Portal management

• US 8,619,141 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/644,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148, 348/156, 382/118, 235/382, 701/36
• US Class Current: 348/156
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

The different illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus, a system, and a method for managing a portal. The different illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a locking system, a detection system, and a portal access system. The locking system is for a portal having a first side and a second side. The portal is configured to swing about an axis through the first side between an opened position and a closed position. The detection system is configured to detect when a robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal. The portal access system unlocks the portal when the portal is in the closed position and the robotic vehicle is detected within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

locking system for a portal having a first side and a second side, wherein the portal is configured to swing about an axis through the first side between an opened position and a closed position;

a detection system configured to detect when a robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal; and

a portal access system that unlocks the portal when the portal is in the closed position and the robotic vehicle is detected within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system, wherein the portal access system comprises;

a portal movement system, wherein the portal movement system moves the portal between the opened position and the closed position; and

a controller associated with the portal access system, wherein the controller unlocks the portal when the robotic vehicle is detected within the selected distance of the portal and the portal is in the closed position and moves the portal to the opened position from the closed position, wherein the controller determines whether a number of unauthorized objects are present within an unauthorized distance, determines whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, closing the portal responsive to the portal being in the opened position, and keeping the portal closed until the number of unauthorized objects are no longer present within the unauthorized distance responsive to the portal being in the closed position and the robotic vehicle being present within the selected distance.

2. A portal access system comprising:

a portal movement system that moves a portal between a closed position and an opened position, wherein the portal has a first side and a second side and the portal swings about an axis through the first side between the opened position and the closed position;

a wireless communications unit configured to receive a request to move the portal from a robotic vehicle;

a detection system configured to detect when the robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal, wherein the detection system detects objects in an area in which the portal access system is located; and

a controller, wherein the controller controls the portal movement system to move the portal between the opened position and the closed position in response to receiving the request using the wireless communications unit and in response to detecting the robotic vehicle within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system, wherein the controller identifies a number of unauthorized objects from the objects, and wherein the controller, in response to receiving the request and detecting the number of unauthorized objects when the portal is in the closed position, controlling the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position, wherein in controlling the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position, the controller controls the portal movement system to keep the portal in the closed position until the number of unauthorized objects are absent.

3. A method for managing a portal, the method comprising:

determining whether a robotic vehicle is within a selected distance of the portal, wherein the portal has a first side and a second side and the portal is configured to swing about an axis between an opened position and a closed position;

responsive to a determination that the robotic vehicle is within the selected distance of the portal, opening the portal;

determining whether a number of unauthorized objects are present within an unauthorized distance from the portal;

responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, determining whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position;

responsive to the portal being in the opened position, closing the portal; and

responsive to the portal being in the closed position and the robotic vehicle being present within the selected distance, keeping the portal closed until the number of unauthorized objects are no longer present within the unauthorized distance.