Systems and methods for monitoring automatic doors

• US 7,737,860 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Won-Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Won-Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Goodman, E. Carl, Field, D. George, Banta, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/871,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20090096622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.01, 340/286.02, 340/686.1, 340/691.6, 49/24, 491/63, 491/68, 318466-470, 52/1
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• 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: E05Y 2400/40 Control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/82 Images; Symbols
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/21 of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs
• 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 2009/6836 sensing obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring an automatic door system. In one embodiment, an automatic door system may include a door system controller coupled to one or more input devices. The door system controller may be configured to receive data representative of an operational parameter of the automatic door system. At least one monitor display may be operably coupled to the door system controller and configured to display information regarding the operational parameter of the input devices. A remote display device interface may be configured to operably couple at least one remote display device to the door system controller. The at least one monitor display may be configured to automatically change from a master configuration to a slave configuration when the at least one remote display device is operably coupled to the door system controller.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for automatic doors, comprising:

at least one automatic door system, each automatic door system of the at least one automatic door system comprising;

at least one door;

at least one input device configured to sense data representative of an operational parameter of the door system;

a door system controller operably coupled to the at least one input device and configured to receive the data representative of the operational parameter of the automatic door;

at least one remote display device interface operably coupled to the door system controller and configured to be operably coupled to at least one remote display device; and

at least one monitor display operably coupled to the door system controller and configured to display information representative of the operational parameter of the door, wherein the at least one monitor display is configured to automatically switch from a master configuration to a slave configuration when the at least one remote display device is operably coupled to the at least one remote display device interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein when the at least one remote display device is operably coupled to the at least one remote display device interface, the at least one remote display device is configured to operate as a master device and display information representative of the operational parameter of the at least one automatic door system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitor display is configured to automatically switch back to a master configuration when the at least one remote display device is decoupled from the at least one remote display device interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the door system controller is configured to send end-user instructions relating to the operational parameter of the automatic door to at least one of the remote display device and the at least one monitor display.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter includes at least one of a system fault, a component status, and an alarm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one of a sensor and a switch.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises at least one sensor operably coupled to a power supply.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one door comprises a plurality of panels coupled together with a plurality of hinges.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitor display is located on a portion of the at least one door.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator located and configured to selectively displace the at least one door.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitor display is located on a wall located adjacent a portion of the at least one door.

12. A method of monitoring an automated system, comprising:

providing at least one door system controller, each door system controller of the at least one door system controller having an input device interface and a display interface;

coupling at least one input device to the input device interface;

coupling a monitor display to the display interface;

coupling a remote display device interface to the display interface, wherein the remote display device interface is configured to couple a remote display device operating as a master device to the at least one door system controller;

transferring data representative of an operational parameter from the input device to the at least one door system controller;

configuring the monitor display to operate as a master device when the remote display device is not coupled to the remote display device interface and operate as a slave device when the remote display device is coupled to the remote display device interface;

sending a description of the operational parameter to the master device; and

displaying the description of the operational parameter.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a description of the operational parameter in the monitor display when the monitor display is operating as the slave device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an operational parameter of the automated system through the at least one input device, wherein the operational parameter comprises at least one of a system fault, a component status, and an emergency event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the description of the operational parameter includes end-user instructions relating to the operational parameter.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

coupling an audio transducer to the processing circuit;

transferring audio data representative of the description of the operational parameter from the processing circuit to the audio transducer; and

playing the audio data through the audio transducer.

17. A network of automatic door systems, comprising:

at least one communication line;

a plurality of automatic door systems operably coupled to the at least one communication line, each automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems comprising;

at least one door;

at least one input device configured for determining at least one operational parameter of the automatic door system; and

a door system controller operably coupled to the at least one input device and configured to request and receive data representative of the at least one operational parameter of the automatic door system from the at least one input device, the door system controller including at least one monitor display, wherein the at least one monitor display is configured to display indicia of the data representative of the operational parameter and wherein the at least one monitor display is configured to switch from a master mode to a slave mode upon operative coupling to at least one remote display device interface.

18. The network of automatic door systems of claim 17, further comprising a remote computer operably coupled to the at least one communication line and configured to operate as a remote display device interface, wherein the remote computer is further configured for requesting the data representative of the operational parameter of each automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems.

19. The network of automatic door systems of claim 18, wherein the remote computer comprises an output device configured to display indicia of the data representative of the at least one operational parameter of each automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems.

20. A method of monitoring a network of automatic door systems, comprising:

establishing a communication line between a plurality of automatic door systems, wherein each automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems includes a door system controller having at least one monitor display configured to switch from a master mode to a slave mode upon operative coupling to at least one remote display device interface;

requesting information from an automatic door system controller of the plurality of automatic door systems, wherein the information is related to an operational parameter of an automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems; and

displaying the information on a display device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing a remote computer operating as a remote display device interface on the communication line.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising coupling a remote display device to a door system controller of an automatic door system of the plurality of automatic door systems.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying the information comprises displaying the information via an output device of the remote computer.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein requesting information comprises transmitting an address and at least one of a status request and at least one instruction from a master device.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying the information comprises displaying information in a display device within the at least one monitor display.