Network ID activated transmitter

• US 8,643,465 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• 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): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US11/566,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,619 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.33, 340/5.64, 340/5.7, 340/5.71
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A security code transmitter is provided to transmit a control signal to a barrier movement operator to controlling movement of a movable barrier. The barrier movement operator is proximate to a wireless communication network having a network ID. A receiver of the security code transmitter receives a transmitted network signal comprising the network ID from the wireless communication network. A memory of the security code transmitter stores a predetermined ID. A processor of the security code transmitter determines whether the wireless network ID of the transmitted network signal matches the predetermined wireless network ID. When a match is determined, the security code transmitter is controlled to transmit the control signal to the barrier movement operator.

Claims

1. A security code transmitter comprising:

a receiver configured to check for and detect a pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising a wireless network ID, the pre-existing local wireless network signal being generated by a stationary device separate from a barrier movement operator;

a memory configured to store a predetermined ID;

a transmitter; and

a processor configured to determine whether the wireless network ID of the pre-existing local wireless network signal matches the predetermined ID, and in response to determining a match and without exchange of information with the stationary device other than receipt of the pre-existing local wireless network ID, to control the transmitter to transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the barrier movement operator.

2. The security code transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a user input device configured to receive instructions from a user to perform at least one of:

associating the wireless network ID with a movable barrier function to be performed, and implementing a learning mode to program the predetermined ID into the memory of the security code transmitter.

3. The security code transmitter of claim 2, wherein the movable barrier function to be performed includes a movable barrier function comprising at least one of:

opening the movable barrier, closing the movable barrier, turning on a light in communication with the barrier movement operator, turning off the light in communication with the barrier movement operator, and turning on an electrical load.

4. The security code transmitter of claim 1, wherein the memory stores at least two wireless network IDs.

5. The security code transmitter of claim 1, wherein the receiver is adapted to detect the pre-existing local wireless network signal only in response to a loss of detection of the pre-existing wireless network signal.

6. The security code transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a signal strength detector configured to determine a strength of the pre-existing local wireless network signal, and wherein the processor configured to control the transmitter to transmit the control signal to the barrier movement operator is configured to transmit the control signal to the barrier movement operator in response to determining that the strength of the pre-existing local wireless network signal exceeds a predetermined threshold strength.

7. A system for controlling movement of a movable barrier, the system comprising:

a barrier movement operator adapted to perform movable barrier functions;

a security code transmitter configured to at least periodically check for and detect a pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising a wireless network ID, the pre-existing local wireless network signal being generated by a stationary device separate from the barrier movement operator, compare the wireless network ID with a predetermined ID stored in a memory of the security code transmitter, and transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the barrier movement operator for controlling the functions of the movable barrier in response to a match of the wireless network ID and the predetermined ID and without exchange of information with the stationary device other than receipt of the pre-existing local wireless network ID.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprises at least one of a Wi-Fi network, a Bluetooth network, an alarm network, and a home automation network.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a user input device configured to receive instructions from a user to perform at least one of:

associating the wireless network ID with a movable barrier function to be performed, and implementing a learning mode to program the predetermined ID into the memory of the security code transmitter.

10. A method for commanding a barrier movement operator, the method comprising:

checking for a pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising the wireless network ID, the pre-existing wireless network signal being generated by a stationary device separate from the barrier movement operator;

detecting the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising the wireless network ID;

determining whether a predetermined ID stored in a memory matches the wireless network ID of the pre-existing local wireless network signal; and

transmitting a control signal to a wireless receiver of the barrier movement operator in response to a successful match of the predetermined ID and the wireless network ID and without exchange of information with the stationary device other than receipt of the pre-existing local wireless network ID.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving instructions from a user input to perform at least one of:

associating the wireless network ID with a movable barrier function to be performed, and implementing a learning mode to program the predetermined ID into the memory.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the predetermined ID stored in the memory matches the wireless network ID of the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprises determining whether one of a plurality of predetermined IDs stored in the memory matches the wireless network ID of the pre-existing local wireless network signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the control signal causes a movable barrier function to be performed comprising at least one of:

opening the movable barrier, closing the movable barrier, turning on a light in communication with the barrier movement operator, turning off the light in communication with the barrier movement operator, and turning on an electrical load.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein checking for the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprises checking for the pre-existing local wireless network signal in response to no longer detecting the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising the wireless network ID.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a strength of the pre-existing local wireless network signal, wherein the transmitting the control signal to the barrier movement operator is performed only in response determining that the strength of the pre-existing local wireless network signal exceeds a predetermined threshold strength.

16. A method of programming a security code transmitter to transmit a control signal to a barrier movement operator, the method comprising:

initiating a learning mode in response to a user input;

receiving a pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising a wireless network ID, the pre-existing local wireless network signal being generated by a stationary device separate from a barrier movement operator;

storing the wireless network ID in a memory of the security code transmitter; and

configuring the security code transmitter to check for and detect the pre-existing local wireless network signal comprising the wireless network ID and transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the barrier movement operator in response to detecting the wireless network ID and without exchange of information with the stationary device other than receipt of the pre-existing local wireless network ID.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the learning mode is initiated in response to receiving an input from an input device of the security code transmitter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the memory is adapted to store multiple different wireless network IDs.

19. The method of claim 16, further storing a function to be performed in response to detection of the wireless network ID in the memory based on a second user input.

20. A security code transmitter comprising:

a receiver configured to check for and detect a local Wi-Fi computer network signal comprising a service set identifier (SSID) without exchange of information with a transmitter of the local Wi-Fi computer network signal other than receipt of the local Wi-Fi computer network signal;

a memory configured to store a predetermined ID;

a transmitter; and

a processor configured to determine whether the SSID of the local Wi-Fi computer network signal matches the predetermined ID, and in response to determining a match, to control the transmitter to transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the barrier movement operator.