Wireless communication system for a roll-up door

• US 7,518,326 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy Entrance Systems AB (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Albany International Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Robert J., Czubin, Allan B., Theusch, Lee H., Shier, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/655,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 318/16, 318264-266, 318/286, 318466-470, 340/539.1, 340/545.1
• US Class Current: 318/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/512 of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/612 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/66 Wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/00 Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

A door system includes a support connected to a structure, and a door mounted on the support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position. The door includes a detection device and a remote module coupled to the detection device. The remote module includes a battery and an RF module for supporting two-way communication and sending signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The door system also includes a motor to drive the door, and a controller to control the motor. The controller includes a user interface and a memory. The door system also includes a base module coupled to the controller for receiving signals from the remote module. The received signals are indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The base module also sends signals related to successful transmission acknowledgements to the remote module.

Claims

1. A door system adapted to be mounted to a structure, the door system comprising:

a support connected to the structure;

a door mounted on the support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position, the door including

a detection device coupled to the door, and

a remote module coupled to the detection device, the remote module including a battery for powering the remote module, supporting two-way communication, and sending signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery;

a motor coupled to the door to drive the door;

a controller coupled to the motor to control the motor, the controller including a user interface and a memory; and

a base module coupled to the controller for receiving signals from the remote module, the received signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery, and sending signals related to successful transmission acknowledgements to the remote module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote module includes an RF module for supporting wireless, two-way communication with the base module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the door mounted on the support is a roll-up door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection device includes a tape switch for detecting an object restricting vertical movement of the door.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tape switch includes a first conductive path and a second conductive path connected in series configuration with a resistor.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second detection device coupled to one side of the door, and a third detection device coupled to another side of the door opposite to the one side of the door.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second detection device is a first breakaway switch operable to define the status of the one side of the door with respect to one vertical support.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the third detection device is a second breakaway switch operable to define the status of the another side of the door with respect to another vertical support.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote module includes a sensor operable to detect movement of the door.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is oriented with respect to the remote module to detect vertical movement of the door.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote module includes a temperature sensor.

12. A method of operating a door system including

a door mounted on a support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position, the door having

a detection device,

a remote module coupled to the detection device, the remote module including a battery for powering the remote module, and an RF module for supporting two-way communication,

a motor for driving the door,

a controller for controlling the motor, and

a base module coupled to the controller, the base module supporting two-way communication with the remote module, the method comprising:

operating the remote module in a first mode of the system;

transmitting a signal with the remote module, the signal indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery;

operating the motor with the controller based on the signal transmitted;

operating the remote module in a second mode of the system;

transmitting another signal with the base module, the signal indicative of an acknowledgement of reception of the signal from the remote module;

operating the remote module in a third mode of the system;

shutting down the RF module;

operating the remote module in a fourth mode of the system;

switching operation of the remote module to the first mode in response to a watchdog timer expiring.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising switching operation of the remote module to the first mode in response to the remote module sensing a change of status of the detection device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising filtering a signal indicative of a change of status of the detection device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising incrementing the expiration term of the watchdog timer in response to the remote module continuously switching operation from the fourth mode to the first mode due to expiration of the watchdog timer.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising starting the RF module in response to a watchdog timer expiring.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising starting the RF module in response to the remote module sensing a change of status of the detection device.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising operating the remote module in the fourth mode about at least 90% of the time.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising

using a first electric current rate in the first mode,

using a second electric current rate in the second mode, the first current rate different than the second rate,

using a third current rate in the third mode, the third current rate different than the first rate and the second rate, and

using a fourth current rate in the fourth mode, the fourth current rate different than the first rate, the second rate, and the third rate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first rate is larger than the second rate, the second rate is larger than the third rate, and the third rate is larger than the fourth rate.

21. A method of operating a remote module coupled to a detection device, the remote module including a battery for powering the remote module and an RF module, the remote module supporting wireless two-way communication with a base module, the method comprising:

in a first mode, transmitting a signal indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery;

coupling the transmitted signal received at the base module to a controller;

operating a motor with the controller based on the transmitted signal, wherein the motor drives a door;

switching from the first mode to a second mode in response to transmitting the signal, electric current consumption in the first mode being larger than in the second mode;

in the second mode, verifying if another signal transmitted from the base module has been received, the another signal indicative of a transmission acknowledgment;

verifying the status of the detection device and the battery;

switching from the second mode to a third mode in response to the remote module verifying that the status is the same as the status transmitted in the first mode, electric current consumption in the second mode being larger than in the third mode;

in the third mode, verifying that a timer has expired, the timer at least partially defining the amount of time the remote module operates in the third mode;

shutting down the RF module in response to the timer being expired;

switching from the third mode to a fourth mode in response to shutting down the RF module, electric current consumption in the third mode being larger than in the fourth mode;

in the fourth mode, verifying that a watchdog timer has expired; and

switching from the fourth mode to the first mode in response to the watchdog timer expiring.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

in the second mode, switching to the first mode if the another signal is not received; and

switching to the first mode if the remote module determines that status of the detection device and the battery changed from the status transmitted in the first mode.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising in the third mode, switching to the first mode in response to the remote module operating in the third mode over a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being larger than the expiration time of the timer.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising in the third mode, verifying if the status of the detection device has changed.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

filtering a signal generated by the detection device indicative of a change of status of the detection device; and

switching to the first mode in response to the change of status of the detection device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

switching to the second mode in response to filtering the signal indicative of change of status of the detection device; and

verifying that another timer has expired.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising verifying if motion is detected with a motion sensor in response to the status of the detection device not changing.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising switching to the third mode, starting the RF module, and switching to the second mode in response to starting the RF module.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

in the fourth mode, verifying if the status of the detection device has changed in response to the watchdog timer not being expired; and

switching to the first mode in response to the remote module determining that the status has changed from the status transmitted in the first mode.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the signal transmitted in the first mode includes a short burst of coded packets of information indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery.