barrier operator comprises actuating a garage door operator and transmitting a second signal comprises transmitting the second signal from the garage door operator to a gate operator.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein actuating a first moveable barrier operator comprises actuating a gate operator and transmitting a second signal comprises transmitting the second signal from the gate operator to a garage door operator.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the signal to the at least one second moveable barrier operator comprises transmitting the signal over a connection selected from a group comprising a wireless connection and a wired connection.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the second signal comprises transmitting the second signal from a first moveable barrier operator to at least one second moveable barrier operator, the first moveable barrier operator selected from the group consisting of a gate operator and a door having a lock, the at least one second moveable barrier operator selected from the group consisting of a gate operator, a garage door operator, and a door having a lock.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising sensing a direction of travel through the first moveable barrier.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second signal comprises information indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle through the first barrier and further comprising determining an action to perform at the at least one second movable barrier as a result of receiving the second signal.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein sensing the direction of traffic through the first moveable barrier is accomplished via devices selected from the group consisting of at least two loop detectors, at least two photobeams, a photobeam and a loop detector, and a camera.

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising reversing a direction of travel of the first moveable barrier.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the second signal to the at least one second moveable barrier operator comprises transmitting a signal to a plurality of second moveable barrier operators, the method further comprising selecting a second moveable barrier to actuate from amongst the plurality of second moveable barrier operators.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein selecting the second moveable barrier operator comprises selecting the second moveable barrier operator based upon a criteria selected from the group consisting of a type of the first signal, an identification of the first signal, an identification of a button activated on the transmitter, and an identification of the first moveable barrier operator.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein transmitting the second signal to the second moveable barrier operator comprises transmitting a coded signal such that only one of plurality of the second moveable barrier operators responds to the signal.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein transmitting the signal to the second moveable barrier operator comprises transmitting a coded signal to open the second moveable barrier.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein transmitting the signal to the second moveable barrier operator comprises transmitting a coded signal to close the second moveable barrier.

22. A system for actuating moveable barriers comprising:

a first moveable barrier;

a first moveable barrier operator coupled to the first moveable barrier and communicatively coupled to a wireless connection, the first moveable barrier operator being actuated by a first signal having a first command;

a second moveable barrier;

a second moveable barrier operator coupled to the second moveable barrier and communicatively coupled to the wireless connection; and

wherein responsive to the actuation of the first moveable barrier, a wireless signal having a second command different from the first command is directly transmitted over the wireless connection from the first moveable operator to the second moveable barrier operator actuating the second moveable barrier operator.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first movable barrier is selected from the group consisting of a gate and a door, the second moveable barrier operator selected from a group consisting of a garage door opener, a gate operator, and a door having a lock.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising a sensor for determining a direction of travel of a vehicle through the first moveable barrier.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the second moveable barrier operator receives information indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle through the first moveable barrier and further comprising determining an action to perform at the second movable barrier as a result of receiving the information.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the first moveable barrier operator is a garage door operator and the second moveable barrier operator is a gate operator.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the first moveable barrier operator is a gate operator and the second moveable barrier operator is a garage door operator.