Encrypted communications for a moveable barrier environment

• US 8,994,496 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Freese, Theodore Brent, Planck, Randall Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US13/078,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.7, 340/5.71, 340/5.61, 340/5.51, 340/539.1, 340/825.69, 340/545.1, 340/545.8, 340/550, 49/13, 49/31, 49/72, 491/66, 455/403, 455/466, 455/557, 318/16, 318/286, 318/466, 160/310, 160/331, 52/1
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• 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: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2628 Door, window
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/62 Rolling code

Abstract

An at least partially secure communication environment is provided in which accessory devices can be communicated with and controlled in the context of a movable barrier operator system. In one example approach, a gateway device can be configured to coordinate and control such communications in a secure manner. Three example approaches to such a communication environment include: a gateway device'"'"'s receiving an accessory device control signal and sending a rolling code based accessory command signal to a target accessory device; receiving a rolling code based accessory device control signal and sending a command signal to an accessory device; and receiving a rolling code based accessory device control signal and sending a rolling code based accessory command signal to a target accessory device. Combinations are possible. An integrated system provides for automatic functioning of one device in response to status changes of one or more other devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a gateway device from a user interface an accessory device control signal designed to implement a function of at least one target device, the at least one target device comprising at least one of a movable barrier operator or at least one of a plurality of accessory devices configured to operate in a movable barrier operator system and configured to communicate status information regarding the movable barrier operator system, the gateway device configured to send control signals to the movable barrier operator to effect movement of a movable barrier between an open position and a closed position;

determining which of the at least one target device implements the function;

receiving status information comprising a status of at least one other device that is not the target device;

determining whether the at least one target device is authorized to implement the function based at least in part on the status of the at least one other device;

sending a rolling code based accessory command signal to the at least one target device to effect implementation of the function;

the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by;

receiving a rolling code based accessory device control signal designed to implement the function of the one of the plurality of accessory devices,

deriving a rolling code from the rolling code based accessory device control signal,

determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code or accessing a central controller to determine whether the rolling code is a valid rolling code, and

in response to determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, sending the rolling code based accessory command signal to the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the user interface providing control options for a plurality of the accessory devices, receiving a user signal regarding the control options, and in response to receiving the user signal, sending the accessory device control signal to the gateway device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the one of the plurality of accessory devices:

receiving the rolling code based accessory command signal;

deriving a rolling code from the rolling code based accessory command signal;

determining whether the rolling code is a valid rolling code;

in response to determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, implementing the function.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device accessing the central controller to receive a rolling code on which the rolling code based accessory command signal is based.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by accessing a central controller to validate the accessory device control signal and in response to validating the accessory device control signal, triggering sending the rolling code based accessory command signal to the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by validating the accessory device control signal and in response to validating the accessory device control signal, sending the rolling code based accessory command signal to the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the rolling code based accessory device control signal comprises a movable barrier specific rolling code, the method further comprising tracking a corresponding rolling number at one of the gateway device or a central controller, the corresponding rolling number being specific to the movable barrier with which the plurality of accessory devices are associated.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by:

receiving a rolling code based accessory device control signal designed to implement a function of a second of the plurality of accessory devices,

deriving a rolling code from the rolling code based accessory command signal,

determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, and

in response to determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, sending a command signal to the second of the plurality of accessory devices.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by:

receiving a rolling code based accessory device control signal designed to implement a function of a second of the plurality of accessory devices,

deriving a rolling code from the rolling code based accessory command signal,

accessing the central controller to determine whether the rolling code is a valid rolling code, and

in response to determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, sending a command signal to the second of the plurality of accessory devices.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by determining an address of the one of the plurality of accessory devices based on the accessory device control signal.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the rolling code based accessory command signal comprises an accessory specific rolling code, the method further comprising tracking a corresponding rolling number at the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of a plurality of accessory devices is selected from group consisting of:

a photoeye,

a safety edge,

a light,

a lighting control,

a dock leveler,

a trailer lock,

a controlled power outlet,

a camera,

an edge guard,

a dock seal,

a dock bumper,

a microwave sensor,

an area optical detector, and a loop detector.

12. A method comprising:

receiving at a gateway device from a user interface a rolling code based accessory device control signal designed to implement a function of at least one target device, the at least one target device comprising at least one of a movable barrier operator or at least one of a plurality of accessory devices configured to operate in a movable barrier operator system and configured to communicate status information regarding the movable barrier operator system, the gateway device configured to send control signals to the movable barrier operator to effect movement of a movable barrier between an open position and a closed position;

determining which of the at least one target device implements the function;

receiving status information comprising a status of at least one other device that is not the target device;

determining whether the at least one target device is authorized to implement the function based at least in part on the status of the at least one other device;

sending a rolling code based command signal to the at least one target device to effect implementation of the function;

the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by;

deriving a rolling code from the rolling code based accessory device control signal,

determining whether the rolling code is a valid rolling code or accessing a central controller to determine whether the rolling code is a valid rolling code, and

in response to determining that the rolling code is a valid rolling code, sending the rolling code based command signal to the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by determining an address of the one of the plurality of accessory devices based on the rolling code based accessory device control signal.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the user interface providing control options for a plurality of the accessory devices, receiving a user signal regarding the control options, and in response to receiving the user signal, sending the rolling code based accessory device control signal to the gateway device.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the gateway device controlling communications with the plurality of accessory devices by accessing the central controller to validate the rolling code based accessory device control signal and in response to validating the accessory device control signal, sending the command signal to the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the gateway device accessing a central controller to receive a rolling code on which the rolling code based accessory command signal is based.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the rolling code based accessory device control signal comprises a movable barrier specific rolling code, the method further comprising tracking a corresponding rolling number at one of the gateway device or a central controller, the corresponding rolling number being specific to the movable barrier with which the plurality of accessory devices are associated.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the rolling code based accessory command signal comprises an accessory specific rolling code, the method further comprising tracking a corresponding rolling number at the one of the plurality of accessory devices.

19. A method of operating devices in a movable door environment, the method comprising:

receiving at a gateway device from a user interface a device control signal designed to implement a function of at least one target device, the at least one target device comprising at least one of a movable barrier operator or at least one of a plurality of accessory devices configured to operate in a movable barrier operator system and configured to communicate status information regarding the movable barrier operator system;

receiving status information comprising a status of at least one other device that is not the target device;

determining whether the at least one target device is authorized to implement the function based at least in part on a status of the at least one other device;

in response to determining that the at least one target device is authorized to implement the function, sending a rolling code based command signal to the at least one target device to effect implementation of the function;

wherein the status information comprises information selected from group consisting of;

trailer identification, container identification, driver identification, current used, power used, barrier operator—

number of operations, barrier operator—

door positional status, barrier operator—

failed to complete a command, barrier operator—

forces to open, barrier operator—

obstructed, barrier operator—

reversed due to contact with an obstruction, barrier operator—

reversed due to non-contact detection of an obstruction, barrier operator—

internal fault detected, barrier operator—

internal fault identification, barrier operator—

normal, photo eye—

obstruction, photo eye—

fault, photo eye—

fault identification, photo eye—

obstruction remaining, photo eye—

normal, safety edge—

obstruction, safety edge—

obstruction remaining, safety edge—

fault, safety edge—

fault identification, safety edge—

normal, dock light—

status, dock light—

bulb status, area lighting—

status, area lighting—

bulb status, dock leveler—

set, dock leveler—

weight detected, dock leveler—

released, dock leveler—

set, trailer lock—

released, trailer lock—

set, controlled power outlet active, controlled power outlet—

deactivated, camera—

not active, camera—

motion activated, camera—

system activated, edge guards/dock seal—

compressed, edge guards/dock seal—

not compressed, dock bumper impacted, and dock stop-light.